Ministry here.

So, me and Nate Clark are doing the highschool ministry which I am really happy about. We organise Summer Sizzle every Wednesday night for grades 9 up. It is alot of fun, games, God and just pure American crazyness.

Summer Sizzle. First night! Game on!

I am slowing getting to form relationships with people. With pastors, highschoolers, middle schoolers and the other interns. The latest pay out I recieve is my new nic name and the thing that comes up every time I talk... "subtitles". They always try and get a translater for when I talk and think it is hillarious. Which it kinda is.

The first few weeks have been hard. Just settling in, changing the time of my body clock, making friends, feeing my way around the new home, ajusting to the difference in the church, and the food...wow, that is a whole other story, but I am now feeing more at home and seettling down alot more. I have had some really good discussions with people and prayer and this has helped in the whole experience alot.

During some of the discussions I have had with people I have been challenged on what is in my heart and it has been a growing experience already. Questioning what I am called to and where I stand in a church setting.

God is doing something great through this church and the outreach that it does. They are huge on reaching the community, and not just speaking about it, but they are so active in the lives of everyone they can be in the erea and they are known for it. I have loved that side of it. I got to go out door knocking with a couple of other interns to ask them to come to different things we are doing over the summer, and the whole experience was positive and eye opening. We went to areas that I would not have ever seen if I was just a tourist, and for that I am so grateful. These kids and families were just so excited that they were invited to something and that they got a FREE meal TOO! hahaha. We all love free food.

Paintball outreach. Shooting people for Jesus.

We had 4 decisions for Christ...Woohoo

I have been trying to get out and about as I have put on weight already...I know, I know. You are all going to work me to the ground when I get back...GOOD!

Playing tennis with Doug (Dad) and Austin (brother).

Check out the link to FLICKER to see photos if you dont have a facebook. Oh, and if you don't have a facebook...GET ONE! Even Grandparents have it here.

God is good, and I can see Him using me here... I hope. I am so happy He has placed the poeple around me that He has, and I am really looking forward to getting more and more into LIFE here in the US.

Settling in?

Well, I made it. Most of you know the drama that went on to get me over to the states to do the internship at KCC. It all took so long and then last minute I got the visa and had 2 nights to pack. Living on the edge...thats me! Hahaha!

Updates for all ya'll back home. I'm here and it has been strange but good. It has taken the first week to kind of settle in. Although there is alot more bonding to do I have started making some good friends and am loving the interns, my host family, the pastors and the church.

Interns:

(Left to right) Me (Tashe, Tishe, Tesh), Reecie (Carrice), Lauren (The New Yorker), Todd (Mod squad Todd), Nate (Holes), Nate (Nate the great. He is the one I am working with doing highschool stuff), and Mike (Koleslaw or Kozy bear). There are 7 of us. We are going to have alot of fun and really grow together and I am getting more excited everyday we spend time together. For the first time, me and 2 of the other interns spent some real quality time talking about life, love and God. It really encouraged us all and helped us to get to know eachother better. SOOOOO good! I'm really looking forward to more times like that with all of them.

Host family:

I am living with the Clarks. And, as it is with everything else, it is getting better and better everyday as we get to know eachother and get comfortable with eachother.

Ruth (mum/mom) is thoughtful and caring.

Doug (dad) is funny and cheeky. He threw me in like nearly freezing water to welcome me.

Austin (brother) is fun, polite and cool. He also plays guitar in the HUGE church band.

Brianne (sister) is cute, giggly and makes me laugh. She also sings in the middle school band on Sundays.

Pastors:

Well I am working directly with 3-4 pastors.

Jeff is the high school pastor and also the person that asked me to come over. He is encouraging, inspiring and incredibly good at what God has asked him to do.

Ian is the middle school (5-8) pastor, He is so much fun and just makes me laugh. When paople talk he listens...rare quality.

Mike I have not spent alot of time with yet but he comes across as a welcoming, caring, and christ-like person.

Church:

The church is huge. It is called Kentwood Community Chuch (you can google it). It has a great feel great leaders and an awesome worship team. When I say team I mean like, 7 upfront singers a choir of about 50-60 people, a drummer, 2 keys, 2 guitars, 1 bongos, 1 bass, an either brass or strings orchastra, and probably more that I cant think of. The worship leaders is some of the best singers I've heard and it is just alot of fun.

So I am working mostly with another intern named Nate. Nate and I are heading up the high school ministry...woohooo... as well as alot of other things like programming camps, events, games, and also just being with the kids, speaking, and they want me to do some music as well. AHHHHHHHH! It is all very exciting and challenging.

Alot has happened in the first week and it has been tough already. Alot of questions have gone through my head but I am so glad that I came.

On my first day, pastor Jeff announced that he is stepping down from his position becouse God has laid something very huge and challenging on his heart. That was a huge blow to all of us. The middle school pastors daughter had a fall and fractured her skull, and the other pastor that heads up the family department has had a heart attack and is in hospital waiting for an opperation as soon as he is well enough for it.

I also got to spend 2 days with Grant (more to come on that).

It's been crazy, but I know through all of this, God is doing something great with all of us. I am excited to see what God is going to do wiht the time we all have together.

Prayer requests:

Please pray for all those things that have happened,

please pray that I will continue to connect,

and please pray that God will use me here in every way possible.