Kia Ora mate! These past few weeks have been so sweet and full of different things going on. My team and I just got back from a five day journey/tour through the North island of NZ. I will just tell you that it is so stinkin gorgeous, especially the very tip top place which is called Cape Reinga. Most beautiful, breath-taking place I have ever seen, no joke. We were stopped in a New Zealand road block a.k.a. heaps of cows in the middle of the road, and decided to climb out of our sunroof in nothing other than a minivan to take pictures of the mooing herd. The men who were moving the cows to a new pasture gave us the funniest looks, so we waved and kept on driving. (Sidenote: we spent probably about 40+ hours in the car throughout those five days. I thought of Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness without food and it made me appreciate the tight spaces and amazing KFC so much more). Fast food restaurants are so much better here than they are in America. I ate cookies and cream cheesecake at McDonald’s, get out, right?! Plus, it hadn’t been plopped in grease for who knows how long before it entered my mouth. MMM it was mighty tasty. I also got to go…….BUNGEE JUMPING!!! It has been on my bucket list for ages, and I finally got to experience the adrenaline rush and sheer thrill of it! Has God blessed me or what?
This week we’ll be starting kids’ camp!! This is probably what I have been most excited for this entire trip, and we’ll be pouring into 160 kiddos over the next two weeks. During leadership training this weekend, high school leaders have been poured into by God, the staff here at El Rancho, and my team.
They have beautiful hearts for kids and seeing them on fire for Christ. Having the opportunity to love on them and bring them encouragement is so incredible. God created us to be in fellowship with one another, and I have seen very clearly how we seriously are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Before, it was more of a “Christianese” saying, but now it really hits home that our Father loves each and every one of us so unconditionally and loves it when we worship him together in everything that we do.
I am so stoked for these next two weeks, and I am confident that God is going to change kids’ lives in a HUGE way! They are going to experience culture shock because when they get here tomorrow, they are going to be loved on hardcore by everyone here starting from the second they step out of their cars. I know that God has such phenomenal plans for New Zealand, and we are witnessing some of them being fulfilled now! I am constantly in awe of His power and the fact that I can never even get enough of Him to the point where I am never satisfied and always wanting more of His presence, love, and will to be done in my life and in the lives of the awesome people we have met here. Every day is a new chance for me to worship my Savior with everything that I am and bring His kingdom to Earth. May you see yourself through God’s eyes and know how insanely proud He is of you. May His spirit overflow you with joy, peace, and love so that it will spill out into the lives of the people you encounter every day. You are His precious and beloved child, and He is greater than ANYTHING you could ever face. Surrender your every care and worry to the Father who cares about and knows every single thing in your life. I am in constant prayer for you whether you know it or not, muahaha, and I want you to remember that you are LOVED BEYOND MEASURE by the God who created you exactly how He wants you to be.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1
Cape Reinga
New Zealand Road Block – MOO
