Visa. Its everywhere you want to be.

Well isn't that the truth! (Not the Visa credit card, of course... the Visa that will allow me to spend the next year as an Australian resident!)

Not only have I grown in my faith tremendously by trusting the Lord to provide for the financial support I need for a year in Australia... I now get to trust Him yet again to provide me and my team with our Temporary Resident Visas on time! We were supposed to mail in our forms by October 1st... but with all of the unexpected medical exams and official immigration documents, we only mailed them last week. Even though we've been told that it will likely take 8-10 weeks to process our Passports and get 2-year Visas, I have seen God do (what I previously thought to be)nearly impossible things in the last few months. It has been so incredible to watch the Lord bring me to new people who caught vision of what He was doing around the world! How could I dare doubt Him now?

Tomorrow is December 1st. Our tentative leave goal was/is January 7th. While I'm hesitant to begin an "official countdown"... Its 38 days!

Would you pray along with me, that our Visas would be processed quickly and that we would get our passports back in our hands within a few weeks? Also, please pray that I would be at 100% of my financial goal by Christmas. I'm at 96% right now, and am fully confident that the Lord will continue to provide!

November already?

Ahoy, Mateys! (Not clever, I realize)

I just wanted to include a snapshot of me in my halloween costume...

Anyway, I can't even believe that november is here already! It is crazy for me to think that I have been looking forward to STINT for about a year and a half now, and its almost 2 months until we leave! I am now at 91% of my support which means I can officially go! I intend to (and am praying to) be at 100% by December 1st, though.

I was able to pick up a copy of "Christianity Explained" which is a 6-week Bible study that we'll be able to go through with our new Aussie friends to explain more about Jesus and what being a Christian really means. Today I read through the first few pages which are meant to prepare the leader for ministry in Australia, and its getting me really excited for next year! Its going to look so different from the ministry I've done in Eau Claire! Its going to move much more slowly and relationally, as Aussies are so apathetic toward Christianity that they will easily blow it off unless they have other reasons to meet with you. I am excited to meet so many students and develop friendships that the Lord will use throughout the year to spread the knowledge of His truth.

This summer I have been soaking up as much knowledge as I can. Since I became a Christian as a freshman in college, I know very little about specific people and events that take place throughout the Bible. Since July I've even been meeting with a retired woman named Kathy, who really loves to teach. She's been pouring out her knowledge on the new testament and its been great to learn from her so that I can prepare for next year.

I'm finally beginning to let myself get EXCITED about all of this! Not that I ever doubted I would be going to Australia, but now that I am at 90% I can know for sure. The countdown will begin soon!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Please pray for my teammate Nate who is at about 65% of his support. We need to be at 90% by December 1st so he has about one month left. Pray also for the current team in Brisbane who is preparing to take students on summer project to Byron Bay. Pray that those they meet on the beach will be open to hearing about Jesus and why He matters in their lives.