Ballarat part 1

Our trip was originally planned to be very different from how it started out. We were going to head anticlockwise around Australia to mostly smaller towns and Churches where we had contacts. However, we ended up in Ballarat, a city-type town (population of about 100,000), clockwise from our starting position, where we had really no contacts. So kinda random but going with the flow. Since we had nowhere to stay at first we just booked in to the cheapest caravan park we could find -which I thought was actually pretty good; we got our own little toilet and shower. How great is that?

So here we were at the start of our trip in a big scary town not knowing anyone. I was still studying so Matt went about making all the phone calls and trying to make contact with people. He managed to get on the local Christian radio station twice (and tag me along the second time). He also met with a few people. Not much happened in that first week, but we got used to living in the camper which was good. Never has it been so much effort to do things. We have to put away EVERYTHING right after we use it. When I finish typing on this laptop I have to wind up the mouse and the lap top cable, put them in their proper place, pull out my USB internet and put that away, and put my laptop into the laptop bag which I also need to put in it's proper place. And making meals! Never has this been so difficult. So we are now living on the most basic food, which is actually really nice. Mostly just fruit, veg, and rice or bread. No oven. No microwave. Just a hotplate (which also needs to be taken out when needed) and pots. But we love it!

So back to Ballarat. We had someone we may have been able to stay with, but that kinda fell through, so we were meant to leave the caravan park the next day but we had nowhere to stay. I had the idea of just packing up anyway and leaving by the 10am checkout time and just seeing what God did, but I bailed out, and we just paid for a few more nights at the park. Well of course we got a phone call at about 9am the day we originally were going to check out, someone was offering us a place to stay. However, we couldn't get our money back so we ended up just staying at the caravan park. I was like "aarrrh, I should have known that was going to happen." I realize that I need more faith.

On Sunday we went to York Street Church of Christ and met some great people. We met a really nice couple named Adrian and Amy who have generously offered for us to stay with them. So when we come back we have a place to stay! We also went to a church that has just been renamed OneTwoOne (pretty sure that's right). We met a bunch of people our age, and they invited us to hang out with them that night which was random but really great.

We came back to Melbourne for the album launch and for me to do my final exams for my course. Concert was really fun, and I think the exam went well. I will find out on about the 16th February. For now, back to Ballarat.

Pray points
-More faith
-To be where we can help best