short update of the week

This last week we had a speaker names Femi who talked about God's calling and destiny which was really interesting. One thing we all loved about him was his lectures were Spirit led-sometimes during the middle of a lecture he would stop and walk up to someone and God would speak through him to that person which was really cool. Friday was off to Christchurch again for Friday night evangelism which is going great. My team met a bunch of people last week at the climbing gym and we always pray for them when we're driving home, which is awesome. We're seeing some of them regularly which is good because we can develop friendships with them and just live out our faith...like often people will ask what we're doing in nz, so we can tell them about Bible school. It's cool how actions speak louder than words too...on Friday one of the guys we met apologized for his coarse language because he's realized we don't swear. This wknd I was on WKND WARRIORS!!!! That means staying here while others go on wknd activities and cleaning, cooking, etc...which was not too bad got a great team. Last nite was fun we had a fancy dress up dinner for halloween, and we used table cloths, candles, water in wine classes, punch...the best part was seeing everyones suprised faces when they first saw it. It was awesome to bless people like that, and was a nice break too as we had the food on the tables, when usually we have buffet. Really relaxed, everyone left smiling full of pavlova and tim tams! lol it's amazing how it's not how much you do, but how you do it. When we went around to get people hot drinks they were so greatful which was awesome...had a really interesting speaker in church today talking about building God's house and how huge faith is...lunch is cleaned up got a couple hours of to chill before supper prep! later!

WKND

Ok just a short update...friday afternoon we headed to Christchurch (city 45 min away) and got to chill/shop in the afternoon...before EVANGELISM! I'm on the climbing team so every friday night we get to go to the YMCA climbing gym which is fabulous. We learned to belay but spent most of our time in the bouldering room which is free climbing...with bunch of giant gym mats for a floor..falling doesn't hurt at all. So much fun and you can meet alot of interesting ppl...we met a woman from Chicago which was cool cuz one guy on our team is from Chicago...and the guys met some climbers who go there every friday, so we'll be seeing alot of them. Can't wait to climb more. Saturday I went to Castle Hill (which apparently is where they filmed some famous fight scene in the movie Narnia) and we got to walk around and climb rocks and just chill...so fun...there was also a chance to boulder I didn't manage to boulder anything but had a great day anyway. Today slept in, went to church-really enjoyed the worship today. It was raining today so just chilled inside with hot chocolate and Tim Tam slams...for you non kiwis out there you're missing out...Tim Tams are these fabulous chocolate wafers with chocolate creme sandwiched in between them, all coated in chocolate. For a tim tam slam you bite off 2 corners, dip one end into your hot drink of choice and suck it until stuff starts coming thru...then stuff the whole thing into your mouth. Phenomenal! I know what I'm stocking up on before going home. :P....thats all for now!

Waiora

Kia ora! It's been awhile, I've been keeping busy though really enjoying new zealand, don't like to spend alot of my time by my computer when there's so much to see. Went hiking on mount oxford this weekend was AMAZING! Had an awesome first week learning more about things like worship, intercession, and devotions. Guest speakers for this week are awesome too I'm stoked for backpacker ministry. Also picking up talents like slackline! (thats what they call a tightrope here) and hoping to pick up guitar yet...got another 8 weeks before outreach to practice. Can't wait to try bouldering this weekend...sounds like something I would love to do. Today we went to Waiora Trust (waiora=living water) to get welcomed by some Maori people which was really interesting. First a Maori warrior came out to "check us out" and make sure we were ok. Then we proceeded slowly into the building and were given a hearty welcome, after which we shook noses. Yes, you read right, shook noses. They have this thing called a hongi (spelling?) where you push your forehead and nose together with the maori people as a greeting. Then they served us beverages and dainties, and we attempted to sing a song for them in maori. We also got to walk around their property and see the communal garden and an intense obstacle course.

Tuesday...settled in

Hey Guys! Saturday I got up and met some great people, and saw Mount Oxford which is incredible. Also walked around town and just chilled. Sunday went to a local church which is small but very close knit and really enjoyed it....then back to base for lunch. Our cook is amazing! We have a tightrope on base which they call a "slackline" (go figure!) so in free time I'm enjoying practising that...so far I've made it 2 steps! Also just playing soccer, chillin around our fireplace, and such. Yesterday was admin day and had amazing praise and worship in the evening...great to see the Holy Spirit in people and hearing testimonies of people being healed and such. Today breakfast and work duty...then 2 lectures with a tea break in between! Tea and biscuits is a huge thing here hot drinks are always available...so far I've drank like 4 cups of hot chocolate each day as it's nippy outside, and I don't drink coffee or tea. After lunch (Now) we have free time until some fire drill/earthquake drill stuff...but some afternoons will be busy with group time and such once we get going...thats just a short update for now!

pictures!!!

A few pix...first 2 are Sydney, the rest are Oxford, NZ

Love and Mercy (not my writing)

*a little expansion of a verse in my Bible*

"oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." -Psalm 136:1

This whole chapter tells about God's enduring mercy. He loves us with an unconditional love. It doesn't matter what you look like, how much money you have, or what your past is like. God loves you anyway! Regardless of anything, God lvoes you just the same. That's the kind of love we need to have for each other. We need to look at the world through Jesus' eyes. There's a story in Mark 2 about 4 men who brought a man, crippled with disease, to Jesus. THere was not enough room for them, so they ripped a hole in the roof where Jesus was teaching and lowered the man down through the hole. now that's compassion. When Jesus saw their faith, He healed the man. These four men loved their friend with an unconditional love. They were willing to rip off a roof to get him healed. He was sick with a disease, so he prob didn't look or smell that good. They prob had needs themselves, but the only thing they were concerned about was getting their friend to Jesus! Unconditional love. Remember that God loves you unconditionally. Like those friends, He's willing to rip a roof off in order to show you the love and mercy you need.

