“We're Out Bro”

I'm sitting in our living room staring out at our back yard on this partly cloudy and extremely windy day and trying to figure out how you end a blog, and not just a blog, but how do I sum up the beautiful experience we've had this year in NZ. And now I'm crying. :/ I'm not very good with good byes so I try to soften the blow with a cheerful “See you later!”, but in the end the tears come anyways. Our church family at the HUB gave us a wonderful going away on Sunday. They called us to the front, thanked us with beautiful, humbling words, blessed us in prayer, prophesy and a bag of yummy NZ treats for the road! After the service we had a big NZ style shared lunch with plenty of chips (fries), egg pie, meat pies and chili to go around. The kids church and the youth made us adorable thank you cards and gave us a box of chocolates too! To my amazement, there were very few tears shed on Sunday, mostly just mine, because we were having such a great time celebrating the time we've shared and looking forward to how God will bring us all back together again in the future. What an incredible group of people we've come to call family here in Otaki. You will each be dearly missed, constantly prayed for and always held dear to our hearts. THANK YOU for making us so at home and for accepting us not just into your culture, or for allowing us to minister at your church, but for taking us into your families and lives. We love you all very much! * hugs * We are so excited for how we've seen God work in and through the HUB church community and know that it's just the beginning. Keep loving. Keep serving. Keep giving thanks to our great God!

In Transit...

Tomorrow we leave Otaki at 7 AM and will be in Tonga by 7:35 PM. Our NZ Visas expire on the 14^th so since we had to be out of the country by then we are going to Tonga on vacation the week before we meet up with the rest of the Medical Mission team on the 22^nd! God's been so faithful to provide a great team of medical volunteers who are incredibly excited to go to Tonga and minister to the kids and families at ACTS Community School along with all the medical and hygiene supplies we need! One of the team members was able to get three NZ pharmacy companies to donate over $1,000 dollars in medications for the trip!!! What a HUGE blessing. :) Internet will be scarce in Tonga but I'll try to keep you updated a bit during the week and of course we'll send out some followup information and pics when we get back.

The Adventure Continues...

Torre and I will be arriving back to the USA on September 29^th and will be living/working in California through the end of 2012. As of January, 2013, we will be moving back to Boston where Torre has accepted a new position! Surprise!!! We haven't made this public knowledge up until now. :) We believe that God has been directing us back to the East coast for a season and we are excited for the opportunity and to re-connect with friends and family!

We'll be seeing you...

I think that's it. The end of another season...anticipating the next chapter (and blog)!

Our friend Brian Denton sang us this traditional Maori going away song on Sunday:

 “Now is the Hour”

Now is the hour,

when we must say goodbye

Soon you'll be sailing,

far across the sea

While you're away,

Oh please remember me

When you return,

you'll find me waiting here

The song that come to mind for me is: 

“I'll Be Seeing You”

I'll be seeing you;

In all the old, familiar places;

That this heart of mine embraces;

All day through.

In that small cafe;

The park across the way;

The childrens carousel;

The chestnut tree;

The wishing well,

I'll be seeing you;

In every lovely, summers day;

And everything that's bright and gay;

I'll always think of you that way;

I'll find you in the morning sun;

And when the night is new;

I'll be looking at the moon;

But I'll be seeing you.

Here are some pics from the past couple of months.

the HUB church Cast of "Heaven's Gates & Hell's Flames
Torre played a construction worker and a business man and
I played the wife who commits suicide because her husband cheated on her.

Some of our HUB Church Family!

Rich, Tam & Preeti 

Brian, Cathryn & Youth Friends! 

Thelma, Kataraina, Vera & Dave 

The Brons Family & Ed

The Taylor Family

Spring in our front & back yard :)

Mt. Tongariro Erupts, 06.08.12

Mount Tongariro erupted for the first time in over a century on Monday night, 6th of August, 2012. We live approx. 245km (3 hours) South of National Park where Mount Tongariro is. The eruption consisted of mostly rock and ash. There have been more small earthquakes in the region lately but the news said that Volcanologists didn't expect the eruption and they are looking into any other potential eruptions.

We are not being affected by the eruption. The ash cloud is blowing east toward the Pacific and the news report this morning said that it should be gone by evening. No news as to what other kinds of activity should be expected.

Per mom's wisdom and encouragement, I am going to prepare a few items in case of an emergency evacuation. :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19159625

"Be still and know that I am God."

Good morning All! Today is a beautiful, clear, crisp winter morning. The mountains have a fresh layer of snow on them, the sunrise was brilliant and I have a fresh anticipation for what God is up to! (There are also brand new baby sheep in the fields! One mama had twin black lambs!!!!!!!!!!) As of today Torre has only 6 weeks left of work and we depart New Zealand in exactly 47 days. *sigh* Wow...almost a whole year down to this absolutely EXCELLENT Adventure! I'm full of all kinds of emotions as I think about where we were a year ago, how God was preparing to bring us here, all that he's done in and through us over the past ten months...we serve a HUGE God. Don't forget it! Once again we are in kinda of a holding pattern as we search out Torre's next job, how God will continue to use us at home and on the mission field, and where we'll be moving to come our return to the states, but for us we are finding it's also a place or season that is really testing our faith and challenging our perception on our future. I feel like we've been down this road a couple of times and although we have definitely grown and can recognize some of our "flesh" in advance, God always has something new for us to learn. After climbing the hills of "what if" and "what will people think" and "but that's too far" and "how will that work" and "will that be enough" all over again, Torre and I have thankfully fallen back into God's grace that allows us to throw up our hands in surrender and say, sincerely, "Whatever, Wherever, However, God!". I hate how easily we fall back into the control freak trap, but I am so thankful to my God who patiently waits for me to get back in line and resolve myself to follow his lead. I love how Lisa Bevere puts it, "Our Lion will not lead us on a path he himself has not already paced." Life is not absent of trouble, challenge or fear, but I must hold tight to the truth and personal experience I have with my Father God who holds the universe in the palm of his hands.

