Term Two: Busyness, Breakthrough and Beyond :)

A little over 3 weeks ago term 2 started, and before I could settle in, things were pretty crazy. These past couple weeks have been quite challenging, but also quite encouraging. I'm really thankful God kept me here for this term instead of going to ABS. Lectures this term have been amazing so far. Our first weeks of lectures were from Jerry Benjamin, a very knowledgable man who speaks 1000 words a minute. He taught on the 7 churches in Revelation. It was really interesting, and made the book of Revelation a lot less intimidating and confusing. The next week Satish John, the director of Himalayan Torchbearers in India spoke on servant leadership. He is one of the most amazing people I have met. His testimony is absolutely insane, and the stories he has are incredible. He is a really good example of a servant leader, and taught me a lot by the way he lives alone. He’s also really intelligent and got me really interested into studying the characters of the Old Testament with better detail. Last week Peter Thomas, our director, taught his third week on genesis. As always, it was pretty interesting and very practical. And finally, this week, Lew Meyer is teaching on world religions and cults. Its really helpful to be gaining a better understanding of other views and beliefs, and to better ground myself in what I do believe.

The assignments this term have had a lot more variety and it has been nice to be able to add the more personal aspect. I got to share a devotional during morning tea the first week back, which was both exciting and a little frightening. I spoke on giving God our best. We also had a bible study on Jude 20-25, readings, and an oral report due so far. Today I presented my 20 minute oral report on prophesy. It was really good to dig into the topic and learn more about it as it has been something I haven’t quite understood but have wanted to study for a while. Another assignment coming up is out study paper, which we get to choose the topic for. Next week our assignment is to make a gospel video which I am pretty excited for. And my only other assignment is a bible study to present to my family group. I’m learning a lot from all these assignments, as busy as it can get getting them done on time.

My weekly ministry doing youth group has been a real blessing, even though it’s on Friday nights, when I am most exhausted. The relationships I have been able to build are really special and I’m excited to be seeing God work in the youth’s lives. This Friday I will be sharing my testimony with the youth. I am kind of nervous, but thankful for the opportunity.

Last week was quite crazy and full of excitement. The staff family that lives here on campus just had a baby Friday morning, right here on campus. First Capernwray baby! J Adding to the excitement was breakthrough. We transformed the entire campus into a giant Indiana Jones themed game for Breakthrough, a youth event we have twice a year. Between the 2 nights we ran it, about 350 kids came! The whole place was completely decked out with 11 different places including things like an invisible bridge, catacombs, a jungle complete with a swinging bridge etc. I was in charge (along with one other girl) to turn our homestead lounge into a Coptic church in Libya that had been attacked and bombed..without actually setting the place on fire. Lol. It was a lot of fun, especially when the kids came, but also really challenging. Although many of the kids who come are churched, many are also not. We were told that many kids come from rough homes and will probably have gone home to their parents drunk. For many of them, breakthrough is one of their only outlets to learning about God in a fun and loving environment. It was important to keep that in mind as a team leader. God is reminding me that we don't need to see the results of the 'seeds we sow', but simply share His message and love, and leave the results to Him. On Friday night I led a group of 10 crazy and emotional preteen girls through the adventure game, in the rain. It was challenge to say the least, but we had a ton of fun. Saturday night i had a group of eight 17 year olds, most of whom i worked with on ministry week. They were the rebellious ones, even 'beat up' the 'bad guys' who were supposed to catch us. It was a gong show, but they all had a lot of fun. After the 2-hour adventure game, we gathered as a whole group and Hadassah, the brilliant creative genius mastermind behind breakthrough spoke about Voice of the Martyrs, and we took up and offering for the persecuted church. Lastly, Hadassah gave a short devotional. All in all it was great.

After the weekend we were all super exhausted, and quiet day on Monday came at the perfect time. It was really refreshing to get cozy and sleep, drink tea and read my bible for the entire day without talking to anyone. I have been really challenged by God to truly depend on Him to be all sufficient and fulfill the desires of my heart, and to truly trust in Him casting all my worries aside. Isaiah 26:3 and Philippians 4:6&7 have been verses that have become very real to me.

The days are getting shorter and the weather colder. On the bright side, autumn is fully here and the leaves are brilliantly gorgeous. But all that just gets me even more excited to be going to Fiji in only 18 days!! Unfortunately, this also means that Capernwray ends in just 5 short weeks. After that I have two weeks to travel, during which I will hopefully be going to Aussie. And then I’ll be coming home. Time really does fly by here. Preparations for Fiji are coming along good. Our team of 7 girls and 6 guys are meeting weekly to prepare, and hopefully soon we will be finding out what it is we will be doing there. Whatever the case, things change all the time, so we are prepared to do whatever is needed at the time. Funding for the trip is slowly coming along. The cost is about $1900, and I am almost a third of the way there. If you’re interested in supporting me, let me know and I can give you more details. You can also go straight to this link to donate: http://www.capernwray.org.nz/support/missions. Your prayer for the trip is very much appreciated also! 

Speaking of prayer, here are a few other prayer requests:

-The kids from breakthrough
-Health. Ive been feeling unwell for the majority of my time here, and would love to be better before going to Fiji
-Me sharing my testimony for the youth on Friday. Continued growth in the hearts of the youth. And for kids to show up again-the numbers have been low lately.
-Continued community building for the remaining 5 weeks of school left.

