Adjusting

What to say, what to say....

This past week has been a complete whirlwind; we have had an encounter day every day this week, ranging from year 7 to year 12 from leadership to sexuality and even a couple days of only boys. It has been challenging but also completely awesome to begin to get a taste of what my year will be like.

Every day this week I have woken up between 4.30am and 5.30am so to my friends and school don't even talk to me about getting up early! I actually don't mind getting up that much it's just a matter of adjusting. I also feel like people don't seem to understand why it is we get up so early so here is what is expected of us. Wake up do and to 45 minutes to 1 hour of personal prayer in the morning, obviously get dressed, eat etc. Get picked up and collect everyone which normally takes between 1-2 hours depending on traffic and then drive to our location, which we are expected to arrive at 1 hour before start time in order to set up, get organised and pray. Hopefully that helps people to understand our early mornings.

We have been very busy this week and I am pretty exhausted after only 1 week so this year shall certainly be interesting. Next week is slightly less busy as we have a couple of days in the office in order to practice dramas and skits and whatever else needs going over, as well as we have 3 encounter days, I think. I don't have a whole lot to report on my end but feel free to email or comment with questions if there's anything you'd like to know about my life because I really don’t know what to tell you.

Today was a day off so other than skyping as many people as I could in a short space of time, Dani and I went into Brisbane city and went to the science museum and the "GoMA" (Gallery of Modern Art). Perhaps I am not the best person to appreciate modern art, in fact I'm probably the worst but it was certainly entertaining and fun, even if I wouldn’t quite call the displays art.

Please pray for our upcoming encounter days and also for the local teams that they are settling into their new lives.

AMDG

Firsts and lasts

Over the past week we have run our first two encounter days (which is NET terminology for retreat days). The first was a group of grade 9's and it was on sexuality, the second was a group of grade 7's and it was on leadership. They were both very different and posed many different challenges. They both however have one thing in common; they went by very, very, quickly. It took us 6 weeks to become equipped for something that lasted 5 hours... Obviously training was a lot more than just learning about how to run encounter days, so don't think I'm putting down training, even for a second because it was quite possibly the most incredible time of my life. But it was just like wow; this is what we came here to do, especially as the National team as we will be running Encounter days nearly every day. The days were both exceptionally long we had to wake up at 5.15am and then 4am the next day, I'm beginning to think maybe this year won't be so easy, but the Encounter days were so worth it, anything is worth it for Christ's sake.

Today was our Commissioning Mass, so it is official I AM A NETTER! It also marked our last contact with the other teams. We are not supposed to remain in contact with anyone from other NET teams, they do have legitimate reasons for this but it doesn't make accepting the rule any easier. Saying goodbye was tough! For the people I'd already known well before coming to NET but also the people I've met while here, if any of my readership ever done NET or plan on doing so then you might understand otherwise it is impossible to explain just how close you can grow to people and how deep of a relationship you can form in 6 weeks. Tomorrow all the based teams will head off to their local areas, as for us we have a month in Brisbane so we shall be staying put and just changing host homes.

I am doing well, learning lots and eating more junk food than I ever have before. On a serious note I ask please for your prayers next week we dive head first into our ministry running 5 encounter days, without the assistance on NET staff, we are on our own. Please pray for our team and also for the youth we will meet.

AMDG

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 ;)

Time for Teams

I guess I should start from the point that most people will have been waiting to hear… Where will I be going? To put it simply EVERYWHERE, I’m going to be part of the National traveling team and we will be going ALL over Australia from Brisbane to Perth to Darwin and lots of places in between, we will drive all across this nation in a 12 man van.

Before leaving I know I said I wanted to be based, I simply HAD to be on a local team and in all reality I stood a pretty good chance. I mean there are eight teams and only ONE is travelling, statistically speaking I had a very good chance of getting my way. But God doesn’t go by the statistics. Growing up I used to get very homesick and I’m still completely opposed to change, Mum suggested moving the place where the Christmas tree is ALWAYS located this year and I simply couldn’t handle it, when the pictures around home change I find it distressing, needless to say this will be a year of challenge for me. However even in my desire to be based God worked through me and my heart align with his, for it is His ways that I desire, this is something I will always be sure of. Within a few days of arriving on training, which began with a weeklong retreat for us, God changed my heart. I never made a choice I never dwelt on it for too long, my only prayer was “Your will be done Lord, this year is for you” I knew very quickly that I would be on the National team, God had placed it on my heart without my even knowing and I was ok with that. It didn’t frighten me, in fact it gave me a great sense of peace. My new fear was no longer “Oh no what if I’m put on the National team” but rather “What if I’m not” for I knew that it is what God planned for me and I just had to hope that the staff realised that too. This isn’t to sound presumptuous or stuck up, but to simply share with you my mind and heart so far. Thankfully the God gave the staff the same message and put me on the “Natty” team, all teams were announced on Monday 23^rd so at this point I’ve had some time to get to know my team on a deeper level. I was lucky enough to be put on team with one girl who I initially met at “The Beat” music school and who was then in my small group all throughout our retreat period and had quickly become one of my closest friends here, in saying that however ALL my team is amazing and I can’t wait to get to know them all on a deeper more intimate level. The National team consist of 11 people 5 girls and 6 guys. We still have quite some time here at Peregian (Peru-gee-in) the township where training is but I’m very excited to start ministry with these people.

