Assistance Commissioner Allen reports:

 Recently, I had an opportunity to sow some seeds, sharing with a few recruits as they were standing next to the Brew truck at the rifle range. The conversation started with a recruit talking about the effects of post-traumatic stress on a relative who had recently returned from Afghanistan.

The discussion then moved onto the practice of witchery as one of the recruits’ mothers was a witch. While listening and waiting for an opportunity to speak, I felt to hold back. All of sudden out of the blue a recruit asked me “Is it right for Christians to be in the military and to kill people?” It was like God had given me a divine opportunity and I seized the moment; sharing about the ‘Just” war theory while incorporating the correct interpretation of the commandment “Thou shall not kill.” I explained to the recruits that God appoints governments to provide protection for its people by employing Armed Forces. I encouraged the troops by reinforcing there is a just purpose in their profession, even though at times traumatic; it’s for the greater purpose of serving and protecting their fellow countrymen.

At the same time I shared about the importance of having an anchor and their need to ask Jesus Christ to be that anchor. I then explained how to invite Jesus into their hearts by asking Him to forgive them of their sins. The epilogue to this story is that a week later I visited some friends in Melbourne. One of those friends son shared with me how he felt led to pray for ministering opportunities for me. We worked it out, that at the exact time and day that he was praying was when I was with the same group of recruits at the rifle range on a Thursday morning! How good is God!