Returning Home For A Season

 YWAM Oxford Family (2013)

It is time to say goodbye to my home and family here at YWAM Oxford.  God is calling me home to Texas to be with my family and serve in the mission field back home for a season. Over the past several months God has been showing me that this next season is a time to be back home in Texas investing in the lives of my children and grandchildren and walking alongside them through life's ups and downs, supporting and encouraging them, and sharing the Father's Love with them and my community back home.  

During the past few weeks I have been preparing to leave New Zealand and my work and ministry here with YWAM Oxford. I've been visiting some of my favorite places and saying farewell, or as us YWAMers say.... "see you later" to these places and dear friends. 

                                                            Visit to Waikuku Beach                                                           

"My girls"
Base Staff Ladies group

          

Texas Style Farewell

My Kiwi Mum and Dad

                                                                                                                        

Visit to New Brighton Beach with my dear friend Karen

The past two and a half years have been an amazing journey into the Father's heart and the call He has on my life to serve Him in missions. I have discovered who I am in HIS eyes, the gifts He's given me, and the passion He's put in my heart to serve and bless others as I've served in the hospitality ministry with YWAM Oxford. I am so grateful for all God has taught me here and for all the wonderful experiences and adventures He has taken me on here in New Zealand and on outreach in The Cook Islands and Africa. I have been SO blessed to have the privilege and opportunity to reflect the love of Christ and be a blessing to others in these amazing countries! 
I look forward to many more overseas missions opportunities and adventures in the future. 

Uganda 2012

I'm hoping to return to Africa 







 AND... New Zealand one day!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."

~Jeremiah 29:11~

I'm trusting in God's goodness & faithfulness and His plans for me during the next part of this incredible Journey with Him!

The Adventure Continues....

"Truly my soul finds rest in God"
~Psalm 62:1~

The beginning of the new year began with a time of rest and an opportunity to be refreshed while enjoying the warm summer weather of January and February here in New Zealand before preparing for the next Discipleship Training Schools to start. Many evenings were spent on leisurely walks down the country roads of Oxford, watching the sun set and feeling so blessed to be living and serving here!  

 New Zealand sunsets are so spectacular!

Welcoming our new DTS Students....

DTS Welcome

We welcomed our new Around the World in 80 Days and Father's Love Crossroad's DTS students onto the base at the end of February, and currently have two schools running with twenty-six students from all over the world, including several students from Texas!   

AW80 DTS Students

Crossroads DTS Students

The cultural diversity makes life interesting and fun on base. Several of our students enjoy cooking and have prepared for us some delicious Thai, Korean, and Danish meals. To help prepare our students for outreach in different cultures, we sometimes have cultural themed meals and are encouraged to dress up in clothing that is worn in that culture.  

We recently had an "India Night" with Indian style food served and eaten while sitting on the floor. There was even a bit of Bollywood dancing after dinner, lots of photos taken, and a good time had by all!  

During this season, as I continue to serve as Hospitality Ministry Coordinator and as part of the Base Leadership Team, I'm attending a Basic Leadership course offered here at the Oxford base. We meet weekly to be mentored, prayed for, and encouraged to grow in our leadership roles. 

BLS 2013

God continues to surprise and bless me with amazing new adventures as I journey with him here in New Zealand.  My friend and I were recently blessed by a friend and former ywamer, who is a crew member on Carnival Cruise Lines, with a one-day "Cruise Holiday" aboard the Carnival Spirit while the ship was in port a few hours away in Akaroa here on the South Island of NZ. 

We were given a complete tour of the ship - including the crew's quarters, a free buffet lunch, and plenty of time to relax and enjoy the ship's amenities...what a treat!!  

I was also blessed by one of our Crossroads DTS students, who just loves to bless the YWAM staff, to a weekend trip to Queenstown - the "Adventure Capital of the World".   AND treated to one of the most incredible adventures of my life.... Paragliding!! That's me soaring over beautiful Queenstown, NZ in the photo at the top of this post!

I'm learning that when you say "yes" to God's call on your life, you never know where He will take you or the adventures that await!

God is SO good and loves to bless His children!

I was especially blessed to have my first visitors from home this month.... my cousin Debbie and husband Brian, and John & Ginny Stanley from my home church in Texas stopped in Oxford to see me during their trip to NZ.  It was such a blessing to enjoy an afternoon together and share a bit of my life here at YWAM Oxford with them!  

I've been praying about an opportunity to return to Africa this year. We have a DTS team going on outreach to Uganda in May, but after much prayer, it seems that the Lord is closing the door for me to go at this time and asking me to wait. I think about the precious children there often and long to return to bring the Father's love to them!  

I am trusting that He knows my heart and will provide an opportunity to return to Africa in HIS timing.   

