I'm in Love...

Kia ora from Aotearoa!!! That is, hello from the Land of the Long White Cloud (New Zealand)!!!  We still don't have internet at our house, so my communication has been limited. Pray that the router comes today and hooks up without a problem!

Yes, I think I'm in love. This has to be what it feels like, but I'm in love with a people, a place, and a culture (actually, multiple cultures) rather than a guy.  My flatmate and I watched a chick flick the other night to chill out before going to bed. Afterward, in the reality post-movie let down, I remembered where I am and realized that my actual reality is better than the movie's false one!!! I'm in love!!!!! Every time I'm around teenagers here, my heart breaks and spirit soars at the same time. Can't explain it. I'm praying daily for an outpouring of the Spirit that will bring heaps and heaps of these youth to the hope of Jesus Christ.

Life here is beautiful. Can't wait to share pictures. Next week I leave for a ten day trip seeing different parts of the North Island and connecting with churches. I will take lots of pics too.

My little house (above) is seriously perfect and the landscape is beautiful. My flatmate, Jessica, is great. I definitely see God's hand in putting us together.  She is doing sports ministry in a school and a church.

I've got some amazing time with Joanne, Carmel, Sara, and Steph as well, my instant circle of friends. For those who don't know, Jo became an immediate best mate when I was here before. She's a called and gifted youth pastor who seriously shares my heart. Its been so good to go for a stroll and a coffee with her and just get quality hang out and talk time again as well as to see her in ministry action this week. Carmel is a young adult believer whom I just met in person.  She has a passion and gift for evangelism and is just a lovely gal.  She recently started working in youth ministry at her church as well.  She took me driving for the first time on Monday night!  Sara is an American who graduated from IWU and has been here for five years as a teacher.  We watched the Superbowl together. :)  Steph is an American missionary youth pastor at one of our churches and is the gal I came with the first time to NZ. All that to say, relationship building is alive and well, so I don't feel isolated.

I've played ping pong, dodge ball, and croquet already with teenagers. I've also walked through the botanical gardens in Manurewa as well as part of Totara Park. I'm keeping active and eating healthier than ever before--already lost almost 8 pounds!!  I spoke on Wednesday night for Papakura youth group.  Nothing like sharing my heart for Jesus with teenagers to get me stoked!!!  I also had a phenomenal meeting with Pastor Atu, the National Youth Ministries Director whom I will be working very closely with here in New Zealand.  We truly share a heart and vision, and I'm honored to learn from and serve with him.

I'm constantly observing and learning culture. Its draining actually, because nothing is mindless, but I'm loving the challenge and mental thrill. FYI, I've found my Hebrew vowels are very helpful in learning to pronounce Maori words.

In His Love,
Amba

Arriving and Settling In

I arrived safely in Auckland yesterday (Wed., Feb. 1st) morning! When I looked out the plane window and saw the Sky Tower and the rest of the Auckland skyline, my eyes filled with tears. After this long journey, God got me here!!! All my luggage arrived as well, and my journey went flawlessly smoothly! Thank you all so much for the prayers. 

Three kiwi church leaders and one American missionary were at the airport to greet me yesterday, and I have been surrounded and supported since then as I work my way through jet lag.  I had been traveling for over thirty hours and literally skipped over January 31st thanks to the International Date Line.  Also, I left an Indiana winter and entered the middle of a New Zealand summer!  My body is a little confused, but I'm feeling much better than yesterday.  Yesterday was busy--I arrived in Auckland at 9:50 in the morning.  One of my "best mates," Jo, and my flatmate, Jes, and I spent most of the day together.  I got a mobile phone, exchanged the currency I brought with me, and bought some essentials.  I LOVE our house--it's such an amazing blessing from God!  I also visited the National Resource Center where I will do my office work each week. Yesterday evening, we had "tea" (dinner) with some other kiwi members of the churches here and then headed out to youth group at Papakura!  It was so good to be back at Papakura and even reconnect with two of the youth I met when I was here in 2009.  I had a blast, watching/learning rugby touch, playing ping pong and dodgeball, and just interacting with the students.  Also, some of the students shared testimonies from their experience at Ignite camp this summer.  After youth group, I did a little unpacking and then crashed while attempting to journal about my day.  When I looked at the journal entry this morning, it was nonsensical.  :)

Today, Peter (a Kiwi church leader) and Jes went with me to set up a NZ bank account.  Also, Jes and I went shopping again for some more things we needed for the house and groceries.  This evening, Steph, another American missionary, is joining us for dinner.  Tomorrow I hope to actually get unpacked and settled into the house.  This weekend I will be attending a couple of our local churches and getting to know people better since it is a holiday weekend (everyone is off on Monday).  Then on Tuesday, I will have my first official meeting with some national church leaders and start getting into the swing of normal ministry life.

