Future Plans

So its been awhile since I have written a blog so I thought I should update everyone on our future plans. Most of you know but we had our beautiful baby boy Giovanni John Sorcigli born on June 2nd at 8:36 am. The birth went pretty smooth and we had a great experience having a child abroad. We have been very blessed here in Australia and are very happy that we had the chance to come here. We are thankful for all the help we have had here as well. The church has had a successful start and will continue to grow. With that being said we still have not found a way to get a working visa. So on June 29th we fly to LAX and stay with my family for a week. We will then settle in Virginia for awhile. We are very excited to be near family and are also excited to see what God has in store for us there.

Hope

This month has been a series of hope changing events that seemed to surprise Denielle and I. For me, I felt like I had to question this hope. Because I think we all have moments in our lives where we feel hopeless or lost. What’s more is that we are here in another country almost a full days apart from family. I should probably define this hope for you, because it’s not the kind of hope I think we all have come to expect. I know when I usually think of hope, I think of all the gifts and blessings I want or even perhaps need in my life. I hope that I find a sponsor to hire me here in Australia. I hope that I get this visa and am able to work, continue my schooling, progress as a tattoo artist. I hope that we are able to stay here in Australia. This kind of hope is one I find myself thinking about. Yet, it is not this kind of hope I want to define. It is a not a granted wish kind of hope.

So what kind of hope is it? It is hard to define but through my stay here I came to some realization. That my hope now is far greater than what we could ever want or wish for. Because hope is never really predictable. It is more like a free-spirited dependence on a God that loves to fill our lives with unpredictable events. I know, I know - How can you be free-spirited in a sense and then have a dependence on something. Especially if that something is as immaterial as God! To be a free-spirit you must not have any attachments or dependence. You wander the world with no plans or ambitions. It reminds me of a French expression that proclaims “to wander aimlessly without a plan”. Isn’t this the epitome of a free-spirit? I think so. And there must be a good reason that the French hold this belief in such high esteem. I mean, doesn’t wandering aimlessly about the world without any plan sound remarkable? It does have a certain free-spirited ring to it.

While some people would embrace this freedom with joy, there are many others out there that will laugh at this idea. To some this is no more than a fool’s dream. It includes no ambition, no goals, and ultimately holds no purpose. I disagree. The fact is, to “wander aimlessly without a plan” is in and of itself a plan! Not just any plan, it is a masterful one that includes a great purpose. Doesn’t getting rid of your ambition warrant some kind of ambition or initiative? It’s sort of like putting all your ambitions, all of you wants, all of your dreams in a container and handing over that container to another. That is true freedom! Don’t think that money will provide freedom. Don’t think your career will provide freedom. Don’t think your dreams will provide freedom. “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free” (J.W. Goethe).

That is the purpose of the bible. To proclaim God’s plan, as unpredictable and aimless as it may seem. Understanding this purpose is like setting your compass in the right direction. Yes it may be wandering without a plan, but a least it’s in the right direction. It’s a plan in a sense that includes complete freedom. I think it sums up the amazing hope Denielle and I have. It’s not a whatever happens-happens kind of plan, but a joyous free-spirited kind of plan. It seeks out that which merits the love and unpredictable qualities of life and God. Some might say it’s a calling.

This trip to Australia was so much more than we could have dreamed. We are having an incredible time swimming in the ocean and traveling the Central Coast. We are enjoying every moment and spending our time soaking in the culture and the sun. Who wouldn’t want to stay in this wonderful country? Lord knows I would like to bury my toes in the sand and never leave these beaches. However this is what I assuredly want, and what I assuredly hope for is far greater and more importantly unpredictable than this. Who knows what may lie around the corner, it may just surprise me.

This month I will be searching for a sponsor. After a month of reading immigration and migration web-sites I came to a conclusion. I need to find a “sponsor” to stay in Australia. The chances are slim, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a chance. Although I have a tattoo shop willing to hire me, the sponsor needs to be on the approved “acceptable migrations employer” list in order for us to work and live in Australia. Basically, the job must relate to a specific profession. In this case, I will look for work as a motorcycle mechanic. This week I will visit a few motorcycle dealerships and ask for a sponsorship.

