Ubicación del número dos // Location Number Two.

Location- Shiroles, Talamanca

Temperature- High of thirty five degrees low of twenty seven degrees.

Humidity- One Hundred Percent 

Duration- Seven Nights.
Ministry- Teaching in the local churches everyday.  

After various bus rides and one off ministry opportunities we now found ourselves yet on another long bus ride, this time heading to the Caribbean side to a place called Shiroles. 

After the nine hour bus ride we then got on a rather smaller bus to the final destination. Only to find the bus only sat about fifty people on it, but that definitely didn't stop everyone getting on. We found ourselves back to back, sweaty face to sweaty armpit, I guess you get the point. There was not a lot of room considering there was probably around ninety people on the bus. After forty minutes of driving 10kph on a bumpy road through water and jungle, then walking twenty minutes carrying all our gear we finally made it to our home for the next seven nights.

The primary reason we came to this location was to teach in the local churches in the area each day. We each had a different topic we were going to speak on and different days we were to do it. Speaking in churches was generally in the afternoon/evening so in the mornings we went from demolishing a playground so the local boys couldn't sit on it and get high, and cleaned and painted a pastors house!

Ruben was the first to speak on the monday night, after walking in the dark on a dirt road in the jungle for forty minutes to the church. He did such an incredible job preaching! His first time ever preaching and he did it in spanish. The congregation were all very encouraged and challenged by the words he spoke. So encouraged one of the men in the church invited us to come to his home for dinner during the week. Food is one thing our team would never ever turn down. Tuesday was the day for TJ and I to preach. After nearly an hours drive through a different area we arrived at the church only to find there was miscommunication with the church and they had been waiting an hour for us. Nevertheless they were waiting patiently with a sense of anticipation. I spoke first on 'The Reality Of The Cross.' Then TJ spoke on 'The Holy Spirit.' After we spoke TJ led everyone in a time of worship and invited the congregation up for prayer. Majority of the church were eager to receive prayer from us. By the end of it half the church was sleighed in the Holy Spirit, two were manifesting and one woman literally threw up! For myself that was the first time I had ever prayed for someone and seen such a huge impact of the Holy Spirit. I definately know I didn't do any of that! We were all overwhelmed by the strong sense of the Holy Spirit that afternoon. God is SO good. 

After driving for ten minutes once being picked up, the truck broke down..

We found ourselves in the back of a pick up truck, outside, pitch black, literally couldn't see my hand help out in front of me (maybe something to do with the fact i wasn't wearing my glasses) we could hear animal sounds around us, in the middle of a jungle, on a narrow dirt road. 

What do you do when you find yourself in a situation like this?

WORSHIP!

That seemed to be the only logical solution for us, little did we know we were going to be amazed whilst doing it. TJ pulled out his guitar and we just simply started to sing. Nothing fancy, just six different people, six different voices singing together with one guitar. We noticed fire flies started appearing only to my amazement as I had never seen fire flies before. The more we sang, the more they appeared. At one point we found ourselves in the middle of what looked like the sight of lit up christmas trees. I have never seen such a uniquely beautiful sight in my life, I think it's safe to say I have never seen anything like it before. Only to actually think how symbolic that short moment was, we were in a area that was one of the most spiritually dark areas we had been, but amongst it we would find little pockets of light. We would meet someone that loves Jesus with all they are and do all they can to share it. Just like the fire flies in the dark, amongst all the darkness there is always light.

After an hour waiting another pick up truck came to pick us up and dropped us off at the mans house who had invited us over for dinner. He just happened to own his own pizzeria! Excited to see us he invited us in and told us to make ourselves at home and gave us different things to do to help make the pizza and fresh drinks. That pizza was hands down the best pizza I have ever eaten in my life. 

By the end of the week each of us had preached, whether it be for our first time or for our first time with a translator. 

We had bathed in a river to clean ourselves, killed a chicken for dinner, cooked every meal over a fire resulting in constantly smelling like smoke, and hadn't seen our reflections all week. It was a time of highs and lows, a lot of tears and laughter as our team became closer and saw each other by far at our worst, but most of all, we all drew so much closer to God in the midst of it all. 

One week in Shiroles, one of the best weeks of my life. Memories I will never forget. Who would have some of my favorite memories would be in a place like that! Something tells me I was made for this. 

Until next time, until the next location.

God Bless.

Ubicación del número uno // Location Number One.

