BACK IN ACTION

One of the most exciting days for the staff at Torchbearers Australia is the day the students arrive. For some of them it is returning home, (after already completing one semester with us), and for others it is a whole new adventure about to begin.

During any break we have the time to relax and refresh and in a way, that only makes us more excited to greet our new family and start our journey of doing life together in this beautiful place that God has blessed us with.

So, they're here!! They all arrived safe and sound and have come from all over the globe; America, Canada, (of course), England, Germany and many different parts of Australia. And for the first time in over eight years we have more guys than girls!! What amazing times are in store for all of us as we learn to enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ!

Already the students have been given lectures by our Principal, the Rev. Neil Bernard, on Christ in Hebrews, as well as having been given a great grounding in the ways we operate here. To break this up a bit we all went out as a family on Wednesday night to HANG DOG which is an indoor rock climbing centre in Woolongong. We all loved it; some preferred to traverse, belay, or talk but most loved the climbing itself, whether it was straight up or going round various ledges or just 'hanging out' in the bat cave, (excuse the pun!!). And let's not forget the great conversations that were going on in the bus - even though we were a little tired going there we were certainly fired up on the way back!

Last night we split the guys and the girls to have our regular Thursday night prayer groups. Here we bond with our own gender, have a focus and then pray and the guys then split into prayer triplets. It was a great time to get to know each other better AND pray together and for each other. For the staff this is a way of life but for our students this is the start of establishing healthy spiritual habits that may last a lifetime.

So today, Friday we finish the first week with the guys going camping and the girls have a 'fun night in' doing whatever it is that girls do!! The guys will be sitting around a great fire, eating some terrific food - one of the Aussie students is half Greek so we'll be eating Greek food par excellence - and looking at the stars as we share stories and just enjoy the GREAT Aussie outback.

So we are back in action and God is very much working in our lives already. Our first SN@C is on Sunday and already our first team is roaring to go with a programme that will get us getting to know each other with lots of fun and hearing a GREAT message on grace.

How good is that for a first week at Torchbearers Australia! Wish you were here? Just get in touch and join us for what will undoubtedly be another GREAT semester!
Good bless,
STEVE, aka Woodsey