Touch Down in Brisbane!

Well, we made it! The team roared into Brisbane International Airport a little past 6 a.m. local time, following a nearly 13 hour flight from L.A. Three of us on the team were here to meet our crew, along with a goup of Aussies and Daun, our missionary.

Everything was rolling along until the team realized that one of our young ladies (Sarah) had her suitcase taken by mistake (a look-alike). Her attitude was outstanding, even if she did freak a bit on the inside, and before the day was over the mistake was realized and the bag returned! God is so good, even when people slip up. And truly, it's our response to the things that take place in our lives that matter far more than those actual events and activities. Because it's in such times that we find out the kind of person we really are. And we think the kind of person Sarah really is, is really quite special.

The day was spent depositing luggage in homes around the city, sharing meals together and visiting an animal sanctuary. While there we saw animals peculiar to this great nation...you know, wombats, Tasmanian devils, kagaroos, wallabies, koalas, emus and the like. We fed some, layed around with some, pet some, held some, backed off from some and took pictures of all. It was a great time, and a good way to work off the jet lag.

The team was returned to the homes of their host families for an evening meal, time to get acquainted, and (hopefully) an early bedtime. We'll need all the rest we can get, since we have youth games tomorrow, along with a boomerang-throwing session and a welcome meal at Ann Street. Please pray for the team's strength and stamina, as well as initial times of bonding with the young people with whom we'll be spending the next several days.

Here are a few photos of the group as we made our way through this first great day:

To the Land of Oohs and Oz

Tonight's the night! Sunday, the 28th, our KACC GO! Team Australia boards a Quantas 747 and heads for 2 weeks in Brisbane. There are 16 total team members (some shown in this pic) and they'll have a group in the state of Queensland eagerly waiting their arrival.

Australia's a secular county that has seen declining interest and participation in Christianity for several years. And yet there's a spiritual hunger in the lives of many Aussies that is opening their hearts again to the words and path of Jesus. Our team will once again partner with the Ann Street Church of Christ in the heart of Brisbane (where our own Daun Slauson serves as a missionary!), joining them in sports and evangelistic outreaches to local youth, as well as in service projects. We'll serve alongside Ann Street as they host their monthly version of our Community Supper, will spend several days in an outback community building relationships with locals there as we share our message of life with them, and will even take in an Aussie Rules football game (seen on left)!

Our goal is to serve the Australian Church in every way possible as we learn about God's work (and our part in it) in another culture. We'll continue to build on relationships begun by prior teams and leave a good base on which future teams may continue to add. Please pray for our effectiveness as servants and witnesses, opportunities and boldness, safety and new life perspectives. And for lives to be touched for eternity- theirs and ours.

And check back here for updates through July 13. Good on ya!

Really Down Under

As our summer is now here, we look forward to GO! Team opportunities with extended time in other cultures. Our Australia team is preparing to depart for Brisbane Sunday evening, the 28th, where they'll serve until July 6. I'll fill you in about that team and trip next blog.

But I wanted to let you know that I have gone ahead of that team, and will meet them in Brisbane next Tuesday morning when they arrive. I left last Sunday evening to spend some time in New Zealand before moving on to Australia. I made it to Christchurch, a city of 400,000+ Tuesday morning and met up with a team of three young church planting couples (pictured on right) who have come to this city on the South Island to establish a new work.

Partnering with South Pacific Christian Fellowship (www.spcfdownunder.com), and led by Hamish Taylor (himself a New Zealander, on left with Molly and Liam), this group arrived in April after an extensive search and refining process to determine where in NZ God would have them. Their goal is to launch a new congregation by February 21, 2010 and to see it at 200 or more by the following month. KACC is partnering with them in this endeavor, providing financial support and hoping to develop a relationship that will grow with them as they grow God's Kingdom.

I've been blessed with what I've seen and heard so far. We've driven through the city (Christchurch Cathedral seen on right), seen the area they're targeting, prayed over a dozen different possible meeting sites they're looking at (ranging from schools, businesses, old church buildings, and taverns), and talked about their plans and process. NZ is much like Australia, spiritually speaking. The culture is considered post-Christian, highly secular, with only 5%-10% of people attending any church. Spiritual interest may be low, yet people are looking for ways to connect in meaningful relationships. This team spends much time developing such connections, that they may introduce the people of Christchurch to the One who desires a relationship with them like no other.

Please pray for this team and the ambitious challenge before them. Pray for open hearts and open doors. Pray for protection from the evil one in the midst of the battle. Pray for clarity of vision, provision of funds and team unity as they press on. And please pray for me as well, as I spend another day here before leaving, that I might see more clearly the role God has for us in possible support and encouragement of this project, and beyond.