Monday, July 28, 2008

Breaking into a new decade.

This weekend I turned twenty. Who would have thought I could get this old? I feel much more mature now saying "I am twenty". There is a difference between 19 and 20. Probably it's that I no longer have to say nine-TEEN. The world's perception of teenagers has made me excited to no longer be coupled with "bad drivers" and "irresponsible-credit-card-holders". All in all though, age is more something for a driver's license than anything else. If I have learned anything in my years of living, it is that age is only a measure for statistics, and should not ever hold us from what we want to do or God is telling us to do.

The morning of Saturday, July 26th, began with an exuberant girl waking up and tearing open an envelope from a certain someone who had sent a certain something along with a certain Bekah before she left a certain day. I couldn't wait! I had stared at the envelope pinned up to my bulletin board for 23 days before I was allowed to even consider opening it. Although, I must confess, I did think about opening and resealing...it was only briefly, and then I remembered how my mom snuck into her parents room before Christmas one year and had to fake that suprise when she "saw her gifts for the first time". Anyway, for the record, I couldn't even tell what was in the envelope by the time I had opened it because my eyes were still REMing. After a quick dash to the loo, I came back and stared at the lovely photo from my dear friend. I called him to tell him how thankful and excited I was for his artistic ability, and he didn't answer. I think he is screening my calls. My roommates wouldn't let me leave the room, so I thought, "I will call my family!". Hahah, after no one answered their phones, I called my dad's cell phone. Old faithful. Even if we can only talk for ten minutes, it was better than not talking to them at all. The conversations with Dad and Sarah began with "What are you doing today?" and I explained, "well, it's my birthday." The time change, never gets old. Once I was released into the base, I smelled a tantalizing fragrance, that can only be described as chocolate chip pancakes. A little taste of Saturday mornings at the Dinneen household, only complete with mom saying "Please make a couple without chocolate chips." What lovely friends. They had decorated a table with items from the Salvation Army bin (one man's trash is another's treasure). We had an abundance of breakfast and we were able to share with our Sports DTS friends. Slowly we were a group of 13 surrounding a six person table. It was a morning to remember. Later in the day Melisa and went into the city for bubble tea, then we had my dinner table, dessert at Darcy's house and then a sleepoveer.

The highlight of the day was after lame-non-Seattle Bubble Tea. Melisa and I rushed back to the base to meet all of our school mates and staff. We were headed to Kangaroo Island. It had been described to me as "a fenced in area with kangaroos roaming". I thought it sounded interesting, I probably would've described it as a marsupial zoo though. Anyway, we arrived at the island, which actually was a peninsula, and began filing into a fenced area. I was thinking "Okay, it is a fenced area, doubled fenced so that kangaroos don't get out". While I was discussing my brilliant revelation with someone, someone shouts "hey, there's one!". I look for the other fence...and then I get it. "Wait, are WE fenced in WITH the kangaroos?" Slowly we started closing in on the 100 meters between us and the roos. I was fascinated, taking video of little specks hopping around. We were able to get closer and closer, I was shocked. Soon we were nearly 10 meters away. I was snapping photos, posing like them, simply enamored. This was not like the zoo at all. One by one, people were getting within a meter or two of them. I was started to get a bit leary...Thinking back to Animal Planet, watching the stupid tourists attract Kangaroos with dried banana chips, and before you know the get slapped acrossed the face and are out $30,000 for plastic surgery bills, not to mention they were only able to enjoy Australia for 12 hours. So I was not planning on getting any closer. Robyn had a different plan. She grabbed me by the hand and lead me to the grazing kangaroo. Before I knew it, I was letting it sniff my hand and then stroking it's cuddly fur. Who would have thought? I practically embraced a kangaroo the first time I ever saw one. Woah...I am almost Australian.

Anyway, a memorable day nonetheless...I guess I am stating the obvious at this point.

Friday, July 25, 2008

i was thinking i should not tell you what the stench was...but then again...

I thought about exaggerating my story, but that would be lying. So in lieu of a legendary story, it was mildewed clothes. I do insist, none of us had smelled clothes this bad. They had been placed in a plastic sack, soaking, for 4 days, then taken out, left in a corner until our discovery. It is strange, Anna is rather mother-like (in the most nurturing way possible) and makes sure our room is tidy and swept. So sometime between the morning room checks and tea break, Sarah's younger sister had dumped her revolting pjs in our room. A dead rat would have been just as exciting, I was just as positive as Steve that something such as a rat or marsupial had died.

