Family on Mission - God’s Story in the Illawarra
Hengki Widjaja and Jeff Stacey

Family on Mission 

There is a reason that each of us is here, living in the Illawarra. I was meant to be here for 3 years, but I've now been here for 33 years. There is a reason. 

God has convicted me and my family to take seriously His calling to be on mission in our city. I want to offer an invitation to you to be part of what God is doing in the Illawarra. 

If you missed it, catch up on God’s Story in the Illawarra:

The Quiet Power of Prayer: A Conversation with Jeff

When I first met Jeff through the prayer breakfast network around 2012 or 2013, one thing quickly stood out: his quiet but remarkable commitment to prayer for the Illawarra. Week after week—often twice a week—Jeff and a small group faithfully gather to pray for churches across the region, from Helensburgh to Kiama. Many people never see this side of ministry, but as I’ve joined them from time to time, I’ve come to deeply respect the consistency and heart behind it.

Now 84, Jeff has lived much of his life connected to Wollongong. He first came to the city as a student and later returned in the 1990s after working as a road engineer. It was during his university years in 1961 that he experienced what he describes as a very definite moment of being “born again”—an encounter that completely changed the direction of his life.

After losing his first wife two years ago, he has since remarried and is grateful for another Christian marriage. Between both families, they now have 69 relatives—“plenty to pray for,” he laughed.

Prayer, however, has long been central to Jeff’s journey. In the mid-1990s, shortly after returning to Wollongong, he discovered a small inter-church prayer group meeting in an old church building in Coniston. People from different denominations gathered each Friday morning simply to pray. Jeff has rarely missed those daily prayer rhythms since the 1960s, telling me he has missed only “10 or 15 mornings” of personal devotion since 1964.

Over time, these gatherings expanded to include pastors’ prayer summits organised by leaders such as David Bartlett and Daryl Stewart. Pastors would meet together for several days to pray and seek unity across churches. Interestingly, Jeff remembered that while pastors met, a small group of women prayed separately the entire time—crying out to God for the conversations taking place.

Though he once tried pastoral ministry, it lasted only five weeks. Instead, he realised his true ministry was in prayer. “Prayer is absolutely key in my journey,” he told me. Small prayer gatherings, he said, allow believers to meet honestly before God—sharing joys, struggles, and seeking direction together.

Today, Jeff is part of Wollongong Congregational Church, a congregation with a history dating back to 1855. Despite seasons of decline and challenges—including illness among pastors—new life has emerged in unexpected ways. A Chinese Christian group approached the church asking to use a room for prayer. That simple request grew into a thriving ministry meeting multiple times each week, reaching students and families near the university.

For Jeff, it’s a reminder that God is always at work. As he said with a smile, “We don’t know what God’s future is—only He knows. But He’s up to something.”

Call to Action

As you reflect on this week’s message, I encourage you to consider:
1. What is one thing you love about the Illawarra?
2. What do you think the people of the Illawarra need?
3. Can you spend some time this week or next week praying for churches in the Illawarra?