STOP THE PRESS!!

Shalem Health Retreat has a very exciting offer to announce! In order to help our church members, and their significant others, improve their health, and to generate income for Shalem, we have slashed our 5-night program fee for the month of July by a huge 50%. Instead of paying $1540 for a twin share room, you will now only pay $770! There are only two conditions to this offer:

1. You are willing to share a room (males with males, females with females or couples together in a room)

2. The program will only run if we get 6 participants (2 participants per room)

So what does this heavily discounted program include?

• Twin-share accommodation in one of Shalem’s cozy cottage rooms with own ensuite

• All meals

  • 2-day detox with your choice of grains and fruit and/or juice fast

  • 3-days of delicious whole-food, plant-based meals - breakfast, lunch and light supper

• Personalised health consultation at the commencement and conclusion of the program

• Daily health lectures

• Cooking, hydrotherapy and natural remedies workshops

• Daily steam bath

• Beautiful nature walks

• Daily morning thoughts and evening Bible studies

During the program you will be able to:

• Unwind from the stresses of life by taking in the beautiful sights and sounds of God’s creation

• Reconnect or connect with God as you experience physical, mental and spiritual healing

• Learn and put into practice the principles of health from the Bible and God’s inspired messenger

• Form lasting friendships with Shalem staff, volunteers and like-minded participants

This offer is extended to church members as well as their family and friends (family and friends do not need to be church members).  We are flexible with regards to dates and can run the 5-night program anytime between Sunday, 20 July and Friday, 1 August. So why not get a group of 6 together to express your interest in attending Shalem Health Retreat? You won’t regret it!

SHALEM EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE! GROWTH CONFERENCE 26-29 SEPTEMBER

It’s back! Shalem’s increasingly popular Growth Conference will be held in just a few short months on the September long weekend from Friday 26th to Monday 29th.

And because of the many requests we have had over the years to incorporate a practical component into the Conference, this year’s event will feature hand-ons experience alongside theoretical instruction!

Our Shalem agricultural consultant and local orchardist, Jeremy Price, will be our speaker for this year’s Growth and will also lead out in the practical workshop components. We are currently in the process of finalising the program but rest assured it will be a wonderful opportunity for families and people of all ages to get their hands dirty in the Shalem veggie gardens, orchards and soon-to-be vineyard!

For now, save the date, pass the word around and keep an eye out for the registration info that will be emailed soon!

SHALEM WINTER FAMILY CAMP - EXTRAORDINARY!

The June long weekend saw 20+ families converge on Busselton campground for Shalem’s annual Winter Family Camp. The theme for the weekend that was selected by our dear friends and speakers, Alain and Irene Bautista, was “Blueprint for an Extraordinary Family”. And it certainly lived up to its name. Families were incredibly blessed by the presentations which included eye-opening lessons from the Biblical stories of  Amram and Jochebed, Moses’ parents, as well as the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Also presented were principles on how to strengthen marriage relationships, how to raise emotionally confident and spiritual children and how to break negative generational patterns. 

It truly was a huge blessing for all families including the youth who expressed how much they enjoyed the engaging and content-rich presentations. Even the little ones were catered for with age-appropriate crafts as they sat at tables with their parents while the lectures were taking place.

One amazing aspect of the entire weekend was the weather. We certainly saw the Lord’s intervention there as heavy showers were predicted for the whole weekend. It did rain in Busselton on Friday morning up until about lunch time, but then the rain ceased and did not start again until lunch time on Monday. Incredible!! The weather was just glorious which gave families an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Busselton coastline and the wonderfully-cared for green spaces at our campground.

Due to its increasing popularity, unfortunately we had to turn some people away from this year’s Family Camp. However, praise God, we have been able to secure Camp Mornington all to ourselves for next year’s camp which will give us plenty of room for all those who want to attend. So make sure you save the date! 29 May to 1 June 2026 (long weekend).

You can watch most of the sessions in our youtube channel @ShalemOutpost. Please don't forget to like and subscribe.