Location- Golfito, Costa Rica

Temperature- High of thirty seven degrees, low of twenty six degrees Celsius

Humidity- One Hundred Percent 

Duration- Twelve Days 

Ministry- Bible Distribution

After the eight hour bus ride from San Jose to Golfito we had finally arrived. We finally were on 'Outreach'. I think this was the first time it had hit all of the team that this is our reality for the next ten weeks. Despite the heat when we first arrived, having to carry ten weeks worth in one bag on our backs, and not being able to understand anyone. I was extremely excited for the next ten weeks and had a sense of anticipation to see what the Lord will do through us and around us. 

Our schedule looked a bit like this..

six thirty start, cooking breakfast for everyone

seven, breakfast

eight - three thirty, ministry time

we would then generally have a cold shower, not that a hot shower was actually a choice but we thanked the Lord anyway as there was no way we would want to have even a slightly warm shower by the end of our ministry time, we were all dripping with sweat! I experienced areas that i never knew could sweat. If caring about what you looked like was some what of a priority for you, that certainly would have been crushed the first day there. 

Once we were all organised we would come together as a team and have our 'Team Time' which consisted of a time of prayer and worship and the natural excited talk of everyone speaking over each other as we all wanted to share stories at the same time. Our team did eventually get good at listening and talking one at a time. 

We would then have dinner from around six o'clock then afterwards we generally would have walked to the local store to find something sweet or hit the hay. (go to bed)

We had one day off a week which was spent at the pool down the road. 

So that was a basic day for the duration of the time we were there.

These twelve days certainly was a time to test our patience with one another, there definitely were times when we didn't talk to one another! Being the first time living with each other, being with each other 24/7 we certainly got to know each other very very well. TJ and i would say we have spent TOO much time with each other. Fortunately after a few days in Golfito we had two other outreach teams from different YWAM locations come join us for the rest of our time there. Everyday we all got split up into different teams to go house to house which gave us all an opportunity to get to know everyone, including the locals that came to help us. I became good friends with one of the guys in one of the other teams. Some would say he was a boy version of me, where all our conversations consisted of jokes. I think we had one serious conversation the whole time we were together, but a serious conversation that was!

Now you understand what the days looked like for us i shall get into the nitty gritty of it. The glory stories. Did the Lord move? like never before. What is the greatest miracle of all? Salvation. Did we see it? Did we ever! We saw over one hundred salvations just in the twelve days we were there. Now i am almost sure heaven would have been having the biggest celebration cause we certainly were praising Him everyday as we would share our 'glory stories' with one another. Not only did we see the greatest miracle which is salvation, we saw healings as well! If you were ever in a place of doubting healing and if it's so called 'Legit' you would not be doubting after our time there. We saw healing from headaches gone to back pain that was there for years gone! Our God is a big God, nothing is impossible for Him if we just believe. 

Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said to them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Seeing the faces of the people we had just prayed for lit up was one of the greatest things i saw. Every home we went too were so hospitable, there was no question about it they would invite us in and give us anything they had, whether it be a glass of water or some pineapple. They would give us anything and everything they had, even if it meant they would go without. For they wanted to do all they could to bless us as they felt very blessed for us even just knocking on their door! It truly is amazing what such simple acts of kindness can do for someone. 

This time definitely made me check myself. Am i doing all i can to bless others? Do i constantly show continuous acts of kindness? Am i actually a nice person? There is always things you can do to make someone else day, to make someone else feel like a princess, to make someone else feel 'special'. And it's so simple. 

If our twelve days in Golfito was all we did for outreach, my life still would have been changed. The people i met, faces i saw, tears to laughter, sorrow to joy. My relationship with God and my love for him grew so much during our time there. 

But that's not all God had in store for us...

Teams reporting for duty

What you can handle you hold. Plus some.

One of the teams going house to house

This is what everyday looked like

This is Vernon, Lover of Jesus, translator (although we struggled understanding each other) and new Pal.

Ruben and his natural ability to make new friends

Two of the loyal locals that helped us everyday

Family photo, three teams together from different locations 

To this day i stand amazed at the lifetime friends i made in this location when i would have never met them if i didn't go to Costa Rica.

This gives you a little taste of what the first twelve days of outreach looked like, for more photo's check out my 'This is it' blogpost. until next time, until the next location.

God Bless.

