DUST

I help lead a casual Bible study on Wednesday nights with Joe, the the community outreach pastor. It's been a really neat opportunity for us, because we really do try to open it up to people who don't go to church at all.  Our basic goal is to have a good, genuine discussion about faith and God without people passing judgment on anyone else.  We try to make it an inviting and comfortable enough environment where people feel open to share exactly where they are at and how they feel about Christianity.  We don't quickly comment back if someone disagrees with us, but we try to continue inviting people back to continue discussing these important topics... really, Joe and I just want to love these people and do life with them.

Before the earthquake, we met at the local pub and opened it up to the average passerby, but since then, we've shifted to meeting in Joe's house.  It might not seem as open to "the public" as it was before, but this time around we've been having more people attend as the weeks progress, which is exciting... even if it is just to get a free dinner.  This time around, instead of necessarily gearing toward the average bar goer, we have been trying to reach out to the singles who have visited ReChurch once or twice before and also the members of Joe's rugby team - most of whom do not or never have been to church. It's really fun just being able to sit, eat, and yack with the guys from the rugby team and some of the younger women who have been showing up sporadically to ReChurch on Sunday mornings.

Every week, we watch a Nooma video (Rob Bell) and then go into the discussion packets along with each DVD.  These are especially good to use because they are mostly food for thought - they encourage discussion and thoughts about the Bible and about God.  They have become an effective and non-threatening ministry method for us.  Not to mention, the Samoan Kiwis think Rob Bell is hilariously geeky... which he is.  Hey, if you see something working, you keep going with it, right?

Tonight was a really good night for us.  We had 11 people there (contrasting the 5 we had on our first night two weeks ago) and had a really good discussion after watching the video 'Dust'.  I don't know if you have ever seen a nooma video, but I have watched all of them since I am the ones picking out the weekly video for our group, and I am appreciating them more every time I watch them.  I really like Rob Bell.  I think he makes the Bible so accessible to those who have never read it before.  I feel like he makes it very appealing and straight-forward.  I don't think he tries to complicate a lot of things like some pastors do.  But anyways, 'Dust' - great discussion tonight. 

This particular nooma video starts out asking why the small things we do for others in life make a bigger difference than we even realize... it expands to talk about the history of rabbis and disciples in the synagogues and how rabbis would only pick people to be their disciples if they had full confidence that they could take over their position one day.  These disciples had to be the 'best of the best.'  Bell then starts talking about how Jesus was walking along the beach and chose two fishermen to follow him and be his disciples.  Pretty far out since fishermen back then were NOT the best of the best... they would never have been chosen by the traditional Rabbis of the day because they wouldn't have studied the Torah as long.  Then Bell continues to expand on the disciple Peter, telling the story of when Peter walked on water to reach Jesus but then lost faith and began falling and sinking into the water.  Jesus grabs him and asks him why he had little faith.  Peter did not necessarily lose faith in Jesus, but lost faith in the fact that he could be a faithful follower and disciple of Christ.  He didn't believe he was good enough to follow Christ... but Christ doesn't care about that.  Despite our brokenness and our insecurities, Jesus ALWAYS chooses us.  We don't have to measure up to a certain standard, we don't have to be the best of the best for God to use us.  We don't have to act like we have it all together.  We just need to love God and follow His Son.

I enjoyed sharing an American perspective of this with the Samoans and Kiwis.  Explaining how the American culture thrives on competitiveness and being the best - being average is "just not good enough."  For Kiwis, it's much different.  It was almost refreshing for me to hear that because of this cultural difference, Jesus seems so much more appealing to the them. 

Please continue to pray for the small group.  That it would grow in numbers and that Joe and I would be effective leaders, speaking wisdom and giving all the glory to God.  Pray that we are humble and listen more than we talk.  I pray that Kiwis would continue to open up and share during this time.  I pray that our relationships with each other grow closer and closer over the next few months.  I pray that we each walk away feeling challenged and that no one feels afraid to ask a question or share their opinions.  Pray for respect and trust.  TA!

My New Favorite Song

All this pain
I wonder if I'll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

Friday was SO Two Days Ago...

Happy Easter, all! 

I hope you are all having a great day celebrating such an important event with family and friends! 

