Journal: Day one in cairns

Flew into cairns last night. Before I left, Greta (my girlfriend) gave me a photo album she compiled with one short note in each sleeve to be slid out and read each day. a wonderful way to keep in contact with a more personal touch than email or phone calls.

Reason one to fly with QANTAS: they didn't charge me for the excess weight in my luggage. Was really happy with this as i have packed heavy stuff like tramping boots, and took most of my wardrobe with me (emphasis being on lightweight clothing for the climate)

there was a baby about four rows ahead of me in the plane. it had a parent too, but the kid (about two years old) howled for duration of the flight. Not just depressurising on the ears as he started before we taxiied on the tarmac. I thank God that although 90mins of crying was bad, that i wasn't on the train to Cairns next to an unhappy child. Must have been hard on the parent if they were trying their best, and the kid was determined to make a fuss.

Settled into my unit ok. Nothing too flash. No comfy chair, so i'll proabbly pick one up at a camping supply store to lounge in on the evenings.

Was walking in to town to pick up some food and raid a takeaway for dinner, when almost directly next to my unit there was a baptist church (Cairns baptist, to give credit where due). The service was starting, so i dropped in. I figured that food I could have any day, but the need to connect to a local church for the period i was here was a more pressing need. Really good sermon on money, and not putting spin on it that you need to be giving the church wodge loads of it either. Practical stuff.

Started chatting with people after church, and was invited to dinner with a small horde (about a dozen or so). Some of the people cottoned on that i didn't know anyone in town, and made sure that i got an invite to a camping trip they were organising for the next weekend. I was deeply touched by that. I was a stranger among them, and i was made welcome. For me that was what i had hoped for. A family away from my home base family in Brisbane. I may not be able to go along, as i have only three weekends to do the tourist stuff while in town, but it was a measure that this church was one which was functioning as churches should.

It is one thing to head to the pub or movies with workmates, and another thing altogether to have strangers welcome you based on nothing more than a common faith and love of God.