It's hard to believe it was almost a month ago that we here in Alice Springs got a little bit country and had ourselves a bush dance. I've posted pictures, and I'm sorry they are in three separate posts I couldn't figure a different way to do it. So I'm going to go through them now and tell you what the pictures are of.
1. Three wonderful ladies from my home group and Sunday school ministry. Tanya, Sarah and Hannah.
2. This one is my dear friend Rael. She is a wonderful lady and she was having a good time dancing her heart out.
3. Mystery woman...
4.Tianni and Sammy two little girls from church.
5.The next one is in the next post window. It's Elise Maloney on the keyboard!
6.And Matt Maloney, youth pastor, husband of Elise and Caller for the bush dance.
7.Ben Hall fantastic drummer.
8.Rohan Barwick who played a fantastic variety of instruments that night.
The rest of the photos are of the dancers dancing! It was a great night and a fun fundraiser for the youth Easter camp which is happening this weekend. Easter Camp is a retreat a lot like our Fall Retreat. It gives the youth group a chance to get away for some serious time with God and each other. Please be praying for us this weekend.
There are quite a few youth coming who are not regulars at youth group so that's exciting and a challenge. I will be helping lead a small group of 12th grade girls. It's going to be a ton of fun and a great opportunity for the gospel to go forth. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks for praying and reading,
Shannon
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Grasshoppers!
So if you're not here in Alice Springs you may not be aware of the grasshopper influx that we have had in the past couple of weeks. After the rain incredible numbers of these little buggers popped up everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE!
Normally, I am not bothered by grasshoppers, but when they are in my laundry basket or in my kitchen or all along the halls at church they become somewhat annoying.
We aren't gardeners, but my friends who are have been having immense problems with everything in their gardens being eaten by these new guests in town.
The hoppers are also dying off everywhere. I don't know what the life span of a grasshopper is or how they decide where they will expire. It seems though, that there are a few favorite spots. One is on my back patio. I'm assuming they go out there to soak up some sun and wind up expiring due to the prolonged exposure. So, as I step out my door to hang my wet laundry on the line I have to step on the carcasses of at least fifty bugs. It's not a very pleasant experience. Another place they seem to die in masses is inside the main lobby at church. I guess there they come in while the doors are open on Sundays and they just never find their way out.
People have varying responses to these critters. Some are frightened by them. Some are indifferent and attempt to ignore them (me). And some have declared war on them. I watched a grown man, who appeared to be out on a walk, strategically stepping from grasshopper to grasshopper in a sort of twisted dance.
Every morning when I get out to my car there are a few grasshoppers sitting on the hood of my car. Usually, when it starts up they leap off as if to save their lives from the roaring beast. This morning though, there was a new breed of grasshopper on the hood of my car. If you've ever seen Mulan, picture the little grasshopper from that movie and you've got the image in your mind. Tiny, spring green, long antenna, tall springy legs. I chuckled as I pulled out onto the street thinking, "This guy won't last" But, as the car accelerated and the wind picked up, he just scrunched lower, closer to the hood of the car. Turns, stops, traffic circles, crosswinds, it didn't matter he just hung on.
Now, I'm sure that if we are realistic a grasshopper's mind doesn't think through the whole process of traveling but, as I watched him I thought, "What spirit he has! He's doing it!" And when I arrived at my destination I let up a little cheer for my green friend as he hopped off and went on his way. I felt like that little guy a bit this week. Just feeling the wind and the turns and wondering if I would be able to hang on but, it's nearly the end of the week and so far, I'm hanging on. Antenna flapping in the breeze, scrunched close to the hood of the car, I'm hanging on!
I hope you all are hanging on too and I'd love to hear from you this week and hear how y'all are doing.
Happy Reading!
Shannon
Normally, I am not bothered by grasshoppers, but when they are in my laundry basket or in my kitchen or all along the halls at church they become somewhat annoying.
We aren't gardeners, but my friends who are have been having immense problems with everything in their gardens being eaten by these new guests in town.
The hoppers are also dying off everywhere. I don't know what the life span of a grasshopper is or how they decide where they will expire. It seems though, that there are a few favorite spots. One is on my back patio. I'm assuming they go out there to soak up some sun and wind up expiring due to the prolonged exposure. So, as I step out my door to hang my wet laundry on the line I have to step on the carcasses of at least fifty bugs. It's not a very pleasant experience. Another place they seem to die in masses is inside the main lobby at church. I guess there they come in while the doors are open on Sundays and they just never find their way out.
People have varying responses to these critters. Some are frightened by them. Some are indifferent and attempt to ignore them (me). And some have declared war on them. I watched a grown man, who appeared to be out on a walk, strategically stepping from grasshopper to grasshopper in a sort of twisted dance.