The ReChurch staff and I were working on a little project for the past two or three weeks in preparation for the Easter Sunday service.  Now that we've officially aired it to the church members, it seems only appropriate to share it with the rest of the world... hope you enjoy :)

The Tastes of the Kiwi

As I mentioned in one of my first 'Kiwi' blog posts, food has been one of the biggest elements of culture shock I have experienced.  In all honesty, most days, it still is.  I never considered myself a picky eater before... There are really only four foods/condiments that I really do not like and find hard to eat:  Cheese, mayonnaise, butter, and any kind of pig product... minus bacon. I love bacon.  Anything else that is put in front of me, I pretty much eat without complaint or hesitation (yeah, I love eating).

Some of the food I have had here in NZ has been... interesting...  It has been surprisingly different than food in the states, which I was not quite expecting.  I figured everything would either be closely similar or possibly even healthier than food in the States.  Never assume, people, never assume ANYTHING.  Nonetheless, I have been trying to eat everything (or MOST everything) that my host family eats and what they would consider popular Kiwi meals.

So now that I am about halfway done with my internship, I decided it was time to share in my taste bud experiences with you from across the world...

Baked Beans on Toast
(Ingredients: Whole grain toast, butter, baked beans... TONS poured over the entire top...)
**This meal is a major breakfast staple here in NZ.  It's actually pretty decent once you take away at least SOME of the butter so it's not a thick layer like how I had it the first time.  I haven't been able to eat it for brekkie yet though... not something I am craving first thing in the morning.  But, I do have it about once a week for lunch though.  Simple and easy. 

I must also note that Kiwis pretty much love ANYTHING on toast... cheese on toast, marmite/vegemite on toast, nutella on toast, peanut butter on toast, tomato sauce on toast... my favorite? Avocado on toast with lemon pepper... sounds weird, I know, but so good.

Deviled Sausages
(Ingredients: Sliced Sausages, courgettes (zucchini), broccoli, carrot, some special kind of sauce sweet/savory sauce... it's all baked in a casserole dish and poured over rice)
**My host family eats this meal once a week for dinner.  It is one of Yo's favorites to make... AND Ethan loves it, which is important because he is becoming a pickier eater by the day.  Like I said earlier... NOT a pig product fan.  The first time I had it, I really could only eat a few of the sausages without feeling a little sick.  Now, although it's not my favorite meal, I can actually eat most of it now.

Roast Lamb with Savory Pumpkin and Parsnip
(Ingredients:  Lamb, pumpkin cuts, parsnip, carrots, broccoli, blue kumara (sweet potatoes) all roasted together)
** This is a meal prepared for me when I had my traditional Kiwi weekend... and it is DELICIOUS.  Apart from Kiwi's love for eating the fat off the lamb meat and bones.  Can't quite do that.  Not to mention, the autumnal vegetables that are roasted with the lamb are spectacular.


Ham Steak
(Ingredients:  some weird processed slices of ham... baked or fired in a pan and served with basically whatever else you want for dinner)
** Nope.  Don't like this at all.  Neil and Yo have it for dinner when they want something easy... I make sure I go out for dinner or get takeaways on these nights.


Fujoa 
(Ingredients:  FUJOA!)
** A Fujoa is simply a kind of fruit native to NZ.  They kind of look like skinnier kiwi fruit without the furry skin.  A lot of people think they taste weird, but I LOVE them.  I basically just slice one in half and eat the fruit out with a spoon.  A really great snack for afternoon tea.

Meat Pies
(Ingredients: Steak or mince (ground meat) and gravy inside a pastry pie shell.)
** THESE ARE SO GOOD.  This was my first kiwi meal I had with Hamish and Molly the day I landed in CHCH and I still love them so much.  Pretty much any bakery around town will have pies for sale... they are quick and easy.  Pies are the Kiwi equivalent to hotdogs or donuts in American gas stations.  Not only to they have pies in the gas stations here, but they sit in the little heated compartments in the food section.  They don't look that great, but they taste delicious.  I kind of 'pied' myself out the two weeks of EQ relief because I had around one a day because there was nothing else to eat... but nonetheless, they're delicious.


