Alberta Bound

I drove from KiaKoura, to Nelson to Hanmer and Home in under 48 hrs. Well, actually I'm still in ChristChurch, working away on I don't know what, to be truthful, networking for home, hopefully see everyone in 10 days before the Vaca time with the fam. I'm so so so excited to see everyone, I feel better about coming back now, I have just had an unbelievable passport miracle, and some awesome words from people and God, and have more peace to come back, also I'm moving out of a room that I've had for a little while with Courtney, it's best for us both. Almost finished phase one of the plan, super stoked to show the before and after pics. Loves,
Laura

A week of firsts

Hello out there! it was a full week of randoms. I skied for the first time in 12 years up at Porters Pass. I had canada day in the winter with pumpkin pie. I'm organizing worship solo this Monday, and I have a car at my disposal for 2 weeks! I also helped at a youth group from ages 10- 13yrs on friday, super super stoked! I'm counting 10 days before I come home. loves and blessings.
Laura

First ride of the year!

I got to ride Hutt this last monday and it was really awesome! The snow was pretty decent and for missing 2 seasons I wasn't too bad at all! It's been sunny all week this week and it will be next week as well! I think the worst of the rain is now past.

I've been really moving along with the gardens- I've had some help too- a Dutch staff from the backpackers school is staffing the boarding school and there parents are staying for a few weeks. Its a lot of fun with them and it was his father who gave me a hand. :)

I spent the night with the blakely family and another earthcare student, we watched fiddler on the Roof! Such an amazing film, I was blown away. It's so vital to get there sometimes.  I've also booked the rest of my tickets, It should be pretty sorted, I've made plans for Nov and Dec which I'm fairly stoked on too! I'll be home for Christmas unless God directs otherwise. A good thing about plans is they can always be changed!

I'll be home in July!
loves
Laura

Oh life

I've booked a ticket home in July, and am really looking forward to seeing everyone! It's been a productive week of sunshine, but the monday didn't start off so wonderful. The rain can really get to you and the lack of sunshine, but as the week progressed the sun shone and the mountains are covered in snow. All the boarders are here now, it's going to be a great team! Another couple is coming on base and will be doing outreach co-ordination. It's going to be great. As far as plans and decisions, things aren't clear, but I must trust.

Dick Rasanen:
    
"Dear God, I find it so easy to try to be the one in charge, I find it so painful to realize that I am not the one in control. Help me to know when saying  "I just work here." It's a confession, and not just a way of evading responsibility."

(matt. 6 25-26)

"For this reason I say to you, [fn] do not be worriedabout your [fn] life, as to what you will eat or whatyou will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body morethan clothing,
		"Look at the birds of the [fn] air, that they do not sow,nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenlyFather feeds them. Are you not worth much morethan they? Loves Laura

Lead climbing and Poi dancing!

It's been another rainy week in Oxford, with 2 days of sun to break it up. I finished a bed in 2 days, I was really happy about that. I also got to help teach 2 sessions of BLS. Other then that, time flies here, but I don't know where it's going :). It's hard to get up earlier than 7:30 am because the days are short.

 We've got one more week until the whole of the snow boarder staff come along. Things are running into routine now, it's neither here nor there. The word that I'm getting from God is WAIT. For what I'm not sure, but I've got some social patterns to change- rather wrong beliefs that effect my actions, It's gotta go. God's so into character development. I also found I place almost ALL my worth in what I can do, so when we've had 2 weeks of rain and I've done nothing, I'm feeling so low because I'm not able to get my self worth from work. Scary. My faith is actions right now, not heart. It's taking a long time to adjust, 2 months actually. I was thinking though, I really did want to have some time to fly, because on outreach it feels like I live 2 days in one. I'm up at 5:30 am and to bed at 10pm, and the days are so full on and stress filled that it's really nice to just have a bit of stress free- if only counterfeit, and only once in my adult life.
Loves
laura

Rain, rain, it's time to go, come back if in the form of snow...

It's been absolutely pouring in most of New Zealand this last week, apparently the worst in years, good for the hills though, I guess about 4 feet or something wonderful like that! This week was very very slow for the grounds keeping- it was a week of Saturdays, which may sound appealing at first but really, not at all. I ended up skim boarding in the back of one of our properties, we had about 3 inches of flooding all over the grass- it was perfect!!!

