the gerten's

A new "Lease" on life

2006-06-12T13:07:00.000-05:00

Well I have been trying to figure out how to blog about being here in a way that would help people understand how we have been living for the last several months. It is no easy task. So I have decided to skip all of that, and let you all know that we have decided to rent an apartment. It is big enough for visitors, and will be very comfortable for us. I think that life is looking up from here for Angele and myself. We are still going to look for a home in the area, but we will take a break for a little while, and hopefully, the joy will be restored for us in that process.

Thanks for all who have been praying for us to find a place of our own over these last few months. We are really excited about this apartment, and it really is a great location for us. It is literally three minutes from my office, and much closer to Angele's work as well. We are also right next to a State Recreation area! We love the outdoors so that will be really good for us.

Well Let us know how you are all doing from New Zealand to Chicago and everywhere in between.

Weeks Like These

2006-05-12T16:36:00.000-05:00

It's weeks like these that make me want to be some where else. Specifically, New Zealand. The weather here has been crap for the last week, and although we may need the rain, it makes me feel slightly depressed. Angele has had several encounters recently with people living or visiting New Zealand. I find that to be strange considering I was not even sure where it was before we went. I guess that is like buying a car that you like, and then you realize how many of them there are on the road. Does that happen to anyone else?
Anyway, I am really going to try to update this once a week at least.
My brother graduates from University tomorrow, so I get to see my family, and I am pretty excited about that. Even though we live in the same state it is still hard to see them.
Well we truly do miss the New Zealand atmosphere, not only for the weather, but for the people and laid back feel too. I know we will go back someday.
I will say this for the rain, I get to use my raincoat, and I really like it.

RYAN

WOW, has it ever been a long time!

2006-05-05T17:36:00.000-05:00

There is an aweful lot to say, so I will just post the short version. Things are going really well for us in D-town. I love my job at the Journey, and things are moving along nicely for us there. We have recently lost the space that we are currently meeting in, so starting May 28th, we are a mobile church again. This creates a lot of work for our church, but I know that God will use it. Angele is still at Eddie Bauer, and has made some good relationships there. She will begins school in the fall. The even bigger news for her is that she is going to Africa in the fall! She has to now they have gotten her a plane ticket. Pray for her in her fundraising efforts and that she doesn't get sick this time!

I bought a truck, which I love! It is a chevrolet s-10. We are currently in the process of trying to buy a house. Pray for that, it is not easy!

Well that is the nut shell version to get you caught up to speed. We love to hear from anyone who knows about this blog feel free to e-mail us, or post comments. Our e-mail is the same as it was when we were in New Zealand.

Well.....see ya later.

RYAN

A Fresh Start

2006-03-03T15:55:00.000-06:00

Well, since the last time I wrote things have changed. I now have a job at the Journey as the Worship Arts Director, and have my own office space which is really nice. I am just coming to the close of my first week, and have barely gotten my feet wet. I look forward to what God holds for us in the future as we embark on this new leg of our lives. Angele is doing well and really enjoying her time at work. We are now officially looking for a place to live, and when we find it, we will post some pictures for you all to look at.
Romans 8:25 "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

I cannot say that I have been extremely patient in the last two months, but I do believe that this is a new area in which I am growing in and learning, once again, it is not over yet!

RYAN

How Many Licks Does it Take to Get to the Center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?

2006-02-19T17:11:00.000-06:00

Today I sit and ponder this question, not because I have recently had a tootsie roll pop, but because it seems more relevant some how. The answer to this question depends on several variables, the size of the tongue, the length of the lick, how hard one licks, and so on. It is interesting to me that this actually has application to my life. To get to the center of who I am suppose to be is not all that different in process. It depends on the size of the call, how long it might take, how hard I am willing to work at it, and is it truly worth it.

I got to lead worship today for the Journey, a church here in Michigan. It was great to see God's people engaged in worship. I am interviewing at this church, and am very much enjoying being a part of it. And as I seek out the call on my life, and pray about our next steps, it is interesting to me that no matter how much you see there is still more. This is where we differ from a tootsie roll pop. A tootsie roll pop has an end, and man is it a good one. But we may get to the place we have always felt called to and realize that this is just the next step on the process of our call. Although we could be at the Journey if things work out for a very long time, I know that this is not all that God has for me and Angele.

