OVERWHELMED!

On the day before I was leaving the states earlier this year to return to New Zealand, my dear friend Erika insisted that I buy a copy of a movie titled: FACING THE GIANTS! I had already seen Fireproof and loved it, and the same folks that made that movie had previously produced Facing the Giants.

Since returning with it to New Zealand in March, I’ve seen it several times, because the students are all keen to see it, and they tell others and so forth. At the end of the movie, the main character has just experienced major blessings as a result of living for God’s glory, and one more word of good news pushes him over the top emotionally… it’s like he’s so filled with gratitude and joy he can barely breath, and he manages to say through tears, “I’m overwhelmed!”

I know exactly how he feels. Overwhelmed! That is the word that most describes what has been happening in the past two months. Sometimes being overwhelmed is a good thing, and sometimes it’s not the best thing. Yet, I praise God because in Him I live and move and have my being, so even the tough situations are not hopeless… there is a plan.

Recently I attended the J2 camp at Foxton Beach. During my morning quiet time before Nonoka and I had our devotional sharing, I asked God to help me put into a word or words why I felt like I was choking on everything as if my heart had grown so big I was having trouble breathing. That’s when the word overwhelmed came into my mind and here’s what I have reflected on since:

• I am overwhelmed with passion for what God has me doing in life. I can see so much potential for ministry and so many opportunities to choose from but don’t know which way to go.
• I am overwhelmed with joy seeing so many youth and university international students coming to Christ or growing deeper in their walk with Him, and in their love for one another.
• I am overwhelmed with the way God has answered prayers for Grace City Church and He is really raising up a family of people who love each other and are ministering together.
• I am overwhelmed with praise for God as I spend time in the newly completed WaiOra (Living Water) Centre at Massey University (Christian centre). It was the first committee I recorded minutes for when I moved to NZ in last 2003 and to see this million dollar facility be completed six years later is a testimony to God’s faithfulness. The students at Massey are already benefiting from it.
• I am overwhelmed by things to do and losing track of the days and weeks and months as a result.
• I am overwhelmed with a desire to have more of my friends, family and supporters be a part of this amazing ministry, to come and visit me and experience the blessing I get to participate in every day.
• I am overwhelmed at all of the labourers God is raising up to work in His harvest field amongst international students in New Zealand.
• I am overwhelmed with compassion for all my friends and family-in-Christ in the Philippines, Samoa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and Tonga as so much calamity has come to them over these past few weeks.

OVERWHELMED –verb (used with object)
1. to overcome completely in mind or feeling: overwhelmed by happiness.
2. to overpower or overcome, esp. with superior forces; destroy; crush: Roman troops were overwhelmed by barbarians.
3. to cover or bury beneath a mass of something, as floodwaters, debris, or an avalanche; submerge: the tsunami from the earthquake overwhelmed the islands of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.
4. to load, heap, treat, or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything: a child overwhelmed with presents; to overwhelm someone with questions.
5. to overthrow.

Storytelling through pictures

Some of our Contagious fellowship as we sent one of students off
to China where he will study pre-med.

I've shared before about our Contagious Student group at Grace City Church! It's been an amazing year. We are thankful that God has brought together such a great group of young people, jr. high, high school, uni and even a post grad or two. A major highlight has been our first 'prayer' retreat as a group. For many, they had never set aside time or space for time alone with God or focussed prayer. On of our students commented, "three hours straight in prayer is really INTENSE". We set up areas all over the church, 'stations' for specific prayer... a space to do business with God, an area for "waiting" upon the Lord, an area to pray for friends and loved ones who do not know the Lord (and lighting a candle for each), praying the word of God, praying for the leaders and congregation of the church and its mission, prayer for Palmerston North, China and the world. It was beautiful. Then, we did prayer walks on the street our church is located and at two of the high schools.

We recently farewelled one of the students who has gone to China to study. It was a fun night of FOOD and lots of rediculous games... including my old favourite TWISTER!

Some of the Contagious guys... nations 'twisted' together in Christ (Singapore, NZ, Brunei, Malaysia)

Sue Joe migrated to NZ as a child from China... she is one of the FIRST fruits of the original mission (China Mission) that eventually became Grace City Church. Our church founder began an outreach to the children of Chinese migrants and Sue was one of those kids. All three of her daughters have been a part of Contagious at some time. She and I have served together for a couple of years as deacons on our church council.

