One Geek

Today was one of the most beautiful days in my life. I can’t quite explain how or why it came to be that but I’ll do my best.

Today was the wedding of Emily and Martin. It was the best wedding I have been to in my life. It made me cry a lot. But the tears were of joy not sorrow. From the moment the bridesmaids started walking down the aisle to colour blind by Counting Crows, (played acoustically by two fantastic musicians) I was sold. The day and the service were both so authentic, a true expression of love.

I am a very cynical person and yet the whole service I did not have a cynical or even sarcastic thought. Every stage of it was true to the people involved. The vow’s and prayers were honest and extremely meaningful. Declarations like “Do you want to share your life with me, all your joys and pains, all your hopes and failures with all your body, mind and soul?” Are truly moving. The way they included God also was great.

The music was well chosen. It fit beautifully with the service. The messages given were very authentic. They somehow managed to get a Catholic, an Anglican and a Uniting Church minister together to run it.

The reception was also great. It was very homely, who would of thought it being in their house and all. I loved it also. Speeches that are usually the most painful part of the wedding were good. Martin’s Mum who has come out from Peru for the wedding was particularly good. Emily of course was great and Jo was fantastic too. However Martin simply shone in his speech, sure he stumbled through it but his feeling was there for all too see. Struggling to put into words (in English his second language, though I am sure he would have had trouble in Spanish too) what is surely his great love for Emily just made it all the more real.

The variety of people who were there was also outstanding. There were people from nearly every walk of life. So good to see that happen. The food was fantastic and all were genuinely happy about the wedding (as far as I could tell). I even joined in some dancing tonight. That’s how good the night was.

Emily is a person who has greatly enriched my life. It is wonderful too see her so happy. Her journey has not been very easy through this life. She is an inspiration in her passion for justice and her love of humans particularly the outsider.

I can remember finding out a bit about Martin in Australia whilst Emily was still over in Peru. Gemma’s trip there helped us too learn a bit more about him. Then sharing with Emily in the struggles of trying to get Martin a Visa. I can still remember the joy and excitement I felt when whilst in Raxaul I find out that Martin’s Visa had been processed and accepted. The other time I really remember is meeting Martin at the airport on my return from India. It was exciting to finally see him, he embraced me a stranger as his friend.

Martin who I barely know is still one of the most kind and openhearted people I have met.

Emily and Martin may the Lord God in His power truly bless you. May you live out your days together through the joys and pains of this life. May you live up to the grand promises you made today.

I am going too stop now, though I could go on forever. But it’s past midnight so the day is over.

Church, Class Wars, General, God Stuff, India Stuff, Life, Religion, Stuff, Travel, music

So here’s the thing. I am committed to spending 2006-2010 serving the poor and marginilised in developing countries.

It’s odd thinking about how I came to be at this point. I never really thought I would be doing any work like this at all until some time in 2003. I don’t remember what started it. There where these internships you used to be able to do in Germany. It sounded like an easy way of getting to work overseas. It stopped being offered and so that dream was destroyed. I could of gone for the US, but I hadn’t meet Pete so I wasn’t sure if I’d thought I might not meet many nice Yanks.

Latter I started thinking it would be cool to do some work in developing nations. I was going to apply for this Youth Ambassodor program. But I couldn’t bring myself to fill it in. Required far to much BS for my liking.

But God bless Steve and Mim for leading me to TEAR. I wonder if I hadn’t ever meet them if I’d be earning lot’s of money right now. I am glad I did though. They have been great in showing what is possible. From then all the ball started rolling and I ended up in India for six fantastic months.

Thanks to TEAR for finding me a place to work.

Thank you Soul Survivor Sydney 2004 for giving me greater Biblical/Spiritual motivation for serving the poor. Thank you for providing the space which prepared me for the possibility of longer term then just my 6 months in India.

Thank you to my friends and family for supporting me whilst I was in India and before I left.

Thank you India for rocking my small self centred universe. For showing me some amazing and some horrific things.

Thanks to all the wonderful people I meet during my time in India. You were all such good quality. Many of you are inspirational people.

Thanks to EHA for providing me with work and friendships.

Thanks to my mates for putting up with all the India talk from this India Boy.

Thanks to Soul Melbourne for lighting the fire in my heart again when I was so tired.

Thanks to God for everything.

That wasn’t meant to be an Accademy Awards speech.

