Please forgive me for such an awful BLOG UPDATER! I seriously have been going going GOING for the past couple weeks and realized.. "OH! I really need to update that blog!" So many good things have happened and I hate I'm now updating you on them. Completely my fault. To give you a brief overview, the first two/three weeks we spent time on the uni campuses here, trying to engage in any conversations we could get into. God blessed us in incredible amounts and we were able to make some really meaningful friendships! SOOO the first couple weeks we basically set up one-on-ones with the students we met as well as investigate our campuses for one last time before we started city missions WHICH WAS THIS PAST WEEK and the week to come..
This picture is of TEAM USYD!! Crazy to think the trip is almost over… it feels like yesterday we were all going to campus with our teams. I honestly get kind of depressed thinking about it. The people I’ve met have been incredible and so encouraging in my walk with Christ. To list everything I’ve learned thus far would take up too much of your time haha and to think I still have about 1 week left blows my mind. God has been chiseling away these past several weeks and he has been so faithful in shaping me into more of His image. You know what’s funny..? The things I thought I needed most growth in were not the main growth areas I’ve grown in since arriving here. Like an onion, the Lord has peeled away at me, layer by layer, to reveal my sin.. the process is no fun but I couldn’t be more grateful for the Lord to care that much about me to personally take me through the fire. I am thankful for a God who knows me inside and out, knowing where and what I struggle with most, and caring enough to refine me into a purer version of myself.. Remember me telling you that humility would be a big thing for me this summer? Well, I had an instance that really humbled me about two weeks ago. We were challenged with the Student Life ministry to go out and share the gospel by using a survey to ask about their religious views and such. I partnered off with Kandice and we went into the International Student Lounge on the top floor of Wentworth to find that "lucky person." For some reason, my eyes were drawn to a lady in the corner sitting by herself (obviously Muslim) and my feet started to walk me towards her. I can't really recall how the awkwardness played out but it did. As I tried to communicate through stumbled words and shaking hands, my heart began to break for her as she, with broken English, informed me of the religion she believed in… she was married with a two year old son, studying finance so that she could receive a degree and go back to her country. I know the Lord used something out of the word vomit that came out of my mouth, but I was so shaken up as we walked away from her table. In between scolding myself for my attitude before hand and not knowing anything about the Islamic culture, I couldn’t believe that I, as a believer in Christ, had no care to share with Muslims because I didn’t feel well enough prepared to do so… that someone else could do that for me, someone who felt “called.” God really used that conversation to provide feeling in a heart that, once before, was numb to anything relating to Muslims or their culture. I’m reading David Platt’s book right now and I think that is playing a large role in the way I’m seeing world missions now. Yes, I still have my insecurities, but the Lord is honestly breaking several areas down that I had once built up… maybe those were the areas I was trying to protect most because I knew once the Lord had his way in, who knows where or to what context he will call me to serve him. AH, so much has gone on this week so sorry if it sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo. (PS: I left David Platt's book "Radical" on the hostel's book exchange shelf... read on to hear about the hostel!)
The guys have had a breakthrough with a good friend of theres called Hiep. He was hanging out with all the SOW guys at UTS and that's how we met him. He was an athiest, but just last week he emailed one of the guys saying he wanted to become a Christian! AH! Please keep praying for him though because he hasn't made the decision yet, but he is SO VERY CLOSE! Praise God for breakthroughs!
Two weeks ago we had a bunch of the SOW girls over for Taco Night and TimTams which ended up being a major success. We just all hung around and talked like girls do, eating timtams and slamming them all in fellowship. It was great. Also, our landlord, Inna, came and brought some wine which she proceeded to drink herself to pure bliss haha. What an experience to have to take care of your own landlord! That's one thing that has been really cool is how the Lord has used us in ministering to our building. There is a maintenance guy named Steve who the guys got to share the gospel with, and Inna being able to minister to her by just listening to her. She even gave us honey that she made from her backyard (and she only gives it to her favorite guests!) Oh yeah. 
Last weekend we were blessed to be able to travel to the Blue Mountains and get some hiking in! We did, in fact, get lost while traveling those trails and found ourselves exiting the trail along side of the main highway... I'm sure all of those Aussies got the biggest kick watching about 15 Americans journeying down the highway in search of the picnic area in which we parked. I'll add some pictures for you guys. That night we stayed in a hostel called the Flying Fox and all I can say is that it was the coolest hostel I have ever witnessed with my two eyes. Check out their website if you get a chance. The next day, we managed to make it to Featherdale Wildlife Park to pet koalas and feed kangaroos which I happily marked off my bucket list while leaving. It was kind of like a petting zoo except cooler. Yeah, that's basically how it was. Freaking awesome.
This past week we started city missions. We began volunteering our time at a soup kitchen called Newtown Missions in which we have made sweet friends. All week we traveled by train to Newtown to help serve.. by serving I mean help set up tables, prepare meals, prepare for the next day's meal, serve the people who come in, make coffee/tea, clean-up, etc. Thursday night was the biggest night at the mission. It's much more formal- like, they actually sit down and we serve them instead of them lining up for food. 
The mission provides a small service/message for the people coming to eat and then they get a hot meal with dessert. Of course, there are always funny things that go on... Upon arriving our first day, I met a man named Stephen Jarmin who was trying to set up an email account. After applying my techy skills to accomplish the task, he then chose me to help serve the pastries at the end of his table (his job is to make the tea and coffee). Basically, the mission staff tagged me as the "Chosen One." Haha sweet Stephen. I was his 'girl friend' from then on out. Another story: a dragqueen hit on all the guys, saying he was a model, Miss Australia, going to London for a photo shoot and wanted to take one of the guys as his date, etc. It was a sight to see for sure. Another man approached Kyle saying it was God's will that they be together... Pure insaneness.
There was a guy who accused me of being racist because I wouldn't serve him another pastry because he had already had one. Yes, we managed to clear it up finally.. I'm sure he's over it by now considering he approached me Thursday night saying, "It's a new day." I have so much enjoyed our time there and am crossing my fingers to go back next week.
Lastly, since we have been here, WORLD CUP games have been going on... I don't know if you are aware of the FIFA FAN FEST, but there are only 6 in the world. There happens to be one here in SYDNEY AUSTRALIA! I know... AWESOME. Hales and I got the chance to pull an all-nighter to go watch Australia and Germany play last week.. Even though Australia lost, it was fun to be around the Aussies we met up with at a local uni campus. Hales and I ended up getting lost by train on the way back but we found our way back! ANyways, we as a CCP team have quite enjoyed ourselves, waking up for the 4:30 AM games as well as staying up for the midnight games. Since we have met a lot of Korean students through SOW ministries, we have supported South Korea with them, dressing up as well as painting our faces! I can honestly say that because of the World Cup, its really helped our team grow closer. Actually in about an hour, we are going to watch Australia and Ghana play with some Aussies we've met since we've been here.
Please keep praying for our efforts this last week that we may continue to be strong. It's been so encouraging meeting all of our friends in SOW and through Harbour City Church-Plant. Hopefully, I will be able to get another post in before leaving!! I will try really hard =).