The BLS started up this Sunday night and I'm on the BLS leadership team with another base staff guy and  headed up by Mary Huffman. She's a long time YWAMer and she has asked me to apprentice under her, I'm stoked to be apart of the team. Also, the SFC (snowboarders for Christ) met this weekend in Christchurch, and myself and another kid (Scott Blythen) went to check it out! I think it's really going to be amazing! I was with friends this Friday and Sat in Christchurch, and we went all the way to littleton, Taylor's mistake and back around to ChristChurch, it was so beautiful! The rain just let up as we went to look at some WWll Guns on the coast and the sun came out. :)

Things are getting better around the base, like my good friend who left said, the clouds do lift. The snowboarder staff are getting going and it's one month to the day the school starts. I've started P90X with some base staff, which has quickly become HUGE and almost everyone is doing it! It's kicking my butt that's for sure, I could barely get my arms above my head. I'm more at peace here now than I have been for the last 2 months. I'm supported now from leadership and from (most) of my peers. My main goal is to setting the tone as best I can. It's pretty good so far- humbling, but good. Love you all!

Hello Good-bye

It's a revolving door here at YWAM, I had to say good-bye to a dear friend that I met last year and now she is gone back to England via thailand/ Israel today. Last night was a huge dinner for all of base staff, it felt like a thanksgiving dinner- so fun and so much food! It's a new season for this base, snow boarders DTS is already under way! It's very exciting and new energies are coming through- many new personalities as well! The landscaping project is coming along well, I got to go to heaps of different green houses to shop for plants and weedmat and other soils and seeds. I hope to put in a winter garden as well- anything is possible here in NZ. I get to learn so much as well.

I have just finish a 5 day fast to pray for this new season on base and to also get direction on what the next step may be. I haven't received anything much in the way of direction but I have been given peace for this time in NZ. I have found it challenging in many ways, some I was anticipating, others came out of left field. God fights for us, and He sees us when it may seem that no one else does.

Loves
laura

Sympathetic Fallacy

Kia Ora from the land of the great white cloud. Half the students from the AW80 have left today. the rest leave tomorrow evening. My good friend Ally will be leaving in 6 days and so will Lisa and Justin Mckinny from Oakridge. It is all around tough, thank goodness for my friend Courtney Todd that is going to be our Chef staff come this next week for two years. There are some fun things on the horizon, I'm so glad that we will also be rooming together.

The snowboard staff arrive tomorrow.

I know it is good for me to be apart of this transition to know what longer term missions is about- turnovers and comings and goings, wonderful people that get to share a bit of their visions and talents and lives that inspire and challenge you, and then they are off on their own journeys. The landscaping project is going well, and the revised plan is getting reviewed tomorrow. In the mean time I'm just up-keeping the grounds, and will try to make contacts for plants.

Blessings
laura

Quote of the week:

"A dream is the seed of possibility

planted in the soul of a human being,

which calls him to pursue a unique path

to the realization of his purpose."

                     Sharon Hull

A fortnightly update I guess

Hello out there! It's been a wee while since I've written, simply because It's been a bit overwhelming my time here. I am waiting and waiting some more on God's direction. It's been hard, especially the mornings where I wake up and wonder what the heck I'm doing with my life. Then I remind myself that the wisest course of action is God's, and it's worth the wait. He hasn't taken me anywhere that He hasn't provided the means and support, so I keep trusting.

I work the hours I want, when I want, I really enjoy it. I'm learning to do basic construction and apprentice under an amazing Kiwi bloke! I've had an awesome few weekends, with many firsts! I had a road trip with an english girl and we proceeded to tramp, pan for gold, have spontaneous hot pool runs, sleep in car, wake up on the beach, acquire free jade all in the span of 48 hrs!

The last weekend I spent was with a girl I met up in the north Is. Who is fast becoming a close friend, we hung out all weekend, and then I had to say more goodbyes as the last of the backpackers from my Oct DTS left.