Please pray for us as we seek out God's call on our lives, and figure out how and when we will both go back to school.

And, if you haven't already, have a tootsie roll pop today.

Where We Are

2006-02-15T08:02:00.002-06:00

Alright, so I thought that I would be better at this blogging thing then what I really am. It is easy to forget about when we are constantly on the go. Angele and I spend a lot of time on the road traveling back and forth between Marshall, Grand Rapids and Detroit (for those of you who are in New Zealand, and this does not mean that much, they are all at least 2 hours apart). Angele has been working for Eddie Bauer, and things are going really well for her there. I am still interviewing at a church in Detroit, and feel pretty good about it. So that's what is happening in our lives.

We got to go to the airport to see Katie off to New Zealand. That was a good time for us to help her parents feel better about it and just hang out with some friends. Katie should have a great time, so treat her right you Kiwi's!

I am trying to think of something funny to say to close this out, but nothing comes to mind. So I won't say anything.

I AM A...Warrior in an Epic Battle

2006-01-22T13:45:00.000-06:00

Today at the Journey was all about being a warrior in the battle we face everyday on the spiritual level. It was such a great service, so great that I'm blogging about it and therefore breaking my once a month blogging habits. Shocking.
Anyway, one of my favorite parts of the service was when Mike, the pastor, interviewed Brian, who just returned from serving in Iraq, and compared his service in the war to the war we wake up to everyday wherever we are. Every morning, when he was in Iraq, he would mentally put on the 'spiritual armor' while he was literally putting on his 'real armor'. He mentioned that when he came back to the States, the thing he noticed most about life was the complacency. There is a sign where he was stationed in Iraq that says "Complacency Kills". He spoke about how true that is in our spiritual lives and how we don't feel like we are in a spiritual battle, but we should be waking up everyday putting on our armor and preparing for war. It was very powerful.
The other favorite was when Mike shared a scene from Kingdom of Heaven, when Orlando Bloom's character asked the crowd of boys, farmers, blacksmiths and common men if knighting a man makes him a better warrior. He answered his own question my saying 'yes', and told the crowd to take a knee and knighted them all on the spot. Mike then told us to take a knee and it was so cool seeing the congregation kneel. We read St. Patrick's Prayer "The Breastplate" and Mike "knighted" us, making us a church of warriors. It was a very cool service.
Here are some parts of the prayer I thought were cool:
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before,
God's host to save me...

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

How Long has it Been..........

2006-01-21T11:56:00.000-06:00

This title has two meanings. First, we are not so good at keeping up with this blog. I understand why people do not check it very often. Second, it has been over a month now since we have left New Zealand, and it seems to always be on my mind. As we look towards our future, and stay with in-laws and friends, it becomes difficult at times to think that we are suppose to be here instead of there. But searching for truth and seeking after God, I know that we are in the right place, for now. I have been leading worship at a church called the Journey, and speaking and singing at my father's church, and our pre-NZ church Impact, along with Angele. It has been a busy time for us, and yet I don't feel as if I am doing much of anything.
The weather here is constantly changing, not much different then Auckland in that respect, but much much colder. We got 3 or 4 inches of snow last night, but it will be gone tonight as the sun is out.

So here are a few pictures for you all. One at new years, and the other at Impact while we practiced for the service. Brett and Kristen Jones are also there.

By the way, while I was in New Zealand I got to know Frank Ritchie, and I can say from a Pastoral stand point, as well as from our friendship, that Frank is an outstanding man of God, who has a wife, and a great relationship to the church. I am convinced that God is using him to reach thousands on a regular bases that may otherwise never hear the name of God. If you get the chance check out his blog
http://www.fritchie.blogspot.com

And I will sign this so that you all know who is saying these things,
RYAN GERTEN

Updates...

2006-01-18T18:29:00.000-06:00

Well, we decided we should probably update this thing, so here goes...

Tons has happened. My parents came out for a trip, here's a picture of Ryan and me at Mt. Cook in the South Island. We had such a great time with them.
Moved back to the States before Christmas and have been traveling between family and friends staying with whomever would have us while interviewing and looking for work.

Wow, tons has happened, but I pretty much did an update in 3 sentences. We are missing New Zealand quite a bit. Missing cession, friends and the hikes, beaches and weather. We just got a half of foot of snow dumped on us though, so skiing will be in the near future.

