This work is a blessing, but the most humbling and deepfelt blessing out of all of this is that I have such an awesome group of people who have partnered with me. YOU are serving me - with your gifts of love, faith, encouragement, teaching, mercy, giving, intercession... THANK YOU! This is OUR ministry, and YOU are reaching the nations with the love of Christ. YOU are investing eternally in the kingdom.
I saw an awesome message by Louie Giglio (Passport, DVD - get it!). The one thing that really stood out to me was this: "To the degree that you embrace the mission HERE, is the degree that you'll enjoy HEAVEN!"
You see, heaven will be filled with brothers and sisters from EVERY (which in the Greek means EVERY ethno-linguistic people group - not geopolitcal nation) tongue and tribe and nation! Are you ready for that? Well, whether you realise it or not, because you are on my team at International Student Ministries of New Zealand, you are reaching heaps of those people groups listed in the EVERY. So let me tell you... you are going to really enjoy eternity! Because you do play a major role in this ministry!
So, I thought I'd give you a little picture of "our" town square. Our (yours and mine) ministry hub is Palmerston North, New Zealand. It's a wonderful little place and if you are interested, here's a link to our city council:
http://www.palmerstonnorth.com/Default.aspx, and also we are a sister city: http://www.missoulacultural.org/sistercities/palmerston_north.htm to Missoula, MT.
I so often refer to the "Cardiff Chateau". If Palmerston North is the hub (national office) of the ministry we do with ISMNZ, the Chateau is the heart. Thank you so much for helping me offer this home to so many international students. Seriously - if I didn't have your support, there would be no home to minister in. I'd have to say that the majority of money I spend in New Zealand is on food for hospitality, wireless internet for my girls to do their studies and communicate with their families back home, and of course HEATING cuz as one of the new students from Estonia said, "living in the house in New Zealand is like living in a tent!"
Speaking of Estonia... pray for my new friend Merilin that she will continue to enjoy her New Zealand semester abroad, and that her studies will go well. I invited her to join Miyuki (new J2 girl) and I to watch the All Blacks game in our home. Merilin had never watched rugby, nor seen the All Blacks Haka!
I am facing a trial of sorts because of the house. I need your prayers as I seek advice and recruit helpers to do some seriously needed maintenance. I have no driveway - so our three cars have begun to sink in the bog of the wetlands (the mud that has replaced the parking area). We also have a family of mice who are smarter than traps and poison. AND the plumbing - well... in NZ to hire a plumber and replace hardware the cheapest price is $200 for the visit.But, I will not lose heart... because this home is the heart of reaching the nations from my doorstep.
Pastor Kellis has been preaching from Nehemiah! And God spoke to me so much through just the first two chapters. I continue to pray, and seek Him for the right plan. This home is for HIS glory, and I know it will continue to be a blessing, and He will bring the extreme home makeover team that He has chosen!!
The title of this blog is "a season of trials" and it has been! Recently I helped our church launch a major 20-week disciplemaking series. And the powers and principalities came out in full force. I have never felt so oppressed or depressed since coming to New Zealand. The attack was so thick it was as though everything was shrouded in fog. On top of it, my age & stage in female life is beginning to experience the 'change' - so let's just say... eegads! Meltdown!
But, praise God for my praying family and friends in the states, in Japan, and in New Zealand! I thank God for you all! The Lord has renewed my strength, and His light has burned away the fog of spiritual war.
Lots of busyness on the ministry front. Semester two has begun at Massey University in Palmy. Over 200 new international students arrived the first week of July. Dozens of them are from a major University in China! We've already made some wonderful connections with them, most recently at International Food Night (some of the OCF students shown above) hosted at the chaplaincy by the Overseas Christian Fellowship & Massey Uni Christian Fellowship group. AND, one of the new students from China accepted an invitation to our church and even came to the discipleship class. Pray for "S". He told me he believes there is a God, and has been wondering if there is a way to know Him. 
Speaking of the Cardiff Chateau... we've had two awesome J2 ladies nights recently. God has brought us so many Japanese girls who are keen to build friendships. Laurel (ISMNZ ministry intern) has begun doing one-to-one Bible studies with two of the girls, and we continue to reach out to them at J2 events.I am enjoying getting to know so many of the girls and establishing those relationships. Pray for our girls ministry, that God would open their hearts as they sense His love through us. Pray specifically for more opportunities to help them improve their English skills through Bible study, as well as exploring Christianity in their first language.
Above is part of the spread for "Little Italy" Ladies Night @ Cardiff. One of the girls I am getting to know, Manaka, asked me, "how much will it cost?" -- It was such a blessing to be able to say, "nothing - you are our guest". Thank you again for your partnership in this ministry. And pray for Manaka. I had lunch with her on Saturday, and because it is mid-winter's Christmastime here in New Zealand, I gave her a copy of Ruth Bell Grahams beautiful book, "One Wintery Night". Pray that Manaka will enjoy the story and that God will give her understanding. Below is an image from "Mexicali Fresh" Ladies Night @ Cardiff. Pray for Miyuki, Miyako, Haruna and Mari (left to center). Pray for God to open their hearts and cause His word to be planted in their hearts! Pray too for Hannah, Laurel, and Maki (and me taking the photo) - our J2 leaders. Hannah and Laurel both lived in Japan and can speak Japanese, and Maki is married to a Kiwi she met in Japan (Brendon who is also on leadership and a campus chaplain). Pray for their growing relationships with the girls.
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