Northward Bound!

We just came from an intense week on the topic of Lordship with Mark Parker. It was really good to see him again, he was the speaker who drove me from Oakridge to Auckland airport, and was a strong reason that I'm back here in New Zealand. We had some great break through for the students, but with our school and with the Father Heart. (The DTS for 30+) We had one of our students go to the Father Heart lectures, and had some healing so that was a HUGE step for her. There isn't much else to tell, but that we have been going full tilt with Outreach prep, weekend activities and snow boarders that keep coming and going and coming again, and then leaving maybe. Needless to say, I'm STOKED for my trip up with my parents this week, I'm leaving come 4 am tomorrow, then back Sunday, away to Kia koira this following monday.

I'm really going to miss Christmas this year with everyone, I spent the last one in New Zealand, but this next one will be in Bali. It'll be nice to have some time with family, because the next few months will be full on in Cambodia. It's a spiritually oppressive place, and so is Bali. The long term missionaries say that they can really tell those who have been praying actively against the strongholds in those nations. I've made a commitment to the Base to kick start the landscaping project here at Oxford. It seem to be (although a lot of hard work) some kind of golden pear from heaven. I get a hands on crash course on landscape architecture from one of the top designers in New Zealand! Woop Woop! One thing at a time and in it's season. I must apologize for being so far out of touch with everyone. If you have a moment, please drop and e-mail and just tell me about your lives, I probablly won't respond, but I really want to know what is happening!
Loves Laura

The Ultimate Weekend Warrior

This week started for my team and I on friday afternoon with the arrival of the snowboarder teams from all over the world- China, turkey, Chile. We also had 5 birthdays from thurday to this monday. I planned 4 of them. I'm a bit done. But each one was more epic than the next! It started with a Kidnapping birthday on thurs morning with electric coloured cupcakes. Then a hippie birthday picnic with Hummus and pitas complete with blowing fabric and a Jimbay. Then On saturday night we had a tight and bright party for Nicki, my roomie and staff on the backpackers. We made giant skillet cookies and had a huge cookie and ice cream eating contest which turned into a food fight and volleyball until dark. Sunday night we had a pajama party with all the tables on the ground with pillows and mosi nets all around, and rice pudding for another birthday from the snowboarders. All the while my team were cooking, cleaning and maintaining the base for 130 people. Needless to say, I'm taking more time off this week to recover from the weekend- it was so worth it! Huge break through for one of my weekend warriors he's a about 50ish, and he said he hadn't had so much fun in he didn't know how long- he had lost most of his family to death, and he finally was laughing and joking with all of us! Incredible stuff to be apart of- just by parting all weekend long!

We have 5 weeks until bali, and 13 days until my parents come. God has begun to give me a heart for the Khmer people, which is awesome, it is so natural, I don't have to force myself to love. God gives you that love for others! We're having awesome intercession times and great small groups, the earthcare students are so wonderful- such a joy to be around! Despite all the business though, there's still a large amount of worship, fellowship and time to build a three bin compost (that I'm pretty proud of too!)
loves
Laura

Ounatai (Oct. 27-31) Character and Nature of God week...

It's a combined blog this week from last week and this one I'm afraid. Last week the earthcare school spend our time on the wild waters of the west coast- we stayed in a canvas tent where the lagoon meets the river, which meets the Tasman sea! It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen- it was ocean to the west and snow caped peaks to the East, every sun rise and sun set was magnifacent! Each of us did a solo overnight, I stayed in the Jungle! We had crazy NZ bush men teaching us survival techniques and more about soil and water irrossion, It was unbelievable. I drew sketches and made spears and learned to weave flax. We had HUGE bonfires and spirit led worship, we slep under the stars- and on one occasion, the rain! It was almost a full moon and the beach lit up so clear that there were shadows cast in the middle of the night! It is a magical place.

Needless to say, we were all exhasted from that week, so I've spend most of this one catching up from Ounatai. It's the character and nature of God week with Hank Overem, and I think I had him on my dts- it all gets strangly familiar after a time. I'm trying to focus in lectures, but really with all the student journals to mark and my little push to graduate with the snowboarders school. Things are moving quickly with outreach fast on our heals, but that's fine- better too many options than hardly any! the weather is getting warmer, and I'm anxiously awaiting my parental unit's arrival come 3 weeks from this last monday! Lots to plan much to look forward to!
loves
laura