Bob's posts with tag: sydney
 Four ways that a person who is not a pro tennis player in an actual tournament gets in to the area where the players relax and prepare for matches. 1. Be a former Champion of the tournament. 2. Be a guest of a player playing or guest of a former champion. 3. Coach a player. 4. Tournament guest VIP.  I really respect that a player playing has achieved the designation of worlds top level. Certainly such a player is special and should be treated as such. As a Pastor and a friend working with numerous players, I really am so thankful to God for that opportunity to help. God also allows a Pastor to be respected and assisted. Please contact me if you are a player, former champion or an administrator would like to assist in any way for the French, Queens, Wimbledon, US, Hopman Cup, Sydney and Australian.
 The Sydney staff at the tournament were very nice and friendly to me and the players. This tournament helped me to realize that events outside the Grand Slams events are good places to have a relaxing atmosphere to meet the players without the agents or equipment sponsors around vying for the player’s attention. In addition, I began the process of working with the local church in Sydney for assistance at future events.
In Melbourne, I watched the qualifying event and practices over a two day period as I waited for my credential request from a world number one doubles team and another former world number one doubles player. It is always nice to hear someone yell out from the court 'Hey, Pastor Bob', knowing that they are beginning to put their spiritual concerns first in their life. By the way, 10 hours in the intensive sun of Australia has cracked and sunburned my lips. Next year I am applying lots of sun block to my lips.
The main things that I deal with are 1. Serious counseling issues on life-threatening diseases and viruses, cancer, divorce, adultery and family issues. 2. Navigating the way with various organizations support for future Grand Slams tournaments. Read more on this at the Daily Verse blog.
 I was the guest of a player in a Hong Kong exhibition January 3rd, that I first met as a 15 year old junior. She went on to become the number two junior singles player and now has made the transition to the women's pro tour. The family,originally from eastern Europe, and I have known each other for sometime. I was able to spend time with four players that I know that day.
Flying out on Friday with a tour around Perth, Australia the next day, including the complex where the Hopman Cup tennis tournament had just finished (I am scouting for future trips). A really lovely city and most agreeable to my own personality, laid back. Sunday and Monday meetings with Pastor Margaret Court (read her testimony), her husband Barry and the staff of the church Victory Life Centre, that Margaret and Barry started. Four services are conducted weekly. with attendance at around 2000. The membership is very active in community outreach including a food bank that distributes 5 tons of food weekly to those in need and in addition addiction and family counseling and a Bible training school that is accredited by the Australian government. Margaret's father in law had his funeral January 4th in Perth and as a former Premier of the State, he had a National funeral. It was an interesting time to arrive and hear Barry speak on Sunday of his Father and Margaret speak on the Sir Charles Court's deep spiritual life. It is great for me to see what God can do in and through a player.
A short flight of about 5 hours over to Sydney on Tuesday. I am staying with a youth Pastor of the Anglican church and his family. Players are very supportive with access to the tournament. More than 20 players have emailed me since I left Hong Kong a few days ago in response to me sending them a personal message the week before. I will go on site from 8am to late evening for the next two days (I am scouting it out for future trips and visiting players) before I head off to the next stop on the tour, Melbourne. More later...
PS: you might want to check out the other web blog "The Daily Verse" and read my newest posting "The Vice of Gambling"
 How do I consider an Australian trip. A holiday? A vacation? A work trip? A ministry trip? I will let you decide!
HINT: You might want to check my Daily Verse blog and see if it fits the criteria for our own standards.
January 3rd: Leaving Hong Kong for an overnight flight, economy class to Perth (a city I have never been to). Nothing like a trying to sleep sitting straight up surrounded by the bare feet of others. I will try and go to the Hopman Cup that day to meet a few players. I am hosted by a family (I am meeting for the first time) arranged by Pastor Margaret Court. (The Grand Slam champion and a friend). A few days with Margaret, her husband Barry and meeting others for the first time from her church. January 8th: Leaving Perth for Sydney (a city I have never been to) staying with a family (a family that I am meeting for the first time). The next day going to a tournament site at the Olympic Park Tennis Centre (I have never been here either) having no idea how to take public transport there. Meeting with a tennis official (that I have never met before) sometime that day. Then a few days with the players ministering (I have met all of them).
January 11th: Leave Sydney for Melbourne (my sixth trip there, I think?) Staying with a family (my third year staying there) and then over to the Australian Open tournament site (www.australianopen.com). I usually get to the tournament site around 10am and the latest I can remember watching a match with a player I was working with was 4am (He lost in a tough five setter). The temperature can range from 40C or 104F to 4C or 40F even in a 5 minutes span under clear skies (really that happened) or it can be 40C all day and night; I keep telling players that the weather has something to do with God even though I am often asked to intervene. (Faith, prayer is my limit).
January 29: Leave Melbourne at midnight then crossing three time zones with arrival at the airport in Hong Kong at 6am; then 90 minutes later after a bus ride I am greeted at home by my wife and two bouncing toddlers who have been sleeping soundly through the night. Glad to be home!
 From November 1st to December 27th each year, is the time that I really look forward to. I am able to not travel and work on replying to letters, planning the goals for the next year, adding new sections to the ministry websites, finding a quite place for prayer and meditation and reading a good book or two.
Oh what happens after December 27th then.... 28th to January 2nd - great relaxing family time for the holiday season. January 3rd onwards I hit the road with my feet running first to Perth, then Sydney and then Melbourne...all in Australia...for ministry.
Wish you could come along with me, but not being able to...I would consider it an honor if you will join me through my blogs of the journey.
The progress report: 1. I have not replied to all the emails but made good progress. 2. I have a good idea on where to go with projects and goals for 2008. 3. I have added three blogs. 4. I have spent a good amount of time in prayer and read a few new books.
This week, I have set aside the entire week to write personal notes and telephone various pro touring players that I have contact with. So your prayers would be appreciated.
 Spent the better part of this week planning my trips up to July 1, 2008. Called and made flight reservations to three cities for tournaments in Australia (Perth, Sydney and Melbourne), covering January to February and then a short trip for me to three cities in the USA -- Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Saint Louis, Missouri and Bloomington, Illinois covering late February to March. The wisdom in traveling from my home in Hong Kong is to call the travel agent 3-4 months before looking to get the best price and maybe a confirmed seat. Seems like all is go on these trips. The most amazing part of the Europe trip in May to Paris and London is looking out the window of the Oasis Hong Kong Airlines plane and seeing the remoteness and flatness of the Gobi Desert in China rising up to meet the highest snow covered peaks in the world of the Himalayan mountain range. That is as far as I could see into the horizon for over a period of three hours. A remote and amazing world that we live in!
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