Thanks to everyone for keeping in touch! Please continue! We'll do what we can to keep this blog updated.

Home Again, Home Again

2005-12-14T23:23:00.000-06:00

Hello friends! I am updating this from my parent's incredibly comfy Lazy-Boy while watching season two's episode of LOST. Heat is on inside and snow is falling outside, fire crackling downstairs. Much different from the sunny and warm New Zealand!
After a 48 hour Monday, we arrived in Detroit and had quite a welcoming committee of family waiting for us. Coming down a very busy escalator, outbreaks of clapping, screams and cheers erupted. Andrea, Ryan's sister, was actually jumping up and down. The signs were cute, too. It was wonderful!!
We were able to spend time with Ryan's family yesterday, and we spent the evening with Rochelle and Drew, his sister and brother-in-law, getting to know our niece Makenna. She is a doll! We played all evening and are now very good friends.
We are back at my parents tonight. Dad and I went snow-shoeing on their lake which is frozen over, very fun.
We will keep our blog as updated as we can so everyone can keep up with us. Thanks to everyone who saw us off at the airport! Please keep in touch!

Wesleyan Conference 2005

2005-11-05T23:40:00.000-06:00

The time we spent in Napier last weekend was so great! First of all, it was fantastic seeing everyone again. I loved it! It was great being back and seeing the kids from our Student Ministries there. The student band played in church Sunday morning and I was so proud of them! They did awesome! It was very encouraging to see them pressing on after we left; they are great kids.
Okay, besides the wonderful people of Napier, the conference was an overall hit. Dr. Wayne Schmidt and Rev. Dan Seabourn, both of West Michigan, were speaking throughout the weekend. It was great. Ryan helped with worship and techy-stuff and everything went off well. I shared about my Fiji trip and tried to encourage people to go next year. I also met Ruth Thomas, Director of World Hope Australia, and heard what all was going on in Africa. When she shared at Conference, I'm sure everyone in the room felt called to help in some way. I know I did!! :)
One of the highlights for me was during the evening rally on Friday night. There was a time of worship and the room was once again filled with many people from different cultures. Tongans, Fijians, Chinese...it was amazing hearing everyone sing in their own language. It was beautiful and I couldn't help get chills and wonder if this was what heaven might be like!
It was an amazing weekend!

Mt. Doom

2005-11-05T23:15:00.000-06:00

On our way to Napier last weekend we stopped in Turangi and hiked the Tongariro Crossing with some friends. It was amazing! It took about 11 1/2 hours to complete, mainly because we took a not-so-short detour to climb Mt. Ngauruhoe, known to most as Mt. Doom from Lord of the Rings. The mountain is actually a volcano and is still active. In fact, it is continually releasing steam...pretty cool! It was so beautiful. We were in the clouds! 2291m, 7560 feet!
Here you can (barely) see us standing on the rim of the crater...kinda scary!! Quite a drop!
Another unique New Zealand experience!!

A Week in Review

2005-10-23T23:09:00.000-05:00

Hi all! It has been a crazy busy week! Things at the church have kept us pretty busy, which is really nice, and we've had lots of other things to get done. But we still have had chances to do some fun stuff! And since work isn't real exciting, I'll update you on the fun stuff!
Monday afternoon we had the opportunity to go fishing with a friend from church and our Global Partner Area Directors, Jeff and Beth, and their daughter Emily. It was a beautiful evening; we watched the sunset and the moon rise on the ocean. An awesome experience. Not to mention the fish we caught! A couple snapper which we took home and ate for dinner that night! It was quite a process, we had never cleaned fish before and it took awhile to get all the meat off! But once we did, we battered it and cooked it...it was delicious!!
Yesterday was another fun day, we went to the Auckland Zoo! I was like a kid running around looking at everything...a very good time. We also went to a delicious Italian restaurant for din-din. MMMMMMM...
Church tonight was very good. For one, it's been awhile since I've been there and feeling well. Last week I just showed up then we left right after service since we weren't feeling well. It was fun hanging out with everyone again and the service was really great!
Oh...update on the sickness thing. We've been told it is a bacterial thing, something we got from the river in Fiji. The river we bathed in and the food was cooked in and we ate fish from. I, and other members of the Fiji team, have been sick since being back, and have actually passed it on to Ryan (poor guy!). We've been told it is a re-occurring thing but should work its way out of our systems within four weeks or so. Lovely!
Tomorrow is Labor Day here in New Zealand and we are heading out of town with a group of friends from church. A little road trip to some hot springs in a cute town a few hours away. Looking forward to it!
This weekend is the Wesleyan conference in Napier (our old town). We'll be heading down on Wednesday for the weekend. Ryan will be playing in the worship band and I'll be sharing a bit on the Fiji trip (highlights only!). Should be a good time, looking forward to seeing our Napier family again!
More later!!
~angele

