aerial ping-pong

aka - Australian rules football

The Jenkins invited Polly and I to head down to the brand new Metricon stadium to check out some Australian rules football. Now this is nothing like rugby or American rules football. The players punt the ball to get it to each other or punch it, no throwing allowed. A goal is scored when the ball is kicked through the middle two poles on each end. It is played more of a zone sport-like soccer. It is played on an oval. The refs are called kermits, and there's these guys dressed in bright yellow outfits that run out onto the field and give messages to the players (bizarre, right?). This game is more popular in southern Australia, but there are a couple teams in Queensland, the Gold Coast Suns being the newest.

My testimony went very well yesterday, and I had many people come up and say thanks for sharing. The breakfast was also really great. Who knows if God sent me to Australia to find another connection to Africa. Anyway, there was a memorable quote that one of the guys going said when he was talking about the absurdity of taking on the challenge of riding 6000 kilometers around Africa in 27 days, and I thought I would share it:

Take a minute and go out on a limb, because isn't that where the fruit is?

We take risks that may seem stupid to the world around us, but with God, everything can make perfect sense. The services yesterday at church were so good and challenging. The morning service was all about forgiveness and how if we don't forgive others, we don't receive God's forgiveness. We think about how sin separates us from God, but we don't often stop to think about unforgiveness keeping us from fellowship with God. I don't think I had any people that I needed to forgive, but I recalled times when I was harboring bitterness and I remember the relief that came when I finally gave it all over to God. It just brings refreshment to your soul, and many of the congregation responded. During the evening service, Philip (who is from Zimbabwe) spoke. He didn't mince words and called upon the church in Australia to stop being comfortable because all that is doing is leading souls straight to hell. I thought his challenge would apply to the American church as well. Many people walk around with no hope, and the church doesn't want to push any buttons so we just sit back in our comfortable pews and say that our actions will speak...our words have to speak! We have to tell the lost people-the souls headed for eternal damnation-about Christ. Philip visited one of the beaches here and said that he just wanted to climb up on one of the dunes and start preaching. However, his host told him that there were plenty of laws against it. His response, Paul, Peter, and the other apostles were continually jailed and Jesus Christ was crucified! That really hit me because I don't know if I am willing to be jailed in America because I choose to speak the gospel. Another country, maybe...but I need to be willing to shout the gospel from the mountaintops no matter where I am. I'm not sure exactly what God was trying to teach me during that message because I'm still processing, but I know that God is working in my heart along with the hearts of others in the church.

I think I'll sign off for now...we're headed to the zoo tomorrow to pet some kangaroos and koalas, so I'll post pictures soon! Thank you for your prayers and I just ask that you will continue praying, God is at work in my life and I don't want it to stop!

Picture Update

Mt. Coot'tha Lookout over Brisbane - Pictured is Polly, Em, and Beth - Not pictured is Em's mom who took us!

My new room and the sunset on the first night (pictures taken from the balcony!)

Count Your Blessings

It's been a week since I last posted and honestly the week has just flown by. The week was marked with struggles and some heartache, but God has been faithful to reveal Himself to me and comfort me during this time. And throughout the week He has been blessing me with words of encouragement from both people here and those at home along with little glimpses into some of the hearts of the people here.

Here's a quick run down on some of the happenings:

This past weekend was pretty slow, but God spoke to me during my Saturday morning Bible study about being willing to focus on the good and turn a blind eye to the stuff that I'm not happy with. Basically, it was just a reminder that I have to get over myself and being my own stumbling block. Again, God brought up the lesson that I seem to be relearning all the time: while I may have plans, it will be His Purpose that prevails through it all. We've reached the halfway point of the trip, and while I'm excited to be that much closer to being able to see family and friends again, I need to remember to focus on the little time I have left to see what God is doing here. While I had been praying each day for God to use me, I am now praying before each and every time I enter the church, schools, or social event that God will allow me to see what He is doing and that He will give me the opportunity to share my love of Him with others whether through actions or words.

