Mick - OSS

So its out there… About 3 weeks ago I hurt my leg! Well not that i did anything to my leg it just kinda did itself! I am not quite sure how it happened but some how it ended up infected… I first thought it was a small pulled calf muscle and so iced it and rested it over the weekend and then went to work on Monday on the train and gradually it swelled up over the course of the day until it was very tight against the Jeans (roughly doubled from its normal size). I got back to Bendigo and after some persuading from family members and by fellow NCYC and CTM staff went up to the Bendigo Emergency department to have it looked at.

Was quickly ushered into the emergency ward by staff and was very quickly seen to by some lovely nurses (hope my girlfriend isn’t reading this). After half an hour of some worried looks from doctors and parents a Surgeon came in and gave me a local anesthetic which was meant to relieve the pain… apparently this doesn’t work when you have an infection… they only told me this while the surgeon was cutting my leg and then sticking his finger in my leg to help drain the fluid. So following that there were some lovely teeth marks implanted into the safety bars on the hospital bed.

Following having my leg cut up I was then kept in observation for two nights… and since then have had nurses visiting my house 2 a day, then once a day then twice a week.

The hole in my leg was originally 5-6 cm deep and the size of a 10 cent coin. It is now healing very well and down to about 1cm deep and the size of a 7.5 cent coin (if Australia had one)

The picture below is quite graphic and is of the hole! Those who don’t like gross stuff don’t look!!

(Hope your happy now Russell!!)

Over the weekend just gone (13-16 July) I attended the School of Discipleship Canberra and took Norm & NCYC along for the roadtrip! They saw some sights and did some touristy things!

Click on the Titles to view the pictures!!

NCYC & Norm with the Converge team before they leave for Canberra

Playing on train at Numurkah in Victoria

And around the train!!

Outside the Ettamogah Pub near Albury NSW - Nothing consumed!!

Playing “Battleships” at Holbrook - Not quite a yellow submarine but close!!

“There’s an old fashioned track…” Norm Loved Gundagai!

Being true blue Aussie boys, NCYC & Norm took time to visit Cootamundra - Birthplace of ‘The Don’ (Don Bradman)

Yay! They made it to Canberra! Both enjoyed the view with their friend Mick

Visiting the War memorial

Visiting Captain Cook Memorial Jet

Having fun at Questacon with Kim

Having fun at Questacon with Mick

Looking at the Library

Outside Old Parliament House

Outside new Parliament House

Waving bye bye with Kim

Waving with Mick

We have had reports that the Converge logo has been sited overseas! Paris of all places! So i guess this is the time to say send us your photos!! we have a group on Flickr Just look for NCYC in the groups and add it and upload your NCYC photos new or old!!

So I wonder where else we might see the Converge logo over the coming 18 months

Face up to poverty is Australia’s biggest photo petition…. a fairly new concept! Take a picture of yourself with the words Make Poverty History showing and then upload on the Photo Petition website. You need to save the file as firstnamelastnamepostcode i.e mickdobson3550 or you can even MMS your photo into 044733FACE This petition is taking people by storm, entire churches, service clubs and sports clubs are sending in images, to say yes to making poverty history! The aim is to have 70 000 people “sign” the petition…  Stay tuned to see our photos!!

Stephen, who the order is named after was one of the first Deacons of the early church. He along with 6 others were appointed to do some of the work that the disciples didn’t have time for, such as working with the poor and the widows.  Read about him in Acts chapter 6
Last week I had a workshop with 2 of the other 3 Vic/Tas candidates for the order. This was a day where we discussed what the order is, and where it comes from. We also looked at the vows that we take as a candidate and what they mean.

Here is the proof!! It was surprisingly yummy, goes well with cookies & cream ice cream too! And according to someone C&C ice cream is nice when melted and drunk!!

So last week I found out what being an OSS is all about! I printed and folded and stuffed and addressed and stamped (with an ink stamp) 779 Envelopes! Not that I was counting! Could have been worse I suppose! Might have needed to use normal stamps and had to lick the stamps and envelopes!!… Somehow I can see a Simpsons episode, Benny Hill or Monty Python sketch in that. But thats not the only thing with the Management meetings and other meetings I am starting to become a bit of an expert on Pizza orders, but tonight is the big one… Tonight we try the Nutella Pizza!! Thats right a pizza base smothered in Nutella and chocolate flakes.. some yummy ice cream will be involved too!! So stay tuned to find out if the pizza is as good as it sounds!!

NCYC needs you!! We need people to fill in the registration page so we can start building up the teams who will help organise NCYC so, if you are someone with skills then sign up… Even if you don’t have skills sign up!! Invite other people to sign up!! If the area you want to do isn’t there email us!!

Hey everybody!

My names Michael or Mick depending on what sort of mood you are in and I am the Order of St Stephen person working in the NCYC office for the next 12 months.

The idea of this blog is to share some of my experience of the year in the order!

I come from Bendigo which is in Central Victoria about an hour and a half out of Melbourne. Perth 07 was my 5th NCYC and it was there that I learnt about the order and following that I applied. So here I am!! I was commissioned yesterday (Sunday 22/04) so I guess there is no turning back now!! It was a great service with lots of friends and family and was in my home church Forest St. in Bendigo.

So i will be the person who answers the phone to you and possibly try and answer your questions so I look forward to getting lots of quiries about NCYC 09!!

So to get onto me call 03 9340 8810 or email mick@ncyc.org.au

Till next time…

Mick

Mick@NCYC Coming ASAP…