Brooke’s Australia Adventure Update – Summer 2015, February 1, 2015

Greetings friends,

I know this isn’t a landmark statement, but something you probably realise over and over yourselves, and something that I’ve had to re-learn again and again in my life: I AM NOT IN CONTROL. Yes, it may seem at times as if I am in control of certain aspects of my life, but really, even with discipline and determination (which I have), there are certain things I cannot control. When I became a mum, or even started on the journey to try and have children, and even the start of getting into a relationship with my beautiful husband, who I am very different from, I’ve learned much about things I can’t control. But it seems to be a lesson I just have to keep learning. Yes, I have desires, and goals that I can work hard towards, but none of us know what a day will bring. So, the latest lesson for me in this is that Brendan and I had decided after CC turned one that we would try to see if we could have one more baby in Australia before moving to Macedonia. So, we tried... for a number of months and at the end of our “trial” it hadn’t happened and decided we would stop trying and continue to focus on our move instead... Well, can you guess what happened? The month we stopped “trying” God allowed a baby to be conceived. I’m just finishing up the first trimester now and we’re excited to announce there will be a new Filipovski joining us around mid-August. So, this does mean that we learn to be flexible again and rather than fly to Macedonia and move at 6 months pregnant, we postpone our move to have one more Aussie baby and then hope to move, depending on health and logistics in the last quarter of the year.

Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”

These past few months have been filled with celebration and surrender to a loving God who knows the best plans for us and for our family. We rejoice in the opportunity to be parents again to a little child that we may love and teach about the love of their heavenly Father. JJ and CC are also very excited and when I had my booking in appointment at Westmead Hospital JJ asked when I came back from meeting with the midwife, “where is the baby?” If only it could be that simple - a 15-minute appointment and only 12 weeks down and only a few kgs gained! I am feeling well I found out I was pregnant 11 days into my 31 day Freecember Challenge, that you may have seen me mention on Facebook. Freecember was an unexpected delight to be a part of. My friend Tate in London that I met at the All European Staff Conference for Young Life in May in Spain had messaged me a few days shy of December to let me know of this idea he had to raise awareness, and hopefully some needed funds, to combat human trafficking in the world. He wanted it to be an organic beginning to what he hopes to snowball in future years where participants would sign up to walk, run, cycle, whatever self-propelled movement they choose, to go 100 miles during the month of December. As you did this mileage you would wear an upside-down purple ribbon to hopefully spark conversation with those around you about the issue of human trafficking in the world today and what some are doing to combat it. So, Tate was going to start this in London this past December and had a friend in LA that was willing to do it there, so he messaged me wondering if I’d know anyone in Oz that might be willing to do it too. I thought – how awesome but then straight away thought, I certainly can’t do it! Exercise and having young children are always hard combos... but the idea stuck with me over the weekend and as it was so close to the time of the start and I didn’t think I’d be able to ask anyone else to do it so close to the time, I thought well if Brendan’s happy for me to get up really early and help with the kids if they wake up before I get back from my efforts, I could do it... it helps that in our hemisphere December is summer and has the longest days of the year with the sun rising around 5:30 am. Brendan agreed and I started.

I worked out that 100 miles is 161 km, averaging about 5 km a day that I should attempt. So, I began and the first day walked the kids in the double pram just 3.5 km to the library and back and so it began. I found that I actually woke up before my alarm most mornings and found I had great motivation for doing this because I believed in the cause and enjoyed the time of solitude running and walking and occasional conversations with friends and neighbours along the way. It took me more motivation after I realised I was pregnant and the nausea kicked in a bit, but I was committed and am grateful to say I was able to complete 103 miles by the end of the month and raise above and beyond my original goal of $1 per km for both The A21 Campaign in Australia (http://www.a21.org/index.php) and International Justice Mission in the US (https://www.ijm.org/). If you are interested in learning more about Freecember or would continue signing up next year check out: https://www.facebook.com/freecember?fref=ts.

"Nothing is really lost by a life of sacrifice; everything is lost by failure to obey God's call."
- Henry Parry Linden, Nineteenth Century

These past few months has also been filled with a few weeks out of Sydney. The first trip was 10 days away in November, the first week to attend my final residential for the Arrow 12 program and attend graduation from the program. It was a wonderful week focused on evangelism and the speakers and program continued to challenge and encourage each of us in our ministries. It was a lovely last week and they even acknowledged two other ladies and me that had given birth at some point in our 2 year Arrow journey by presenting us with miniature graduation certificates for our children, it was very special.

