I cant believe its a week since I last wrote in this blog! Im sooo not keeping up with Jeff! I guess if we had a regular computer in a heated room I may be a bit more inclined to go there. Anyway, when we settle in Scotland, I promise I'll do better. Speaking of heat, I dont think many Kiwis care for central heat. I think they think we are spoiled and wimpy or something. They are a hardy bunch! Bob P. told us that "many are thawed, but few are frozen"! Heh!
Today was quite a shopping day! (I did work in the office a bit too.) We had to run around buying gifts, (on quite a budget I might add) for all the executive committee members in Dunedin. It couldn't be all chocolates or rubber chickens, but something creative and special for each of them. (Frank & Beckys idea... a good one, but more work, but better in the end.) Anyway, its a challenge when you don't know the stores or the isles to find things in. I know this sounds so petty, there are just some things that we take for granted. Enough about shopping! Ugggg.
I should say something about Easter. Here in New Zealand they take 4 days off! I mean, nothing is open save a few restaurants and churches. On Good Friday we went to the cathedral for an evening Tennenbrea service. It had scripture mixed with a choir that sounded like angels as it echoed through the halls... no mics... just pure old school cathedral candlelit reverend kind of thing. It was absolutely amazing! Just thinking quietly and reverently what Jesus went through for us! The only down side was that Liam had swooshy pants on and everytime he moved it made noise and Kayleigh wanted an interpretation of the speaker which she couldn't hear or understand. Those of you who have sat in one of those services on wooden pews on marble floors surrounded by concrete walls and pillars know how sound travels. Heh!
Sat. we celebrated Marcs birthday at Speights for a surprise lunch with about 12 friends. (By the way that morning we received a fabulous care package from the Millers and Zion friends! It was amazing...Veggie tales video, candy, Easter craft kits, eggs for a hunt... and so much more. It sure was a lifter! We looooove packages!) It was a difficult eve. cuz' we found out mom was in the hospital again for HBP. Its so hard being far away at times like this! I have to remind myself to trust in our Sovereign God that I am in the right place and that He is protecting and comforting her. Hey, while Im thinking of it, would you pray for her for healing and peace. Thanks! She is home now, but still going through some tests. I just want to give her a hug!
Sunday was Easter and we tried another church. I couldn't believe that the pastor didn't even mention Christs resurrection! Its Easter Sunday for crying out loud!!! The worship leader mentioned it between songs, and maybe Im just a traditional girl, but I missed the Easter message! It seams that they don't celebrate it quite the same here. Its all low key. It bothered me at first but I had to check myself to see what I celebrate. Is it tradition or my Gods Resurrection?! I know its Jesus, but I bet He is pleased when we enjoy each other and our little traditions too! I bet He would kick back and share a peanut butter chocolate egg with us if He was here in the flesh. :)
Right, so my toes are tingling now and My finger tips are so cold I cant feel them. Im going to sit on our little plug in heater box and then quickly jump in bed. Nighty night!
BTW... HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFFEY WEFFEY!
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Monday, April 05, 2004
So, this past weekend was Impact World Tour in Dunedin! There is soooo much to share about the school assemblies, crazy running around catering to the teams, and so many cool stories, but I have to tell you, about the weather since I asked you to get involved..... it was amazing! A miricle!! Thanks for praying! We did keep the venue at Forbury Raceway Park despite the warnings and multiple problems.
We had a cold rain and harsh winds straight through 3 days prior to the first day of the event. (Actually mostly rain about 3 weeks before!) Thurs. morning in Dunedin it started to clear and it was still windy, BUT at the venue... it was perfectly calm and sunny! That night we could see the stars in the sky for the first time in a loooooooong time! (Even the southern cross, cool!) Everyone was amazed at Gods hand of protection around the place! I couldn’t stop looking up! Team Xtream was that night... breaking concrete flaming blocks with their heads (and even some afros heh-heh), blowing up hot water bottles, bending steel bars, rolling cars and all that stuff... oh, yeah and preaching the clear gospel message and even teaching on creation vs evolution! (The owner of the venue said that it was the largest crowd he’s seen in the place!)
