Hello Everyone =)
Sorry that it has been so long since I have last updated! The internet has been pretty testy lately, and when it was working, it was hard to find time! Last week was our last week going to the different Bible studies and youth groups and children's programs. It was so hard saying good bye to everyone! It has really shown us that we have been building amazing relationships while we have been here without realizing how deep they have grown.
The last few days we have been debriefing and we must say that Keith surprised us with the BEST surprise ever on Monday! He took us to a place called SHEEP WORLD. It is exactly what it sounds like! We went to a show at 11am, where a shepherd showed us how he herds his sheeps and it was actually really fun! Me (Stacie) and Jackie had the opportunity to go up on stage with him and actually SHEAR and SHEEP! It was great, we have pictures and videos of that. Also, the rest of the team fed the baby lambs with bottles! Keith refrained from feeling overwhelmed with excitement as we were, and he continuned his persona of being Dad and managed to take pictures of everything going on around him. I think you all will enjoy the pictures that we post soon! Once we get back to the states I will put on here different links where you can look at all of our pictures!
Overall these last few days have been very relaxing and good to close the month out reflecting on everything that God has done in us and through us. We did the "hot seat" last night for a few hours which is where we go one by one and take turns uplifting each person on the team and how they contributed. It was awesome to see how much we have grown and became a family over this past month, and entire school year in the bigger picture!
We have about 6 more hours from the moment that I am writing this, for us to BEGIN packing, clean the whole apartment and the van we have been driving, and to leave for the airport. Wish us luck! Haha... none of us want to start because it would mean facing the reality that the next time we fall asleep for the night will be on a plane and not in our Auckland home =(
Thank you all for your love and support! We are excited to see everyone when we return stateside! Please pray for our safety when we travel. We fly from Auckland, to San Francisco, to Denver, and finally to Tulsa! We leave on Wednesday at 7pm (Auckland time) and by the time we get to Tulsa, it will only be 11pm Wednesday night (Tulsa time)!
We will see everyone soon!
God Bless,
Stacie
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Prince Caspian & Stick Shift Adventures
Family and Friends,
We are currently sitting in our kitchen praying for the safety and protection of our dear Keith, who is currently driving stick shift for the first time in his life to go pick up a few people from the airport. He is supposed to take this car because that is what the people will recognize him as coming from YWAM. The family that runs our YWAM base is in Hong Kong right now for a conference, and they left the master keys with Keith and gave him all the papers to check people in and out. So for this week are are in charge of the base, haha! Don't worry... it's not too much responsibility. ;-) We have our schedule down and have been driving ourselves everywhere. We are basically on our own and just living life here! As of last Saturday, I (Stacie) got to drive for the first time as well, but it was an automatic thankfully! It was amazing!
On Saturday for our free day we had planned on going to a beach with some locals but that fell through. Instead, we drove 3 hours to the east coast of the island to a place called Cathedral Cove, which is the beach that the scene from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian was filmed at! If you have seen the movie before, it is the scene when the kids are transported from the train station and they end up on a beautiful beach... walking through what looks like a giant hollow walkway through a rock... here is a picture of it:
http://www.janelangille.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cathedral-cove1.jpg
Sunday was a day of rest for us as some of us have been feeling sick and under the weather... not to mention Keith's hackle of a cough that sounds like he is in so much pain... poor guy! We went to a church service later in the evening with some of the refugees that we meet with on Thursday night for a Bible study.
Monday we had some time to meet with the locals that we have met and built relationships with. We spent time in the city near Auckland University with a girl named Minhi and then later we met with a guy David and some of his friends. It has been awesome getting to know these two!
Today we finished serving at the Women's Rehab Center down the road with some elbow grease and dirty hands that pulled weeds for about 2 hours. It was a lot of hard work but an awesome opportunity for our team to serve in a different avenue than we have been a majority of the trip.
While Keith picked up some people from the airport, the girls went and did the last Explorer's Club after school program with the kids at a local elementary school. It was an hour total and we had so much fun. It's awesome that they remember our names every time we come back. They were sad that this was our last day and they wished us all a safe trip home and even asked us to stay longer. Our hearts broke when we had to say goodbye to them for good =( The children here are so beautiful and precious!
That leaves us to where we are right now! Keith just came in the door so it looks like he managed to drive stick shift safely. Here is the story of how it went: He said that he entered the car praying that he will enjoy and embrace this challenge. He made it there pretty well! Stalled out a few times... who doesn't? It took him a while to find the group, but over all it was "adventurous and eventful" according to him. Well, there you have it!
We love and miss all of you! Thank you for your prayers! This is our last week and we are going to make the best of it!
In Christ,
Stacie
We are currently sitting in our kitchen praying for the safety and protection of our dear Keith, who is currently driving stick shift for the first time in his life to go pick up a few people from the airport. He is supposed to take this car because that is what the people will recognize him as coming from YWAM. The family that runs our YWAM base is in Hong Kong right now for a conference, and they left the master keys with Keith and gave him all the papers to check people in and out. So for this week are are in charge of the base, haha! Don't worry... it's not too much responsibility. ;-) We have our schedule down and have been driving ourselves everywhere. We are basically on our own and just living life here! As of last Saturday, I (Stacie) got to drive for the first time as well, but it was an automatic thankfully! It was amazing!
On Saturday for our free day we had planned on going to a beach with some locals but that fell through. Instead, we drove 3 hours to the east coast of the island to a place called Cathedral Cove, which is the beach that the scene from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian was filmed at! If you have seen the movie before, it is the scene when the kids are transported from the train station and they end up on a beautiful beach... walking through what looks like a giant hollow walkway through a rock... here is a picture of it:
http://www.janelangille.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/cathedral-cove1.jpg
Sunday was a day of rest for us as some of us have been feeling sick and under the weather... not to mention Keith's hackle of a cough that sounds like he is in so much pain... poor guy! We went to a church service later in the evening with some of the refugees that we meet with on Thursday night for a Bible study.
Monday we had some time to meet with the locals that we have met and built relationships with. We spent time in the city near Auckland University with a girl named Minhi and then later we met with a guy David and some of his friends. It has been awesome getting to know these two!
Today we finished serving at the Women's Rehab Center down the road with some elbow grease and dirty hands that pulled weeds for about 2 hours. It was a lot of hard work but an awesome opportunity for our team to serve in a different avenue than we have been a majority of the trip.
While Keith picked up some people from the airport, the girls went and did the last Explorer's Club after school program with the kids at a local elementary school. It was an hour total and we had so much fun. It's awesome that they remember our names every time we come back. They were sad that this was our last day and they wished us all a safe trip home and even asked us to stay longer. Our hearts broke when we had to say goodbye to them for good =( The children here are so beautiful and precious!
That leaves us to where we are right now! Keith just came in the door so it looks like he managed to drive stick shift safely. Here is the story of how it went: He said that he entered the car praying that he will enjoy and embrace this challenge. He made it there pretty well! Stalled out a few times... who doesn't? It took him a while to find the group, but over all it was "adventurous and eventful" according to him. Well, there you have it!
We love and miss all of you! Thank you for your prayers! This is our last week and we are going to make the best of it!
In Christ,
Stacie
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