Hello from Coolum!

I am loving being here in beautiful Queensland! The weather has been great these past few days, not at all too hot or humid (which is apparently unusual for the time of year), with the weather being similar to Auckland's (it's been raining on and off as well). 
 
Summer Beach Project (SBP) officially started on Friday the 21st after being postponed for a few days because of the severe flooding in QLD. I think we are all very thankful to God to have arrived safely at SBP and that we still have SBP this year! The 10 kiwi students that have been here at the Villa Coolum since last saturday were able to spend time seeing some of QLD, like visiting Noosa (which is an awesome place!), as well as getting a head start on reading the books for SBP (Filling up the Afflictions of Christ, In Our Joy - John Piper).
 
What I have found most valuable so far is learning the importance of spending quiet personal time in God's word and really studying His word, instead of simply reading it through without looking deeper at what God is saying! 
 
The theme for this year's SBP is 'Consumed'. My hope and prayer is that we would all be consumed with a desire to know Christ more, to love Him above everything else and to live for God! Please continue to pray for us here that we would continue to grow in Christ. 
'Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!' Romans 11:33
 
Thank you again for your support! 
Hannah

Here are some photos!

-Coolum Beach

 -The main beach at Noosa

 -Another beach at Noosa National Park

 -The SBP banner made by the kiwi girls!

 -The pool at the Villa Coolum

 -The boardwalk that looks over Coolum Beach - on the way towards the Villa Coolum

Project underway

Day 8 for all the kiwis here in column and day 3 of the Sbp project. The Aussie way of life is still seeming a bit foreign to most of us kiwis especially the overpriced Aussie dollar that has most of us facing near a blown budget after purchasing a packet of noodles. Curries seem to be the favoured dish by most of the aussies and this is coming with severe warnings by chris especially that thats only gonna cause more harm than good. Also in terms of snakes or death by animals wev had a few close encounters  with balls going into long grass but wer yet to have a fatality. The language barrier between the aussies and ourselves that at first resembled a human communicating with a dog is being resolved with translation. From a more serious perspective the project has started very well with good fellowship. Please pray for us as we aim to be consumed by christs love and the joy that comes with drawing near and worshiping his goodness and glory. Psalm 30 says YOu have removed my sackcloth and clothed me in joy and this is what we are seeking to be consumed by with regard to counting sacrifices of the flesh as gain if they bring us closer to knowing and savouring christ.

Gary

Across the ditch...

The team embarked in high spirits, although tired, to Aussie to begin their mission.

On arrival, heat was duly expected but none would have assumed the incredible price of a simple meal in australia. As Gary says: "get a mortgage to buy some chips!".

We have enjoyed free time with the projects delay and have been reading much. Had a great time of praise to our heavenly dad, and we hope to have many more. We are blessed to have a pool to cool down after well, after anything! We are reding together through book 5 of John Pipers "the swans are not silent". It is a great challenge to our hearts and our minds to see brother and sisters have gone before us in boldness and ready to join the martyrs for Jesus.

Australians are starting to arrive and the project shall start tomorrow afternoon which we look forward to. Please pray for us that we can kick off the project in fellowship and unity with our brothers and sisters on project, that we will put our knowledge of God's ways to great use on this trip!

Chris