I will try to post some pictures soon (once I can take some)!

Leaving, On a Jet Plane...

Saturday night, I looked across the table in my home church basement and told some friends, "See guys, if you want your family and friends to tell you how much they love you and throw you a big party, just move to the other side of the world!"  :)  Seriously though, I have been loved on by my community and prayer team over the past couple days in a way that I can't even fathom.  My friends threw me a huge going away party that was just perfect.  My youth made me cry multiple times by expressing their love and gratitude for me.  My family has been amazing.  I have savored every minute.

Tomorrow morning, I begin the long trip to Auckland!  I will be in a car for 3 hours and in the air for about 23.  Plus, I will also have a few hours in airports on layovers.  I'm bringing plenty of reading material and a stocked I-Pod for the journey. :)  I can't wait to see my Kiwi friends in person, move into my house, and start to get settled!  Land of the Long White Cloud, here I come!!!!!

Time to Process, Anyone?

Talk about a whirlwind.  It seems like it was just last week that I was praying for 75% funding.  Now, I'm fully funded, visa in hand, and flights booked!  In just a few days (Mon., Jan. 30th), I will leave from the Indianapolis airport, New Zealand bound.  I am so excited and ready to do this.  I've been waiting for four and a half years to realize the call to overseas service God placed on my heart.  Yet with all the waiting, it seems like these last few months have gone so fast.  Pieces have been put in place and processes set in motion at God-speed, and now I feel like I can't process it all!  I'm sure the next two years will bring valleys and mountaintops, moments of apparent defeat and seasons of fruit and contentment.  Some days it will feel like forever, but two years from now I'll wonder how it could already be over.

Jesus, You've led me by the hand since I fully surrendered my life to your call when I was twelve years old.  Holy Spirit, You have poured Yourself into me, empowering me to live the way You desire.  Father, you have been so faithful.  Please enable me to live out your heart for the Kiwi people.  Show me how to love students and leaders, how to move according to your vision for the Church in New Zealand, and how to keep Your kingdom first in every way.  God--You've done this.  Now I'm trusting You to use me and these two years in a way only You can.  Here we go!!!!!!

This is REAL!

Two major obstacles were overcome today on the journey to New Zealand.

1)  I received my Work Visa!  It came back RIDICULOUSLY fast--this is totally a Jesus thing!  Thank you all who have prayed.

2)  My NZ roommate, Jessica, and I officially found a house to rent in Auckland!  It's way nice for being within our budget and perfectly located for both of our commutes!

Today, I was driving around working on faxing some paperwork to Global Partners, weighing packed bags to make sure they weren't too heavy for airline regulations, etc., when it hit me.  This is REAL!  I'm ACTUALLY going to New Zealand for two years to do the ministry my heart has been designed for by God!  I can't even express the surreal nature of this revelation.  There's so much to do over the next few days--packing, cleaning house, putting things in storage, cleaning out my car to sell, booking flights... It's crazy and overwhelming and exciting and REAL!  I should know an exact departure date over the next couple days--my thoughts are that I will be in NZ around Feb. 1st.  I am in awe and majorly processing that this actually going to happen!  Praise Jesus!!!!!!

Praise/Prayer Blog Update

Enjoyed two great weekends with supporting churches, Medora Wesleyan and Faith Wesleyan, over the past two weeks. :)

Please pray for...
1) Really fast mail to come from NZ to IN so I can send in my visa application
2) Really fast processing of my visa application

Factoring the timing on paperwork, it's looking like the end of January/beginning of February for go-time. Please pray that God's perfect timing will be accomplished. My hope is that His timing will be sooner rather than later!

A New Year: New Beginning

I am filled with all kinds of emotions with the start of 2012 (partially because I watched 2012 with my parents last night--that may not have been a good idea! haha!).  It is incredible to think about the ways my life will change this year.  Just today, I was reading update newsletters from some friends who are serving as missionaries across the world.  They talked about their Christmas experiences this year, which of course, were very different than their Christmases had been in the States.  It is surreal to think that my journey will lead me to New Zealand THIS YEAR.  2012 will be an adventure, I am certain, filled with new faith challenges and new praises of God's work being accomplished.  I cannot wait to be among the Kiwi people in the Land of the Long White Cloud!

My New Year's was certainly fun-filled this year.  We had a New Year's Eve party at Grace Fellowship Wesleyan Church that rivaled all previous ones!  Below is a picture of me with some friends playing card games at one of the little kids' tables because all the adult tables were full!

We played games until well after midnight.  It was a blessing!  Then New Year's morning, my friend Mandy and I took off really early on hardly any sleep for Medora Wesleyan Church where I was able to reconnect with my partners there.  Then, we met up with a friend from I.W.U. after lunch before heading home.  All in all, it was a great New Year's, especially because I enjoyed all of it with the knowledge that I am fully funded!!!