AHA! boxing this morning was a celebration as we were able to fully enjoy being with the guys, and with NO pain, be in fellowship with them! we found that it is going to take us to step out of the box, and really reach out. This is quite the opportunity that we want to make the most of.
I am excited to write all of you on this fine day here on wednesday! A quick update... we were invited to go on a boat ride with Ian to Rangitoto, a little island on the coast of auckland, that was a volcano. He picked us up and we drove across the bay and hiked to the top to get an incredible view of Auckland and surrounding areas. We also got a few good shots of the actual volcano, as we stood at the mouth of it. After a quick swim and dive off the dock, or "wharf"- we headed back home for more events! Ian willingly has brought us to his home for dinner, a swim, friendship and taking us out on his day off to enjoy the ocean on his boat- then leading us on a beautiful hike. After praying and spending some time alone, we went over to Yvette's house for dinner.
Yvette approached me one day and invited us over to spend time with her family, share about the trip, and hopefully spark some inspiration- we were simply excited to go and love and serve her family. She is a very nice lady who cleans the PACT building and was excited to have us over to visit with her sons and husband. Her passion was great because her husband doesn't know the Lord, and has great desire for her sons to be close to God as well. We met her three sons and slowly began in our friendship, eating dinner and later doing a bible study.
They gave us a ride over to the PACT building where we met for a bible study/hang-out group. This was started one day, again unexpectedly! As we were in the offices late alone the night previous, a man came in who worked for PACT and asked us our tentative schedule. He was excited too that we accepted his offer for coming to the bible study/hang-out group, and that we would participate in the random side-job ministries he was hosting. That night we prayed over the bible study and our time in the future with him. So, we went with Yvette's three sons to this man's bible study for the young adults. Later we found that her three sons were already members, and that these two events had all connected with timing and being her with her sons (as well as getting to participate with this man whom we have briefly met).
God guided the whole thing exactly as He wanted. We entered the thing with a few young adults that we had nothing in common with, and just opened the floor. God guided the conversation to teaching and sharing, then praying for each other at the end! This also ended with a few funny videos, one being me eating the water buffalo yogurt/cheese, and others that were more hilarious. We are looking forward to meeting more with our new friends, and hopefully making an impact on them for Gods Kingdom.
It is pretty funny, because the majority of our time has been taken up by people simply who work here, ask us if we would like to do something... then they do it! We have been so blessed with this gift of an amazing community of believers that network together for all around. So, we are participating in that bible study, as well as his other ministry opportunities like swimming with the much younger children. Ben is another man who has invited us to box three times a week with troubled youth. God has healed my shoulder which is an amazing sign and green light to jump in with the guys and serve them. Not only does Ben do this, but he runs a sunday and wednesday church called "the gathering." this is a street church, where he brings food to feed the homeless, prostitutes and anyone who needs love- then shares the Word with them. On wednesdays we are so priveledged and honored to be apart of this experience, serving these members of the gathering in any possible way we can. There is so much opportunity to serve (specifically the youth here) in the bible study, boxing, the gathering, and whatever else comes tomorrow!
This week we will be traveling for seven days seeing whatever God has for us on the road- and finding Him in the adventure!!!! Totally our bag. Please pray for this time... that God would go with us, and lead us through. As we are using this time to wrap up this trip...
please pray God would brand our minds with His teachings, and cauterize His love into our hearts
please pray that we would have remembering minds and go to the states fresh and on the right foot- sure footed and steady.
that God would prepare us thoroughly to be in the States
that we would learn more and more who He has made us, so we can uniquely serve Him in the body of Christ, no matter WHERE WE ARE!
THAT WE WOULD FALL MORE AND MORE IN LOVE WITH HIM AND LIVE FOR THE KINGDOM
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