Spent the week preparing for Sam's 21st Birthday party at Julie's house. So Thursday I bought a pork shoulder, and when Julie got home we shopped for other stuff in the worst rain in history; flooded lanes, lights out, craziness. Friday, I went in to finish helping Julie re-organize her office, then rubbed down the pork with a dry rub (thanks Paula Deen), and while it marinated in the fridge we went over to Donna's (I knew her in High School) to sit by her fire. Then when we got home and I put the pork in the grill to "get a nice bark" as Mark put it. (Thanks Mark for the instructions and moral support). Then into the oven at 200 F at 11:40 pm, basted at 3:30, 7:30, and 11:30, house smells awesome!
Got up Saturday and made baked beans from scratch, and a BBQ sauce from scratch. The pork continued to cook. Julie cleaned the whole yard and patio by herself! And voila! We had a party.
Saturday, July 16
Julie had a tupperware party, so cleaning, snacks and Tim the Tupperwareman were the adgenda. Once they all left we went and saw HARRY POTTER: THE DEATHLY HALLOWS Part 2. Woot! So excellent!
Sunday, July 17
Set up the room for the Art component of Kids Activity Day at Gymea Baptist. Here are some pics
A VERY long day. Got there at 730 and left at almost 6 pm.
Tuesday, July 19
I was sick today. too many kids, and a sore body with a cold. Sweet Sam came by and got me medicine and I gave him lunch...while I continued to sleep. Crazy cold wind, all night and big rain for around here.
Sunday,July 3 to Friday, July 15
These two weeks were mostly filled with Hope Street-Urban Compassion preparing for the Kids Activity day at Gymea Baptist.
Helen would pick me up at 745 and we would weave thru traffic into Woolloomooloo (Sydney) See map
Woolloomooloo is a dicotomy of rich and poor. Within blocks of each other you have the highest concentration of homeless people in Australia and the most expensive condos. I spent my days there helping Helen with the year end receipts on computer, mail merging and stuffing envelopes. I would also take time to go "down" to the Back Shed Cafe or the Art Space to see who was hanging out and talk to them. Then around 430 I would climb the hills up from Woolloomooloo to Kings Cross Station (quite a steep hill), and catch the train for about an hour back to Gymea (Where Julie lives).
I went in Tuesday July 5, Friday July 8, Wednesday July 13, Thursday July 14 and Friday July 15. I will blog in more detail about that.
Across the street from HopeStreet,
A local guy who feeds the cockatoos each morning
The desk I was at had a very fun and creative owner..
thanks Tim for sharing your space.
Yes, this stared at me as I worked for an urban mission
View walking down from Kings Cross Station
The city
Outside a tenement house
The station
Alley cut thru to the cafe
This square houses the most homeless in Australia,
and if you walk to the end of it you see Finger Bay Warf
where the rich and famous like Russell Crowe live.
....literally blocks from Hope Street.
Government housing
the train track over Woolloomooloo in the city
Tim, Helen and Beth at Hope Street Urban Compassion
Pray for Hope Street Urban Compassion with all the ministries they support. Pray for continued government and Baptist support, for financial and prayer partners and for the staff of Hope Street.
I also had meetings for the Kids Activity Day at Gymea Baptist Church.
While this week passed we also went to visit our Uncle Bruce, my Dads, sisters husband. He is one of our favorites. Sadly however the week prior he suffered a stroke, in his spine! And now he is paralysed from the waist down...odd huh? But Uncle Bruce is a "glass half full" kind of guy, I guess from running the Baptists here for years (ha ha). But he has a fantastic attitude, goes to Physical therapy every day to build up his core and upper body. Please pray for him, we are praying for a miracle. He has had a miracle healing before and his with us still for a reason! So we went North to the Northern Beaches to Forster to visit with him for two days.
Sunday, July 3
Church at GBC and met "possibly Julies new flat mate". Met Sam for night church at GBC.
Monday, July 4
No FOURTH OF JULY parties here. We slept in then went to the beach to hang out and eat fish and chips. Read magazines and drew. Then to Miranda (mall) for chinese take away.
Tuesday, July 5
I went into HopeStreet-Urban Compassion with Helen and helped with financial year end paperwork. Spent about 30 minutes talking to some of the indigenous locals. Caught the train home by myself from the city to Gymea and stopped in the shops on the way home walking from the station (so very Australian). I had to walk to windy alleys and backstreets of Woolloomooloo to Kings Cross, trying to get there before dark (you may have heard of Kings Cross. (street and area famous for "entertaining" sailors when they come into port). Sam was about two trains behind me so he came by for dinner.
Wednesday, July 6
Not needed at HopeStreet today so slept in and then had a meeting at the church for the Kids Activity day - sort of like our Creative Arts camp but one day. On the way Julie had a big fall, hurt her bad knee, some new neighbors stopped and helped us out, but she is surviving. Then off to Paulette and Bob's for a wonderful lasagna dinner (made by Bob) and a "card making" class downstairs, then great hazelnut latte's by Bob....yes, Bob is great!
This is the second week of school holidays here. we have been relaxing and just hanging out. We take quick driv es to the beach (Cronulla) and walk around there. Met Sam and Tahlia yesterday for coffee there. Sam is staying in Cronulla while he does his internships in Sydney. He will return to Wagga in 2 weeks and won't be as accessible to me....(sad face).
I have visited with old friends. Paulette (who would be a pepper sister for sure) and had great hazelnut coffee made by Bob her husband...he makes the best coffee, sorry Kayran. Ate Indian from my new Indian friend at the Indian Family Diner Take Away.
Hung out with Ali for her 30th birthday! For TWO parties! Ate Brazilian BBQ and hung out at the Pub (one of many locals)
