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The Christmas Story

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Waiting for the show to start, my Dad and I were a little nervous. Everything seemed to be working, but we felt like just about anything could go wrong. Dad and I had teamed up to provide the audio coverage of The Christmas story at the Hive in Erina Fair – our local shopping centre. Local churches Erina Baptist and Green Point Baptist came together to perform the Christmas story with Mary and Joseph riding in on a donkey, shepherds with sheep and wise men riding on camels through the shops! Passing shoppers stopped to watch the kids pre-show and listen to the carols and commented that they loved the singing.

After the show, we could take a deep breath and thank God that the show went well. I also though to myself that I am really lucky to live in a country where we are allowed to put on a Christmas play about Jesus and nobody tries to stop us. I am also really thankful that churches and individuals have stuck their hand up and said ‘We want to do this’. Without them, this message would be completely absent from my favourite shopping centre and public meeting place.

As Christmas approaches rapidly I am helping with these shows – two more will happen on Thursday and Friday night at the Hive at 6pm – and I’m busy preparing Grace Wamberal’s Audio/Visual gear for the possibility of Christmas Eve inside if it rains. And as the day draws nearer and everyone around is making last minute preparations for Christmas, I too start to feel the stress. Isn’t it nice though, to go to Christian run carols events, or to events like ‘Road to Bethlehem’, to watch movies like ‘The Nativity Story’ or simply to read through Luke 1 & 2 and marvel at the miracle that happened on that first Christmas. God became man, dwelt among us – and he came to restore us to right relationship with himself. It all causes me to think – how is my relationship with Jesus right now?

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God’s strength in me

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“Thank you for sharing with us today, I really enjoyed listening – you spoke so well” – It’s great to receive compliments like this, but even better still it’s great to see the ways in which God has helped me to grow over the last two years – and one of those is public speaking. When I left home two years ago standing on stage was a painful experience – I would break out in a sweat and stammer over my words, looking at my notes for some sort of help. During my time on board I found myself many times being asked to stand on a stage in a church and tell people about the ship or tell them about what God has done in my life. I won’t lie, this terrified me! But I soon realised that His strength is perfect when my strength is gone, so I said to God that I would do my best but He would have to get me through it, and I managed. Now after so many experiences like this, it has become much easier to trust Him. Last night I was speaking at Erina Community Baptist Church and as it was coming time for me to speak, I felt God challenge me to not just tell people what *I* had done, but to tell them what He    had done through me. So my notes weren’t as helpful and it didn’t sound very practiced, but in the end God gave me the right words to encourage people that God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called – and also that He will reveal to us the next step at the right time, not sooner.

So after speaking at Erina and also at Green Point Christian College last Wednesday and at Grace Community Church two weeks ago, this completes my thanksgiving speaking tour. Early next year I will be visiting Churches to tell people what God has in store for me next at OMNIvision. I look forward to that.

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grace community, websites

Back to work

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Well, my holidays are over now and it’s time to get stuck into some work. This week I’ve been working on a number of projects side by side. There’s our church website www.gracecbc.com where you can find the upocoming events, duty roster and latest sermons – I’ve been fixing little problems with the site and adding some new features. For example, you can now comment on an event or a testimony if you are logged into facebook, and you can share it on your wall too! If you want to listen to Grace Wamberal sunday messages on your iphone then you can just hit the itunes button and the podcast will be added to itunes automatically! I’ve also been editing and uploading the messages myself to take a load off other people in the office. I’m in the process of re-designing the whole site so that it is future-ready and fun to visit, even from your mobile. Aside from that website I’ve been in the office fixing printers and hard drives installing software for people.

It sure has been fun working in the Central Coast Outreach Services office in Bateau Bay, seeing the great work that they do helping those who are down and out. John and Barbara are good company. It helps me to stay accountable to people if I’m working in an office, rather than working at home where I could just slack off. I haven’t been able to work full days at the moment though, because my wrist is still giving me trouble. I developed ‘intersection syndrome’ on the ship – it is similar to RSI – so I can’t use the computer for too long at a time while it is heaing, which is really a pain, because computers are what I do! I see that God is teaching me to be patient and not to try to fill my days with good works, rather to come to Him to learn.

