The Far North

Last Thursday, the guys at school all put on a girls’ night for us. It was super awesome. We all got dressed up and met in the seminar room. Then one by one the guys each came up to the room and escorted a girl. Basically it was just whichever was closest. At least for most people. We walked through the garden in partners and got pictures taken, which was kind of awkward but kind of cool. Then we ended up on the porch of the homestead. It seriously looked as if we were at a wedding or a grad banquet. The setting was beautiful. The food and dessert was great, and the guys served us all evening. Really great. Really cute. :)

Friday, I went on another weekend trip. Five of us—me, Janessa, Mark, Dan, and Matt—took Mark’s car and drove up to the Far North. The first night, we left about 10:30pm and reached the Bay of Islands at 4:00am. We set up our tents in a random lot on a hill and slept till 8:00. Then we went to a bakery for breakfast and headed off to Ninety-Mile Beach. We drove around there for a while. It was super fun! And we attempted skim-boarding but failed miserably.

After that, we went to some huge sand dunes that were 200 feet tall and so steep! We rented a board (sort of like a boogy-board) and sledded down the dunes. It was so fun! We got very, very sandy. Then we went to a beach and went swimming…tried to wash the sand off…failed. Then we had macaroni and creamy tomato mozzarella sauce—well, what Mark didn’t end up wearing. Check out the pictures on Facebook.

Then we headed to Cape Reinga, which is the north point. Oh my goodness, it was amazing! We stood on a huge cliff and looked out at the ocean, and there was nothing there. It was so cool! Again, look at pictures.

We drove to the Karikari Peninsula after that and set up our tents near a beach. Slept till 8:00 again, then headed home. It would have only taken us seven hours to get back to school, but we got caught in construction/accident traffic in Auckland for two hours. Anyway, great trip. So fun! Can’t wait for two week break!

Next week is ministry week. We’re split into teams of around ten each and spread all over the North Island. My group is in Hamilton at a church called Calvary Chapel. They’re based out of a school because they don’t have a church building. We’re leading a couple church services, hanging out with school kids at lunch times and doing activities with them—basketball, soccer, drama games, crafts. I’m involved in the drama stuff. We’re also doing community service stuff where we’re just going to go to people’s houses and ask if they need anything done. Like gardening, car washing, vacuuming, that sort of thing. Friday we’re doing street ministry. I’m kind of nervous about that, but it should be a good experience. Anyway, I could use a lot of prayer for that week. It’s going to be stretching. And pray for the people we’re going to meet, just that we’d be able to show Jesus’ love to them.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your prayers! :)