Uganda 2012

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

~Psalm 37:1-4~

December News & Update

"Be Still and know that I Am God"

Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 

This is something God has been teaching me in this season. To be still and trust Him with every area of my life.... work, ministry, relationships, and with whatever is ahead.  I'm learning to rest in His love and surrender all of my plans and dreams to Him, and continue allowing Him to write His-story through my life! 

Life has been quite busy on base the past few months. Our DTS students have just finished their final week of 3 months of lectures, and outreach teams are leaving for Nepal, Thailand, Argentina, India, Bangladesh, Australia and throughout New Zealand for the next 3 months.  This has been an amazing season with an awesome group of students who are passionate about pursuing God and taking His love to the Nations!

BDTS Students

JDTS Students

Trip to West Coast

I was blessed with the opportunity last month to take a weekend trip to New Zealand's West Coast with some of the DTS staff and students and experience more of the breathtaking beauty of God's creation here in New Zealand. We had a great time as we explored the Pancake rocks, hiked through the rainforest, and walked along the beach on the rugged coastline....What an awesome Creator we have!

Visit to Pancake Rocks - Punakaiki, NZ

West Coast Beach

This past week we had Commissioning night for the students, which is a time for the staff to pray over and encourage all the teams before leaving on outreach.  It's amazing to see how God transforms and prepares these students during their training here, and a privilege to be able to take part in discipling and sending them out!

                                    

        
God continues to stretch me with new areas of responsibility as I serve here! Along with Hospitality, I'm now overseeing communication with all new and returning base staff and coordinating roles for them here on the base. Over the past year, God has been revealing the unique gifts and abilities that He's given me to do the work and ministry that He designed me for, and has called me here to do. 

I'm praying that in the coming year God will also provide another opportunity and the funds to go on outreach to work with the orphaned children in Africa, or wherever else He may send me. God has given me such a passion and heart for these little ones!      

Africa 2012

I had hoped to make a trip home for the holidays again this year and spend Christmas with my family and friends, but without enough funds for the ticket home, I find myself with another opportunity to "be still" and trust in God's plan and purpose for me to be here over the holidays, and to be spending my first "Kiwi Christmas" in New Zealand.

My prayer requests as this year ends are....

Peace and joy as I spend my first Christmas away from home and family!

Favor with NZ Immigration as I apply for another 2 year Missionary visa.

More support partners to come alongside and join me in the call to missions by helping meet my monthly living costs and outreach expenses.

As the New Year begins, I am looking forward to the next chapter of this journey and adventure into the Heart of God, and His call to missions!

YWAM Oxford 2012

New season in Oxford

As this new season begins, the children of Africa are still on my heart.  I can still see their precious faces and beautiful smiles!  I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to Africa and share God's love with them, and am hoping to return one day.  

Life is good here on the base and has been quite full since our return in June. Two new schools began the day we returned from Africa and we just recently sent outreach teams to Costa Rica and Malaysia.  Between schools I was involved in organizing our staff retreat, which was a great "family" time together to recharge, refresh, and pray for the new season.  We've been spending the past month preparing for three Discipleship Training Schools starting this month and now have 50 new students from around the world living on the base.

DTS Welcome

Never a dull moment here!

At Staff Retreat 

God has also been providing more opportunities for me to step into leadership roles as I've been invited to join our Base Leadership Team.  Our team sets aside time each week to meet together, share vision and pray for the base.  It's exciting and challenging being a part of the heartbeat of this base! Since joining the team I've had opportunities to lead base intercession, open morning worship, and facilitate our staff "family" meetings. I also recently had an opportunity to speak at a church service and share my testimony of God's faithfulness in my life and about our trip to Africa. It's funny how God seems to call us into areas where we feel the least capable and equipped....I'm learning that we just need to step out and trust Him and He takes care of the rest!!

Speaking at church service

I have on my heart to return home in November to spend the holidays with family and friends, and am praying that God will provide an airline ticket home.  I'm also praying for more sponsors who would like to partner with me through prayer and monthly support as I continue to serve in missions with YWAM.  

All throughout this journey I have seen God provide in amazing ways, and I'm trusting that He will continue to faithfully provide for all of my needs as I follow His call to serve in missions and share His love with others!

"I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth."   

 Psalm 121:1-2

Adventures In Africa!

                    

With the children of Kubi, South Sudan

Back home in New Zealand reflecting on the amazing time we had on outreach in Africa....

Our team spent five weeks traveling by bus throughout Uganda and South Sudan, visiting villages, schools, churches and Children's Homes, sharing the message of the gospel and the Father's love with the African people.