Pavlova
(Ingredients:  Butter, caster sugar, egg, egg whites, vanilla extract, strawberries, and kiwi fruit)
** Pavlova is a traditional dessert here in New Zealand.  It is basically just a big meringue with fruit put on top.  The meringue in the middle is still soft and fluffy... fluffed sugar essentially, but the meringue on the outside forms a hard shell when baked.  This is super super good... but I can only have about three spoonfuls before I get a stomach ache.  I love sweets, but this can be a little too much.


Milo
(Ingredients: Milo...?)
** This is Kiwi hot chocolate... except my understanding of hot chocolate was not prepared for this stuff.  The first time I made it for myself, I didn't realize that you needed to add milk and sugar... so basically, all I got was a hot cup of pure cocoa dissolved in hot water.  Not so delicious.  Now that I know how to properly make milo, I am still not a fan.  I miss swiss miss.


Marmite/Vegemite
(Ingredients:  Yeast and salt...?)
** Just like Men at Work say in the song 'Down Under'... "Gave me a vegemite sandwich..." Marmite and vegemite are salty yeast spreads put on sandwiches and on toast.  Kiwis LOVE them.  It has the consistency of super thick peanut butter but looks like molasses... or grease.  To me, it tastes like poop.  It's awful.  I heard a huge hype about this stuff before I arrived, and after trying it I will not eat it again.


Peas with Mint Sauce
**  I love peas and I love mint... not sure if I am the biggest fan of the combo, but it's pretty decent.

Fish and Chips
(Ingredients:  Battered and Fried white fish with potato wedges)
**  This is standard English takeaway food, something you would order on a Friday night when you just want to stay at home and vege out.  So so so good.  I don't like fast food too much, but this is spectacular.


Ham and Cole Slaw Sandwiches
(Ingredients:  Bread, butter, deli ham, cole slaw, mayonnaise)
** Did you even look at the ingredients?  What in your right mind makes you think I enjoy this food?  After the earthquake, my host family just made a bunch of these sandwiches so we would have some food with us... except both sides of the bread were buttered, both sides had mayo, and then the ham, and then the cole slaw... cabbage in mayonnaise sauce... Let's just say I took one bite and kind of lost my appetite.  I bought myself some peanut butter that afternoon.


TimTams
(Ingredients:  Chocolate Biscuits... TimTams...)
** Tim Tams are a brand of packaged biscuit (cookie) here in NZ.  They are so delicious.  TimTams are the NZ version of the Keebler cookies. Yummmmm.  So good dipped in coffee too.

I have been trying a lot of other things as well, but these are the main foods that stick out to me.  I love that people here are very into free range foods and buying organic.  I love going to the fruit and veggie store to get fresh produce.  Produce, although HEAPS more expensive than in the states, tastes so much better.  So does coffee.  And so is takeaways Indian food.

I have three more months to be training and experimenting with my tastebuds.  Anyone have any challenges for me?

The Land of OZ

Tuesday night, I returned from Australia after a holiday with Joe and Amy Flammer (and their adorable 1 year old daughter, Brooklyn).  I was SO stoked when they asked me if I wanted to join them on their holiday... especially since it was to OZ!  I didn't think I would get to travel that much when I was here in NZ working, so the fact that the opportunity to go to Oz was on the table, I did NOT want to miss out!  Not to mention, they are one hospitable, welcoming, and loving family that I couldn't wait to spend more time with.  They're that great.

To put it plainly, the holiday was INCREDIBLE.  As much as I love Christchurch and New Zealand, holiday in OZ was beautiful, relaxing, and WARM.  80 degree weather in their late autumn/early winter? I'll take that any day.  It was also nice to get away from the after shocks, chemical toilets, and having to boil water for a little over a week.  Now that I am back in CHCH, I feel way more relaxed, at ease, and ready to get back to work.  It was the kind of rejuvenation I really needed after going non-stop since the earthquake, really.

Here's a little look into what we did on our holiday:

DAY 1

Flew into Brisbane and drove to Amy and Joe's friends' house (Tim and Jess) where we were going to be staying.  We basically just spent the evening catching up with them, relaxing, and eating delicious food. And we went to bed super early. Already a good start to our holiday.  Not to mention, OZ reminded me a LOT of America... McDonald's everywhere, multi-lane motorways, and tolls... a little piece of home, ha.

