The Final Week

This week was on evangelism- and it was just in time! I spent last Sunday crying to a friend that I did Young Life with about how much I miss it all- and who would show up the next day but a regional YL leader that had us sing YL songs every lecture! I was in Heaven! That and multiple phone calls from so many that are near and dear to me made this Christmas week so much more bareable! Guam is a mere 8 days away- and their is so much to be done. My room mate left this past Friday, and my x BLS leader has also permanently left. The Base leader moves off the base and away from YWAM and a new director takes over on Jan 1st. It is warm here, sunny and charming! ( I know you are all in a deep freeze right now!) Please pray for faith, and provision for Guam. For me personally, I really could use prayer for wisdom and patience. There is more to write I'm sure- but for now, I really need to shower! ( I got stuck on the rd after my brakes fell apart on my bike!) That's another story for another phone call! Bless you all this Christmas! 

One Week to go...

It's the final week of lectures, and oh my goodness I am not ready to go! There is one final week til outreach and traveling to Guam. it's 12 hrs on the flight over to Korea, then another 4 to Guam. We have to get a visa for the Korean on our team, and as usual it has been left too long. It's hard to ask for prayer when we have created the need for it! I have to also pack up my entire room and store it away somewhere for 2 months- I am frankly a little annoyed since I am staying on for the next DTS, but that is base policy. 

We had a youth group come up this week end, as well as a birthday for a close family/base friend's daughter- who is dating one of the staff. This week was unbelievably hard to go through- we had a kiwi teaching on the Lordship of Christ and taught us the parallel of the Old testament and new testament covenant. It was a 12 hr prayer and worship session on friday, where it was a giving day, openness and brokeness, healing, praise, anointing and more worship. People cut their hair, gave up their pass ports, laid down their tickets home, gave up their families, ipods and cameras. It was heart breaking and exhausting. It was almost harder to go through the second time.

Fortunately I got your care package that same day mom, thank you so much! I also got the birthday card from Stacy and family, and Tracy's christmas letter. It all couldn't have been received at a better time. My room mate and ex BLS student is leaving for her home on the 19th, along with one other student who isn't going on outreach (she never planned to go, it was just the lecture phase for her) It's going to be very strange to come back to this place- 6 ppl are leaving. Oh, and I just got news this Wed that I am leading the next school with the base director, Adrian! I'm beyond overwhelmed- But then I really stop and let God be God, and know that he has called me to this, and greater things than this. It sounds like some students are already making plans to stay on to help around the base for a little while after! 

Another blessing is that I got to see two students from New Castle that I did my DTS with- They came up to visit The base director's daughter who just finished her DTS there. They had just got married and are now heading back to New Castle for one more school- then they might move here!!! It's crazy! It really is amazing to have seen them after all these years! That's enough and all for now. It gets warmer here every day, and last night was the biggest full moon that I've ever seen (besides the harvest moons). I've been listening to that cd that you made me Jay, everyday!

loves laura

To Auckland we go...

Well folks, it's been a fabulous week of birthday cheer phone calls letters and yes, christmas packages. Thank you again for your support. I'm just writing to you from my BLS leader's parents' home in Auckland where we staff spent the day wondering the streets of Auckland. Queen street is the 17th Ave equivalent. I got to go to several galleries, including an amazing glass exhibition! There are tonnes of surf and board shops all over the place, but everything is DOUBLE the price, I don't think the NZers know the extent that they are getting ripped off- I know there's shipping costs and such, but this is outrageous! 

Friday night some Tongans came over and danced and sang some traditional stuff for us, and tonight after exploring Auckland we went back to the house and set up the projector and watched the movie 21. The boys then practiced what we learned on friday night with the dancing to tecno- and it's made for another fairly memorable night here in NZ. 

Lectures were fantastic- and Kiwi named Jono talked on the Holy Spirit, it was very well presented and very thoroughly researched. It was awesome!! 

My Body may be turning 23, but my soul is 17...

Hey all! What a crazy few weeks November has brought! We have been learning so much that I have a hard time keeping up with my journal, and outreach prep and lectures and book reports- all of which I really want to do an excellent job on- so it takes time. :) Last week was a free weekend and I had a blast! I can't remember if I told you guys about it: we went to a hot springs resort that had 5 different pools, and 4 water slides (which were terrifying because they were so old!) Justin and Lisa and I went to the ocean as well as a random stop. We ended up finding a snorkeling cove with cliffs where we could jump off into the ocean and then climb back up!! We also climbed out onto this tree over hanging the ocean and jumped off of that! It was AMAZING. Today felt like the first day of summer, it was warm and sunny! I had such a wonderful day. I finally broke down and wore the clothes that came in my birthday package :) I love them heaps and will wear them all weekend long- a new shirt every day!!!! I'm hoping too that Tem and I can cut down a Christmas tree on monday and we'll all decorate it as a base! Also, I think we as staff are going into town sunday to watch James bond in theatres! I'm so thrilled!

