April Showers bring Feijoas & they are still here in May!

It's autumn in New Zealand... the leaves are turning, the wind is picking up - rain is forecast for the next week (with threats of flooding on both islands). But, my feijoa trees are STILL dropping fruit! Dozens and dozens of these little beauties are offering themselves as sacrifices for the many who would feast on them during their short season.

One month ago the first of the crops came in... and yes, I put about one dozen in a suitcase, flew to the USA, and cleared right through customs without ever having to give up my stash! Lest anyone think I broke the law - I claimed "fresh fruit" on my customs documentation. The nice man who cleared me didn't even blink.

So, what is a feijoa you ask? Some call it: (Feijoa sellowiana), also known as Pineapple Guava or Guavasteen, is an evergreen shrub or small tree, 1–7 metres (3.3–23 ft) in height, originating from the highlands of southern Brazil and parts of Colombia, Uruguay and northern Argentina. But HEAPS of them are found in NEW ZEALAND!

The latest news from Feijoa-land!
It's been a wonderful April & May. Praise reports include:

J2 Palmerston North is beginning to grow. God allowed the new leadership time to grow together in His Word and begin to learn how to serve together as a team. And a couple of weeks ago He began bringing new students to fellowship with us. We're still in the "framing" stages, building on the foundations laid in years past, but the ministry will take a new shape without losing the vision of J2 mission. Please pray for the leadership here in Palmerston North, that we will continue to be led by the Spirit and faithful to reach out to these students with sincere love and friendship, and that we will have great opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with them.

I am also thrilled to be moving forward on the ISMNZ DVD project. God brought us a professional who works for the local Christian TV station to help with expertise and production. Please pray for inspired storytelling, so that we can share with EVERYONE we can (via DVD and You-Tube) this awesome ministry of reaching the nations from our doorstep, as well as communicate how everyone with a heart for blessing these students can be involved. Pray I will be able to gather good material from staff and volunteers and students around New Zealand and also from returnees who are back in their home countries carrying on for Christ.

Another praise... the GINGRICH's are here. They are a couple from Ohio who, with their daughter Sarah, came to serve ISMNZ through the Nav's on a short term mission in 2005. As a result of their experience, they began to sense a leading from God that perhaps He was calling them into full time ministry with us in NZ. Mitch sold his law practice, Sarah graduated high school and came ahead of them in February (to study at Cantebury Uni), and Mitch & Beth have arrived in Christchurch to eventually serve as our Southern Region leaders. Please pray for them as they settle, that God would bless their home (already found one to rent across the street from campus!), their shipping and moving in, and the ministry that He has for them.

My home church, Grace City Church, has commissioned Pastor Kellis Byrne (Fiji) as our shepherd for the "English-speaking" international congregation. Whewhew! We've journeyed in the desert 3 1/2 years preparing for the Lord to provide two men to lead us into the promised 'land' (Palmy and the Nations)... first He brought Pastor Richard Tien (Singapore) in 2007 to take up the call of pastoring our Mandarin speaking congregation, as well as providing shepherding to the entire church. And now, Kellis has heard the call to leave the professional secular world and become our pastor. Praise God! "You've worked for men for 31 years, now it's time to work for Me". Please pray for Kellis and Dawn (and their girls, Brittany, Zarette and Giselle)... that God would protect and bless their family, and bring many encouragers and intercessors to support them.

Kellis and Dawn Byrne @ the commissioning in April!

The smiles on our faces (or are we laughing) demonstrate our joy!

Kellis and his girls! Zarette, Giselle, Dawn and Brittany

Will all the Fijian's please stand alongside Kellis and Dawn!
We enjoyed amazing worship with a Fijian choir...

There and Back Again: Across the SEA in Southern California
In late April I was blessed (by my brother) to be able to zip over to Southern California to be a part of my nephew's wonderful day! Sean Mills married his beautiful best friend and high school sweetie, Lisa! God really blessed the day - perfect weather (maybe even a little too warm, eh?), great friends and family, all of it. I am so thankful that I got to be there. Please pray for Sean & Lisa, that their first months will be filled with blessing and unity, and that they would be able to move into their new home (when all the Mills' men from three generations are finished with all the contruction projects they have planned for it) with joy!

My brother, Bruce with Lisa & Sean

What a good looking group! Lisa, Sean and his best man and brother TJ!
The speech RAAWKED!

Guess who my date was for the wedding? NOZOMI!
Awesome as! No-chan joined me for the wedding & I kept her up WAY too late
talking too much (who, me? talk to much? heehee)

Please pray for Nozomi's visit home for the summer on her break from
Westminister. Pray for blessed reunions, rest of mind, and joyful worship.

Still conTagious!
Even though I've been travelling a lot, my heart has not been far from our Grace City Church student group. In mid-April, the youth initiated an "after Easter" outreach for students in the city. They had it on a Saturday night... smoke machine, lazers, lots of yummy food, and great celebration in song and dance. But, I think more 'old folks' were there that night jumping around than students. They invited Stephen McIvor (ISMNZ ministry intern grad from a few years back - married to my dear daughter from Inner Mongolia, Christina) to share a gospel message. It was fabulous.

Still, sometimes great expectations (expecting many more to join us) lead to collosal let downs (God has a way of humbling us). So, I suggested they do it again the next night since we still had the 'equipment'. That night God brought many students and some from our Chinese ministry leadership. The Lord gave me a message to share with them about "Living as a Citizen of Heaven: God doesn't allow for dual-citizenship"... if we belong to Christ we are resident aliens on this planet and need to learn to follow the King of kings and His righteousness.

Please pray for 'conTagious' as we head into June LEADING the church in mission's month! That's a long story, but they have done amazing work finding special needs to introduce to our church... locally and in some of the students' home countries and in Haiti. They chose them and introduced them in our Sunday night meeting. Now we will expand it to the church. Also, we will be starting "My First Steps"... a discipleship series from Omega Discipleship. Actually - this is a church-wide 20 week series we'll ALL begin in various small groups the first week of July. Pray for MANY to commit to this walk.

Whewhew! Look at the pretty lights.

Don't quit your day jobs guys... ballet is not for you! (Kenny, Masa and Ma)

We are from HIS kingdom!