Polly and I are helping to plan a lock-in for the youth next weekend, so we've been doing quite a bit of work on that. The forms all went out yesterday and hopefully we'll get some good return on them. None of these kids have ever been involved in a service project in the community, which we have planned for on Friday, so I hope that the experience will be a bit eye-opening to them to see that there is stuff here they can do to help out.

The kids all go on holidays next week, so no one has been focused. The RE classes and Supa Clubs were crazy this week with fighting and discord, but on Tuesday, we went to Grade 1 RE classes, and it was such a blessing to interact with those kids. They were all so sweet and one even asked the teacher "Can these lovely ladies come back?" It is remarkable to know that in February most of these kids knew nothing about God, and now they are keen on it and love singing the Christian songs! Also, we talked to a Grade 7 class about knowing God, and they asked some really good questions about religion and what we believed, so it really is all about planting those seeds.

The 15+ Bible Study was over Ephesians 4:1-16, and I think we taught a little over their heads. They asked some good questions, including a couple of controversial ones...which the only way I could answer is this is what God has lead me to believe, but you have to investigate for yourself and find peace with God in what you decide. They didn't seem to want to debate (I'm not sure if they even felt equipped to debate if they wanted to)...I really think they just need to be challenged to really look into what they believe and why they believe it instead of just taking everything people say as fact when it comes to Christianity. The lesson ended up focusing on that point as we went through the verses, so I'm praying that God starts working in some of their hearts to spend more time in His Word truly studying it.

We've moved again, and the family we're staying with is nice and their house is super nice. It is on the water again, and I have a room (with a balcony!) that overlooks the canal. As Will says, I'm living the high life on my mission trip!

This weekend includes a birthday get-together tonight, a breakfast for a team going to Africa tomorrow morning, an Australian football game tomorrow afternoon, and then I'm giving my testimony in the services on Sunday.

Prayer Requests:

• Pray that God will give me the opportunity to really invest in at least one person's life here. There are a few people that God has already placed on my heart, but I haven't really had a chance to speak to them on a more personal level.
• Continue to pray for the lessons that I will be leading during July. Two children's church lessons have been added to that list, which I'm planning on doing over a couple of the stories in Daniel.
• Pray for acceptance on both my part and the Aussies' part. I have felt a little out of place this entire time so far just because I feel like they treat me like a horse of a different color sometimes, but I know that I'm not the most compassionate and accepting person either. However, acceptance is so vital to allowing relationships to grow closer.

Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement throughout the past half of this trip, and in eager expectation and hope I am waiting to see what God does with the second part of it!

This isn't easy

Brisbane from Kangaroo Point 

Another pic of the city at night

The Heinrichs, Polly, and I at the wedding

The Mangroves

So I know it is time for an update, but I'm having a horrible day and feeling quite under the weather so I'm just going to list a few prayer requests that I really need right now!

• That God will give me His eyes when I look at the church and the people here. I'll be honest. It has been really hard for me to not be critical of the church and the people just because there never seems to be much depth to anything, but I can't compare here to home. Australia has a completely different personality than America. While many will say that the culture in America is secular, there are still a lot of Christian undercurrents; that is not the case in Australia.
• I need a purpose. They say that our purpose here is to help direct people towards God, but I don't really feel like I'm being given much of an opportunity to do that other than living by example. But really, I feel like I had more of a ministry at Monsanto last year by always having a good attitude and coming ready to work than living by example here. I just need God to at least show me where He is working so I can join in.
• I'm leading a Bible study next week for youth aged 15+. I'm kind of scared that I'll give them too much meat, but I also don't want to water God's Word down. Please pray that God will give me the words to say or even more, that God will speak through me and through the discussions that the group has.
• During July, I'm teaching at the Friday night services on Prayer and Why you should believe the Bible. Please pray that God will start speaking to me about what points I should cover in both of those lessons.
• I'm really having a hard time here if you haven't figured that out from the prayer requests above. I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place, and Mandy has even commented that I seem to get sadder and sadder as the days go by. Please ask God to fill me with His joy and His comfort. I don't want to walk away from this trip feeling like it was a waste of time, and right now that is what it seems.