As I plan to go to England next year and keep building the kingdom with the skills He has given me, I want to keep serving God here on the central coast. I will spend the most time with my home church, Grace Wamberal, but I’m looking to help out other local churches as well. I will visit Erina Baptist soon to do some simple Audio/Visual housekeeping, and I have some projects with OM in Melbourne. To do all this full time I rely on people to continue to support me financially, and for new people to partner with me in this work. My needs are very few at the moment since I stay with my parents – fuel, mobile phone, physio and the occasional meal out – but I will need more when I go to England. If you feel God leading you to partner with me, please do talk to me and I can share more.

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A week in London

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Following a month in Carlisle in the north of England volunteering with OMNIvision, this week I was able to relax and spend some time with my girlfriend Ruth in London. I also had the chance to catch up with four other friends from the UK and one from Norway at a Chinese restaurant in London. Sitting at a table with a lot of friends from the ship brought back good memories of all the times we spent together and the friendships that we forged.
I am looking forward to coming home on November and catching up with everyone.

Audio Visual

On the road

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This week I had the chance to help with lighting and song words with a big event in Manchester. The event was the Northern Women’s Convention and it had around a thousand delegates. We were to provide the lighting, the cameras and the song words while another company did the sound. OmniVision has a big bus that has been converted with lots of television equipment inside. We took this bus down to Manchester and set it up outside the hall. I have set up similar equipment in my time on the ship so I was able to jump right in and set up all the lighting equipment on the set up day. This took a lot of the pressure off the person in charge of set-up. We worked until late in the night finishing everything off. I also helped set up some TVs on the stage so the worship team could read the lyrics.
The event went for the whole day on Saturday. My job was to choose appropriate background video loops to put behind the song words and to put up slides. Someone else did the actual song words. I was really happy to be a part of the programme and to see what they do in the bus. During one of the breaks I was allowed to have a play with one of the cameras so the video director could see if I was any good. I think I did OK at it. Live Audio/Visual has always been a passion of mine, and it was a huge blessing first to be able to be a part of AV on the ship for two years, and before that in church for a long time and now to experience it on a larger scale here in England. I would really like to return here to do this some more.

Audio Visual, Countries, Observations

OmniVision

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“Wait, you seriously like doing this kind of thing – that’s amazing!” This and other statements have been a part of the discussions that I have had lately with people at OmniVision. Situated in the city of Carlisle in far North England, OmniVision makes videos about what God is doing around the world drawing people to himself. Through the videos created here, we are given an insight into ministries that we can be a part of – – by supporting, by praying, by sending, by going. They also do live video coverage (Image Manification – or iMag for short) of big Christian conferences in Europe. This is the most exciting feature for me. I love to be behind the quality technology that helps to bring people into the presence of God – rather than push them away as it sometimes does. I like to see young people giving their lives to Jesus and committing themselves to missions both local and abroad. For that reason I’ve extended my world travelling for just one more month to visit the ministry and to experience a little of what they do. Now it just so happens that I used to be a computer programmer (I write PHP for those interested) and I really enjoyed that job, but didn’t get to do any of that in the ship. When I mentioned that I like to do PHP work and maintenance, more than one person was excited. I’ve already got two small projects that I’m working on to improve existing websites. I really like where I am working and I’ve already learned a whole lot more about my job. Carlisle is also a very nice city – very small but very cool. There is also a very nice place called the Lake District not far to the south which is breathtakingly beautiful. I think I am really going to enjoy the month here.

