The journey
finally begins. After six months of mental preparation, 3 months of physical
preparation, and a series of difficult good-byes, I have arrived in New
Zealand. Although I dreaded the idea of a 13 hour plane ride, the only thing that
I remember is waking up to the sound of the pilot informing the passengers that
we were only 2 hours away from our destination.
As we stepped
out of the airport in Auckland, our teams were met with beautiful green scenery
and very friendly kiwis. We then took off for a 2-hour bus drive to Matamata,
where we set up camp at a YWAM (Youth with a Mission) base camp. The first day
was probably the longest day of my life because after a 13-hour flight we had
the entire day ahead of us. By the time I went to bed at 10pm (which by the way
is when it gets dark over here), I feel as though I had been here for a few
days. Oh and we skipped January 3rd entirely because of the time
change. Now I am on day 2 and surprisingly I am well rested and completely
unaffected by jet lag. The realization has not yet set in that I am in New
Zealand, a country that I have wanted to visit for a long time. However, when I
think of the relationships back at home, the reality set in as soon as I left
LAX.
This week we
will reconnect with our teammates and prepare for our various ministries all
over the northern island. It is definitely an interesting transition, as I no
longer have the capability to contact anyone at a moment’s notice. Living out of
a backpack for the next 11 months will prove to be interesting as well.
Sacrifice is a recurring theme and a revelatory process. Although it is going
to be an extremely difficult journey at times, I am excited to grow in my
relationship with the Lord and share my story with everyone. Until next time…
