Philippians 4:10-13 are scriptures that come to mind after finishing up sixteen days of hiking in New Zealand! It was difficult but good for me! God most definitely stretched the team beyond ourselves. Whenever the term or description of the hike would say either easy or short it usually was not. However, when tired or energized, hungry or fed, encouraged or disappointed, weak or strong, God is always great! Through although emotions trying to figure out why I was on that long hike and camping experience; passing tree after tree, and dirt spot, after dirt spot, and misquito bite, after misquito, God says surprise!!!!! There is a place called Piha!!
Piha was one of many camping sites that we slept on, however this one was filled with people. At Piha were the Junior Surfing Championships and this was a huge deal!!! The surfers were aged from 14-19, and this stage would be alot of pressure for them and anybody else who would have to compete on such a level! At the camp where we were located there were two teams the French and the Tahitian teams and our roles was to serve those guys. At this Piha where two missionaries from South Africa who just moved to New Zealand a few months ago! They were so happy to see us because they have not gotten to see any Christians at the camp at all. It was a very encouraging time for them and for us! Those four days we spent with them were God-filled. We were blessed to be able to help them, and they blessed us as well!!! Just being in the mix with the Tahitians and French was pretty exciting. Only a few could speak English but a hand sign, a wave, or a smile went a long way!!! We left that camp rejoicing!!! Then after that we were back hiking in the Boonies!!! This time our hardest days were a head of us.
Our last three days of hiking were the hardest! There were no more people again and it was just up and down and very steep and up hill! It lasted for long hours and there were many times where there was not a trail to follow and we were off track for while! However, through those times God proved to be faithful ,
and the days when we were weak God strengthed us. He carried us every step of the way through the highest point of the mountain and the lowest parts of the valley! The New Zealand hills and valley are glorious and we could most definitely recognized that none other than God could have made them!! No matter where we were or what we felt like God was still God and he took us on a hike of sixteen days of glory! Now we are in Australia!
