Sydney Olympics and Beyond

The year 2000. Everyone is talking about it, and here in Townsville we are no exception. What is even more exciting is that 2000 will see the staging of probably the largest single event on earth: The Olympics.

"Australia 2000: Gateway to the Nations" is an initiative of YWAM to see a massive outreach leading up to, during, and after the Olympics in Sydney. It is our hope that thousands of young, fired up Christians will come in from across the globe to spread the Gospel.

In September of the year 2000, it is expected that between 750,000 and 1,000,000 people will walk through the gates of Sydney airport, swelling the population of Australia's largest city to more than 5 million. The biggest single event in the world's calendar will begin as the torch makes it's way from Athens to Sydney.

Leading up to, during, and after that period, YWAMers from across the globe will converge on Sydney, Australia and the Pacific in what will be the one of the biggest outreaches in YWAM's 40 year history.

Reef to Outback has been offered a unique opportunity to join in this outreach, and it promises to be one of the most exciting and challenging periods in our short history. Our opportunities are twofold. The first is an initiative to see every town in Queensland with a population over 1000 visited during a two year period starting December 1999. As a base we would travel to these towns, bringing outreach teams and promoting Christ wherever we went. We will also offer Christians and churches the chance to participate in our second opportunity.

The second opportunity lies within Sydney itself. Reef to Outback is taking responsibility for an area of Sydney containing approximately 1 million people!! Awesome!! The aim is to become familiar with this area and then co-ordinate massive outreaches during the 3 week period of the Olympic games. We also have to accommodate, feed and organize between 400 and 1000 young people who would help target this area.

As you can see, this is an incredibly exciting opportunity. We believe that God has an incredible plan to see thousands come to know him over the next few years. The eyes of the world will be upon Sydney and Australia, and our desire is that they would see God worshipped and glorified for who He is.

Please consider joining us in laying a foundation of prayer, asking God to move in a mighty and powerful way during this window of opportunity! Interested? Please feel free to call us for more info, or Email us at: aust2000@ywam.org.au. Check out the Olympic website at www.ywam.org.au/aust2000

Gospel Eisteddfod

"Eisteddfod is a gathering of different types of artists competing against one another".

Reef to Outback will be part of a strategy to raise up creative Christian artists around the world to reach out to the unsaved at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Once the flame has been lit it may turn in to a mighty fire of revival that can sweep across the nations of the earth.

Gospel Eisteddfods will identify, encourage and facilitate performing artists from all Christian denominations to use their God given talent to reach the unsaved. We want to see artists released into mission for the glory of God, not just for the Olympics but to serve the wider Christian community into the future.

Here, in our part of the world, we will be running regional competitions in North Queensland, with our regional final being held in Townsville. The winners of the seven creative arts categories will then go on to the grand final of the Gospel Eisteddfods to be held in Sydney 2000 - regional finalists will be competing for opportunity to perform at various venues and events during the Games.

We want not only top performers, but also those who have a heart to reach out with fellow Christians. Part of the DTS programs this year will be involved in the setting up and promotion of this event throughout our region.

Australian High Schools Each year, the thousands of young people who pass through Australian educational systems are challenged and provoked to think about an uncertain future and the prospect of finding a job when they leave school - many are disillusioned. The term Generation X (those between 15-30 years of age) are disillusioned and can be defiant. They expect more and little hope is offered. Disillusioned, they set no goals and pursue no dreams. Each year at Reef to Outback we travel regionally,
	visiting thousands of teenagers and encouraging them through our presentations, seminars and personal contact. They want real answers to real problems and concerns. No question is too sacrosanct and no glib answer tolerated. Our youth today need role models more than ever. When young woman and men have someone to believe in them and are presented with clear values and the needs of others, they gain a whole new perspective and appreciation on life! They want answers!

The Coconut Press - Indonesia

A relief and development project undertaken by Reef to Outback into Indonesia has the potential to assist thousands of poorer isolated village people who rely on the production of copra. Direct Micro Expelling (DME) extracts clear, cold pressed, aromatic, virgin coconut oil of exceptional quality within 90 minutes of opening a coconut. The system, developed at the Australian National University with help from the CSIRO, is very different to current production methods. DME provides the opportunity for a really sustainable

smallholder coconut industry focused on domestic markets for body oil, cooking oil, lamp fuel and diesel substitute in remote locations. The residue meal is edible and makes an excellent animal feed. The oil and meal also have a good export potential. Asia is such a diverse place - full of challenges, struggles and sometimes overwhelming needs. It's very important to give young Australians an overseas exposure to the global market and the needs of our neighbours. The exposure to Asia and it's diversities greatly helps our youth in obtaining a new perspective and value of Australia.