Laughter is the Best Medicine

Trying to get the ocean and the city all at once :)

      So here are a few pictures of beautiful Surfer's Paradise where we live, work and play! I've included a lot of pictures of fun and laughter in this post. These photos are some of the highlights of my time here, times where I've been able to just laugh and enjoy the moment. Times where I have been content in the joy of being here and living out the opportunity that God has given me to do what I'm doing!

Anika and I enjoying the waves

Me and a few of the lovely ladies soaking up the sun
(Tina, Vicki, Me, Anika)

Welcome to gorgeous Surfers Paradise!

Beach Volleyball
(Arthur, Mariann, Vicki, Tina, Anika)

      Nearly every friday we go out to do some form of evangelism and tell people about Jesus. On this particular friday we decided to pack up and head out to the beach to set up a volleyball net, our goal was to then recruit people to come and play volleyball with us. It ends up being a lot of fun and people start asking who we are and what we're doing. Its an awesome opportunity to tell people about who we are as an organization and even greater, to share with them the love of Jesus. These girls are sitting down waiting for their turn to play as we usually have several teams and we rotate through tournament style. Its also a great chance to see the gorgeous ocean and get a nice tan! :)

Driving the ladies to church on a Sunday morning
(Me, Vicki, Tina, Stephanie, Anika, Maija, Berith)

     Every Sunday we try and make it a priority to go to church, this picture was actually taken this morning. Can you guess who is driving? Thats right, I am! Australians drive on the opposite side of the road and in the opposite side of the car. So the passenger's seat is actually the driver's seat. It took me a little while to get used to driving on the wrong side of the road and every now and then I still want to go into the right lane but I have to remember I'm not in America anymore! Aren't these ladies gorgeous! 

Playing the Ha game
(VIcki, Me, Berith Megan, Cassie)

Laughing away

     There are times where we have to come up with our own fun as we're sitting around at home, this is a game called the 'Ha game'. Basically, we all lay down on each other's stomachs and we have to say Ha in sequential order extremely loudly and not break out in laughter. You should try it, its impossible! Everyone always ends up in giggle fits and time flies on by! 

     They say that "Laughter is the best medicine" and I believe that it is true. I'm trying to spend as much time as I possibly can during my time here to LAUGH! I want to get every single positive experience that I can out of this time and just have fun! As we all are having fun together and enjoying each other's company I find that we are all beginning to bond closer and closer as a group. Its been so much fun getting to know the students and creating genuine relationships with them.

Group Hug!
 (I'd like my brother to note that I am repping the DDC hoodie, just saying <3)

     Every Thursday night we go out to a side of town called Southport that is known for having many homeless and needy people that live in the area. We set up a table and serve bread and snacks that are donated from a local bakery as well as hot tea, coffee or Milo (hot chocolate). We give it out to anyone that walks by and would like some. This ministry is called Coffee Van and it has been very successful in bringing hope to the homeless people in the area. They know that every Thursday night there is a hot drink and something to eat waiting for them and we have seen many people come to know the love of Jesus through this ministry. 

Fun nights at Coffee Van

A little bit of fun art representing our love ;)

     This is a picture of one of my students (Megan), she and I decided to be silly and write things on each other's hands and I love this picture of her in mid-laugh! I loved the little note she drew on my hand with the precious picture of love (its a stick figure work of art!) I love my DTS and the students so much and I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here and get to know these amazing people! Thank you all for supporting me in my time here and allowing me to come up behind these students and walk with them in their journeys of getting to know God in a greater way! It is changing my life just as much as it is changing theirs! Your love and support means so much to me, thank you. I love and miss you all.

I love my DTS!

The students are HERE!

The students are finally here!!!!

September 2011 DTS: (From Top left)
Me, Jackie, Anika, Berith, Maija, Arthur
Daniel, Megan, Ashley, Vicki

What a fun bunch!

     After a whole month of training and preparation, the students are finally here! They arrived about two weeks ago and we officially started the DTS (Discipleship Training School) last Monday. We are half way through week 2 of the school, which goes for six months. We will have 3.5 months of lectures and about 2.5 months of outreach. It has been so much fun getting to know the students and their different personalities. There are 7 students total: 6 girls and 1 guy, so its a bit of a small school but its great because we really have an opportunity to get to know each other really well.

       Last week was orientation for the students and they had an opportunity to get to know the Gold Coast by doing something called the amazing race. They were required to follow a set of clues all around the city becoming familiar with the culture and learning how to get around using the public transport system. I remember doing this same race two years ago and how much fun it was, it was really exciting to watch these new students doing and learning the same things! The rest of the week was filled with tons of information educating the students about YWAM and its vision and purpose. We rewarded them for all their hard work on Friday with an afternoon at a gorgeous beach called Fingal. Its a local aboriginal beach that not many people know of or go to so we had it all to ourselves!

Beautiful Fingal Beach

Gorgeous!

I love how clear this water is.

Enjoying a beautiful day at the beach with the ladies.