Hola Chica! Girl power at Camp Chica

A few weeks ago one of the Massey University students in our church asked me if I could lead a session at their upcoming women's camp. I was so blessed and humbled by the request and definitely keen to participate. There are two Christian groups on campus under the IFES (aka Intervarsity in USA) umbrella. One that is primarily "Kiwi" students and the other that is made up of international students. They wanted to have a girls camp to build better connections and fellowship between the two ministries.

The result was an amazing blessing. A core of 23 girls (14 international, 9 Kiwi) with a few extra who came for parts of it, participated in a weekend of food, crafts, reading, fun including Bible study, messages on love, relationships, how God created and treasures women, and wonderful messages on the cross. I shared at two sessions, and a wonderul woman, Mercy David, shared at the other two. We drove out of town to the Mudford Dairy Farm and lived together at the farmstay house. Yes, over 25 women and one toilet - and no long queue's (miracles follow God's children).

GETTING CONNECTED!

(l-r) John (ISM Nat'l Operations Mgr) & Reena Wallis, Jenny McGrath (my boss' wonderful wife); and Dianne Stock (part time Massey chaplain & wife to our internship director)

One Saturday per month, the local ISMNZ family gathers for what we call "connect". Because our ministries are so diverse, we don't see each other often even though we live in a small town. So, as part of the staff training and development introduced this year, we've been going through a Bible study on the ISM philosophy of ministry. It is a good time of sharing our experiences, ideas and growing in unity around the vision and purpose of our mission.

On 4th of July we met at the Cardiff Chateau (my home) for the study and a BBQ extravaganza. Jenny even brought out the fireworks!

Dennis & Olive Pimental with my boss Terry (ISM Nat'l Director). Dennis has a real passion to minister to post-grads and their families. Olive works for Massey in the International Student Office and takes great care of those students!

Paul and Dianne along with their daughter Charlotte and friend - enjoying a good feed of burgers, chilli con carne, hot dogs, and of course for dessert brownies and PAVLOVA (yummy NZ dessert).

Terry, along with Natalia and DJ who recently moved to NZ. They are originally from Indonesia but have lived in several nations, including a number of years in the USA. We connected with them through one of the USA Navigator ISM leaders. Also pictured are Neil and Jean Crawford. They were my first Kiwi family - I lived with them for several weeks when I first moved to NZ after having broken my ankle. They adopted me and cared for me and helped me become acculurated in New Zealand.

Ready for Springtime!

Heavenly views... flying above Mt. Ruapehu! Spring will soon arrive.

"So, what do you do?" asks the interested person.

I get that question a lot. And until recently, I must have often looked like a deer in the headlights as I thought of an answer to give. Not because I don't know the "things" I do, but in terms of defining it in a sentence (which, lets face it, is usually the most people want to hear from us) I was at a loss. But, since a recent missions conference I was a part of, that's changed for me.

"I help international students studying in New Zealand become life-long followers of Jesus!" I now exclaim cheerfully.

The reaction from those who ask... now THEY are like a deer in the headlights, and I am the one behind the wheel (heehee).

But, it's true. That IS what God has led me to do here in New Zealand. Sure, I am working in the National Office of ISMNZ, am a part of the executive management team, and yes I work with staff training and development, Bible college internship curriculum development and teaching, support the National Director, and so on and on and on.

Seeing these students become followers of Christ, become established in His word and His ways and being a part of our returnees' lives as they carry on in faith in their home countries is the adrenaline in my blood stream!

In our world vision course we've been looking a lot at God's mission in the world. I had Yuki read aloud the entire geneology of Noah & his sons as recorded in Genesis 10:1-32. Not an easy ask for a Japanese, English as second language student to read out all those names. However, the reason I did it was to make this point: In that geneology are ALL of our ancestors. Your ancestors, mine... and Noah - well, he's the man that God chose to be the one that all peoples of the earth come from to this very day.

Not only that, but it was God's intention that Noah's descendants continue to be on the move - to "be fruitful and multiply and fill all the earth" (Genesis 9:1). So, what happens when a people group decides to stop moving on? They end up building towers in order to "make a name for ourselves" and "not be scattered over the face of the earth" (Genesis 11:1-7).

