I just ate dinner tonight with two friends of mine, Jo and Isaac Watts. We met at church a few weeks ago, and this was our third time hanging out. As they dropped me off at the Pa’u home after dinner, I just found myself feeling so grateful for these friends. They teach me about Jesus every time we hang out, but I don’t think they know it. To give a little background about why I say this, you must understand the Nae Nae community we live in. Within a two mile radius of my church (which includes my house and the Watts’ house) there are 3 gang houses, and several streets my Saoman sisters did not want to even drive down. It’s not like an urban city with gang wars or anything, but there exists this oppressive mood around the neighborhood. Young boys typically join gangs and domestic violence is common to hear through our kitchen windows. A few months ago, Jo and Isaac felt like they were being called to live in this neighborhood, so they sold their house in the nice, safe neighborhood and bought a home in Nae Nae.
Their home is seems like a hospitality center, having only seven days this year without any company or acquaintances sleeping over. (it’s almost the end of march, in case you forgot) They often provide meals and a bed for a neighborhood boy whose father is a drunk. Across the street from their house is an apartment that houses people recently released from jail. Isaac frequently visits the residents and befriends them, helping them acclimate to life outside of prison. Isaac invited the most recent inhabitant to his birthday party. The man had never been bowling, couldn’t remember the last time he was invited to a birthday party, and didn’t realize you could have so much fun without taking any drugs. Apart from the Pa’us, Jo and Isaac have made me feel the most welcome, the most pursued. It has been so wonderful befriending people who don’t talk about theology, but live it. The Watts are impacting the Nae Nae community, and bringing light and Hope to the oppressed. I’m so thankful for them.
In other news, I have officially been named the Head Women’s Soccer coach for Nae Nae College. I have my first meeting with the team on Wednesday, but I already met some of the girls. Last Thursday, Nae Nae College hosted a sports sign-up day. At the event, I sat at the soccer table and talked to girls who were interested in playing soccer. A record number of girls signed up for the team! They usually have a hard time fielding a team, but we had 28 girls sign up! At the meeting on Wednesday, I’m sure some of the numbers will drop, but even still, I am so excited about getting to know these girls and start pouring into them!
The past two weeks at youth group I have been sharing my story with the students. This coming week we are talking about and making prayer journals. I know how significant keeping a prayer journal has been in my life, and I want to invite the students to take advantage of the gift of journaling! We have a lot of magazines and newspapers for the students to cut-out and decorate the notebooks we’ve bought for them. If you’re reading this, you should consider prayer journaling as well! I love going back over old prayer journals and seeing how God has answered prayers and taught me such valuable lessons.
Here is some news I’m really excited about: My brother, Joe, and his wife, Marvie, my sister, Mary, and her husband, Dave, are all coming to visit me! I am so excited! We are planning our trip which will take us to the South Island of New Zealand! They will all arrive in Wellington on May 30th. Mary and Dave will fly out on June 5th while Joe and Marvie will leave on June 8th.
Their home is seems like a hospitality center, having only seven days this year without any company or acquaintances sleeping over. (it’s almost the end of march, in case you forgot) They often provide meals and a bed for a neighborhood boy whose father is a drunk. Across the street from their house is an apartment that houses people recently released from jail. Isaac frequently visits the residents and befriends them, helping them acclimate to life outside of prison. Isaac invited the most recent inhabitant to his birthday party. The man had never been bowling, couldn’t remember the last time he was invited to a birthday party, and didn’t realize you could have so much fun without taking any drugs. Apart from the Pa’us, Jo and Isaac have made me feel the most welcome, the most pursued. It has been so wonderful befriending people who don’t talk about theology, but live it. The Watts are impacting the Nae Nae community, and bringing light and Hope to the oppressed. I’m so thankful for them.
In other news, I have officially been named the Head Women’s Soccer coach for Nae Nae College. I have my first meeting with the team on Wednesday, but I already met some of the girls. Last Thursday, Nae Nae College hosted a sports sign-up day. At the event, I sat at the soccer table and talked to girls who were interested in playing soccer. A record number of girls signed up for the team! They usually have a hard time fielding a team, but we had 28 girls sign up! At the meeting on Wednesday, I’m sure some of the numbers will drop, but even still, I am so excited about getting to know these girls and start pouring into them!
The past two weeks at youth group I have been sharing my story with the students. This coming week we are talking about and making prayer journals. I know how significant keeping a prayer journal has been in my life, and I want to invite the students to take advantage of the gift of journaling! We have a lot of magazines and newspapers for the students to cut-out and decorate the notebooks we’ve bought for them. If you’re reading this, you should consider prayer journaling as well! I love going back over old prayer journals and seeing how God has answered prayers and taught me such valuable lessons.
Here is some news I’m really excited about: My brother, Joe, and his wife, Marvie, my sister, Mary, and her husband, Dave, are all coming to visit me! I am so excited! We are planning our trip which will take us to the South Island of New Zealand! They will all arrive in Wellington on May 30th. Mary and Dave will fly out on June 5th while Joe and Marvie will leave on June 8th.
Please pray for my siblings as they prepare and plan for this trip. Please pray especially for Marvie because she is making this long journey as an expecting mother! I can’t wait to see her with a baby-bump!
Please also pray for the students as we make our journals and continue to build relationships.
Please keep praying for the work of Ignite Sport. Pray that the connections we made through volunteering at local sports days would prove fruitful. Pray that the work of Ignite will continue to be financially supported.
Finally, please pray that I continue to pursue God as he relentlessly pursues my heart.
Please also pray for the students as we make our journals and continue to build relationships.
Please keep praying for the work of Ignite Sport. Pray that the connections we made through volunteering at local sports days would prove fruitful. Pray that the work of Ignite will continue to be financially supported.
Finally, please pray that I continue to pursue God as he relentlessly pursues my heart.
No matter how beautifully they’re written, new songs are hard to sing in the beginning. We kind of fumble through it until we are familiar with its tune. It is the same with this adventure in New Zealand. No matter how beautiful it is and how God is providing for me, I am still learning the rhythm of the land and the harmonies of my relationships. Please pray for me as I keep learning this song. I am sure that when my time in New Zealand is done, it will be a song that my heart will long to sing again.
thanks for sharing this in your email. i know blogging is fairly foreign perhaps to many of your followers… but i like it when you post the link and then share here. maybe it's because i blog… but i think it's kind of like a hidden surprise… especially when accompanied by the lovely photos you take.
ReplyDeletealso for the purposes of permanent journals later. there are super easy programs that you can transfer your blog into a book.
i can see your face as you write. if there's one thing that sticks out in my mind when i think of you it's your infectious smile. i'm slightly jealous that the people of nae nae and NZ in general get all of those smiles! but i'm also thankful that they are getting a chance to see God through you. you are the purest example of Him i've seen in a good long while.
thankful too that the Lord has blessed you with the gift of storytelling. seriously good.
thankful that through your words i feel as if i'm right there with you. on my vicarious mission trip to NZ. thankful that you've taken me along. thankful for your faithful sharing.
as the music becomes more familiar and you learn the words by heart, think of how the Father will be glorified as you dance with reckless abandon as you sing with unfettered joy.
so thankful for you. so. very. thankful.
As always I enjoyed reading your post. I love the pottery of your last paragraph.
ReplyDeleteThanks for soliciting prayers on my behalf. I've never had that happen before - you made me cry.
Loves and hugs!