A video for fun.

Backpacking through Lewis Pass...

Outreach

YWAM Outreach: short-term outreach teams made up of individuals who get to participate first-hand in "making God known" through both words and actions.

We just found out our choices for outreach today. They want us to talk with our parents, friends; those we love and trust from home. Basically, I just ask that you would pray I would hear God's voice clearly and figure out what my top three options will be and let the Lord work from there to figure what team I will be on. Our leader will pray about each of us and make the final decision. I do not want to be swayed by leaders or students, but I desire to follow where the Lord would take me.

Here they are: (5 options_4 Teams)

1. India and Nepal

2. Thailand and Cambodia

3. Fiji

4. New Zealand traveling team

5. New Zealand climbing team

Thank you! Your prayers make ALL the difference in each our lives here.

Be Blessed.

P.S. If you are interested in YWAM please go to www.ywam.org This is probably the sweetest thing I could have done with my life. The people (students and staff) are the most incredible people to find in one place. I feel blessed beyond belief to be here. Thank you for all the support!

Lewis Pass

This past week and a bit was incredible. Learning about the Father's heart for each of us was like feeling a cool breeze when you are hot as heck. It was refreshing.

Every Friday we do ministry in Christchurch, which for me involves climbing at the YMCA. It is rough climbing and getting to know people. I met two guys while climbing named Jeff and Killian, who were SO great. I told them I was doing a Bible school and they were joking about Jesus rock climbing. One of them owns an espresso company and kept offering a free cup of coffee if I made a certain climbing move.

The next morning we headed off for a tramp (tramp is a hike).
Lewis Pass was quite the hike, but so worth it. We drove two hours, hiked for three, Anya (my new friend from Canada) and I got a bit lost. We just hitchhiked to the parking lot. Not really, but in New Zealand there are so many hitchhikers! Everyone does it here with no fear. There is also free camping basically anywhere. A part of me is considering just moving here.

So after a very tiring hike up hill both ways and in the snow, as my mom says, we then drove to where we would get out and hike another FOUR hours to where we would spend the night. At this point I could curl up in a ball and sleep, but I had no choice.

Luckily, a little over two hours we arrived! We had an incredible meal and a few of us decided to brave the cold and sleep outside on the porch.

Side Note: There are really no bugs here, EXCEPT the dreaded sand fly. They are known as Satan's spawn to some.

We are back now from the craziness known as my weekend. I am unbelievably tired. We hiked around 30km in two days. I have no idea what that is in miles.

Every day I am more and more thankful to be here, knowing with out a doubt this is where I am supposed to be at this time in my life. The love and unity of the people here are like none I have ever seen or been apart of anywhere. I will be so sad for this to end.

Being welcomed...

The last two days have been incredible.

Yesterday, we headed to Wai ora (living waters in Maori). We were welcomed by the Maori community. They are the indigenous people of New Zealand. It was neat to see and hear a Maori warrior. It got really interesting when I realized I was going to have to do the traditional Maori welcome. Instead of a handshake, you touch foreheads and then noses. It is called a hongi (wikipedia describes it well). In this greeting the breath of life is exchanged. Those who know me well are probably trying to picture me do this (too bad, I didn't get any pictures). When the chief was asked how the Maori were told about the Gospel, he described to us the Maori's beliefs. When they first heard, they realized Jesus was the breath of life (I am doing a much worse job describing this, but you get the idea).

We also sang a song called E te Ariki

E te Ariki	Oh lord
Whakarongo mai ra ki a matou	Listen to us
E te Ariki	Oh lord
Titiro mai ra ki a matou	Look at us
Tenei matou	This is us
O tamariki	Your children
E whakapono ana matou	We believe
Ki a koe Aue! Aue!	In you
Te Matua te Tamaiti	The father and the son
Wairua tapu e	Holy spirit

How cool that God speaks to people that have never heard of His Son and sacrifice!

1 Corinthians 9:22-23

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The night before last we had small groups and it was awesome. Nikki, my leader, took us on a walk and we stopped in the woods, witnessed a glorious sunset, and sat at a table. We made hot chocolate and s'mores! Oh glorious s'mores! The other students in my group (Petra from the Netherlands and Lydia from England) have never had s'mores. It was a great time to be real with each other, and I know it will be one of my favorite things here.

*I automatically loved Lydia because one of my best friends is named Lydia!

Today, we have heard heaps (they use this word A LOT or heaps) of personal stories of God working. My idea in the past, and I think He still has to work on me a bit, of how big God is does not really do Him justice. He really is a BIG God. He doesn't just do great things in my life, my friends lives, my family, etc. He works all over! I have heard stories from all over the world this week.