      Gorgeous huh? We had a great time and it was so fun to watch the students see and swim in the beach here for the first time, they were enamored by the beauty! I'm not going to lie, I forgot how beautiful Australian beaches were! As you can probably tell, the hot weather has settled in and I'm no longer running around in sweaters! I'm so grateful for the warm weather and to be able to dress in my summer clothes that I love so much. :)

      This week the students are learning about the subject "Father heart of God". Basically, that comes down to God's heart for us. How He is our father that created us and loves us unconditionally. Often times, if a person has grown up in a home that was dysfunctional or did not have a solid father figure in it, the person often projects the view of their human father on to God as a father. This week is focused on breaking that view and restoring the image of God that we have in our minds when it comes down to Him being a loving dad to us.

     I'm excited to see the awesome work that God is doing and going to do in the student's lives and I am so grateful to be here. I am enjoying the role of being here for the students and I feel honored to be able to walk with them through this journey of getting to know God more.

    This has definitely been a time where I have missed everyone at home SO much and there have definitely been challenges with being so far away from home and those I love. Please be praying for me to have the strength to get through the tough days. Also please be praying for financial provision, I still have a number of supporters I need to keep me here during this time. If you have any questions on how to support me, feel free to send me an email! :)

Once again, thank you all for your love and support. It always encourages me when I get a comment, message or email from you. I love and miss you all!

Love these guys, its gonna be a great 6 months!

Cert 4 Training!

Jackie and I about to walk in to town

Jackie and I left bright and early Monday morning to hop on the train and go up to Brisbane for our two week training course. We are working on getting our Certificate 4 so we are able to do one on ones with our students and take part in their assessments. One week down! One week left to go!

My Cert 4 Classmates

Here is a picture of us with our classmates! We have the opportunity of working with an awesome group of people from all over the world, all working towards the same goal! The base here in Brisbane is so different than the base I am from on the Gold Coast. Its loads bigger and has a lot more people, my base is quite small and we only have 3 small houses. Here there are several buildings for housing and also for student areas. Even better, they have exercise equipment! Jackie and I have been taking advantage of it and been working out every day, its awesome!

Me and Jackie in front of the class giving a demonstration

The classes we are taking are very interactive, we are learning people's learning styles and intelligences, how to write lesson plans, how to actually facilitate a teaching, and then how to assess what the students have learned (among other things). This course is required for any person who is becoming a teacher or trainer in Australia. Since we will be staffing a school, it is a requirement for us. Its been a great learning experience and I feel like this is information that I will be able to use in many other situations in my life. The picture above is of Jackie and I showing the class the importance of taking notes, kind of goofy looking but we had fun! :)

Our Cert 4 Class being just a little crazy!

We only have one more week here in Brisbane and then we are back to the Gold Coast to do one more week of staff training and then the students start arriving! I cant wait!

Training!

September 2011 DTS Staff!

(From Left to Right: Jackie, Mariann, myself and Daniel)

Since I've arrived here in Australia, I have immediately jumped into training for the DTS (Discipleship Training School) that is starting in September. Every day this week we have had staff training and it has been a really awesome time of connecting with each other and growing together as a team, as well as cultivating a heart for the students that will be arriving soon!

I literally began training the day after I arrived, there was no time to waste! But, it has been a bit overwhelming since there is so much information to learn and my jet lagged brain is having a hard time keeping up. Throw into that a bit of homesickness and its been kind of tough. Please pray for me that my mind and body adapt quickly so that this transition will be smooth. Today we had the day off so I had the opportunity to sleep in a bit which definitely helped! :)

Tomorrow I am leaving for Brisbane for two weeks for Certificate 4 training. This training will enable us to have one on ones with the students where we can work with them and process through the things they are learning here as well as be involved with their assessments. Jackie and I are hopping on the train to Brisbane early tomorrow morning and we are so excited about what we are going to learn on this course.

Also, just a little side note...notice we are wearing sweaters, jackets and scarves? Its winter here! It has been such a shock on my body to go from the hottest month of the year in Florida to come to a cold month in Australia. I find myself freezing quite often and my body keeps asking me why, its not supposed to be cold in August!! ;)

I love and miss everyone at home so much, thank you all for your prayers and kind words. They have helped carry me through this time already. Please keep in touch even though I am far away, your thoughts and words mean so much.

Finally in Australia!

After about 30 hours of traveling I am finally in Australia! I left Florida on Saturday afternoon at 3pm and arrived in Brisbane at 8:30am on Monday morning. (After you do the math, you discover that there's obviously a time difference. I skipped an entire day of my life!) I'm still struggling with a bit of jet lag which will take a few days to get over. Its only 6pm here right now and I am completely ready to snuggle into my bed and pass out. I am fighting the urge though, 9pm is my bedtime goal. I feel like such a granny! ;)

I had an amazing last few days in America. My mom flew into town to see me and it was such a blessing to have her there. We had a great time together and she helped me SO MUCH to get the last minute things done before I left, thank you mom! Also, my friend Simon from Germany flew in as well and it was so great. I haven't seen him since the end of our DTS together in Australia so it was so great to catch up and have him with my family. On my last day in the country we had a little family get together at my dads house where we swam and ate great food all day! It was the perfect way to say good-bye to everyone, with lots of laughter and fun!