There is another option that may work, but requires a lot of financial support. This would include returning to school under the pre-tense of mechanical engineering. This would allow us to live and work here under temporary student status. However, this requires raising about six thousand dollars and would last us until February. And in our case, we are very financially ...there is really no other way to put it... broke.

We are calculating a budget that will carry us through till June. However, if we don’t find employment by then we have set our compass on heading back to Virginia. We are excited by whatever may come about of this stay here and are enjoying every moment we can together while we are here.

Denielle has another doctor’s appointment on Friday and we are anxiously awaiting the birth of our beautiful little baby. He is due in 26 days but she is hoping for an early birth. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare and she gives birth. We will continue to keep everyone updated and will post pictures of Giovanni as soon as he arrives.

The Voice of Adventure

Sorry I missed writing the blog last week as I anticipated, but Denielle and I have been very busy these past weeks. We have been spending the past weeks sorting out the question just what are we doing here in Australia? I know many of you are thinking it too. Just what are they doing there? We have been getting this questions from family, friends, and even the local Aussies. Many of you thought we made this decision out of imprudence or haste, but I can assure you it is decision made with careful consideration and thoughtfulness. In this respect, I’d like to share a quote from Max Lucado;

There is a rawness and a wonder to life... Your goal is not to live long; it's to live... Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe... Or you can hear the voice of adventure-God’s adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God’s impulses.

It is a remarkable thing to follow your heart. I can remember a time when my decisions in life were filled with fear and doubt. That if I could only have this career or that thing, my life would be complete. Complete in a sense without fears and doubts. It reminds me of a scene from that movie Jerry McGuire. When he finally finds that one person that completes him he goes rushing back to her and says that infamous line, “...you complete me”. He finally gets the career, the wife, and the money and the movie has a happy ending, because it’s just that-a movie. What did you expect? But what movies so often forget to recognize is that people will most likely fail you. People even as close as family members and friends will fail you. I have always wondered who I have let down in the past, perhaps even now. It is a difficult thing to be this far from family. So although it may be remarkable to follow your heart, it is difficult to let people down. I read something recently from Kierkegaard,

If anything threatens your identity you will not just be anxious but paralyzed with fear. If you lose your identity through the failings of someone else you will not be resentful, but locked into bitterness. If you lose it though your own failings, you will ...despise yourself as a failure as long as you live.

It was a bit harsh to read this. As it may not seem as extreme to some people, but to some it really is that severe. To be, “paralyzed with fear”. Isn’t that what a panic attack is about? When you’ve finally faced your failures or someone else failed you and now you’re lost. I don’t mean to sound bleak, it really is a message of hope. He goes on to say;

Only if your identity is built on God and his love... can you have a self that can venture anything, face anything.

This is fire in our hearts-God’s love. I don’t mean to sound cliche about this, but this is the one thing that is certain not to fail you and it certainly hasn’t failed us. If you get anything out of this weeks blog about Australia, I pray it is this hope. It is what stuck with me these past weeks as we continue to meet new friends and walk into new places and face new problems. I like to remember that while we all continue to face these failures, insecurities, and problems. It is to some great assurance that we can equip that kind of love-unfailing. This brings me to one more quote that has been with me this week. It may seem a bit out of context, but it is a great reminder about the kind of love that people have for one another and what hope that love can bring. It’s from Grace Lee Boggs a social worker helping to rebuild Detroit City,

We people are beginning to say the only way to survive is by taking care of one another...

It just brings to mind that Denielle and I could not survive purely on our own interests and efforts. As could others without our help. I always try to appreciate just how many people make our lives work. Right down to the person who bags our groceries or brings us our pizza. It is from the support and help from so many of you-those of you overseas and those of you here in Australia. It is because of you that we able to carry out the fire in our hearts. So keep us in your prayers and you know you are in ours.

This coming week: I will be applying to a University in hopes to get a work visa for both Denielle and I. As long as I remain enrolled in school we will be able to work here in Australia. I have already secured several jobs for myself. Davo from Voodoo Tattoo in Gosford is more than happy to have me work in his studio. Also, Image Motorsports in Wyoming was willing to hire me as well-as long as I have a work visa. I will be calling the U.S. Embassy General to try and score a grant to pay for the schooling, considering student loans don’t exist here. The enrollment begins in July and I will know more in the coming week.