 Immediately from Melbourne I flew down to Hobart, Tasmania, it was my first time in the Apple Isle. How this transpired was that our houseguest Bayli was finished with her studies and waiting to begin her exams and hoping to travel to some more places in Australia. On her list was Tasmania and as I hadn’t been there either, and there are some wonderful Young Life friends there, I suggested I contact them and see if we might be able to stay with them. Well, it all turned out and Bayli ended up there a few days before I arrived and we were able to spend the weekend together there with the Jordan family. While there we had the opportunity to visit the newly started Hobart Young Life club, the famous Salamanca markets on Saturday morning, try a curry scallop pie (a local favourite), and go visit Port Arthur, the infamous penal colony about an hour and a half’s drive from Hobart. The weather was clear skies and sunshine and a lovely cool temperature that was a nice change from the heat and humidity Sydney was experiencing in the spring. There are absolutely gorgeous flowers all through Hobart and the grounds of Port Arthur were very stunning to explore. Fudge and Tania and their family live in a beautiful spot overlooking a water view and we found wherever we went in the area, it was picturesque. Bayli and I braved a climb up Mount Wellington on the Sunday after church: a 2 hour walk up to see the gorgeous view. We’d heard that the weather can change a lot on the mountain and on our climb up we were sweating a little walking up vertically at times through rocks and fern valleys. Yet, on the top the wind was icy indeed and you can see how snow can land up there.

On the Monday we visited the world famous MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), which was an interesting visit that we accessed by ferry from Hobart. I’d say it is not for children, but if you are willing to be challenged by art, it is worth a visit. Hobart was full of charm and it was lovely to have a little holiday with Bayli before she headed home in mid-December.

In December we were also able to attend a family wedding in Newcastle and bring Bayli with us to show her Brendan’s hometown and the gorgeous Nelson Bay. Over the holidays we were able to be back up there for a week with Brendan’s family and enjoyed the beaches, wonderful food and nice time of relaxing with family.

As Jeremiah grows and understands more of what is said to him, and also remembers more, it has been interesting to note what comes out of his mouth. Just before the holidays he said to me: “First we have a swimming lesson, then we go to Newcastle, then we move to Macedonia, then we die.” Which technically, in that order, everything was correct, but it is a little more involved than that! It’s beautiful watching these little children grow into more articulate little people!

Our family also had a week away in mid-January for our annual Young Life Summer Camp in Jindabyne. It was an incredible week! One of the smoothest and most peaceful I’ve ever seen – no doubt due to the increased focus on prayer the prayer team gave to it this year and all the extra recruiting that was done to bring and train a larger team of volunteers to support the cabin leaders and campers. It was a wonderful week to serve together with folks from all walks of life and all areas of Australia that love Jesus and are committed to creating a sense of heaven on earth for the young people that come, giving them the best opportunity to hear the good news, and hopefully respond to that. There were 12 young people that did make that life-changing decision to put their faith in Christ for the first time, many others that re-committed, and all the rest of the 105 teenagers and others that had seeds planted we trust Jesus will use for His glory. Brendan and I served as Head Cabin Leaders again and had the great honour of partnering with Adrian and Ansia from Bathurst in this great work of loving, serving and encouraging  the cabin leaders as they give so much to make sure these young people have the best week of their lives. Straight from camp we headed to the South Coast to Nowra where Brendan was the Best Man at his uni mate Trevor’s wedding. It was a very lovely weekend of wedding events with a BBQ to kick off on the Friday, a beautiful outdoor wedding on the Saturday in the grounds of 100 year old sandstone mansion with an amazing reception, and a brunch on the Sunday near the beach. The events really showcased the splendour of the area and gave lots of opportunities for good conversations to take place with all the other guests. JJ and CC were very well taken care of both at camp and the wedding following with an incredible crèche put on at camp this year for the 20 children of staff and volunteers aged 9 and under. At the wedding a nanny service catered for, played with, and even had mattresses set up on the floor for them to watch movies on as the night progressed. It was a very fun and action packed 10 days away as a family and since then the kids and I have enjoyed settling back into Sydney life as the school holidays finish up and get ready for our regular schedules.

 “To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, to think quietly, act frankly, to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open hearts; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never... To let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.”
-William Ellery Channing, Nineteenth Century

Our regular life this year consists with me continuing to serve at Young Life Australia 2 ½ days a week until I go on maternity leave in mid-July (and prayerfully we’ll hire a replacement for my position in the coming months to have some overlap). The kids will continue to go to Newcastle each week to spend time with their grandparents as I work and we’ll enjoy participating in playgroup at our church on Thursdays.

Both Jeremiah and Christabelle are a delight to parent and continue to make us laugh and at times melt our hearts. JJ especially can be very sensitive and say sweet things to me like, “you’re a good mommy” (usually after I’ve put on his favourite TV showJ). He really seems to be making sense of the fact we’ll be moving later in the year and talks about it more regularly. Christabelle is a very active 20-month old who delights in putting her toys all over the house each day and thinks packing up is fun except that she just wants to dump them all out over the floor at the end as well. She is very strong-willed and one challenge we are having lately is keeping her arms in her car seat, but we think we’ve got a strap to fix that issue.

We’d appreciate your prayers as we continue to work on the Macedonian language and make all the decisions required to effectively wrap up life here and prepare for life there. God has continued to put us in touch with strategic contacts there and we rejoice in that, we trust Him to make our way smooth and appreciate your joining with us in those prayers.

Thank you for journeying with us and for your prayers for us in this season. 

 Blessings and love, Brooke