You might be snuggled warm in your beds, with feet donned with socks and your flannel Christmas pajamas on.....but not here!  It's the end of December and we're brining in the New Year with 100 degree weather (39 C).  Break out your swimmers and sunscreen...we're going to the beach!!!

Unfortunately, I misplaced my camera for a few weeks, so I wasn't able to get many pictures for this post.  I had to borrow from others.  

It's 03 January.  The end of one season and the beginning of another.  As many of you know, I have been training new missionaries since October through one of our entry level programs called the Discipleship Training School (DTS).  I led the 5 girl students as well as train and lead the other girl staff.  

2 weeks ago, they all left for the field assignment part of their school as I stayed behind.  I didn't go with them because of the other school that I lead: the School of Frontier Missions (SOFM).  The SOFM is a second level school that trains church planting missionaries.  So, for the last 2 weeks, I have been a busy bee getting ready for my 3 students to fly in.  

I AM EXCITED!  I have found that I love training missionaries. This way, I get to effect many places in the world instead of just one area.  I especially love training through the SOFM since these students are going to the hard unreached peoples of the world.  

The SOFM that I will be leading starts next Sunday (08 Jan).  My students begin to fly in Friday morning.  I have a girl from America, a guy from Australia, and a guy from Finland.  I'm thankful for a small school since we may be doing class in my house.  Since November, my whole base (all of 300 of us) had to move out of our old building while our new building isn't completed.  So, everyone is in limbo right now and keeping in line with what missionaries have to be.........flexible.  

So, please pray for me as I lead the students and pray for the students because they have me as their leader :) 

The boys from the DTS like to challenge each other.....so here, they're seeing who can do the most push-ups

For every quarter of schools, YWAM Perth has a commissioning night for them at the end of the quarter.  It's an event we all dressed up for.  This picture is of my girl staff, my girls, and me.

My whole DTS school.....I'm gonna miss them

 

Last year for Christmas, I got to experience this

This year for Christmas, I got to experience this.  Quite the change, hey?

Boxing Day is the day after Christmas and it is celebrated just as much as Christmas Day in Australia

On Christmas, we as a base try to do things together because one of our strongest value here is family.  So, we eat a massive meal together. This picture was from 2 years ago when we ate in our old building.  This year, I didn't have my camera but it was similar except we all ate at a park on the river

My school at King's Park....the largest city park in the world

This is called "Jacob's ladder".  for a "fun" workout, my DTS class would run up and down the 250 stairs 8 times

All of that exercise prepared us for our long hikes

My school doing a hike-a-thon as a way to raise money for their field assignment in London and Nepal

our campsite

As the heat comes out in Australia, so do the flies.  While hiking, we were covered in them....at least 70 per person.  They love the eyes, nose, and mouth (this is why Aussies speak with their mouths closed :). Soooo.......one of our students got creative and used this plant

we would wave this in front of our face to keep flies out of our nose and mouth