What more seasons… I thought we were past this ?

Christmas in Summer - it is just wrong

Funny how we think that because we are ready  It is the right time for something eh?

Sorry for the silence during December and most of January.  December as you can imagine was just busy , but there is reason and method in madness in delaying our news update until late January.  In brief, just a few days ago, we made the decision to postpone the inaugural semester of CCBI until September 2010, as a result of lack of students. It was waiting for this decision to be made by the board of CCBI, that has delayed our update.

As you can imagine, it is an interesting time, after 9 years getting here and 6 months on the ground , pretty much everything is in place, we have a full schedule of classes all live, all taught by Calvary pastors, we have accommodation, we even having hot springs  and horse riding, for goodness sake  !!!… But just two students, both precious and both Kiwi. It is a bit like the old adage , “Here’s the church, Here’s the steeple , look inside , there’s no people ” SMILE!

Many of the personal lessons for me during our time here in New Zealand, have been about the character of God, not so much trusting what God can do, but trusting who God is, in His character. Recently in the midst of these decisions, the disappointment and to some extent the discouragement  that comes with these decisions, it is the words of Hebrews 11:6 that have been resonating in my heart and mind.  Faith is required to please God, in fact  it is impossible  in the absence of the expression of faith to please God, it is the words that follow that have been the subject of my thoughts.

For He that comes to God must believe He is and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him” Hebrews 11:6

HE is What ? – this is not something about God’s ability to redeem or deliver , but His Character , who HE IS!
To some extent I can believe that, but my struggle is that God wants to be who He is for ME and isn’t that exactly what the next part of the verse requires me to believe? That God wants to be this One, to me in all aspects of His character , His heart is towards ME .

Well… there should  be some  news in this news update!

Teenagers you have got to love them - so I have been told

Family News

Christmas in summer is different, Christmas day was at the beach in the sun strolling on the sand , watching people get our of the sea because of the passing shark, you  know the usual Christmas stuff .
Really quite difficult to adjust to especially light  of  the whole of Europe being held in the icy grip of winter.  There were many many  things and folks we missed, especially family and friends.

We have now have a regular field trip , this has been to the ER or casualty at the local hospital, Jordan has visited several times, Becky broke her arm few weeks ago, before Christmas , I attended last week with a suspected broken wrist  only a day after Gwyn’s trip for a minor surgery. We appear to be their most devoted fans, with at least one of us attending in each of the 7 months we have been in New Zealand. we are hoping for at least a set of towels or even steak knives!!! We are all recovering well, Becky no longer has a cast on her arm, I am healing up and Gwyn too after surgery is well.

The kids recently served at the Kids camp here at Lakes ranch and had the privilege of seeing 13 kids come to Christ , what a fantastic blessing!!!

Kids Camp Craziness - 13 came to Christ - Praise God !

Becky and Jordan will both start a new school at the beginning  of February, at Rotorua Lakes High School. Becky in year 9 and Jordan will attend his first school in New Zealand starting in year 12, with the aim of ultimately going on to study Medicine. Please pray for them as they enter yet another transition and both have to wear a uniform!!!!! – Pictures to follow, Becky will be required to study 2 languages, she has chosen Japanese as one of these, – one more step on the road to becoming a renowned  Ninja !!!!

Ministry News

For a man without  a job I have been quite busy,  I have just finished a series of messages down at CC wellington, covering a few of their Sunday services , whilst they await the arrival of their new pastor from the USA, finishing a season of travelling and speaking which has kept me away for  Rotorua  for about 8 Sundays.

Gwyn and I have been leading worship at CC Hamilton on a monthly basis and having great joy in the service, this  continues to be a blessing and we are seeing relationships deepen.

Over the next few weeks, we will resume leading worship on Wednesday night for the fellowship here in Rotorua  and  Gwyn will again get back in to the ladies studies here in Rotorua.

The Foundations leadership class here in Rotorua will meet again in early February  and we would value your prayers for the deepening of  the ministry of the  word of God in the lives of the men involved in this study.

As a result of postponing our first semester until September 2010, I feel the need to use the  freedom to travel and support the Calvary works , sowing into lives  as the Lord provides opportunity, I will be looking at developing a distance learning option for bible study for New Zealanders and also for use in the Pacific  Islands.