DAY 2

We woke up early, ate breakfast, and headed to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary right on the outskirts of Brisbane.  If you ever go to Brisbane, you need to go there.  It is AWESOME.  I was stoked to see a koala.  I LOVE koalas.  But seeing dozens of koalas at once was better than I ever imagined it would be... they are some super cool animals.  They have two thumbs, sleep 18-20 hours a day, and when they are born, they are the size of a jellybean.  Sweet as, right?!  We spent most of the morning and afternoon there just exploring and looking at all the different animals... including getting to wander around a big open park and just mosey up to wallabies and kangaroos.  I, however, stayed clear of the crocodiles.  I even got to see a sheep dog and sheep shearing demonstration.  Really neat!  Made me want to watch 'Babe'.  That afternoon, Jess, Amy, and I went shopping, which was SUCH a treat since everything in NZ is so flipping expensive.  It was nice to hang out with some girls and just chat about life... and clothes.  Pretty refreshing.  That evening, we all went to a mexican restaurant to get $10 unlimited chili.  I have missed mexican food A LOT.  They don't have it in NZ.  Kiwis are for SURE missing out.  However, it was some SPICY chili... which the restaurant probably did on purpose so that people wouldn't eat as much.  Little did they know that I can eat like a fiend.  Joke was on them.

DAY 3

Spent the morning with Jess, Amy, and a few of Jess' Aussie friends.  We had morning tea and just yacked for awhile.  They all had babies too, so once again, it was an invasion of young moms + Beth.  Everyone kept asking if I was married or had a baby.  Nope... I just always hang out with mums and bubs (moms and babies).  That afternoon, Jess, Tim, Joe, Amy, the babies, and I went on a walk to South Bank and downtown Brisbane.  Downtown Brisbane is so gorgeous... they have HUGE inner-city, lagoon pools that are completely open and free to the public.  It's right along a river (that has sharks in in... fact) and it super artsy.  We got ice cream and dinner in the city centre and just walked around and looked at the beautiful sights.  I wouldn't mind living there.

DAY 4

Jess, Amy, and I went on a super good walk through the wetlands around Jess' house... where we saw a real life Kangaroo... IN THE WILD.  Only in OZ.  I was giddy for the rest of the day about this sighting.  Amy, Joe, and I left Brisbane that afternoon for the Gold Coast, about 45 minutes south.  On the way, we drove west a little and went into the mountains to do the Skywalk - a little hike through the rainforest.  It was so beautiful.  Gorgeous white trees, twisting vines everywhere, exotic flowers, and water falls.  I also saw a big snake just hanging out on a rock.  Two wild animals in one day? Double thumbs up!  After hiking/walking for a couple hours, we headed to our hotel on the Gold Coast... and it was LITERALLY on the coast.  Walking into the lobby was kind of hilarious because we stuck out like a sore thumb... we looked so out of place compared to all the fancy couples and business men.  Amy and I couldn't help but laugh at the entire situation.  We could see the water and the beach from the lobby and from our hotel room.  We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool, reading, and swimming in the ocean. I LOVE the ocean.  And I drank one of the best smoothies I have ever consumed.  And ate super good Thai food. Oz is so good.

DAY 5

Due to circumstances (Amy's tooth falling out... ha, long story), I had the morning and afternoon to myself.  I wandered through an art gallery across the street, read for a long time, relaxed by the pool and went on a walk.  It was kind of a cloudy, dreary day with some scattered thunderstorms, so I just chilled out.  It was nice to have some time to myself.  That afternoon, we went wandering through the marina at spotted some CRAZY boats and yachts... like 5 million dollar yachts... one that looked especially like a spaceship.  Tim and Jess drove down to spend the night/next day with us.  We ate dinner at a seafood tavern next to the marina.  Later that night, we got dressed up and went to the Hotel Versace to have liqueur coffees and dessert.  Again, a place where I felt super out of place because it was so fancy, but this was such a fun night of laughing, telling stories, and just spending time with each other.  I love laughing so hard that my stomach starts to hurt.  We were all so in our comfort zones.

