My feet

For the last year I’ve been wearing these flip-flops that I’ve had for about five years now. They have been well loved, and are now falling apart. I can feel every single rock underneath, and I may as well be barefoot. Before heading down here to New Zealand I desperately searched for a good cheap pair of flip flops. I checked every store imaginable in Tucson, but I tend to be a bit picky in the fact that I refuse to where sandals that have straps that go in between my toes. I gave up in Tucson and thought, “Surely I can find a good pair with out the toe bit in NZ.” I found myself in the Warehouse (NZ’s equivalent to Wal-mart) multiple times staring at the row of flip flops, all of which had the dreaded toe bit. I debated on wasting $12NZ on a pair of sandals I was destined to hate. I decided to walk away every time, and instead left the fate of my feet in God’s hands.
I was telling a friend of mine about my sandal dilemma, and her response was, “I think I have a pair of Birkenstocks at home that I have only worn once…you can have them.” Another friend of mine’s response, “I think I have a pair of Chacos that I never wear…you can have them.” What?! Not only did God provide one pair of sandals, but two [both with straps that go over the foot, and without the toe bit :)]! I now have great everyday nice sandals and hiking sandals. When we ask for a good pair sandals without the toe bit, He’s not going to give us a pair of crummy $12NZ Warehouse flip-flops. We have a father who wants to give us good gifts, and cares about our feet! (Matt. 7:9-11)

God Bless the rains down in Africa...

March 23

Hey everyone!
I have some quick exciting news. A couple of days ago I found out where I will be co-leading a group to, and it is Africa! I am so excited! I am leading with my fellow staff member Nelson, and I am pretty much stoked to see what God has planned in Africa. Yesterday all the students had to put in their top three picks to where they felt God wanted them to go to for outreach, and soon I will know who all will be on our outreach team. This school is going by so fast, we are already into week four...it's crazy.

More details to come soon!!!


Please be praying for a few things:
-Finances to come in
-Quick healing for my fellow staff member Janosch he tore his Achilles tendon, and one of our students injured her foot as well the other day...both are in casts
-Wisdom and guidance for our leaders William and JulieAnna as they have to put together all the outreach teams
-For outreach preparation
-Rest
-General safety over the school


THANK YOU for all your prayers, they are a HUGE part of this ministry!

A few older posts...

Feb 1- BLS at a Glance

Well as most of you know I have arrived in New Zealand, and today was my first official day of BLS (basic leadership school). I know that I have described briefly about what the BLS is all about, but just yesterday I got a manual and it explains it in more detail. I would like to share a bit from the manual with you all.
In the words of the manual:
For all our new, inexperienced staff it is a requirement to undertake the Basic Leaderhip School. This is an in service staffing program for the duration of 12 months.
The whole course is designed to assist the development of leadership skills. The student is coached and mentored in the task of leading others. Students meet for one afternoon a week for discussion, lectures and instruction on such topics as personal skills, utilizing spiritual gifts, small group dynamics, basic management principles and leading outreaches. Inn addition the student meets regularly with a mentor for feedback and evaluation. Assignments are given covering basic leadership topics and issues.
The BLS is accredited with University of the Nations (if anyone was wondering)...

Anyways that's a bit from the manual. I have a schedule for my first week here and it looks like it includes worship/ devotion/ intercession every morning, followed by tea time :), then someone usually comes and talks to us about various subjects (vision of the school, time management, teaching on leadership, Kiwi lifestyle...), lunch follows, and various tours of how things are done on the base, vehicles tour, free time, and tea end our day (tea is what dinner is called down here).

Anyways today was a great start with worship, prayer, intro to Bls, and sharing our testimonies for how God has lead us to staff this school. I'm pretty much stoked to be here, and I'm just settling in this week. Next week all the staff should be here and we start into getting ready to receive students and getting to know them via their files, and praying for them...before we know it, it will be March and all the students will be here, stoked to and ready to connect with God in a new and exciting way, and to serve like none other.

