11am Morning Programme:
New Series – ‘Jesus is Better’ (The book of Hebrews)
This week – Part 1 with DARRYL GARDINER

11am LifeSwitchKids Programmes – for kids aged 0-10 yrs.

11am Ignition - for intermediate aged young people.

4pm The Fuse -Youth Programme for High School aged young people.

REMINDERS

YOUNG ADULTS 9/11 EVENT:
Join the young adults in the War against Terrorism, Saturday, September the 11th 2010.Meet at Laser Force (133 Tory Street, Wellington) at 4:30pm (cost $18).Grab a quick bite to eat then come to Drew & Lisa’s (47 Heretaunga Square, Silverstream) after 6pm for nibbles, games and a movie. RSVP by 4th Sept so Laser Force can be booked. Find us on facebook! Contact Drew 0211735285 for more details, or if you need a ride.

CAMP SURVIVOR NEEDS YOU!
The next Camp starts on Monday September 27th – please consider how you could help. Could you sponsor a child to come to camp? Could you help on the first day with registrations or the last night with check-out? Could you help at nights with security? Could you help during camp with various admin tasks or to run an activity? Could you help clean-up on Friday night after camp? There is a job for you if you are willing!
Please talk to Brenden Jackson or email brenden@lifeswitch.net.nz.

LIFESWITCH CONTACTS DIRECTORY
We will be publishing a new LifeSwitch Community Directory in the next month or so. If we already have your contact details please let us know if anything needs updating (i.e. change of address or phone number etc…).
If we don’t have your details, and you’d like to be in the Directory, please fill in a pink Directory form at the information desk on Sunday or email your details to laurel@lifeswitch.net.nz. Details can include: Surname(s), Christian name(s), children’s name(s), address, contact phone number(s), cellphone number(s), email address(es).

CARE BASKETS
Thanks to those who have contributed items for distribution over the last few weeks.   We have given out three baskets this week to very appreciative families.  We still have a number of struggling families that we would love to bless in this way so PLEASE HELP by placing donations in the basket which is at the information desk every Sunday.
Suggested contributions are food items that will not ‘perish early’ such as canned goods, pasta, pasta sauces; cereals, tea, coffee, noodles, biscuits or cleaning products, bathroom items, laundry items etc…
If you would like any further information, please contact Paul or Pamela on 569 6833 or paul@lifeswitch.net.nz.

TO LET: Allan and Lorina Mitchell have a tidy one bedroom flat to let in central Upper Hutt.  Would suit a couple or a single person. For further details please ring Allan on 0274840881

WANTED: A Lawnmower to borrow.  Do you have a lawnmower you can lend to a family currently saving to get their own repaired?  If so, please contact the LifeSwitch office – 562 9071 or email laurel@lifeswitch.net.nz

WANTED: Washing machine for family in need.  Please contact Paul or Pamela Morris 569 6833 or email paul@lifeswitch.net.nz.

AVAILABLE: We’ve had a small fridge (no freezer box) and a smaller drinks fridge that have been donated.  If you are interested please contact Paul or Pamela Morris 569 6833 or email pail@lifeswitch.net.nz

COMMUNITY EVENTS

(Click any of the following banners for further details).

PLEASE PRAY

• For those in the LifeSwitch family who are bereaved or in ill-health or caring for someone in ill-health.
• The leaders and helpers who run ‘Ignition’ – the fantastic Sunday programme for Intermediate aged young people.
• For the organisation of the upcoming Camp Survivor starting Monday September 27th.

• Assembly Witness to Jews – Prayer Letter from Roger and Margaret Christensen – Available at the Information Desk.
• Barnabas Fund – magazine and daily Prayer Notes. What price is religious freedom? Check www.barnabasfund.org
• Gospel For Asia – SEND! Magazine – Check our water filters help preserve lives – Check www.gfa.org
• Keith-Gillon, Kathleen and Anita, Colombia – see separate item elsewhere on this Mission News Page;
• One Mission Society – Into The Harvest Newsletter and daily Prayer Notes _ Check www.onemissionsociety.org.nz
• One Mission Society – Prayer Letter from Geraldine Ryan – Available at the Information Desk.
• Operation Mobilisation – Ship to Shore newsletter – Farewelling Doulos after 33 years of faithful service. Where is Logod Hope at present? Find out this and much more…. Check www.omships.org
• Redit, Colleen, Christian Missions Charitable Trust, India - see separate item elsewhere on this Mission News Page.

Musical Recital – featuring

Catherine Ireland – Violin – Betty Chung – Violin – Lola Austin – Piano

Playing music by Brahms, De Falla, Prokofiev, Ravel and Kroll.

Also Slava Fainitski – Violin, playing Kol Nidrei by Max Bruch.

2.30pm Sunday 12 September 2010 at the Ben Ezra Lounge, 9 Kensington Street, Wellington.

Donations for musicians. Food for afternoon tea welcome. Enquiries, to Roger, Ph 385 6288.

There is a wide range of current Mission material available this week. We encourage you to become informed and read up on, pray and support, be involved, in the work of God around the world.

YOU can be involved in the above ministries, in many practical ways! Have you thought about praying regularly for these workers and ministries? Writing to these workers? Reading their reports? Going on a Short Term Mission Trip (Some are taking bookings now). Giving financially to them? Such involvement is good to for soul! Make a contact with some of them today, and be a part of God’s great team.