Engage DTS '13 - Team Palau

This video shows just a small portion of the things you can get up to during outreach. This was one of the teams from my DTS that went to Palau for their outreach. As well as the incredible things we do during ministry times and seeing the crazy things God does, we also always have a lot of fun through it all! 

Check it out.

The Greatest Sacrifice

When he prayed in the garden it was us that he did see, knowing that he had to die so we could be set free. When he stood before the people and they shouted, "Put him on the cross" He could have called ten thousand angels but he knew that we were lost. When they stripped him of his robe and beat him to the ground, he could have called his angels, but he chose not to make a sound. For it was his love so great, yes his love for us that made him stay right there. For he knew it was a must as he walked up that road with each end every step he could have used his power but it was his love that kept him moving towards that hill where he knew that he would bare our sins upon his chest. Oh how greatly he does care, the nails, they were driven into his feet and hands for it was the only way to complete a mighty plan there in the middle of two thieves they placed his cross, what did he see that day. He seen how we were lost, he could have called his angels and they would have come indeed but it was us that he knew who would be in great need. Our sins, there have been many yes many in our day, yet he payed them in full, because he choose to stay upon that cross he won our battle to the end, upon that cross he bearded all of the sins all the sins of those who are covered in his blood yes he carried that cross for us. all because he loves us. 

What a Journey

And a journey it has been, with only two weeks left of ministry left i sit here on our day off in a cafe using the free wifi looking back on our time we have had here already. 

The time has flown by here but yet I have experienced so many incredible things and seen God work in incredible ways. I know i have grown so much in my understandings and knowledge, my heart has been broken many times and definitely makes me so proud to call New Zealand home.

Two weeks ago we travelled to the Caribbean side to a small town called Shiroles, where we stayed for a week with the purpose of teaching to the local believers there everyday. It took a five hour bus ride to a town called Rye Rye where we then caught a typical American looking bus for another forty-five minutes. Although that was an experience in itself. By the time we got on the bus it was full, we thought we could only JUST squeeze on. But no, we managed to fit probably about another thirty people on. The bus could fit roughly thirty people in sits and there was roughly about eighty people on the bus. You could imagine the conditions. Hot, Sweaty and most definitely smelly. Going a speed of approximately ten KM. The adventure had begun. 

After getting off the bus we then carried all our luggage for about a mile down the road to the church where we were to call home for the next six nights. I'll just give you a brief on the week.constantly dripping with sweat once again

• no hot water
• cooking over an open fire for every meal
• occasionally bathing in the river cause its warmer then the shower (having fish bite you as you bathe)
• Painted a local pastors house
• walked, walked, walked. Oh and did i mention we walked a lot. 
• Gabby lost her Jandals in a small creek, that was a site in itself.
• Tears a lot of them. From the team and from the locals.
• Getting attacked by bugs. 
•  keeping the lights on after dark is asking to be attacked. 
• Killed a chicken for dinner.
• Driving through the jungle after preaching and the truck breaking down. Only results in worshipping where we find ourselves surrounded by fire flies as we sang.
• Becoming addicted to the card game 'Speed' cause that's all you can do during your off time (apart from reading your bible of course)
• Team Bonding
• demolishing a wooden playground
• Being blessed with free fresh pizza for dinner
• Busing it for another hour and a half just to go to the beach on our day off
• In general creating memories that will last to tell the grand kids. 

Home for a week

The Kitchen

Team reporting for duty

Gabriela the one and only

Sometimes you just have to be friends with a horse

This is the pastors house that we painted

Ready for Myself and TJ to preach up a storm, forty minutes away

The church TJ and I Preached in

Blessed with the best

The Pastors children

That was fun while it lasted 

Definitely was a first for both of us

Getting amongst it

That chicken had no hope

Saying goodbye to our house mates for the week. A lot of tears on their end.

This shows just a tiny portion of the things we did and things we experienced during our short time in  Shiroles.
Until next time,

God Bless

KEEP STEPPING FORWARD!

Left Without Words. . .

It has now been over a week since we have been in San Jose where various things have happened. We no longer have our contact for reasons so all our ministry plans are all up in the air now as he was our go to man for everything. So we are left as a team with six weeks left of outreach to plan.

It seems as though there aren't many options but at the same time it feels as though there is! 

For the first few days we went into the city to worship and evangelise where we soon became friends with drug dealers who gave their hearts to Jesus. Every time we have been back to the same place they have come and hung out with us and want to know next time we will be back so they can see us again. 