Well I just thought you all would like to know this....more to come later :)


Feb 18- Meet the Staff
Well I am just excited about life right now! I have been in New Zealand for a little over two weeks now, and God is doing some great things with the staff, base, myself, students, and all that jazz.

Family picnic :)

I want you all to meet my leaders and fellow staffers in the picnic photo above: (starting from the left, working our way back…basically going in a circle.) Jon Dray (24) plays the piano like none other, and this is his second year as staff. Next to him is our married couple. Kelly (23) and Trevor (24) are outdoorsy wonderful people, and I love the fact that I am on a team with them. Kelly was a student last year, with me, and this is her first year staffing. This is Trevor’s third year as staff. Our fearless leader is next, William (28). Will has been doing this for six years now. The first year as a student, then two years staffing, and this is his third year as leader. The lovely Lindsey Little (30) is beside him. She was staff last year on my school, and is now one of my roommates. The fantastic Kim (22) follows, and this is her second year staffing. The head next to her is Janosch(39) he’s from Germany and loves soccer. This is his first time staffing the around the school, and I am so glad he is on our team. The girl in purple is Kadi love…she seems pretty stinken cool. Kari (19) is from Canada (everyone else is from the states). She was a student last year with me and is now my roommate. Julie Anna(29) is taking the picture. She is our Senior Staff Assistant. If you all remember from last year, she was my outreach leader in South America...so I'm pretty much stoked to be working along side her this time as a staff member! And the last person on our team is Nelson(37)…He gets in on Sunday, and I am excited to meet him. Please be praying for safe travels for him.
Everyone’s bio is going to be on the Oxford website. I encourage you to check it out, and get to know the staff some more. It should be updated this upcoming week with all new bios and what not (you can check out all the different schools too): http://www.ywamoxford.org/around-the-world-in-80-days-staff/

Staff board

So basically I love this team! We are all on board, and are just stoked for what God has in store this season! For the past weeks we have just been worshiping God together, preparing for students, doing lectures on the “how to” of staffing…it’s been really fun. This weekend we are going on a weekend retreat, and it’s going to be wonderful, and Nelson will be meeting us there. Then the whole team will be together at last! The students will be arriving in a week…which is crazy!

What a good looking bunch!

The Oxford base runs eight schools, one of which is the backpackers DTS. The Backpackers just came back about a week ago from their outreach, and tomorrow is their graduation! We, as the AW80 staff, get the pleasure of being their waiters and waitresses for the night. It’s pretty much awesome getting to know another school and how they work and do ministry, plus they’re my extended Oxford family that I got the pleasure of being with this year. I sat in for a few of their presentations/testimonies of what they did on outreach, and it’s just encouraging hearing each other’s stories and how Jesus is moving in this world. Their vision statement is “Our vision is to radically impact, with the good news of Jesus Christ, to all who are backpackers and those who are called to reach out to these intrepid adventurers, by way of discipleship training, relational evangelism and short term mission trips.”

This is the backpacker's DTS...they rock

Feb 25- The students are coming!

Hey everyone!
Well these past few days have been crazy. We have just been trying to get the base all set up and ready for our students. (students are arriving tomorrow and the rest of this weekend! Woot! Their first official school day is Monday) Please be praying for them as they travel. Myself and Lindsey get to go pick up a couple students from the airport tomorrow!
Nelson made it safe and sound, and I must say it's good to have the whole team together. Our staff retreat was refreshing, and it was great just to rest with the Lord. I went swimming in a beautiful river every day...the retreat was a blessing to say the least. God just really spoke to me about being his child and about dwelling with Him during the couple days we were gone.
Please be praying for: our staff as we are preparing for the students and the start of this school. Finances. Students. Safe Travels. All our hearts and minds are open to what God has for us during this school.
Rest

I am pretty much stoked! Students are coming tomorrow....crazy!

Off Again!

Well I am getting crazy close to heading back to New Zealand to start staffing and the basic leadership school! I am so excited to see what God has planned this year! For those of you who have not heard yet, I'm going to be staffing the missionary school that I attended last year, and I leave January 29... Please be praying.