So far, the Lord has been doing heaps and heaps during the last two weeks of kids camp. It has been so cool to be involved in participating in advancing the Kingdom and bringing heaven to earth. I remember I got to pray with this one kid. He told me that his leg was cramping, and without hesitation I decided to pray with him. Literally five minutes later, he came up to me during supper and told me the pain was gone! I knew God healed but it was indescribable to experience firsthand the power of God! And plus I was blessed to see the kid's increase in faith from that. Even before that,...

This past week has been A M A Z I N G.  It was the first of two consecutive kids camps at El Rancho. My team served in the kitchen, helped teach lessons, encouraged and supported cabin leaders and staff, and ran activities for the kids as well as hung out and prayed for them. It was exhausting getting up at 6am and going to bed at 12am for 5 days straight, but God was faithful in providing strength and energy and changing the lives of these kids as well as leaders. The kids camp went very smoothly and many kids accepted Christ. For those that did not, we can be confident that seeds...

So the past week has been absolute chaos. It has also been probably the best week I’ve had since coming to New Zealand. We’ve been running a kid’s camp here at El Rancho. Every day, I’ve been making food, running activities, teaching singing classes, and teaching lessons on Jesus. It’s been the most draining and also the most life-giving experience I’ve ever had. I love these children so much! They’re so full of energy and excitement about life and Jesus! We had chapel services every night and those were definitely my favorite parts of the week. The...

Some of you have heard the news that an earthquake hit off the coast of New Zealand's North Island yesterday.  We received the following report: An undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck off the coast of New Zealand’s North Island on 3 July 2012. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 2236 local time (1036 UTC) and was centered approximately 107 mi/172 km northwest of Wellington at a depth of 146 mi/236 km. The tremor was felt across the North Island and the northern coast of the South Island. There have been no reports of any...

My team just got back a couple days ago from a tour of the North Island where we explored the sights and ministered to people along the way. The highlights for me included seeing the northern tip, Cape Reinga, which was gorgeous; going to a traditional Maori village, Whakarewarewa in Rotorua; and meeting different people on the streets and encouraging them.    We are getting prepared for the first of two consecutive weeks of kid's camp at El Rancho. We will be teaching lessons, helping out with activities, working in the kitchen, and simply ministering to the staff,...

(Rebecca's poem to me) A better place to be Rests at the top of the trees Where white cotton shades the leaves And tells them to pass It on until they wrinkle dry, And follow the breeze to exactly the place They needed to be. Where the wind blows burdens south, And leaces a crinkly cushion For aimless soles smashing fruits Into wine from the trees. A poetic response to a poem my friend, Rebecca, wrote me since I've been overseas… Calloused labor, stained old wine, Sweat flows down fool's ridges, Salt shields paned windows, Settling into damp corners. Upon new day, joy...