Most of this information should be available from the Lifeswitch Information Desk; or by contacting the organisations directly; or maybe from robert.park@xtra.co.nz

Many magazines, letters and leaflets are available from the Information Display Board (Behind the Information Desk) each week for your reading enjoyment. Please help yourself to any of this material.

Check this Blogsite for reports of what the team is up to in Thailand. Alycia is a member of Team 2

http://www.getjealous.com/teaminthailand.

WEEK SEVEN @ CHIANG RAI

Week beginning Saturday 4th September

Destiny Rescue

Chiang Rai, Practical projects, Orphanage

9 August:

Hey again

I forgot to mention in last email. our showers here at Noh Bo include pouring water over your head, cold water should I say but it’s alright once you get used to it. Love, Alycia. 

Hey, how are you?

Everything is going good here. We are at Noh Bo at the moment, and have finished one week and started another week of teaching which has been going pretty good. We are living on campus at the school so we get to see the karen students all day.
All the girls on our team went and bought karen sarongs and shirts which are really nice colours. I have also bought another green top in Lopburi.

This is only a short email cos others want to use the computer but I am good and enjoying it here.

love you all Alycia

Hey again

6 August:

Nothing current from Alycia but here is the latest report from the Team Blogsite:

Hello everyone! =) hope you are all going well,

This is Sam doing this blog and I’m in Michael and Lois’s team so I’m writing from Noh Bo Academy which is right on the border between Thailand and Burma and we can look out our window and see the awesome Burmese mountains covered in forest. The school is actually built in a magnificent spot as it’s surrounded by mountains and because it’s rainy season there are always clouds to cover the mountains providing excellent photos. Talking about photos I’ll try put some up tomorrow so that you can see what I’m talking about as I describe our places of work, play and our amazing ablution facilities =)

So were all sleeping in one row of rooms and the building consists of wooden floors and bamboo walls which is actually pretty swt, the mattresses are hard as rock but u get used to that! =) showers are just a cold trough of water that u scoop over you with a little bucket if that makes sense which is quite interesting to say the least, I actually quite enjoy the cold water because it’s so hot here, like the cold water is really refreshing and in Thailand so far when we have had the option of heating our water if chosen not to because it is just too hot!

we started our classes on Monday so we’ve been teaching for four days now which has been really fun, as with most things you do in life the first couple of days it was quite hard as we were still getting used to the kids and getting used to being teachers and they were still getting used to us but I know, especially for my teams classes last 2 days have been awesome as we’ve finally started to make some headway with the majority of the kids. what I mean by that is that for the first couple of days we seemed to be only getting through to the couple of people that were more confident but now as everyone else has started to warm up to the ideas of these crazy New Zealanders teaching them they’ve hopefully started to learn some more! =)

well that’s its for me today cause I’m tired and wana get some sleep but I’ll add some more tomorrow

Have a awesome day everyone! Sam. 

30 July:

Heya
Everything is going fine. we are off at 830am tomorrow heading off to maesot then on to Noh Bo.
To be honest i dont miss kiwi food, we have been having some very intersting food.
Monkey temple was really cool. have been there twice. so many monkeys. cherry and Josh T both had two monkeys jump on them. Josh had his sunglasses stolen by a monkey, and Josh K and I had a monkey atteack both of us trying to get our cameras
we are just about to head off to get dinner from the local market
love  alycia

28 July:

Well, we are safely in Thailand. our plane trip was long and at times boring. we flew over two points of Australia, indonesia, vietnam, cambodia and south thailand. we arrived at 9pm sunday night to a very warm 30 degrees C. we spent the night at a Convenient Resort 10min from the airport. A very nice place esp with air conditioning on. Monday morning we wandered around the local shops before heading back to the resort to pack up our stuff before heading to central Bangkok to have lunch and catch a train for the 3hour ride north (in an actual straight line/the track didnt seem to curve much) to Lopburi where we rode on the back of a ute to the Sunflower Guest house where we are staying. lopburi is still really hot, but we have had a couple cooler days so far. we went down to the local market for dinner and i dont actually know what i had – some flat noodle thing with something inside it, and and pork. it was nice tho. today we started at 845am then caught a songthaew (a ute with rails and seats on the back) to the centre of Lopburi where we were split into 3 groups and just wandered around the centre area looking at teh different markets, observing things about the thai culture and visiting the Monkey Temple, a large ‘ruins’ that has lots of bats inside. Lopburi centre is known for the many monkeys that roam the streets and are very cheeky when they try to steal your food. we then met up again and headed to somewhere i dont know the name of, and had a thai phonetics lesson with Dianne. we then headed back to the centre and wandered around the big market there for a couple hours. tried spme interesting thia food  – a thai sausage ball made of rice, a crab (?) ball with batter and chilli sauce, thai basil in some sort of dough, guava, some drink thing that tasted gross, pat thai – noodles with egg, pork. thai lollies and plenty of pineapple, dragon fruit which are either pink or white with black seeds in them, some prickly fruit, bobby bananas. we have had either rice or noodles at every meal so far. after the market we met up for dinner then saw a group of people doing aerobics/music workout so most of us went and joined them. it was fun but also tiring – just as well it wasnt really hot.

 21 July

Heya

How are you? Firstly, I must apologise for not providing an update for a while. Things have been pretty busy, as I will write about.

