Rachel Herweynen


Rachel Herweynen shares her experience of being adopted into the local Yolnu culture when she took up a teaching position at one of Australia's most remote schools (Gawa Christian School) on Elcho Island in the Northern Territory.

I had a light-bulb moment. How our Yolnu family adopted us was a crystal-clear reflection of our adoption through Jesus ... One of my favourite pieces of encouragement was from a schoolteacher who learned about adoption into the Yolnu family: ‘Up until today everything I heard has told me we can see Aboriginal culture and learn about it, but not be a part of it.’ Isn’t that the beautiful gift of God? That we not only behold his glory and majesty. We get to be part of it all. We get to call him ‘Daddy’. May we never lose wonder at this absolute grace.

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