I still find it odd to think of myself as one of those super Christian people who go and do mission work. It’s hard for me to deal with that image applied to me. It’s so easy to get a big ego trip about this kind of stuff. To feel like your special because you have gone and spent your time serving. That somehow you are better then others. And also it is hard to understand how not everyone is as passionate about these issues as me. And not everyone is called to serve abroad.

I am not better though. I am a sinner. I am arrogant. I can be conceited. I am often proud and sometimes even self-righteous. I could go on but best not too.

I am no better then any of you who read my blog. I am just lucky enough to have been called on an exciting adventure with my Lord. Which is a great way to get to know Him more, cause I really don’t know him well enough.

So where do I leave this post. Well I don’t know where I am going next yet. I could end up somewhere with significant civil unrest. Or somewhere perfectly safe. Will it be in Asia? Africa? Somewhere else? I just don’t know.

So I am going to have a competition for my blog readers. What are the next three developing countries I am going to visit? Who ever is correct wins a postcard from each of the countries
correctly guessed.

Life

Life is good. I am feeling a bit happier of late.

I am over a few issues for now. One of which is the whole singleness thing. Going to a wedding having other weddings coming soon. Friends going on dates. I started seriously thinking about the whole dating thing. But in the end I have decide I am not interested in being in a relationship with anyone. It’s a good place to be. I am glad to of reached it.

Being back home at work and uni doesn’t suck so much. Made some progress with work the past few days which makes life brighter. Looks like a nightmare project might actually end soon. Which is nice. Some possible options for 2006 are starting to appear too. Which is nice.

Bit of God stuff too which is nice.

Life

I called my friend Ally tonight. She’s still in India. She’s Irish and very funky. It was good fun to talk to an old friend.

Life

Exessive amounts of caffine may make it difficult to sleep.

Do not take 1.2L of coke and have a long black all in 8 hours. I couldn’t sleep until 3am. Though it did mean I finished 21 grams, brilliant film. Didn’t understand it but that’s okay.

Life

Got a reminder of some big picture stuff. It’s all so cool and exciting. Just got to get through the daily grind of life.

Life

I don’t understand them.

Life

Today was a great day. Filled with lot’s of fun and general pleasentness. I wouldn’t mind more like today.

Life

I don’t believe in fairy tails anymore. I don’t think that everything will ever be magically better(on this earth anyway).

I believe though that good can come out of bad situations.
I believe that light can shine in the darkest places.
I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I believe in the power of hope.
I believe in the power of faith.
I believe in the power of love.

Life

I had fun today. Left work early and met up with Jem Liz and Ryan at Circular Quay. We then caught a ferry to Parramatta and had dossas at a really funky Indian Restraunt. Well all of us except Liz (I’ll leave her to tell of the extravagent dish she ordered).

Life

My sister is buying a red Mazda MX5. I find it hard to picture my sister driving a sports car. I hope she enjoys it anyway.

Life

So much work to do. Grr. This year is going to be pretty busy I fear.

Life

I really didn’t enjoy yesterdays journey. Partly it was all the stopping. Partly because I wasn’t prepared for that. Partly because I wanted to get to Melbourne before 10pm. Partly because I didn’t want to stay in the organised accommodation(which I am not). But also because I felt lost.

I couldn’t find the awe yesterday. I looked at stuff yesterday and thought it was pretty but couldn’t connect.

I don’t feel at the moment that this is my home land. Maybe I am being melodramic and I was just tired and grumpy yesterday. But I’ve been thinking about things a bit lately.

Since coming back to India I’ve tried to be the old me. I’ve tried to be the India me. None of them really fit anymore.

I need to redefine myself with the help of my God. I feel I have a mission now but I am not sure how to approach it. Is it helpful to define oneself by the mission? To adopt a character to make the mission more successful. Or is that man’s wisdom? God’s folly is said to be wiser then the wisdom of men.

People say God wants us to be ourselves. But I don’t know who I am. I have often tried to make others happy at the expense of who I might be. So much so that I am not sure who I am. I appear to have an existential crises on my hands.

Maybe it will be over in about 30 minutes you never quite know. I might just be being self-indulgent.

Gonna get me a little oblivion, baby
Try to keep myself away from me

I can’t keep myself away from me
How am I gonna keep myself away from me
Counting Crows

Life

Well I am in Adelaide with the roadtrippers now. Lot’s of fun but not much to write. Very fun vibe on this trip. Nice having all these people together.

Life

I really miss hot chips and gravy. I miss hot chips. I miss good deep fried food. There’s these eggplant things that are done kind of like scollopes which are alright. Lays are good, but I really miss hot chips!!

Life