E-BLAST - 30 OCTOBER 2016

Planning - 2017 young writers conference set for 12 August next year, Sunshine Coast - the 'planning team' met yesterday (28 Oct) at Alexandra Park Conference Centre - put together a super presentation. These 8 people came from the Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Gold Coast and Brisbane - commitment plus!
from the left
Russell Modlin (chair) Sunshine Coast, Wesley Tronson (Brisbane), Caitlyn Furler (Sunshine Coast), Kandima Awendila (Gold Coast - Mozambique), Jo Fuller (Cooroy), Cartia Moore (Sunshine Coast), Hadyn Lea (Ipswich), Rebecca Moore (Sunshine Coast).   

E-BLAST - 23 OCTOBER 2016

Cindy Cheng Beijing China is Christian, educated, is now one of our new international young writers. Cindy has been one of thousands of young people from around the world travelling Australia on a variety of different travel or work visas. She joined the Help Exchange (HelpX) program and providentially stayed with my brother and sister-in-law's small farm who frequently have HelpX members helping for a few weeks at a time. The visitors get lodging, food and stimulating conversation to help improve their English, in exchange for sharing in the farm duties.
International young writers: Mozambique, South Africa, England, Canada, USA, West Indies (Island States - Barbados, Jamaica .... ), China, Asia, Papua New Guinea and Kiwis' living in Aust .... 18 young people.       
  

E-BLAST - 16 OCTOBER 2016

Footplate Padre - one of Mark's portfolio ministries as a former train driver and an author of 16 books of driver's anecdotes. His ministry is featured in the Nov Newsletter in 2 weeks.
Photo - 2011 on a Footplate Padre visit with 48121, a loco type he drove on the Illawarra line in the early '70s on passenger trains between Woolongong and Sydney.
As an aside - 2016 young writer conf, 2 USA young writers knew the word "engineer" (US train driver) but never the "footplate" (walkway around the engine).

E-BLAST - 9 OCTOBER 2016

Junior art instruction  -  Mark providing an art tutoring session to his grand-daughter while the family was visiting for the school holidays.

The young writer Email on the 're-directions' for the Week Co-ordinators and Editor Editors received very positive responses. One young writer replied the 'weekend two day grace period' for articles is a good move.