Back to Brisbane

We have just finished training at Peregian and are now back in host families in Brisbane city. We still have about 10 days of training, in which time we will run two (practice) Encounter days, which is just a NET term for retreat, they call them “Encounter Days” because they are a chance for the young people to encounter Christ.

So reflecting back, a day in the life of training thus far has consisted largely of getting up at 6.30am and going to bed at 10.30pm, a very similar time table to school. We have between 3 and 6 sessions a day, some of them FAR more entertaining than others but all super draining, so much more than school ever was and we haven’t even begun ministry yet, God help me, PLEASE. We did all sorts of things from lessons on how to mingle, to drama training, to child protection policy’s, how to write talks and EVERYTHING in between. We went to the beach A LOT and I think I’ve got a pretty good tan thus far, even if I do say so myself.

At the beginning of training the Executive Director, Shanelle Bennett stood before all us netters and said by the end of training you will be like family, you will all love each other and know each other intimately. I didn’t believe her. Nearing the end of training however I can see she was and is right. The people I’ve meet on NET I know well, so well, we are all one big family and I will be beside myself when we hit the road and I won’t get to see the other netters until mid-year. The friendships I’ve made on NET are hard to explain because we know little about the surface level of each other but know the desire and fears of each other’s hearts well. Even the staff are more like friends than anything else.

Below are just two pictures of me and my team sisters enjoy. Oh and let it be know today I am a woman, February 11^th 2012 I GOT MY EARS PIERCED! Pictures to come ;)