Staying focussed on the right stuff
Like you, we have lots of challenges, ideas and distractions which threaten to dilute our focus. Having such a small team and limited resources, we cannot afford to lose focus on what really matters. So I’ve developed a simple way to help me focus, to pull everything into line.
I think about a tiny little refugee kid from Myanmar named Cre Hay, in the middle of this photograph. When she first came to Bus Stop Cafe two years ago, she was about 7 years old. She was very stern, never spoke to us and never smiled. I suspect she was slightly traumatized by moving from Myanmar and having some family still there hiding in the jungle. She somehow decided she wanted to ‘rip us off’. She would do the Jesus-challenge and then stare hard at me and hold up two fingers. She was silently demanding two chocolate milks knowing full well that one challenge = one reward. So I began to pray about this. I began praying that Cre Hay would be moved by the Holy Spirit, that she would fall in love with Jesus and ultimately become a Christian leader and be a big influence in her world in future for Jesus. Steadily we’ve seen her change, smile, stop demanding two rewards and start to read the challenges aloud to earn another reward. I believe we are helping her grow, learn manners, learn about Jesus and learn to read. This is what we do: help disadvantaged children learn about Jesus, grow, and succeed. Loving the weakest ones in our community.
Experimenting in Term 1 complete
In Term 1 we experimented by hosting a Church Family Gathering every Saturday with sewing and pizza-making. We had some families come and some young people but it didn’t have momentum. People didn’t come back. I think the main reason is convenience. Bus Stop Cafe is very convenient. It happens next to the school at the time of school pick up. The children and parents are visiting because it’s convenient. But coming on Saturday is a completely different matter. You have to get the kids out of the house. What we were offering didn’t appeal enough to warrant that amount of work. So we’ve dropped it for now. Term 2 we will go back to Bus Stop Cafe three times per week: Tues, Wed, Thurs. We had a strong start to Term 2 with 160 visits in the first week!
Camping on the Murray River
Early in the school holidays Christine and I went camping for three nights on the Murray River. We had such a relaxing time cooking on the fire and sleeping in the hammock.
Project Nexus leadership
Our friends at Project Nexus have invited me to lead a discussion on leading beyond your comfort zone. I think God wants us all to keep growing and this means discarding who we used to be and learning new skills. In fact the skills we used to get us where we are today might not be the same ones we need to succeed from here on. What a privilege to be asked to grow in this area with these lovely people! Thank you God!
Beeswax Wraps
This term Christine will be experimenting with making Beeswax Wraps with Tuesdays’ sewing crew. These are cloth soaked in beeswax, pine resin and jojoba oil. They are a substitute for plastic wrap, for covering food in the fridge etc. We are wondering if we could make them into a fund-raising item.
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