Swimming with the DOLPHINS!!!

An ordinary day at the beach turned extraordinary by the visit of 8 dolphins yesterday!  I ventured out to Wooley's Bay, near Matapouri, with some new friends for a day at the beach.  Boy, were we surprised and thrilled to find the bay full of dolphins swimming in and about the people, flipping and jumping, as if to put on a show and say, "Come out and play!"  It was INCREDIBLE and unlike anything I have ever experienced!  The dolphins swam around us for nearly an hour, as if they wanted our company and didn't want to leave. 

Never in my life have I seen dolphins up close and personal like this.  Unfortunately this video was cut short, due to the limited storage on my camera. Nonethless, you can catch a small glimpse into the fun we had yesterday.  Yes, this is where I live ....beautiful New Zealand!

Play in the Rain.

     Apparently our summer up here in the northland is coming to an end. You may remember that when I first moved here to New Zealand last September I often commented (OK, whined) about the constant rain and lack of sunshine.  Then it came. .. the sunshine!  Mid-January found us finally experiencing some absolutely glorious summer days! Blue skies and warmth were on the menu, with only the occasional light shower to keep things green- ahhh. Summer was finally here!  Most days I even dared venture out without my umbrella in hand! This was perfect weather for my half-marathon training, surfing, and really just for me, as a sun-loving girl from Kansas.

     Now, after only a few weeks of relatively dry, sunny weather, the rain has returned.  I was noticing that periods of rain occurred nearly everyday this week and that the mountains were often shrouded in a thick fog each morning.  The first few days I wondered if we just happened to be caught in a rainy spell.  After all, we live on a narrow island in the South Pacific. But for the last 2 days it has rained nearly non-stop and after remembering that we had finally been receiving a steady dose of sunshine each day over the last couple weeks, I had this thought. . ."Oh no, does the return of the rain mean the farewell of summer?"  Apparently, after some deliberation with northland Kiwis, the answer to that question is "yes". The air is still warm and the sky is still full of light at 8:00PM, but that is gradually changing as we move toward the autumn season.  Summer was fantastic while it lasted, but . . .

 "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

  Perhaps you find yourself in a season of rain, maybe even the kind of rain that never stops and lays what feels to be a wet sheet over your life and inner attitude. Maybe you can learn to what I am slowly learning to do here in New Zealand: embrace the rain, play in the rain, run in the rain. .  . for it is the rain that makes the flowers grow, the rivers run, and crops flourish, feeding myself and the ones I love.  May your thirst be quenched and you be fed by the rain of your life. 

Play in the rain.
   

Special letter in the mail. . .

This week I celebrate five months of life here in New Zealand!  In the grand scheme of life, five months is but a breath, but for me every month here is another milestone.  What a better way to be reminded that God has called me here and is blessing the ministry, than to receive this adorable letter from one of the little girls that attended our Kids Holiday Programme last month! (Notice she still remembers the pie in the face!)

After the Kids Club, I sent little hand-written notes to each of the kiddos that attended throughout the week and prayed for them by name.  This week I received one in return!  What a treat!

I am loving life here in Whangarei and feel more established day by day.  Gratefulness wells up within me as I consider the reality that God has placed me here on purpose.  For some odd reason, He has entrusted 'little old me' with pastoring a church and loving children and their families into His Kingdom. It is quite humbling really and I am thankful. When I get homesick or downtrodden by the heartache that I see in the lives of those around me, it is my calling from my Lord that sustains me. Thank you Jesus, that your plans are always good.

'Soul Skool' Camp 2012 and my Maori experience . . .

'Soul Skool' 2012 was a big success and a life-changing experience for many of the teens who participated! Thank you for your prayers on behalf of our young people of New Zealand and the families they represent.  If you have followed my blog, you'll know that this is my third youth or children's camp in the last 6 weeks. Tis the season (Summer holidays just concluded.)!

  Each event may be unique with different students, challenges, and activities, but one thing remains the same:  God is genuinely alive and active in the lives of our young people! We gripe and complain about the darkness and confusion that seems to drive the world around us (I know I've done my fair share), but if we open our eyes we will see that God is STILL changing lives.  He is STILL delivering from addictions and rescuing from abuse and neglect.  He is STILL giving people purpose and leading them into life everlasting! 

This particular camp was hosted in Otara at the Ngati Otara Marae down in Auckland.  The Lord provided safe journeying for my passengers and me, as this was a my first road trip in my own car with my new New Zealand driver's license!  :) Activities included daily worship and devotion sessions, a newspaper fashion show, great meals, team-building games and lots of sleeping. .. NOT! (Do you ever sleep when there's 100 people all crammed in one building and the majority of them are teenagers?  lol!)

For those interested in things Maori, this was an educational experience for me. All activities took place at the marae, a Maori meeting house where the local community gathers for various events such as speeches, council meetings, funerals, weddings, unveilings, etc.  Nearly every city or suburb in New Zealand has a marae for the local iwi (tribe).  At the marae  there is very specific protocol that must be observed.  For 'pakeha' (white- non Maori) people like me, I have to be very careful to ask lots of questions, as not to offend my accident.
 I am by NO means an expert at all, but here are just a few things I learned:

-- Before anyone is allowed to enter the marae, there is always a formal 'powhiri' or welcome that is given to remove the 'tapu' of the visitors and make them one with the local/home people.  This represents a joining of the two groups in peace. A full traditional powhiri includes 10 lengthy steps that included honoring all the ancestors and elders of this marae,  recognizing the land, mountains, sea, etc, and perfoming a haka, offering a gift, sharing food, and many other steps. It can take quite a while.

