Jayawardhana Christmas Letter 2018

Dear Friends & Family,

2018 has been a year of transitional highs and lows for us as a family as seasons came to an end and new seasons began or are soon to begin.

PRASANTHA ‘PJ’
PJ’s time this year was divided up between continuing to finalise the estate of both his parents, including the already years-long slow and tedious process of dealing with multiple Sri Lankan authorities, and continuing his role as Chair of Compass – finances God’s way. PJ’s hope is to have his parents’ whole estate finalised by the end of 2019 and for the extended Jayawardhana family clan to celebrate with a holiday to Sri Lanka in December 2019 or at another suitable time. Before that though, in October 2019 Compass is set to officially launch in Australia with much of 2018 having been spent laying the foundations for this ministry to be successful. PJ also continued to be an active member of the Grace Lutheran College P&F Association this year and will continue on as Finance Officer next year.

GWENDA
Gwenda has experienced a sometimes challenging, but overall rewarding, year as Aged Care Chaplain at Carinity’s Clifford House. She also continues to do intermittent preaching at Carinity’s Brookfield Village Chapel service on a Sunday morning. Her year, along with PJ’s, was also spent assisting Rasika to achieve her 100 hours of supervised learner driving and to help lessen the load for Rasika as she navigated a very busy Year 12.

In 2018 PJ and Gwenda hosted a Connect Group for Married Couples, the highlight of which was doing a Compass study – “Money & Marriage God’s Way” together which was a blessing to all the married couples involved. PJ and Gwenda also continued to attend various Marriage Enrichment gatherings as a way of maintaining their already healthy marriage and of fellowshipping with, and encouraging other, married couples. PJ and Gwenda have decided to take a step back from leading a connect group in 2019 but they have so valued journeying with every person that’s been in their various connect groups over the past few years and hope to maintain friendship ties with them all.

Our family travelled to Townsville in January to attend the first of PJ’s parent’s grandchildren to get married (Yasmin). We also enjoyed attending the Badminton and Rhythmic Gymnastics at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.

TARUNA
Taruna completed the second year of his Accounting degree at QUT this year. Although he still did well academically his momentum and enthusiasm for studying has waned, which can happen, but with only five subjects left to go the end is in sight! Plus, he is looking forward to visiting his friend who will be living in Japan next year. Taruna has also enjoyed keeping in touch with his mates via internet gaming and enjoys catching up with his friends at the movies.

RASIKA
Rasika has had a BIG year having enjoyed many leadership and growth opportunities including being Faith and Service Captain at Grace Lutheran College. She has now successfully completed Year 12. Rasika celebrated by going on a Harvest Cambodia mission trip and helping to build two thatched highset houses for two needy families in the province of Kok Thnot near Siem Reap. She also started a Christmas Casual position at Runway Goddess in Westfield Chermside and has been kept very busy working and building up her $ savings. Picture 4Rasika hopes to commence studying a Bachelor of Psychology at UQ in the new year. Towards the end of 2018 Rasika also attained her Provisional driving licence as well as purchased a secondhand car. She is now also in a relationship with a lovely boy, Nic, whom she first met at a Scripture Union camp a few years ago.

PRASHAN
Prashan continues to do well in Maths and Investigative Science and hopes to pursue a career in Electronics Engineering. He has also paired up with a lovely girl, Lilly, and they have now been going out for nine months. Prashan has made good progress with expanding his food choices to help beat ARFID but it has been difficult to find a long-term specialist and we will have to transition again to another specialist in early 2019 much to our dismay. The good news though is that the Government has announced that as of November 2019, Australians with an eating disorder will be able to access up to 40 psychological services and up to 20 dietetic services per year under Medicare! Currently it’s only 10.

Wishing you a New Year filled with hope, joy and good health.

Love from PJ (Giga), Gwenda, Taruna, Rasika and Prashan Jayawardhana