August 18th

This morning began with Ali going out to do a little more shopping in one of the many shopping complexes along Queen Street Mall. The aim was for Ali to go early and get back in time for us all to go to the beach this morning, however what with labyrinthine shopping centres and ferries advertising the wrong destination (was easier to tell where they were going by watching out for the direction they came from rather than the signs on the boat,) Ali only just got back in time for Ian to pick me up and take me along to the UQ Foundations group.

Ian had a meeting today, so I was left to fend for myself at only my second (and final) visit to Foundations. Conversational English had very few people today - only five - and three of them were new. Because Ian wasn't there I seemed to be the default Aussie slang and complex, English word interpreter. The three new girls were all from China, and I really wished I'd worn my Redcliffe T-shirt again to help break the ice. I led one of the small groups in the Bible Study meeting afterwards. This was a little tricky because most were still learning English, but they worked quite well together, often talking Chinese to each other to explain what we were doing.

We paid another, last, visit to Koorong, the Christian bookshop and had to stop ourselves buying too many books. One that made me smile is the Australian Pilgrim's Progress - for example:

On his way out of the Homestead Chris had a quick word with the Watchman, Peter Porter, to ask if he'd seen any other swaggies passing by recently, heading in the same direction.
"Yeah," said Porter, "As a matter of fact I have. A bloke about the same age as yourself."
"Did you catch his name?" asked Chris.
"Yeah - I asked, and he told it was Faithful, though people generally call him Fair Dinkum."
"Really! That's bonzer! I know that bloke. He's from my home town, and he used to live just a couple of blocks away from my house..."

This evening Ali went to Bridges. She played table tennis with her usual lack of flair, tried playing a didgeridoo and failed miserably, played a board game and got virtually none of the questions right, and had a really great time. There was a really interesting (that word again!) discussion about church membership which really helped clarify the value of, and need for, membership within a Baptist church community.

August 16th

Yesterday completely tired us out so it took us a while to get going this morning. We spent this morning and most of this afternoon preparting for the Prayer Wheel event, though late afternoon we took the girls out for a bit of fresh air. Ian had said that today was a public holiday so people can go to the EKKA. This was especially noticeable when we were coming home because usually around 5pm it's really difficult to cross the road because of the traffic. Tonight, though, there were hardly any cars and we crossed the road really easily!

This evening Jon went out to English conversation class. He said that there were a lot of people there - the two people who started last week as well as two new people. The group had a lot of fun and there was a lot of discussion going on. It is encouraging seeing new people coming every week and becoming a part of the group.

August 11th

Jon had the opportunity to visit the same couple as last time (two weeks ago). The lady had been at the womens meeting yesterday and had taken a copy of my devotions home with her - she has already given a copy to her neighbour.

While he was out I did some preparation for Sunday. Jon got back just before lunch and I went straight out with Ian to the Foundations group. They were having a pancake party to encourage newbies to the group. There seemed to be more people round and the conversational English class (based around a newspaper article on the water shortage here) attracted a bigger group than the previous time I was there. Afterwards we moved into a time of games followed by worship. As we were waiting for the games to begin I spoke with one girl, from Hong Kong, who happened to have been born in England – near London! Her parents moved back to Hong Kong when she was about 5 so she doesn't remember much about the UK.

I took the girls along to South Bank, leaving Jon to work on his sermon once I had got home. Ian rang me while I was out to tell me youth group wouldn't be happening so having got back and told Jon, he decided to go to Bridges. As we arrived home we found Jon taking pictures of the beautiful sunset - the colours were amazing!

I didn't say anything yesterday but we heard about the news from the UK at around 7pm Australian time. It is a weird experience to know all that is going on back home. We are hoping it won't affect our journey back which is coming all to quickly - we can't believe we've got less than two weeks left!

Jon has just got in from Bridges - he found the group really encouraging tonight as he saw the young people really starting to build relationships with each other and grow as a group. When he gave out a leaflet advertising the prayer event we are planning, they were all shocked that we are going home so soon. They can't believe it any more than we can!

August 9th

Today we went to visit Malyon College, the Baptist training college of Queensland. Kerry showed us round then after morning tea we had the opportunity to sit in on a tutorial, while Nancy, Kerry's wife - who works in the office - took the girls to a local playpark.

After the lecture we went to chapel – what is it about colleges and chapel on Wednesdays? The worship was really great, then Peter Law, the founder of Crossover Communications International, spoke about mission and living life on the front line for God. Ian is part of this same organisation and knows Peter – so it was good to hear a bit more about what the mission does.

We stayed for community lunch and chatted with some of the students. It was a good opportunity to learn more from people in different churches in South Queensland.

Once lunch was over Ian drove us back to the city so we could pick up some food. A short ride home on the ferry gave us just enough time to do some service preparation - Ian has asked me to lead the service this week, not the one after as that one is their church anniversary service - then I dashed off to English conversation class. Ian had me lead a session about remembering things – looking at a picture then asking questions about what the class member's could recall. People who know me well know that I don't feel comfortable doing things without much preparation, but I think it went ok!

August 4th

Ali has gone out with the Bridges group for a social evening this evening, so I am writing today's blog entry.

We started today with Ali going to visit the lady that she and Ian weren't able to visit earlier this week. She found the visit both encouraging and interesting.

After the visit we had a little time, so we visited the local Christian bookshop - 'Koorong', and tried not to buy too much. The stores amazing; there is a small adventure playground outside for kids, a play area inside for toddlers with a children's cartoon video playing, loads of books, music, videos, etc. The range was amazing, and many of the prices were excellent. If only we had Christian bookshops like this in the UK. We want to go back - but may need to pay for excess luggage if we do!

