Lord Howe Island & Dust Storm in Sydney

Wedding Snaps in Newcastle - August 15, 2009

Brooke's Australia Adventure Update - Spring 2009, October 25, 2009

Brooke’s Australia Adventure Update – Spring 2009, October 25, 2009

Dear friends,

I am amazed at how late in the year it is! These past 5 months since I’ve written you all have gone by so quickly, and yet I definitely want to keep in touch more regularly and apologize for the long silence on my side. My hope is to write these updates once a quarter, in accordance with the calendar seasons… I have been writing updates like this since I graduated Flagler and first began incarnational ministry with the poor in Washington, DC in 2002. Now, just over 7 years later, many of you are still journeying with me in prayer and friendship. I am so honoured! Yet, I recognize in this season of my life I don’t have the same amount of time as I once did, so rather than monthly or bi-monthly updates, my move to quarterly updates seems a bit of a necessity. I am also so amazed when I reflect back, on how communication has changed in the past 7 years. Now it seems, with Twitter and Facebook (FB) chat and uploading photos onto FB, so many of you around the world can know my most intimate thoughts and see the memories I choose to post instantly. So, if you are interested in more regular contact, join Facebook and add me as a friend because with working in Young Life and with teenagers, it is a must that I am on there regularly and I seem to keep up with it faster than e-mails these days!

Colossians 3:15
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Now, as I begin, let me just say a massive THANK YOU to all of you who sent cards, gifts, e-mails, FB wall posts, etc. congratulating Brendan and I on our marriage. We are so excited to have made this important milestone and are so grateful for your love and prayers for us to this point in our relationship and what happens from here. It has already been 10 weeks since that momentous day in Newcastle and it has been an incredible journey already. The day itself was picture perfect with not a cloud in the sky – truly our prayers for amazing weather were answered. It was actually a bit warm for the fur stole and muff I had got made in order to wear to the outdoor wedding ceremony. You would have never guessed in the packed King Edward Park, where picnickers were everywhere, that it was actually the middle of winter! We were blessed the entire day and with all the events leading up to it. My mother and step-dad Dan, my father and step-mom Jan, as well as dear friend Rachael Clarey from England, and my friend from Washington, DC Wendy Lee and her mom all journeyed to be with us for the big day and some time surrounding the main event. We also enjoyed time with one of Brendan’s best college mates, Yong and his parents from Korea and after the fact, Brendan’s auntie and cousin from Poland – so it was really an international event! The day was also full of many Macedonian Orthodox traditions that were so special to Brendan’s family. So, if you are happening to look at the photos on FB (at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=147721&id=506256806&l=7b6e1ba88 ) – and you wonder about some things (ie: crowns, candy (lollies being thrown), etc), they are probably related to that tradition. I found it to be a rich cultural experience and even though I was in the dark at times what everything meant, I came to embrace the fact that this is an integral part of my husband’s family and therefore, it is now part of my life. As it turned out, everything from the putting money into my shoes by Brendan’s deverol (his brother Troy), to the amazing live music and circle dancing for hours at the reception were some of the highlights of the day. It was a marathon of a day – with Brendan’s family hosting a breakfast in the morning for 80 odd family members with the tradition of a shaving ceremony for Brendan using an axe and lots of dancing. I was enjoying a more peaceful prep with the Saxton’s having rented an incredible serviced apartment overlooking the foreshore of Newcastle harbour and champagne and pastries were available as the final touches were happening to my hair and make-up. Then, when the red mustang convertibles arrived it was show time! The first ceremony was held in St Mary’s Macedonian Orthodox church and although the congregation remained standing for the hour-long ceremony read out in mostly Macedonian, I believe everyone enjoyed it! From there, although now man and wife, we separated to be joined once more at King Edward Park, where Brendan had proposed five and a half months earlier, and two and a half years earlier first confessed how he felt about me. My mom was able to give the sermon over us at this ceremony and that was so meaningful for us to share with our friends. Then, the party really began! The Maco’s definitely love a party – so with a bottle of Johnny Walker Red on each table and the food freely flowing the dancing didn’t end until late. It was a magical day and although during the engagement I was often emotional as I thought about who wouldn’t be able to attend from the States, Canada and other places far flung, as I reflected on the event in the days following all I felt was love and a gratefulness for all that the Lord has given me in my life at this moment and the sadness was replaced by the fullness of my cup.


Psalm 45: 15
“They are led in joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king.”