Every morning when I get out to my car there are a few grasshoppers sitting on the hood of my car. Usually, when it starts up they leap off as if to save their lives from the roaring beast. This morning though, there was a new breed of grasshopper on the hood of my car. If you've ever seen Mulan, picture the little grasshopper from that movie and you've got the image in your mind. Tiny, spring green, long antenna, tall springy legs. I chuckled as I pulled out onto the street thinking, "This guy won't last" But, as the car accelerated and the wind picked up, he just scrunched lower, closer to the hood of the car. Turns, stops, traffic circles, crosswinds, it didn't matter he just hung on.
Now, I'm sure that if we are realistic a grasshopper's mind doesn't think through the whole process of traveling but, as I watched him I thought, "What spirit he has! He's doing it!" And when I arrived at my destination I let up a little cheer for my green friend as he hopped off and went on his way. I felt like that little guy a bit this week. Just feeling the wind and the turns and wondering if I would be able to hang on but, it's nearly the end of the week and so far, I'm hanging on. Antenna flapping in the breeze, scrunched close to the hood of the car, I'm hanging on!
I hope you all are hanging on too and I'd love to hear from you this week and hear how y'all are doing.
Happy Reading!
Shannon
Sunday, March 7, 2010
New Name Same Me
Well, it's been a little while since I've managed to get on here and write a post. Part of that has been my own laziness in not actually sitting down and doing it, but mostly it's been because I've actually gotten quite busy. Between two services on Sunday, skit writing, Ladies Bible Study, Home group, various appointments, funerals, Tiny Tunes, and all the home stuff it seems my days are filling up. Which, by the way, didn't stop me from agreeing to go play tennis tonight...I've never played tennis before...I have no clue what I'll be doing, but I'm going.
One of the new things I'm getting involved in is a Bible study group with the tribal people who attend church here. Most of the people who come to church here are from the Warlpiri tribe. The Warlpiri number between 3000-5000 total in the tribal group. I think the broadness of that number variation comes from Warlpiri who exist tribal back ground wise and Warlpiri who actually speak Warlpiri. Anyhow, there are several ladies who attend church here on Sundays and they decided they wanted to have a study during the week that was in Warlpiri. So, naturally I stepped up to facilitate that, since I'm so fluent in the language and culture. (that was sarcastic)
No really I was looking for ways to build relationships with these women and men who come to church and I heard that they were looking for a facilitator for their study so I volunteered to help with that. I think it's going to be great and we may be starting this week on Thursday. I'm not sure what will happen or how it will go so if you could keep me and the group (or mob to use the Aussie term) in your prayers that would be great.
In planning for this group and building into those relationships I've been spending more time with the ladies on Sunday mornings. Yesterday I went out to sit with them and Rachel, who is an elder here in the church and a really lovely Warlpiri lady, asked if I had a skin name. Skin names are vital for the Warlpiri because without a skin name there is no clear place for you in their society. So when I told Rachel I didn't have a skin name yet she gave me one. She actually gave me hers which means that she and I are sisters. I was really blown away at how simply she gave me one and how excited all the other ladies were when she told them I was Napaljari now. So now to the ladies I'm still Shannon but I'm Napaljari too, which is more important. Now when I talk to the ladies they can know how I fit into their cultural structure. It was a truly exhilarating moment for me, even if it was just a small thing for them.
So there you have it, another chapter, another name, same me. Well, almost the same me :)
Love you all,
Shannon Napaljari
One of the new things I'm getting involved in is a Bible study group with the tribal people who attend church here. Most of the people who come to church here are from the Warlpiri tribe. The Warlpiri number between 3000-5000 total in the tribal group. I think the broadness of that number variation comes from Warlpiri who exist tribal back ground wise and Warlpiri who actually speak Warlpiri. Anyhow, there are several ladies who attend church here on Sundays and they decided they wanted to have a study during the week that was in Warlpiri. So, naturally I stepped up to facilitate that, since I'm so fluent in the language and culture. (that was sarcastic)
No really I was looking for ways to build relationships with these women and men who come to church and I heard that they were looking for a facilitator for their study so I volunteered to help with that. I think it's going to be great and we may be starting this week on Thursday. I'm not sure what will happen or how it will go so if you could keep me and the group (or mob to use the Aussie term) in your prayers that would be great.
In planning for this group and building into those relationships I've been spending more time with the ladies on Sunday mornings. Yesterday I went out to sit with them and Rachel, who is an elder here in the church and a really lovely Warlpiri lady, asked if I had a skin name. Skin names are vital for the Warlpiri because without a skin name there is no clear place for you in their society. So when I told Rachel I didn't have a skin name yet she gave me one. She actually gave me hers which means that she and I are sisters. I was really blown away at how simply she gave me one and how excited all the other ladies were when she told them I was Napaljari now. So now to the ladies I'm still Shannon but I'm Napaljari too, which is more important. Now when I talk to the ladies they can know how I fit into their cultural structure. It was a truly exhilarating moment for me, even if it was just a small thing for them.
So there you have it, another chapter, another name, same me. Well, almost the same me :)
Love you all,
Shannon Napaljari
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