Aotearoa- (The land of the long, white cloud)

Kia Ora! (Hello, in Maori)


Our team arrived in Auckland, New Zealand a few days ago. We began our journey by staying with Selena's (one of our outreach leaders) family in West Auckland. After a bus ride, a long layover at the airport, and a 4 hour flight to New Zealand, we were ready to eat and sleep. We spent the first day settling into the city and adjusting to the time change, while visiting with Selena's family. We watched the Rugby World Cup on the first night, and the All Blacks won the game! When we went to our tents for the night, I could hear people honking horns and cheering. 
Due to the World Cup, we ended up staying an extra day in Auckland, because we had trouble booking our entire group's bus tickets. We took a day to go around the city, and we also got to go to the celebration parade. It was nice to be able to adjust to the 3 hour time difference, and we also were able to share our songs and dances with Selena's family as a blessing and thank you for their hospitality. 
One of my favorite things about our time at the Hotere house was visiting with Selena's Nana. She is the head of the house, and she's got a fun personality. She would always say, "You're family here now, so that means that you can feed yourself...or else you'll starve." This statement was funny, because they fed us so well! A popular meal here is called Boil Up. It is exactly what you might think. Boiled meat, dumplings, cabbage or watercress, potatoes, and served with rice, bread, etc.


After our time with the Hotere's, we took our bus for an 8 hour ride from Auckland to Wanganui (Won-gah-noo-ee). Upon arrival, we were greeted by people from the church. We are staying in a giant, camper truck behind the main house, and the guys in our group are in a building next door to that. 
The weather is very chilly and damp. We've had some rain for the last few days, but it is beautiful here!! It looks similar to Ireland, but is even more green possibly than Ireland! The air smells fresh and clean, and there is cattle, sheep, goats everywhere! 
A really neat experience that we had was being a part of a Powhiri (Poh-fee-ree), which is a welcome ceremony that is done in the Maori culture. It began with a Maori lady calling out to us in a song/greeting. Selena replied with her own call. We then entered into an area in the yard with the Maori sitting on one side. We sat across from them, with the men in front and the women in the back. In Maori culture, the women are behind the men, because it's a sign of protection. After we took turns speaking and bringing greetings to each other, a song/songs are shared in exchange. To conclude the ceremony, everybody does a Hongi (Hohng-ee), which is the touching of noses and taking a breath in. This symbolizes breathing in each others' life. 
Afterwards, we spent time just visiting and getting to know each other, followed by a huge meal. The pastor and his family are relatives of one of our school leaders back at base. They are a Fijian family, and it's been fun getting to know them and their children. 


Today, our team did a Religious Education class at Wanganui East Primary School. We taught the story of Moses and the Israelites escaping Egypt, and as we told the story, the students had to act it out. At the end of the class, the young boys wanted to do their school Haka (War Dance) for us. It was really awesome to have them share their unique Haka with us. It's so humbling to have them share the dance with us, because it's such a huge part of their culture and who they are. It reminds me of how big our God is, and all of the different ways that his character is expressed through culture. 


For the rest of today, we will be going to another Religious Education class at another school here in town, followed by a sausage sizzle from 5-10PM, free to the community. We plan on sharing our testimonies, songs, and dances. A majority of those who come to the events are youth, and the church we are working with here have been serving the youth and praying for God's direction in serving them. I'm looking forward to seeing how God wants to move. 


Please pray for our team in the following areas:
-Continued unity
-Good health (The weather here is so opposite of Australia, so I'm praying that no one gets colds, allergies) 
-For clarity in knowing God's agenda and being obedient to his leading through the spirit.
-Boldness 


Thanks so much to all of you for supporting what I am a part of. For those of you who have been praying, helping financially, sending encouraging notes...it keeps me going. Thank you! I can't express how grateful I am to be called here and serving God in this way and during this season. I continue to remember something a pastor shared with us. "My God is REAL! I don't deserve to serve the Lord at all...It is only by HIS GRACE that I am able to go into the world and share the good news of Jesus. It is only by his love that me, a saved sinner, can share about Jesus." 


Thanks for journeying with me. I love you all. 
Abby

Youth Street Live

Yesterday, I was a part of a program that YWAM Townsville runs, called Youth Street Live. It's a program that DTS Students help out with every Saturday. We have the program here on base, and our group helps from 4:45-10:00PM. 


The teenagers that come to our program are called "Crew", (so if I mention a "Crew", then I am referring to a teenager that is a part of Youth Street Live.) 


