Christmas from Perth Australia : TWO

Fundraiser for Kevin and Tama in Island Breeze days before Christmas. Island Breeze is part of the last teams finishing up the year-long campaign in Mexico City, under the YWAM Perth ministry.

This is just a very small side project/fun time, by comparison to their regular performance. 

God can avail any nation, tribe, or tongue, and these guys are proof of that. 

Their heart, and passion is absolutely beautiful.

Hope your Christmas has been amazing. We have taken a moment to post some photos of our time away from our continuous schedule. It makes me think-- I should post more about our daily structure too. Although it may not look that interesting with desks, computers, etc etc... but look forward to that..

Christmas Eve Movie in the park: Perth has a (free to the public) big screen that'd showed "White Christmas". I was blown away by the way that God used this movie to speak to me about him being with us no matter where we are.. between the plot on screen and being surrounded by friends. (PS. yes that is a bad angle of us, but ya gotta see us sometime eh?)

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass: Yes we went to mass. Yes, just to experience it. I actually liked the serenity and focus of the most of the service. Moment of memory though - Matt and I couldn't keep straight faces when they had a doo-whop band singing Christmas Carols.  

Christmas Eve - day: Humid, humbled, and shiny-faced. When you realize that the most sincere

 hugs are the sweaty ones in 104' weather. (17% humidity).

Sitting with the Tout Family. (some of our Favorite Aussies)

Christmas lunch (above):  The auditorium was turned into the dining room. Eating great food is apart of Christmas all over the world hay? Most of it was donated locally -flowers included- and prepared by the hard working YWAMers (100% volenteer) in the Kitchen. Many just felt privileged to have napkins - a common joke here.

Christmas Stockings (below): If we put 300 people's gifts under a tree it may be a little chaotic. So here at YWAM Perth we have stockings. They are -I'm totally guessing- about 12 inches long by 6 inches wide and get filled progressively through out the month of December but are stuffed Christmas Eve. No one is left behind, and each person has one with their name on it. 

What makes me love this place is that 90% of the things in your stocking are a handmade gift and/or handwritten note. It has made me adopt the phrase "Lack of Money is not an excuse to not be generous". A decided favorite by many was a hand made buttons/pins, another one was personalized potted plants.

Why do we do this? Serve and honor one another. We may do ministry with these guys 12 hours a day in the office and on the street. . . BUT we become like a family to one another, being so far from our home cultures, families, and friends. United in the understanding of what we do and why we do it.. ya know?

Homemade Gifts: So Laura (a Canadian-Korean) and I were talking about idea's to make a last-minute gift that was unique and handmade.Origami ornaments -I thought. .... Without hesitation I said to her "do you know how to make cranes?"  Yes origami, stereotypically is widely understood by Asians.. but even as I laughed at myself about my impulsion to ask her, she laughed and said "Well its true most of us know origami". The guilty feeling was hammered with- immediately after, soon was washed away by her enthusiasm to make cranes ---that turned out fantastically may I add.

Christmas Eve: Heat, Humidity, and Homesickness. Though the festivities, food, and friendships that feel like family... nothing can replace our real family and subdue the fact that we are just not home for Christmas this year. This was one of those moments... right before we went to the City Christmas Eve.

SKYPING at 2:30am in the Laneway

This is Phillipe from Germany, talking to his parents over his laptop.

Skype is this wonderful -free- program that many of us use to communicate home. So on Christmas Eve and Christmas day people were up until all hours of the morning traversing the time zones and sucking up bandwidth.  YWAM memory.. sitting in the lounge where 10-20 people can all be talking out loud into their computer microphones to their families.  (Get Skype and we will call you or you can call us.. its great!)

Below:  Mike and Matt. One of Matts friends here at the base. Late night video games, and basketball games. Good times..

When in Australia - do as the Aussies do... snags on the beach. (nope no 'shrimp on the barbie' - just sausages, the Aussie cousin to the American hotdog.) Remember to wear sunscreen.

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Featured Christian Artist: Digital Artist, and great photographer Justin Matchu. I stumbled onto his site through a YWAMer here. After reading his concept below I was like  'hmmmm..'

See more of his stuff here: http://jalexanderphotography.blogspot.com/ 

"This year our Christmas Series is going to be called “Salvaged”. The Salvaged story is that of a tiny Jewish baby with which God used to crawl into the dumpster of humanity to salvage us all. This was a challenging concept. Relating something as “perfect” as Christmas with something as “messy” as a junkyard. I thought the contrast though lent itself to this idea pretty well. This is the card for the series."