Denielle will be filing applications for city funding of our “sausage sizzle” (or for you Americans “cook-out”). Every Saturday night we will be on the beach in Terrigal in hopes to reach peoples hearts. And there is no better way to a persons heart than through free food :) She is also working on writing the curriculum for the children's ministry which has been a bit of a challenge for her. The children will be all together for awhile till we grow, so she has to write for all age groups.

Weekend in Sydney

So this weekend was busy but it went really well. Friday morning we all went to the beach and Paul and Bryan tried to surf :) They didn't due to bad, I will post some pictures on facebook. Then we washed up and headed out to Sydney for dinner with some of Bryan's friends for his birthday. We stayed with Kristine and Paul a couple who attends a calvary chapel small group in sydney. On saturday morning we woke up and went to a local wildlife zoo, Paul and I had a good time. He really liked the wombat, it looks like a giant hamster :) Then we headed to Ikea to get a few things for the house. Ikea is one of my favorite places so i was pretty excited!!! After Ikea we went back to the house where we were staying and Paul and Kris cooked a great gluten free dinner for us. After dinner we went to Johns house for saturday night bible study. Tara led worship and Bryan played the drums, they did an amazing job!!!! The study was good as well. On sunday we got up and headed to calvary chapel Sydney where Bryan was teaching. It was a small church but everyone was very friendly, Bryan's sermon was great. Then Paul and I attempted to head back to the central coast. We got lost a few times to say the least :) Paul did an amazing job driving on the opposite side of the road shifting with the opposite hand and going through roundabouts. I have yet to try driving here and I might wait as long as i can before i attempt that kind of adventure. We made it home safe and we spent the rest of the afternoon putting together our ikea furniture :)

Our new stuff makes our little house feel like home. I am excited to start getting the baby room ready. I have 6 more weeks till Im full term I cant believe how fast it has gone. I feel like I am getting bigger and bigger. I am not sure how much bigger I can get :) We are also still trying to figure out our visa situation. We thought we could get a skilled migration visa but are finding out that that might not work for us. We are also looking into a sponsorship visa, but that would mean us job hunting and an Australian company paying for us to stay here and agreeing to hire Paul for at least 2 years. We know this is an option if its God's will He will provide!!! Another option would be a student visa, this visa would give us the ability to start working right away, but we would have to take out a student loan in order for Paul to go back to school. Its kind of alot for me to take in but again I know God is in control. We would really like to stay here but we are open to what ever God has for us. We had plans to meet with a migration lawyer tomorrow but we decided to cancel the appointment. He wanted us to pay $275 for an appointment just to get general information from us. So after some thought and prayer we decided to try this on our own. So please continue to pray that God will provide for us in whatever way that means and that we would be open to whatever He has for us :)

I will update more as we start to figure some stuff out. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and support.

Living in Australia

Living in Australia has been good so far :) Paul and I have just been trying to get settled in. We have spent some time making our house a home. We have a cute little 2 bedroom flat with a view of the beach. It has all wood floors and a little half kitchen. We just got a coach that turns into a bed so we now we just need some visitors :) We are getting ready to hold our first church service on April 10th. We rented a scout hall in the heart of terrigal so we are very excited. Bryan has been praying about what book of the bible to start teaching so we are with him in those prayers. I am in the process of writing some children's curriculum. I am also working on brushing up on my children's worship music. Paul and I have both been working on the brochures, business cards, and some flyers to pass out. In addition to sunday service we will also be having a cookout in terrigal outside the church every saturday night. So we are getting excited about meeting new people and starting this church. Paul is also getting ready to start some bible college classes to get a head start before the students come. Bryan and Tara have accepted 6 bible college students so we are just praying that the Lord will guide those students and provide for them. The baby is doing good in my belly :) We went for a swim in the ocean today so that was nice. Paul and I are trying to get used to the food and finding things to cook with my special diet. I have to be very careful about reading ingredients here because food is different as i have learned :) I bought some big bags of peanut m&m's because i can usually eat them in the states, but the m&m's here clearly say made with wheat which i didnt notice until i had eaten almost all of them. I was alittle sick today but I am feeling better now. Its just getting used to the difference. Paul made a REALLY good dinner tonight of gluten free chicken parmesan. Anyway all else is well and I will try and write as often as I can to keep everyone updated. Thanks for all your prayers.