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From Luke’s Journal May 2025 | Vol. 30 No. 1 | MIMBY

Wide open country for miles on end, red dirt stretching to the horizon, ancient boabs watching over the land. The dry season lasts as long as a pregnancy—months without a drop of rain, not a single cloud to shadow the sky. The land is dry and silent.

Then the monsoon arrives. Rivers swell, roads flood, the air fills with the scent of rain and the rumble of thunder. Water and mud underfoot. Birds cover the floodplains, crocs lurk beneath the surface of the river, and the bush comes back to life. It feels as though there should be elephants and lions just around the bend. But this isn’t Africa—this is the Kimberley. This is my backyard. This is where I do my mission.

What is Mission?

Merriam-Webster defines “mission” as “a specific task with which a person or group is charged” or “a pre-established and often self-imposed objective or purpose.”¹ The word originates from the Latin missus, meaning “to have been thrown or sent.”¹

But what have we, as Christians, been sent for? The Anglican Communion states that the mission of the Church is the mission of Christ:

To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom

To teach, baptize, and nurture new believers

To respond to human need through loving service

To transform unjust structures of society, challenge violence in all forms, and pursue peace and reconciliation

To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, sustaining and renewing the life of the earth²

Within the broader mission of the Church, we often wonder what God has sent us specifically to do. The truth is, unless we experience specific leading from God, there is freedom in where and how we serve His mission as long as we are in continual submission to His will; He grants us this freedom (James 4:15). And God has already placed us here as doctors, dentists, nurses, and other healthcare workers. It stands to reason that He would have us do His will in this field to his glory, as echoed in 1 Corinthians 10:31:

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Mission Beyond Borders

Traditionally, when we thought about mission in a medical context, we often pictured overseas work – doctors traveling to remote areas, bringing the Bible to unreached tribes, setting up clinics in jungle villages, or working in refugee camps. This image of mission has long been tied to the idea of venturing far from home into cultures and communities vastly different from our own. While this is undoubtedly some of the work performed within the kingdom of God, too much focus on this can overshadow the reality that mission is not confined to distant lands – it is needed just as desperately in our own backyard.

“….too much focus on this can overshadow the reality that mission is not confined to distant lands – it is needed just as desperately in our own backyard.”

Health outcomes are significantly poorer in rural and remote Australia than in urban areas. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is more than eight years lower than that of non-Aboriginal Australians.³ Additionally, Australians living in remote areas experience a reduction of up to seven years in life expectancy compared to their urban counterparts.³ Rates of preventable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease are disproportionately high, with Aboriginal Australians experiencing a burden of disease 2.3 times greater than non-Indigenous Australians.⁴

Despite these higher needs, the government spends approximately $850 less per person on healthcare in rural areas than in urban centres. ⁵ Access to healthcare services is also severely limited, with many communities lacking consistent health professionals, specialists, or even basic healthcare infrastructure. ⁶ This presents a clear opportunity to reach an area of great need – without leaving the borders of Australia.

My Journey

For me, God spoke early in my life, calling me to become a doctor and go to Nigeria. Apart from this instruction, I was unsure of the details. After much thought and prayer, I trained as a rural generalist, believing this best suited the goals of my path. My initial journey as a doctor began as most doctors’ journeys do—in a tertiary hospital in the city. I then completed my sub-speciality training in Obstetrics in another tertiary hospital before moving to a regional town to begin my GP training in private practice, alongside obstetrics work in the regional hospital.

In 2020, I received a phone call asking me to come and help in Kununurra, a small remote town in the Kimberley. As I approached the end of my GP training, this seemed like an appropriate stepping stone on my journey toward Nigeria. And having now visited Nigeria, I see how incredibly helpful this experience in the Kimberley has been in making me a more useful doctor when I arrive there. But I have also realized that God led me to the Kimberley not just for training—but to serve His purpose for the people here.

The Challenges and the Rewards

Make no mistake—this is not an easy place to live. I don’t speak for all of rural and remote Australia, but I do speak for the Kimberley when I say these things.

The environment is punishing. It is hot most of the year and humid for half of it. Air conditioning is a necessity. The geographic isolation makes travel costly and time-consuming. Goods and services readily available in metro Australia are expensive here, if available at all. Your grocery trolley will cost much more than in the city. Petty crime is higher—your car is more likely to be stolen, and your house broken into.

Emotionally, working in healthcare here is draining. You witness darkness, problems you cannot fix. You find yourself fighting a system that disempowers patients and families, refuses to acknowledge individual responsibility and sin, and fosters an expectation of helplessness among the vulnerable. You will witness rampant violence among families, alcohol abuse, and child abuse. You will struggle to maintain a blank face.

If you have children, educational options are limited. High-quality schooling often means boarding school or homeschooling.

“And because the need is so great, the role of a Christian here carries deep meaning. In smaller workplaces, a few faithful Christians can transform the culture.”

Yet, there are rewards. Friendships form quickly in a transient population. Salaries are generally higher than in the city. Nature is everywhere, with endless options for camping and hiking. And because the need is so great, the role of a Christian here carries deep meaning. In smaller workplaces, a few faithful Christians can transform the culture. I have seen this at my hospital through the influence of just a couple of believers.

Similarly, small churches offer relational benefits that can’t be found in large congregations. Remote areas naturally have more Aboriginal patients. There are opportunities for discussion and prayer with Aboriginal patients, who are usually very aware of Jesus and happy for prayer—an opportunity you rarely get with patients in the city. I remember an older Aboriginal lady thanking me for praying with her in my emergency department, asking God to remove her anxiety in the face of death. She said it gave her peace. I have not had as many opportunities for this elsewhere.

Rediscovering Purpose

A year and a half into working here, I felt overcome by the meaninglessness of my work. Hospital medicine felt like putting band-aids on gaping wounds. A friend accurately described it as the ambulance at the bottom of a cliff. After much prayer and soul-searching, I concluded that the ultimate meaning is found in bringing the gospel to the unsaved.

I started street ministry with some godly men, and this has filled my cup. We have seen God working through it. It can be as hard as the grind of healthcare here but carries the added benefit of impact. However you serve God, I think it is important to remember the first two tenets of mission that the Anglican Communion stated—to preach the good news and disciple. If we engage in neither of these in our lives, I don’t think we can be truly fulfilling the mission God has set before us.

A Challenge for You

So, let me leave you with a challenge. Sincerely think about where God wants you. Pray and let God know you are open to working in rural and remote Australia. Sit down and intellectually engage with the idea. And maybe I’ll see you in the Kimberley sometime!

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