The Picture Doesn't Tell the Full Story

February 3, 2004
by Rodney Olsen
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Click here to create your own visited country map

I’ve seen a few of these maps around and thought I might add one.

It makes it look like I’ve travelled through the US when the fact is that I spent a few hours at Honolulu airport in transit and then several more hours wandering around aiports in San Francisco and Salt Lake City on my way to Canada.

My overseas travelling is limited to a 10 day visit to Singapore in 1986, two weeks in Canada in 1992 and two weeks in India in February last year.



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Flat Stanley

February 3, 2004
by Rodney Olsen
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I’ve been feeling a little ‘flat’ for a couple of days. Not a ‘do myself harm’ kind of flat, just a ‘low level hmmm’ kind of flat.

While pondering this ‘flat spot’ I remembered the kids book Flat Stanley. I ran a quick google check and found that the author of Flat Stanley, Jeff Brown, passed away unexpectedly in December last year.

It’s kind of interesting, though, that the Flat Stanley book has created a very interesting project for students around the world. It seems that, as in the book, they post Flat Stanleys around the world and journal his experiences. It’s called the Flat Stanley Project.

Imagine that – I’m feeling yuck and yet I still manage to learn something interesting. maybe I should send a Flat Stanley on a trip.



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Friday Five

January 30, 2004
by Rodney Olsen
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This week’s Friday Five.

You have just won one million dollars:

1. Who do you call first?

My wife.

2. What is the first thing you buy for yourself?

An Italian bicycle.

3. What is the first thing you buy for someone else?

A new car for my wife.

4. Do you give any away? If yes, to whom?

Yes. Family, friends, church and a few selected ministries.

5. Do you invest any? If so, how?

Yes. Probably through a financial advisor. I have no idea how to invest money. If I did I wouldn’t have to win a million dollars.



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Urban Missionaries

January 30, 2004
by Rodney Olsen
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I was cycling to work this morning and was passed by a learner driver.

It struck me that being a driving instructor would be a perfect occupation for an urban missionary. Instructors have a steady stream of people spending an hour or so at a time alone with them in their car over a period of weeks. Most of these people are around 17 or 18 years of age and at a transition stage in life.

The instructor is a ‘friend’ who is helping them to achieve something they desperately want – their license. There is a great deal of trust between an instructor and their student.

Obviously such a person needs to be sensitive and not spend the lesson preaching, but I’m sure there’d be great opportunity to share elements of faith during this time.

Are there other occupations that would allow opportunities like this?



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7 Hours of Viewing

January 30, 2004
by Rodney Olsen
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Over the last couple of days I’ve watched about an hour and a half of video footage of my Perth to Hobart Bike for Bibles bike ride but there’s lots more to come.

(That’s me on the right with Errol Werner, one of the other 30 or so riders, on the left.)

I’ve just received 7 hours of highlights on DVD of our Nullarbor crossing and am looking forward to watching it all. We have released a limited edition collection to help raise the money we need to finish editing the one hour documentary that will be shown on Channel 7 later this year.



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