Playlist of the 2025 videos are saved here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuZhxXL_r2y_Ajti1fO8H3DuiMupKc53-&si=4yCGbIWyIC54JBJL

SHALEM HEALTH RETREAT

THE MAKER HEALS

Now well into its third year, The Maker Heals at Shalem continues to be a huge blessing to all associated with it - participants and staff alike! Our last program saw five ladies benefit from God’s healing power as the Bible’s 8 natural laws were taught, applied and experienced.

At the end of the program one participant said “I’m not going to focus so much on praying for physical healing now but on praying for spiritual healing.” While we know that Jesus does indeed heal physically, it is not always the case. BUT, He always answers in the affirmative to the earnest, humble prayer for spiritual healing.

Our last two Maker Heals programs for the year are:

7-16 September

2-11 November

Bookings have already been received for these two programs, so if you are thinking about attending The Maker Heals this year then we encourage you to make contact with Jo Laing on 0412 400 494 or email  jo.laing@shalem.net and/or complete the registration form at Apply - The Maker Heals 

12-NIGHT TRANSFORMATION

Greer Berry was struggling. She knew she needed to get away and surround herself with nature’s calming influence. But where? Jumping online, Greer googled health retreats but to her dismay they were all promoting new age philosophies which clashed with her Christian belief system. Then, her eyes fell on a listing and a phrase caught her attention - Seventh-day Adventist. 

As a Seventh-day Adventist herself, Greer knew she would be in good hands at this health retreat. She knew the people would be caring and that the principles taught would be in line with Biblical principles. And not only that, but the retreat offered a secluded hideaway on a stunning 146-acre property surrounded by state forest. Perfect!

After an initial inquiry, Greer discovered that yes, a room was indeed available at Shalem Health Retreat during the dates she wanted. The following Sabbath, after making that inquiry, Greer had arranged to meet a good friend of hers at Vic Park Seventh-day Adventist Church. And who do you think just happened to be preaching that day? Benjie Hornales, General Manager of Shalem! Jo Laing, who had taken the initial inquiry, was also in attendance. Praise the Lord for divine appointments and for confirming in Greer’s mind that she had made the right choice!

When asked what were the highlights of her 12-night stay at Shalem, Greer replied, “everything!” I loved the people, the beautiful nature surroundings, the food, the health talks, the treatments. It was so much more than I expected! And the changes she has experienced since attending the program? “My emotional well-being has dramatically improved. I feel really happy. I’m motivated and I have so much to look forward to.”

This is exactly why we do what we do at Shalem. It is our utter joy and privilege to be a part of the healing work that God is doing in the lives of His people! We rejoice with Greer at what the Lord has done and will continue to do in her life! And what’s next? “Well,” said Greer, I’m really keen to go to the Growth Conference at Shalem.” And we’re really excited to have Greer as our first booking!

Now well into its third year, The Maker Heals at Shalem continues to be a huge blessing to all associated with it - participants and staff alike! Our last program saw five ladies benefit from God’s healing power as the Bible’s 8 natural laws were taught, applied and experienced.

At the end of the program one participant said “I’m not going to focus so much on praying for physical healing now but on praying for spiritual healing.” While we know that Jesus does indeed heal physically, it is not always the case. BUT, He always answers in the affirmative to the earnest, humble prayer for spiritual healing.

Our last two Maker Heals programs for the year are:

7-16 September

2-11 November

Bookings have already been received for these two programs, so if you are thinking about attending The Maker Heals this year then we encourage you to make contact with Jo Laing on 0412 400 494 or email  jo.laing@shalem.net and/or complete the registration form at Apply - The Maker Heals 

12-NIGHT TRANSFORMATION

Greer Berry was struggling. She knew she needed to get away and surround herself with nature’s calming influence. But where? Jumping online, Greer googled health retreats but to her dismay they were all promoting new age philosophies which clashed with her Christian belief system. Then, her eyes fell on a listing and a phrase caught her attention - Seventh-day Adventist. 

As a Seventh-day Adventist herself, Greer knew she would be in good hands at this health retreat. She knew the people would be caring and that the principles taught would be in line with Biblical principles. And not only that, but the retreat offered a secluded hideaway on a stunning 146-acre property surrounded by state forest. Perfect!