DAY 6

We basically spent the entire morning laying by the pool and playing at the beach.  That afternoon, we checked out of our hotel, drove further down the Gold Coast to an area called 'Surfer's Paradise' - a completely appropriate name - and Amy and I took Surfing lessons.  These were no ordinary surfing lessons though... this was seriously surfing boot camp.  Our instructor, Dale, was as tall as I was, except for he was around 45 years old, SUPER skinny, really tan, and had long blond hair.  Pretty much a rockstar.  Our class did surfing drills one after another for a good portion of our lesson... then we tested it all out in the water.  Surfing is a lot harder than it looks... especially in Aussie waters where the waves are huge and NEVER stop.  Not to mention, the sand banks in the water were super inconsistent and up and down, so I got tired just from walking through the water.  It took me a little while to actually stand up on my board, but after I did it, I was actually super good at it!  Low center of gravity, of course.  I took one super good nose dive where I unintentionally did a flip on my way down... I hope the photographer at the beach caught that epic fall.  That night, I babysat Joe and Amy's daughter Brooklyn while Amy and Joe went on a date... I love that little girl.  SO cute.

DAY 7

We spent all day Sunday at Dreamworld in the Gold Coast - a pretty great amusement park!  It was no Cedar Point and wasn't as massive as a lot of theme parks in the states, but they had a few super fun rides.  I love amusement parks so much, I didn't even care... I was just glad to be there!  The best was for sure the tower of terror... proof by the entrance being a giant skull.  It was just a perfect, beautiful day to be in the Gold Coast.

DAY 8

Day number two in a theme park... expect this time, we went to Whitewater world, the water park right next to dream world.  It wasn't very big, but it was SO fun.  I haven't been to a water park in a long time, so I forgot how great they are.  My favorite ride there was called 'The Wedgie'... great name, right?  I know.  It was a one-person slide.  You got in this pod thing at the top, and it basically shoots you out down this slide... you are at the bottom in 4 seconds.  Super scary looking, but really fun once you do it!



That evening, Joe, Amy, and I made dinner and went out for ice cream in Surfer's Paradise... perfect end to an exciting day.

DAY 9

Our last day on the Gold Coast... so what better way to spend our morning and afternoon than a walk around town and on the beach?!  I had one last dip into the gorgeous ocean and basically just sat and read my book... oh, and people watched.  The Flammer's and I had a great game of 'Spot the American'... I was SO good at it... not gloating, just making a statement.  I was really sad to get on the plane in 80 degree heat and come back to mid-50 degree weather... blah.

Even though I adored my holiday and being able to spend time with Joe, Amy, and Brooklyn, I feel extremely rejuvenated and ready to be back in CHCH.  I'll miss just relaxing and having time to do whatever I want, but I feel more prepared than ever to get back into the swing of things and finish the second half of my internship with devotion and enthusiasm.  Nonetheless, I WILL be making my way back to OZ in the future...

... any other takers?

April Fools

Alright Alright, in case you haven't heard or haven't already figured it out, the whole "news" about me getting a job and moving to/staying in NZ until November was an April Fools joke.

I have ALWAYS been rubbish at April Fools jokes... I am a really bad liar and no one ever fell for anything I tried pulling... except this year, which I was super proud of!  I mean, it was set up for me pretty well.  I am out of the country, numerous people have told me on separate occasions that they are afraid I will meet someone or fall in love with CHCH so much I will want to stay, AND that my main forms of communication to the states are facebook and email (two ways I can tell people without physically being in front of them... my faces give away my lies).  I thought the idea of me getting a job and staying wouldn't be too far off from possible.

It probably helped that I took advantage of both NZ and American April Fools days... two days of this rumor going around and me playing it off became way more believable than one.  Thanks for all you who helped me pull it off!

I am in fact returning to the states in July... "for good."  Just don't cry or yell at me anymore, please!  I am sorry if this joke wasn't as funny to everyone as it was for me... but at least admit that it was a good one!

CUBBIES

I am SO sad that I can't be in the states for the first baseball games of the season, but Cubbies, know that I am watching from afar and I love you no matter how horrible other people think you are!