As you would’ve seen in the email I wrote at the end of April, we have been living in Cambridge and working at Whitehall Fruit Packers, which is a kiwifruit pack house just south of Cambridge. We were there for eight weeks, working six days a week 8am to 5.30pm. This meant that the weeks were long, with us working all the time, but it also meant they would go by quickly cos we always had things to do. Even though Sunday’s were our day off, by the time we had gone to church in the morning, the afternoon was normally spent going into town getting things you didn’t have time to do during the week, or catching up on some washing or cleaning up your stuff as we were billeted into different families. I was billeted with Geoff and Christine Crawford, an older couple who were always doing things to help others. It was really nice living in their place. It was quiet and spacious, and a lot of the time I had the place to myself as they were often out in the evenings. Most of us were billeted on our own, but we did have a few pairs in homes.

While we have been in Cambridge we haven’t just been working. On a Wednesday night we would attend DOJO, which is the youth group at Raleigh Street Church where we’ve been going. It is a large sized youth group and each evening consists of getting into small groups of age etc, then coming back together then breaking off again into small groups depending on what teaching you wanted to hear.

We also had Family night, which was when our whole team came back to the church after work and had a meal, a meeting and relaxation together. These nights were good as it meant we could all be together as a team, and it was our chance to be informed of what was going on, and also to learn some Thai.

At the beginning of June, when we had finished the kiwifruit season, we had the opportunity to go home if we wanted to. Over the weekend a bunch of us headed out to Kati Kati where we stripped wallpaper off the wall in the afternoon, in return for going horse riding the next morning. It was a really new experience for me, as I had never been riding before. We went along a clay track up to the top of a hill, which had great views, and then we came down via the bush. I was really sore for a few days after but it was a fun new adventure.

During the week when people had the chance to go home, those of us who didn’t moved out to Finlay Park Adventure Camp at the base of Lake Karapiro. It is such an amazing location for the camp. During the first week there we went out to Mt Maunganui for the day, climbing the mount and having lunch on the top – a steep climb but well worth the view from the top. We then went back to Emma Stokes (one of our leaders) place where we relaxed and had dinner.

The next week when everyone arrived back at camp marked the start of a busy four weeks. We kicked it all off by going for a night time kayak across the lake and down a river to see some glow worms which was really cool. Our time at Finlay Park was really busy, as it was our time to do all preparation for Thailand. We were doing a mixture of lectures, our Perspectives course looking at missions, and cultural barriers/shock/clashes etc and a number of different lectures relating to Thailand such as managing stress, handling culture shock, living amongst people not our own culture, and the most interesting one was probably having a Thai lesson that was completely in Thai. We have been learning a lot of Thai, which we will definitely need over there. We were leaders at a kid’s camp a couple weeks ago, which was fun. I was co-leader of a cabin of seven 12-14 year olds but they were all nice girls. We had two of them become Christians during camp. Last week was probably the busiest week we’d had so far. We had lectures, Thai lessons, finishing off all our lesson plans and resources for teaching English in Thailand. We were up till 115am Thursday night/Friday morning finishing off resources, then we had a bonfire then we had to pack as we were leaving to go home the next day.

Now about Thailand. At the time of writing this, it is only four days till we fly out of New Zealand, not to return for another ten weeks. It’s all beginning to be really exciting but also really scary as we are going to a whole new country. We will be faced with many challenges, but by relying on God we should be able to handle everything we are faced with. The majority of our time will be spent teaching English to students ranging from 6years to university students. When we aren’t teaching, we are doing practical work for one of the villages, or doing tourist attractions. Below is an itinerary for where we will be in Thailand. 

 THAILAND ITINERARY 2010 JULY 25th – OCTOBER 3rd 2010

WEEK ONE @ LOPBURI/MAE SOT Sunday 25th July

Arrive in Bangkok    Monday 26th July

Travel to Lopburi for orientation Thai Language and cultural training stay in Lopburi until Saturday 1st August

WEEK TWO @ MAE SOT/NOH BO

Week beginning Saturday 31st July to include:

Teaching English Noh Bo Academy, school for Karen refugees. Practical projects

WEEK THREE @ NOH BO

Week beginning Saturday 7th August to include:

Teaching English Noh Bo Academy, school for Karen refugees. Practical projects

WEEK FOUR @ NOH BO

Week beginning Saturday 14th August to include:

Teaching English Noh Bo Academy, school for Karen refugees. Practical projects

WEEK FIVE @ CHIANG MAI

Week starting Saturday 21nd August to include:

Week of rest, elephant trek, white water rafting, Juniper Tree Resort Travel to Ngao Friday afternoon.

WEEK SIX @ NGAO

Week starting Saturday 28th August will include:

Sat.28 – Sun 29 English Camp in Ngao Teaching English at Pracharamattunkhun High School

WEEK SEVEN @ CHIANG RAI

Week beginning Saturday 4th September

Destiny Rescue

Chiang Rai, Practical projects, Orphanage

WEEK EIGHT @ CHIANG MAI

Week beginning Saturday 11th September

Teaching English in primary schools with Pi Wat, Hangdong Grace Church.

WEEK NINE @ CHIANG MAI

Week beginning Saturday 18th September

Teaching English in primary schools with Pi Wat, Hangdong Grace Church.

WEEK TEN @ BANGKOK

Week beginning Saturday 25^th September

Sightseeing and ministry visits

Leave Sunday 3rd October

Please be praying for us while over in Thailand.

Pray for safe travels over there and while over there.

Pray that we may get used to the Thai culture and the new country.

