This Christmas

This Christmas…

Amy and myself wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year! May you get time to rest and time to enjoy the blessings that have been given to you! We pray that 2006 will be your best year yet, and that God will direct your paths (Proverbs 3 v 6). I will be joining the Beker family at their family batch in Reefton, on the West Coast of the South Island, for Christmas. As my closest family is not within reaching distance this Christmas, I am grateful to Amy’s family, who have welcomed me into such an amazing family. In the New Year we are taking a group of young people on camp. Then, Amy, myself and two friends head up to the North Island on a cheap relocation deal with campervans! More details to follow…

Winding Down

Winding Down…

Things haven’t really slowed down toward the end of the year – as most of NZ closes from Christmas til late January, things needed tidying up and sorting out….so…. Sodium and Youth Group have finished! The photo shows a joint event we organised, including Bouncy Castle, BBQ and Fireworks! We also have plans to change our Youth ministry strategy for 2006 – exciting plans ahead! Finished a year of Bible College with good marks for assignments and exam – hoping to start Old Testament next year. Attended a few end of year school things with Amy – the kids are so cute, really proud of her, she’s an excellent teacher! Have been playing Touch Rugby (never thought I’d play a sport that didn’t use a round ball!?) and currently sitting mid-table in our mid-summer break. Have also been planning next years retreats, camps and events – feel quite good about that! I am looking forward to some time-out though...

The Job

The Job…

I love playing games, going on trips, talking about life stuff, sharing my faith and being able to call it work! (OK – it’s not always glamorous – but it’s the way you see it!) Well, from January 1st, for the first time in 4 years of voluntary youthwork, I will be receiving a salary! I’m not in the job for the money, but I thank God that He has provided at a time I am looking to build some financial security. I am leaving YFC and will become Team Leader at Youth Alive Trust, the youth trust which runs out of my church - Seaview Christian Centre. I will be leading a team of 6 youth workers, including 3 trainees, to help inspire, feed vision, provide accountability and build the name of the trust in the community. It’s a 12 month contract, which fits with my work visa which finishes at the end of the year. Please pray for wisdom as I lead the team, and for the Youth Trust which is currently struggling financially.

The Jewellery

The Jewellery...

The promotion of a lifetime? Maybe. National Jeweler, Michael Hill, launched their Christmas sale with some cheap items – real cheap! Items were sold on a first come, first served basis. So, we made sure we were the first ones there. The sale started at 9am on Thursday - we started queing at 3pm on Wednesday! Queing outside for the night was a new experience, as was being cheered for walking into a jewellery store at 9am! Being number 1 and number 2 in the que, we took home a diamond ring worth $1200 and a Gold Chain worth $1050, for $1 each! Amazing!!! It was so much of a good thing, that we strategically got our friends and flatmates to do the same. On the Thursday evening, 8 of us celebrated jewellery worth $5200 for a total of $8! Still got the jewellery, thinking about selling for a wee profit!