I'm really enjoying my space as base staff, it allows for lots of alone processing time as i'm working on the landscaping project. I should send pics rather soon. Big changes are happening next week. Our AW80 school leaves for outreach come next sat and the Snowboard DTS Staff follow up in 3 weeks! YEESH

It has been a birthday week here on base as well- I've had so much dessert that I'm constantly haveing to look for pants that fit. ;) Oh YWAM food. I spent the night at the Blakelys' house (the family that I staffed the earhtcare DTS with) to celebrate Jenny's birthday. It was quite lovely and so nice to be in a house with a family. It provides so much stability.  Love you all and thankyou for your prayers
laura

Week Four at Oxford

Dear loved ones,

It’s been one month now since returning from Cambodia, and 2 weeks since finishing the school. I am settling down here, and getting a clearer more informed picture of my future. I am and have committed to the project here, and I will honor that commitment. The earliest I would leave New Zealand is late July or Aug. The latest would be Dec. 2010. This is a good place to be all around. I am still working on my options for schooling in the upcoming terms but I’m waiting for all my options to come in to form a plan.

 So in the mean time here's some food for thought:

A cluttered mind means over-thinking, over-reacting, over-analyzing, over-worrying and over-committing…The more you give yourself permission not to do, the more you free yourself to live a God centred, abundant life.

If you could have only one pet for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

What element would you be (earth wind fire water) and why?

What is your favorite colour and why?

Thank you to everyone who has given me advice and a listening ear, these questions are fun and I'll give you the "deeper meaning" next week! 

The Cross Roads

Hey everyone, the engagement party is over for the 2nd Blythen girl. It was a great success and heaps of fun- it went all the way to 1 am and we woke up with 8 extra people around the house. (Mostly YWAM out-of-towners). It was wonderful to be a part of and I've spent my time catching up with good friends. It's been more listening to the traumas of YWAM Oakridge and just being thankful that I am no longer apart of that drama.

It's been good to put things into perspective and get some distance from your immediate surroundings, I've been asking heaps of advice from others and am just trying to make a solid decision. Whatever I do I'll submit it to God.

On a light note, grant and I went turkey shooting, I was 6 for 8 shots :), then a heap of us went clay bird shooting I wasn't so sharp. :) The weather has been picture perfect and it has a wonderful two weeks. I'll be back to Oxford come tuesday.
loves
laura

Happy Easter Everyone!

Hi friends and family, happy Easter to all. I hope this day finds you with heaps of chocolate bunnies, good company and the joy of your salvation. It's been so good to hear from family, and look forward to hearing more from you come the next few days. Love you all, God bless you where you are.

laura yemen

Northward Bound for Easter

It's over. I finished on Wednesday staff debrief, and it's finished for now. The Earthcare school will be up and running come next October along with the Backpackers DTS and the Cross Roads DTS. It's an exciting thing to know that the earthcare will continue on, even though the Blakelys will not be able to lead it come Oct.

My position as base staff has become a bit clearer, I'm looking forward to the opportunities at base to serve not only as grounds keeper, when needed I'll be able to work in the kitchen or hospitality. Also I'm excited to say that Courtney, a student from backpackers is coming back to take over the Kitchen from Alley, her and I will share a room come May in the Staff house! I'm so excited! We've become such good friends already. We've grounded tents, gone climbing and had a beach trip all in about a week! I'm so grateful she'll be on staff- for 2 years too.

This Tuesday I'm going up to the Blythens (family from Oakridge) and staying 2 weeks up that way to celebrate Easter and go to Leigh's Engagement party. (Leigh is their daughter who is engaged to an Oakridge staff!)

Lots of love, Happy Easter!
Laura Yemen

Earthcare NZ Debrief and Grad

It is FINISHED! I can't believe it but the Earthcare School finished on friday night with the student grad night. It was emotional and teary and we had about 70 people show up for it, which was really remarkable considering the size of our school. We had a presentation to give the next DTS last thursday, it went very well. It's been just wonderful to have some of the students and staff around from the the Backpackers and Cross roads DTS come back to base to help and visit us on our debrief week. I've been able to catch up with 3 backpacker staff and just have some awesome down time with them and with a local family that has really taken me in, and I am very grateful for.