A fantastic honeymoon followed on from the wedding and we enjoyed the beauty of God’s creation at Lord Howe Island – seriously it looks like Never- Never Land from Peter Pan! Check it out for yourself from our photos on FB at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=148273&id=506256806&l=d292a53fc5. Since coming back from the honeymoon, we have been enjoying adjusting to what married life looks like. We were very blessed to find a fantastic apartment in the city that we just love! We are living in a downtown area called Woolloomooloo and our one-bedroom place looks over leafy Hyde Park in Sydney. It is a beautiful spot where colourful rosella parrots come to our balcony, along with Brendan’s favourite coorowong that he has started feeding (looks like a large magpie for those in America). We’ve been enjoying nesting and creating our space here. One decision we made was to forego television at least the first year of marriage – which has been a good choice for us. However, we have discovered we both are loving using all the new kitchen gear and cookbooks we have received for our engagement and wedding and that is becoming a regular part of our lives and time! So, to combat any extra bulge, we’ve been enjoying lots of walking around the city and the joy of discovering a new place to live. Sydney is such a beautiful city and our extended neighborhood includes going for regular runs through the Royal Botanical Gardens and observing views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Although our place is small and cozy – we’d welcome visitors – so let us know if you are in the area!

In terms of an update on a professional front, I am still working two part-time jobs with organizations I love. The first, is a surprise in some ways, because I was only on a 6 month contract when I first started, but having transitioned out of doing fundraising after my co-worker Sara returned from maternity leave, and beginning the role of marketing and sales for our research reports, Women’s Forum Australia offered me to come back after the wedding on a new contract. I am really enjoying the work and having the opportunity to see the research really come alive, as I have been giving more talks in school and engaging young women in our research. Specifically, I work with our research on how magazines portray young women and the objectification of their bodies and the pressure to become sexualised early that advertisements and articles often have against their body and self-image and how that impacts them. My friend, and one of the founders of Women’s Forum Australia, Melinda Tankard Reist just published her third book, Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls around this issue. If you are interested, you can sign up to be a subscriber of our newsletter and find out more about the issues we are working on and how our research is bringing about life affirming options for women. Our website is: www.womensforumaustralia.org. In my role I am also able to meet many of our members and help to coordinate local Sydney women interested in putting on events and talks. It is very rewarding and I can see how God prepared me for this type of work through my experience with volunteers at the Southeast White House and in my studies.

Colossians 4:6
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

My other role is as Area Manager for Ryde and Northern Sydney Young Life Australia. This has been an incredible blessing. I will attach onto this e-mail a PDF version of my latest quarterly newsletter for this ministry and if you are interested in receiving these via e-mail regularly please let me know and I will include you on this list. I have been enjoying going into schools regularly and have seen great doors open up at our newest school, Chatswood High. I even was invited to teach two Spanish classes this past week – which was a very fun way to use my language skills in Australia and do contact work! The work with Young Life always varies, and we have a number of fun activities coming up in this last term of the year – including the Granny Smith Festival (yes, this type of apple really originated near the area I do Young Life in!); a Trivia Night fundraiser; regular club nights; a Barefoot (Lawn) Bowls night for donors, parents and students; All City Club; and a taping of Australia’s Funniest Home Videos… and more! Please do remember to keep us in prayer in the midst of all the busyness that we as leaders particularly can stay attuned to the voice of the Father. This is the part of the role I have been enjoying the most is seeking to lead two teams of volunteer leaders and pour in spiritually to them as they pour into kids who don’t yet know Jesus. I have the privilege of working with very diverse teams – and even those kids we are serving come from a variety of backgrounds, so your prayers for wisdom are always appropriate. An amazing opportunity I was recently afforded to within my role with Young Life was to attend an Area Director School for Asia Pacific Directors. There were 75 of us from 18 nations in attendance in Bangkok for a week in early October. Five of us from Australia came together and it was a phenomenal time of training, devotional time with Jesus and the opportunity to learn from and get to know fellow kingdom workers from around the region. It was for me an incredible time of vision casting and allowed me also to re-connect with my friends at NightLight in Bangkok and meet another incredible after-care ministry caring for women run by a friend of a friend, Bonita Thompson. I sometimes do pinch myself to see if I am really living this life – but it is for real! The dreams God planted deep in my heart so many years ago are actually bearing fruit.

Colossians 1:27
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

My friends, it is all about Jesus. I would urge you to pray in your own lives as well as for me to keep coming back to the first love. He is everything we need for life and godliness. He is the answer.

There is much more I could say but I want to honour your time. Thank you for your friendship. Again, please forgive my delay in writing, particularly more personally. Thank you for forgiving me in advance. Your friendship is very important to me and your prayers are priceless and are what I desire and covet so much. Please do keep in touch and let me know also how you are and how I can pray.

Your fellow servant of Christ,

Brooke

PS – For those of you who have been praying about our stolen property here’s a little update. My car was found 15 and a half weeks after it was stolen, only blocks from Brendan’s parents house. As you can imagine – this was amazing! It was a blessing as we were able to use it for the last bit before we married with all the final details of engagement, and showing friends and family around. Incredibly, there were still some sentimental items left in the car, but not the expensive or most meaningful, my engagement ring. We still pray over the situation and praise God for how He has blessed us in this and for His full restoration… thank you for standing with us in prayer and for your faith with us.