Bringing in the New Year. Hooray 2010!

I made it to 2010! My entrance into the new decade was wild... I spent several hours in a prayer room on base with some friends talking about theology, and other crazy ideas that we have learned as a team throughout our lectures. We were so engaged in conversation that we didn't even notice the clock hit midnight! Wild huh? Well to celebrate, I decided to go back to my flat, and wake Jason up (notice I had to "wake" Jason up? He's getting old...) Anyways, I walked into his dark room, found his bed, and in perfect unison... I yelled "Happy New Yeeeaaarrr" while raising my arm to slap him in the chest! Well, I did indeed slap him, but since it was dark, I may have missed. Let's just say that he curled into the fetal position and let out a moan. I'm sorry Jason. But that's what you get for not making it to midnight.

One year ago, I spent New Year's eve with Jimmy in San Jose. We sipped a fine beverage, and smoked a fine cigar. I knew I had a lot to look forward to in the year 2009. But I really never imaged that I would spend the next New Year's eve in a Ywam room in Australia! During 2009, I experienced some great things. I graduated from the University of Colorado with a Mechanical Engineering degree, which was a huge personal accomplishment. Also, I got to work at a fantastic summer camp in Estes Park, serving as a sports coordinator. I met incredible people had made great memories. Then, Jason and I embarked on the greatest adventure of our lives to date. We packed our bags in faith, and traveled here to Australia. Our time has been everything we could have ever hoped for; full of adventure, learning and experiences that will never be taken away! I'm so thankful to be here.

Now I look forward to 2010. I feel confident more great things are on the horizon! I'm really looking forward to the outreach phase of my DTS. Our team will travel down the coast of Australia to Canberra to listen to Loren Cunningham speak. Then, we will travel to Sydney, New Castle, and other larger cities to promote the Ship Tour (http://www.ywamships.org/), hang out with youth groups, speak at churches, and evangelize to the city. Should be epic! I'm also looking forward to returning to Colorado in March; this time with more passion and purpose than ever before. I'm especially looking forward to getting a rock climbing membership, playing indoor soccer, and possibly getting a few snowboarding trips in! Oh, and getting a job too.

I'm excited for the new year. I think Jason is too... despite the rude awakening that I gave him last night. Much Love

Song Recommendations from Matt

Here are a couple of amazing worship songs that I suggest you purchase on iTunes, or watch on YouTube:

1. Your Love Never Changes by Jesus Culture
2. Let Heaven Shout by Kristene Mueller.

Both are so good, and if you knew what was good for you, you would download both of these immediately. Also, I just uploaded 90 pictures from my PNG trip onto Facebook. Check 'em out! Much Love.

Photos!!!

Hey Everybody!!

I have a Christmas Gift for you!! If you want to see my favorite 82 Pictures from PNG!!

Click the Link below, and then click the button in the bottom left side that says slideshow and enjoy!

http://gallery.me.com/jason.phillips#100180

Enjoy and Merry Christmas to you all! Love you and miss you!

Jason

PNG, Stay Left Right Turns, and 90 degree White Xmas

Hokay!

So gather around boys and girls for Jason's Story time. I have much to tell, and seeing that its five days until Christmas there is no better time to get a cup of Wassel (Shout out to Palmer Lake) and read some PNG, Ausie stories!

First things first. PNG. It's hard to put into words. But using the best word invented, and to make my Uncle Lars proud, it was AWESOME! Flying into Geroka, I was looking out the window of our tiny little plane, and my mouth dropped! Holy crap I thought to myself this place is so freaking pretty! We landed the plane, and after getting out and picking our bags up at baggage claim, which was a big table on the side of the run way, I looked around, the air was fresh, crisp, it was cool, everything was green, giant pine trees! Tears filled my eyes as I said, "God this is where I belong!" And that was just the first ten Minutes!

Our three weeks was really encouraging, we spent a lot of time in small little villages, that had no running water, or electricity, we would sleep in the typical, Highland Round hut, which are big circular huts, with a fire pit in the middle. Every village we went to went above and beyond with welcoming us. There was lots of dancing, and singing, and feasting. It was so special! The people of PNG are so beautiful, have such wonderful hearts! The message I found myself saying over and over again, was how special all of them were, and how much they have to offer not only the people around them but the entire world! Telling them there was something incredibly special about their country and them as a people!

There were so many moments throughout the three weeks, that I turned to my team and said, oh my gosh I feel like I'm in the middle of a movie right now! Haha one village we walked to had an actual real life tree house! How cool is that, we all kept saying, um are we in Never Never land! Where is Peter Pan? Or Froto from the Lord of the rings?

Because the Land is so fertile in PNG the people, aren't starving, which is great. However they are still incredibly poor. There is major needs for education and health care within the country, which made us excited about the efforts kicking off with the Australia PNG ship tour! Because thats a huge focus.