Pray for the people we will be working with, that they may readily receive us and that we may achieve what we go over there for.

Pray for the health of the team, that we may remain healthy with the new environment and living conditions.

Pray that we may stay strong for God, that we won’t let the new culture challenges draw us away from God but rather to draw us closer to God.

Pray that we don’t let our hearts go home before our minds do, that we don’t let homesickness control our minds

Pray that, as we are getting ready to go, we may be able to get everything organised and ready.

I just want to thank you all for your interest in this,

Love

Alycia

16 July;

Alycia is expected home for the coming week, prior to leaving for Thailand.

6 July:

No recent news.

The Team are running a Children’s camp at Finlay Park this week.

They depart for Thailand on 26 July. Please keep the team in your prayers.

25 June 

The Headspace Team continue their preparations for their 10 week Mission trip to Thailand, commencing 25 July.

They are still based at Finlay Park Camp, near Cambridge.

Alycia expects to be home for a week, prior to leaving for Thailand.

11 June

The decision has been made to continue plans to go to Thailand late July, (God willing).

Please pray for the Team, as they are now busy preparing for this big adventure.

4 June

The Fundraising part of the Headspace programme is now complete and the Team now moves to Finlay Park Camp, Cambridge, to commence their next Block, preparing for their Overseas Mission trip to Thailand.

As you will be aware of the recent troubles in Thailand, this has been the cause of much prayer, as to whether the Team goes to Thailand as planned, or to another destination. Today, 4 June, the decision has to be made by the Leadership Team. Your prayers for them in this decision making process, would be appreciated.

24 May

We finished work at 430 on Saturday instead of at 5pm (we finish early on a Saturday) but we had to wait around for a bit while we waited to be picked up, but it gave us time to get changed into our nice clothes as we were going straight from work to Matamata to Emma’s home for dinner and her birthday celebration, even though her birthday isnt till June 3rd. Yesterday after church I went to Cherry’s house for lunch, they had one of the other host families around as well. Then cos we werent doing anything for the rest of the day Vikki came and picked me up and we went back to their place and just talked etc and had fish and chips for dinner. I found out that Dads Uncle used to work for our boss at the packhouse where I am working at the moment. We are finally feeling the effects of the rain, we are working tomorrow and Wednesday but the rest of the week is uncertain due to the rain. Which means we may be working till the end of next week.

21 May

Please pray for the Headspace leadership as they grapple over the situation in Thailand. The Team expect to be in Thailand for 10 weeks as part of their training programme, later this year. Please remember them in prayer as they make the big decisions: Do we still go? If not Thailand, then where else? Etc.

Fuandraising in the Kiwifruit Packhouse near Cambridge continues for another 2-3 weeks before the Team moves on to their next big adventure.

14 May:

Heya
Everything is going good. We have had some very eventful days (yesterday and today) at work. This includes  the machine taking 15 minutes for the fruit to come through after we started work, then it took 45 minutes to get going properly, then we had a power cut, then the machine kept stopping and starting, then quite a few times we have nearly ran out of boxes due to the box machine keep breaking down. It got to the point where we had used up all the available boxes including our spares so Chloe had to pull the emergancy stop cord to stop the machine while we waited for more boxes to be made up. It almost happened again today and just when I would have had the chance to pull the emergency stop cord today the box machine started back up again. So very eventful days, makes things more fun but at times can also be quite slow. We havent done much else, but tomorrow night we are being team leaders for the Raleigh Street youth group for their KGB event, which involves running round Cambridge trying to get to  ’safe houses’ without being tortured. We are all paired up so that there is a guy and a girl team leader on each team, so it should be fun.

Mama Mia is a good movie, we watched about half of it in Hastings while at our girls sleepover before going to the beach at midnight.

We havent had a lot of rain here, but when we have had it, it’s bucketed down. Mainly just during the evenings and nights, but it bucketed down at one stage yesterday while at work, so we pretty much had to shout to be heard. Hopefully it doesnt rain too much because the pickers don’t pick in the rain.

26 April

 I can’t believe how quickly time flies when youre having fun in the packhouse. Even though weve been working two weeks (5 and a half days I think) it’s been fun work. It looks like we will have a full week this week which will be nice. We spent most of today and the last two weeks when weve been working packing gold kiwifruit, which is good kiwifruit but very delicate so we have to be super careful with them. It’s been fun, esp as I’ve been getting a good report from the quality control people who check our boxes of kiwifruit. Today we had a few times when our line would go crazy, and cos its just me on the line, I had to work super quick to put the fruit in the trays, or else other times when it went way too fast I just had to put the fruit on the trays and someone else would have to come over and face up and pack the fruit, but thats all part of the fun and challenge. I even ended up throwing a few kiwifruit around (and hope the boss isnt around) and one instance I threw a kiwifruit under the main conveyor belt towards Cherry at the back (accidently of course) but it gave Michael and I something to crack up laughing at. So most of today went by quite fast until 4.10 when we changed to green kiwifruit so we spent the next 20-30 minutes changing everything over, making up boxes and sweeping the floor then for the last hour today I chose a bad line to go on cos it was soooo slow. Overall I am really enjoying work, and shall be interesting to see what a 6 day working week feels like.

Are you enjoying your feijoas? I have been having a few myself lately, cos we got a bag of some from church, and one of the gappers Emma went home to Matamata and she brought some back, so they are really nice. I can’t wait to have some of the kiwifruit I brought home from work last week but they arent ripe yet.