I have started some friendships with a few of the crew. They are pretty great! Here's a picture of some of the girls that I hang with every week. Their names are Maddy, Becca (Bec), and Georgia. 

On most Saturdays, we begin by having a meal with the crew. Announcements, birthday celebrations, and welcoming new crew happens during the meal (Fun fact: Dinner is called Din Dins.) 


After meal time, the crew have time to participate in different activities, such as: playing soccer, football, skating in the skate park, playing music/singing, playing silly games, enjoying food and drinks in the cafe, and simply just spending time chatting and spending time together.


After this time, all of the crew and staff (myself and other DTS Students and Youth Street Leaders) all head into the base auditorium, and we begin our program called 180 Hour. 

180 Hour can vary slightly from week to week. It is usually a combination of a time for worship and prayer, followed by a speaker each week. Yesterday, two DTS students shared with the crew about God's love, and also that in our weaknesses, God meets us there. There is usually a song or video clip that goes with the lesson, followed by some group discussion nd participation. 
Through the lesson, our group got into a discussion of what it means to hear God's voice, or to know how God is speaking. Sometimes, when we don't hear God's voice, or know what he is saying, it might cause one to question God's love. 


The really wonderful thing is that God's character never changes. Even in times where one might not clearly hear his voice, or know all of the answers, there is comfort in knowing that God's love is always the same and that God love stands in the midst of any circumstance. 


Once 180 Hour finishes up, the Crew have a bit more free time. There is usually a rush at the Cafe right after 180 Hour, so this is the time of night where I help out in serving out Ice Cream Sundaes, Spiders (Which are equivalent to a Float), Shakes, Frappes, Mochas, Soda, French Fries (Or as they say, "Hot Chips"), Mini Pizzas, and Nachos. 

There is also a Bible Study time after 180 Hour, for the Crew that want to go a bit deeper into discussions, or to come with any questions. There are staff on base that have taken the Biblical Core Course (BCC), (which is a secondary school that YWAM offers in various locations,) and some of those staff help to head that up. 


Youth Street Live has been a really great ministry to be a part of here at YWAM. It's great to stay plugged into the lives of teens and to see how God is moving in their lives. It's actually really neat, because one of the original Crew members is now on Staff here at the base. There is another staff member on base that also used to be a Crew at Youth Street. They both have said that coming to Youth Street really gave them a place to grow closer to God and to build great friendships. Now, a few years later, it's really neat to see them walking into the callings God has on their lives. 


The other neat thing about Youth Street is that some of the older Crew have an opportunity to step into student leadership roles. This gives them a place to be discipled in leadership, and to have a positive influence on other fellow teens. There are some really wonderful student leaders that work alongside Youth Street and they really have great potential as young leaders!


Altogether, I'm so thankful for the friendships that are forming with the crew, and I'm excited to see how much God will continue to move in their lives. If you ever think of the Youth Street Program, say a prayer for the Crew and that they continue to encounter God's love for them! 




Here's one more fun picture with the Crew! Enjoy, and have a blessed day!
Abby

Where in the world is Abby Walker going?

Well folks...the word is officially in!


Last night, our Pacific DTS group received the official announcement of where we will be going for our short and long outreaches. Are you ready?! Here we go...


For our first outreach, taking place in 5 weeks, our group will be going up into the indigenous communities in the Mount Isa region, which is a town here in Australia. Some of our leaders have begun to build relationships with people in this community, and we will be continuing to build that. 

Our long outreach will be taking place in... (DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!)


NEW ZEALAND!!!
 Yea!!!! So...We will flying into Auckland, New Zealand, and then driving south to do outreach to a town called Wanganui (Won-gah-noo-ee). This town has a large community of islanders, those being from the Fijian (Fee-Jee-an) and Maori (Mow-ree) communities.


The most exciting part about this outreach is that 4 of the people in our group are either from NZ, or have already begun to build relationships and even have family in these island communities. Selena, a staff leader, is from New Zealand and a part of the Maori tribe. Eunice has some family in NZ. Andrew, a fellow student, is also from New Zealand, and has family and connections back home. Mena, one of our other staff leaders, is Fijian, and has also built some solid relationships with the people in these communities.


One thing that I'm learning about the island cultures is that family is of highest importance and value to them. "Wha nau" (Faw-no) is the Maori word for "family", and since we have people in our school that are part of the families we will be reaching out to, we will automatically be welcomed into their families. To hear the hearts of our staff and how long they have been praying for direction about outreach, it's nothing short of exciting and overwhelming, as this is also a pioneer DTS (The first outreach and DTS with this focus.) 

