Week Six

We have had a wonderful recovery from a kid's camp this last week by jumping down to Auckland for a shop till you drop kinda time! We have two polished speakers (married) with us for the next few weeks- Oak Ridge had them last school and now they are with us . As staff we were taken through a counseling secession to work out what has happened (or not happened) over these 8 weeks. Time goes super fast and I'm planning my trip home this week- there are many seat sales so I hope to tag some of them before this week comes to an end! I can't help but have my thoughts drift home to family friends and summer. It's getting harder to stay in the present, since I'm not going on outreach- and that's the big topic going around seeing as everyone is now settling in their teams and getting ready for another adventure!   

Fiejos, Friends, Fall

We're just coming to the end of our fifth week of Lectures at Oak Ridge, and things are faster paced, but things have slowed for me. I'm enjoying the changing leaves, my wonderful little wooden house with a back porch and a tire swing that faces east to the rising sun. Two more people left the base yesterday- a mission builder and a Student turned staff named Christine. She was the only girl that i've known since september and now they are all gone. Easter was an adorable outdoor good friday service and a very local Easter Sunday service. 

The school is moving along fairly well, we are reaching half way of the lecture phase- there are some screws that are coming loose and ideals being challenged, all in good timing and in love- I find this is the way that we become unraveled to be raised again in freedom from what we thought this life was or should be. Fatigue is also a culprit in this as we have three full on days of kids camp for easter break and then a child's youth group this coming Saturday- 4 full days of screaming kids!

Fiejos and care packages seem to make the week that much better- love you!

laura

If you Look up burnout in the dictionary- you'll find my picture...

Well, it finally happened- I sort of cracked. The base sent me away to a little cabin on the ocean. No phone, TV, radio or people. It was truly what I required and God really came through for me. :) People gave me money and took me out for lunch and just loved on me.

This weekend we were up at Piha again and went repelling again- and it was all just as fun this time as it was last time. We're all getting used to eachother now; there are still things that have to be worked out, but all in good time- and some in God's time. This next week we have the Pacific director coming up to teach on relationships and the Fatherheart of God again! I'm super stoked that it's a double hit! Every school has it's own flavour, and having the turnaround so quick it feels more like an instatution than a school. That's my own adjusting that is needed. Thanks for the post card Tracy! I got it today! Sorry I didn't call Mom and Dad, I got home late on Monday so I'll try to call this week in the evening.

I spent maybe 6 hrs skim boarding on the best water of my whole life!!!! I'm very sore but it's a happy pain!

Love,
Laura

What am I doing again?

Much has happened since my last post. Before I dropped Justin and Lisa (the other outreach leaders) off at the airport we took a 4 day trip to Coromandel on the East coast, where we picked apples, surfed, camped, hiked, laughed, tanned and explored. It was probablly one of the best few days of my life. Then I came back into Oakridge and realised I had not taken enough time off. Fortunatly I had a rush visit from Deanne madden and Bo Haugrud from Calgary, and it was definatly needed! Then we were off on a 3 day conference of the NZ Base staff in Matamata. ( Where Hobbinton was located in Lord of the Rings) Very beautiful town. We left that town on Friday at 5, then had the DTS arrive the next day. It's been full on since then, and I must say- it's all God now, because I have nothing left in my own strength. It is hard to accept that I do not have the reserve or motivation for this school. God has so much to teach me. This is worth it, but it isn't easy- I'm so thankful that I have been given the outreach off. I was working it back, and I haven't had more than 4 holiday days off in a row since 2006 in the summer, I think that this coming summner will prove to be a much needed regenerative time. Thankyou so much Mom and Sarah for the care package, and shan for your letter and to everyone else for the skyping and the e-mails. They are my life line it a normal existance. ( so dramatic i know) lol But it is so very much appreciated!
Love Laura

There's no place like home!

