my diary

The last 4 weeks have gone different then we thought. Eric didn't go well on his flight training and so his instructor gave him 4 options. To resign from Maf or they resign him, or going back to NZ and pick up some more flying experience, or doing 5/10 hours extra flight training here.
But Eric really felt it was all too much, he was tired aswell and needed more flying experience hours. The 5 to 10 hours weren't enough he thought. He was thinking a lot, felt quite under pressure to choose one of those options.
For us it was hard too to see Eric like this.He wanted to be there for us, but at the same time I saw it was just too much for him to have the kids around. So much thinking and talking about it. But the really wise thing about it is that I found was: that he said: he needed rest, a break and that he took it. Because how he was, sooo tired, you can't think that possitive and make good discisions.
I really believed, going back to NZ wasn't an option. Because than I would not understand at all why God brought us here. I tried to explain my thoughts, but Eric couldn't hear them, he was so busy with his own strugles. This was hard for me. I had no one listening to me how I was feeling and thinking. One evening I had to go for a walk and find a quiet spot. So I cried it out to God and told Him everything. I also was dissapointed and angry towards Eric, that he couldn't listen to me. I prayed:O Lord, please send someone else on Eric's path to help and tell him and encourage him. Also He teached me a few things again: I had to forgive Eric and not feeling sorry for myself that no one was listening to me. And also to trust totally in the Lord. But also to support Eric in every discision he would make. I couldn't decide for him to go on with flying or not. So I had to trust in him that he would make the right discision. And also if it would have been gone back to NZ, I had to trust him.
God answered my prayer, to send someone else. The day after, he had a really good talk with his dad on the webcam. Straight after that conversation I noticed the difference.
The day after that, we had a barbeque with his flightinstructor and family. And again he had a good talk with him and good prayers from lots of people!! After the barbeque Eric decided to go on with flying, and well the next day already!!! What a turn around point this was, Victory, Praise the Lord!!
Eric have had 2 weeks more flying and it went really well, he even enjoyed it again. Maf has given green light to go for this coming week.
So we will be moving again, cleaning the house we're staying in. That's such a blessing too and what a timing!! The people are coming back on the day we have to be in Gove, Arnhemland.





This is our second week on our own(the kids and me). Eric had groundschool last week, lots of information and studying in the evening.
They told him:welcome in MAF also in regards to fill in so many forms.
Last week God teached me something about that.
We had to fill in Cencusforms, and I started complaining about these stupid forms and all the other forms.
 But it was like God said to me, I have called you to go and this is part of the mission too.
And so I had to change my attitude and just do it.
That evening I sat down and started filling in those forms.
And they weren't hard to fill in at all, and it was done quickly.
This week we're focussing on attitudes in our daily devotions
and we had the verse out of Phil 2:14-18; Do everything without complaining or arguing.
 So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,
in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold the word of life......
We started a contest to see who could go the longest without complaining and arguing for that day.
The winner gets a special price.
Everyone loves it so much that this is the 4th day now to do the contest. We start everyday a new one:)
Yesterday morning we were all tired already in the morning, because Ruben kept us awake.(theeting)
So we prayed especially for that and I told the kids that these are the moments Satan tries to attack us.
yesterday was a really busy day, because I had 2 more kids(3 and 5 years old) till 1pm.
Also kids homeschooling and thinking what to have for lunch because we didn't have that much anymore.
I found out that we still had enough to make pikelets, so Naomi decided she could make them. She did a
great job. I feed 7 kids and than we had another big job to do... weekly groceries. I rented a car from Tree Tops Lodge
and loaded it with 2 carseats a stroller and 5 kids and off we went to Smithfield shoppingcentre which is a 10 km drive.
I parked the car and took the stroller out and realised that I forgot my bag with everything in it. I had left it outside the
office at the TTL. I had to count to 10....and thought of the verse we were pondering over. I thought well this is not an
emmergency, stay calm and just go back and get it. So we did. Victory! Thank you God for this great lesson.

Yesterday was different.  I helped the kids with their schoolwork. Made muffins for lunch and made already the pizza dough and than found out that I didn't have cheese. I'm sure I bought yesterday a kilo of cheese. I think it felt out of the trolly. So had to change lunch idea to salad sandwiches. At 1pm I had organized Enjo demo. Their were 3 more ladies with their kids. I had to warn my kids sometimes and it was noisy. My ears are blocked so I had to concentrate really well on what the enjo lady was telling, it made me very tired and frustrated and so I  started picking on the kids,don't do this and why didn't you do the dishes, you know mum is busy....So I must be honest I
failed yesterday.

I know God will use these moments to refine me and to prepare me better and to instill in me more and more of his character.
I know today is another day we will start. Thank you Lord.

At the moment I'm in contact with Jubileecollege in Atherton. This is a school that do Ace correspondence. The rules are more strict
here in Ausie in regards to homeschooling. I will have to log everything the kids do. I think it's good to do it via them, they know
excactly how it works.
So we might go up there for a visit.
This week Eric has started flying. He is flying in a new aircraft. But  yesterday he had 3 times
 while he was taking off that  his chair went backwards and so he had to say to his instructor
please take over... they found out that they weren't the only ones, but it happened with others aswell. So it needed to be fixed by the engineers.
Eric loves the flying and it is going really well. Friday the 2nd of September is the last day. Than we will have 1 week off before going to Arnhemland. So we will have a little break, which will be really nice aswell.
Cairns is a beautiful place. We went already a few times to Muddy's playground and the Lagoon where you can have a free swim. The kids love it and so do we.

Also we have been to Green Island and saw the beauty of the underwaterworld by snorkeling and a glassbottomboat.
I went snorkeling with Aron and we loved it. But then we saw a stingray really close by and Aron didn't like to carry on so I took him hand in hand somewhere else and suddenly he got a fright, because there was someone in front of us, and Aron thought it was a huge fish. We laughed and laughed together when we came above the water.

The kids are doing really well, although they are missing their friends more and more. And we haven't found older kids yet.
So a few more weeks and than they can connect with kids in Arnhemland. Pray that we will get into the right place. Yesterday we heard that we will be in Nulungbuy instead of Yirkala. So it's not sure. God knows the best and we have to leave these
things up to Him.