The next day in the morning it poured again. The sound booth tent was flooded and equipment was covered. We were racing around trying to find alternative venues, but could not for the size of it. We could do the show in the rain if the equip. was already powered up, but it had to be turned off due to the horse race track. So we would decide by 4:00pm. 3:30 came and didn’t blue sky fly in overhead! Heh! It actually got hot out for a while! Warm enough to wear our new “IWT Crew” short sleeves shirts and warm enough to dry the equip. quickly to start it up! That night was the still and beautiful calm weather! Almost tropical enough for Island Breeze, the indigenous cultural night of island song and dancing. (Kayleigh loved the dancers, you can imagine!) This was an amazing production. Even better... still the stars were in the sky!!! We just kept praising God!!! You have to understand that if it rained at all during the evenings, most likely nobody would come out and all that work (years of it) would just have to be eaten. Yeah, I hear you... we are defiantly thinking indoor venues for Scotland!!!
The Last night Sat. was GX International. (The BMXers & Skaters & Bboys...) They took the stage with a bang! The crowd was cheering in amazement and listening to every breath of those stoked, totally sold out dudes and dudetts. The gospel was boldly preached in front of about 9,000 that night. (The venue has seating for 5,000 so you can imagine the crowd!) God was on the move!... and satan was not happy! The entire show was calm, but at the alter call that night, the winds kicked up out of no where after people started to come down. It started to rain. People still came up! It was packed!!! Some fights broke out, I started to get a headache(which has lingered even now) . It was soon pouring and was crazy for a while. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot... the stage, this thing is huge...began to cork screw that day too. Crazy! It was almost like a spiritual struggle manifesting in different forms. I know it sounds crazy, but I really believe it! God protected and still did great things that night!
We are just so blessed by so many people praying for us being involved and supporting this ministry! I just couldn’t get over how God held off the rains until it was over! I will have to get the numbers straight, but it was just under 1,000 people that responded to the alter call just in Dunedin over those 3 nights! It was an amazing sight seeing those people RUN to the front ready to make a change in their lives! It moved me to tears! Hearing the stories from the local links/ councelors was just amazing too! Stuff that went on the next day with their new friends, and all these people with new bibles and new questions. We expect to get some photos back soon to shoot out on this blog so check back in a couple days or so if you want some visuals. :)
I could write another 12 pages, but I guess Ill save some for the next newsletter and some for our next visit. Love you all so much! Thanks for reading!
It was all worth it! We have alot of clean up now and working on the data base and discipleship upkeep, making sure everyone is taken care of, letters, thankyous, closing down the office, and still some events to plan, like a city wide celebration and pastors prayer time.
We had a cold rain and harsh winds straight through 3 days prior to the first day of the event. (Actually mostly rain about 3 weeks before!) Thurs. morning in Dunedin it started to clear and it was still windy, BUT at the venue... it was perfectly calm and sunny! That night we could see the stars in the sky for the first time in a loooooooong time! (Even the southern cross, cool!) Everyone was amazed at Gods hand of protection around the place! I couldn’t stop looking up! Team Xtream was that night... breaking concrete flaming blocks with their heads (and even some afros heh-heh), blowing up hot water bottles, bending steel bars, rolling cars and all that stuff... oh, yeah and preaching the clear gospel message and even teaching on creation vs evolution! (The owner of the venue said that it was the largest crowd he’s seen in the place!)