I find it soooo incredibly hard to put into words how my heart has just been overflowing with joy and peace that I have in being here right now, and in all that God is doing in my life, plus being a part of all he desires to see changed in this world. Even though there is so much joy and peace, my heart feels so burdened for the needs of the islanders, as I learn more about the brokenness and attack of their cultures that has taken place over the years. There is so much restoration that God wants to see in their lives and in their nations. From what the leaders have shared, it's my understanding that there is deep sadness, loss of hope, and even a level of shame for the culture that they are a part of. 


It is our hope, as a school, that we can be catalysts of change for them. That they can see that not only islanders have come together to come share about the hope of Jesus, but that also there are people from Australia, the USA, and Korea, that came all of this way, just so we can speak of God's love for them and that God has amazing purposes for them. I have no doubt in my mind that God has each student and staff in this school for a reason. I'm so grateful that God is allowing us to partner with him in helping bring about tangible change in the world. 


There is so much more that I want to share, but again, like I said, it's so hard to put into words how my heart is overjoyed but also burdened for seeing change. 


For all of you back home in the US, I'm thinking of you and praying for you. Please remember us in prayer as we prepare for the mission that God has before us. 


I still have quite a need for financial support, so I ask you to consider how you might be able to partner with me in this journey. To make a donation, you can do so by clicking on this link:
Donate Online

Enamorado, 
Abbs



 

Only took 6 years...

Well, I'm here. I'm officially on base at YWAM's Reef to Outback for Discipleship Training School in Townsville, Australia. It's SO SURREAL.


I am finally meeting people here that I have been Facebook friends with for several years. I feel like I need to pinch each person, including myself, to be sure that this is really happening! I'm jet lagged a bit, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be.  

Here are some highlights of what I have been up to upon my arrival...


On Saturday, we had dinner and joined in with a program that YWAM runs on Saturdays, called Youth Street. It was a blast! Met a lot of teens (which we call "crew"), and had fun getting to know them, fellow DTS Students, and Staffers here. The youth had a program including a vocal performance, games, relationship talk, and a closing band that performed a Mumford and Sons song. People were singing dancing and having a blast!
Here's a picture...

On Sunday, there is a church that rents out the YWAM property to hold their services. I joined in on their worship service, followed by our official welcome cookout that afternoon. The food here has been delicious! We had kebabs (chicken, and kangaroo). The kangaroo kebabs were tasty! I think it tasted like beef. For dessert, we had Tim Tam Slams. 

So what is a Tim Tam Slam, you might ask? 

A Tim Tam is basically a chocolate cookie covered in more chocolate. (Cookies are called biscuits here.) So you bite a corner off of the top and bottom of a Tim Tam, place it in your mouth, then dip it into hot chocolate. The goal is to suck the hot chocolate into the biscuit until it's about ready to melt apart, then you quickly tip it back into your mouth and eat the whole biscuit. It's delicious (like everything else I've had so far.)

Here's a pic...

The ladies in our Pacific DTS decided to also wear their Lava lavas (skirts) to our first cookout. We also got beautiful necklaces and wore those too. 

Left to Right: Ana, Grace, Hajeong, Myself, and Eunice

Altogether there are 9 students and 4 staff in my DTS, representing Korea, New Zealand, America, Figi, Australia, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, so we are a really diverse group. But it's been really neat in these first few days to hear more about the work we will be doing on our outreach. For years, our leaders have had a passion for the islands and helping the islanders find restoration and redemption in their cultures, and to once again walk freely in the culture that God has given them. There is a lot of turmoil and pain from what some of these nations and people groups have gone through. It's been so touching to hear what my friends' people have gone through, and we all have an overwhelming sense that God will be using our group in very specific ways for outreach. Please keep us in prayer as we seek out how to go about that in the future, as this is actually a Pioneer DTS for this specific focus. 

Our school really feels like family already, and we have been told that as a group, we have a lot of joy to offer and share. If you know me, you know I laugh a lot and I laugh loudly...WELL...so do the rest of my DTS. haha! It's quite fun to just enjoy each other's company and to just be silly together. 

Worship here has been so inspiring, because everyone just does whatever they feel led to do. There is an openness and freedom and I get chills, cry, and laugh with joy all at some point during each worship session.