Overall the trip was extremely humbling, encouraging, and so special. My team did amazing and I really felt like I grew a ton during the time!

Being back in Australia has been good, Matt and I have really been missing Colorado for Christmas, we had a strange experience last weekend, when we went down to the beach. The city put on a huge Christmas Carol event, so here Matt and I are showering on the beach, the ocean on one side, Palm trees above, with 10,000 people singing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" It was a bit strange.

As Matt mentioned the two of us got our sweet Australian Drivers License. My first drive was a bit terrifying, I was as Matt said, thrown to the wolves for my first right turn. Lets just say, with the shifting being with the opposite hand, turing the windshield whippers on full blast instead of the turn signal, and having to take a right turn while driving on the left side of the road, ended up with me, driving on the wrong side of the road!!! My driving instructor Whato calmly said, woah woah woah, and I veered back over into my lane. Haha but all is safe, and I am becoming much more comfortable driving on the opposite side. Just have to keep remembering to stay wide on the right turns!

Other than that, it's hot, like really hot, like 93 degrees with awful humidity hot. Born and raised in Colorado Jason Phillips is starting to get a bit kooky with no snow and cool weather, and Christmas stuff everywhere. All that to say keep soaking up the cold, drink some delicious chai or coffee for me!

I have so much more to say and tell, but that'll do for now! Hopefully everyone is doing great! I miss all of you! So much! Life is great, and as I said in previous blogs, my time here has been so good for me, Matt and I know we are suppose to be here and learning so much!

Oh and I'm working on pictures!! They should be up soon, and I'll let you all know ASAP!

Merry Merry Christmas!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE to you all!

Aussie Driver's License

Here is a picture of my sweet Aussie driver's license. Jason and I both got our licenses so that we can help drive our team vans down the coast of Australia in just 1 month for the second part of our YWAM outreach. 2500 Km. 43 teammates. 4 team vans. 3 days of driving from Townsville to Canberra. Should be a blast! Now I just need to learn how to drive on the left side of the road and get used to the drivers seat being on the right. Ask Jason how is first Aussie "right turn" worked out... LOL!

Matt's PNG Recap!

It's been just under a week since returning from Papua New Guinea (PNG). On one hand, I miss spending time with my teammates and experiencing some pretty crazy cultures. But then again, it sure is nice to return to our base at Reef to Outback for the Christmas season. It's not quite like being home for the Holidays, but it will do!

My team of 10 had a terrific time in PNG. We spent one week in a village called Bereina (a 5-hr truck drive from the nation's capital, Port Moresby) where we stayed at a Pastor's house and connected great with the community. The picture above is of me playing guitar with some friends in Bereina. Our typical day consisted of walking or driving to different areas within the village and developing relationships with the people. Sometimes we would visit schools, other times we would the local hospital. By the evening, our team would prepare a "program" and present it to the village. Each program usually had testimonies, funny skits, serious dramas, worship, and a gospel message tied together. Sometimes our programs were lighthearted, and other times they were very powerful. But regardless, the PNG people were always sooo thankful for our presence. They truly are beautiful people. Below is a picture of me and Jess leading worship at a Saturday morning market in Bereina.

After our time in Bereina, we traveled to Hisiu village, a nice coconut village located right on the ocean! At Hisiu, we had a never-ending supply of coconuts and seafood. Again, the people treated us like royalty. Every meal was provided, although my stomach couldn't handle seafood by the end of the trip. We even had a formal tribal dance with all the people in the village on the last night! The elders of the community sang "prophet songs" (honoring the prophets of the Old Testament) and the younger community dressed up in grass skirts, face-paint, and flower crowns and taught us some ceremonial dances. It was probably the craziest and most bizarre night of my entire life! At one point, a man came up to me and pulled out a a small bag filled with a white, powdery substance. I thought, "Oh No! We are about to take drugs together!" But to my relief, it was only baby powder, and he wiped it on my face for some reason that I never discovered... Anyways, I couldn't help but laugh out loud several times that night and think to myself, "What am I doing with my life!" Below is a picture of our team that night.

By the end of the trip, our team ministered to over 5,000 Papua New Guineans, and saw about 100 dedicate (or re-dedicate) their lives to Christ! But even more special was the connections we developed, and the people that we got to pray for. At the end of our time in both villages, lines of people would come shake our hands, and most woman would be crying. One lady even commended our team for doing our dishes after every meal! She said that a common stereotype among the PNG people is that white people don't know how to do dishes... Um you can insert your own funny comment here...

This missions trip was unlike any I had ever been on! But as I mentioned, it's wonderful to be back "home" to our Reef to Outback base. I have to hand it to the staff here, because they know how to celebrate Christmas. We have a party every other night it seems like! This is very good, because I'm starting to miss family/friends right now more than ever. Love you all!

-matt