April Showers = Fall is Here

Happy May Day to our friends + family (and a Happy early Mother’s Day to our “Mums”). We trust you are enjoying the new buds and blooms of spring. No, we aren’t jealous one bit (okay, maybe a little)! It’s fall here, but it’s been relatively warm which has given us a taste of summer and should tide us over for the next three months until we return to the states for wedding season!

It’s been just over six weeks since we arrived in Christchurch! We’ve been trying to keep the blog populated with little things here and there, so please check out posts from this last month for more specific info. In the meantime, here is a quick synopsis of what’s been happening with us in New Zealand:

HAPPENINGS at the HOUSE

—We’re fortunate to have a giant, smooth, white wall outside our house that just seems to scream “Vandalize me!!” We’re hoping to catch a tagger in action one of these days and invite him and his fellow “spray artists” to paint a mural on the wall with Noah… we’ll see though (pray for a connection somehow).

—We are continuing to transform the house into a welcoming guest-friendly environment (including the extraction of a medley of “interesting” smells).

—A YWAM team from Marine Reach, Tauranga, may be staying with us in the middle of May and we’ll be keeping them busy with various ministry opps around the city (should have some good stories following their stay—pray that God would use them in the city in amazing ways)!

—We are currently thinking about hosting a weekly community dinner here for neighbors + folks we meet (pray for the correct timing in this and also that we can meet people who want to hear more about the good news of the Kingdom!).

HAPPENINGS in CHRISTCHURCH

—God has been speaking to us about His desire to “rain down and make this land fertile again.”

—We have begun to network with different believers in the city, praying and seeking the Lord together.

—God is calling us to a time of prayer and preparation for the work He wants to do here.

—We have been joining the current YWAM DTS in doing street evangelism every Friday night in the city center (see a post or two below this).

HAPPENINGS with KATE

—Kate volunteers at a local church to help teach English to second-language learners.

—She is taking a course through English Language Partners and will soon be paired with a refugee for one-on-one tutoring.

—She is continuing to write for RELEVANT Magazine.

HAPPENINGS with NOAH

—Noah illustrates 4 days a week for the Duck Co. + has various other design projects lined up in order to pay the bills.

—He has been meeting regularly with other house church guys in the city. Good things are happening…. details to come soon.

—Speaking at a home gathering Sunday, May 2 about “The Power of Story”

Pictured Above: Gethsemane Gardens – a prayer garden overlooking the city where we’ve felt led to wait on God.

PRAYER NEEDS

—Protection: mentally, physically, and most of all, spiritually

—Patience in waiting on God to open more doors + diligence to keep checking handles (figuratively. We’re looking for unlocked homes or anything weird like that —ha!)

—Pray for Kate’s new muslim Afghani friend from the English program to have an open heart to the gospel of the Kingdom!

—For Our Marriage: Honoring one another / Supporting one anothers needs

—For Christchurch: That God’s Kingdom would come in ways the city has never seen before. Also for MANY more workers for the harvest (Luke 10:2b).

—Pray for continued favor with neighbors + people we meet.

—Pray that God would pave the road before us and that we would hear His directions easily.

—Pray that God would bring ministry partners that share the vision for a transformed Christchurch.

CELEBRATIONS

—Not sure if we mentioned it before, but we found a car (see over-dramatic photo above)!!

—God has been waking us with dreams + revelations in the night mostly regarding the city (please pray for more as they have been encouraging to those with whom we’ve shared them).

—God amazed us with much-needed financial provision this month!! We sold a parked domain name for a significant amount, blessing both our family and another family as well – God has continued to show us through His unorthodox provision that He has us right where He wants us. It’s been truly miraculous!

—We are so grateful to be in this ministry house + are grateful for our relationship with the YWAM Oxford staff. YWAM is experiencing some really incredible changes —we’ll keep you posted as they continue to develop. We’re excited to be a part of the ministry during this season.

—Our Two year anniversary is May 25! (So far, so good! ha!)