OK, OK, I'll tell you...

So, I've had several people ask me how I got Des to be in this picture three times. No, for those of you who don't know Des, he is not a triplet. It was just a bit of fun that we had with the camera... I have a new camera that has a feature for taking panoramic pics... you actually take 3 separate pics and then the camera stitches them together. I just had Des stand in each one. :) It was just something that we did, not much thought put into it before hand, so the fact that it turned out so good made it even funnier for us. Thanks for playing the game.

Richard and Jen

Some of you may have heard me tell that on my way back to Australia from LA this last time (March) I met a girl, Jen, on the plane. She was moving to Brisbane to be with her man. Jen and I hit it off and have kept in touch since then. She and Richard were married yesterday and I had the privilege of not only being at the wedding, but I was asked to say the prayer of blessing for them. It was very exciting for me. You never know who you may meet when you just talk to the people around you. I never would have imagined that when I got on the plane that night, that I was about to meet someone that would become a good friend.

The wedding was a small event, held at their house, with a BBQ afterward. Again, I was blessed to be witness to their commitment to each other.

MIB 2008

The team from Knott Ave. has now returned after two amazing weeks here in Australia. What a blessing it is for me to have a team come each year and be a part of the things that I am lucky to do full time, and to meet the people that are my Aussie family. The past two weeks have seen the team spending two days with our kids and youth from Ann St. , being a part of our Community BBQ, as well as spending some time in Eidsvold and Cherbourg. There is so much to tell about both of those places and the history that they hold... but I am not sure I would even know where to begin. Most of it is just so sad. All I can say is that my heart breaks over the stories that we hear about what has happen to the Aborigonal people in the past. While we were in Cherbourg we got to meet a lady, Annie, that had been sent to Cherbourg and then taken away from there and sent to Palm Island. There was a documentary made about her story, we got to be there and see it for its first ever public showing, and afterward I met and talked with her. That was certainly a highlight for me. Also, our time in Eidsvold, just being there and reconnecting with the young people. It was only 4 weeks since the last time I was there, so we were able to pick up right where we left off. Near the end of their time here, we spent the day at NAIDOC (National Aborigonal Islander Day Of Celebration). This is a huge festival that takes place each year, just to celebrate the Aborigonal and Islander peoeple. I had someone tell me, "It is good that after hearing all of the depressing stories of the history of the Aboriginal people, to end with a happy time, a time of celbration." How true that is!

All of these things were great and I am so blessed to have these opportunities, but for me personally the greatest highlight of the time with MIB was the fact that it allowed me time to build up stronger relationships with some of our young people from Ann St. It is hard to put into words the impact that the MIB team has had on me, as a result of their willingness to open up to the young peoeple that I hold so dearly to my heart. I know that they have returned and will have some great memories of their time here, but I get to stay and continue on with those relationships. It is my prayer and desire that I can carry on with the momentum that MIB have created.

I know that this is really just a small snapshot of what we did with the the team, but it is just to hard to put it all into words. Just know that I have been blessed with getting to know and to work alongside an amazing team. But most of all, that although I have been here, it has changed me and challnged me to grow even deeper in realtionship with these young ones. Please pray for me as I still continue to process all that I feel God is doing in my heart as a result of the time MIB spent here.