After an initial inquiry, Greer discovered that yes, a room was indeed available at Shalem Health Retreat during the dates she wanted. The following Sabbath, after making that inquiry, Greer had arranged to meet a good friend of hers at Vic Park Seventh-day Adventist Church. And who do you think just happened to be preaching that day? Benjie Hornales, General Manager of Shalem! Jo Laing, who had taken the initial inquiry, was also in attendance. Praise the Lord for divine appointments and for confirming in Greer’s mind that she had made the right choice!

When asked what were the highlights of her 12-night stay at Shalem, Greer replied, “everything!” I loved the people, the beautiful nature surroundings, the food, the health talks, the treatments. It was so much more than I expected! And the changes she has experienced since attending the program? “My emotional well-being has dramatically improved. I feel really happy. I’m motivated and I have so much to look forward to.”

This is exactly why we do what we do at Shalem. It is our utter joy and privilege to be a part of the healing work that God is doing in the lives of His people! We rejoice with Greer at what the Lord has done and will continue to do in her life! And what’s next? “Well,” said Greer, I’m really keen to go to the Growth Conference at Shalem.” And we’re really excited to have Greer as our first booking!

BATHROOM/LAUNDRY RENOVATIONS

The Shalem Health Retreat Cottage is doing remarkably well for its age. It was transported to the Shalem property 30 years ago having previously lived its life as a timber worker’s cottage in the south west of WA’s forests.

However, the time has come for the staff bathroom/laundry to receive a major overhaul. In fact it’s going to be completely gutted and fully renovated over the course of the next four weeks while we break from our normal schedule of programs and events. The reason for the renovation is not cosmetic, although it will be nice to have a new-look bathroom/laundry, but necessary, due to a number of structural factors that need to be addressed.

Our faithful, yet very old, water-heavy and space-consuming washing machine will be retired and so we are in the market for a second-hand, space and water-saving front-loader machine. This, along with our dryer, will be located under a benchtop creating much-needed space. Those of you who have used the staff bathroom/laundry may have noticed that we have no cupboards!

We would be most grateful for any leads on a decent, front-loader washing machine in good working order. As always, Shalem is running on an extremely tight budget, so if you know of any other bathroom/laundry items that are going cheap, or better still, at no cost, then please get in touch with Jo Laing on 0412 400 494 for our list of renovation requirements. THANK YOU!

SHALEM FARM

Volunteer Helper for Vineyard Fencing 

Our good friend, supporter and horticulturist, Mike Hoffman, visited Shalem recently to provide much needed expertise and help with the fencing for our vineyard project. Mike’s recent purchase of a motorised post rammer, made short work of the job as he rammed 300m worth of galvanised steel fence posts into the ground in no time at all! He will return soon to finish the fencing project - thank you Mike!

 Once the fencing has been completed, our next task will be to graft different grape varieties onto the root stocks that are a year old. This will take place during the Growth Conference, where participants will be given the opportunity to learn this skill.

Donation of Trellis Materials

Lowden Fresh, a vineyard in DonnyBrook that is owned and operated  by our dear friends Vernon and Melissa Lowe, donated materials for our vineyard trellis including pine posts, Y-shape trellis and wires. Thank you so much to the Lowe’s for their continued support of Shalem! If you live in the area or are travelling through check out Lowden Fresh!

Garden Blessing!

A diving appointment at Manjimup church has turned into a double blessing. Martin, who has been travelling around Australia in his home-built caravan, for the past two and a half years, distributing Steps to Christ and The Great Controversy, paid a visit to Shalem’s local church recently. After meeting General Manager, Benjie Hornales, and learning about the mission of Shalem, he decided to come and help us for a while before moving on to his next destination of Albany. Martin has been kept busy working with Benjie and Gem in the gardens and orchards with cleaning up, weeding, grass-cutting and fixing equipment, just to name a few. Martin has been a real blessing and he, in turn, is blessed by the serenity and peace at Shalem.

Delicious Persimmons

God blessed Shalem with an abundance of fruit that we were able to harvest from our four persimmon trees over summer. Two of the fruit trees are 3-years-old and the other two, a year younger. Our Maker Heals guests and visitors had the delight of plucking these delicious persimmons fresh from the tree for lunch. They were definitely the fruit of choice during our fruit fasting days!