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 

John 1:14

Seasons greetings from the nations. ONE.

Ever think of what it looks like to have a Christmas with 300 family members from over 40 nations?. I have seen it... its a bit of work but the heaps of fun makes up for it. Below are just a few pictures of our pre-Christmas season... so far. Hopefully by the next post you can see more festivities and more people.. In the meantime - Merry Christmas!

Annual Carols by Candlelight, hosted in beautiful Hyde Park, by Youth With A Mission, Perth. All those cool kats (our friends and fellow missionaries)  in the choir put forth alot of late hours to bring our community together in songs that honored the Christ of Christmas. The locals (including some government officials) really enjoyed it. There was coffee, coke, and snacks for those that watched, clowns for the kids that played, and candles passed out for the singing time after the sun set.

Nations represented in the photo above: Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Peru, Pacific Islands....

Each person representing a different ministry or training school. 

Cookies made one night by "Hospitality Ministry" here at the base. They are the ministry that make YWAM feel like home in the practical sence. Holidays, Birthdays, and other events they always pull through to make it special for everyone here. I really really appreciate them.. (and so does my tummy).

MISSION BUILDERS, YWAM Perth 2010!

Dave- Australia, Ulav- Norway, Burdy- Maricias, Franz- The Netherlands, Pita- Tonga, Matt- Mars, Adrian- Lancaster Pennsylvania, Terry- California, Scott- Canada

These guys are regularly working on the building that YWAM will be moving into...

The AES.... uh, I think that has something to do with art.. haha

These guys are amazingly talented and its awesome to walk in their classroom to see what they are learning.. and how they are redeeming the arts for the nations.

Nations represented: Aussies, Canadian, Americanas, Korea, Finland....

'Euro-couples are the cutest'

Sitting at dinner with them in the dining room at the YWAM base.

Clean'n up the streets of Perth.

Pile up on Isle 5 (with an Islander on top.)

 This was a couple of months ago but I just wanted to show you all the dorky things we do here for times when newbies show up--- now we are spending Christmas with those guys... Discipleship-- its about relationship as well as 'fun investment' time.

Last but not least,...Americanos.

Thank you for your prayers during these holidays.. as it can be a struggle for us so far away from our families, trusting that God will make himself known to them and us in this season.

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Featured Christian Artist: Uh - Johnny Cash. One because this season (acknowledging Christs 1st and second coming in the future) was a good excuse to post this song, and  two... because although he was an amazing musician he was not a perfect man. His creativity and relentless vulnerability to his audience reminds me of pieces of Gods Character. Have a laugh with Dad, but when he comes in after being away for a long time... "yay-- Dads home" honor and respect stand guard through a listening ear.

PS. If you know anyone that has looked these lyrics up in the Bible let me know... One of these days I would like to go through and look them up line by line and find the quotes (many are word for word)

Advent Conspiracy & a lil' Homesickness

[ First: Why Advent?

Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. ( read more from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent )

Weird. Granted, I wouldn't consider myself fully to have grown up in a church and know and understand all the traditions... BUT Advent I actually miss celebrating in our home Church in the States.
For a month leading up to December 25.. we lit candles at the beginning of our Sunday service while explaining the symbolism with each a different reason we celebrate Christs birth. I dont know who it was that started the tradition forever ago, but I applaud the efforts that have been passed down in my quaint Methodist denomination.. because if we are going to choose a day to celebrate Christs first and second coming.. then why not make sure that we are prepared for it? Choosing this season to remember go over some of our core beliefs and foundations. Then let our actions speak for themselves...


[ Second: What Happened?


Interesting how this is grossly unrelated our Christmas preparation is now in our western culture today. Instead of preparing our hearts, schedules, and mindsets to make a point love and serve one another we have traded this over time for busy-ness, commercialism, and stress. By the way- when I say 'western culture' Im including Australia, but making the point that I am also part of the problem if Im not part of the solution. One level of this perpetual roller-coaster is that Christians have not only fallen into this but led the way in many instances...

                              
 - Robie Seay, Advent Conspiracy

CONCLUSION: I was happy to read as I was a little homesick and randomly reading my Churches website that they were now advocating the "Advent Conspiracy." 







