Friday 27 May 2011

Sarina - The Beach House... 6th May - 15th May

They really weren't joking when they told us we were lucky enough to be staying in a beach house for 10 days! The house was beautiful! about 20 meters away for the beach and the sunrise every morning was just so indescribable! Waking up was just such a great thing when you go to see an image like that! :-) However being here was when i finally felt cold again, it wasn't a very nice experience! 12 Degrees... i was shivering, had loads of layers on and my sheet wrapped around me and i was still frozen!

Lots of school program games which was fun, I now have so many great ideas for games its so exciting! :-) I went and talked to these two young girls and then they attached themselves to me and followed me around for the rest of the lunch time program.. which was definitely an experience! 
We also - after 2 months of practice - had our one and only Auslife. A program put together by Youth For Christ Australia  where a group of volunteers go into schools and run all day seminars for a whole grade. I was on sound and it was actually lots of fun! Well, there was a stressful bit in the middle when we were running over in time and things had to be cut and things like that so that was a bit messy but all the feedback afterward which was really good! All the kids that were involved loved it - some may have just appreciated a day off the timetable but there was a lot who actually got really involved! :-) It was nice to be on the sideline but such an important role! :-D
We went into one school and did a whole day program with different grades, one with grade 1and 2 and then two others with grade 6 and 7. We decided to talk about bulling and how even the smallest things can upset people, talking about different strengths that we all have and how that benefits everyone that we are different! We had this time of small groups where we were able to just chat about what had been said and really get the thoughts and opinions of the kids which was just great. There was this one boy aaron who started crying because he didn't like public speaking, it was such an awesome moment as i as able to speak confidence into him and really just say that i believed in him! Afterward he came and shook my hand and said thank you. It was just such an awesome experience! :-D

We were privileged enough to be invited to join a mental health choir practice one morning, it was really heartbreaking, when we first walked in, one of the ladies ran up to us introduced herself and immediately said "were not dangerous, we won't hurt you" as soon as she said this it broke my heart and i just wanted to know her past, why she felt like she needed to say this to us when we all knew that they were just the same as us, beautiful creations. After two hours of singing and having such a good time we had to leave but i was such an eye opener to what people in the community are doing for others and how people who wouldn't normally even get looked at are getting an opportunity to shine!
The same day we went to 'cuppa in the park' a gathering once a week for new people in the community to some and get to know the people who had been there forever, make friends and to build relationship with others! It was just so much fun, i got into a really awesome conversation with this one lady and got to find out all about her!

I have been blessed so much by living in Sarina for 10 days, it was sad to leave such a place so open and welcoming! :-D

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