Please pray for wisdom as to how to use this time best for the Kingdom of God, to make wise choices and also for the Lord provision of the necessary resources for the demands of additional travel.

Chrstmas Day with friends at Papamoa

We  appreciate and covert your prayers, thank you for joining with us  in this  ministry, we truly desire that God  would be glorified in all these things.

In Him

M &  G

Hi everyone.
Here are some  points for praise and prayer relating to the ministry here and  to our own family.

Family

Prayer

• For Jordan and Becky as they start in year 12 and years 9 here at Rotorua Lakes High School, that they may settle in and blossom in yet another transition, especially for Jordan as he enters the New Zealand school system for the first time, something he is looking forward to with great excitement and anticipation.
• For the Lord to continue to ground us here in New Zealand as we look forward into the new year to what He may have for us
• A friend Kelsey will be joining us here for 6 weeks, please pray that she would be blessed and encouraged by her time here in New Zealand.
• For health and safety -  and no more field trips to the ER

Praise

• For Gwyn’s successful surgery
• For the continuing healing of Becky’s arm and Mark’s wrist
• For God continuing provision for us here in New Zealand
• For the blessing of serving here at CC Rotorua and in worship and with  ladies studies at CC Hamilton.
• For Jordan’s and Becky’s place at Rotorua Lakes High school

Ministry

Prayer

• In light of the postponing of the inaugural semester of CCBI until September, please pray for God’s wisdom,  that He might unfold the work here in New Zealand as He chooses in His time.
• Please pray for encouragement, there  is obviously a degree of disappointment and discouragement in having to postpone the opening semester. 1 cor  15:58
• As we take the next  9 months to prepare the foundation and establish the school, I will need to travel more both within New Zealand  and outside New Zealand, Please pray for Gods wisdom in this season and His financial provision to meet the additional expenses of travelling.
• For Jake and Tecla as they prepare to submit their paperwork for a visa to serve here with the school.
• That the Lord would bring students from within  New Zealand and from wherever He chooses. There is great deal of interest here, but many are reticent to commit to coming to  a new school.
• For wisdom in direction, as we consider developing a distance learning option for those in New Zealand and the Pacific  Islands.
• Pray for continuing development of the leadership studies here in CC Rotorua.
• Pray for the worship team at CC Hamilton and CC Rotorua that we are working with, that we may be able to encourage and equip them to serve the Lord and the body in a way that pleases the Lord.
• There are numerous opportunities presenting themselves to teach throughout New Zealand, Please pray for wisdom to know how to use my time in the best way for the Kingdom.
• As we continue to look into facilitating the distribution of Christian books and materials here in New Zealand, please pray for wisdom to know how to proceed.

Praise

• The salvation of 13 kids who gave their hearts to the Lord at the most recent kids camp here at Lakes Ranch. Becky and Jordan were able to serve at the camp and were blessed by the time of ministry. Please pray for the establishing of these young lives in Christ.
• For God’s guidance  and provsion in relation to CCBI, we have recently been given computers and numerous resources to help establish the school.

Prayer and Praise  – November 2009

Ministry

Praise

Thanks be to the Lord for  continuing to establish us here in the ministry in New Zealand and the great people he has placed around us.
For the completion of the Wednesday night studies through the book of Nehemiah at CC Rotorua.
For God continuing  hand upon the ladies studies that Gwyn is helping out with at CC rotorua  and CC Hamilton.

Prayer

That the Lord would bring more students to CCBI, especially from the Pacific Rim.
That the Lord would provide for the practical needs of finance for the startup needs of the school.
Practical areas of need are two computers, Books for the library  and a vehicle to help with moving students, as we look to have weekend outreaches serving at some of the Calvary chapels here in New Zealand.
For the continuing ministry with the worship team and ladies studies here in CC Rotorua and in CC Hamilton.
For staff to help with admin and the various needs here at the school.
For Jake and Tecla, as they submit their application to NZ Immigration for a one year ministry visa, that this would be granted as the Lord wills.
For Mark as he travels extensively to cast the vision of the school and encourage the brethren, sharing at many of the Calvary chapels in New Zealand over the next month.
For Great vision, Great Perseverance, Great Courage and Great faith.   and GREAT FRUIT!!!!
For an Inheritence for Messiah in many nations – Psalm 2:8

Family

Praise

Thanks be to the Lord that we are still here and still walking.
For the Lord’s goodness and encouragement in placing great people around us.
For the Lord’s continuing provision for us.

