NTE 2005 - Saturday 10 Dec
Saturday was a less full-on day. We had community markets set up on the church grounds through the day, and a stall outside Ashfield mall selling girly things. A few of the team manned each place from 9-3.
I was at the markets in the morning. By the time I got there, Larissa was deeply involved in a conversation with a dude questioning Christianity. Face painting and balloon sculpting was going. I joined in the festivities, and the kids activities were used to invite kids and parents to the Narnia kids club that was still going on in the afternoon. The kids loved the face painting and balloon animals, although one cried when the swan made for her popped. I made another one but that fell on the ground and was popped by the blades of grass as well. Plenty of kids were lining up for the face painting and balloons, confounded by the fact that every kid wanted at least 2 balloons.
After a hurried lunch, it was off to the stall at Ashfield mall. We had plenty of people manning the stall so a few of us stood around nearby and handed out more Christmas quizzes. I was greatly encouraged and challeneged by Marty’s knack for getting into good conversations with people - his genuinely friendly nature no doubt helps. When the quizzes ran out, Rachel took the initiative and started handing out flyers for the Christmas events that St John’s was having in the next few weeks. Seeing her uninhibited love for people and her will to serve was also greatly encouraging.
We finally went to EasyWay after the stall at the mall closed at 3. Dee had her first pearl milk tea and was inducted into the Asian fraternity.
A lazy late-afternoon break followed, where cards for staffworkers were signed. Then came a team debrief, prayer, more bludging around, and then another nice BBQ dinner. This relaxing time was followed by music supplied by the piano and our resident maestro Jonathan sight-reading off scores of classic Christian songs like Beautiful Saviour. Another taste of Heaven, I guess - God’s people coming together in such harmony singing praises to him. A screening of the movie Sahara followed, thanks to a data projector and a few laptops. Apparently possums chew through laptop power cables, which is concerning.