Thank you for praying for me. I really need God to work in my life right now.

Queen's Birthday Update

A gorgeous sunset at Wellington Point

Things have been going better since my last posts. I've been praying that God changes my mindset and attitude when it comes to socializing. While I do believe being an introvert is in my character, I believe that God can change me and make me all things to all people in order to glorify Him more. Today is the Queen's Birthday holiday, so it's been mentioned that we might go to the Australian zoo later to see some animals! 

A general update since the last day-to-day post: Most stuff has been the same. We've done a couple of RE classes and Supa Clubs. During two of the RE classes with the grade seven-ers, Mrs. Jenkins asked Polly and I all sorts of questions about our faith and why we chose to believe in God. It took us a bit off guard because she didn't tell us she was going to do that, but it was neat to be able to share with them. The teacher asked us to explain the Trinity...um do we have a couple hours or more to go into the deep theology of it and just confuse them more...we just explained the gist of it and that it is a complicated thing that is just part of the mystery of God. Other than that we worked in the office. I put together the registration forms for Young Adults Camp and am working on redoing a brochure that goes in the visitor packets. They figured out that I'm good with computers, so I think they'll be having me doing a lot of publication stuff while I am here...which is perfectly fine with me.

Polly and I attended an Australian wedding ceremony on Saturday. It is a bit different than an American wedding, and everyone was asking if it made me want to have my wedding...I'm ready to have mine, but I don't want to plan it though I'm realizing that I will have to start at some point. We changed homes yesterday. It was kind of sad because I felt like I was basically part of the Heinrich family, but we don't want to burden them...plus it is good to get to know other families in the church and to see their dynamic. 

That's all for now, hopefully there will be some cool pictures up later from the zoo!

To live is Christ

God is so good! While I still have many of the thoughts that I expressed yesterday, it was such a blessing to hear that people are praying for me and that my eyes will remain open.

Today we went to work at two different Supa Clubs and did a question and answer session with two grade seven classes for RE. The picture on the left is one that Cassia and I completed together. The time I spent with her at Birkdale Supa Club opened my eyes that just being a young Christian influence in these kids lives may have amazing results down the road. Also, during our RE time with the grade seven-ers, they asked so many different questions, and Polly and I shared about our God stories and our plans for the future (one class applauded when Mrs. Eileen said that I was engaged...I've never had that happen before!). They listened intently as each of us talked about how God has impacted our lives, and I'll probably never know who took something away from the class, but maybe one day something will trigger a memory about the American students who came and talked to them about Christ.

God truly is the Provider, and I'm so glad that I serve a God who loves me and knows what I need. Thank you for the prayers, and I hope they continue!

Less of Me

After a boring post about day-to-day activities and since I have a little extra time I thought I'd share a post about  some thoughts that have been plaguing me lately.

I've been wondering a lot about the impact I'm going to have here because I feel like I am completely inadequate and it will be probably close to zero. My goal is obviously to leave and have them thinking about God and His awesomeness and not about myself; however, I don't see how this is going to happen when it seems like I've had zero opportunity to share about God. None of the conversations I've had with people in the church have centered on Christ and I haven't interacted much with people outside of the church. There are the kids at school and the opportunities I have to teach and give my testimony, but beyond that, I have no idea what God is doing. Maybe I'm not supposed to know what He is doing, but I wish I did.

I know that God has me here for a reason, but I'm just so scared I'll miss it. However, I don't want to be paralyzed by fear, and I really don't think I am. I try to make the most of every opportunity and I've been praying that God will give me someone to relate to and reach out to. Someone that I can edify and share my love for Him with. It doesn't have to be a non-Christian, but maybe it will be. I don't want to limit God in what He can do. He's the Creator of the universe, the Almighty God, the Everlasting Father; He can do whatever He wants! Maybe I'm just trying to shove my expectations on Him and He is just preparing to blow my mind later in the summer...I don't know.