We have had good weather here lately, and have been able to enjoy it in our free time. On Thursday when we had no work Cherry’s host family took us into Te Awamutu for the afternoon so we had a look around there.

14 April

I’m good, and I am settling into Cambridge life okay. I can’t say the same about ‘my furry friends’ (kiwifruit) though. We are supposed to work 6 days this week but we are only working 1 and a half days this week :(. We had a half day on Monday (well, was supposed to be a half day but we just finished 2 and a half hours early). Our hours are 8am till 530pm so long day, but the work is a lot more fun than the apples though, most of us think that kiwifruit is better than apples, except for a few people.

We have already been around sight seeing. On Monday when we finished work on Monday we just came home and I went for a random walk around. On Tuesday we didnt have work so we went into Hamilton and walked around the lake (2nd time in three days) and had a picnic lunch there. Then we went to Hamilton Gardens and spent ages looking at the cultural gardens there. Our whole team went, except for Michael P cos he slept in so didnt get the text that was sent out in the morning saying what we were doing. When we got home I met up with Michael P (cos he and Josh T live in different families but just down the street from me) and we went for a walk along the Waikato River, a very nice walk. Today we finished work early as well, so after I got home at 4pm I then met up with Michael P and we walked to a bridge that is near where we live and met Cherry there and we went for the same walk along the Waikato river but this time we started on the opposite side under a bridge then walked down to the next bridge then we crossed then came up the other side.

Anyway, I better go. Love Alycia

10 April

Heya
Just letting you know that I arrived safe and sound in Hamilton, 15 minutes late but I got there. I had a very enjoyable trip up to Hamilton. The weather was perfect so we had some very nice views, especially of Mt Ruapehu. The bus was nearly full by the time we got to paraparaumu, and i had a girl my age (Hannah) come sit by me. We were talking for a bit and i found out she is a christian so that was cool. In Bulls when we met with the New Plymouth bus, the lady in the seat in front of us got off the bus so a guy who i think was sitting downstairs came upstairs and asked us to look after the seats for him while he went off somewhere. He came back with his friend and as we were driving we somehow started talking. They both (Gabby and Michael) are the same age as me and are both Christians as well so we were having a great time on the bus, chatting away as though we were old friends. It was fun. 

31 March:

Hey everyone

Well, here we are at the end of our first block of Headspace. It has been a very interesting time so far. Since my last email we have moved to Hastings, where we are billeted in homes while doing our apple packing. The host family Cherry and I are staying with are really nice. Donald Stevenson, our host dad, is the pastor of Riverbend Bible Chapel, and he has a wife Gwen, and two kids at home – Josh (21) and Katie (11). We have been having some great times with them over the last five weeks, including going out to quite a few local landmarks in our first weekend here. When we first arrived, our host family had five other guests staying with them so they had two tents in the back yard, we were staying in Katie’s bedroom due to guests being in what was to become our room three days later. It was nice to eventually move into our own room, cos then we didn’t have to have our bags and stuff in the lounge and in public view.

Work has been going quite well. Time has definitely flown by so fast though. I have been working 10 hour days which get very long at times, starting at 7am and finishing at 5pm so we are rather tired when we get home from work. Even tho we have been here five weeks, we have only had two complete weeks, the first week we were there and last week. This apple season has been quite bad with crop production down, which has meant that for two weeks in a row we had the Thursday and Friday off work. Not so great for our fundraising. Overall the apples have been going ok. I am doing grading, which is sorting out the apples when they first come into the pack house. It is a long and continuous job cos the conveyor belts just do not stop unless there’s a change in grower or run or variety, which can happen at various frequencies and times during the day for example 10 minutes before we finished for the day we had a change in grower.

As I am writing this I am drawing near to the time to leave Hastings. We finish work on Thursday 1 April and I come home for a week (?) on Friday 2 April, which will be nice to see friends and family again.

Anyway, I’ve gotta go now, gotta go make my lunch for work then start heading to bed.

Love, Alycia 

26 March:

Things are going pretty good here, busy withwork as usual. Today we started on NZ Queen apples, which I have never heard of before. They look similar to pacific rose apples.

Cherry, Katie and I went for a walk this evening after dinner, as we have been doing since Monday, to the local park and rose gardens which are really pretty. We were making up a story as we were walking but then it started raining  so we had to run home (about 5min) the rain was just  a couple days late tho. 

17 March:

The packhouse is going fine, busy tho, but its been slow today. For almost all of today we were getting rid of nearly half the apples that came through.

Next week we start packing some new varieties of apples – braeburn, fuji, queen so it should be full on then.

We had the southerly storm as well. We had gone out for a picnic dinner on the Rocky Shore in Napier with our host mum and sister and the weather was cloudy, and we were halfway through when it started to spit so we went down and got an icecream and ate that in the car.We then went out to Haumoana to visit Toby a couple days after his operation, and just after we got there, it poured of rain and there was thunder as well :(. weve had a couple nice days since then but then today it got quite cold. I’m actually wearing jeans and my thicker jersey right now.

Headspace is a time for first time experiences for me – I’ve gone double on a flying fox, jumped into a pool, swam in water over my head, and shot a gun 5 times (dont worry it wasnt at people)

12 March:

Weather not good for processing apples this week so a short working week. Went with her host family and picked 40kg of peaches for a change.

Home Leave is planned for 1 – 11 April.