The next day in the morning it poured again. The sound booth tent was flooded and equipment was covered. We were racing around trying to find alternative venues, but could not for the size of it. We could do the show in the rain if the equip. was already powered up, but it had to be turned off due to the horse race track. So we would decide by 4:00pm. 3:30 came and didn’t blue sky fly in overhead! Heh! It actually got hot out for a while! Warm enough to wear our new “IWT Crew” short sleeves shirts and warm enough to dry the equip. quickly to start it up! That night was the still and beautiful calm weather! Almost tropical enough for Island Breeze, the indigenous cultural night of island song and dancing. (Kayleigh loved the dancers, you can imagine!) This was an amazing production. Even better... still the stars were in the sky!!! We just kept praising God!!! You have to understand that if it rained at all during the evenings, most likely nobody would come out and all that work (years of it) would just have to be eaten. Yeah, I hear you... we are defiantly thinking indoor venues for Scotland!!!
The Last night Sat. was GX International. (The BMXers & Skaters & Bboys...) They took the stage with a bang! The crowd was cheering in amazement and listening to every breath of those stoked, totally sold out dudes and dudetts. The gospel was boldly preached in front of about 9,000 that night. (The venue has seating for 5,000 so you can imagine the crowd!) God was on the move!... and satan was not happy! The entire show was calm, but at the alter call that night, the winds kicked up out of no where after people started to come down. It started to rain. People still came up! It was packed!!! Some fights broke out, I started to get a headache(which has lingered even now) . It was soon pouring and was crazy for a while. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot... the stage, this thing is huge...began to cork screw that day too. Crazy! It was almost like a spiritual struggle manifesting in different forms. I know it sounds crazy, but I really believe it! God protected and still did great things that night!
We are just so blessed by so many people praying for us being involved and supporting this ministry! I just couldn’t get over how God held off the rains until it was over! I will have to get the numbers straight, but it was just under 1,000 people that responded to the alter call just in Dunedin over those 3 nights! It was an amazing sight seeing those people RUN to the front ready to make a change in their lives! It moved me to tears! Hearing the stories from the local links/ councelors was just amazing too! Stuff that went on the next day with their new friends, and all these people with new bibles and new questions. We expect to get some photos back soon to shoot out on this blog so check back in a couple days or so if you want some visuals. :)
I could write another 12 pages, but I guess Ill save some for the next newsletter and some for our next visit. Love you all so much! Thanks for reading!
It was all worth it! We have alot of clean up now and working on the data base and discipleship upkeep, making sure everyone is taken care of, letters, thankyous, closing down the office, and still some events to plan, like a city wide celebration and pastors prayer time.
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Here is a prayer update for the Hamers. Please pray!!! Love in Jesus, Betsy
***********************************************************
Thank you soooooo much for continuining to pray for this ministry and our
family! If ever the time to pray... its now! There is a mighty battle
going on...(computer probs., sched. changes etc.) but there is some very
encouraging news too!
1. Last night at ChristChurch there was the largest response yet in NZ for
1 night! About 1,000 responded and there was a recorded 945 decisions for
Christ! This highlights a bit of a concern for us. There is a desporate
need for more Christian Counselors and discipleship plans since there has
been such a response!
2. Please also pray for the Christians/ Volunteers to sense this as a
Celebration of Eternal measure and not a burden of extra things to do.
3. Continue to pray for our family. This week will be INCREDIBLY busy.
Please pray that the kids will be patient and understanding, for precious
family time, for good relationships to be established with the tour members.
***********************************************************
Thank you soooooo much for continuining to pray for this ministry and our
family! If ever the time to pray... its now! There is a mighty battle
going on...(computer probs., sched. changes etc.) but there is some very
encouraging news too!
1. Last night at ChristChurch there was the largest response yet in NZ for
1 night! About 1,000 responded and there was a recorded 945 decisions for
Christ! This highlights a bit of a concern for us. There is a desporate
need for more Christian Counselors and discipleship plans since there has
been such a response!
2. Please also pray for the Christians/ Volunteers to sense this as a
Celebration of Eternal measure and not a burden of extra things to do.
3. Continue to pray for our family. This week will be INCREDIBLY busy.
Please pray that the kids will be patient and understanding, for precious
family time, for good relationships to be established with the tour members.
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