What I do know:

• God shut the door to several missions opportunities that my heart was set upon, and opened the door here
• God provided the funds for me to actually go on the trip
• God put me in a situation that I am not exactly comfortable in even if it is so much like America
• God has a plan
• God is going to do something or what would be the point of placing me here

I just have to ask myself if I am going to be okay if I never know exactly what He did. Am I going to be okay if the only growth I see is the growth within myself? Am I going to be okay if I never feel like I fit in here and never feel like I relate well with the people? Am I going to be okay if people so easily forget that I was here? Am I going to be okay if the only impact I know about is that I talked with some kids and did some administrative work?

I would like to say the answer is yes because God knows best, but honestly right now, the answer is no. I could've done that in America. I want God to do something amazing through me. I want Him to shine through me, and I want to know that He did work through me. I want to know that He used me as a vessel. In my head, I realize that this is selfish and prideful and God definitely doesn't owe me anything.

I just wanted to share this struggle with whoever chooses to read my blog, so you'll have a better idea about how to pray for me. Pray that I will have an impact, but also pray that God will give me peace in my heart to allow Him to work through me in whatever way He wishes. That He will make less of me and more of Him.

Too much chocolate!

A quick overview of what's been happening in my life as a social butterfly in Australia! (Have I mentioned that I'm not keen on socializing and would much rather be home alone or in a small group?)

Monday (5/30): Fitness class in the morning (boxing!). As mentioned before, we met with Jase, Chris and Mandy. That evening we went to a small group made of up of the "older" young adults. It was neat to meet people we hadn't seen before, and it looks like this group goes fairly deep into the Scriptures and theology, which is totally exciting cause I love the deep stuff!

Tuesday (5/31): A busy day! We started by helping at a breakfast club at one of the state primary schools. School here doesn't start until around 9 a.m., so the chaplain at the school along with some others serve any children who want to come breakfast on Tuesday mornings and then we played a game with them. The group was mostly girls and they were fairly shy, but a couple of them talked to us. After brekky, we visited Vienna Woods to help with a Supa Club and a couple RE classes. It still is weird that they're allowed to teach religion in the schools, but it was cool to see the students retaining some of the lessons that the teacher had been teaching them. They have been learning about creation and other stories in Genesis. We grabbed a quick lunch then headed to Birkdale schools to do RE and Supa Clubs there. The RE teachers at Birkdale (the Jenkins) attend CBC and they invited us over for afternoon tea and we then went down to Wellington Point with them to walk around. They are such a sweet couple and they were missionaries in Africa for twenty years, so I'm probably going to be picking their brains while I'm here! We were invited to tea (dinner) at the Pounders and attended the Bible study group they have at their house for young leaders in the church.

Wednesday (6/1): More RE classes at Birkdale and Vienna Woods. Also, we hung out with the Jenkins some more. During the evening we attended the 15+ Bible study at church. Many of the people in the study didn't talk much so it was kind of hard to guage whether they were actually interested or not, but the leaders (who I think are around the age of 20 or 21) did a great job of trying to get a discussion going and asking relevant questions, but it seemed that Polly and I answered most of them.

Thursday (6/2): Fitness class nearly killed me with all the weights and running. The rest of the day was spent at the office answering phones and helping out Chris with various tasks. That night a lot of the youth went over to a girl's house to hang out and just watch television. I'm not sure about some of the shows they watch, but it's the same in America...there are plenty of shows with horrible morals that many people who call themselves Christians enjoy watching. We had an interesting discussion about cussing and how there are many words that the Aussies say on a regular basis that are curse words in America. It is something I have to try to ignore because I'm so not used to hearing that type of language, even in my classes and around school.

