G'day, Mates!

 

The team from Australia spent time yesterday talking to all of us about life in Australia.  This included kangaroos, koalas, emus, Australian "soccer," slang terms, maps, and Australian flags for everyone.  It was a very fun afternoon.

 

In the evening we had our first campfire of 2009.  For the first time at a campfire we sang Australian songs:  Waltzing Matilda, Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, and a couple of others that I didn't know.  They brought the Australian staple of "vegemite."  I heard about this when our oldest went to nursery school with an Australian girl.  Vegemite is to Australia what peanut butter is to the US.  But I must say, I will take peanut butter anytime over vegemite!  

 

This group of 5 young adults come from a church in Bendigo and they are trying to live their faith in a variety of ways.  Nathan, who is part of the team, is the pastor of the church. They are praying about starting a "Village of Hope" in another location that would be supported by their church and other Australian churches.  It's been fun to add another the Australian accent to the English that we hear around here!