Prayer

For wisdom regarding finances, and God’s continuing provision as we move into the Christmas Season and start thinking about university for Jordan
For our Mums back in England that they would be upheld by grace and that God would bless their health with us being so far away.

For Becky and Jordan as they finish the school year here in New Zealand and they face the transition to a new year and for Becky the transition to Rotorua Lakes High School (…and a blue uniform!!!)
For Gwyn as see seeks the Lord as to where to place her efforts and gifts in serving, that the Lord would guide her clearly.
For Jordan as he learns to drive
For Becky as she learns to stand for Christ in the world of High School.
A funny one (as in different !!!) I want to support the worship team here and so I am learning bass guitar, so if anyone has  bass guitar they would like to donate then I could really do with one, just if you have one lying around that you don’t need. Thanks – Mark!!!

Thank you for all your prayers and love, truly we wouldn’t be here without your faithful service to the Lord in prayer and giving, in all the ways that you do give.
We cannot express enough our thankfulness for your heart to serve the Lord.
Mark & Gwyn

Seasons, seasons, seasons

Seasons change

The difficulty of pioneering a work is exactly that, it is pioneering – breaking ground that often has never been broken before.
It is not with out reason  and significance that the scriptures use the illustration of the farmer to give us understanding of the nature and practicalities of ministry.
I have been sorely challenged by this since our arrival in New Zealand, to pioneer this work of CCBI. (In King James speak, my spirit has been sorely vexed!!!).

Here is what I am learning – (wish it was learned, but there ya go, just a work in progress).
One of the great dangers of pioneering is you give up halfway… you stop halfway with what God has for you and wants to do through you!
2 Kings 13:14-19 is an interesting story of Elisha being angry with a man who only went half way!!
And one of the dangers of being halfway, is that it is just the time when you are most likely to stop and turn back.
The Farmer has to be about the work, faithfully day in day out, in the expectation that there will be fruit, even though he does not see fruit until the next season.
He cannot let “Today ” ruin him  – he must carry on even when “Today” is hard, because their is a season of fruitbearing.
The farmer waits, not just for something to happen , but with an expectation of fruit, it is waiting in the same way as the watchman, he is waiting not for something but for the inevitable arrival of the morning , the consistent and inevitable arrival of the morning.
This farmer also has a Father, One who knows how to give good gifts to his children. So each week on a Tuesday evening, in our cave,  we have begun to gather to pray and to ask, because the farmer has a Father, who is good

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
NKJV- Matthew 7:7-11

So many things seem to have happened in our lives since our last update some 7 weeks ago.
Jordan was auditioning for a part in the Phantom of the Opera, now he is more of a budding Roger Federer
Becky was teenager in spirit only, now that is a reality
I was about to teach at Calvary Wellington and then attend the Pastors get together at Kapiti coast, just north of Wellington

NZ Pastors get together

Family News

This has been and interesting month for Jordan. He now has his learners permit allowing him to learn how to drive a car, here in New Zealand, he has already been out in the car. I am not sure who is more concerned Jordan or us!

Jordan entered the Junior Singles and Double competition at the Rotorua Tennis club and to his credit came second in the singles , losing in the final 6-2 6-2 and then proceeded to win the Doubles competition with a friend from the tennis club. – Very cool indeed.

Becky has also passed a significant landmark notably she attained her 13th Birthday, officially became teenager, facebook and all !! In less than  month see will finish at Mokoia Intermediate and head for High school at Rotorua Lakes High School, when the new School year begins in February (I know it weird- February , New School year , Christmas in summer!)

Ministry News

The NZ Pastors get together  at Waikanai , Kapiti Coast.

This was truly an encouraging time, we studied through the book of Philippians together  and I had the privilege of sharing Chapter 4. A common theme seemed to emerge in our messages and our experience together,  as we all appear to be “going through the mincer “as one brother put it. A season of learning to be content and persevering. It was blessed time encouraging though most of us seems to be straining under the weight and enormity of the task.