This week has been nothing short of world-shaking. Monday we did A&P of the Pelvis and then Tuesday A&P of the Placenta. How powerful it is to learn God's detail through the lense of God's eyes, not an overworked Professor's eyes. I have appreciated my year of sciences at EvCC, but to sit in a classroom, where the five other students are just as fascinated by the function of the Chorion being God's provision as I am, is incredible. Often in conclusion of lecture, we will talk about God's Character in pregnant women. The way women change, how their brains know exactly what is going on and being changing the body, I come to a loss for words, it is an awe summoning image of God bringing new life into this shattered world when a baby is developing in the woman.

This week for two days, and our first week of lectures, we have had Jules speak to us. Jules graduated from med school at the age of 22 from the UK. Either she is brilliant or the system is slightly different, probably a combination of both. She came into YWAM at the age of 24, and since then has been involved with the healthcare focus here at YWAM Perth. She believes that doctors can specialize in missions and this October will be pioneering the DRS, Doctors Reaching School. I have been blessed in the way that she humbly imparts her wisdom and love for healthcare to us. At the end of her lectures, she would ask us, "What have learned about God's character?"

Since Wednesday we have teamed up with the July DTS (Discipleship Training School) as they have been learning about the character of God. Chris Adams leads the School of Worship here at Perth, he reminds me of my cousin Keith. Some people giggled when they heard we had just been learning about the Placenta on Tuesday and then God's Character on Wednesday, but we BASers just looked at eachother and smiled, knowing we have been learning about His character since day one, just in a bit more of an anatomical perspective.

I feel awoken. We are in a broken world. All of our sins are affecting the people around us, who then sin because of what we have done to them, who then hurt others, who hurt their kids, who hurt their grandchildren. God is divinely patient. Waiting to bring us to heaven. But giving us a chance to witness to the world. Arise church, there is urgency. Shake yourself from your cozy little hide. There is urgency. This is the now. Love people like you have never loved. Reach out. Sow generously. I must know God and make Him known. These past three days have been tearful, exhausting, yet this is the beginning.

In a couple hours we have Friday Night Meeting. This is another all-base time, where we meet as the base and invite the community, essentially a church service. I look forward to these times, to open the doors, worship together. The wash machines are now available for use, so I am off.

Family and Friends, thanks for your comments, I look forward to reading the tidbits. Please keep me updated on you.

Oh right quick, a couple of prayer requests.
-Our speaker for next week cancelled due to sickness, she has been battling Typhoid recently.
-Outreach fees are due Sept. 10 (a bit sooner than I expected, but God knew all along).
-I am a cold sore mess, please pray against sickness.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Palpation Station.

I can't believe this is it. I am here. I am in Perth. I think it is finally real. Tonight we watched a moving clip with women in India and Kenya. They shared about lives that had been lost because of no skilled attendant to help their mother, aunt, sister. 600,000 deaths occur in pregnancy evary year, 98% in the developing world. These 8 minutes brought me "to", I am here. God, I will see this changed.

Mondays are quite busy for us, worship, lecture, lunch, work duties, assessment, dinner, presentations. Before presentations last night though, we had a special treat for some exhausted students, a pregnant woman! It seems as if our school studies about this species all the time, but we never actually seem them. When Marika walked into the room, we were all but shrilling. Darcy demonstrated palpation techniques on her. We listened to the fetal heart, guessed her gestation (we were two days off!) and learned the dos and don'ts of it all. Ahhh, it was a moment I will not forget. Palpation will be something we regularly do while holding antenatal clinics. Late last week we conducted a "clinic", including testing urine/haemoglobin, millions of questions, vitals, nutrition education, and much more. It was like adding the missing puzzle piece to have a real fetus and mother and see the palpation. I was on cloud nine.

Every Tuesday and Friday we have base intercession. This morning as we seeked out God's heart for us to pray, there was unity in our small group of four to pray out protection, declare victory and repress the enemy. I am just in awe of the power and authority we have in Christ. To see what happens when we set aside time to seek God for his heart. We had a beautiful time of declaring God's Character over the world, Australia, Perth, us. Seek first his face.

