Karlos Wilkinson-Sarunic

I grew up in Port Lincoln, South Australia, spending most of my childhood in my grandfather’s shed. He was a pilot and mechanic who worked on coffee plantations in Papua New Guinea, and my mum’s family spent their early years there. I grew up surrounded by stories and photos from their time in PNG, never imagining I’d one day return to serve there myself.

For as long as I can remember I have loved creating with my hands. Lego is where it all started then moved quickly to pulling apart every electronic device I could get my hands on. Around the time I was seven, my grandad and I were building and flying radio-controlled aircraft together. He fostered my love for engineering and inventing, teaching me everything about building, electronics, and problem-solving. He passed away a few years ago, and while I look forward to seeing him again in heaven, I miss him deeply. The passion he instilled in me remains one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received.

My family separated when I was older, and I moved to Queensland with my mum and stepdad, a wonderful father figure who continued to encourage my passion for creating and exploring. During my later high school years, through some amazing family friends, I started forming a real relationship with Jesus, attending their youth group and beginning to understand what it meant to walk with Christ.

After high school, I moved to Adelaide to reconnect with my other family and attended university, studying IT and software engineering. During this time I drifted quite far from my faith, not that I stopped believing in God, but my views became skewed listening to everything but the Bible.

After university, I moved back to Port Lincoln to spend time with my grandparents and family. It was one of the best and worst times of my life. After facing some heavy challenges, my mental health declined significantly. If it wasn’t for my cousin’s persistence in inviting me to church each week, despite my constant rejections, I might not be here today. But in my lowest moment, I turned to God and went all in.

I found an incredible church family at One Heart Church, the pastors took me under their wing and provided all the support I needed to find my faith in Christ. I was baptized and began serving in every ministry I could, kids church, youth leadership, hosting services, even preaching occasionally. Life was full and meaningful.

Then came a challenging word from God. My family was in Cairns, and I felt this pull to be with them, but I was wrestling with what my leaving would mean for One Heart. What kind of hole would I leave? What added pressure would it add to the team? I was so invested in the ministries there. But God needed to remind me: “You are not that important, Karlos.” I know I’m completely loved by God, but I’m not essential to His mission. If God wants something done, it will be done. The question is whether I’ll choose to join Him. That word freed me to move north without knowing what God had planned.

Through what seemed like coincidence, I landed a job with an organization I’d never heard of, MAF. I couldn’t believe it! aviation, technology, and serving Christ, all combined into one job. After starting as an IT support officer, I moved into leadership roles, eventually overseeing IT operations for all of MAF’s Asia Pacific programs, when God opens doors… This led me to travel throughout the region, but visiting PNG changed everything. The place, the people and the work God is doing there captured my heart and completely redirected my heart.

Now, I stand before a new door. A transition from my support role in Cairns to MAF Technologies Manager in Bougainville where I will be able to be right in the middle of his ministry. Using my hands and feet to bring practical solutions through my skills and passion with technology to help our broths and sisters. It’s a full-circle moment that only God could have written, returning to serve in a place God had carefully crafted for me since a child, using the skills my grandad helped develop, and joining what God is already doing there.

And through it all, I met my wife Caitlin at church in Cairns, another reason God led me here. Together, we’re stepping into this calling, not because we’re specially chosen, but because we’re choosing to partner with God in His work.