5 March:

The Headspace team are now in the Havelock North region and have started their Packhouse experience. They billetted out in various homes.

Alycia works 7am – 5pm in the packhouse, 5 day a week, currently grading apples – she comments on seeing a never ending line of apples……

The Team gets together one night a week for dinner, debriefing and encouragement.

The purpose of the packhouse work is to raise funds for their forthcoming trip to Thailand in July.

Alycia appreciates your interest and prayer support.

26 Feb:

No news this week – the Team have been at Bethels Beach, which is apparently very isolated.

Today, the Team moves to Havelock North, and the start of their fruit picking/packing fundraising experience. Please pray for them in their travels.

18 Feb:

Hey everyone, how are you?

I have had a very fun few weeks here at Headspace so far (18days). We have had a very fun time. We started off the first two weeks at the Eden Christian Hostel where we were mainly doing team building activities. We have also had quite a few lectures from the lecturers at Carey Bible College and Pathways Bible College, as well as Michael Simkin from the Hebron House for International Students where we have been doing a Perspectives on World Christian Movements which has been really interesting, talking about the Abrahamic Covenant. At Pathways we have been doing an Overview of the Bible which took us right from the beginning to the end of the Bible. Learn lots of new stuff. 

We have also done a lot of fun activities such as a photo safari, where we had to do like a scavenger hunt around Auckland. We also did a Amazing race which was fun, except for having to run up Mount Victoria and North Head. we also did a Challenge Valley which was a series of obstacle courses, a sand sculpture and a rap competition. We had to complete that in teams while at the same time carrying a jug of water and a raw egg which couldn’t touch the ground anytime during the competition. Our team won which was the first competition I’ve won during Headspace so far.

The people here are really nice. We have 8 girls and 7 boys. 

Me – -from Lower Hutt :)

Cherry from west Auckland – then moved to the bottom of the South Island

Chloe from Hamilton

Mable and Oretha from South Auckland

Janie and Michael from Christchurch

Olivia from Cambridge

Emma from Matamata

Josh k and Caleb – from Napier, identical twins which makes it very interesting cos we haven’t figured out an easy way to tell them apart, Josh W from West Auckland

Josh T from Hamilton/Ngaruawahia

Toby from Napier

Sam from Palmerston North

So we have people from all over the country and almost all of us minus the twins and Josh W and Sam who are Cousins didn’t know each other. 

We are moving to our third camp tomorrow – Karanga Camp which I’m looking forward to because it’s in the bush, but we won’t have any reception there so I am writing this email to you now. 

Just though I would give you a bit of an update so far. Love , Alycia

2 Feb: We have been cruisy the last couple days, not doing too much, just been briefed about what we are doing this year.

We went down to the park this afternoon and played a few team building games. Fun stuff. Then Cherry and I went for a walk to the top of Mt Eden, great view.

4 Feb:  I have just finished completing all my homework. 15 questions to be answered from articles in a very thick book. Spent three hours working on it yesterday and an hour today so its a lot. Doing the same thing again tomorrow.

Having a great time. we went to Carey College today .

8 Feb: We have had a busy week, with lectures, homework, but also some fun. On Saturday we went downtown in the morning, then went to Long Bay beach for lunch and the afternoon. It was really hot there, and probably the most populated beach I’ve seen in NZ that I can think of. On Sunday we went to Lincoln Road Bible Chapel in the morning. They had Murray and Joy Stevenson from Congo there, so Murray was speaking, then all 18 of us were invited out for lunch to Russell and Pearl’s place.

On Saturday when we were at the beach, Mrs S dropped off a card, notebook and a pen for me, which was nice of her. I’ve also been invited out for dinner with the S family this Saturday. We have free time from lunch onwards in the weekend, and I’m hoping I can see other friends at Eden church on Sunday when we go there.

Not much else has happened, but it has been really warm. Cherry and I watched a cool sunset last night, and I have a few photos so far of people and things from Headspace.

Alycia’s Itinerary is below:

Headspace Itinerary 2010

Friday 16^th July – Saturday 24^th July

Home leave to prepare for Thailand

Block Four: Off Shore – Ministry and Mission

Sunday 25^th July – Sunday 3^rd October

Thailand

Block Five: Future Directions

Return from Thailand Sunday 3^rd October (depending on flights)

Sunday 3^rd October – Monday 11^th October

Home leave

Monday 11^th October – Monday 18^th October

Camp Wainui

Wainuiomata

Wellington

Camp Phone: (04) 564 5305

Monday 18^th October – Friday 22^nd October

Ngaruawahia Christian Camp

148 Waingara Road

Ngaruawahia 3720

Waikato

Ph: (07) 824 8495

Friday 22^nd October – Friday 29^th October

Camp Maynard

101 Paremoremo Road

Albany

Ph: (09) 415 8393

Friday 29^th October – Monday 1^st November

Campbell Park Youth Camp

280 Molesworth Drive

Mangawhai Heads

Northland

Ph: (09) 431 5730

Monday 1^st November – Saturday 6^th November

Karanga Camp

79 Te Henga Road, Bethels

Waitakere City, Auckland

(09) 810 9372

Saturday 6^th November

Headspace Celebration Service at Lincoln Road Bible Chapel

66 Lincoln Road

Henderson

Auckland

Starting at 2 pm followed by afternoon tea

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For progress reports for Alycia, please email robert.park@xtra.co.nz

We fully recommend the Headspace programme as an excellent way of studying God’s Word, and being involved in cross cultural Mission at the same time.

