It’s that time of the year.
The campus has been all a buzz the past few weeks with last ‘this’ and ‘that’ meetings, events honoring one another, the Christmas choir practicing, cookie baking, field trips, wrapping up assignments, and trying to savor our last few days together as a community.
December is marked by a lot of the usual things, but here in the southern hemisphere we have lots of on and off rain, warm sunshine, and one of the New Zealanders said over lunch the other day, “you know it’s Christmas time when the strawberries come in season.”
The roses around campus lure me into taking their picture though I’ve already taken about 1,000, and we have a Christmas performance for the community this weekend out on the lawns in front of the homestead. Celebrating Christmas on picnic blankets and with fireworks? It’s going to be a different year that’s for sure.
Chris’ and my days have been very full. We had our favorite week of ‘lectures’ so far; where we read through most of the New Testament during the times we usually have class. This quality time in God’s Word was both rich and exciting to spend together as a group, and we were reminded of the power of encountering Christ through Scripture.
God has overwhelmed me with a love for the young women on this campus, and it has been such a joy to share our journeys with one another during this time. We had a girls night last weekend where all 30 of us stayed overnight in one of the interns little cottage on a farm not far from Capernwray.
We enjoyed one another’s company, and planned a surprise Christmas breakfast for the guys.
I am also working with Dave on a Christian school campaign in North America that we’re going to launch in January.
Chris’ time out of the classroom has been preoccupied with editing a wedding video, and wrapping up a few promo videos for Timberline, one of the Torchbearer centres in Winter Park CO. He also enjoyed a day with just the guys last weekend, where they fellowshipped over a video-game tournament, steaks, and volleyball.
We’ve also been asked to speak at a small Christian horse camp for a few nights after the semester ends, so we’ve been praying and preparing our hearts to share what God has done in our lives with about 25 New Zealand teenagers. We’re so humbled to be asked to share, but looking forward to seeing how God might use His story in our lives.
The tension of feeling disconnected from family and friends far away, but wanting to be fully available right where we are for these people right now has been difficult, but we’re so thankful for the love and support from others, and the encouragement and influence we’ve had here as well.
God is also growing our understanding of what it means to be one with Christ, as He calls us to step out in faith, align out hearts with His and as a result He has been graciously answering our prayers.
The Mainlands 