The students all but leave tomorrow save one girl, who has malaria and has been in the hospital since thursday night. I'll be able to go and pick her up this  coming monday. I'll have debrief for three days and from there I really don't know. I don't know my place at the base, or how long I'm staying, I'm hoping I'll get some decent time to pray and seek God's next step and spend some time somewhere quiet. I'll be heading up north to visit the Blythen family again and just chill out. There is much more that has happened, but I haven't been able to record it fast enough.

This saturday I Hiked Mt. Oxford with some amazing people and we worshiped on the top and prayed for the town of Oxford and for one another. It was wonderful. The people here are really kind and have really made me feel welcome.

Love to you all
Laura Yemen

Along the Gulf of Thailand

This is my last blog before I return home to New Zealand. We have spend the week here in Sieouk Ville which is the ulitmate beach party town. We managed to get a hotel with air con, a swimming pool, hot water and telephones! Sheer luxury- we have been very spoiled.

Debrief has gone remarkably well. I am so grateful for all of the positive feedback that I have recieved from the students. It makes it all worth while to hear that not only have they grown but also that they see God working in their lives and see that there has been a huge difference in their thinking and relationship with God and with one another. It is safe to say that all of them are soaring here and are throughly enjoying themselves- it's been a ride and a half and I was ready to go home a week ago, my patients is all but dried up, however times of refreshing come in morning runs and sleeps by the pool and awesome devos on top of heaps of down time. It will be wonderful to go at least physically rested. :) We also took time last night to pray for our Khmer contact Seang, who is really devistated at our team leaving, he has invested a lot into our team and has worked so hard to make things run smoothly. It was great to hear God's next step for him.

The majority of the time has been spent looking for restaurants and places to swim and tan. :) We took a boat to 3 islands yesterday to swim snorkel and explore, it wasn't the best equiptment, but you get what you pay for, and we payed 13 US for the day- so not too many reasons to complain. Some of the girls and I are looking into massages and pedicures later today all in all a perfect wind up to a long but invaluble outreach in Cambodia. See you at Debrief in New Zealand! (With a day layover on the Gold coast- so hard to take!)

Love laura

Ratanak Kiri

It has been a while since my last blog, we spent the last week of February and the first week of March up in Ratanak Kiri. It is the most North Eastern part of Cambodia and borders Vietnam. We stayed with a Thai Christian contact who formerly worked with Whitecliff bible tranlators in amongst the villagers. It was such a beautiful place, but everywhere they were burning their forests- there was smoke always rising from a distance, it was so disheartening. So many forgien investors have stolen the villagers lands for rubber, cashew and palm oil plantations- which the land cannot withstand more that a few years because a lack of biodiveristy and a total devistaion of the ecosystem by a slash and burn method.

We had the privalege of staying 2 nights in a village collecting data and compiling information about 3 different villages and their new agroculture methods that had to be rapidly developed when a flood wiped out their upland rice crops and swept away there food from the previous year and their seed for the next harvest. The missionaries have come in with much forgien aid, but there is still a small yeild in contrast to the labor. We documented this all from both ours and the villagers stand points. Our team compiled an 11 pg report. I was very impressed with our team- not only to withstand some tough conditions in the village but also a challenging task of compiling and organizing data.

I got very sick in the village and was pretty sheepish to find out that it was caused by dehydration. But 4 days of rest and 8 days of diarrhea later I came right. We had two students take an additional 4 day tramp through the Cambodian outback along the Vietnamese border where they came face to face with illigal logging and forging of the land. It was a real eye opener in that area. We were just outside the town of Banlung and it felt like the wild west. The police were completely corrupt and though there was law, it was not upheld.
The Villagers are in constant fear of the spirits and are always making sacrifices to appeal them, the most tangelble spirit that is destroying them is greed. Please pray for justice in this land, there are a handful of christains scattered among the villages that are constantly being persicuted by fellow villagers, but they are so faithful to God and are sure of the power of his grace. It was so inspirational to see, our God gives life and vision and hope and a future.

Some slow down time in Seim Reap

Hi everyone! We've just finished our time in Battambang at the youth centre and the orphange. Things were finished well in terms of relational ministry. However for the gardens we weren't able to complete our second water tank at the orphanage due to time constraints. It was difficult for me to be unable to finish however Seang (our cambodian contact) was right in desiding that we should not begin the base of it- better on something like that to just build it all or bless with the finances to do so! At the YWAM base there is a leak in our other tank, so when Seang goes back to Battambang that's an odd job that will be waiting for him!

