short and sweet

Google talk at 1AM and Skype at 9AM. Rachel now has internet connectivity, so we have heard from her. Met her friend "Nick" (or was it "Nate"?) from Washington State, and he danced the bugs bunny, we'll have to capture it for posterity ...



She's finding things expensive, (charged .20 "bag tax" at Target to have her things placed in a plastic bag) ... and so begins the slow bleed of her savings account. She seems to be having a blast, though it is winter there, so it is quite cool compared to NC.

She finds eating vegetarian not to be easy, but she says they oodles of bread each night. She's made friends with all kinds of folks, spoke French with a girl from Mozambique. Life is good!

Why is Rachel in Perth Australia?

OK, so you've been praying, and probably you asked yourself "What?" "Why is Rachel in Aussie-land?"

She is enrolled in a program with YWAM Perth (Youth With A Mission) in their MUSIC Discipleship Training School (DTS)

This is the "promo" for the program which starts THIS Sunday, July 3rd:



Well this guy Adam, is part of the reason Rachel was excited to go, (He's married, so NO that's not the reason). Adam's been emailing back and forth since Rachel first indicated interest in this program last Fall.



And of course, there's the "goofy" friends she'll make, here are some of the team members:

Music DTS Staff having a Laugh! from Samarah Musumeci on Vimeo.

We will have her back in our arms Christmas night at 11:32 PM when she arrives back in North Carolina.

The eaglet has landed ...

We got this at 2:56 PM EST:

I am officially in NZ. I am exhausted, but really excited to be getting to Perth (finally) I have about a 7 hour layover here, and am in desperate need of a shower. I can't find wifi so I am emailing from this little samsung kiosk and can barely type on this tiny keyboard. I love you guys, and will update you more later!

Love, Rachel

Destination Perth Australia

Click on a link below during the times (they are local to where they depart from) and you can see where Rachel's plane is.


Flight # Airport Dest Seats Dep Time
1766 RDU CLT 13E 06/29/2011 12:50 PM
1437 CLT LAX 4:35 PM 6:38 PM


NZ5 LAX AKL 41F 06/29/2011 8:15 PM
NZ175 AKL PER 19D 07/01/2011 2:25 PM


to track US Airways 1437 and has sent you the following flight link. Please click on the orange Find Flight button once the page is loaded.

USAir 1437

After the flight results are presented, click the blue "go" button to experience Live! for this flight.

-----------------------------------------------

LAX to AUCKLAND NZ: (leaves 11:15 EST June 29)
ANZ 5

(arrives June 30th 2:15 PM EST)

ACK NZ to PERTH Australia:(she'll arrive at 6:15 AM EST July 1)
ANZ 175

Musings

Aborigines, Yosef, Dominicans
Kangaroos, Mountain Lions, Sea Turtles
Outback, Western NC, Hispaniola

A child, a daughter, a woman, independent, strong, intelligent, beautiful.
Why should I worry?
I shouldn't, I musn't.
It is not my battle, it is not my life.
She has graduated from high school.
She has completed her first year in college.
She has worked her first job since college.
Her opinions forming, often quite formed, she shares them.
I know what she thinks, and it isn't expressed to necessarily please me.

Why would I worry? I won't, I can't. She walks her path, with direction and certitude. She could be in college with her high school peers. She could find a soul-mate with a much safer job. She could be locating herself closer to home.

She could be learning more, setting her course for a lifetime.
She will be learning more, perhaps more than if she were nearby.
We are but caretakers for such a short time. Attempt to impress upon them right from wrong and set them free.

Not too free, we don't want them to crash and burn. So I watch them spread their wings. Choices I may not have made for myself.
Prayer, it's really all I've got. Pray to God, that they walk righteously, that they choose Him over me. Please Him. Stay the course, and please Him.

I will not be afraid. They've made good choices, all three. They aren't choosing for me, they choose for themselves. The daddy in me, wants to scoop them up, keep them close. Here it comes, trust. Trust in the Lord, trust in my daughters. Trust they will consult Him who is in charge.

Spouses on the horizon. I know what I know, but what do I know? Would I choose differently? They know I would weigh in if I saw danger (that is outside the normal danger we all face just by living, that ever-present danger where one will experience the ups and downs of a life lived fully.) I just want them to live fully. I want them love wholly and do plenty of laughing.

I hope and pray that they will always feel safe to come home. Fly far away, experience much, but know that Mom and Poppy have a safe haven for you to return to.

Come back safely, having grown, having learned new skills. Make many new friends, meet new brothers and sisters, but come home to share what you have seen. I don't want to stop any of you from living Your life. Take many mental photographs and actual photos too. Post on facebook, so we can see what you see, be in awe of what is awesome to you and perhaps be jealous and wish we too could be there.

Represent us, whether in the mountains, by the sea or near koalas. Let them who meet you wonder where you hail from. Know that we love you. We are praying for you. We are proud of you.