CCBI

CCBI has its first two students, both New Zealanders, who are looking forward to starting the semester in February 2010. We have several other folk interested, so we will see. Certainly two students will not sustain the school, our hope and prayers are that we will have in the region  of 10- 15 students. So please keep that in prayer.

We have student accommodation, which will be at Lakes ranch, some 15 – 20 minutes from the centre of Rotorua, complete with tennis courts Thermal Hot Pools, Horses and lakes everywhere.  http://www.lakesranch.org.nz

We have recently been able to run an advertisement on The Challenge weekly New Zealand’s  and the southern hemisphere’s biggest Christian Newspaper, and it looks like we will have some radio adverts on Calvary Chapel Radio in New Zealand.

I have begun a season of travelling throughout New Zealand in order to share the vision of the school and to encourage the body. I recently spoke at the small Calvary Fellowship in Manakau, South Auckland.
December 6th    - I will be sharing at Calvary Chapel Christchurch
December 13th    - I will be sharing at the Street Church in Wellington
January 10th     - I will be sharing at Calvary Chapel Wellington
I would value your prayers as we seek to share about the Vison for CCBI here in New Zealand.

Church Ministry

Here in Rotorua , this week I will finish teaching our studies in the book of Nehemiah.

The Kapiti coast (without the pastors in the way)

Living by Hells Gate

No… I’m not being presumptuous  about our place in the greater spiritual battle, at the bottom of our road is Hells gate , a thermal spar , which oozes steam from the geothermal activity here in Rotorua.  But seriously…. Spiritual warfare has been on my mind recently. (Slick transition don’t you think ? – I liked it)

Yep the bottom of our road !!!

Let me explain, since arriving in New Zealand,  The Church was damaged by fire, our finances are being severely tested, our container arrived  missing box 52 and a whole bunch of broken things, Jordan required a trip to the ER for stitches closing two gashes on his face on the first day of an evangelistic camp, the church was broken into last week and a whole  host of things were stolen including computers, digital projector and hard disk that contained all of the files and software we need for the Bible school.

This is my thought, Ephesians 6 : 11 STAND !!!!!! , Four times in the space of  3 verses, the command, the encouragement is to stand, interestingly enough not fight !!! – What struck me forcefully, is that the ability to stand is determined by what you wear. Put on the whole armour that you may be able to stand. Dressed  in armour our role is not to fight but to stand, for The Victory was won , The Battle was sealed, The Triumph gained.

New Things !!!

With us

Moving into the cave

We have a place to live, after a great deal of emotional trauma, we have moved into a small apartment on Lakes Ranch, affectionately know as the Cave!!! . It was a real issue of surrender for us to live here on site, especially for Becky, who just want to live  in a normal house on  normal street, hard decisions , there were tears and that was just me , but we believe this is the right place to be

A pretty scary moment

Jordy had stitches and is currently auditioning for the Phantom of the Opera, lead role I believe, tough first day as a leader on an evangelical kids camp and he ends up at the ER , we are glad that he only needed stitches. Scars will inevitably make him more attractive to girls!!!! He is doing well as you can see in the later Photograph!!!

Jordy also had his 16th Birthday , next learning to drive in NZ!!!!

Becky going back to school for her last term at Mokoia , before  High School, so there are some real decisions to be made, we would appreciate your prayers in this regard. Becky’s experience so far has been great and she really is thriving in what she calls “her dose of real life”.

Christmas is coming and it is spring, we are confused, go figure……. nothing more to be said. Nice view from the Cave though!!

With the Ministry

CCBI

We have finished the CCBI web site (www.ccbi.ac.nz), we now have dates for our first semester (Feb10 – June 4 2010) , prices  and sample of classes, application forms. So now we wait upon the Lord and see whom He will bring, scary and exciting all in the same breath.

CCBI now has facebook - so you can catch up with us, be friends with us via
facebook, our aim is to try and give everyone a sample of what life and ministry is like on the central plateau of New Zealand, check out the photos.

We have few folks who would like to serve with us here in CCBI, Jake & Tecla Wilmoth and Mel Lunt are all praying about joining us to hep for the new semester. Please keep them in prayer as they seek the Lord about this.