Wednesday we offically left Battambang and have landed ourselves in Seim Reap for 2 days, we are staying in a beautiful guest house with hot water showers, TV with Olymipics coverage free internet and a tiny pool. Yesterday I've been shopping and dining and having my feet exfoliated by tiny fish that are kept in a pool on the sides of the streets. (sketchy? Kind of!) and today I was up at 4:30 to go to angkor wat and surrounding temples to watch the sunrise with 5 other team members. It was a wonderful morning- we took HEAPS of photos and saw monkeys. After we came back to eat and then I was off for a 7$  One hour full body Khmer massage- it was heaven! I came home and showered and then slept in my air con room until It is time to eat again and go to the night market. It has been an absolutely magical 2 days of vacation- something I haven't had since I was with my parents in November. Tomorrow we leave for Phnom Penh for 2 days to see the holicaust museums and the killing fields before we go on to our final stretch of ministry in Ratinakeri. I am grateful for this time and feel very rested and (almost) to take on the next 3 weeks.

Loves
laura

last days in Battambang

we have come to the end of our time here in Battambang- we leave to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap on Wednesday. the 12h of Feb is exactly 4 weeks before we leave for New Zealand. A month is a long time and it isn’t. We will be traveling quite a bit- hopefully to get a good sense of Cambodia’s history and an understanding of it’s spiritual climates. God has been very kind to our team. Everyone is in high spirits even though they are exhausted. We are 99% finished our model garden at the YWAM base; and with a little help from another outreach team from the Philippines we will be very close, if not able to complete all that was required for the garden at the orphanage. They kids there have worked hard for the garden., they have almost built the fencing themselves and helped with the leveling of the garden beds. All that remains is the soil prep, water tank and drip line.



We have done a kids carnival at the orphanage, as well as a valentine’s party coming up this Sunday at the YWAM base. Some students are very sad to leave their classes that they’ve assisted in. It’s bitter sweet, but I’m thankful that we are leaving at this time while people still don’t want to leave. We are definitely leaving on a crescendo, believe is very important for short term missions. Leave with a party! Our team has come together remarkably well over this last week. They are all hopeful as I am that we will finish this project on time. All of them are committed to this and to one another. It has been a highlight for me to see us all come together. Please pray for this to continue, for God to give me wisdom and insight and for continued protection and health in Cambodia.



God bless and HAPPY WINTER OLYMPICS- GO TEAM CANADA!



Laura Yemen

Heat is up in Battambang

This is our last official week here in Battambang. The Blakley family left this Wednesday and although sad, it has been a real team stengthening event. We have finished work on 2 of the 4 gardening commitments and will be using this last week to complete the remaining two. Team morale is up as they see the end in site. All of them have really taken ownership of the classes that they teach in the afternoon and are committed to the team. On our day off (Saturday) I have finally found the City Cafe! It's air conditioned and has free wireless! It's very hot right now- maybe 36 degrees and it can get to you after a while- a coconut shakes does help though! I am very excited with all of the ministry opportunities we've had here, this Sunday we're taking the service at the orphanage and doing the parable of the seeds, after the kids will start seeds of their own for the garden we are helping make. We get to teach and minister and build. It really is a perfect combination of service and relational ministry. God has really been teaching me so many things, and I am seeing more and more how much I need His Spirit to live well every day. Besides an emergency trip to the clinic for one of our students things have been going very smoothly. Please pray for our final weeks, It will have been 5 weeks in Cambodia, we have five more to go, and we've been on the move since dec. It has been the longest I've lived outside of western culture, I do enjoy the differences, but some things can take their toll. The language barrier has been keeping things on a surface level for 5 weeks, and that can be frustrating. Please pray also for our team dynamics- we are rounding up here and some relational patterns have not been so inclusive, I really am asking God for wisdom on how to encourage the team out of this. I trust everyone is well. Being on the extremes of both hot here in Cambodia, and the freezer of New Zealand, I have concluded that both are miserable and that everyone should live on the west coast. :)



All my love,

Laura Yemen





ps. Shout out to my Dad for being so awesome! Happy Birthday fasha!

