Capernwray is Good, God is Great!

This month has been fantastic.  Lectures have been interesting and challenging (to stay awake in :P jk).  In week #3 we had a speaker talk about surrendering to God, or as he would say, ‘drop dead’.  It was good and challenging.  Week #4 we walked through Luke and learnt lots about the character of Jesus.  Week #5 was on Esther.  Esther is one of my favourites, so this was a fantastic week of lectures.  I learnt a lot of history and made a lot of connections I had never before.  At the beginning of this week we also had a quiet day.  On this day starting at 830 am we weren’t allowed to talk to anyone until tea (supper).  I spent my day at the ocean (Mt. Maunganui). It was one of the best days I have had here in NZ.  I explored the many beauties of the mount, including climbing up the mount.  I settled on a rock in the ocean, with water splashing on my feet. I read the book of Esther, along with part of Isaiah and some Psalms. It was soo beautiful and an incredible time in the word.  I spent a lot of time in prayer and listening too. It was fantastic to be quiet, especially since I never really get much of that time at Capernwray.  I also hiked onto a cool peninsula and sat on the very edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, with a 150 foot drop to the jagged rocks below, and had more time with God.  Something about the edge, right on the ocean just gets me.  It is so serene, beautiful, and adventurous J  I had an interesting guy come up to me while I was reading my bible, prophesying the end of the world and other crazy things. Lol.  It was a fantastic day though.  I rarely make the time at home to have solid quiet time with God, and I hope to make a better habit of it.  Week #6 was this past week and we had a Scottish speaker, Alex McLellan come.  He talked about sharing the ultimate truth.  He taught on really relevant and practical things, like truly knowing what we believe and why, learning how to share that with others and dealing with doubts. Alex was a lot of fun, and really interesting.  On Friday we found out where we will be going for ministry week.  In a week, I along with 4 other students are heading to Matamata  (where Hobbitton is J ) for the week to do ministry.  I’m not sure what we will be doing, but I already know it will definitely be a stretching experience. This coming week we spend the week doing ministry prep.  Apart from lectures we also have seminar groups.  Mine has been super great.  Our leader Terry is really bold and passionate which makes for good times.  The other groups (family groups and book studies) are great too.  I am enjoying my ministry with the Jr.youth group I am placed with in Hamilton.  Church at the Anglican church is always interesting and new.  I am learning to appreciate some aspects of the Anglican church, and really missing other aspects of my church at home. 

As fun as lectures and homework is, we have been able to do some fun things outside of school.  Heres a list of some of the things:

-Hobbitton J  It’s incredibly sweet.

-Hiked to the top of a waterfall.  It was wicked.

-Hiked through an old gold mine, and saw glow worms.

-Beach days (Mt.Maunganui, Raglan)

-Found the coolest playground ever! Complete with a hamster wheel J

-Explored Hamilton gardens.  We have yet to play hide and go seek there

-Girls night.  A couple weeks back the guys formally invited us to a Pride and Prejudiced themed girls night they planned for us. It was complete with escorting to a (super cool) time machine bringing us to the time period, serving us appetizers on trays, escorting us to a candle lit dinner outside in the gardens complete with live piano (they put the piano in the garden!!!) and guitar serenading us, they served us a 3 course meal and dessert, sang a song (they wrote) to us, did a devotional, put on a slideshow for us with tea and (real!) coffee, and then we learned a couple bush dances in the tennis court. It was heaps of fun!

-We went to a Chiefs (the local team) vs South Africa rugby game.  Some of the All Blacks play on the Chiefs.

-Bay of Islands! We went camping, on a boat through the islands up to the ‘hole in the rock’ which was really cool, chilled on one of the islands, and went night kayaking under a waterfall and cliff jumping!! And saw glowing water and glow worms.

-Many evening adventures to Cambridge.

-Biking in the countryside, and on the crazy highways to the café’s nearby.

-Went SURFING on SaturdayJ J It was wicked.

 

 

 
 

I got really sick in week #3 and haven’t had my voice back since then, and I have tonsillitis and/or strep.  Got some meds though and should be back to ‘normal’ soonish J  

Today I got to go to a new church for a change.  It reminded me a lot of home, and it was really fantastic to be in a big congregation singing powerful worship songs again.  And on Sunday, it rained! Praise the Lord!! There has been a drought here, and on Sunday we had only the second rain we have gotten since I got here in January.  sIt’s Tuesday and it’s been raining ever since Sunday! PTL even more J We are praying for the rain to continue to replenish the land. 

Prayer Requests:

-rain

-ministry week.  That our teams would gel, and that we would be prepared and ready for whatever God has for us.  And for preparation in the hearts of those we will be ministering to.

-that I get better and am healthy once again.

Thanks for all your support and prayers.  Love you all J

Kate