So as far as we know right now, it looks like we will be living/working in California come October but we do not know where or for how long yet. We really want to be in Cali. for the holidays so we can spend as much  time as possible with our family. :)

Torre had an amazing time on the Missions trip to the DR and I really enjoyed my time visiting my family in Cali! All of our DR Family is doing really well and besides some set backs this year through customs they were able to serve approximately 400 people at the medical clinic! I absolutely love how God continues to grow our partnership and build up our relationships in the DR and really look forward to heading back next time!

Our Mission trip to Tonga is coming up as well...September 24-October 1!!! We are taking a team from Otaki and some of the surrounding churches to Tonga to serve the students and families of ACTS Community School! This will be the first Mission trip the church here in Otaki has ever organized so keep us all in your prayers for provision, direction and God's Spirit to go before us and prepare the way. Our goal is to make this an annual trip to Tonga so we can continue to build relationships and further the Kingdom of God through His love!

I need to get my day officially going now. Be blessed!

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans for a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Autumn in Kiwi Land & Beyond!

Although I think I prefer the term "Fall" for the Autumn seasons, whenever I've referred to Autumn as "Fall" here I get a funny look and a, "you mean Autumn?". March, April and May are the FALL months here in New Zealand and it's been quite beautiful. The sun is still very warm, the air has cooled off quite a bit and now that June is just two days away you can tell Winter has arrived...particularly because of the beautiful snow capped Tararua Mountain Range!

This is the view just up the street and around the corner from our house.

Click here to read more about Otaki.

*enter June*

I'm back! Blogging seems to have become something that I do in my "spare" time and for whatever reasons the new year hasn't provided much blogging opportunity. I'm determined to finish out our year here in New Zealand with a complete blog!

It's now June 18th in NZ, Father's Day back home - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADS!, and it's freezing. The Tararua Mountains have a this fresh layer of snow on them from the weekend storm and that means IT'S COLD! Living on the coast definitely has it's perks during the warm seasons but it's a bit cooler than you'd expect during the winter. It's still a blessing to hear the surf at high tide and to know that it's majestic view is around the corner, but in exchange for those things I think this house may need some insulation upgrades!

I was in charge of Lunch and made soup for 200 people!

April 28th we hosted the first Annual Otaki Health Screening Day at our church! It was a great day! We had just over 100 people come through the doors, approximately 45 community and church volunteers and 12 medical/nutritional vendors. Torre did an amazing job over overseeing the organization of the event and a big thanks to all the volunteers who helped it run so smoothly! It was a great outreach opportunity for our community and we've already seen some of the fruit by new faces at church!

The weekend of May 11th, Torre, Mike and I traveled to the Kingdom of Tonga as a Missions Vision trip and to spend the weekend with our friends Pastor Mateala and Lavender who pastor EQUIPPERS Church Tonga. We were able to see first hand their heart for their community. Almost three years ago they started Acts Community School and it has continued to flourish into an amazing source of education, love and hope to the community. 

September 24 through October 1, 2012, a team from our church in Otaki, the HUB church, will be traveling to Tonga for our first ever Medical Mission to Tonga!!! We will spend the week working with Acts Community School and the families of the students providing medical care, prayer and any other kind of support we can during our time there. Please keep our team in your prayers as we prepare for this Mission and continue to pray for Tonga and the Equippers Church and school.

Acts Community School, Tonga

Mike doing the Friday School Assembly

Equippers Church Tonga

Surprising "Winter" surprises! The flowers below started growing in our front yard just a couple of weeks ago! We also have a small bunch of Daffies growing in the back yard AND I saw a pair of black swans today with a baby. Geesh! My mind is telling me it's Summer, my freezing body is telling me it's Winter, and my eyes are telling me it's Spring! So confused!!!

Fun with friends! Mike, Torre and the kids

playing with a beetle in the living room. :)

We went camping a couple of weekends ago at the Waikawa Stream Reserve, Manakau. It's a great local spot close enough to home for a shower!

"Location: 4km up Manakau North Road - This Department of Conservation managed ‘basic’ campsite features 15 tent sites and is surrounded by diverse vegetation – watch for fantails, tui, bellbird, whitehead, riflemen and kakariki. There are short walks, day trips and tramps available in Tararua Forest Park. There’s also an historic stone shelter building surrounded by plenty of shade trees. There are no fees for camping here."

We also spent some time at Queen Elizabeth Park! Such a beautiful spot!

"A slice of the sunny Kapiti Coast, Queen Elizabeth Park is ideal for swimming, fishing, walking, horseriding, picnics and group events. Bounded by Paekakariki, Raumati South and State Highway One, Queen Elizabeth Park imparts a rare feeling of remoteness within the dunes, remnant forest and regenerating wetlands. Explore the wetlands and bush remnant or take a historic tram ride to Whareroa Beach."

Memorial Point facing the Mountain Range

Kapiti Island from Memorial Point platform


S'MORES TIME!

Our new camping stove! Hot Chocolate & S'mores. :D

S'mores NZ style! White and pink marshmallows with Choco Krispies!
They are thin, crispy coconut cookies with a layer of chocolate already on them!

Perfect. Sunset on the Tasman Sea from Memorial Point.