Blessed Beyond Measure!
Hey folks! We have hit the halfway mark, week four here we come, but first, we have some exciting updates on week three!
This week’s motto… kayaking, whoop whoop! We started our preparations on Sunday afternoon and were glad to learn we were leaving our backpacks and boots behind, for this trip it was dry bags and flip-flops!
Monday morning came around and with a very early start we headed to Abel Tasman National Park. After a thorough demonstration on how to save your life if you capsize (which is an unlikely scenario but never hurts to be prepared), we were transferred by tractor to the ocean, which was a great start to our trip and we didn’t want to get off! However, we did come to kayak so finally rose to the occasion and before we knew it we were on the water!
Our leader Peter (he’s great) made one thing crystal clear, NINETY DEGREES!!!!!!! Him being a professional (he is speedy) our technique was top priority. We won’t go into detail here but you can be sure we are all professionals now (thanks Peter!) Our destination for this trip was Anchorage Bay. To get there, we had to pass what they call the “mad mile” which is a very choppy part of the coast, but thanks to our excellent technique (the VERY calm and beautiful weather might have helped…), it wasn’t that mad at all. We were pleased! After our three-hour journey and setting up our tents we were able to relax on the beach and dove into our Bible study of Saul & David (we’re totally Team David!), and this was again a great reminder that God looks inward when he chooses His people, and to have faith in Him and be a follower of Gods heart.
It’s true when the say “time flies when you’re having a good time” and before we knew it the sun was going down…but the day was not done yet! Peter demonstrated great leadership skills by feeding us marshmallows over a campfire (we love Peter!) Our last adventure for the day was heading to the caves to see the glowworms - and we met some more unexpected insects (nasty spiders…), but overall, it was a wonderful experience we will never forget.
After we arrived back at Basecamp on Wednesday (with very sore muscles and some blisters but happy!) the week had only just begun. Our next highlight of the week was spending time in prayer. We shared challenges we face to live as a Christian. We prayed for each other and for the world. It was significant and a powerful morning and it reminded us the importance of prayer and how we can work in the world through prayer. So we encourage you to also take time to pray for God’s creation!
To take a break from this busy week we were given the treat to play soccer on the beach! We tried our hardest to keep our heads in the game however the beauty surrounding us (ocean! sunset! mountains!) was quite distracting. Still, our game was intense (boys versus girls!) but it turned out to be a highlight for every one of us.
This team is feeling like a family more and more every day and we are very thankful that God has brought us here together. In general, we’ve had such a blessed time so far and we are thankful for great leaders, awesome weather, and the beautiful nature of New Zealand. We are excited for what’s to come and what else God is going to teach us.
Thank you for being a part of our journey and for your prayerful support!
Beckie: “Hello family and friends! What a journey I’m on here at Off The Grid, I am so thankful God led me here. I am thankful for the good times and the hard times as it is all a part of growing! I am so happy here and often find myself smiling for no reason, I feel so close to God and have built more confidence in my faith! I miss you guys very much and can’t wait to see your beautiful faces again! Much love -Beckie”
Tabea: “Hallo Leute! Tolle Tage liegen hinter uns, mit sternenklaren Nächten und bombastische Sonnenaufgängen, ich bin Fan! Die Landschaften hier sind grandios - hier hat sich Microsoft glaub seiner Sperrbildschirme bedient. Ich konnte bereits gehörig Vitamin D sowie Energie tanken und freue mich auf was noch kommt. Ich hoffe sehr, es geht euch allen gut und ich bin gespannt zu hören, was sich bei euch so getan hat! Erste Erfahrungswerte ergeben, dass für Briefpost 17 Tage Reisezeit einzuberechnen ist - die Freude darüber ist aber umso grösser, juhu :) Ich denk an euch und vermisse euch, tschüsssss bis bald!”
Translation: “Hey guys! I’ve had some great days here - I am taken away by the stars at night and the awesome sunrises, I’m a big fan! The scenery is so outstanding, it looks like it has been taken straight from my Microsoft lockscreen. I have been absorbing the sunlight and Vitamin D and I already feel recharged. I am looking forward to what’s coming next. I hope, you all are doing well and I am excited to hear what you’ve been up to. For everyone who is wondering, it takes around 17 days for me to receive any mail from you - but it brings much joy :) I think about you and miss you, byeeee see you!”
Written by Tabea (Switzerland) and Beckie (USA) on behalf of the entire Off
The GRID team