All other news, in my opinion, seems to pale in contrast with team announcements but for a brief recap: it has rained almost solidly since arriving on training (which is very odd or so I’m told, so I think I brought the BOP weather with me) kangaroo’s casually hop around the property (no joke, although you can’t pat them cause they’re dangerous but they make great photo opps) we have had a week of retreat and getting to know each other (which has been the most blessed, fruitful, amazing, challenging time of my life) we have visited Noosa and a bunch of other beach side towns, played sport, laughed, cried, joked around a lot. NET training thus far has been so awesome and so difficult, praise God.

 PS check Facebook for photos! xx

 AMDG

Aussie Update

Australia, the land of baby eating dingoes and a vast array of deadly spiders and snakes is surprisingly not as inhospitable as it sounds. I have patted a dingo and no young children were harmed in the process and even a snake and lived to tell the tale. At this point I have just finished my time at “The Beat” music school which was amazing but also stretched my musical ability and forced me out of my comfort zone. We had numerous “hands” workshops in which we focused on our particular instrument, which for me was acoustic guitar along with this I also took a lesson on how to put psalms to music for mass, how to lead worship and had the chance to play in a band. During our time at “Beat” we also had an event called “Heartbeat” which for those of you who have been to “Setfree” or participated in a “FOP” it was a similar experience to this; it was held on the Sunday night and was an amazing experience of praise and prayer.

Aside from the hands on side of music training there is also definitely a social aspect, there were 20 some “netters” at “beat” and it has been so awesome getting to know them, along with some of the staff. I went to “Lone Park Koala Sanctuary” in which I saw PLENTY of koalas, patted a dingo, kangaroo, snake and a lizard the size of me forearm it was so much fun to play the tourist and take in some good old Australian wildlife. Tomorrow (Wednesday 11^th) I will be going into Brisbane city with of a few other “Netters” and we hope to go to Southbank which is a manmade beach as well as taking in the sights and sounds of the city. For the duration of music training I have been staying with a host family which already has four children, a very big change from my life as an only child but they are all so lovely and kind I was also lucky enough to be put with Katrina so she and I are staying together at the same host family. As of today (Tuesday 10^th) I have two days off and then orientation and on Saturday will be heading off to begin the actual five week training. At this point the hottest day we’ve had got up to 40*c but luckily it’s a FAR drier heat than NZ so I can maintain my straightened hair, which is such a blessing!!

Today (Friday 13^th) was our orientation it was so much fun to meet everyone who will become my brothers and sisters for the next year, a big change from being an only child! Tomorrow (Saturday 14^th)  we are driving to where we will be having training for the next five weeks all the locals say it’s absolutely beautiful but I shall have to wait and see, as I have high expectations coming from NZ which is debatably the best country in the world, although I’m biased.

I am having such an awesome time with incredible people, well that’s about it for now, all the best and hang tight for the next update as I think my access to internet will be even less than it had been but I WILL update you when I can promise!

I love you all so much and am having such a fantastic time in Australia, I am truly blessed.

AMDG

PS. Please note I wrote this in advance of the date I was able to publish it because internet is scarce so I never know when or if I’ll be able to post. Also When I am able I will post pictures on my Facebook page but that may not be for quite some time yet but I will do my best.  Lastly please excuse the mismatch of dates this post was written at different times.

so long farewell auf wiedersehen goodbye

Tonight is my final night here in NZ before I depart for NET Australia tommorow. I am filled with mixed emotions but regardless of how I currently feel I know it will be an adventure that will change my life and that God knows what he's doing with me. I wish I had time to write a long message but I really don't I left my packing a little to long and now I'm a bit stressed, but that's just me forever a procrastinator.

To my friends I love you all very much and please pray for me, I promise I'll be praying for all you NZ'ers and of course my non kiwi friends too.

I will do my best to keep this updated with what's going on in my life, with my thoughts, madness and ministry. However please be patient as I don't know how much internet access I will have, especially during training but I promise an update will happen as soon as I can manage.

That's about it, off to start a new adventure and God help me.

AMDG

Happy Birthday Jesus

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the land
Not an inn had a room not even a bed.
The couple walked on with donkey in tow,
In hope that baby Jesus would soon be there.

They knocked on each door, and everyone said
There is no room, for you to lay your head.
But one kindly man had a stable to spare,
He said you can have your baby there.

At last it was Christmas and in a stable with sheep,
They welcomed their baby into the world and lay him to sleep.
The wise men came with their gift and their presents,
To welcome the Lord on this earth from Heaven.

Twas a glorious day that out Lord did come,
And now we shall celebrate all he hath done.
Happy Birthday Jesus have a good day,
All who love you have many thanks to say.
We know that we fail, we stumble and fall
But we know that this season is for you and I thank you on behalf of all.

Merry Christmas everyone and don't forget "Jesus is the reason for the season"

AMDG