I think it should be at the end of next week when we find out where we are going on outreach. For sure, we will be going to Jakarta, Indonesia. The other places are still unclear. We are waiting on communication stuff.

Yesterday, I walked into our room and immediately had to leave. What had died in our room? I was positive Tod Packer had sent us a mystery parcel. Throughout the day, during breaks, we walked into the room with our shirts over our faces. We would search for the stench as long as we could stay in the room. Finally, before dinner, we found it. "It". Perhaps I should wait until the next post...Any guesses?

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Paper plate night!

Tonight we had Thursday night evangelism. I have learned about YWAM Perth, that every hour of the day is organized. Organization is not a bad thing, no, not at all, in fact it is necessary when you eat gourmet lunch and dinner with 250 people. I imagined Perth being upwards of a 1000 people, although it is one of their goals, they (we) are approximately 500 people. That is including those on outreach, staff, etc.
One of my favorite things that the base does is functioning as a community, like I mentioned, everyone, families, students, staff, eat lunch and dinner together. We choose a table by subtracting the number of people in a family, example Jones-3, from the number of seats at the table. Every night you can sit with different people, different families. It is spectacular. Along with functioning as a community, at 8:00am every morning, those who do not have biological family that they are living with, meet at their assigned chore, and we clean for thirty minutes. Every morning, I clean the girls at 228's toilets. We serve one another and also keep the base tidy.
After paper plate pasta (delectable), we went to a shopping mall. It was the most diverse mall one has seen. The people I met were from India and Somalia. I feel like this will be a powerful evening, every week. God wants to bring life to so many of these people who have been displaced or are refugees. How beautiful it is to say "God loves you" to a nine month pregnant Somalian woman and see her light up. I wonder, why haven't I done this more at home?
I want to write some more, but it is bedtime and my Peruvian roommate is restless, probably because of the keyboard clicking...Goodnight all...

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

56K.

This is a post from a couple days ago. As for today though, I will now be a regular blogger, and on Thursday we will even have wireless speed internet. Woooooohoo!

Allow me to catch you up on today's events, we had intercession, learned about hemoglobin and then I answered two phone calls and took the mail to the post office. Besides enjoying the rainy bike ride, it gives me joy feeling like the mailman on Mr.Rogers Neighborhood, plus I can imagine Elsie and Claire yelling "when it comes it makes me yell, MAILLLLLLL!!!"

9. July. 08

Hehehe…We are listening to Regina Spektor in the classroom of Birth Attendants. I started telling the girls about how big Regina’s hair has the potential of becoming. Something in that moment clicked and Connie(a Norwegian roommate of mine) told me that she liked my hair. Molly, we are meant to be in that video. You are right…

I have decided to write my update right now even though I am sure when I will be able to upload it.

I have felt quite disconnected from home all week, it has been interesting. Yesterday, when I tried to pay my school fees I was rudely awoken when the transaction didn’t go through, I remembered that I had used my card without contacting the credit union. Anyway, they freeze it when there are unauthorized international charges. Not too short after I realized internet cost twice as much as I had expected. After I put two and two together I figured that I need the internet to contact the Credit Union to thaw out my account, but I won’t have internet until I have to cash to buy it…Catch-22? The day that I am able to upload this will be an exciting one! I am hoping to use a roommate’s computer tonight or tomorrow, but the internet has been down since they connected everyone yesterday. What an eventful day!

Traveling for 36 hours to Perth was the lengthiest plane travel I have succeeded in so far. I have included excerpts from my journal.