Friday (6/3): More work at the church in the morning and then shopping for the men's breakfast in the afternoon. Polly and I bought a bunch of Australian packaged cookies that were on sale to bring home for people to try! Friday Night Live, which is their youth service, was that night. I don't think that it went quite as planned, but most of the youth seemed to enjoy it. I think it's just hard to have a relevant Bible study and small groups on a Friday evening along with entertaining the kids through a game. You really have to have youth who are keen on it. Like Secret Church where we studied God's Word for six hours, and that was completely amazing; not worrying about entertainment or even singing and small groups, but just delving into the Word. But that type of study isn't for everybody and I don't think it would hold the attention of the majority of 13 year olds. I think that will be part of my struggle while here. I keep comparing CBC to Eastwood and home, and it isn't home and I can't expect it to be. I've been blessed with always being surrounded by at least a core group who wants to go deep and truly know God and that's basically all I've known. But people aren't going to be me, and that's a good thing (even if I don't always actually believe that).

Saturday (6/4): An early wake-up (5 a.m.) to help Mandy with cooking the men's breakfast! It was fun to actually be put to work, but it still wore me out a little. After a short nap, Polly and I headed out with two of the girls to do some shopping at some of the shops near Cleveland. By the end of that excursion, I was tuckered out and spent the night in while Polly went up to West End in Brisbane for dessert after dinner.

Sunday (6/5): During the morning service, I helped with the grade 5/6 girls Sunday school class. I'm kind of disappointed that I don't get to attend morning services because I enjoy the worship during that service more than evening services, but this summer is not about me, it's about God (just like my life should be), and I hope that I'm able to get to know some of the kids during the Sunday School time. There was a church picnic after service and then a group of us headed up to South Bank (Brisbane) to eat at Max Brenner's, a chocolate place. We waited in line there for like an hour, and I don't think it was worth the wait or the price we paid, but it was an experience. Church was that evening and then I went out with some of the young people afterwards while Polly went home to sleep (a role reversal).

Well, that brings us to today! I'm just hanging out at the church today working on stuff for Young Adults camp in July and answering phones. We're going to Bible study tonight (the same group we went to last week). And I think I'll sign off and conclude this long post of lots of information you probably didn't want to know! God bless!

Heaps of work

We met with Jase and Chris (two of the staff at the church) on Monday to discuss what's going on while we are here. They emphasized that the main purpose of our work is to build relationships with the young people and to guide them on their path towards God and an intimate knowing of him and his heart. Too many times people believe God and know about him, but they don't know him because they are not obeying him and following him to absolutely anywhere he requires.

Basically each week will look something like this. We will be doing RE and Supa Clubs at a couple of the schools, along with doing a brekky club on Tuesday mornings. For RE classes, we go into each class fortnightly for thirty minutes and teach a little lesson from a book they have and then help them complete a worksheet. We are doing eight of these classes. Supa Club is during the kids' play time at school, so they choose a group to participate in during this period of the day. At these we normally play a game and then do a little lesson or memory verse. We are doing two of these each week. We are expected to be at the church office two or three days a week to help with administrative work and any other projects they may come up with for us to do. On Sundays, I'll be teaching a Sunday school class in the morning and then just attending the evening service. We also will be attending different small groups throughout our time here and helping out with the different youth activities, such as Friday night services every two weeks and a Bible study for the older youth every other week on Wednesday evenings.

I'm going to be teaching in three different large group youth settings during this summer, so that is a definite prayer request. My first opportunity will be near the end of June and the other two will be in July. There is also a young adults camp that Polly and I will be attending, and we're going to be planning a couple events for the youth during their school holidays at the end of June and beginning of July. There is obviously other stuff throughout the summer, and they'll let us know about it as it crops up. Thank you for your prayers; this summer has already been challenging just with being patient and the people always wanting to be super social. I've always been a task-oriented person instead of people oriented, and this mission is about reaching the people, not accomplishing certain tasks.