 It sure feels different- I am trying not to play Christmas music or think too much about being away from everyone. I've met some awesome people here, but it is different being staff. Also, Nikki who is doing her BLS is no longer going to finish the school, and hopes to leave for her home in America come January. That was hard to understand, but right now my main focus is Guam: we are short on finances (what's new? :) But scarcity only leads into creativity. I look forward to the challenge but really realize the importance of taking care of myself, but it's hard to not feel like I'm withdrawing all the time. Hmm, is that enough for now? Thankyou all for your letters and gifts, they are appreciated more than you could know.

All my love

Laura Yemen

Summer is around the corner!!!

Hi Everyone!! Just firstly, thankyou so much for the gifts and cards, I haven't opened anything and won't until my birthday- so I'll be writing thankyous soon! (I'm also having a hard time sending off my packages to you- I really hope they get there in time!) But anyways- the school is moving quickly now, we are preping for outreach and are in the final month of lectures. We've had a biblical world view week and now we're on spiritual gifts. It's awesome and challenging. ( I grilled the speaker for 3 hrs!) Poor man! but anyways, I got to watch a lamb get killed and skinned. Sorry guys, there's simply to much moving to give a decent blog
all my love
laura

How the time flies!

So, here’s how the week began: I went to Matt’s (DTS Leader) small group/ bible study in the next community over- we decided to have a bon fire, and burned a bush pile about 10 ft high and 20 ft across, it was EPIC! I’ve never been so close to a blaze that huge! This should have been some indication of how this week was going to go, but it still caught be completely by surprise!

 

We had a spiritual Giant come through in a 57 yr old package named Goldie. She was 5’3 but fought for every student and staff. My world again was rocked and I am struggling to know what it looks like to be in relationship with God and not strive in my strength- or to strive at all. It is challenging but what I have prayed for.

Isaiah 50:10 Who among you fears the lord and obeys his servant? If you are walking in the darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment.

Something to write on my heart for sure, and also another revelation that I’ve had is this: If someone is really damaged in an area, what is the gift that the Enemy was trying to destroy, and how much stronger will that person be in their gifting if they allow God to walk them through the attack?

This is just a small clip of what is going on here in terms of Character development for the people who are willing to commit to their spiritual growth and maturity- because God is far more committed to continuing a good work in you until the day of his return; these students are on fire. J

In terms of this weekend; OH MY GOODNESS- I would need another blog entry to tell what was happening. We went camping on the ocean just outside of Auckland for 2 days and 2 nights, so much fun!- summer is just around the corner!ye We played on the sand, hiked, repelled down 45 meter waterfalls, went to the hot springs, watched surfers at the sunrise and the sun set, played on a sweet-as play ground, and watched lawn bowling! ( I thought of Tony K.) J Hopefully I will be able to post pictures soon! Loves!

Driving Miss Daisy- and 16 other YWAMers

Well, it's official, I am now driving- and it is something else! Stick shift on a 12 passenger van on the OTHER side of the road- If I can do this on the metal (gravel) roads, I can DO ANYTHING!! This weekend was most eventful- we had a big sausage sizzle and lunch for Ross, who is stepping down as base director. There is a huge transition taking place- and the latest to take her leave permanently is my BLS leader. Straight up-  I don't know how I should feel about her leaving before my school is even half over, however I know that it is in God's timing and that I just need to wait on the Lord for understanding and direction. That being said we're also beginning the faith walk for outreach funds- very exciting, the team is just taken hold and committed this time and their monies to God- just what He needs to begin the impossible!!! 

I also took a group of students (because now I drive!) with 2 other staff ( Lisa and Justin) and a local "cave man" Mike to a local cave- unbelievable! Glow worms, crazy rock formations- pitch black nothingness. I was on edge but I wasn't doing so bad- until Mike and a 10 yr old girl got out of site and then fell 10 feet off a ledge onto the rocks. I was first to find them and It was by the grace and protection of God that they both walked away. Emily (10 yr old) was pretty banged up and Mike was in a lot of pain- he had dislocated his thumb, but he thought it was broken. We got back out, but I had to take the other 4 students back without Mike, thank heavens Justin and Lisa were there! It was an adventure that I won't forget!

We head down 3 hrs south of Auckland this week for a National conference. We're tenting it again, but there will be showers, hot springs and white water rafting!!! its going to fantastic!!

Love you all and thankyou for my birthday gifts- I just recieved them today!!! I haven't even had a chance to open the CDs but I'm sos soososososososooso excited! happy early birthday/ christmas to me!

Love Laura