I just have this overwhelming peace that I am finally here (6 years later), and God has never been more on time than ever. I'm reminded that sometimes God changes things because he has his best for us. As I see things unfold here at Reef to Outback, I continue to find so many small and large ways that God is showing me that this time and place was in his plans all along. 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!

I have a lot more to share, but the rest will have to wait for a later time. 

Thanks so much for all of the prayers and encouragement. It has meant so much to me. If you can pray for my finances, or feel led to give, I still have quite a large amount of fundraising to do. I believe and trust that God will be faithful throughout this entire experience.

G'day!

Infinitely Flexible

Those two words keep ringing through my thoughts on a daily basis..."Infinitely flexible"...


A few years ago, I remember our team leader imparting those wise words onto our team. "With missions, we always have to be infinitely flexible."
A few weeks ago, I shared this very phrase with my youth group students, as we began to prepare for our week long trip to serve at Kickapoo Friends Center in Oklahoma.


Now I find myself practicing what I preach. At the exact amount of 40 days away from leaving for my DTS with YWAM, I received an email from the base in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, letting me know that they are not able to make this July school a bi-lingual program.


Long story short, after much prayer and seeking to really hear God's voice, I had a calm assurance that God was telling me that it is still the time to go...it's just going to be somewhere else!


In the last two weeks, I have been officially accepted into the YWAM Reef to Outback Pacific DTS program in Townsville, Australia (The original location I wanted to go to six years ago!), got my student visa, booked my flight, re-routed my DR flight over to a flight from Oklahoma to LA, and LA to Indy, and have paid the course deposit for the school. 


Side Note: This is Mission Roo! My mom sent this to me about 5 1/2 years ago, when I was going to leave school to start missions. After some prayer, God made it clear that he wanted me to finish up college first. Mission Roo was sent to me as an encouragement during the times that I wanted to be exploring missions. Mom said, "Hold onto this when you are ready to go, and know that God will send you when it's time. Someday, it will happen..." 

I now officially have 3 days until I leave my family and friends in Indiana, and then will officially leave on July 14th from Oklahoma. 
Reality is setting in, and I am still in shock that I am going to Australia!!! 
It's such an amazing thing to trust in Jesus, and the more I allow myself to lean on him, the more I find him catching me in his arms. This song pretty much covers how I have been feeling and what I have been learning...Sweep Me Away: Kari Jobe 


So yes, the last few weeks have been a huge whirlwind and I find myself exhausted and frazzled one minute, and overjoyed and giddy the next minute. Through the ups and downs, the many changes in this course, all I can say is that I have learned so much. Funny thing is...I haven't even left the country yet! 


If this is just the beginning, then I can only imagine what God has in store...


Check out this song...May we all trust and follow our creator...I Will Follow- Chris Tomlin


Enamorado, 
Abby

Almost There!

This is really happening...IS this really happening? Am I REALLY going? 

Unbelievable...

6 whole years later, and I'm seriously 

ALMOST THERE! 

My hope to join Youth With a Mission for a Discipleship Training School began 6 years ago, and I really can't wrap my mind around the fact that I am going...in roughly 3 months! The fundraising portion is nearly complete and all of the details are just coming together smoothly. I still have a huge laundry list of things to take care of before I leave, but I am starting to see that finish line...that beautiful finish line!!!

Speaking of finish lines, I have been doing a lot of training and trying to prepare myself for the Indy Mini-Marathon. This will be my second time doing the race, and I'm very excited about it! It's been a real journey in itself, just trying to prepare myself mentally, physically, and spiritually...Running is a lot more to me lately than my fitness. It reminds me of the ups, downs, bumps, bruises, celebrations, and victories along the way. 

So far, I have done a few smaller races to help me reach smaller goals in preparation. I have done the Polar Bear Run (5K), Norris Insurance Pancake Run (5K), Shamrock Run/Walk (4 mile), and last weekend the Indy Mini Training Series (15K)...so that's coming along as well. Almost there! 

So as I get closer to these goals, and have been busily working 3 jobs and trying to juggle a lot of different things at once (aren't we all?!), I at times find myself feeling drained and overwhelmed; however, even in those moments, feeling extremely blessed and joyful. I love all of the different things going on in life right now, and I just have to praise God for all of the ways that he's been showing his love to me. One happy girl right here. :)

And...I have a song that I keep singing to myself as I jump from job to job to training, etc...and it makes me smile every time and especially on those longer days. Inspired by my niece, this is a clip from the Princess and the Frog, where the main character has been working really hard and been through a lot of hard times getting to her goal of owning a restaurant. I relate to the chorus which says, "Well I'm almost there. I'm almost there. There have been trials and tribulations. You know I've had my share. But I've climbed a mountain and I've crossed a river and I'm almost there. But there ain't nothing gonna stop me now, cuz I'm almost there! Well, I'm almost there!"