A Party to Remember

2005-10-14T19:10:00.000-05:00

The last night we were in the village was pretty crazy. The villagers spent all day preparing for a wonderful feast, and decorating the eating area. They brought in these beautiful flowers and made amazing arrangements for the bamboo poles that held up the roof.
We had a church service first. Done mostly in Fijian, the prayers were beautiful and the singing was amazing. Hearing them sing was my favorite thing.
The second picture shows one of the Fijian men giving one of our team leaders, Jonathan, a Kava bowl. Kava is a very popular drink made from the Kava root. They pound and pound the root into a powder and mix it with water. It tastes like muddy water, and makes your tounge, lips and roof of your mouth tingle. If you take a lot, it can have the same effects as a hangover. Mainly, it relaxes you. BUT, I wasn't a fan, so I didn't have to worry about any of this!
The last picture is of the feast we had. It was delicious! If you look close enough, you can see my team members are covered in baby powder. For some reason, it is customary during a farewell to dump baby powder on one's head and rub it on the cheeks and forehead of each person. We were walking clouds of baby powder... but it smelled nice!

Navula Villiage

2005-10-09T11:43:00.000-05:00

The goal of the build in Fiji was to have 4 houses complete by the time we left. Unfortunately we were unable to complete all four because of materials not being delivered. All four were built with all the walls and a roof and left in the villagers capable hands to complete.
This picture is of some of the Fijian guys working on one of the houses. It was great building alongside the Fijians. Half the time you wouldn't be able to carry on a conversation but a friendship was born each time.
More later!

Final Destination

2005-10-08T23:20:00.000-05:00

I'm home! There were times during the trip I never thought I'd make back here! And my return flight wasn't with out it's troubles! I nearly didn't make it back into New Zealand. We had problems with my Permit which expired as soon as I left NZ, unknown to me! My team boarded the plane and left a very emotional me behind with a few friends staying in Fiji. The situation took a turn for the best 20 minutes before the plane left. I was cleared to fly when proof of a return ticket to the States was produced from a Qantas Airlines computer. I ran through security and immigration to a plane that erupted in cheers when I finally boarded. And I was excited to be there. I was so eager to be in New Zealand and get back to Ryan I was the first person off our 747 airplane.
This trip sure was an eventful one to say the least. I am safe at home now. Surprisingly, our last few days in Fiji at the resort, our team was visited by a new bug and we all were a bit sick again. So a full recovery is still underway, but all are happy!!
Thanks again to everyone for their prayers and support during the past few weeks. Thanks to those who called and emailed Ryan and supported him specifically during this crazy time. I know we weren't alone in any of this, we had our God and our friends supporting us the whole time. No matter where I could be, I really learned that. Thanks again to everyone, it really blessed us to hear from you all and we thank God for our family and friends!
Now all that's left is getting myself a big juicy hamburger with a side of fries! I'd be okay if I never saw rice or curry again!!

Thanks to All

2005-10-06T01:25:00.000-05:00

Again, we wanted to thank you all for the support and prayers that you have lifted up for us. Angele is doing just fine now and is enjoying some down time at a resort in Fiji. She will be home this Saturday (Friday for you those in the states).

Again thank you all very much!

Angele is OK!

2005-10-02T19:02:00.000-05:00

I talked with Angele on the phone, and she wanted to send you all this message:

"Thank you so much to all of our family and friends for your thoughts and prayers over these last few days. We are all doing much better now, and are heading back to the village today. Please continue to pray for protection over the rest of the week, and we will be sure to send an update as soon as we can. Love you all!"

And I(Ryan)would also like to thank you all for your generosity and your prayers for me and Angele. I know that God uses times like these to show us how truly blessed we are with the people that have been placed in our lives. Please feel free to contact us through e-mail, or by phone (just be aware of the time difference!).