January In Battambang

This has been a month full of learning and ministry. This last week my team has been gardening every morning and teaching english every evening. It's been full on and really fullfilling. I have learned so much about tropical agroculture and gardening in a developing nation. My role continues to be more pastoral as a leader however when the Blakelys leave this wednesday it will be a bit more involved. I'm looking forward to what lays ahead. We have several oppurtunities at Battambang, and in Ratanikeri. We have six weeks remaining however we will be taking about 5 days transition from battambang to Ratanikeri. We will hopefully see Angkor Wat and go to Phnom Pehn again to see the holicost museum and the killing feilds and then take the 10 hr bus up to the hills and forests of Ratanikeri. I am enjoying the new challenges and really feel more confident in my role here. This group of students are really going for it! They put so much effort in everything they do! They are mature and kind to everyone and to one another! Thank you so much for your prayers and e-mails! I LOVED my post card Gram y, it's in my journal! The base is slightly annoyed that I'm getting SO much mail! It means the world to me! Loves
laura

hey fROm cambodia

hi eVeryone i'm typing fRom a boy's laptop in a  cafe aboVE the stReets of battambang. it's been a cRazy few weeks of teaching and ministRy. afteR a long pRocess ouR school leadeR and his family aRE going home 4 weeks eaRly due to his health. they will leaVE us on the 4th of febRuary. it's a good decision i think, this place is not much good if you need a quiet place to just be in. things aRE going well heRE, we haVE much oppuRtunity to woRk with the local oRphanage and will be assisting with 4 pROjects to set up gaRdens. VI'm VeRy gREatful foR all the suppoRt we haVE heRe. VJenny's been amazing. RJust a thankyou again foR youR pRAyeRs. it was an amazing week inthat we had 3 days of cool weatheR and RAin. VExtREmly unseasonable, and soREfREshing. we got to see so many pRojects that local NGO"S and woRld Vision aRE doing. oit's inspiRIng. i'm  gReatful foR an exposuRE to all this. it isn't an easy place to liVe. it is hot and dusty. it's easy to get tiRed and discouRAged. some of the long teRm woRkeRs heRE haVE so much joy, it's contagious, but it seems eVeRy day is a battle to choose to hope and choose to loVe. this is a stRuggle. it's also been haRdeR to  REly so heaVily on our contact.

REnoughfoR now
loVe lauRA

Banana Shakes and Bicycles

hey everyone! It's going to be quick. I bought a bike. EC lectures and ministry are going well. Jan 14th to Feb 14 we are still in Battambang. Loves and misses and shout out to Jackie's 21st b-day! all my love
laura

From Depuslar to Phnom Penh and Beyond!

Hey everyone! I've finally got a chance to write to you from Battambang Cambodia. Things are going as well as they could- half the team was down for the last few days with the running poos and chunders. It's hot, but there is relief when the wind blows down from China. Bali was amazing- a true paradise- fruit falls from the trees, mountain streams, friendly people, it was a christian haven in Hindu chaos. In comparison, Cambodia is quite literally a waste land. I have never ever seen such extreme poverty. There is a recession, but it is fast and cheap, no labor laws, no unions. Many sweat shops lined the 5 hr bus ride from the capital of Phnom Penh to Battambang, but they were the nicest looking (and sturdiest) structures around. If you ever wonder again how you got such a good deal on hand crafted furniture, know that it was made on the dirt streets of south east asia. There is always red dust blowing and coating the trees.

However, while I can see hardly any reasons to come to this place besides ankor wat and the delicious and SUPER cheap food- the missionaries here GLOW with the joy of the Lord. There is no other draw to a nation then the heart of the Father for his lost children. Cambodia is primary Buddhist but was founded in Hinduism. the Khmer people are beautiful and polite, we've been to a 4 square orphanage in Battambang and will commit to that one over the next five weeks. The next two weeks will be dedicated to earthcare teachings on how to restore site specific land in Cambodia. We're closely tied to YWAM Battambang and they are off the charts amazing! Our house is secured with  big gate and 2 sets of locks. Despite sickness and heat, our team has done so well and has made a major break through just mid week. I hopefully will be writing regularly now that internet is avalible! All my love
laura