briefing

Hello ministry partners!!

I am writing from Los Angeles, where our three-day briefing has been taking place. I arrived on Tuesday, and I have since had the blessing of getting to know my project teammates and attend seminars. These, coupled with our team meetings, have already been so helpful in preparing us all for the ministry we will be doing down under! God's amazing love has been so present here, and my new summer family is bonding a ton! We get along like we have all been friends for months, though we just met a couple days ago (although a few of my teammates are from Cal Poly and I loved them already).

We have been staying in dorms at a university before we leave, where the meetings have been held. Staff members and Cru leaders have been facilitating the seminars that show Cru's international vision, how we want to love the Lord, how we can love our team, what to expect from changing cultures, and how we are launching a movement overseas.

From talking with teammates who have been on missions to Australia before, the culture there is very apathetic to the gospel because they are usually not raised to even think spiritually. All they know is life in this world, and they sometimes don't even question what happens when we die. It will be difficult to engage in spiritual conversations with Aussies, more than it is to talk with Americans who have grown up in a society that is more aware of Christianity.

Despite the challenges, I feel like the Lord is planning big things for our team, and I just want to be there now! Alas, we have to wait another day before we head to LAX for our direct, 17-hour flight to Melbourne (pronounced MEL-bun by the locals). I am so ready to get out of this heat and layer on some awesome sweaters for the winter weather!

God has been so good, and the more I prepare for this adventure, the more I understand that I am not here by accident. His plan is TOTALLY worth surrendering to.

Next time I update, I will quite likely be in the southern hemisphere!
G'day!!