Again we will continue to update you on any further developments as they may take place.

RYAN

A little Fiji news

2005-10-01T22:17:00.000-05:00

Well, Angele has been in Fiji for the last week. But not all of that has been fun for her. 22 people went and 17 of them have gotten sick. Angele and her team mate, Marty, have both been taken to the hospital. They are both doing better now, and are recovering from this sickness. It is suppose to be a 24 hour bug, but it has taken a lot longer for these two. Marty has been very sick and is worse then Angele, please pray for him. Angele was dehydrated, and very sick. She is currently recovering, and has just started to be able to eat again. Please pray for my wife, as I do not know what I would do without her. Also, pray for the rest of their team as a mass majority of them have been affected by this virus.

We both appreciate your prayers, and support in this time. We will keep you updated with all the news.

RYAN

2005-09-19T16:57:00.000-05:00

Well, time is continuing to fly for us here in New Zealand. I (Angele), along with 23 others, leave this Saturday for Fiji with Habitat for Humanity. We will be building 4 houses in a very remote village in the middle of the island. Habitat has partnered with the village and will be rebuilding 18 of the 19 homes over the course of several years. This is the 3rd trip to the village and there is much excitement from everyone.

6 of us were being "commissioned" at the morning service this past Sunday. We were reminded of some of the dangers when our team leader, Catherine, shared a few words...or prayer requests. Something along the lines of how the village is very remote, no electricity, running water, no phones...the only way out is to cross a river on a bamboo raft...basically if there's any problems or accidents, we're in trouble. Well, it was an encouraging speech to say the least.

I would appreciate your prayers for safety for the two weeks we'll be gone. We are due to arrive home the 8th of October. I'm expecting it to be a great time of learning and insight into a completely different culture...not to mention coming home with a fantastic farmer's tan.

I'll let you know how it went when I get back!

Happy Birthday!!

2005-09-12T18:18:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday was East City Wesleyan's 5 year birthday! There was a combined service for 3 congregations and over 270 people where there!! It was a great time celebrating with our parent church, East City, and our 2pm Chinese mandarin brother's and sister's.
The above pictures are of the mandarin music team as well as Ryan and the team and the three senior pastors of each church.
God is doing amazing things here in Auckland. This is such an amazing body of believers and they are making a difference in their community!

2005-09-05T17:42:00.000-05:00

Hey family and friends!! Sorry it's been so long since our last update! Things have been pretty crazy here in New Zealand. We've suffered through a long week with no computer or internet. The woes of this missionary life! We are trying to catch up on emails and updates at our local Library; at first we thought New Zealand Library cards would just make neat souvenirs, but we are finding use for them now! Who knew?!

A few prayer points for ya: We are now in the last leg of our journey here in NZ...Craziness! We are trying to make some decisions on the next step in our lives, where to go, what to do, etc. Please be praying as we try to determine where God is leading us. We will be sure to keep you updated as things develop.

With heading into our last few months, we are looking at what our return costs will include. We are going to be needing to do one last fundraising letter soon to make ends meet, including our monthly support for our last few months as well as our return shipping expenses. We are in the home stretch...the end is in sight! Please pray we will be wise in determining our needs, and that the money will come in!!

On a personal note, please pray for my cousin, Kate, who is pregnant and now on bed rest. She is in her ninth month and the baby isn't gaining any weight. They will possibly be inducing labor soon if nothing changes. Please pray for her and the baby's health in this time.

Thanks to all who are checking in on us through this website and through all the wonderful emails. Please bear with us as we deal with our technical difficulties!!

