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: