The Start of Something New!
Hey Y’all! Welcome people from around the world! Our first week has absolutely flown by and we are here with an exciting update on our journey so far! But on another note, we were all super excited to meet our new family and roommates for the next 40 days! Oddly though, one teammate didn’t arrive till a few days later and we had to guess what they looked like and draw them for our first group photo… Now, after returning from our first tramp, we are a complete team.
You could say that this first week has been quite intense with getting straight into it all…with adjusting to new surroundings, challenges, people….and a lack of dessert…(*cough)(*hint, hint) We’ve been exploring NZ’s cuisine with the aromatic fruit called feijoas which all of us surprisingly liked! And Jonas tried a thick slather of Vegemite on his toast one morning (him being told it was similar to Nutella) and after taking a big bite he commented “what is this?!” But overall, we are managing the hurdle and are soaking in all the information we can. So let’s get to it! #First tramp!
The preparation for tramping was more detailed than we expected and the leaders were very through in making sure we had nothing cotton and we even did a trip to town to get forgotten things. #Firstfamilyroadie
Tuesday morning comes around and it’s raining at Basecamp, but we pack our bags and rain gear with excitement for the adventure ahead! (We were blessed with no rain as we hiked up Dun Mountain to Rocks Hut) Thank-you Jesus!
During the time in the bush up the mountain we gleaned a lot of wisdom…mostly deep God chats, going back to the very start and digging into the origins of mankind and our role as God’s image bearers, taking the time to stop and appreciate the tiny little things in nature and standing in awe of the Lords intricate details and design. A standout question we got asked and have been pondering on has been, “What does this tell you/show you about who God is and His character?”
Realizing that our personal view of God changes everything and affects our whole outlook through life. It’s been really thought-provoking identifying the way we see God and then aligning that to what scripture says, getting a clearer picture of the wonder of His majesty. (Sooo good!!!) But we also had the occasional topic of life, nutrition, business, and even the intricate science of composting… (NORM-al things….)
On the second night we raced up to the lookout and caught the extravagant sunset and laughed together as the glow shone on our faces! The moon and the sun, both were a delight to gaze on… Norm called base camp with his satellite phone and on the other side of the phone was Christy and Beckie!! It was so nice getting to hear what life was like in the outside world! Both leaders Norm and Penny-Sue were very organised and we felt quite safe with their skillset! This tramp was just the start of our adventures in the outback of NZ and we’re looking forward to what else they have planned for our ‘various activities’! Surprises are no longer surprising because they are now to be expected. Bring on the adventure!!!
The guys have really been embracing the kiwi surroundings and been having fun chasing the occasional piglet or possum that has made an appearance. One night they even had a run-in with a wee mouse that we named Mickey! Aron’s quote: “One down, more to come!!!” Their work was rewarded with some chocolate…and we witnessed some big grins because of this feat! We are slowly adjusting to the idea of not having our phones and finding new ways to spend our time. Not being able to contact our family and friends is definitely another challenge that we are having to overcome, and the first letters back home already have been sent and are on their way! So keep an eye out Y’all!
Church on Sunday was so nice getting welcomed by the lovely Hope Church family and we felt very blessed with all the amazing people we met there!
Tabea: “Hallooooo zusammen, ist da noch jemand am anderen Ende der
Welt? :-) Eine gute erste Woche ist vorbei, damit auch unser erster Tramp (aka Wanderung). Dank erste-Sahne Wanderausrüstung konnte ich auch rauenBedingungen gekonnt trotzen (danke vielmal an alle Equipper und weitere :) und ich freue mich auf was noch so kommen wird. Generell wird hier viel mit Überraschungen (auch als “various activities” bezeichnet) gearbeitet, somit bin ich natürlich höchst gespannt. Tschüü-üs und bis bald, ich denk an euch und vermisse euch.” Tabea
Beckie: “I have arrived! I don’t think I could be more excited to be here!! It’s amazing what I’ve already learned and the things God has shown me in just the first couple of days. I loved meeting my team and knew at once deep friendships where about to bloom. I thank God every day for this opportunity and can’t wait to learn more about Him. Already good habits are forming and my love for God is growing! Miss you guys so so much!!!” Sending lots of hugs, Beckie
Jemima: “Hey friends! To those reading, I want you to know Im well! :) and really loving stepping up and overcoming the challenges that are coming my way. The growth and stretching-although uncomfortable at times-is so rewarding! The space and platform that OTG has made here is a springboard for me to go deeper with God, and has stirred up a hunger in me to seek more of Him and His kingdom! My team is the A team! And its so much fun getting to journey this with them. :) Missing you all very much, thinking and praying for y’all often.” Much love, Jemima
So y’all, this is the overview of our first week on Off the GRID! We are all so thankful for your support through prayer and appreciate all the comments as well! Subscribe & leave a comment!
Written by Tabea (Switzerland), Beckie (USA) & Jemima (New Zealand) on behalf of the entire OTG Team