adventures galore.

Yo, readers!
For those of you who actually read/check this thing, I really do apologize for my severe lack of updates. Internet access is really sporadic (and we usually have to pay for it...I'm currently being a computer hog at our hostel and not exploring Wellington on our only day here...oops), and I usually am using all that time to reply to emails, so...sorry! Know that I do appreciate you for checking this out and seeing how I'm doing. Sorry I can't do the same for everyone :( it'll be some major catching up when I'm back...but I'll get there when I get there.

Anyhoo, here's a quick update of our time in NZ so far. Since my last update (which was in Auckland, when we'd just gotten to NZ), I've gotten to work on an organic farm, live at a marae (communal living area of the Maori, the native New Zealanders), and spend a few days at Blue Mountain Adventure Center (BMAC). Needless to say, everywhere we've gone has entailed so many new things to try and new awesome (kiwi) people to meet :) Praise God for that!
The farm was really fun--not just all the things I tried (milking cows, shearing a sheep, witnessing a sheep slaughter, using a chainsaw and pickaxe to cut wood, bushwhacking, making bullets, shooting a rifle...), but also the family that lived there and the two other WWOOFers (WWOOF=willing worker on organic farm) were super awesome and fun to be around :) I miss them quite a lot.
Living at the marae was another chance to really cross cultures and learn about the history and culture of the Maori. We were only there a few days, but it was a lot of fun, and all the women there were really friendly and funny and taught us so much about their culture and beliefs. We ate SO much there, too...eep.
BMAC was awesome--we got to go rappelling down the side of a waterfall, white water rafting (super fun), and caving! So much fun stuff :) It was also so refreshing and encouraging to be around a few brothers in Christ--one my age (an intern) and two older ones, who were our guides. I had a good talk with one of them (Dan, our main guide), and it was just so encouraging. Even having them pray and send us off made me so happy. :) I really miss all my brothers and sisters back home, but praise God for the Holy Spirit who's always with me :) and who encouraged me with this verse:
"When I said, 'My foot slips,' Your unfailing love, LORD, held me up. When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy." -Ps. 94:18-19. Amen!

So now we're in Wellington for the day, as I mentioned earlier, and then we fly out to Queenstown (on the South Island) tomorrow to get ready for a multi-day trek + kayak experience! Whoooo :D so excited. Logistics for a group our size kinda stinks, but I'm trusting the Lord. It's so weird to think that life back home is still chugging ahead at full speed...ptL for reminding me that I need to think about course selection soon for the fall, as well as summer plans. And spring break is already over? Whoa. Which means...Not for Sale (at UTD) is happening! Prayers going out to y'all as much as I can remember :)

Mmk, that's all for now. Thanks for reading, and hopefully next time won't be too long away! Lots of hugs to you all :)