And so it begins......


So there I was, sat in a coffee shop in Headington just minding my own business and enjoying a slightly overcooked croissant (it's Ox-foord darling), when the combination of The Lord and His agent Marty Woods grab me by the huutzpa and demand my attention.
"So essentially in 30 days you want me to leave the country and go to Tasmania for 6 months? And it's going to cost in the region of £3/4000 and I have approximately absolutely no pounds?"
"Yes basically."
"Ah well, just so long as we're clear - I'm in."

The mission

Should you choose to accept it is to go to a village called Poatina, in Tasmania by January 20th and undertake what we commonly know as C4 - and by commonly and we I don't mean plastic explosives. Whilst there you'll be put through a gruelling timetable of learning youth and community work with some of Australia's finest (and on this point for once my sarcasm is suspended), do battle with some of the most poisonous animals in the world (reinstated), and come back not only a different person but also a quasi Tasmanian. I gather you'll also be taking part in community running of the village (read: manual labour), conflict resolution and community living (apologising for the near death argument/chaos you just started), and an uncertain amount of psychology, sociology, mentoring and biblical study.
Ah yes, and for those of us in the know: memory verses.

The Problem


1 - I know nothing about Australia.
2 - I know nothing about visas, travel or insurance.
3 - I have no money.
4 - I have 30 days (which by the way include christmas) to get organised - a feat I haven't yet managed in my illustrious career of 23 years.
5 - I know nothing.

The Solution

After a week of weighing up what I want, thinking through what I have to do and praying like a frantic gibbon the following conclusion is reached:

I want to go.

I have some amazing friends who will support me no matter what I choose or where I go, I know people who can help me through the next 30 days, miracles occur and I just happen to know a little bit about the person who authors them. I'd be lying if I said I didn't think that God wants me to go and that other people hadn't said they agreed, and also if I didn't say that was the most important thing.

So What?

So someone offered to pay for a flight, an amazing couple offered me their love and support - and about £600 - my family gave me their blessing and support too, I got confused, scared, excited, overwhelmed, angry and weird, and then I decided to write this blog so that people can catch up with a little of what I'm doing. I expect it's also a touch of narcissism.
So if you happen to want to keep up to date with a little of my life and join me in this here craziness - take a look around.

Much love to you all