my school

Week 6 - 10

Topics of the SOFM

Church Planting

Worldview

Story Telling

Apostolic Anointing

Mixed topics: Relationships, Justice, Communication

Since I have been slack in updating my site here, there is a lot to cover.  So, let's get started :)

First, as I have listed above, the School I lead is still going strong.  We're covering all kinds of topics!  The story telling week isn't how to tell bed-time stories to our kids :)  No!  it's how to give the Bible to a people group who doesn't read.  Many of them tell stories.  Therefore, we learn how to tell the Bible in story form so they can understand and remember it.  

Another fun week was our mixed topics week.  I had 3 different teachers come in.  First!  we got to learn about relationships!  As much as people wanted to hear about how to do romantic relationship, Jen (the teacher) taught on how we relate to each other in a Godly manner.  For example, how do you deal when someone offends you?  Many of us hold onto unforgiveness and blame others. However, when we're standing before God, He won't want to hear how others offended us.  He will be interested in OUR actions to that offence.  Boy!  was it a challenging topic!  

We then had a day going over God's heart for justice and how we can stand for those who are shown injustice (for example, human trafficking).  Finally, we ended the week with how to communicate with integrity (cross-culturally).  

During all of this busyness, I had a birthday.  YES!  I'm officially (as one of my wonderful housemates pointed out) half way to 70.  Thanks housemate!  I still had a great time!  I received THREE packages from some really great people.  

some lovely graffiti my sister put in package......I am still finding them in my house.  

some friends who joined me for my birthday:
Matt (left), Me, Phil (he staffed MY sofm), and Cliff (my leader)

Jenn (my closest Aussi friend), me, Ash (above me), Melinda (my old housemate) and Polly (we took SOFM together)

Also during these last few weeks, I graduated from my certificate course.  This was a 2-year course that allows me to be in Australia on a student visa.  Because my visa expired, I am now on another kind of student visa.  Did you know it costs $2000 just to get a 2-year visa?  Yeah! I know!  Crazy.  

My certificate from my mission's course I've completed

Anyway!  some more news.  

In case you forgot or just didn't know, back in October, November, and December, I helped with our entry-level training school called DTS (Discipleship Training School).  As part of that course, they went on a 3-month mission trip to London and Nepal (January to March).  Last week, they all came back and I got to see them all again.  What fun!  How much I've missed them!  God did some amazing changes in their lives while gone.  It's amazing what God will do when you let him under pressure.  

My school is almost over.  I can't believe there is only 2 more weeks of lecture.  Then, they're off to Asia as long-term church planters and I remain here to prepare to lead another SOFM in July.  Thanks for enduring this massive long update.  Feel free to email me any questions, encouragements, or just notes at kj_kel@yahoo.com

after 25 years of being in Perth, YWAM Perth finally has their own building

3 weeks ago, we dedicated the building.    Here, the Aboriginal Elder is blessing our leader.  His tribe was the original occupants of this land (the land our building is on).  He welcomed us and blessed us.  I didn't get a picture of it, but after he blessed us as a base, Pete (the white guy in this picture) asked a representative from each country to come up and receive that blessing on behalf of their country.  Guess who got to represent the States?  Oh yeah!  I got to have that immense blessing.  It all happened ON my birthday........what an amazing gift!