Wild Wacky Week: Day 1

Ministry- It's all about relationships.

Friday night we had the privilege of hosting Youth in Action with 20 fantastics teens from the Logan area. We taught them a few classic American group games, recreated the story of the Jesus walking on the water Mad Lib style, and had a time of prayer together. The kids are wonderful and it is clear that the the Logan Church of the Nazarene invest much in the youth of their community.
Tonight we were able to participate in the evening worship service with a skit, testimonies and some more Ice-breaker games for a little unconventional worship/community- building. Heaps of fun!

Us human folk were created for community, which is why the church, the body of Christ, is so important. Worshipping together and building trusting relationships are key. The beautiful thing is that this community or family we call the "church" is colorful and rich, chock full of people from all cultures, languages, eating habits, hairdos, with every skin color in the rainbow. Here in Logan we are immersed in the Polynesian culture, represented by people from many different Pacific islands scuh as Samoa, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, and Tonga. Thank the Lord for this global family.

And they call this winter. . .

It's winter here in Queensland, but to us midwestern US girls, this is like the perfect spring. Nearly everyday it has been partly sunny, dry, and in the high 60s/low 70s. And they call THIS winter??



I never thought I would take up birdwatching, too boring and slow . .. .but in a land such as this where birds are everywhere and the sky is never silent, birdwatching might not be so bad. Everything is lush and green, with gum trees and brilliant flowers everywhere. The flora and fauna here are incredible!
Enjoy some pics from this afternoon.

Fair Dinkum!

G'day everyone!
I only have a minute left on my computer at this cyber cafe, so I'll make it quick. Who knew things would be so much the same, yet so different. Lovin'it!
-Roberta

Koala Park and Ministry Prep

G'day!
The past two days have included great time getting know our billets, koala sightings at the park, and given us time to plan fo r ministry. Tonight we will host Youth in Action and then Monday begins our full schedule of Wild Wacky Week ministry to kids, 'Inner Beauty Night' with the teen girls, and lots of learning (and getting some good eats!)

Check out these great pics. Cheers!

We're here!

After 30 hours of traveling, we have finally arrived in Australia! It's been a long haul, but the Lord has been merciful to us and our flights were smooth and on time.
Tonight we will settle in with our billets (host families) and hit the sack early, eager to sleep on a flat bed and take a shower.

Thank you for praying. We are so excited to be here in Logan with the bros and sisters here!

Lightning Bugs

Why is it that it's only cute for young children to catch lightning bugs?

Could it be that it's nearly impossible to catch one of these little creatures, thus making the task look utterly ridiculous for anyone who tries? It's much more pleasurable to watch a child frolicking through the woods to catch a firefly than to see a grown adult stumbling in the darkness, tripping in the weeds, trying to accomplish the same task, only with little or nothing to show for their humiliation.

Regardless, I have been fascinated by these flying flashlights for years and made up my mind to capture one in the heat of this Kansas summer night. Despite the possibility of humiliation and being eaten alive by other night creatures, I accomplished my mission!

I have grown very fond of my new friend; I think I'll call him 'Indiglo'. The light he emits very closely resembles the glow of a Timex Indiglo watch I used to have. I wanted to protect my new friend, so I quickly punched holes in the lid of my glass jar to provide him with air.. . .

However, now 30 minutes into this, I am noticing that Indiglo's light is fading quickly. 30 minutes ago he was enjoying life in the forest by the MNU soccer fields, but was abruptly removed from his 'home' and alienated from his other nocturnal insect friends. When I first caught him he glowed constantly, flashing rapidly, as if he was sending an S.O.S. to his other forest friends, some type of morse code. Now his light is faded and sporadic as he sits in his new jar as a lonely little bug.

Why the sad story of the lightning bug, you ask? Well, this little bug has got me thinking. Perhaps us human creatures are a bit like the lightning bug. Our lights shine best when we are functioning within our God given calling (true vocation), and supported by friends and family that love us. It is more difficult to shine when we are lonely and displaced, which is why we need the comfort of our Great Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and of others in the body of Christ lift us up and recharge our lights. We all need each other,so let's help each other keep our lights shining.

Compassion Day 3: Solidarity

Matthew 1:22-23
22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"[d]—which means, "God with us."

“Simply being with someone is difficult because it asks of us that we share in the other’s vulnerability, enter with him or her into the experience of weakness and powerlessness, become a part of uncertainty, and give up control and self-determination.” (Compassion, p. 14)

Ponder: God is with you; he is with me, right now. Think about that. God is choosing at this moment to fully engage in your life at all its levels. He is entering into your vulnerability.

Why is it important for our team to be vulnerable with one another? How could doing this positively affect our team and ministry?

Pray: Ask for the Lord’s guidance in being open and honest with those around you, so that healthy relationships can be built and sustained for the glory of God.

Two weeks and counting. . .

Two weeks from today we'll be on a plane over the Pacific! Just to wet your appetite, here are a few pics from our trip to Brisbane last year! Enjoy!

The Compassionate God: Day 2

Luke 6: 36 “Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.”

“The word compassion is derived from the Latin words, pati and cum, which together mean ‘to suffer with.’ Compassion asks us to go to where it hurts, to enter into places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish.” (Compassion, p. 4)

Ponder: The heart is often referred to as the seat of the emotions in American culture. We talk about our hearts being broken, giving our heart to Jesus, etc. In some cultures the seat of the emotions is in the bowels, the womb, or the ‘gut’ as Henri Nouwen describes. True compassion, not mere pity, calls us to go to the lowest place with the hurting and make a home there, to feel it in the ‘gut’ with someone, which is often acutely uncomfortable. This is what God has done and continues to do in Christ for us.

Is there someone on my team, host family, or sphere of influence that needs compassion today? How can I enter into life with someone, so far as to allow myself to feel their pain ‘in the gut’?

Pray: Ask the Lord for true compassion and take time to intercede for those around you who may be displaced or suffering.