Mark will be teaching one of the messages  at the  Pastors conference on the Kapiti Coast over  October 19th-21st. Please pray for anointing and a real message to the pastors, also that they will be excited and catch the vision for the bible school here in New Zealand. On the weekend before the conference , Mark will be sharing at CC Wellington and visiting  the Street Church, Wellington to share more about CCBI.

Check out the ministry of Calvary Chapel in New Zealand  www.calvarychapel.co.nz

Ranch Ministry

Kids camp BBQ @ Lake Rotokawa

Living here on site at Lakes Ranch , has led to a few opportunities to minister, especially over the last few weeks, during the Horse camp and the Kids camp, in particular. Jordy and Becky have both being serving in different capacities at the kids Camp. These are good old fashioned Gospel camps, where many young souls come to know Christ.

I was asked to share a word with the camp leaders earlier this week, this led to leading worship for the leaders during their nightly meeting and I have just  been invited to share the teaching for the leadership preparation and development weekend in November, as they prepare for the next camps in the New Year. I am so blessed to get these opportunities to minister to young men and women who are and will be future leaders in New Zealand.

Horse Camp - Swimming Horses @ Lake Roto Iti

Kids Camp 2009 - Being Transformed (Jordy looks better!!!)

Church Ministry

I continue to teach the midweek Study here in CC Rotorua, we are currently in Nehemiah chapter 9, Gwyn and I also do the worship for this study. Everyone seems to be getting a little  more used to us and that is a blessing.

Gwyn continues to meet with the ladies of CC Hamilton and CC Rotorua , to help out and lead worship for these two studies. The ladies are already preparing for a Christmas tea that Gwyn will be sharing at.

Foundations of leadership

This is a new venture here at the church, we have started a monthly study with some of the key guys from the church here to invest in them in the realm of leadership. Each man completes a study over the month listens to a few tapes, this months subject is the Call to the Ministry.

We meet for the  first time on Sunday night, the 11th October, share a meal, fellowship with one another around the  word. Please lift this new venture up in prayer.

We appreciate your love and prayer thanks for taking time to read this and standing with us in the ministry.

Philippians 1:6

M & G

16 !!!!!

A Cave with a view - EM Forster eat your heart out

Hi Everyone,

Once again we covet your prayers and praise The Lord for your faithfulness in standing with us in  this venture of faith.

Praise

• For a more permanent place to settle, we are renting  small apartment on Lakes Ranch here in Rotorua.
• For God’s continuing provision in meeting our daily needs.
• For completion of the Bible Institute web site, we are now ready to receive students !
• For my mums health , recent treatment has really relieved some of the pain from her arthritis.
• For Becky completing her first term at Mokoia Intermediate  and the way in which the Lord has aided her transition.
• For the ministry opportunities we have been presented with here at the Ranch, I had opportunity to share a study with the leaders for the youth camp here at the Ranch.
• For Jordan and Becky, as they serve as youth leaders for an evangelistic kids camp here at Lakes ranch

Prayer

Personal

• For Becky’s return to school for her last term  at Mokoia , before her transition to High School at Lakes High and that we would make wise decisions in this regard.
• For Jordan, in his schooling and future career decisions, for deep and special friendships to form.
• For Gwyn, there are some medical tests and procedures that she  needs to undergo, for peace and comfort.
• For Mark, not to be distracted from the work of the ministry, for peace and great faith and annointing.
• Finances are difficult for us and a concern, please pray for Lord’s continuing provision and  our contentment with where we are at financially.

Ministry

• That the Lord would draw students and send who He wishes to study at CCBI. Especially students from New Zealand and the Pacifc Rim region.
• For Jake, Tecla and Mel as they seek the Lord’s will and provision as they look to come and serve with us  for the start of the February semester.
• For Mark as he teaches at the New Zealand Pastors conference in October and that nationally the Calvary Chapels would be excited about the college.
• For the trip to Wellington in which Mark will share at several  locations concerning CCBI and that the Lord would spread and cast the vision for the Bible school.
• For protection over us and the ministry here in New Zealand.
• For the plans for accomodation for CCBI to come to fruition.
• For the replacement of the items stolen during the church  break in.

