Grateful Living
Allan and Maria’s Journey of Faith – Part 1: Finding Home Again
After years on the road in their beloved converted bus, Allan and Maria Mower discovered that God had something more permanent in mind for them. Their journey to Burrum Heads is a story of faith, friendship, and finding home again.
For Allan and Maria, life has been anything but ordinary. After selling their home in 2019, they hit the road in a 40-foot bus that Allan had converted into a home on wheels. For four and a half years, they travelled Australia, visiting family, reconnecting with friends and watching God’s plans unfold one kilometre at a time.
Among those stops was Burrum Heads, where their long-time friends Keith and Sylvia had settled. “We’d been friends for over 60 years. We came to visit—and somehow, we just kept coming back Allan explains.” It wasn’t long before the couple started praying that God might open the door for a more permanent stay. “We felt this was where we wanted to be,” Maria added. “And God clearly agreed.”
During their visits, they also attended Hervey Bay Baptist Church, where they felt an instant sense of welcome. “We were encouraged to come back,” Allan recalled. “It just felt like home.”
Of course, ministry has long been a part of Allan and Maria’s story. After Allan became a Christian in his thirties, his passion for evangelism led both of them to the Church Army College of Evangelism—Allan to study evangelism and Maria theology. That period marked more than a decade of ministry with the Anglican Church in Penrith, Bermagui, and Wagga Wagga.
But one of their most powerful experiences came years later, at the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre in Western Australia. From 2011 to 2017, the centre welcomed over 75,000 seafarers each year, offering both pastoral care and practical support. “We saw incredible things there,” Allan reflected. “So many people responding to the gospel. God was doing amazing work in those lives.”
Now, settled by the sea once more, Allan and Maria are embracing a quieter pace—but with the same heartbeat of faith and service. “We can see God’s fingerprints all over how we ended up here,” Maria said. “It’s been His plan all along.”
Stay tuned for Part 2 of their story in the next Refresh eNews.
Among those stops was Burrum Heads, where their long-time friends Keith and Sylvia had settled. “We’d been friends for over 60 years. We came to visit—and somehow, we just kept coming back Allan explains.” It wasn’t long before the couple started praying that God might open the door for a more permanent stay. “We felt this was where we wanted to be,” Maria added. “And God clearly agreed.”
During their visits, they also attended Hervey Bay Baptist Church, where they felt an instant sense of welcome. “We were encouraged to come back,” Allan recalled. “It just felt like home.”
Of course, ministry has long been a part of Allan and Maria’s story. After Allan became a Christian in his thirties, his passion for evangelism led both of them to the Church Army College of Evangelism—Allan to study evangelism and Maria theology. That period marked more than a decade of ministry with the Anglican Church in Penrith, Bermagui, and Wagga Wagga.
But one of their most powerful experiences came years later, at the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre in Western Australia. From 2011 to 2017, the centre welcomed over 75,000 seafarers each year, offering both pastoral care and practical support. “We saw incredible things there,” Allan reflected. “So many people responding to the gospel. God was doing amazing work in those lives.”
Now, settled by the sea once more, Allan and Maria are embracing a quieter pace—but with the same heartbeat of faith and service. “We can see God’s fingerprints all over how we ended up here,” Maria said. “It’s been His plan all along.”
Stay tuned for Part 2 of their story in the next Refresh eNews.
Posted in Grateful Living