Heaps good, aye.

I have now been in Australia for approximately three and a half weeks. And it has been nothing short of amazing. Living in a hostel with a whole bunch of people who fit into either the “crazy” or “awkward” category makes life pretty interesting. It has been sad to see some really awesome people head off on outreach or on holidays or go home to apply for new visas, but there is a whole new batch coming in for the July quarter. I am quickly learning to accept the constant flow of people moving in and out of Lewis House at any given moment, and I am getting pretty accustomed to the standard meet and greet questions.

But not only am I meeting heaps of awesome people from all around the world, I got to hang out with a GVSU friend last weekend! Ashley just headed home after studying abroad up in the Sunshine Coast for about 5 months, and we happened to both be in the land down under on my twentieth birthday…so of course, we had to celebrate in the one and only Sydney, Australia. It is an amazing city, and it was an amazing birthday weekend with some amazing people. Awesome as. Heaps good. We hung out at the Opera House, Darling Harbour, Botanical Gardens, Manly Beach, Bondi Beach, walked the Harbour Bridge, watched dolphins swim in the ocean, ate the BEST pancakes ever at Pancakes on the Rocks…Feast your eyes on some pics:

And here are some awesome quotes from the one and only Ashley Wilson:

Watching dolphins at Bondi Beach -

“They say that when you see a dolphin, there either is a shark or there isn’t.”

Walking the Sydney Harbour Bridge -

“Someone could punch me in the face right now, and I’d still be smiling.”

Yeah, I missed her.  

Also, I just want to add that YWAM is heaps awesome because you can manage a free place to stay complete with transportation and awesome hospitality and running into people you know on the streets of Sydney that invite you to some random person’s birthday party for free Asian food. Sick as.

On another note, let me update you about my everyday life. I have been working on renovating a house, so I’ve been getting on the tools and getting dirty painting and spackling and caulking and cleaning and stuff. We have also been delivering heaps of phone books as a base fundraiser. I am on the music team for Youth Street, our awesome Saturday youth program, and that has been so much fun! I also have been leading worship at an international church on Sunday mornings. And I am on the roster to do some singing for base worship and Youth Street Live. Yeahhhh, mission building!

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. I am usually always busy. There is always something to do at Lewis House, and there are always heaps of people around. It’s awesome and really fun, but it can also be exhausting. My lifestyle in Lewis House is vastly different than my lifestyle at home – in some ways better and in some ways worse. I am still adjusting and learning and seeking different ways to see God work through me and around me. A lot of people have asked me if mission building at YWAM Newcastle is what I expected. I really tried to come in with no expectations because I had very limited knowledge of what this experience was going to be like, and I am glad that I came in with an open mind. It has helped me to be up for anything and appreciate everyday for what it is – serving Jesus and experiencing Australia! I knew this experience was going to be life changing, and in many ways, it already has been. But I reckon I am going to take a lot from this trip that I didn’t think I would…and some things I hoped to get out of this trip are going to be more of a struggle than I thought.

And even though everyone here wants me to stay and do a DTS, never fear Michiganders and Grand Rapidians and Lakers  and stuff…I am definitely feeling God calling me to finish up my degree at Grand Valley before I depart on any longer term epic adventures. I see a DTS and lots of world travel in my future without a doubt, but I know that God’s not done with me at Grand Valley yet, and I am very excited to see how he is going to use the next 1½  to 2 years that I have left there.   

-(Gamma) Ray

Exodus 4:3 The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.”

http://www.hulu.com/watch/99944/saturday-night-live-snl-digital-short-on-the-ground