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Roadside Rescue in the Outback

KA-THUNK! Shudder shudder shudder...

Three hundred kilometres north of Perth our Mobile Mission Team’s road trip came to an abrupt halt as the rear axle broke out through the wheel of their caravan (camper-trailer).
It was day one of a week-long outreach trip to Roebourne, a small, largely indigenous community in Western Australia’s remote North. With twelve hours of driving to go, it looked like the Youth for Christ Australia team, who were partnering with Perth-based ministry Exodus Projects, would not be making the distance.
After several stressful hours, a tow to Geraldton, a day working on the caravan, and much prayer they decided to press forward.
But a more significant roadside drama lay ahead.
Further north, along an isolated stretch of highway, they came upon Tracy, a young female driver whose car had run out of fuel on a bridge. Despite five other cars stopping to help, only the Youth for Christ team had a vehicle that ran on petrol. Working together, they were able to help push her car off the bridge and then siphon some fuel into it and bless her with fuel money.
As we chatted with her the conversation shifted to Jesus,” shares Youth for Christ team member Nathan. Tracey didn’t come from a religious background but she recounted a spiritual encounter from her past when she had experienced “something called Jesus” lift her out of a dark moment.
This prompted Emily, one of the Youth for Christ missionaries, to challenge her.
Emily“You said you believe in Jesus, but have you ever invited him into your heart?”
Tracey“No, I haven’t.”
Emily“Would you like to?”
Tracey“Yeah, I actually really would!”
So, by the side of the road, while other team members siphoned fuel into her car, and road trains (semi-trucks with two to three trailers) roared past, Tracey prayed – inviting Jesus into her life for the first time.
Just as we see with Jesus in the Gospel accounts, sometimes God brings powerful opportunities before us while we’re on the way to something else.
Story from Youth for Christ Australia. To find out more about our programme in Australia, visit au.yfci.org.