Where Are They Now?
Where Are They Now? Connor Davaram
2015 was the most challenging year of Connor’s life, when he learnt that it is “only through God’s redemptive plans and purposes fulfilled in Christ that I could have a hope and a future.”
In that year Connor felt , “God had put me in what felt like the deepest valley, bearing the weight of my mum’s death and now a close friend’s death.” Connor’s mother died when he was 5 years old, but up until now he had not been old enough to comprehend the loss.
In the midst of loss, he has learnt that, “time and time again in the scriptures and in the testimonies of those around me, it is in those ‘valleys’ that God calls people to himself.”
Connor, a triplet, was born in Australia, but he was born his biological Dad had walked out on the family. The family moved back to India for a few years, but when his mother was diagnosed with cancer, they moved to Australia for better medical care. Connor and his siblings were then raised by their Aunt and Uncle in Sydney.
Connor can see the ways that God worked through the valleys. “Through that season of my life, I learnt that God, the only father who has any right to walk out on me, doesn’t. Instead, He chose me, He adopted me, He justified me, and He will raise me up with Christ.”
It was Connor’s love for Christ, who gave him hope and a future, that brought him to Youthworks College in 2017.
He had been involved in the kids ministry at Menai Anglican under Mary Pickford while he studied primary education at university. It was Mary who suggested to Connor that he could be a kids minister. She asked him, “have you ever thought about paid ministry?” She encouraged him to do some proper theological study and reassured him that “there are jobs in this”.
After college, Menai Anglican offered him a three day week job in the kids ministry. He also did a few part-time jobs, at before-and-after-school care and at Gymea Tradies. These gave him connections with the schools and also got him out of his Christian bubble.
Connor loved ministry to kids. He believes “there is nothing like little kids”. He loves to laugh at their innocence and be there at the start of their faith journey.
Despite his soft spot for kids ministry, Connor changed direction last year and is now running the youth ministry at Menai. It had been a turbulent season trying to establish long term leadership in the youth ministry and the need was there. It was also time for Connor to take up more responsibility. “I felt ready for it, to step up.”
In the last few years Connor has also married Ally and has a daughter Willow who is six months old.
In all the ups and downs of life and ministry there are a few key Bible passages that have helped him persevere. At the end of the book of Job, God calls on Job to plead his case. “Who are you? Gird yourself like a man”. “When things are difficult, and I am asking “What’s going on God?” I remember that we are so small, and God is so big, beyond all comprehension. We are called by God to trust him.”
Please pray:
- For the kids and youth ministry at Menai. That they will be unified with good pathways and transitions from pre-school to young adults.
- For Connor and Menai church to build stronger relationships with the local public high schools.
- For the youth leaders at Menai as they juggle life, study, and ministry commitments.
Pictured: Ally, Willow and Connor