Hello Again,
Well this past weekend we made our first camping trip to the Sunshine Coast. We took a van/bus that seats approximately 20 people. So after loading all of our stuff into one of the cargo vans we took off. It was only a 1 1/2 drive to the coast and we arrived at our campsite. We had 6 tents, 3 for the girls and 3 for the guys. So we set those up and had dinner. Surprisingly the food has been very good. After eating and cleaning up we laid a huge tarp on the beach which was outside of our campsite. Our 2 campsites were next to eachother and right on the ocean front. So we all gathered there and shared our testimonies. The next day (Saturday) we woke up and after breakfast we went to the beach. The beach that we were on did not allow swimming as the currents were too strong. So we drove to the actual beach where there were lifeguards and nets keeping the sharks out. It was weird to see helicopters circling around checking for sharks. It was pretty cloudy but still pretty hot. After lunch we split up and half of us decided to go to the mall. Then after the afternoon we all gathered back at the campsite. It was amazing how burnt everyone was. In Canada if it was that cloudy we wouldn't have even gained color but everyone except me and one other got burnt. We were warned to put on sunscreen but I didn't think it would matter. Apparently there's a "hole in the ozone" above Australia. Thankfully my stubborness never harmed me as I went suntanning at a salon before I went so my skin is used to it. We did more testimonies and then went to bed. It was really a weekend of bonding, we all got to know eachother a lot more. Most of the people here grew up in Christian families and had strayed away but came back to the Lord this past year or two. Then the next morning on Sunday we went to the beach and the national park. Charlotte, Kristina, Megan, and I went to the beach. In the afternoon we all went and got lunch that the guys had made. It was again surprisingly good. Right outside of the barbeque we saw 2 komodo dragons. They weren't that big but they were just wandering around the eating area. There were also wild turkey's running around as well. Unfortunatley those who went on a hike through the national park saw 2 koalas but I didn't get to see them. So that was my weekend. Today is Monday (Sunday for you) and we had our first day of classes. After waking up we got ready and had breakfast, then we all gathered for a time of worship called a "community meeting". Afterwards we split up into the Beach 2 Bush and Frontiers school and we had classes. We had a lady teacher from Australia who came and taught us about the Character & Nature of God. We looked at How we can get to know God and why we should get to know God. It was very interesting, we all had desks and took a lot of notes. Then we had our tea time and gathered for more lectures and then had lunch. We then split into our work duties group for orientation/training. I signed up for bathrooms. I am doing bathrooms with a lady named P auline from Vanuatu and a guy named Philip from Korea. Everyday we are to do our chores for a hour and a half. Then that brings me to dinner time, we have dinner around 5:30 then after dinner we all have free time. Afterwards me and around 7 other girls went to a coffee shop for cake and drinks then all came back after seeing a huge toad for our 7:30 meeting. In the meeting the organizer Darcy went over what we should learn from our time here in the Discipliship Training School. We were also given our student workbooks which were surprisingly very thick! Then we all went downstairs for our first Tim Tam Slam which is a Australian tradition. Tim Tams are chocolate wafer things covered in chocolate so what happened was we all got into a circle with 3 Tim Tams and coffee or Milo (like hot chocolate but lacking in flavor). So at the count of three you were supposed to bite off a little corner of the Tim Tam, then do the same to the opposite corner of this rectangular biscuit. Then you were supposed to dip one end into the hot drink and suck out some of it through the other side of the Tim Tam. Then without using your hands you were supposed to tip it up and swallow it once you sucked some of the liquid through. It was so good! It was so funny to see the guys try to slurp it up then swallow it while making huge messes all over their clothes. Later on after we all cleaned up the court yard which is where it was held, us girls went to our dorm for a dance party. So for the next half an hour all of us girls got into our pj's and started dancing to music on one of the girls computers. It was funny because all of us got out of our shell, I actually broke out and did some of my old hip-hop moves and some of the night was recorded by one of the girls cameras. I can tell that it will come back to bite me! It was such a awesome time! Its really been weird going back to school yet in Australia, I have been missing home but so far I have recieved more than a few phone calls so it has been nice to hear my family's and friends' voices. Altogether I feel way more comfortable with everyone, we have all bonded and we are all starting to really feel at ease with eachother. I have really clicked with a girl named Kristina which has been a blessing in itself. She is such a fun and loving girl who likes throwing around the football! She's from Minnesota and we have had a blast together. Well thats my life so far. Next week is when we'll know our options for the outreach phase so that's exciting. But I am going to go socialize hope you are all having a wonderful time back at home.
