HI :)

Dear family and friends,

I am really sorry that my updates have been few and far between. I think about you all alot and wonder how everyone is doing... Mom says you all wonder about me too and that's why I really need to write more when I update this blog and write more frequently. So, .. yes - I'll keep trying. Sometimes there's so much happening here I'm just not sure what to say.

I'd love to hear updates from you too, about your lives.

The sausage sizzle fundraiser went really well. I'll have to check again on the exact figures and then I'll post how much we raised!

My school leaves in one month for Tanzania.

It's late here and I don't have much time for this update because the skype callI made to my family lasted for almost two hours! That is a good thing - it was wonderful to see them ( video ) and talk to my mom and sisters.

I'm going to bed now - Goodnight ( really goodmorning to most of you! )

Sincerely, and thanks for checking in.. come back soon, love...

Orissa

Sausage Sizzle with a mission...

G'day mates!

We, the Birth Attendants are standing at a sausage stand sizzling for a cause.. India, Tanzania & Philippines - those are the nations God is calling us to go to with our midwifery skills and serve.

My school is doing a fundraiser this weeekend. We're selling sausages and all the profit money is going towards the cost of our 8 month outreach. Pray for us this weekend. Pray for heaps of hungry sausage lovin' people to support us in our endeavor...

Picture to come soon.

If you've been waiting for an opportunity to support mission's work in developing nations, this is your day! Take this opportunity and don't let it go. You can give towards our outreach. Contact me to find out how.. orissamora@yahoo.com I'd love to talk to you!

Bless you heaps.

Sister Love.

Brave. This is someone whose servant heart has been a constant reminder to me of what love looks like the way Jesus loved. This is someone who will not just give someone a fish, she will teach them how to fish. She is loyal to the truth and values family. She speaks her mind and she's got a good mind. She really pays attention to people; she's observant and articulates those observations into words that have creative power to encourage actions. She's worth getting to know. Her opinion is important to me and I value her words because I trust her to speak the truth. She is becoming even more beautiful each day. This is someone who will go the extra mile. She'll get her hands dirty and get things done.

She is a natural born leader.

She is loved by God and she is fearfully and wonderfully made.

This is Marijah Erin Nitai Dasi, she is my sister.

We are separated by an ocean right now & I want her to know that my love is reaching out to her all the way from Australia!

Miji, I love you to bits, crumbs and pieces of apple pie,

Your big sister - Orissa the missionary.

August 4th

It was one year ago today that my friend Joshua Aaron went to be with Jesus. If I had to tell you in five words who Josh was;
I would say ... a man after God's heart.

Now on this very day one year later;
another good friend of mine, Christah Cato - has given birth to her first child!
A baby girl named Stella-Grace Adair.

Praise God "he makes all things beautiful in their time." Just wanted to post as I remember the life of a dear friend whose love changed my life and rejoice with another over the new life of her first baby girl! Life continues for Josh in heaven and one day we'll all be rejoicing forever!

I can't wait to meet you Stella-Grace. I love you heaps already.

Lovin' Jesus and people too,
Orissa

another late night..

I went to the doctor today after morning lectures and found out that I have an ear infection and a sinus infection. I am now taking antibiotics. But they don't help with the pain. If you want to you can pray for my ear and sinuses. Thanks.

I've been editing statistics and writing a research paper on Tanzania for the past few hours. My group is three people and we've all had our sick days -But we're making it with God's help and getting the work done. It's due tomorrow! PS> tomorrow night is evangelism - I am so excited because I shared with a man named Alex two weeks ago at the mall about God's love and now he is beginning to believe in God. I may get to see Alex again tomorrow night and talk to him more. I will post the whole story later.

and in class today we heard a few more birth stories. and watched a birth video.

G'night ya'll.

Second Month

These are my friends who are doing the Birth Attendant School with me and our staff.
Top left: Paula from NZ (staff) , Robyn from Australia (staff) , Priscilla from Canada, Kali from Texas, Katie from Wisconsin, Cara from Florida, Hyn Suk from South Korea, Bek (staff) , Taylar from Canada, Me from Louisiana, Synnove from Denmark. Second row from left: Melissa from Canada (staff) , Emily from England, Corinna from Germany, Darcy from the States but her home is now Perth.. she is our school leader, Fia from Canada, Marchien from the Netherlands, Alana from NZ, and sitting down in the pink and blue are Daphne from the US and Reinette who is from South Africa.

We found out that we are going to the Philippines, Tanzania and India. We are all very happy!!!!Midway through our outreach we are coming back to Perth for two week for YWAM's 50th anniversary and YWAM Perth's 25th anniversary. Loren and Darlene Cunningham will be here at our base.

Last week we had Leslie from the Philippines with us teaching us about antenatal care. On Friday our classroom was set up like a mock clinic; some of us were the "midwives" and some were "pregnant mom's". It's now the beginning of my second month being here in Australia. We will be taught about labor and delivery next week.

I've had a little cough and sore throat for over a week now and it's been going around - then last night it got worse and I was running a fever of 38.8 degrees celsius..
I slept most of the day and was drinking water and took something to reduce the fever which finally did come down at 2:30 this afternoon.
Right now the other girls are at a kangaroo park but Marchien and I are home because we're still a little weak from being sick and we both have homework to catch up on that is due tomorrow morning. Before I got really sick last night we had a dance at our base and my school performed a dance from the movie Slumdog Millionaire. One of the girls got a video of it and so I will try to post that video soon.

One of my good friends from home is due to deliver her first baby girl within the week! I so wish I could be with her. I am so excited!

Hingles I don't know if you read this blog, but thank you so much for the birthday package! That was so sweet! Mom, it was great to skype with you the other night!

I'm walking back home now with Marchien. We're going to study. Thanks for reading. Check back soon for more updates =)

- Orissa