We got back just in time for me to go with Ian to the University to join with the Conversational English class and Bible Study group. The class was interesting, and the Redcliffe t-shirt was a talking point again with the Chinese students in both groups.

Ali's just got back. She had scones and jam at 9.30 - someone said it was a very English thing to do, but Ali said not at 9.30pm! There was a lot of discussion about accents, and apparently someone said I sounded like Jamie Oliver - I guess it's an improvement over being told I sound like Tony Blair yesterday, but I'm not too sure.

August 2nd

(Apologies for the late posting but our internet connection dropped out yesterday evening. Blog entries may be a little infrequent for the next few days.)

Change of plans for today – we had thought we were going to visit Malyon College – a local Baptist college - but this will happen next week instead. Instead I went with Ian to visit an elderly lady who lives in a care facility. Unfortunately she was attending a service that began moments after we arrived, Ian said he would try again later in the week. When I got back we took the girls to a new park – Pineapple Park - that Jon discovered yesterday on the way home. They played for a bit then we took them to KFC – instead of beans and coleslaw they offer mashed potato and gravy! Ian was so surprised when we told him!

He took us to visit a Baptist church in Ipswich, south west of Brisbane. The pastor, a good friend of Ian's shared with us all about the church. It has only recently bought an old sports centre and they have renovated it beautifully. It was interesting to discover how the move affected the church as a whole.

The church has a strong focus on discipleship despite having three quite separate services and congregations. We were struck by how ambitious the pastor's vision for the future is.

This evening Jon went to the English conversation class again and led a session about the weather and whether! There were a few people away, particularly some of the helpers from the church, but it still went really well with the dozen or so who were there.

July 31st

While waiting for Ian to arrive for a meeting with us, we spent the morning organising the placement project that Ian has asked us to plan. Once he had arrived we discussed this weeks activities, and reviewed last week.

Things planned for this week include: going to the Baptist college here and sitting in on a lecture, more conversational English, Home Group, Bridges Group, leading next Sunday's serviceas well as doing the children's talk and giving our testimonies and some other things as well!

This afternoon Kerry drove us up to Brisbane's Redcliffe - it's just not the same as ours! He took us to visit his parents (they know about us via Jon's family and Kerry), then on to Wynnum.

July 26th

We walked into the city centre to get a couple of things and to show Jon where we walked the other day. We took the girls to the park afterwards back on South Bank, where they played and we did some reading - relevant to our placement (See, Rosemary, we have read the handbook!.)

This afternoon we went along to the beach where the girls dug and paddled while we worked on our sermons and Jon also did some reading about the devotions he is preparing for the AGM at the church on Sunday.

I went along to the English conversation class this evening and led a session on love and marriage after the ice-breaker about Aussie slang and a sentence game. I found this a little scary, but it seemed to go well. I then led a small group, me and two others, before the group finished with reading definitions of love that we had written, with Ian finishing on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 as the perfect definition.

July 24th

I worked on my sermon this morning while Jon took the girls to the park. Ian then came over and we discussed the proposed plan for the week. He seems to think there may not be enough to keep us busy – but I think there will be, as there are several things to prepare for this week. Proposed activities include: conversational English, visiting people, Home Group leading, University Student Ministry, Bridges Group, Garage Sale, event advertising and all that Sunday will bring with Ali preaching and an event called 'The Living Room' in the evening.

This afternoon we went along to the Museum of Queensland which was really interesting. They had so much to look at we didn't finish so we are planning a return visit next week sometime. There were exhibits of stuffed animals (never seen a polar bear so close) and lots of information about animals under threat of extinction. The girls really liked it too, especially Beth - who loves polar bears.

This evening Jon went along to a deacons' meeting while I carried on working on my sermon.

Tomorrow is our official day off, but as we have already planned to go out on Thursday to celebrate Rebekah's birthday, we are hoping to get some planning done for events later in the week that we will be involved in.

July 19th

This morning we all went to look at Kangaroo Point Cliffs. The city looks amazing – the cliffs are quite steep and the view from the top gives a great vantage point to look over the central business district. We walked back along the base of the cliffs and saw a couple of people rock climbing. Having stopped for a coffee we then got organised and took the girls to Streets Beach. The sun was really hot and the water was icy cold. Jon sat on the beach, I paddled and the girls got themselves all wet – they are much braver than us! The water was so cold it was almost painful to stay in it for long. Lunch back at the apartment – much more successful (Australian sausages, potatoes and beans) then the girls and I went to the park and beach again leaving Jon behind to do some preparation for his sermon. After tea Jon went along to the church to join in with the conversational English class. I got the girls to bed – it is so weird them wanting to go to bed from around 6.30pm and that includes Rebekah! The girls have dropped off the sleep last night and tonight so fast it is amazing!! I did fall asleep while Rebekah was having a shower but I've dragged myself off the sofa to type this while I wait for Jon to come back.

Jon came back at around 9.30pm. He had chosen to wear his Redcliffe t-shirt – the one with Chinese characters on it – Knowing, Being, Doing – and there were several Chinese people there who understood what it said. He said there was a Japanese girl there who said that the Japanese use the same character set as the Chinese but they make different words – instead the characters read 3 different boys names!!!

The group played some games and had drinks and snacks which included jelly! The jelly was because someone had mentioned it the previous week and there were people who didn't know what it was.

We are all still flaking out late afternoon - 5-7pm is the trickiest time but we think this is because we are getting up so early rather than jet-lag.