... like a breath of fresh air... I am now just trying to sit back and really "take in" this Christmas a deeper understanding of Jesus, and the how and the why behind his coming. Dont get me wrong, trust in the faith of it all in 'face value' is nice but Im not a robot either. "God I have some questions for you"... is where Im starting.. I want to know you on a deeper level this coming year, and I want to start with 'this'.

"The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.  

What if Christmas became a more than just a 'holiday'?" 

Resources you may like for more info:
The Advent Conspiracy ~ Official Website

"Why we wait" Article written by Rob Bell ~ Nov/Dec Issue of Relevant pg76.

Reason for the Season: New life - Quick Post

"This is sweet Abigail. She was born last week in the ANC ward. She had a strong heartbeat but wasn't responding at birth so we rushed her to the Labor ward to do infant resuscitation. She started crying after about 15 minutes. Praise God!" -Lindsay


 Lindsay, the Birth Attendant (midwife) beside her, has been a part of teams serving in villages and understaffed hospitals in India and  Tanzania, Africa. While I was in Mexico she, and another work duty student, were carrying my position in Media, with the Chapter. 

• Work Duties: They give 2 hours a day voluntarily, and selflessly serving the specified ministries with their talents to keep us running and give us new vision. They do this on top of the 4-6 hours of lecture time they have a day. Matt and I did it when we were in training. I served in Hospitality making birthday ckes for the constant birthdays we have here, and he served in the Kitchen doing dishes of the massive amount of people that come rocking through our Cafeteria. 

I now have the privilege of working on her Chapter. Capturing the heart of what she does on a daily bases. I love my job! I get to hear stories like this and get to be inspired and Publish it all for the world to see. ('The Chapter' is a magazine and a wonderful resource for staff and students to see all the stories of what has happened during their time here in YWAM Perth and in the Nations!-- I have the privilege of putting together)


Life.
Life.
Life!


New Life!!!


Wonderful.


-- Just a quick update this time.. Next time-- more photos of the Christmas season here, and Matt and I. Thanks for tuning in to read our heart.


Thank you all again for all of your support and prayers this Holiday season. Loving and MISSING so many of you... 

Full Circle: Missions, Weddings, Friends.

ELISAMA: our dearest friend and Mexican Translator.

January will be joining YWAM Perth, to do a Discipleship Training School. Some of the first teams of 2010 met him, and 3 teams, lots of work, and 7 or so months later we (our team) had the privilege of working with him, his brothers, and local friends. (top right photo)

You never realize what kind of impact you make in the nations until someone you are working to serve says I want to be apart of this. Granted.. we have seen this happen many times before, from outreaches, but its humbling and encouraging that what we are doing is planting a seed in such a way that we have the privilege of seeing fruit right-up in our faces.

MORE "FULL CIRCLE" moments - right before our eyes

You may not be interested-- but just to prove our lives are semi-normal at best 

: ) (below)

Acksios (S.Korean) and Elli (German) : ENGAGED

Both are in the Media ministry with me .... so I said : "Finally!!" YAY!

He is quirky, fun, and an talented Videographer/ Photographer; she is my partner in crime with the 'Chapter' and  master of other major design/print projects that require a servant heart and sweet skills.

Rachel (American) and Menno (Dutch): MARRIED

Menno is in the Media ministry with me as a skilled Photographer, Web designer, 
and persevering computer fix-it guy lately, she is a long-term "Birth Attendant" trainer
 for lovely midwives that go into 3rd world country situations.and it has been a joy to see these love-birds together.

Mike and Jeanie: MARRIED Moving to Canada. We love these two. We met them, and they met each other during our DTS training last year (April 2009). She an awesome hearted South African artist with the sweetest most beautiful accent on the globe and he a loyal and trustworthy small-town Canadian make a rather radically fun couple. 

Photography from: "We Love Pictures" 

 Friend them on Facebook and Be inspired: http://www.facebook.com/pages/welovepictures

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Featured Christian Artist: Jeanie Holmund (DeBeer) From designing her own Wedding Invites inspired by her new look of her stationary design endeavors, to the numerous commissioned pieces I have had the privilege of witnessing her make.

Her invitations:

Flyer2010, and a novel cover 2009:

       :

In the spirit of keeping this post short cause the last one was kinda sucked in the 'short' category...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 ALL YOU AMERICANS and AMERICA Loving People!!!!!!

(have fun with 'black Friday' too!)

The Struggle.

Im not one to plaster my heart across pages on the internet for the whole free world to see but.. this time I will make an exception. 

Top: Grass that grows on every street corner in Perth.
Graffiti in the NorthBridge district of Perth.