Take a listen... Almost There- Princess and the Frog

I continue to be amazed at the community of friends and family who have helped me to cover so many different things...parents coordinating youth fundraisers, people providing food, washing dishes, drivers for youth, volunteers to help lead the youth, a helpful pastor, supportive committees at amboy and sycamore friends churches,decorating tables, financial support, making pies, people praying for and with me, singing and worshiping God with amazing women and sisters in Christ, encouraging notes, hugs, high fives, laughter, friends and sisters joining in with me on race days, accountability partners, mentors, the youth just being their awesome selves...I think you might get the picture by now. 

I CAN'T JUST LIST IT ALL! 

That's how extremely blessed I feel. How can I thank everyone enough? Even moreso, how can I ever thank GOD enough?! He is so completely worth ALL of our praise... 

Estoy Enamorado. Si es usted?

(I am enamored. Are you?)

Are ya burdened?

My heart is so burdened in prayer lately. For friends, family, others in ministry, the body of Christ as a whole, the lost, the broken, the struggling, the numb, I can't fully explain it. The more I pray the more my heart breaks for things going on in the world. I posted a previous link called Pure Bride, and I just think about how short our lives really are. What are we really doing with our time? On the day of judgment, will God look at us and say, "I never really knew you"? Will we have a deep relationship with Christ, that goes beyond just feeling good about life? Will we be able to say that we...surrendered...all...?
I struggle with this daily. I find myself wondering these things often, and wanting my life to matter for the kingdom. If I looked back right now, would I be able to say that I not only gave my all...but that God has ALL of me?
Here's a beautiful song and prayer: I Surrender All to You


I have been reading through the gospels and doing a lot of reflecting on Jesus' last days on the earth with his disciples and the teachings he shared with them.There is so much to learn from those accounts. So as I continue to work through the gospels and soak it all in, I continue to be challenged...in great ways, and all the more burdened.


Most might think of feeling burdened as a sense of being overwhelmed or stressed by life in general...but what about being burdened in prayer? What does that really mean?
For me, I am just finding my heart more and more broken for things around me....and that is drawing me to deeper places of prayer. I find myself continually praying, and focusing a lot more energy into spending time with the Lord. The scriptures really are transforming and the spirit really does intercede and help us when we feel weak or weary.


It is a blessing to be able to communicate with our Lord through prayer....and I know I can't change everything going on around me...but I do know that God never ignores us...he always answers in some way when we call upon him.


My desire is that we will all be able to draw closer to the Lord in prayer...I really believe that prayer is so foundational to our daily lives and staying fully connected to God from day to day, even moment by moment, and not just week by week or even conference to conference. It opens our eyes to see what God sees and how we can enter into a deeper place of living out the callings he has for each of us. Not just in our individual lives, but in a corporate way. God's plans are way beyond our own, and the only way to tap into the way he is leading is to be rooted in prayer.


Here is a neat example of what prayer is doing in a community in Haiti. (The base in this video is also affiliated through YWAM, the organization that I'm going through for my upcoming Discipleship Training School. There is even a chance that our base in the Dominican Republic will be working alongside them for our outreach phase.)
Prayer Room- YWAM Haiti- Community Transformation through Prayer


Henri Nouwen has a really neat way of discussing prayer and how it can draw us deeper...Check it out. 
"To pray, I think, does not mean to think about God in contrast to thinking about other things, or to spend time with God instead of spending time with other people. Rather, it means to think and live in the presence of God. As soon as we begin to divide our thoughts about God and thoughts about people and events, we remove God from our daily life and put him into a pious little niche where we can think pious thoughts and experience pious feelings. ... Although it is important and even indispensable for the spiritual life to set apart time for God and God alone, prayer can only become unceasing prayer when all our thoughts -- beautiful or ugly, high or low, proud or shameful, sorrowful or joyful -- can be thought in the presence of God. ... Thus, converting our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer moves us from a self-centred monologue to a God-centred dialogue." 


May we pray without ceasing! 
Enamorado, 
Abby