We have worked with different ministries within the YWAM here in San Jose which vary from working with ex-prostitutes, playing with young children, holding a special needs child in my arms in an orphanage who has only been able to breathe on his own for a couple months. And i had the opportunity to share my testimony and do a Bible study with single mothers. As we are teaching them new things us as a team are being taught so much from hearing the stories of the locals. Really opens your eyes to so much more and makes you really appreciate where you come from. We have been in different situations and different area's that have been really challenging spiritually and physically but those are the stories we can't share online for safety of the people, so there's some to look forward too when you next see me!

Just the other day we went into a rough ghetto in the area to do a prayer walk, the first street we walked down we came across a eighteen year old boy in his house who came out and spoke to us. He was already a believer, but as we were speaking to him God really began to download things about him to us, his original design, how God really sees him, and plans God has for him. As we spoke these words over him he was struggling to hold back the tears. By that stage i had lost it and was already weeping. Looking into his eyes you could tell he knew he was made for far better than this! He is going to be a man to change the nation of Costa Rica. His words were, I'm left without words.

Then to carry on walking we started talking to his next door neighbour, an elderly woman who was also a believer. She started telling us how she has always dreamt of preaching to crowds and sharing Gods love to people. It had just recently been on her heart to open up her home to do bible studies. (that is one thing we had felt strongly that people were to open up their homes for bible studies before we got there) So us telling her that was confirmation to her. We were able to sit with her and encourage her and pray for her. Her children have fallen away from Christ so we prayed with her for her children and she began to weep. I don't think there is anything more precious than seeing the love from a mother for her children. 

To further walk around this ghetto we saw so many different situations, lets just say you could definitely feel the spiritual darkness in the place but at the same time such a soft presence of God.

Ah so many stories just from the morning walking around there but so little time to share. 

I think this was the moment we fell in love with the place! We decided to commit our last four weeks to this ghetto and really sow into the people there and just help out the locals. Since then our team has been under attack, our leader aches all over and TJ and i have both had migraines and together as a team we all feel really tired. So if that doesn't make it clear to us as a team that this is what we are meant to be doing then i don't know what will. This ghetto needs to see the light, to have a revelation of the cross, and besides Jesus loves them so why shouldn't we..

Where we go in the city to worship and evangelise

What our room looks like after doing washing

 Beautiful girl from one of the houses we visited in the ghetto

 Seeing the smiles on their faces. Priceless.

 This will be a ghetto won for Christ

Team bonding time

And a goodbye from the girls!

God Bless

KEEP STEPPING FORWARD

This Is It

First of all i would like to introduce you to my incredible outreach team, from left Vivianna, Gabriela (leader) Ted, Ruben, Myself and HyunHwa. I will be doing life with these people for the next ten weeks in Costa Rica.

We left March thirty first, arrived on the first of April, to our new home of Costa Rica. Although I don't think it had really hit us that we were on outreach till we arrived a couple days later in a town called Golfito which was an eight hour bus ride from San Jose. Golfito became home for the next twelve days. I don't think we ever got use to the conditions there, waking up, sweating. Falling asleep, sweating. We were in temperatures of about ninety degrees and one hundred percent humidity. It was gross! Besides the heat, our time there was incredible. Our main ministry there was Bible distributions, so everyday going home to home handing out Bibles and praying for people. It was such a special moment seeing how the different culture responds to the gospel and receiving prayer. Everyday we saw salvations, in a total we would have seen about one hundred and forty salvations over the time we were there. One of the moment impacting times for me was having the opportunity to hold a elderly woman hands who had Parkinson's and pray for her as she was weeping. In the moment, the language barrier didn't become and issue.   

Now we're in week three of outreach, back in San Jose we're we are rejoicing in the cooler temperatures! 

Today we went to a special needs orphanage where i was an emotional wreck. I was able to hold a young boy in my arms who had been left on a doorstep with three days to live. He couldn't breath on his own and needed a brace on his back. That was nearly five months ago, he can now breath on his own and no longer needs to be wearing a brace. He was such a happy little man despite the condition he was in and the restrictions he still managed to crack a smile and a giggle. 

In the afternoon we went into the city to evangelise, out team saw two salvations and two re commitments as well as some crazy encounters. 

God is good and He is definitely moving in Costa Rica.

Until next time.

God Bless

KEEP STEPPING FORWARD