Wednesday, 2. July. 08, 6:15pm
“…The tears didn’t stop stinging my face until I put my stiff Toms back on after security. My stomach was growling for more than food than a butterless waffle. I settled for a Bagel Shop near the D1 gate. How strange it is to be in the Domestic Flight gate.
I am momentarily distracted by Camo man who is disturbed by the blocked gate. Heightened Security. Shocker. Patience is invaluable in airports. I don’t think he wants to hear this right now.
Anyway, Bagel Shop, as I settled to eat my crispy, Spotted Cow-esque, cheesy creation, I couldn’t really think about the recent good-byes. I knew I had cards to read, but I feared that would make it worse. I am avoiding the ugly cry at all costs. After a youthful business woman sat down to share my table, I coaxed my mouth to chew for the benefit of my stomach.
A half-a-bagel later, I was yearning for the notes in “my” bag. I packed up my uneaten lunch and headed to where I am currently sitting. One by one, the tears creeped through. The rush of memories, reminders of people who love me and words that pierce my sadness. I enjoyed the photo of Callie and I. It seems so long ago that we were the students. You are right Cal, Auston is definitely staring at Molly…I will have to let that one go now…
I unbuttoned my jean pocket and pulled out the words of my cherished sister, I felt the immediate encouragement and love that I had just left.
“today surprisingly, I feel joy and adoration. Our need of you staying is purely selfish and that is a sin against God. Today is the beginning of a great journey, a lifelong one.”
It would be selfish of me not to go, Lord, you called me.
“Our hearts will hurt only for a season. My bed will be cold only for a few days. I will be lonely only until I get brave and make friends.”
There is so much comfort in this reality. God, you have asked me to leave and I am ready. I am passionate about it. I often wonder how it will be when I leave. You know God. I am walking in your plan.
“Go and be free little lamb, God is waiting and so is the world of mums and babies…”
Lord, this family of mine. I entrust them into your hands. I am free.
Part of the airline crew sat down next to me, mid-journal. He shared that the security breech was most likely because an 8-year old kicked an emergency door. Hehe…I wouldn’t tell that to Camo man.”

9pm…I think?
"Friendly Stewardesses. Outgoing Neighbors. Claire-stare-bear seat mates. LA artists. Warm Gingersnaps. 2% Non-Smith Brothers. Faux-Athletes. Comfy “boxer briefs”. God’s peace. Heart burn. Cat nap. Stunning sunset. Wandering worries. Am I there yet?"

3. July. 08
“Happy birthday Sister Sarah! I have spent this 16-hour flight pretending to be left-handed. The man sitting next to me has daddy-long leg arm hairs. Even when I thought I had escaped them through ambidextrousness, he would take over the armrest and painfully tickle my shy forearm. The plane was quite stuffy when we boarded which was keeping me from my tendency to fall asleep before take off. Despite the humidity of the carrier, I shielded myself with a wool blanket; it seemed to be the lesser of two evils. The foot long arm hairs were invading any chance of rest, it was completely necessary to take up my guard.
Later I learn he is friendly. He calls me “love” everytime I get out of the aisle seat for him to stretch his leg. I’m guessing he is in his early 70s, traveling with his wife and her mother. I can’t imagine traveling with my residents…
Molly, I am thankful for these boxer-brief-esque underwear…even though they are made in Macau. Oh, and I have a bruise on the dorsal side on my hand from hitting my hand on the door handle. Do you feel bad for laughing? Probably not…
Guess what? We are landing, and “I keep bleeding, I keep keep bleeding love…” is on. Hahaha! We are in Sydney. Surprise! We didn’t have enough fuel to make it to Melbourne. The writing is difficult with turbulence and no tray table…daddy-long legs is crawling.”

Okay guys...I know it is just a snippit, and I haven't yet written anything about the Base or my school...there is so much to tell, and blog post by blog post it will come...

Thursday, July 10, 2008

not my computer...therefor very quick!

I am alive! I have been blogging on my computer and will upload them as soon as my computer has YWAM Internet. I appreciate everyone's emails and comments...Soon you will know what is going on here!

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

i suppose you could start the hourly countdown...but please don't.

I'm leaving on a jet plane.

Last night I was able to say farewell, Bon Voyage, Bis Später to several of my friends...What an out of body experience it is to imagine not seeing people for a year. To not be in my house for a year would alone be life-changing, let alone living in another world. For now, I expect to have my heart broken for the preventable death of babies. I expect to meet people that will reflect Jesus in a way I have not see yet in my life. I expect to see babies raised from the dead through God's power and women come to the Lord. I expect to pray knowing every second of every life is in God's hands.

It was joyful to be connected with all the people I care about at once and watching them connect with one another gave me the urge to be a fly on the wall and listen to their conversations.

Thank you Lord for surrounding me with people who love you and love me.