We arrived in Entebbe, where we met up with our Ugandan staff from Tent Peg Missions, who traveled along with us.  We developed wonderful friendships and became like family over the weeks we spent together.  It was such a blessing to do ministry with them and to see their love and passion to serve God and their people!

Traveling through Africa was quite an adventure and stretch from the norm!  Experiencing new sights, sounds, and smells so totally different from anything familiar....

I found myself spending much time staring out the window of our bus pondering what I saw as we traveled from one village to another.  It was difficult seeing the poverty and living conditions that were beyond anything I had ever imagined, but it gave me a deeper sense of love and compassion for the beautiful people of this nation! 

Visit to Kubi, South Sudan

Village of Kubi

Our arrival in Kubi was one of the highlights of the trip for me....
We arrived in the evening a few hours late due to poor road conditions, quite tired after a very long, bumpy bus ride and were greeted with cheers and singing by the children of the village who had been waiting along the roadside for several hours to greet us....IT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WELCOME! 

My dreams of Africa became reality as we stepped off the bus to children surrounding us clapping and singing "We are happy to welcome you, we are happy to see you!"

These children captured my heart from the very first moment!!!  

The village children of Kubi

We had many opportunities to minister and love on these children and people from the neighboring villages. We held a two day conference for the local church leaders. Our small team spent time with the Sunday School leaders and the children, telling Bible stories, teaching them songs and games, and praying with them. 

Our Team leading Sunday School

Kubi Guest House 

Our room and donated beds

We were so blessed to find that the church congregation had spent the past two months completing the building of a guest house especially for our visit and had also graciously donated their own beds!  

We returned to Uganda and spent two weeks in Lira. We traveled from there to the neighboring villages of Adwari and Abako, where we ministered and prayed with many villagers who had been affected by the war and the LRA, and had lost loved ones. 

In Adwari I had the pleasure of meeting Kristin, a former abducted child soldier with the LRA who God has healed from the pain of her tragic past, and is now ministering to others in her village.

I also had the opportunity to share a message about Hope and Healing at a church conference, and pray with women who had experienced the pain of losing a child.

Speaking at Conference at Adwari Victory Outreach Church

With the children of Adwari

At the conference and everywhere we went we found ourselves surrounded by children who were so hungry for our love and attention! They just loved having their pictures taken with us!!  

With Kristin, former child soldier with the LRA

Another highlight of the trip was during our last two weeks of outreach in Jinja when we visited the children at the House of Aroha, a home for orphaned children, St. Paul's Primary School where the children attend, Jesu Melungi Church under the tree, and our visit to Home of Hope, a home for disabled children.  All these children truly touched my heart!  

Yesu Melungi Church under the tree

Surrounded by children from St. Paul's Primary School

House of Aroha-

Children at House of Aroha wearing new donated clothes

At the House of Aroha I met this precious family of five children.  Their father died several years ago and their mother brought them to the home and then abandoned them. God has given me a special place in my heart for this family. My prayer is to return next year to see them again and be able to invest more into their lives, and to find sponsors to help provide for each of these precious ones.

  (Anyone interested in being a sponsor, please contact me!)

Jamil, Isima, Madina, Dahia, and little Janat

Visiting Amani Baby Cottage

A few of us had an opportunity to visit the Amani Baby Cottage, an American sponsored orphanage in Jinja. Spending time there holding the babies was another highlight for me and I would love to be able return and volunteer some day.  

These are two of the precious children I got to hold and love on at the baby home...

HOPE  
HOPE’S MOTHER, AFTER DELIVERING HER, TRIED TO DISPOSE OF HER IN A PIT LATRINE BUT HOPE WAS LATER RESCUED. HOPE WAS 1 WEEK AND 2 DAYS OLD WHEN SHE BECAME PART OF THE AMANI FAMILY.

Holding baby Hope

 









ERIC 
ERIC WAS ABANDONED AROUND THE MATERNITY WARD AT MBARARA HOSPITAL. 
ERIC WAS ESTIMATED TO BE EIGHT DAYS OLD WHEN HE BECAME PART OF THE AMANI FAMILY.

With Sunday School children at Rivers of Life Church, Jinja

I've returned from Africa with a full heart, feeling blessed to have had the privilege to share the Father's love and touch the lives of His beautiful children of Africa. Treasuring all the opportunities we were given to share what God has done in our lives and the hope that we have in Him, and through it all..... seeing lives changed! 

I had the opportunity to share my story with our interpreter, Stella as we walked and ministered together in the villages.  On our last day in Africa, as we were saying goodbye, Stella hugged me and reminded me how the Lord has truly "restored the years the locusts have eaten" and had made "beauty for ashes" of my life, and was now making my life a blessing to others.

"We are blessed in order to be a blessing"
Genesis 12:2

Thank you to all who helped make this trip possible!

Children of the House of Aroha