What is God’s will for my life? What am I here for? Headspace will give you some answers. Enquire now to join the Headspace team for 2011. Email headspace@gcim.org.nz for further information.

These Hymn-A-Longs are for all those who enjoy the older hymns of the Christian Faith. Even if you don’t, come along anyway!!

We meet every two months throughout the year, normally in March, May, July, September, and November. We enjoy a wonderful time of fellowship together.

The next Hymn-A-Long is to be held on:

Sunday 12 September, 4.30pm to 5.40pm (approx) at

Moera Gospel Chapel, Lower Hutt.

This is followed by a Fellowship Tea (Contributions appreciated)

Everyone welcome.

For further information, please contact Robert Park, Ph 567 4616, Email robert.park@xtra.co.nz

Rick and Annemarie, Austria. Please pray for Rick and Annemarie as they adjust to the recent passing of Annemarie’s sister. Annemarie gives praise for a wonderful celebration of her sister’s life lived for God.

Continue to pray for the Headspace team. Praise God that the two gappers who were quite sick last week are now much better in health.

Please continue to pray for the team as they endeavour to be a blessing as they work with local Thai ministries. 

Sarah, India, writes;

Sunthorshum went back into hospital today for a check up. The Dr will take her cast off and check the leg. Then the Dr will decide whether she is to have her fourth lot of chemotherapy. She may start it tomorrow (Thursday) and be back on Saturday.

Alex and Lynette, Ecuador, write; Pray for Alex as he is leading a medical team of 8 in Haiti’s tent camps. Daily temperatures are in the upper 30’s to 40 degrees centigrade and inside the tents where mobile clinics are held it’s way warmer! Extreme poverty is evident but praise God for the spiritual hunger expressed by many patients and their coming to know Christ personally. The team is accompanied by a local Pastor and Christian translators.

Murray and Joy, DR Congo, write; We are currently in the process of visa application. Our last 5 year mission visa is about to expire Our passports have been sent to the capital. Not easy to obtain and by no means a sure process. Please pray.

Neil and Philomena, Thailand, write;

We give praise for Philomena’s time in Auckland and as she moves to Christchurch this weekend before moving onto her mum in Brisbane.

Please pray for Neil as he holds the fort in Bangkok and for continuation in building relationships with students and families at the start of this school year.

International Bible Teaching Ministry

of Child Evangelism Fellowship Inc.

___________________________________________________________________________          

      Piasek, August 31, 2010

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your partnership in the ministry of ‘Proclaiming the Word!’

Proclaiming the Word directly in Poland

August 1, Nierodzim.

August 7-14, CEF evangelistic camp for 204 children in Jaroslawiec at the Baltic Sea.

August 15, Tychy Zwakow.

August 22, Piasek.

August 29, Jaworzno.

Children’s Ministry Leadership Course in Kilchzimmer, Switzerland

August 23-27, Teaching the Epistle to the Ephesians at the Children’s Ministry Leadership Course in the CEF European Centre in Kilchzimmer. Students were from England, Germany, Korea, Northern Ireland, Southern Ireland and Switzerland.

Proclaiming the Word through the Internet

Our Web site www.proword.eu is being visited by thousands of teachers and preachers from 136 countries in 36 languages already! The outlines in Afrikaans, French, Kalenjin, Oromiffa and Runyankole/Rukiga are still waiting to be placed on the Web site:. We are still praying for translators for three more languages of Europe: Estonian, Maltese and Norwegian.

Plans for September 2010:

September 5, Tychy.

September 7, Sharing the Word in prison, Cieszyn.

September 11, Children’s missions conference, Piasek.

September 12, Czestochowa.

September 19, Palowice.

September 26, Chorzow.

We thank God for you and for your prayers for the ministry of ‘Proclaiming the Word!’

Your co-workers in Christ,

Czeslaw and Helena Bassara

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ul. Dworcowa 14, 43-211 Piasek, woj. slaskie, POLAND

Phone: -48 32 211 46 37; E-mail: czeslaw7@eta.pl; www.proword.eu

• Bible Society – The Word At Work newsletter – God’s Word via God pod?… and other means. Bible Society Christmas Cards are now available $7.99 per pack of 12. Order your supplies now Check www.biblesociety.org.nz
• Keith-Gillon, Kathleen and Anita, Colombia – see separate item elsewhere on this Mission News Page;
• Promise Keepers – GPS He Leads Me Conference information. Wellington 10-11 September.  For further information pho0ne 0800 PROMISE or check www.promisekeepers.org.nz
• Redit, Colleen, Christian Missions Charitable Trust, India - see separate item elsewhere on this Mission News Page. The latest letter from Colleen Redit is also available at the Information Desk.
• Sons of Korah – Present a musical journey into the spiritual drama of the Psalms. One Wellington concert only – at the Elim International Church, Tennyson Street, Te Aro, Saturday 28 August 8pm. Tickets $12 each or family pass $36. Tickets available on line at www.sonsofkorah.com or at the door if not sold out. Supported by the New Zealand Bible Society.

There is a wide range of current Mission material available this week. We encourage you to become informed and read up on, pray and support, be involved, in the work of God around the world.

YOU can be involved in the above ministries, in many practical ways! Have you thought about praying regularly for these workers and ministries? Writing to these workers? Reading their reports? Going on a Short Term Mission Trip (Some are taking bookings now). Giving financially to them? Such involvement is good to for soul! Make a contact with some of them today, and be a part of God’s great team.