-- Because we were a Christian multicultural group, comprised mostly of hungry teenagers, we were asked only to offer a short welcome, share a song, and hold a moment of silence in honor of those who have gone before.  We were then invited to enter the marae, women first, followed by the men.

-- Shoes, eating, and drinking are never allowed in the marae.  There are other facilities reserved for eating.

-- Everyone sleeps together in the marae on thin foam mattresses. 

-- Never sit, lean, or lay your head on a table or countertop, or use anything but items strictly reserved for food on tables.  The head, feet, and backside are considered unclean, therefore you never allow those parts of your body to touch a food space or anything that could ever come in contact with/serve food.  This means that bedsheets and clothing must always be washed separately than dish towels. 

  

Many more cultural norms and expectations exist when on marae grounds, but these are just a few I learned this weekend.  All in all this was a fantastic experience!

Pure

Today I depart for another youth camp, this one located at the Otara Marae down in Auckland.  As has been my experience thus far, youth camps can be powerful times of worship, community-building, and self-examination, serving as a catalyst for commitment to the Lord. 

This camp is our Nazarene New Zealand District Youth Camp, where a very multi-cultural mix of students from all over NZ (and all over the globe really) will meet for three days to discover what it means to be "PURE in Body, Mind, and Spirit".  As the speaker for Saturday, I am tackling the topic of purity within the body, with special emphasis on sexual purity.  I would appreciate your prayers for myself and the campers, that God would be lifted high and that His way of abstinence and holiness would be not only be required, but actually desired of the teens and they would see that God's ways are truly the best way to live.

This will also be my first 'road trip' with the brand new New Zealand driver's license where I am behind the wheel down some twisty, turvy roads! (I'm a big girl now!  lol!)

We return Sunday evening, so I will be sure to post photos and updates of all that God did for and through us when I return!

Why is New Zealand so beautiful?

Yes, I agree!  New Zealand is a beautiful corner of the world, with spectacular views and endless places to explore. Sometimes I have to pinch myself and reassure my brain that I am not dreaming, but do in fact live here!  :)

Yet, there is trouble in paradise.  Even amidst this breathtaking scenery there is great heart-ache and brokenness.  Domestic violence, drug abuse, and sexual promiscuity continue to be really big problems in our little country of 4 million.  As we speak, there is a dispute over whether or not an unlicensed brothel that is operating across from a primary school should be required to move.  Because prostitution is legal in NZ, these establishments are considered "entertainment facilities" and therefore are zoned in with mixed business areas of the cities, including areas where young children attend school.  They have determined that the brothel can stay near the school. Frightening, I know! 

When I see and hear these things as a pastor, and know full well that I am directly connected to people dealing with all this yuckiness, it is easy for the beauty around me to lose its luster.  But just when I get a bit down and out, God is gracious to remind me that His kingdom will one day overthrow the kingdoms of this world and that the things He created are STILL good. 

  

One person who has so blessed me and makes New Zealand a beautiful place for me is my friend Maurice.  Maurice, 86 years old, is my landlord.  He owns the property on which my flat (apartment) is located.  But Maurice is more than just my landlord; he has become a friend and a bit of a grandpa to me.  He loves to talk about Jesus 24-7, always invites me in for a "cuppa" and allows me to harvest veggies and fruits from the expansive gardens in the back yard.  It's quite a nice arrangement and I am grateful for this peaceful place to live, where words of godly wisdom are never far away. 

Yes, New Zealand is a beautiful place.  :)

Summer Kids Club a HUGE Success!

What a week it has been! Each day our church was FULL of children and parents from all around our neighbourhood, having fun and being loved by Jesus and his people! My eyes filled with tears of joy as I stood and watched the kids singing their hearts out one morning as if they were fully aware that Jesus was with them. . ..in that moment I knew the Kingdom of God was breaking through the kingdom of this world.  Kids were meeting Jesus and there is no greater experience than watching that happen!

An incredible ministry team from Denver, Colorado along with our good friends Andrew and Jenna Stout from Hamilton, NZ blessed Whangarei with "COLOURS" VBS/Kids Holiday Programme.

Each day the number of children attending grew significantly. One day we had 26 kids, plus an additional 15 adult volunteers and parents roaming the premises.  For our little church that usually runs around 20 on a good Sunday, this was HUGE and such a boost to our local ministry here at New Hope! 

A contest  between the boys and the girls was established at the beginning of the week to see who could collect more canned goods for the Salvation Army Food Bank and memorize more Bible verses.  The team leader of the losing team would receive the honour of a pie in the face.  Well, as you can see. . .the boys won, but only by one point!  I got creamed. . .literally!

Please pray with us for the 26 kids and the families they represent.  Some of these kids come from very broken home situations that we would never wish on our worst enemy.  Others just need a little reminder that God does in fact love them and desires to be their Lord. Pray that our church family would follow up with our new friends and so the hard work of discipleship.  After all, Jesus didn't call us to make "converts" or to hold a cool program once a year. He called us to make disciples, those that would follow in His footsteps and experience the real and wonderful life that He offers on a daily basis.