Eh Mate! How you going?
Aussie lingo:
g'day mate= hello friend!
how you going?= how are you doing?
good on ya = thankyou
words often used: heaps. ie: i miss you heaps!
ah crikey!= oh crap!
you're so ledge(legend)= you're so cool
WELCOME TO THE OUTBACK MATE! Now you're ready to take this journey with me! So put on your accent and act like Crocodile Dundee!
Aussie land has been good to me so far. We traveled from Malaysia to Singapore then to Australia within 3 days time. We have been set up on the YWAM outback base. (google it lol) It has been an amazing month so far. We are so blessed in having some internet time, hot water, healthy food,etc.
(our prayer wagon)
(YWAM base)
We have been partnering with an agency called "Vinnie's"for the homeless that gives them food, provides them housing, and serves in other ways. The other day we got to go out to Vinnie's and serve along the staff to clean units, do yard work, clean kitchen, and help cook for the residents.
Honestly though, the best part for me was sitting with the residents and talking; building relationships and eating with them. We made a couple "God connections" with people recently too. Through Vinnie's we met a guy named Michael. He works with youth and mentors the aboriginal children that are mislead or not lead at all. The boys he takes fishing, the girls he takes painting. I LOVE this!
(WHO doesn't LOVE fishing?!) 
God has been teaching me that this race isn't about going out and being straight like "eh man, do you know Jesus?" (although it is accepted sometimes) It's more about building the relationships around you and knowing the heart of that person is more important than an immediate behavior "change". Showing them love and them noticing about you….. "something's different about them…what is it?"
(Ricky and Rexy who we met at Vinnie's)
(Morgan and I acting silly!)
(Emily and Raven talking over the wharf)
Somebody once told me when you talk with someone about Jesus it's all about an eternal heart change, not an immediate behavior change." That REALLY stuck with me. I'm warring for their heart, for them to see who Jesus really is. Not to "just see them temporarily stop cursing", or "temporarily change the things they are feeding themselves" (music, tele, friends).
Cool stuff I've done while here so far:
fish on the wharf with some guy named Greg. I made friends with him because He reminded me of my Uncle Mike (not how he looked but just his spirit). I fished with a hand wheel which I've never seen before but involves swinging the hook around super fast and then throwing it, hoping you don't catch your eyeball. lol
(Greg and I fishing)
I've tried a kangaroo burger and crocodile burger as well, with pear cider on the side, while watching the sun set.
Ran, with arms out wide, through a park of trees with Erin and Emily and laughed and giggled the whole way through!
listened to homeless people play us the harmonica in front of the Indian ocean
(Robert, Elizabeth, Saul, and Sid)
rode bikes at 6 am around the neighborhood just to see God's glory
soaked up the relationships God has placed in my lap since I've been here.
What God has been teaching me: humility (not always an easy thing haha), to let go of control and know God is going to take care of me; to let go of having to feel like i need to defend myself against unfair treatment (God is my defender & He is just); to COMPLETELY rely on Him because the ONLY thing this year that will be constant is HIM. that's it. 🙂