Most of this information should be available from the Lifeswitch Information Desk; or by contacting the organisations directly; or maybe from robert.park@xtra.co.nz

Many magazines, letters and leaflets are available from the Information Display Board (Behind the Information Desk) each week for your reading enjoyment. Please help yourself to any of this material.

11am Morning Programme:
‘Thy Kingdom Come’- DVD presentation of SCOTT THORNTON – Key Speaker at LIFE Conference 2010

11am LifeSwitchKids Programmes – for kids aged 0-10 yrs.

11am Ignition - for intermediate aged young people.

4pm The Fuse -Youth Programme for High School aged young people.

WHAT’S NEW?

We sadly note that MRS JOYCE HALSE passed away to Heaven on 23 August.   Joyce and Len Halse and their extended family were founding members of Petone Gospel Hall and tireless workers for our church and the people of Petone throughout the years.  We give thanks to God for the life of this special Christian woman.

YOUNG ADULTS 9/11 EVENT:
Join the young adults in the War against Terrorism, Saturday, September the 11th 2010.Meet at Laser Force (133 Tory Street, Wellington) at 4:30pm (cost $18).Grab a quick bite to eat then come to Drew & Lisa’s (47 Heretaunga Square, Silverstream) after 6pm for nibbles, games and a movie.  RSVP by 4th Sept so Laser Force can be booked.  Find us on facebook! Contact Drew 0211735285 for more details, or if you need a ride.

CONGRATULATIONS to Roy and Rachel Hogan on the birth of their baby boy Joshua Joel Hogan. Please pray for this precious new baby and the family.

REMINDERS

CAMP SURVIVOR NEEDS YOU!
The next Camp starts on Monday September 27th – please consider how you could help. Could you sponsor a child to come to camp? Could you help on the first day with registrations or the last night with check-out? Could you help at nights with security? Could you help during camp with various admin tasks or to run an activity? Could you help clean-up on Friday night after camp? There is a job for you if you are willing!
Please talk to Brenden Jackson or email brenden@lifeswitch.net.nz.

LIFESWITCH CONTACTS DIRECTORY
We will be publishing a new LifeSwitch Community Directory in the next month or so. If we already have your contact details please let us know if anything needs updating (i.e. change of address or phone number etc…).
If we don’t have your details, and you’d like to be in the Directory, please fill in a pink Directory form at the information desk on Sunday or email your details to laurel@lifeswitch.net.nz. Details can include: Surname(s), Christian name(s), children’s name(s), address, contact phone number(s), cellphone number(s), email address(es).

CARE BASKETS
Thanks to those who have contributed items for distribution over the last few weeks. We still have a number of struggling families that we would love to bless in this way so PLEASE HELP by placing donations in the basket which is at the information desk every Sunday.
Suggested contributions are food items that will not ‘perish early’ such as canned goods, pasta, pasta sauces; cereals, tea, coffee, noodles, biscuits or cleaning products, bathroom items, laundry items etc…
If you would like any further information, please contact Paul or Pamela on 569 6833 or paul@lifeswitch.net.nz.

STARTING NEXT WEEK

COMMUNITY EVENTS

(Click any of the following banners for further details).

PLEASE PRAY

• For those in the LifeSwitch family who are bereaved or in ill-health or caring for someone in ill-health. Particularly the Hamilton family, the Wordsworth/Pepperell family and Halse family (see above) as they adjust after their recent bereavements.
• For the Elders of LifeSwitch. That they will be given wisdom and guidance in the matter of appointing a new Church Director.
• For the organisation of the upcoming Camp Survivor starting Monday September 27th.

Colleen, India, writes; We have just had our Bethany Primary and Hr. Secondary School Sports Day which was a huge success. 

There is some very bad viruses going around here which are affecting many of our staff and their children. We need much prayer for God’s hand of healing.

Pray that we all will be encouraged as we serve the Lord. It is not easy when there are people who would like to see us discouraged, but praise God He helps us to keep our eyes full on Him and I have proved over and over again that He is not a disappointment.  It is a joy to serve Him.

Ron and Eunice, Italy, give praise as they participate in the European Christian Worker’s Conference for those commended from English-speaking countries and who are working with Brethren assemblies throughout Europe. They rejoice as they are in rich fellowship and as they have the opportunity for a wider vision of God’s work in Europe.

Please continue to pray for Headspace in Thailand. This week 2 of the gappers were hospitilised with a serious viral infection. Praise God that they are now out of hospital but will require ongoing medical support. Continue to remember the Headspace leaders (Mark and Emma and Michael and Lois) as they continue to lead the Headspace team.

Pray for Chris and Sheri and the CMM (Christian Books Melanesia) family following the death of loved colleague Enos. Enos was 31 years old and he left behind a wife and two sons. He had worked at CBM for 8 years, including 2 years at the Wewak bookshop, before being transferred to the Head Office to work in the accounts area. The passing of Enos has been keenly felt by Chris and the CBM team.

Praise God for the people from many countries who raised funds for Vincent’s operation. Vincent and his wife have been working as local CBC missionaries in the Southern Highlands in PNG. In May, Vincent had a heart attack resulting in him requiring a triple bypass. This could not be performed in PNG, so he travelled to Australia for the operation. Vincent’s operation was a success with no complications.