Today was my first day of staff training here at the base. I met with the others that I will be staffing the school with and we pretty much had a time of introducing each other, sharing our hearts and creating some goals for the DTS. It got me excited about what I am here for: to work with and disciple young people. I am convinced that God is going to do awesome things during my time here and that I am going to learn so much.

I am trying to upload a few more photos from the last few days I was in America but for some reason, I'm not able to. If you'd like to see photos, I'll be posting them on facebook during the next couple of days! :)

Also, several people have asked for my address here in Australia. Here it is!

YWAM Gold Coast

Jasmine Abenchuchan

PO Box 1560

Surfers Paradise, QLD 4217

Australia

Thank you all so much for your love and support, it has made this journey so incredible to know that I have such amazing people backing me in what I do! If you would like to know how to support me financially during this time, you can use either option on the right side of this page. If neither of these are good for you, please contact me and I will be happy to give you other avenues for support.

Packing Packing Packing

Would you believe me if I told you that this chaotic room is actually looking GREAT compared to what it was a week ago??

Life has been crazy these days with all of the packing I've been doing and also with saying goodbye to those I love dearly. I have been continuing to unpack and repack, unpack and repack some more, and as you can see I'm still working on it. I emptied out my storage unit completely and decided I was going to consolidate everything I have and minimize my possessions down to only the things that I absolutely cannot live without. Thats been quite the feat given I had enough to fill an entire one bedroom apartment.

This has probably been one of the most intense emotional and spiritual journeys I have ever been on. Its hard to believe I made the decision to give up everything I have and move across the world only 2 1/2 months ago. Everything has changed since then. This is by far the biggest leap of faith I have ever taken and I am trusting that the Lord is going to be waiting on the other side with great things in store for the future.

I didn't realize how hard it would be to uproot and say goodbye to my family and friends. If any of you know me well, traveling is very much a part of my personality and lifestyle but there's something different about it this time and somehow that has made things harder. But I know that God is good and that He is doing something amazing here and the journey I am about to embark on is going to be one of the most life changing experiences I have ever had.

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

So as of now, only 5 days remain before I get on an airplane and fly across the world! My main focus is to finish packing and finalize what will be coming with me to Australia. Also and more importantly, to spend time with my family and friends before I go. Please keep me in your prayers as I finish up this last week in the States. Thank you all for your love and support!

A Dollar A Day Keeps Jasmine Away!

The countdown has officially started!

Only 28 more days til I leave American soil and head over to the beautiful land of Australia!

When I arrive in Australia, I will be working on staff with Youth With A Mission, Gold Coast. I will be working on a strictly volunteer basis with no paid salary. I will be living on the support of those who believe in me and the work that God is doing out in Australia.

I am looking for 30 people to support me at $30 a month for the time I am there. That comes down to only $1 a day! We all know the old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!" Well instead of apples, I am asking for one dollar bills! :) If I am able to find 30 people who are willing to support me, I will be fully funded to do the work I feel that God is calling me to do in Australia.

Often times it seems that many people would love to be able to go out into the world and spread the love of God but because of circumstances such as jobs, mortgages, kids, etc. they are not able to. You can still be a part of spreading the love of God by sending some one else to do the work. Please team with me for this incredible journey that the Lord has placed me on to spread His love across the globe.

If you would like to give, there is a donate button on the right side of this page that will take you directly to my paypal account. If you would like a tax deductible receipt for your gift, you can mail in your donation to:

Florida Student Ministries

7556 Salisbury Road

Jacksonville, FL 32256

Memo line: Australia

If you would like to know more about YWAM I encourage you to check it out:

www.ywamgc.com.au

Remember, A Dollar A Day Keeps Jasmine Away!! :)

Thank you so much for all of your love and support!

Back on the Map

Hey Everyone!

I started this blog about two years ago when I was preparing to go to Australia. I swore then that I would keep up with it and make sure that I kept everyone updated with what was going on in my life. As you can see by my measly two posts, I did really well with that.

Just as an update to my life these last couple of years, I returned from Australia in March of 2010 forever changed. I got a job in Maryland working at summer camp for 3 1/2 months working with 3-6th graders which I absolutely adored. I then came back to Florida and spent precious time with family and friends, and worked as an interpreter. I've had some amazing opportunities to travel with my work, see some gorgeous places and meet inspiring people.

The latest update I have to give is that I have decided to return to Australia to work with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). This is the same organization that I went to Australia with the first time. I originally went to Australia as a student to a DTS (Discipleship Training School), this time I will be returning as staff!

The plan is to be there for up to a year and during that time I will be staffing DTS, working with students, doing local outreach in the community, doing an outreach to another country and helping out around the base. During my DTS we did a month long trip to Indonesia and it was life-changing. This time around I would have the opportunity to help lead a team to another country, what an awesome experience!

At this point, I have done everything I know to do to prepare for this long trip overseas. I have sold my car, gotten rid of all my furniture, received my visa, bought the airline tickets and I am just about ready to go! I am looking forward to this amazing adventure I have ahead of me and I will definitely keep you updated!