Much love,
Ryan and Angele

A Bold Faith

2005-08-18T23:33:00.000-05:00

By the title of this article you may think that I am going to talk about becoming a bolder Christian. That would be a good guess considering that I am a Christian. Although I might get there, I am actually talking about the Islamic faith.
A few days ago I sat through a Ministerial Association meeting, strangely enough as I sat there I realized that we were talking more about the Islamic faith then we were talking about our own. To me this became a major reality check in how we as Christians can some times act. Don't get me wrong, the conversation was great. I learned a lot about Islam that I did not know, and discovered a few things about my faith along the way. One gentlemen in the room just got back from 11 years pastoring in the U.K. He was telling us that the area he was working in is predominately Muslim. The muslims that he talked to told him that they could not believe how soft Christians are. They would tell him, "if you have something that you believe in, then it is worth saying boldly." As I sat there I learned that the Muslim people are very up front with what they believe. They will get right to it and not back away. It has been predicted that the Islamic faith will be the predominate faith in all westernized societies within the next ten years.
Absolute truth is what they preach. That is why so many are turning to them. We, as Christians, are to soft. We believe that we have THE absolute truth. So why aren't we as bold as they are? Take what I have said to heart, but in context. I am not advocating the Islamic faith. They preach a message of peace, but truly want surrender, and submission to their way of life. But I do believe that we can take a page or two out of their book. We ought to claim the truth and preach it boldly.

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."
Ephesians 6:14-15

RYAN

The Wiatakere Ranges

2005-08-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

Ryan and I took another amazing hike this past Friday on our day off. We are trying to make the most of our time here in NZ and see as much of this beautiful place as we can.
The hike was going to be 4 hours, but we didn't even get through half of it. The views were so amazing we had to stop several times and be in awe of it all. We stopped at the top of one peak and had our morning tea from our thermos like good Kiwis.
The first picture is on the way up to the lookout, the second is from the top. Crazy beautiful, eh?!

cession|cafe

2005-08-10T15:42:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday night cession replaced its usual service with an excellent cafe featuring BlairGiles Band. It was a great outreach, nearly 20 new faces! It was a great time hanging out and getting to know some of the people at cession better. Plus the food was awesome!

A New House Guest

2005-07-30T23:00:00.000-05:00

Meet wëtä, our new house guest. Unfortunately for him, his stay wasn't too long. He kindly visited our home this evening as we were eating dinner. Ryan noticed him from across the room and calmly pointed him out to me. As I proceeded to move to the furthest point in the room AWAY from the wëtä, Ryan caught him with a cup and released him in the great outdoors, where he'll hopefully stay.
Funny because we were discussing the wëtä just last night over dinner with some friends. The wëtä can grow to the size of your hand and will bite if they feel they are in danger. Something to remember in case you come face to face with a wëtä, don't scream...they'll react and most likely fly into your mouth!! Gross!
I found this on the internet: "Weta is strictly a New Zealand name that derives from the Maori name of wetapunga that was given to the giant weta. Wetapunga translates roughly to "God of ugly things"." I can see why!!

A Walk to Remember

2005-07-30T15:45:00.000-05:00

"Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever." Psalm 111:2&3
Yesterday Ryan and I took a few hours and went on an amazing hike through one of the forests surrounding Auckland. After about an hour in, we crossed a river and came upon a series of three waterfalls. It was unbelievable! We climbed as close to them as we could and ate lunch on a rock near the bottom of one fall. The beauty was so overwhelming...great are the works of the Lord! Glorious and majestic are his deeds!

cession music team

2005-07-30T15:29:00.000-05:00

Ryan's first time leading Worship was this past Sunday. He did a great job! This is a picture of the week before when he was playing with the team. They have a great mix of musicians and vocalists, and there is a lot of talent flying around! I was so proud of how great Ryan did this past week. It's great to see him leading music again!

Pig Roast!

2005-07-14T18:29:00.000-05:00

The above pic is Larry the pig (after shot). In the bottom pic, you see Netta and Greg uncovering whole fish wrapped in tin foil and kumura (sweet potato) and bannanas. The process is to dig a hole and light a fire till the rocks in the hole are real hot. Then out goes the fire and on go all the things to cook, covered then by wet leaves then wet cardboard, then burlap. Samoan-style! YUM!

2005-07-14T18:08:00.000-05:00

Mission Trips!

2005-07-14T17:49:00.000-05:00

It has been over a week since our beloved ISM Mission Team has left. We had a great time with them! It was great watching Ryan connect with them like he had as their youth pastor in the states.

We really enjoyed watching the life-change God did in so many of the students. One great time was at a church called Streams. It's a multi-cultural church, mainly Fijian, that meets at a school. Such a passionate group of people, speaking with an excitement and love for God while preaching as well as 1 to 1! Many of the students were touched during this service and re-dedicated their lives to God!

It was great to watch them begin to serve each other and dive deeper into their relationships with God during their time here.

We miss 'em, but we know they will be changing lives in Lowell!