Maz in Melbs

A ton has happened since I came to Australia.
Since it's been hard to sit down and think through each event, here is a glimpse of what has been
 going on:

CONNEXIONS
A conference where a ton of uni students involved in Student Life (Cru) come together and worship, pray for their campus, listen to a speaker, go to training and cast vision of future ministry.

Connexions Conference

Students at Connexions worshiping 

Reflecting on God's Word

Campus Time 

Campus Time: Casting Vision

Maz (me) and Kaz-matazz (my housemate) + some of the funnest students! 

I was welcomed by the sweetest aussies who voiced that they had been praying for me and were glad that I made it to Connexions :D

ROUGH DAY
I had a bad day.
Just bad PT (public transport) experiences of being stuffed in a train, I mean sardine style super smashed together. Then problems with setting up a phone account and taking the wrong tram late at night which led to missing a key church event called Newcomers Night that I was looking forward to. It was just real messy and it made me miss my fam and friends even more...

REDECORATED
My room has been redecorated, photos to come within the week for sure!
It's a big deal because I feel much more like I'm living here long term and not for a short period of time.

CAMPUS
Went on campus started going to Bible Studies and Prayer and such. It's been great to get to know the students on each campus. Going to Connexions was the most efficient way I could have met students; I was able to meet a ton of students from various campus' in a short period of time and have a blast while doing so.
I'm really psyched to see what God does as the year progresses. Each campus is beautiful and the students are so great to be around!

SICK
I got sick with some kinda flu and it broke me down. I just felt HoRrid and it hit me at its worse when it was Team Day and we had everything at my house so it was a huge bummer not only to have to miss but to have to lay still in my room as I could hear everyone in the other room. Big time boooo to that! It made me feel discouraged and disconnected.



MOMENTS

- I have had several moments where I swear I'm speaking another language because there is a serious disconnect haha!!
 ~There was a moment when I asked for a pitcher of juice at Connexions but after motioning and a long round about conversation, I was informed that it was called a jug of cordial. It was pretty outrageous.
 ~I asked for Lemonade but idk according to the cashier Lemonade includes; Fanta, Coke, Sprite, and Lift. But according to other aussies lemonade is just Sprite. Either way I ended up with no lemonade. ;P
 ~Sometimes I catch myself saying words that have completely different connotations then what they do in America.

PHOTOS

My Housemate Kaz

Top right is a Soy Dandelion :) 

Drinking a soy dandelion...it's an acquired taste ;/

"Share a Coke with your Mate"

Yarra River

Bringing color to the city of Melbs

Flinders Street Station

Pizza with a boundary of meat and veggies! haha

Vietnamese Spring Rolls 

The Plantation (my new home)

Vegan Banana Bread with a boundary line >__<

All of Melb Central (mall and train station) is built around this tower 

A bit of home :D

Thanks for the Prayers! 

AUSTRALIA AT LAST!

I've made it to Australia!!! It was a long flight but I had three seats to myself and it was Qantas which is always amazing! I had this delish dessert that was somehow dairy free but had whip cream which I haven't eaten in ages so I ate two and licked the spoon clean.  haha!

I met a girl who is a vegan when I was in line for customs, it was pretty hilarious because a couple sentences in I realized she was hardcore vegan and then probably 15 minutes later I realized I was wearing my UGGs ( not the ugly staple ones but some super chic unique ones) and I thought " I have no idea what their policies are or how animal loving they could be...oopps" So I was kinda hiding my shoes while she was talking, praying that she didn't look at my feet! ;p
After customs I looked for my housemate and realized we didn't really say a meet up point and I ended up circling the area twice before I used the vegan girls phone.
It was a long time before I got back to the house, we took PT (public transportation) and it was fun! I loved it, but had a bit of trouble lugging around my one suitcase that I jam packed with space bags and what not (meaning it became very heavy).

