Sydney

Just a short less specific write-up today asI have come to the end of my time here in Sydney for now and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, mostly spent with a nice family (Hello Alex, Marianne, Joel, Ben, Jack, Ellena) in Hunters Hill and the rest spent at Impact. Had an interesting ride up from Canberra, snapped a bolt out of my frame on my first attempt to leave town, took a good 'short cut' with a bad gravel road, got towed up a hill by a truck and had to walk my gear up another hill in multiple trips(must have been >15%), got driven across 20k of roadworks, stayed with a lovely couple in Nowra and experienced another glimpse and was priveleged to be used by God in hardcore spiritual warfare. Thanks also to the Wollongong Reformed Presbyterian Church for their hospitality, an unusual characteristic these days.

Impact (A Christian Healthcare conference) was the usual inspiration it is to myself and the many others who attended from the states and territories of Australia to New Zealand and even Latvia. We had awesome, supportive and challenging talks from Steve Withington (awesome Kiwi doctor/pastor), Jeremy Beckett (good bloke/doctor) and Mike Raiter (Moore Bible College boss guy/good bloke on Mission in the now, the 3 R's (Re location, Redistribution... temporary blank on the last one)and real poverty amongst other things. As always the last night wen off with a bang with a great time of praising God and having D&Ms (deep and meaningful conversations) all round. It was also great just to see the great work other people are doing, its really encouraging.

Now to bag Sydney....your public transport is way to expensive (the thugs wouldn't even let me get concession with my healthcare card) and your people in the CBD need to calm down and slow down. Life is not always about money. But other than that the vegetation and parks around Sydney are nice though their is a shortage of ovals for sport (you have to see 200 kids playing footy on one oval to really understand this).

Literature taste of the moment:
Friedrich Nietzsche - The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is... that there should be long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.
(Stolen from Steves talk at IMPACT)

Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Proverbs 28:26 - He who trusts in himself is a fool but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe

Proverbs 26:18 - Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who decives his neighbour and says "I was only joking"