I’m writing this at 7.25am, sat in my bottom bunk, in my pyjamas and tiara (it’s a long story but basically it was a Christmas present put in my stocking from one of my class mates!) having just opened all my birthday cards. Yep. Its my birthday. I’m in Australia. And tomorrow I fly off to Nepal for 5 weeks. This is how weird and wacky my life has become!!

So here’s a recap of what has happened this past week. Last week we had our final lectures on Missions and the Bible which was great. This week has been filled with outreach prep, although due to my leaders being sick we didn’t actually get much done. Gave me lots of time to do final Christmas and outreach shopping which was good. Christmas Eve- I had a BBQ I the park for dinner. Christmas Day- I woke up, went and collected my stocking from the staircase which had about 250 stockings hanging up around it, and went to one of our class staff houses to open presents and have breakfast together as a class. I got a Princess Tiara. Then over to base, where we had lots of dramas and a massive base gift exchange. Everybody came with one present, and left with another etc.

Then it was lunch! The whole dining room and auditorium had been decorated to look so beautiful, and there was food everywhere!! Pork, muscles, shrimp, lamb, chicken, roast vegetables, different types of salad, gravy, freshly baked bread roles….. and a slushy machine! Best. Idea. Ever. Although the queue for it was massive, so for a while I had to settle for strawberry and watermelon lemonade. Yum. We played some games, (including apple bobbing where the whole base entrance got completed flooded with water, and then it was time to tidy up! Happily, when you have several hundred people that doesn’t take very long!

We had a chilled afternoon, I played cards with some of my housemates, and then in the evening we all watched ‘The Nativity’ on the big screen at base, with popcorn and slushies’ of course!! So all in all it was a very happy and exciting day! Although I did miss my family lots. I did get to Skype them though so I am very thankful for technology! Boxing Day we all went as a base to the beach! Lots of people now look very red; happily I managed to avoid the worst of this.

Friday was cleaning day, as before everybody leaves we have to clean our house/dormitories, and our classrooms, so there was lots to keep us busy. Although we did have brunch together as a class first, as it was our last official day together on this stage of our DTS. Sad times! Then in the evening I had my birthday table which is where everybody on base sings happy birthday to you, and you get served dinner on a nicely decorated table with your friends and you get made a birthday cake! My cake was really beautifully decorated with flowers and covered in cream cheese icing. It was meant to be a red velvet cake, but the staff member when made it had never baked a cake before in his life…. So it was interesting. But lovely all the same. Happily this morning my outreach team are giving me a Birthday Pancake Party in the Park, so hopefully the pancakes will be a bit more traditional!!!  

So the plan for today (after I’m dressed!) is to go have pancakes with my team, then come home and finish my packing. This afternoon I’m going into town with friends to get Bubble Tea as I haven’t had this before, and then we are going to run though the fountain in the city centre and get really wet, something that I have wanted to do ever since I arrived here in Perth. Its one of those floor fountains that changes where the water shoots up from, so you can run through and guess where you think it will appear!! Then back to base for dinner and last minute things, as I am then going to Skype my family and go to bed!

We are being picked up for the airport at 3.30am tomorrow morning, so this is my last day in Perth, but I will want to get as much sleep as possible! Then begins the adventure! I will be in Nepal for 5 weeks, then off to another very exciting country for 3 weeks, and then back to Western Australia somewhere for 3 weeks of outreach, before heading back to Perth for Report Back and Graduation! Will be good to see all of my class again, as my team is one of the smallest. In Asia we will 4 students and 2 staff, and then in WA we gain one more team member and her 2 year old daughter which is exciting. So we will be a very intimate team, but I’m excited for that. Unfortunately I am going to be kept very busy during outreach, and we will have very limited internet access, so I can’t guarantee how often I will be able to email home or update this blog. I will try as often as I can! But if you don’t hear from me much, there is no need to panic! I will just have lots of exciting stories to tell you upon my return!

A few prayer points before I go and head off for my Birthday Breakfast!

1. That God would protect our team in our travels, and help as stay united as a team and not come back after 11 weeks together of arguing!
2. For boldness for my team, as we step out to do evangelism on the streets, open air services, sharing of testimonies and I don’t know what else to share the gospel with people. Also that we would see miracles as we pray for people, and real breakthrough and change in people’s lives. We are going to a predominantly Hindu country, so many people haven’t even heard the name of Jesus before, let alone heard the gospel, so this is a really exciting opportunity.
3. That I would stay close to God, hear His voice, and follow Him guiding me. Ive been told that outreach is usually the time when God chooses to speak to people about their future, and I am really seeking God as to what to do next, so am praying that I will hear Him speak to me clearly about this.

 

That’s all folks! Thanks for travelling on this part of the adventure with me here in Perth. Onwards to the next one now!! Will try and get as much information to you as I can, when I can. But until then, may I take this time to wish you all a very belated Happy Christmas (hope it was lovely and that you weren’t too badly affected by the rain I’ve been reading all about on the news!!) and all the best for 2014!!! Here’s hoping that it is one filled with joy and adventure!!

Love Jo xxx     

PS- I’m 24! When did that happen?! I’m now officially in my mid twenties!! Aaaaahhhhhh!!!