Outreach Update #4

YWAM OXFORD JDTS 2012 - 2013 NZ OUTREACH TEAM UPDATE #4

Hello folks. 

Being in Tauranga, God has showed us that intimacy with Him is essential to any ministry. We spent quite a few mornings (each morning being 4 hours, 8 am - 12am) and two nights (2 hours each night) in the house of prayer (THOP). It was sweet to spend so many hours in prayer and worship for New Zealand and growing in our intimacy with God. 

The first Sunday we were here we hiked up Mount Maunganui, and interceded for New Zealand and Tauranga. We read scripture and prayed over this amazing country.That Sunday as well, we got to share a bit on justice at one of the local churches, Hope Center. It was awesome, Lily preached the Gospel. 

 One afternoon we went out to "gather the brothers" or as we put it "save the dophins" (Lizzie loves dolphins) with Jordan and Trevor our two evangelism contacts. Jordan ended up chatting with a Buddhist monk and asked if we could visit him at the temple. The monk was super friendly and said we could come anytime. This contact proved to be fruitful and God super blessed us through the monk... We ended up going one afternoon for a couple of hours and got a tour of the temple, which had the reddest softest carpet ever. The monk blessed us with legit coffee and to go 3 bags of potato chips, a box of chocolates, fresh prawn crackers (Jordan loves those), apples, overdone bananas (yes to banana bread) and macadamia nuts, plus a free Countdown shopping bag. The monk also invited us for Thai food on Sunday. We quickly accepted this invitation. So Sunday morning we went back to the temple and ate delicious Thai food with two monks and some other Buddhists. Jordan came along and encouraged crazy things like singing 'Wairu A Tapu' in the temple, bringing the Holy Spirit to Buddha and dancing in the temple. Gabe also joined us and we had a great time hanging out with the monks. Lily got to share with a Buddhist Malaysian girl, Aileen, her heart and the Gospel. She seemed to be very open and Lily has continued contact with her.

Jordan was able to connect us with a local Marae and a Maori woman named Ma. We wanted to bless them by doing practical work but Ma blessed us with a Maori cultural experience. She gave us a very detailed tour of the Marae and explained a lot of the culture to us. Turns out that her brother re-did the Marae that is in the Chicago Field Museum, which Val will check out once she's home. :) 

Lizzie, Val and Lily went out last Saturday night with Street Help (similar to Drug Arm but they hand out meat pies, they're known as the "pie van"). They had some really great encounters and chats and were able to pray and speak life to people - a group of 4 Maori boys, one who was asking questions about God and a couple who were Mormons, another group of guys who God was so obviously pursuing and 3 Maori women who taught us loads about Maori culture and who they were able to really bless. Lesson of the night, free pies=lots of excitement+openness. 

NZ Outreach Team