JCI team return to Sydney

Today we did the big trip back from the West to the East. It was sad to say goodbye to our new friends in the Broome diocese. We left Kununurra airport in the morning with great memories of wonderful experiences and hopes to return again to the Kimberley one day. Three flights and lots of fun later, we arrived back in Sydney late in the night. The Cross and Icon flew from Kununurra too – we will meet up with them again when they fly in tomorrow morning.

As our time with the dioceses has now drawn to a close I’ve been thinking a bit about the amazing journey we’ve been on. One of the greatest things about the journey for me has been seeing the enthusiasm of the young people in so many of the towns, cities and communities where we have stopped. It’s been a real inspiration and often a surprise for me to witness in many of the youth of Australia a desire to connect with God and be part of the Church. Sometimes I saw this just in the curiosity of someone coming forward to watch a procession or touch the cross. Sometimes it was in the willingness of the youth to be involved and share their talents in the events; or in the questions of the young people and their stories of how they’d been touched by Jesus through the visit of the Cross and Icon to their place. It makes me feel so hopeful and reminds me that there’s so many of us on this journey together.

It’s also been such a privilege for me personally to have so many moments of encounter with God myself through the Cross and Icon and the team I’ve been travelling with. God has been teaching me about the beauty of His cross, the power of His resurrection and more and more about His love for me as I’ve been travelling with these amazing symbols of love over the past 5 months. For this I will always be grateful.

Now as we start our 15 day walk in a couple of days time, leading up to World Youth Day (17 days to go!), I’m sad to be saying goodbye to one part of our journey, but excited about what lies ahead – in WYD and beyond!

Janine