Time seems to fly – (whether you are having fun or not !!!- unless of course it is a statistics class , and time seems so much longer )

So sorry for taking a while to update everything , but hopefully this will give you some encouragement, news and some things to pray for too!

We are now in to our third month in New Zealand , and it truly has been NEW in so many

A good and true word - A stone of witness Mamuku, New Zealand

ways. Certainly it has been a challenge to our faith and still is a significant challenge to our faith, but as one wise man said

“faith is not a statement,  it is a step”.

These are true words.

The Lord is teaching us to continue to step , but for me as well there is something  else too. Pausl words of Philipians 4:11 have been echoing around in my heart and my mind.

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content” Phil 4:11

The thing that has struck me here in relation to these words, is that contentment is not natural to me , it is something  that has to be learned. Honestly, I was quite shocked by the idea, that it is necessary and needs to be learned. In fact, Paul here uses a word for learning that is akin to the word for disciple used in the New Testament. That is the challenge that part of being a disciple is learning to be content. Absolute surrender to God in the midst of circumstances and challenges, that is learning to be content, for me at least.

Some of the New things

Mokoia Intermediates newest Student

As promised a picture of Becky sporting her very red school Uniform

The Lord has been good, Becky seems to have fit in to school life well, and for that we praise the  Lord.She is learning Maori and spanish (Spain is very far away go figure!) and she is learning spanish from a  maori !

Winter is winter, cold and wet , often quite stunning an beautiful but still strange for it to be August and winter.

Church Ministry in Hamilton and Rotorua

I am continuing to teach through the book of Nehemiah in teh CC Rotorua Wednesday study, leading worship with Gwyn too.  i am working with the worship teams here an for the first time in 20 years of denial I have become the local sound technician , which is really quite scary.

During mid August along with the Pastor here Scott Clifford,  we will be starting a serise of leadership studies with some of the key men in the church, so please keep that in prayer.

Gwyn is heavily involved in the ladies studies both, here  and in Hamilton and will be speaking

Winter in The Bay Of Plenty

at specail event for ladies her in Rotorua on the 6th September. Please pray for her as she prepares, that the Lord’s annointing and direction would be upon that night.

CCBI

I have begun to travel a little and to share the vison of the Bibel school here in New Zealand. I recently shared at CC Hamilton for their Sunday Morning service. I will be sharing at CC Wellington on  October 18th  before headng up  the New Zealand Pastors Conference. Our intention is to have all the  information about the school out on web page by early October watch this space  www.ccbi.ac.nz

Things that are not New

We are still looking  for a permanent place to live , this is part of the on going contentment

Light dispels darkness - Always

issues, we have been mobile since 21 May and living out of the same two suitcases each, so a place to call home would be great- In His time as He wills.

Jordy remains  a great inspiration , his faith is admirable and we are blessed to be his parents, he is doing well though definitely missing his friends in Hungary, getting  ready to start learning  to drive !!!!!

God remains faithful and unchanging, therein lies our hope,  His light  dispels darkness always.

We covet your love care fellowship and above all your prayers, there are so many things to pray and praise for that we have lisited them  in a separate post under Prayer & Praise for August.

Thanks  for all the love and care

In HIm

M&G

Praise

• For God’s faithfulness to us – we are still here after two months.
• For the safe arrival  of our container, it has passed its inspection, with no hassles and with no cost, even Gwyn’s baskets (bio hazard) , they just need to deliver it now – so we need a place to live !
• Becky’s smooth transition into school here in Rotorua.
• For the kindness and care of the fellowship of believers here in New Zealand.

Prayer

Personal

• That the Lord would continue look after our mums and family back in the UK
• A place to make home, a more permanent location for us to live, this one is certainly heavy on our hearts after being mobile since May 2009.
• Wisdom in regard to Jordan’s schooling here in New Zealand.
• The kids would begin and continue to develop real lasting and deep friendships.
• Finances, things are tight, but I think that is true for pretty much everyone these days, this is especially tricky in search for a place to rent.
• For constancy of heart to keep going.

