10 sleeps to go and I haven’t blogged at length in a while, so I reasoned I should share some of my recent preparations for my trip to Vanuatu…

I’m incredibly happy that pretty much all of the bureaucratic stuff is taken care of. It only took me three times to get my passport!
Here’s hoping they’ll recognise me without my hair…
I’ve only got to buy a few more gifts for our billets (I think most of the team are thinking soccer balls and Australiana stuff) and pack and I’m materially prepped and ready.

Physically, I’ve gotten back into a semblance of my old routine of exercises that hopefully will mean I don’t pass out when we play football for more than twenty minutes. I haven’t yet had the planned intestinal training, haven’t really felt like a kebab =)

Emotionally…well…I’m not really that self-reflective by nature, so I’ll settle for excited yet to a lesser extent petrified.

Financially, all is well. Thanks to God’s amazing provision of more offers for tutoring jobs than I can handle, and His immensely generous people made a fool of my initial worries. So a huge THANKYOU to anyone and everyone who has contributed!!

Having gotten the rest of that stuff out of the way or beyond my control, I now am up to bit that I really enjoy: spiritual prep. By this I mean not only getting my recent sporadic quiet time habits back into shape, but setting aside extra time for prayer and also getting ready for the work we’re actually doing there. As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m in charge of the seminars we’re running for Talua (the Bible College) and helping with the marketplace evangelism. I’m actually quite intimidated by the former, but have begun to piece together outlines for a number of possibilities. We are probably going to have one big seminar with all the students, and two smaller ones that are optional. I’ve put together outlines for a big one on ‘small groups’ and ‘youth ministry,’ and will probably either rewrite my Ignite talks on Hope or Glory for the smaller optionals. Or maybe I’ll go with the idea I’m toying with of training in our methods of 1-1 ministry or alternative teaching methods like using puppets…have to run them past Kathryn.
In fact, if anyone wants to browse the first draft of the small groups’ outline and suggest anything either by email or commenting I’d be very appreciative! (Just remember it is only a first draft that has yet to pass the cultural check to make sure it’s relevant etc. and is based off my own limited experience and some notes I dragged out of my cabinet.)
I’ve also been trawling through some of Mum and Dad’s kids’ material to modify for the marketplace skits or offer to Stezf and Rach who are doing Sunday School and Kindergarten work. Slow work because all the good ones depend on Western analogies or illustrations…

I’ll leave it there I think…I made a point in last Saturday’s Ultimate Ignite about Christian whingers, so I’ve got to watch myself for a little while!

Please keep us in your prayers!