Maybe to expand my foundations through vulnerability in bluntness, maybe strengthen my frame through exposure of my weaknesses. I dunno.


Straight to the point.


Last Thursday,.. I was finishing up some minor chores- started gazing off in thought... and what felt like hours later.. I found myself waking up on the floor, staring towards the ceiling, with a half a dozen blurry faces staring back at me as they came into focus. Quite creepy considering I didn't have the slightest idea how I got there. 


I blacked-out, passed-out, or fainted. Whatever you prefer to call it. I prefer to call it 'fainting' cause it sounds more dramatic and implies that I fell down (to me) which was fitting for the way that I felt at the time.


What on earth makes a person faint? I asked the doctor almost 30 hours later having slept in an freakishly coma-like state until then. I only say 'doctor' because it was under strict recommendation from the nurses that work here in YWAM Perth that I go to one. A day later my face was still pale, my tongue white, and my whole being just feeling like the walking dead from lack of energy. The Doctor checked my heart-rate, vitals, and whatnot but with a sad puppy dog face shrugged his shoulders and he said "At this point I cant see anything wrong with you." At first I didn't believe him because it could have meant he just made a quick buck on a young-naive-tired-looking foreigner, but I gave him benefit-of-the-doubt enough to say "Don't worry, I know your just doing your job. Thanks." 

"weight of the world"- to feel or be responsible
for a burden of great great magnitude or weight.
Matt and I during our walk.

Two days later I was still in bed. Still unbelievably weak. Still white-as-a-ghost. I said to myself, 'maybe I need to get out, maybe its just fresh air I need at this point.' So Matt -my knight and shining armor- and I took a walk as we normally do on our Sunday 'datenight' er ah - purposeful time together-time. Somewhat encouraging just to be with him outside the base.


In the back of my mind, all I could think about was, how annoyed I was at sleeping all the time, how irritable I was - due to my need of sleep, AND how much stuff I needed to catch up on. A blog-update (previous post) -yep I was determined, budget up-date, you know basic personal responsibilities. Practical regular stuff one cant just sit aside.

Richard and his son Ollie.
Photo Credit: Sidra Zimmerman.

The next day - I went to my 'ministry leader'. --In a paying job he would be called my 'boss', but because I choose to go to him and allow him to speak into my life.. we just call him Richard.  


Anyway, after talking and crying out tears of frustration  for a good chunk of time, he proposed that I do something purposeful for myself. Huh? Because we determined that "all this" MAY be from stress. When he actually said "Steph Im not suggesting, or asking you to do this, I am pretty-much telling you to do this."


I cried because I didn't want to do it. I laughed because at the same time because I knew thats what I needed to do.


To give you some background: When I became a Christian in my late teens it was an uphill battle for me to find the healthy coping skills to fight against my depression. Since -I have been told- Ive grown alot and have a lot to offer someone else carrying the same burden. But one thing that God has been speaking to me over and over lately has been "consistency, and balance, in line with His Character." Although I have been blind to that application being for me and not just the people and stuff around me. Funny huh? Familiar? "Yeah- yeah God I know what your saying....."-- Then off to attempt to apply it without fully swallowing the impact of the personal application of it.

Dual Lesson- This part God told me this morning: This isnt just about me spending enough time 'hanging out with myself'. I struggle with allowing myself to enjoy things because it comes down to me valuing myself. 'Whoah!'-Right? 
ON top of the fact that I have let misconceptions of how I thought missionaries lived cloud the vision I have carried.








Just the 'Major' Lies about missionaries (I have told myself):


1.We suffer for our call, and that is a part of our call.
- this means that if we enjoy ourselves there must be an equal and opposite action or consequence on the radar. Carrying false guilt and even shame that isnt mine to carry
Example: Beautiful day with my husband followed sunset swimming in the ocean = Holding the hand of a pregnant homeless person that burdens your heart so much you cry yourself to sleep.
I claim it now this is NOT the kind of balance in my call that God has planned for me. If I have a good day - so be it. If I have a hard day - so be it. I dont have to "suffer" in order to live... 