Ministry

• A place to accommodate students.
• That the Lord would bring who He wants, to the school.
• For the right staff for the first semester.
• For the necessary finances to function in this venture of faith, as we set up the school here in Rotorua.
• For worship and Wednesday studies in Nehemiah.
• For Gwyn as she teaches at the Ladies fellowship on the evening of September 6th
• For the property under the church, after the fire the place is now vacant and would make a great coffee shop outreach centre, please ask for the Lord wisdom in this regard. It has been offered to us rent free for 6 months, we would just need to set it up and and the people to run it.
• For the believers in New Zealand to catch the vision for CCBI, as I travel and share about the school.

Praise

We arrived safely and are finally no longer living out of suitcases, we had blessed time in England and in the US.

We have managed to get a car and are mobile, which is great.

The Lord has provided a place at a small intermediate school for Becky to attend, which great .

We have been very warmly welcome by the church body here and been blessed in so many ways.

The Lord is beginning to put together a team to serve in the school

Prayer Requests

Becky as she goes to school here for the first time on the 20th July at Mokoia intermediate.

Registering Jordan for homeschooling.

As the ranch has no said no to the Bible school being on site, we need God’s place for the school , so please ask that the Lord would show us.

Financial provision for the school as we move toward its opening in February 2010.

Workers and co labourers for the ministry here in New Zealand and for the school.

Our shipping container would arrive safely in the next month without any hitches and additional customs charges.

The provision of  more permanent place to live, that we might have some where to put the stuff when it all arrives!

Our personal financial needs, as we look for  a place  to live and set up home here in New Zealand. (Practically, we need to raise about an  additional 1000 Usd per month)

We appreciate , desire and covet your prayers, thanks for co labouring guys

M & G

Evening view from the Jones Farm

Finally , early in the morning , on the 22nd June we arrived at Auckland Int Airport, walked down the residents line  and they let us in!!!!.

We spent a few days with the Jones in Hamilton, before heading down to our temporary home on the Lakes Ranch in Rotorua.

So … what has happened ?

It seems like so much in the  short time we have been here .

Highlights & Lowlights !

We have a car praise the Lord - a Honda 7 seat odyssey , which insists in speaking Japanese to me , and the manual is in Japanese, turning her voice off was a minor though significant language triumph.

Becky has a school uniform !!! On the 2oth July Becky starts School at Mokoia Intermediate for two terms (that is two  periods of 10 weeks) before moving to High School, Please pray for her as she is excited an nervous at the same time  PS  I am  not allowed to post a picture of her in the uniform , which is mostly very very red ! – she refuses to wear the “bucket hat”, but then bucket and hat should never appear in the same sentence!!!

Jordan has a Tennis club!!! He is now part of Rotorua Tennis club cool huh!!

We had a fire under the church building !!! - fun huh. The store under the church, was gutted in an electrical blaze, damaging the church entrance way and filling the church with acrid smoke. There has been almost no damage to the sanctuary, which is huge blessing that the Lord kept everything safe , we have been  having church out at the Ranch and will probably need to do so for a week or so whilst  the repairs and cleaning of the church take place in order to make it usable.

We have no place to do Bible school!! - After much deliberation the Board of Lakes Ranch have decided that they do not wish to have CCBI on their site, so at the moment we have no specific location for the school starting Feb 2010 – Fun huh !!! . God is in charge , so please pray HE will work out the details, we commit our way to him and he will act Psalm 37.

In a month we have to find a new place live !!! – Please pray for the Lord guidance and provision , the tricky thing  is since leaving Europe, our support has dropped by 25% so things will be interesting …. mmmm

A Spiritual thought… or two

Here is what I have been learning !

Steps of faith require courage and we have made a step come here, but once you make a step of faith , continuance also requires courage. When Peter stepped out of the boat it required  courage , but to continue also requires courage  and at that point sight is not helpful , seeing and understanding the height of the waves their velocity, presence and power doesnt help you prevail. So we contineu by faith in the presence of the waves knowing that God is good.

Herein is calling proven – God is good and His  mercy endures forever.

All in all we are doing well the church here is a huge blessing , I will begin teaching a 13 week series on Nehemiah in the Wednesday study in a week or so.

The kids and Gwyn are doing well though , we feel a little dislocated from family and friends , some of  that is getting Internet  and phones sorted out and just transition.

We covet your prayers and your love , and we are deeply grateful for both ..

I will post some prayer and praise request in a few days

M & G

The view from our temporary home