If you wonder why the gospel dies after a few generations in one culture... it's because its meant to continue to spread throughout all peoples, not just "my" people. As I studied once again the 'great comission' (which is a Co-Mission because we do it in partnership WITH Jesus) I realised... it's not a noun, it's a verb! Let me explain - it doesn't actually say "Go, make disciples" of all nations. It says "Go disciple all people... ethnos - peoples - everybody." And that's not just Bible teaching. That's healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, living for others and laying down your own life for their good and God's glory.

So, my challenge to those who follow Jesus is to get about the business of following Him into His world. He says He'll be with us always, and He says 'follow Me'. He is always on the move. Praise God that when a nation stops looking upward and outward with compassion to the rest of the nations, God Himself brings the nations to us. Through Globalized eduction, He is scooping up a harvest of international students and bringing them from their home countries to us... He's bringing them TO the gospel! So, if you haven't been going to the nations through prayer or supporting missionaries, bring the gospel to an international student in your town! They're there!

And, if you have sensed God's call on your heart to get moving out of your comfort zone but continue to say, "I could never leave my family", then realise the entire earth is filled with family!

Japanese are so inventive, eh? Mana comes up with one way to fight onion tears.

Kiwi's helping me celebrate the 4th of July!
The USA's independence from 'the crown' (that NZ is still a part of)

Did you know that to every other culture - root beer tastes like bad stomach medicine? Mana and Hwang Lin (Malaysia) aren't sure what they think of it.

It's Definitely Catching

CONTAGIOUS! That's the name coughed up by the high school youth group of Grace City Church a few years ago. While the original members have graduated and moved on, they spread their fever for Christ onto the younger ones and Contagious continues to catch on to this day.

Kenny (right) directing Act 2, scene 2 of "the Prodigal son returns"

This year we decided to spread the love to our university students and beyond and the youth were keen for that. So, many of the international students who attend our church are now Contagious too! God has also brought us a few post grad students and young professionals who are just learning about God and Christianity. They continue to come and learn, and we continue to pray for God to give them new hearts and put His Spirit in them that they may receive the faith to believe.

Nothing like a good feed to attract students in the midst of exams!

I am so grateful for answered prayer. I sought God for direction on how to best serve ISMNZ as a part of Grace City Church’s leadership team, and He guided me to become involved with the student ministry. Their current youth leader, Kenny Wong (from Brunei) had a lot on his plate and had been praying for God to bring more help. So, along with me and one of our elders Kellis (from Fiji) Jing Xiu is serving the ministry as well as Ian Lim, one of our Malaysian post grad students who is also a graduate leader of OCF (Overseas Christian Fellowship). God put together a good team!

(left) Marcus & Ian: our engineering specialists (not);

Act 2, scene 2 from the "prodigal son"... two pigs & a man in a pigsty!

We launched the Contagious spread with a BBQ. Then spent the follow six weeks studying at the feet of RC Sproul (DVD series ‘Choosing My Religion’)! While RC is a deep thinker, he is also very gifted in teaching deep things in a way that students can relate to. The series focuses around the parable of the prodigal son, and we spent time having discussions around the tables about “who is God?”, “What is a Christian?”, relativism, absolutes, the Law of God, the wrath of God, sin, grace, forgiveness. The students were really focussed and asking some awesome questions.

J2 crew (l-r) Koyo, Mana (my flatmate), Nonoka & Mayumi;

(right) Mayumi (also a Cardiff Chateau girl)

At the end of the series we threw a celebration banquet, “Welcome Home” in honour of the prodigal son’s return. It was an outreach to the university students who are in the midst of their end of semester exams. But, it was also an opportunity for talented musicians to literally throw together a praise band (they practiced after high school every day that week) – and fulfill a vision they had for Contagious. It is so exciting to see them grow in Christ and seek ways to serve Him and reach out to their classmates and others!

CONTAGIOUS LIVE on stage for the VERY FIRST TIME!

Please continue to pray for Contagious. They have a ‘Dream Box’ where they put in their requests and ideas. One major request is “we want to participate in a prayer retreat”. As a result, over these next three weeks we will have studies on: “Model prayers: Lord teach me to pray, the prayers of Jesus, the prayers of Paul” – then “how to spend a day alone with God” – and “Praying as you go – a look at prayer walks”. Then, we plan to have a prayer advance overnighter at a beach nearby. To God be the glory for His love growing in the hearts of the students!