"Diamonds" Event

Well, sorry it has been a while since I have written an update! I think our whole team is starting to work on our monthly newsletters so hopefully those will be out fairly soon as well! I also don't want to put to much on here because then our newsletters are really just a repeat! It's been nice having a blog page, though, so I can show family and friends back home some pictures without having to print them off!
I think I'm going to just try to explain pictures that we post on here and keep pictures going on this page. Also, if our team has any prayer requests or big things that come up I may post them on here. If anyone has any questions or anything they'd LIKE me to post on here, let me know and I can try to do that as well. Otherwise, I think I'll leave our newsletters for the work updates.
To explain the "Diamonds" Event that I posted some pictures from, this was a ladies' event held at the church and they try to hold a big one once every couple months I believe. Once a month, the ladies' do get-together, but this is just a big event that they plan and put a lot more into and it is for any women in the community to come. It really is a great way to invite people in and to get other ladies' in the community to meet Christian women in a non-threatening way.
As you have probably guessed, the theme for this evening was "Diamonds, a Girl's Best Friend." It was held at the church (another way to get people familiar with where the building is and not feel threatened to "go to church" so to speak) and the women's ministry really went all out in decorating and planning it out! Everyone got to get all dressed up and wear a lot of "bling." (I am sad to say that I am not to the point of owning much "bling" yet..haha! But I got to wear some fake stuff! haha). Some young men in the church dressed up and were the escorts when you first walked in. They also handed out little gift baggies that had a verse on a neat keepsake paper made up like a diamond (really, the theme verse for the night) that was from Proverbs 31 "A woman is worth far more than diamonds." -translated from The Message. They also got some other little goodies. They had a picture spot for women and friends to get a picture taken together, they had a trivia game, desserts, and a guy that came and sang to all the women. Mary Nelson (one of our fantabulous coordinators) did a small devo./thought with "diamonds" as the theme as well. It was a really neat evening and please pray that we really reached out and some of those women will come back to the church or other events in the future and that some good friendships can be made! I already saw some returning people from the 4th of July party that the Americans in the church held. It's funny the ways we can reach out and show love to people! And I think we all know how the love of Christ can always bring you back for more! Please be praying for all the women at this event and that their hearts will be softened!
Thought for the day: (This goes along with a post I already posted so if you've heard it before, sry. But it goes with the theme!) How much is a diamond worth if it's lost? It is still worth a lot, right? Just because someone loses it, doesn't mean it decreases in value! It will be worth a lot to whomever finds it. Well, the same goes for a man or woman. Lost or not, they still hold a great value to Christ. I hope we see that in every person we meet...the lady at the checkout counter in the grocery store who is having a bad day, the man at the bank who is holding up the line and everyone is getting frustrated with, the person trying to cross the street that can't because there is too much traffic, your co-workers, your family...sometimes we forget that Jesus' biggest way of attracting people was by just showing love when nobody else would. Random acts of kindness go a long way. I don't know about you, but I notice that when I choose to be nice and loving, even when I don't have to be, my day is just better! So, give it a go! :) Love you all!

"DIAMONDS" ladies' event at church

Both NZ AIM teams combined!

Team at the Beach

Team at the Beach

Team at the Beach

Team at the Beach

Napier, NZ Team visits (more to come)

Team NZ

The Mount/Beach

Church

THE MOUNT...

Well, I climbed The Mount today! I went with 3 of the Napier Aimers to the top of Mt. Maunganui (an old inactive volcano here next to the beach). It took us about a a half hour roughly to climb up it and probably about as long to climb down. Me and one other girl climbed down through the bush on a trail and then down the grassy hill on the other side where a bunch of sheep reside. All together, I fell about 4 times in the bush down a wet trail, fell in a sticker bush once, grabbed a sticker bush instead of the fence once, and did the splitz twice and scared some sheep away. It was quite an adventure, but a fun one!
It was cool to finally reach the top of the Mount because you can see the whole peninsula and ocean on both sides from that spot. It was cool to look down on a huge part of the city and the houses that go on for KILOMETERS AND KILOMETERS! I just looked at the city thinking "man, we have our work cut out for us!" I was reminded however by one of the Napier girls that God will never give you a task or face you with something that you CAN'T handle. What I am here, now, and forever IS ENOUGH to do God's work. We all DO have what it takes, we just need to let God take a hold on us and use us as He wishes! I know God is watching over our city! I have climbed and conquered the mount and looked on as far as the eye can see, but I'm so glad to know that God is even higher and he can reach out and hold the whole country in His hand if He wanted to! Even The Mount is small for how HUGE our God is!
(Pictures to come...)