Once at home I unpacked everything took a shower and we went to get some groceries. I got some tofu and snacks knowing that in two days I'd be off to a conference.

Easter was AMAZING! Probably my favorite of all Easters I've experienced because in short, I got to Skype with my whole fam in a three way chat and also I felt excited to celebrate Christ's resurrection, His victory, in the country God called me to be a missionary in. It was empowering and I like my new church. :D

Monday me and Katherine (my housemate) left to Connexions Conference with Sarah! (Love her!) It was raining out and I felt the peace of God comforting me in the emotional trauma of transition. We stopped to get coffee and I realized I LOVE AUSTRALIA! ahaha I just love how many cafes are around, it's absolutely brilliant! I couldn't decide which one to go to, so I walked in the closest one. Since I was first introduced to cappuccinos in Oz I ordered one and immediately the staff turned to me and started chatting with me about America and me being the attention lover I am, ate up every moment. ;)

At Connexions I experienced a sweet sweet welcoming from a ton of aussie students who said they have been praying for me and were excited to finally meet me! It made me feel so blessed to be there, I also had some of the best camp food ever imagined! I was thoroughly impressed that the cook not only made me vegan meals but made some of the most delicious vegan meals I've ever had. I'm pretty sure every meal I thanked the cook at least 3 times for making such good food.
The worship at Connexions was good, I was grateful that almost all the songs were familiar to me. I met my team mates and am looking forward to getting to know them. We had a prayer night where we prayed for other countries and for the local campus'.
That night there was a passage read from a book Bill Bright (the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ) wrote and it said that God gave him a vision; a divine glimpse of a wave coming out of Australia.
What's crazy is that I kept hearing about this vision of a spiritual movement rising out of Australia, from other people and I googled it and couldn't figure out what they were talking about. When Jane read this excerpt I got chills and thought maybe I'll be apart of this wave as I get involved in ministry down under! It was incredible to hear the Lord working and casting vision from the staff and then to hear the prayers of aussie students desiring the Lord to work on campus!All in all I had a blast getting to know the students, leading a discussion group and resting when I needed to.

Now I'm back home and I'm still dealing with jet lag but I'm thrilled to be able to finally be in the country! Please pray for me, since I am the only STINTer I  feel clueless one hundred percent of the time and I don't want to end up feeling as though I have to prove myself. I know who I am in Christ and that I've been called to be here, so pray that I would be operating in the Holy Spirit each day with this truth at the core.

Quick Little Update

Hello!

I'm just going to be short and to the point.
My Background check has been cleared!!! I was ecstatic when the man on the phone stated that it would be sent to D.C. friday!  (that was this past friday)
I didn't send out an email in hopes that my visa would be approved soon, I have plane tickets on hold for this friday but I really don't want to be too excited just yet.  The last time I thought everything was going to be approved and done it all kinda backfired and I was pretty disappointed.
I emailed the man working on my visa case and communicated the progress. Right after however, I received an automatic email saying that he wouldn't be in the office till April 3rd. Which is today.
I'm praying that I hear back from him today with some kind of communication as to where I'm at.

I've been praying daily that God would be glorified in the waiting, in His timing.  I trust the Lord's sovereignty as I said in my last email/ post.
There's a conference starting April 9th and the Australian staff has emailed me that they are praying I make it to Australia in time to attend. Of course, I've been hoping to get there asap from the get-go! Haha.
Honestly, I know there are things God has revealed to me about myself and my heart that needed to change before leaving. I know that there is a lot of unseen transformation as I wait and let Him strip all my natural securities away, and in that I feel affirmed that this waiting is not with out purpose.

Continue to pray for me,  that God would be glorified in the small day to day things. That the Lord's will would be done, and that my will would follow His.  Also please pray for my sanity,  in the midst of the spiritual I'm exhausted physically. I'm sick as I type this up actually, I've come down with some kinda flu. Then there's the emotional exhaustion of a slow transition out.

Romans 10:14-15