Daneille Dirk
Well this past weekend we made our first camping trip to the Sunshine Coast. We took a van/bus that seats approximately 20 people. So after loading all of our stuff into one of the cargo vans we took off. It was only a 1 1/2 drive to the coast and we arrived at our campsite. We had 6 tents, 3 for the girls and 3 for the guys. So we set those up and had dinner. Surprisingly the food has been very good. After eating and cleaning up we laid a huge tarp on the beach which was outside of our campsite. Our 2 campsites were next to eachother and right on the ocean front. So we all gathered there and shared our testimonies. The next day (Saturday) we woke up and after breakfast we went to the beach. The beach that we were on did not allow swimming as the currents were too strong. So we drove to the actual beach where there were lifeguards and nets keeping the sharks out. It was weird to see helicopters circling around checking for sharks. It was pretty cloudy but still pretty hot. After lunch we split up and half of us decided to go to the mall. Then after the afternoon we all gathered back at the campsite. It was amazing how burnt everyone was. In Canada if it was that cloudy we wouldn't have even gained color but everyone except me and one other got burnt. We were warned to put on sunscreen but I didn't think it would matter. Apparently there's a "hole in the ozone" above Australia. Thankfully my stubborness never harmed me as I went suntanning at a salon before I went so my skin is used to it. We did more testimonies and then went to bed. It was really a weekend of bonding, we all got to know eachother a lot more. Most of the people here grew up in Christian families and had strayed away but came back to the Lord this past year or two. Then the next morning on Sunday we went to the beach and the national park. Charlotte, Kristina, Megan, and I went to the beach. In the afternoon we all went and got lunch that the guys had made. It was again surprisingly good. Right outside of the barbeque we saw 2 komodo dragons. They weren't that big but they were just wandering around the eating area. There were also wild turkey's running around as well. Unfortunatley those who went on a hike through the national park saw 2 koalas but I didn't get to see them. So that was my weekend. Today is Monday (Sunday for you) and we had our first day of classes. After waking up we got ready and had breakfast, then we all gathered for a time of worship called a "community meeting". Afterwards we split up into the Beach 2 Bush and Frontiers school and we had classes. We had a lady teacher from Australia who came and taught us about the Character & Nature of God. We looked at How we can get to know God and why we should get to know God. It was very interesting, we all had desks and took a lot of notes. Then we had our tea time and gathered for more lectures and then had lunch. We then split into our work duties group for orientation/training. I signed up for bathrooms. I am doing bathrooms with a lady named P auline from Vanuatu and a guy named Philip from Korea. Everyday we are to do our chores for a hour and a half. Then that brings me to dinner time, we have dinner around 5:30 then after dinner we all have free time. Afterwards me and around 7 other girls went to a coffee shop for cake and drinks then all came back after seeing a huge toad for our 7:30 meeting. In the meeting the organizer Darcy went over what we should learn from our time here in the Discipliship Training School. We were also given our student workbooks which were surprisingly very thick! Then we all went downstairs for our first Tim Tam Slam which is a Australian tradition. Tim Tams are chocolate wafer things covered in chocolate so what happened was we all got into a circle with 3 Tim Tams and coffee or Milo (like hot chocolate but lacking in flavor). So at the count of three you were supposed to bite off a little corner of the Tim Tam, then do the same to the opposite corner of this rectangular biscuit. Then you were supposed to dip one end into the hot drink and suck out some of it through the other side of the Tim Tam. Then without using your hands you were supposed to tip it up and swallow it once you sucked some of the liquid through. It was so good! It was so funny to see the guys try to slurp it up then swallow it while making huge messes all over their clothes. Later on after we all cleaned up the court yard which is where it was held, us girls went to our dorm for a dance party. So for the next half an hour all of us girls got into our pj's and started dancing to music on one of the girls computers. It was funny because all of us got out of our shell, I actually broke out and did some of my old hip-hop moves and some of the night was recorded by one of the girls cameras. I can tell that it will come back to bite me! It was such a awesome time! Its really been weird going back to school yet in Australia, I have been missing home but so far I have recieved more than a few phone calls so it has been nice to hear my family's and friends' voices. Altogether I feel way more comfortable with everyone, we have all bonded and we are all starting to really feel at ease with eachother. I have really clicked with a girl named Kristina which has been a blessing in itself. She is such a fun and loving girl who likes throwing around the football! She's from Minnesota and we have had a blast together. Well thats my life so far. Next week is when we'll know our options for the outreach phase so that's exciting. But I am going to go socialize hope you are all having a wonderful time back at home.
Daneille Dirk
1 comment:
Hey you!!!!! it sounds like your having a blast down there and thats awesome!!! i'm so happy for you and it seems like your with a group of really great people!! Its been COLD up here so reading about you hot weather makes me jealous haha! Thanks for the card and the picture...i personally think the picture is awesome and im going to have to frame it!! anyways keep having fun and keep letting us know whats going on!! All the best to you-- Derrick
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