If you have any prayer requests, shoot me a message. :)
Also, if you feel like sending me mail, don'y be shy ;) My mailing address (in case you forgot :p) is

Monavale Bible School
P.O. Box 702
Cambridge 3450
NEW ZEALAND

Thanks heaps!! :D
Katelyn

Adventures, A New Term and FIJI

Two week break has ended and term two has officially begun J 

On two week break I flew from Auckland to Christchurch, in the South Island, and travelled the south island for 2 weeks. Here’s a quick summary and a few highlights:

-Christchurch.  It was a gong show.  The roads are crazy and still under construction everywhere because of the earthquake.  Our first day in the car a lady beside us rolled down her window and asked us if we had any idea what we were doing, and when we told her where we were going, she threw her head back and cackled and just drove off.  I guess we were going the wrong way. Lol. There was a really cool mall in Christchurch made entirely out of shipping containers, built after the earthquake. 

-From Christchurch we drove to Geraldine, where our sister Capernwray centre, The Crossing. It was really cool for me to visit and stay the night there, especially since I had been enrolled to go there before I decided to come to Monavale.  I am still happy with my choice to come to Monavale even though The Crossing is also a lovely place.
-Oamaru.  We met a cool guy, David, who ownd a bike shop and let us ride his penny farthings.  He rode a penny farthing from the bottom to the top of the south island in 3 weeks, carrying everything he needed on his back.  He was also a Christian man, and prayed over us. Super cool :) 

-We went to Lake Tekapo/Mt. Cook, Dunedin, drove along Catlins Coast, and made it to Milford Sound, one of the most beautiful places.  The drive there is rated the #1 drive in the world by CNN in fact.  And I got to drive it :) In Dunedin we drove up to a lokout spot over the whole city at night, and drove up the steepest street in the world!

-In Queenstown we went to Fergburger (YUM!) and I bungy jumped 134m!  It was absolutely terrifying, and the bus ride up to the jump was the most stressful ride of my life.  I signed up, immediately got on the bus, and within an hour had jumped! We took a little tram to the floating base where we jumped off of and looking down from the base made it 10 times worse. Lol.  Once it was my turn, they tied me up and hooked my feet together and gave me no time.  I was so nervous, I missed the first countdown.  Without even thinking I just jumped on the second countdown and it was the most liberating feeling ever.  It went by so quick I didn’t have any time to think, so I barely remember it.  But I would recommend it to everyone.  Definitely up there on the best things ive ever done.

-Puzzling world in Wanaka.  In Franz Joseph we hiked to a glacier, and drove up the rest of the west coast.  We made our way to the very north of the south island and went to Golden Bay and Able Tasman, both stunning places.  I kayaked in Able Tasman along the coast for a day.  I kayaked to shag harbour, where there were about 20 baby seals swimming and jumping around me.  I even touched one.  It was so super cool!!  There were tons of other seals along the way too, and I even found a perfectly good apple in the ocean (And ate it of course:) ) and a hose with spring water coming out of it.  You never know what you can find in the ocean :)

-Finally we ferried back to the north island.  We spent a few more days travelling; we went to the Coromandel and to Cathedral Cove (where Narnia was filmed!!) and a hot water beach where we dug a hole and sat in really hot water, basically a natural hot tub :) We spent the last day in Auckland and made our way back to Cambridge. 

The whole break was quite the adventure.  We tented (there was lots of rain), ate like we were on a budget (cause we were), and met a lot of awesome people, and a lot of crazies too.  Although it wasn’t very relaxing or refreshing, it was a really amazing time of experiences Gods creation and revelation of His character.  God’s power and might were continuously revealed to me through the majestic beauty of the mountains, ocean and nature.  I could not get over it!
All together, we flew 1100 miles, biked, boated, kayaked, actually flew (bunjy), and drove 4500 kilometers in 17 days. :) 

School officially started on April 29^th.  I got a new room, 2 new roommates, and new excitement for my time here.  There are also a few new students; one from Brandon Manitoba!! :D  Im really excited to see what God has to teach me in the next 9 weeks and the fun that will come with it.  In 6.5 weeks, I will be going with a group of 10 or so to Fiji for 2 weeks to do missions. I’m super stoked!  It’s pretty expensive, and I have prayerfully considered whether or not I should go and feel that this is where God wants me to go on ministry week.  The trip is going to cost about $2000, partly for travel/trip costs, and part to invest in projects we will be working on there. If you are interested in supporting me financially, you can email me at katelyngoertzen@capernwray.org.nz or contact me some other way.  You can also visit http://www.capernwray.org.nz/support/missions and donate there.  Just be sure to put my name in the form :) Also, if you are willing, I would also love for you to join me in prayer for the trip, the people we will meet, for safety and for us. :)  All your support is super appreciated and means a lot!!

Some other things you could pray for are:

-I have to prepare a devotion for the school for Monday, a bible study for friday and an oral report on any topic i choose for may 14th; all of these things take a lot of time.

-The new students to get connected well and feel welcome.

-For our smaller community (We’ve gone from 43 to 25 students) to adapt well.

-Me regarding my future university plans. 

Thanks for all the support and encouragement~!

Cheers,

Kate