MONTH SEVEN/EIGHT: Europe Stories

Jacob and I hung out in Sofia for a bit to give the new teams time to bond and plan Europe together. One day we read scripture aloud in a park – the most powerful. So rad seeing how Europeans truly live in their city spaces, and for us to speak the Living Word into these spaces. Reading scripture aloud became a bit of a theme – sitting under the Word to be formed and known by the King of Kings.

We read 1 Thessalonians as we walked the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. Just wow. To stand on the same sites he preached, look over the same landscapes & beach lines, worship the same God, sharing the same hope. The story of the Church is powerful and a massive blessing to be grafted into. Sure it isn’t perfect, but the 2000 years of shoulders we stand on today is nothing short of humbling

Ronny accidentally knocked over a man’s money cup while walking past, so we all stopped to help. This became a rad conversation with our friend John from Manchester, and we were able to pray with and bless him. So beautiful seeing the whole team come around someone we could have just passed. 

Our travel day to Skopje will forever be one of my favourites! We met some Texans, a German, and a Russian family at the bus station. Throughout the long hours to Skopje, each of us connected with them in significant ways. Tanner felt the Holy Spirit call him to stay at the window – our German friend then came up and they had a powerful conversation. Cari, Ronny, and myself played Uno and laughed all the way with our new friends from Texas, sharing a different view of the Church than they were used to. Jenna connected with the Russian family so sweetly. The train ride itself was stunning but these relationships were more so – reminding again that there are no ’travel days’ or ‘ministry days’ in the Kingdom. Life is ministry, ministry is life. 

We attempted to hike up to the Millennium Cross for sunset before our night bus to Serbia. Ever ambitious, we missed both the sunset (thanks to the trees) AND the cross before turning back to make it in time. Lol. It became the most hilarious night, our team choosing joy and the giggles as we ran down the hill to make our bus. The Kingdom truly is righteousness, peace, and JOY in the Holy Spirit!! (Rom 14:17)

Thanks to pilot Dad, I was able to fly standby back to Auckland for a few days for Gran’s funeral. She was struggling for a long time so it is honestly a sweetness knowing she is no longer in pain, and with Jesus. I saw a deep new side of the Lord’s faithfulness as He carried me through that hectic week (Mum in hospital, Jonny vomiting, Dad’s work etc). Also had beautiful convos with girls I sat next to on both 17hr flights to and from NZ – so rad seeing how ingrained this lifestyle has become even away from the structure and vibe of the squad. A long layover in Milan found me on a patch of grass outside, sitting and processing all the things. The Lord met me so sweetly there, holding me close through aaallll the emotions. 

We stayed with Cari’s mom’s friends of friends in Bologna and this quickly became my most fav time. They dropped us at their friend Jon’s house and he drove us 2 hours into the rolling Italian countryside to go paint a friend of their kids’ schoolteacher’s house. SOOO many layers of ‘friends of friends’ haha. Jon runs an Arts ministry in Italy, passionate to see the Church engage the community and believers through art. Such an honour to hear his passion and have this conversation IN ITALY – where the Church has carried the Arts for centuries! We turned up at this breathtaking house and painted the outside, spreading cream colour to grey concrete against the magnificent backdrop of summer in northern Italy. Insane. This sweet family’s daughter, Sofia, did an exchange at Rangitoto College in NZ – she had me at ‘chur bro. We vibed heaps. I loved this time as we partnered with & enabled a very ‘unscripted’ connection for Jon! So beautiful to step into the work and relationships the Lord sets up and holds long after we leave.

Was so good to connect with Jon’s wife Erika who runs an anti-trafficking ministry – turns out that my friend Sarah was in Bologna last year and led Erika through ministry training. Talk about a small world, and being exactly where the Lord plants us!!

Our time here was so sweet and restful after 3 weeks tenting on and off the Camino. I read Catharine Marshall’s Adventures in Prayer and was convicted by her simple definition of prayer as asking. I noticed in my own life, praying for massive things like world peace etc is often easier because there is less on the line. If I ask God for a carpark, and cannot find one – what does that say about my benevolent God? There’s more on the line when we invite the Creator into ALL of our lives. But oh my heart, in that, there is so much more room for all these daily intricacies to be shaped by Him!!!

So while reading that day on the beach, I just asked God for three specific things. 

All three were answered in literally 20 minutes!! I turned a corner and there was a public restroom (#blessed). Still no rain as I got home so I went outside to read again. I’d no sooner sat down than two local teens came up and started a conversation. SO STINKIN COOL. This afternoon was the most affirming time – I felt so seen & known by my good goooood Father who truly loves to give good gifts, cares about the intricacies of our days, and is faithful! I encourage you, what specific things can you ask for and thus invite your loving Father into today?

We wrapped up our time in Europe with two weeks of Debrief and the ‘Parent Vision Trip’, with all teams together as a squad. Month 8 Debrief – woweeeeee what a powerful time. The Lord redeemed and breathed much needed new life, passion, and fire into us all. So much FUN. We set up a long table upstairs and shared dinners every night. These times are some of my favourites, something so deeply sacred in dining together, laughing, and enjoying food together! There was an all night prayer, with a roster so someone was upstairs praying all through the night. My 5am slot was so powerful as the Lord wrecked me with a tangible glimpse of His massive love for this squad. Weeping and unable to move, I was overwhelmed in the best way with the weight of His heart. Jacob and I led the squad through a few different contemplative exercises – my favourites being Lectio Divina and communion. So beautiful to invite others into connecting with the Father in different avenues. I gave a teaching on hearing God’s voice when the parents where with us, and this was honestly the favourite talk I’ve ever done. Preparing for it was SO full of Holy Spirit, it all came together in a few hours, and felt like I was solely a vessel for the Lord to speak. These weeks were some of the busiest & most stressful (felt like leading at summer camp sometimes haha). But reflecting afterwards, it was one of the first times I’ve truly felt the Lord leading through me and sustaining me in ways only He could.

Some of our parents flew in and joined us living Unscripted for a week. This time with my Dad was the most powerful, humbling, and FUN. We connected and talked in depth like we haven’t before. It’s hard to put in words just how proud I was seeing him interact with the squad, other parents, and locals. I’m in AWE of the family & whakapapa the Lord has blessed me with – stupid thankful to live under a father like mine. I was really impacted by his active choice to step wholly into our time together when he had so much going on with work at home. In the past he would have compartmentalised and just kinda survived – but he brought all of himself into our time and let the Lord sweetly speak to all spheres of his life. What a GUY!

After a teaching on Kingdom living, we took cold water bottles out to give to locals.

Best approach to the Kingdom is just this, starting small! Dad and I asked the Lord for direction to the thirsty people He had in mind for us. I was led to a man illegally selling shoes, and then we both felt led back to a homeless man we passed on the way. I get MELTY remembering Dad’s interactions – afterwards, he shared that he initially jarred against both men, thinking each of them should just ‘get a real job’. To hear his honest admission of that, coupled with the humility & grace I saw as he affirmed the full humanity in each encounter – seriously I am so proud of and inspired by him!! So tender to walk alongside my father and see him grasp the life I’ve been living this year. We hiked up the surrounding hills, remembering the hikes he took me on as a kid that I haaaaaated – so sweet to now enjoy it together. We even went on a run, that’s me (been running for like two months) and Kurt Frauenstein, marathon runner. Lol let’s just say it wasn’t a LONG run.

I could go on and on about this sweet time for our squad with our parents there, let’s just say I am so thankful this is something World Race champions. So much depth and life changing intimacy – how rad to have a family member who understands this lifestyle as we all prep to transition home.