We also got to hear from a man who is a Jew and believes Jesus is THE Messiah. Here are a two points I thought were interesting.

- Most Jews are Biblically (meaning the Hebrew Bible) illiterate.

- More Jews live in NYC than Israel

- We can share Christ with them by our love

To end...

Witnessing to people is about being yourself and letting God work. We share the love of Christ by having compassion and love. God does the rest. And gosh, there is nothing He can't do.

By the way, you can see the milk way galaxy and two other galaxies in the starry sky in a way I have never seen them or can describe. I am so thankful to be here. I wouldn't trade this for anything.

Blessings.

Two Penguins in a Tub

So there are two penguins in a tub. The tub is a claw foot tub, very nice looking. One penguin has a top hat on. The one without the hat realizes he needs some soap, so he asks the other for soap. The penguin with the top hat looks at him strangely and replies, "what do I look like, a typewriter?!"

The past couple of days have been for the most part uneventful. We have spent time getting to know one another, doing work duties and going over the logistics of life here.

One day though we played ultimate, and climbed this HUGE hedge. The goal was to get to the other end of it without touching the ground. The length of this hedge was about the size of a soccer field. It was a new and totally awesome adventure!

Today, it has been snowing and raining on and off all day. Yet, we headed to Christchurch for a scavenger hunt. We had a list and a camera. The goal of this hunt was simple. Have fun and get to know the city. It was really fun. I have some good pictures/videos.

Now we are sitting around a fire and playing catch phrase.

I haven't even been here a week, but I feel I have been here forever. I am in a general state of complete excitement for what I am doing, but every now and then I just freak out. This is crazy! I love it.

We shared testimonies today and it is so cool to be in a room with so many people that want something different. We all have a desire to love people. We are tired of what many are seeking (e.g. money, academia, etc.), and we just want to simply follow Jesus.

Sad day. We wanted to make s'mores for those that had never had them, but the grocery store doesn't have marshmallows!

Kiwi word for cotton candy: fairy floss

Can I have another Tim Tam Slam?!

Some things I find interesting about New Zealand:

- It is basically the most beautiful place anywhere EVER (and that is with cloudy skies, I have yet to see it with clear skies, but I can't wait)!

- I asked a Kiwi girl doing the same DTS with me about when schools are in session here. She explained that they have 9 weeks on and 2 weeks off (4 times) and then 3 months off. Someone tell Obama this...I don't think he knows.

- College is known as University

- I tried a Tim Tam Slam today. I don't know if I am at liberty to explain this, but it is melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

- You have to ride a bike or motorcycle with a helmet or you get a BIG fine.

- Don't ever make a peace sign and turn it to face you!! That is like giving someone the finger!

- Their accents out do the USA always.

- The toilets have two options for flushing.

- They like to say "Bro" a lot.

I have been surprised to find I have more time for blogging and skype than I expected. With that said, I want to use my time wisely and soak it up.

Also, we got to hear the vision for the Backpackers' DTS today and I am so pumped, I want to jump around. This is the perfect DTS for me. I will get to rock climb, slack-line, mountain bike, etc. and while doing these things I am passionate about (specifically rock climbing), get to know others. I will get to be myself and share how God has impacted my life.

Kia Ora? Hello!

Well I have finally arrived and I feel like I should run around like I am crazy! It is hard to describe the past 24 hours.

It is 39 degrees here. Thankfully, we have a fireplace.

The plane ride from Los Angeles to Auckland was a trip.

Auckland to Christchurch was the most stressful part. It involved me running/sprinting from one part of the airport to another. I missed my flight, but they had me on the next one.

I was greeted like family at the gate and we headed off to the base.

Erin- it looks a lot like Northern Cali! You would love it.

It is beautiful here. The foothills of the Southern Alps are nearby. I feel I should go up them and start singing "the hills are alive" like Julie Andrews.

You should know that I am not a writer, so I hope this isn't too confusing.

I have met so many people, whether in line for security or seeing Harry Connick Jr. in the ridiculous customs line, or the wonderfully nice people sitting by me on the plane.

They have food here which sounds like it came from Harry Potter. Lolly Mix? And the safety video for the plane was a skit. I think Shepherd's Fold must have rubbed off on them somehow.

Katie Day-they serve coffee for everything! B-e-a-utiful!

P.S. If you haven't picked up Donald Miller's new book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, go buy it. So great.