Jhn 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

2. We are to have a perfect understanding of your faith and plan of the next 10-20 years of our lives. 
-this means that when writing family, friends, and people who have their lives pretty planned out, so should we... yes to carry the burden of that is pretty hard considering we dont know how long this season of our lives will be. Also we must know how to carry every responsibly of our 'job', because if we believe that God has all the answers and we have access to him we must know how to live, act, and react at all times.
ALL THE ANSWERS:
I have stumbled over my knowledge, been prideful in my heart, fallen like the first bike ride without training wheels because of my stupidity. Ive been the last to acknowledge I was wrong, first to stand up to fight, quick to get angry, slow to shut-up. BUT Thats ok. I know (now) that I am doing the best I can and I will never be perfect. Apologies can be accepted, bruises healed, and tender-heartedness brought back. I am ALLOWED to make mistakes, miss the mark completely, and forget whose team I'm on despite good intentions. As long as -at the end of the day.. Im bringing it back to the Cross and staying in check with those Im accountable. I need to give myself (and Matt ) room to grow.

1Ti 4:12

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

3. Ministry is sacrificial. If you are not sacrificing something you are sinning.
- this means 'If I am expected to walk a mile/km, I will walk at least two more', and if I do not I will feel false shame and guilt that I will have to make up for it tomorrow.
Example: I wont just get my project done but I will get it done 'in faith' earlier than expected, and better than expected. Or I will not just work an extra hour during my scheduled time.BUT more than necessary 
Nope thats not my God.

1Sa 15:22

But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice. . ."

2Jo 1:6

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. (this includes for YOURSELF)

The burden is still bearing, but the weight is being lifted. 




THANK YOU for your Friendship, Leadership, and Partnership. through your encouragement and prayers. 

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Featured Christian Artist: 
 Musician that has really spoken to my heart in this time John Mark McMillan

Together back in Perth.

I am cruising away in Media, and Matt is the man in the Mission Builders and life is flying by at an alarming rate. I can not believe that the weekend has begun again already! I still am in the midst of finishing the ArtReach Slideshow by the way. Sorry for the delay,  its been quite the character builder trying to get the program to work correctly. Thou- shoat not delete without Thine permission.

PHOTOS ABOVE. Off times, prayer times, date days, and various friends we work with from all around the world. Oh! And did you catch Matts new glasses. Answer to prayer in Mexico- So Cheap and just what he has needed for years!

MEDIA:
As soon as I got off the plane, separate flight pattern than Matt, I was on to lead the work on the Chapter. (below)

Above: Front covers of several Chapters. Below: Several "spreads". Gooooo InDesign!

We have the privilege in Media of capturing the heart of each team and 'school' (group of people trained for lecture phase before they are split into teams for outreach).The Chapter is a magazine inspired yearbook that encompasses everything from the day to day life happenings, personal revelations, inside jokes, and multitudes of miracles are all a part of each 'Quarter'. There are 4 Quarters in a year. Every three months we start one and every three months we finish one .. but the overlap is about 3 months too if that makes sence? Either way--  So yes. I am constantly working on it.

Above: Little acts of compassion... The Compassion Discipleship Training School

MISSION BUILDERS:

Offices and Classrooms... just the basics eh? Pictures taken in a 'work in progress' building. Chipping away at the old tile on the floor. Prepping the warehouse to be turned into the new training facilities and offices. It doesn't look glamorous cause day to day tasks just not glamorous -- but Matt is whole hearted about it as I hear often from him leaders.

ALSO on the happenings our personal radar:

MATT:  Monday through Friday he does enough work hammering away and fixing things around the base enough to cover the time and labor of a full-time job.. but he, being the valiant man that he is also volunteers weekly at a local program called Midnight Basketball. Every Saturday night for the next 8  weeks (3 are left) he is a coach to about 7-9 teens that have had troubled backrounds or homelife situations.

Its a great program that keeps kids off the street that would otherwise get into trouble at that time of the week.














STEPH:
Last weekend: I was asked (as a voluntary gesture) to be the photographer for an Engagement party thrown for Fiona and Eric who are leaders in there own wright here at the base.
It was a good experience once I got into it.

Oh and did I mention I'm part of the Christmas decorating committee? Yes I volunteered for it. Its actually therapeutic for me to serve others in a practical artistic way. How oddly selfish of me considering I have not the fondest memories of Christmas past, but am hoping to put a stake in the ground for the sake of the deeper reasons Matt and I obviously celebrate.

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Featured Christian Artist:
If you hadn't guessed it... I am inspired. My fantastic friend South African friend Jeanie and our radical friend Mike have gotten married and have been photographed by these amazingly talented and fun friends of theirs.
This is "We love Pictures" photographers -of CapeTown, South Africa(!!) Travis and Maike.