Hi everyone from sunny and not so hot New Zealand. It is the perfect temperature here, the students graduate tomorrow, there are 4 BLS students starting this next monday and I now live in a log cabin in my own room with a rap a round porch that overlooks the base and has a fridge, stove sink bathroom and grapes growing on the fence!!!! I'm in HEAVEN! I'm also heading off on Saturday to Coromandel with the other base staff and then dropping them off in Auckland on the 3rd of March. Things are moving rapid fast, This week has flown by so quickly- there are now about 16 or so students arriving in 2 weeks time- there is very much to be done, but that's all good, I'll be talking to the base director soon about everything, I'm now assisting staffing the next DTS, which is huge for me and I'm very excited, this outreach was tough, but they are always hard, and NOTHING compares to the other outreach group! So it's all good now. God is faithful. Thankyou all for your e-mails and skype, I hope to come into more time in the following week to come, so I'll be able to write and call. All my love,
laura

Time Out

Week 7: February 10-16, 2009

Tuesday started off nice and slow, until Chad gave the base a scare and we rushed him to a clinic. We still made it to the basketball courts for only a few hours. Mary, Courtney and Rebekah all got ill as well. The rest of the team carried on the focus groups- we had three separate ones running because We got into Southern Christian Academy and ran a wonderful group there.  We also had an opportunity to hang out with the SCA kids at their rugby games on Saturday as well as go to the Yigo fiesta. Sunday three of the team went to help lead worship at Touch Point and the rest went to Zion.  

 This is a nice way of saying this week was HELL. Everybody got sick, or into a sick/ passive/ check out mentality. One of our team members got really sick though, and scared me really badly. He threw up so much that he had what the doctors think was a panic attack and his muscles seized up really badly. Fever, chills- the works. It was not pleasant for anyone- but he is a real trooper. Things are winding down here, the next blog I'll be posting will be from NZ. We have a 12 hour lay over in Seoul, South Korea. I'm very excited to go and explore that city of 10.5 million in 10 hrs! It was featured in this month's National Geographic, and I'll be there within the week! That's never been a possibility before!

Team dynamics and shepherding haven't been my strengths on this team. Every suggestion that was sent to me mid outreach I had already done, so I have done everything in my power to make things happen for this team to the very best of my ability. I have seen huge gaps in my leadership- but God is big enough to restore any damage that my inexperience has caused, and I feel that over all I have been able to do more for the team than just live my faith and hope they'll get the hint. Another thing that I've learned is that I should never build up outreach beyond the students' capacities. Evangelism is so exciting, but if they've never been pushed on lecture phase, what made me think that they would be able to dive in on outreach is beyond me. I was terrified to go and talk to people, let alone tell them about Jesus! It's still hard, and I think until I really get a better understanding of Christ's love for others and for me, I will hesitate. But God's way is truth and logic is not foolish to the ones that He has called- and He calls everyone. I gave a short (and messy) testimony this week at a bbl college and it was on this passage, that has really impacted me and I've taken it to heart.

1 Cor. 2:2-4

Dear brothers and sisters, [fn] when I first came to you I didn't use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God's message. [fn]

For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.I came to you in weakness--timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among you.

That's tonnes for now. All my love, and a very happy Valentine's day!

Laura

Week 4: January 27- February 2, 2009

 

We ended the week by taking the Zion Church service- it was amazing: great worship, great break through for some Oasis clients, and after we all ate and celebrated pastor Ron’s birthday! Then we went to Enaronhon for Sunday night BBQ and met a girl named Crystal and Lamia.  We Hit up the Basket ball courts for some soul patrol and danced twice with the Hula dance troop. St. Pauls’ north and centre ran the first sessions of their focus groups and as well we all did a car wash and made 200$. We also went to Tabitha’s 19^th birthday and helped decorated and make food for her party. During our Saturday night fire spinning session the boys prayed over the Latte stones at Latte park. Wednesday night we took over the kids service and the rest of our group sat in on the Truth project- and apologetics video series made by focus on the family.