I was Thirsty
Angela Ninnal | Wadeye, NT, Australia
When Angela was 6, her family took her to the local church convent, where Nuns raised her. She was well cared for, and loved to read stories. Years later, attending Alcoholics Anonymous, she changed her life.
Angela works at a Safe House, and loves to help Mum's to grow strong families, teaching their children wisdom and faith.
Filmed in Wadeye, a remote Aboriginal community in Australia's top end, Angela's wise and humble story reveals where she satisfied her thirst.
THEMES IN THIS STORY
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Alcoholics Anonymous
Gambling
Changed life
Thirst for Jesus
Strong families
Forgiveness
Living water
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KEY QUOTES from this story:
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You know, to help me to be a strong, solid person, try and help my people.
I was thirsty. I was desperate for Jesus.
I was brought up here in Wadeye. Dad and Mum, but then when I was six years old, they took me to the convent. That's where the girls dormitory was.
The Nuns were good to us, you know, looking after us, caring for us
We loved school. I was interested in reading and stories, you know, writing and maths and learning about Catechism
In my twenties, I started to turn back from God. I used to play cards (gambling), and never went to church much.
When my brother and his wife, they used to go to this AA, Alcoholics Anonymous program. It took me two years. Saying “no, no” to my brother and my sister in law. But later on I said, “I'll go and try”. And that’s where I started to learn to look at myself.
I changed my life
I love, you know, to help with them Mothers... To encourage them. Take care of their families. Not just families, but extended families and their tribe...
This is the thing that we want: our people, young people to have that wisdom, knowledge, to have that strong faith to teach their children.
Love God, love our neighbours because God forgave us. He sent his Son to save us. Because of our sin. He died for us, so God will forgive us, and we should forgive this person.
Jesus was telling us to forgive people.
When I read this story about Jesus and the Samaritan woman and you know , her spirit was thirsty.
And Jesus himself was the living water that he gave them.
It’s like they’re drinking that water, God’s Spirit, all that good spirit come into their life.
Our people, to have that faith, good things in their life. And now they’re growing to be strong for themselves... You know, caring, sharing, follow his (Jesus’) footsteps. Yeah. What the Lord wants us to do.
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. It will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (Jesus, in John 4v13)
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