The preparations as they currently stand :)

Before I leave for Uganda in 2012, there are a few things to do. Before I leave, I get to go to two weddings of good, good friends, both in January. After the second of these, I am enrolled to do a Bible story telling workshop in Nundle (where the hector is that you ask? 1hr Sth of Tamworth) which I am really stoked and pumped for. Reading the Bible in story-form is a very common way to spread the good news of Jesus to people groups that mostly cannot read or write in English or even their native tongue. The best way they learn is through verbal communication.

That brings us to February where I have plans to work and work and work and maybe in my free time work some more :) Just kidding I might do some cultural reading and research on the animals I will find myself helping as well!
I had planned and hoped to leave late February, however I have been advised by those much wiser than I to do some cross-cultural training as well and there is a course in mid-march in SA. So I am going to hang around for that :)
The course is called MIST and is organised and ran by mission interlink; groups combining for it are CMS, Interserve, SIM, OM and some theological colleges as well. It will teach and deal with issues such as: knowing and sharing your faith, culture stress/shock, cross-cultural communication, health and practicalities, "being" in another culture and re-entry (to Aus).

Thankfully I now only have 1of the seven injections left to go, having had my second rabies one today and so now can focus on Christmas and celebrating our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ's birthday :)
Merry Christmas everyone!!!

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name JESUS, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which is translated, “God with us”.  Matthew 1:21-23

In Christ

I've come home from NTE in Canberra and mission to Valley Presbyterian church in Mernda, Melbourne, full to the brim with lessons learnt. From faithful teaching at NTE about what it truly means to be 'in Christ':

• to be Found in Christ (Philippians 3:1-11),
• to be Saved in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:6-21) we are so united to Jesus when we put our trust in his life, death and resurrection that his righteousness and perfection is placed on us;
• to be Right in Christ (Galatians 3:11-29) through relying totally and utterly on Jesus, we can have a relationship with God because we have had our sin taken away;
• to be Holy in Christ (Romans 6:15-23) we have been released from living in sin like we were and now can live guilt-free, as sons and daughters of God- because of the sacrifice Jesus made for us God can have us close to him. Live to love, to patience, compassion, kindness, mercy and grace, treating others better than they treat us (Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 4:32), live to Christ;
• to be Gathered in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:1-27) wherever we are around the world, followers of Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22), people of God in lifestyle not only name should be gathered together as a church, the one body. To hurt another in the church is to hurt Christ himself as we are him, here on earth (Colossians 1:1-18).
• and lastly, to be Proclaiming Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 10:9-36; Colossians 1:28, 4:5-6) and "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect"(1 Peter 3:15) so "that we may present everyone perfect in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:28)

Mission to Melbourne taught me to remember the importance of unity in Christ, that I have learnt and shared above, in the times of struggle just as much as the times of success. PTL (praise the Lord) if we are not united in Christ we are not the body of Christ in words or practise.