Personal

A week of ‘lasts’

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The last prayer night, the last work day, the last group outing, the last Sunday service and the last time down the gangway. Yes, it was indeed a week of ‘lasts’ for me and for many of my friends and colleges who were to leave the ship or say goodbye to others leaving on September the 19th. It’s time for many of us to finish our two year commitment and fresh new volunteers to take our place. And with this time comes sadness mixed with excitement – but when I trust in God there is also a peace ‘that surpasses all understanding’.
Last Monday I was able to stand in front of everyone and in five minutes tell what God has done in my life on Logos Hope. In short, he has taken a shy task oriented computer nerd and used him for His glory around the world, learning public speaking, drama, people skills, leadership skills and most importantly love – for ‘If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.’ There were many difficult times for me on board, but I feel that out of them I learned something and grew somehow spiritually. I am very thankful for the experience of visiting many beautiful and broken countries, meeting the real people, helping with their needs, helping others to share the love of Jesus with them, and working with amazing people.
On Sunday night we had something called the ‘last supper’. I have been a part of a very close circle of friends – friends who love each other and support each other, not always getting along perfectly, but always forgiving and coming back together. We ate together and celebrated what was likely the last time that we would all meet together at the one time. It was sad in a way, but it was joyous in the same moment. Some of us will see each other again – I will visit Ruth in England for a week on my way back from Carlisle.

Audio Visual, Drama

The greatest treasure

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God sometimes does special things just to encourage you. this week I was able once more before I leave the ship to participate (doing av for) my favourite school program The Greatest Treasure. The cast was made entirely of people who joined at the same time that I didover two years ago and they put their all into their final performance before they hand over the baton to newer actors. I thoroughly enjoyed to push the buttons that make the sound effects and lighting sequences that make it such a mind blowing experience for the kids.

Countries, Experience Days, Observations, Personal

Malaysia

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Sailing into Penang, Malaysia I though to myself “This will be my last port of call with Logos Hope”. It is a sobering thought. What will I make of this port? Who’s life will I impact? How will I make the days count. Friendships are a priority for me – spending as much quality time with good friends as I can. I have passed on my leadership role to another talented young man named Greg so now I can spend my work time making sure I do the best job possible, and making sure he has everything that he needs to carry on when I am gone. I am excited to meet Chinese, Indian and Malay people in Malaysia and listen to their stories and share mine. I am already enjoying the abundance of cheap Malaysian food. I plan to finish this race well, say goodbye on good terms, enjoy my time and look forward to being home.
This week I was able to visit a Malaysian church that felt just like home – moreso than the Sunday Service on board Logos Hope. Whilst we went there to share about the ship, for me it was a great time of refreshment, rest and good teaching. We were in a big group, and whilst I remained in the main service, Ruth and a number of others taught the different Sunday School classes.
I am excited about the next few weeks in Malaysia finishing my time well. I thank God for an amazing time on board and a bright future.

Experience Days

Open Ship

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Whilst you our I might consider traveling for a short distance to see something exciting – people from Andrha Pradesh in India (and indeed people from other states) travel great distances in the hope of seeing this ship. After browsing our large selection of books, visitors are curious about how we live on board and what is on the other decks of the ship. Whilst we’d love to take people on a tour of our home – the numbers are simply too great, so we created the ‘open ship’ program.
After visiting the book fair, visitors come into one of our big conference rooms where they find many displays of the different aspects of life on the ship. There are stands for European, South-East Asian and Latino culture, Deck and Engine, Cleaning and Catering department stands and things like face-painting and drawing. Best of all in the wide open space visitors have the opportunity to talk with friendly crew members and ask them about their life on board.
My job was to direct people in and out of the conference room and for a while to tell people about the deck and engine work on board. I had many photos taken with adults and children and generally just answered ‘what is your name?’ and ‘what country?’ but I could chat breifly with two people about why I am a volunteer on the ship and they were very thankful for the opportunity.
On a day where the crowds were huge and somewhat overwhelming for us, God gave us the opportunity to connect with a few and to bless the many who come on board through our smiling faces and our willing hearts. I could not have continued to wish people well and to smile if not for God’s help, but he loves the people of India so much that he used me to show it.