Making the Move

What an amazing month it has been.  I moved from Salmon Arm, where I had been staying with some wonderful

Coming down the driveway of the base.

friends, to the base in Oliver on May 14 and it feels like so much has happened since then.  I am happy to announce that after saving and storing boxes since my decision to go to New Zealand and take my DTS in 2009, I have finally gotten rid of them!  Every place I have lived since my return from New Zealand felt temporary, but this move to Oliver seems much more permanent and it's a great feeling.

There are moments when it feels a bit surreal...when I started writing this post I looked out the window to a gorgeous rose bush, a rugged rock face in the background and trees rustling in a gentle breeze.  The two guys from the island of Samoa who live on base were sitting out in the yard and their Samoan singing and guitar music mixed with the sound of the crickets chirping outside.  The country girl in me is loving it out here.  The base is about 5 minutes from the town of Oliver which has everything you "need" and just over half an hour from the big city of Penticton for those extra wants.  

One of the kids playing in a storage ottoman in the office.

I've been settling into full time YWAM life again and am getting used to being on a bigger base with more people over the past few weeks.  At times it is definitely challenging--there is no separation of home from work so there have been some long days. Dealing with communication with different people, and trying to make extra time to study my bible and pray more have all been hurdles I am dealing with.  At the same time each one of those challenges brings with it amazing blessings: living at work means that you can also take a break if you really need to, and also if I want to step out of the office work role I can go outside and goof around with the kids for a bit.  The staff here are much more of a family than co-workers and I absolutely love being an honorary auntie...even if it does cause drama at the dinner table as the kids fight over who sits next to me!  

Maori dance performance at the open house.

I have been learning some cultural dances and songs from different parts of the world for our upcoming performances so that is really fun, but also a big challenge. I must admit I feel very white when I try to figure out how to move my body in ways so unfamiliar as these big Samoan and Tongan guys are giggling to themselves trying to teach me how to move my hips. 

Our DTS school begins in September and we have already begun preparations.  Praying over student applications, starting to book lecture speakers, preparing rooms and acceptance letters are just some of the specific things that I've been doing with the other DTS staff.  I have also been trying to spend more time in prayer, bible study, and memorizing verses to build my relationship with God.

I have also been involved in some community work during the past month. Once a week I help with basic landscaping at one of our neighbours' houses.  They are an amazing couple with such a great testimony to God's faithfulness even when life doesn't look the way we expect.  It is such a pleasure to spend time serving at their home.  I have also begun working with one of the churches' youth ministries in town with a few of the other YWAM staff.  We spend one or two evenings a week playing sports and games with the youth and will soon begin participating in a teen-oriented book study on a different take on the Bible called "The Story."

Although I collapse into my bed exhausted many nights, I feel completely at peace with my move to Oliver and am excited to see what is next.

Prayer Requests:

- trust in God's provision and wisdom in how to raise the money necessary for living expenses and staff fees on the base

- wisdom and discernment about how best to manage my time--right now I am juggling between bible study, prayer, scripture memorization, individual quiet time, relationship-building with staff, relationship-building with community, different areas of service on the base (administration, kitchen work, hospitality, childcare, gardening, ministry)....