Saturday

I'm in New Zealand!!!! Got to base at midnite last nite...finally got the rest i needed and met a bunch of great people this morning. Oh, and it was so funny cuz they drive on the left here, its totally backwards i almost got into the wrong side of the van. After breakfast we walked into town, which is small and quaint, and checked out the playground! It was way cooler than any Altona playground, that's for sure! Also, there's a quaint coffee shop called "Seagers" that I need to check out yet. Appparently it's divine and the cook even had a cooking show on TV! The view is breathtaking too...behind us is the mountain and it's amazing!!!!! Soooooo pretty! And lotsa hills I'll definitely take pix yet and post them. It's really cold here right now which is a bit disappointin, but that's ok, summer's coming! It was even supposed to snow today! Apparently it DOES snow in New Zealand occasionally. (not just on the mtn!) My house is really nice too, sharing a room with 4 girls but it's spacious, and I got the one bed that's NOT a bunk bed. There's prob gonna be 15 girls in this house once everyone's here, so should be lotsa fun. Our bathroom is TINY, but how much space do you really need lol. We even have a room with just a bathtub in it! Not that I like baths...but still interesting...and a kitchen! Haha the guys have to go to the dining hall to get breakfast...anyway, I'm gonna go chill with my roomies. Later!

Rebecca

Ps: Here, shotgun=shottie

friday (thursday for you!)

Sydney! I don't have time to explore, but i'm sitting outside enjoying the fresh air while i wait for my last flight. Vancouver to Sydney was 15 hr flight! I'm amazed i'm not tired. Of Course i got a middle seat, but I had a nice neighbor who let me use her as a pillow, so I slept lots. And the airplane food was really good! Once we landed, I saw a plane w/ a 'roo on it! And aussiee accents are sooo amazing! Anyway, like 15 hrs on a plane wasn't enough, once we landed our gate was busy so we had to wait, plus they had to spray insecticide on the plane and hold us captive for 5 min to kill any weird bugs we may have been carrying. THEN we had to wait in a long line for cutoms, and another line after the baggage carousel so customs could check baggage and let you exit the building. Thank goodness for that line tho, otherwise I wouldn't have realized my baggage stopped here, when it was supposed to check all the way thru automatically. There's warning signs around here that it's illegal for cab drivers to approach you. Oh, we even got complimentary blankets and pillows to use on flight! My excitement was short lived cuz they were scratchy, staticky, and stinky. I'm so blah now haha o well, i'll rejuvenate in NZ :D! Not sure how long the flight there is, but kno not 15 hrs! THank goodness; i felt like forever had passed, looked at the time which informed me we had 12 hrs left. I"m adjusting to the time changes really well tho. Havin fun with my cell Sam? Did ya use it the whole way home? lol man ya guys shoulda tasted my amazin complimentary sandwich before! Not! haha thick slices of ham and butter b/t huge chunks of bread. No way, Jose. Can't please everyone i guess, and the chic breast and omelette made up for it. It's funny cuz professional customs ppl hear adress guys as "dude." Good day mates are all around. <3>

Rebecca

Wednesday (wrote out by hand wed, that is)

I'm in VAncouver killing time for a few hrs til my next flight, and I'm tired! Only 830 pm here, but my body says 1030. It's been a long day...ran into trouble before i left what w/ immigration/visa laws and such, which ended up costing me, but oh well, it's all part of the adventure and it all worked out. Awesome! cuz landing in jail or being deported is NOT on my to do list. Shocking, I know! Slightly disappointed I don't have time to check out Vancouver whil I'm here, oh well, NZ is the main goal anyway. Oh yeah there were 2 ppl escorted onto my flight in handcuffs attached to a chain around their waist...kinda freaked me out but no worries, nothin went down. Too bad, that woulda made a great story! jk jk i'd rather have a boring flight. Sry I'm writing alot but i'm sooooooooo bored. My flight was only 2.5 hrs and i got bored, thank goodness for seatback TV! Too bad we couldn't figure out how to teleport, Beth! Man, my next flights gonna be krazi long! Sry this isn't spectacular, but I'm bored. Haha i'm piggin out on crackers now...good stuff. And fruit! Refreshing break from all the junk food i eat. Beth Beth! I found a guy for ya! he drinks lattes...he seems fruity, and weasly. That's all i kno, but i'll easily be able to kidnap him...i'll report back. Enemy is in sight. lol i've already eaten 1/2 box of crackers i'm so bored. Theres just some old dude nearby readin a newspaper...who i'd rather not strike up a conversation with. Aww he escaped Beth! There goes the entertainment...k i'll try and find somethin interestin to tell ya bout...like Fruit to Go! on the back it says, "What's in your fruit snack?" Good question fruit to go, no clue. There's even a website. Here's a thought, how bout i just read the ingredients? Gosh i'm goin krazi talkin to a fruit to go. Did ya kno "apparently" robots can do brain surgery! There's a poster behind me that says, "Where a robot entered my brain." Here's a random quote I love: "To accomplish great things, we must not only act bu also dream. Not only plan but also believe."

Rebecca