April Showers - Christchurch

Greetings everyone, thought I would just say a quick thank you if you have been reading my blog since October I am always really encourage by when I can see people have been reading my blog.  

So here is another of my entries and this one is actually on time (as in at the end of the month!!). This Month there have been some trial and also some real moments of joy and blessing. 

So here I go again!

Work

Right so I have started with TreeTech and I am currently work there as a tree surveyor this means that I get to go into the Red Zone (the areas of Christchurch that are still really damaged by the earthquakes) and my job is to identify tree and put information about those trees into an ipad as in the species, height, etc. I could go into more detail but I feel you would only end up with a keyboard imprint on your face due to falling asleep whilst reading this. Anyway TreeTech has been great so far and I am learning a lot.

Lifestyle

I have not found a football team on a regular bases yet although I did play a full 90 minute 11 aside game with the Spreydon church team. It was great although it has been a while since i played for 90 minutes straight and so I felt it the next morning. At the start of April I fell of my bike going down a hill and graised myself pretty badly. Thankfully there were enough people to help fix me up and I even went to the doctors as I was waking up feeling dizzy. God had my back though and so there was no major damage done and my wounds are healing up well. I still don't have a car of my own but I still borrow Miriam's car and am able to get by for the time being. I also am eating my greens and washing behind my ears (something for the mum readers there) :)

Church

Church is good and I am still attending Spreydon Baptist and am still involved to an extent. I regularly go to Focus group (bible study) and have been making good friends. recently we went down to New Brighton beach and baptist one of the girls - Rachael - to be honest God kind of did anyway as the waves were pretty big that night and before they had finish the father son and holy spirit bit the wave had already knock rachael over. made for an interesting baptism anyway. They are all really interest bunch of guys and it has been really nice to socialise and get to know some of them. I also have been looking at sharing my Testimony at Spreydon and so have chatted to A.J. (the senior pastor at Spreydon) and he is going to give me a call when he find a suitable service for me to share it at.

Travel

At the start of April I went up to Auckland to see the Script with Miriam. We had a really great time and the script we're amazing as expected and it was a really good weekend with my amazing girlfriend. I fell off my bike Thursday before Script and so was still saw in Auckland and Miriam was a good nurse looked after me well and even helped me chance one the bandages on my arm outside shopping centre in public view and no elderly ladies fainted in the changing of the bandage either.

Other News

I have officially been addressed as Miriam's boyfriend and so that makes it official. It's really good and I am excited to continue the journey with her.

Next month I am going to be doing Camp America so I am excited to see some old faces and spend some time with the kids on camp.

God has answered some major prayers and I am beginning to feel more settled here in Christchurch. There have always been those time where I just want to go home to England, but God has always been there through those times and I really have grown a lot in my faith and I have met some amazing people and heard some amazing stories. So thanks be to God.

Anyway that's enough information for now!

Thanks

Blitzy!!

Mayhem in March - Christchurch

Hello again everyone, Apologies again for the late March blog (to be honest i should stop apologising as all of my posts have been late and should really be expected now! :) ) but at the title suggests March has be a bit crazy. Again though God has been at work and continues to challenge me in a lot of aspects.


Work

So I am still working with City care at the moment. I have met some amazing people at work and in a few days time I will be finishing with City care and join a council run tree surgery crew called TreeTech. Like i said City care has been great fun and the people I have worked with have been fantastic. It's been great listening to peoples stories and the amazing thing people go through in life. One example is in fact my supervisor who when he was younger collapsed and had critical brain injuries, his had to have part of his skull removed and is now on medication for the rest of his life. Although like a lot of supervisor he can be a bit hard to handle he is also an incredible character and in fact has saved me in his contacts as "The Pom "as well as using one of his favour phrases " Don't be a Gumboot!". A real inspiration to people that work with him.

There are many reasons for the change of job the main one is simple to do something more along with my qualification. I have been praying about Treetech for a long while now and feel that God has set this up pretty nicely.

Lifestyle

So I have continued to played football on a Tuesday and would like add that i have played 10 game and scored 10 goals. Although I don't think I'll be playing headers and vollies with Messi just yet. The summer football has just finished so I am currently looking for another team to join. I have continued to keep my commitment to the Mountforts and have attend Mountfort Thursday very frequently for a meal once a week.
Also Miriam has now moved out her parents place Huntsbury (where i am) and into a new flat. Which is a bit nicer now that we both have our own space. Still I have no car, so I cycle everywhere which is keeping me fit although am hoping to get a car soon and have a New Zealand drivers licence.


Church

I am still going to Spreydon Baptist and am enjoying being a bit more involved in the Church. Recently I was part of the security team at Easter camp. I had a really amazing time and meet some really cool people. 4500 young people all worshipping God under the same tent was just incredible. I was more impressed that they let my immature self use an RT, for requesting cups of tea be brought and for listen to the Easter camp Bear Grills how to climb up a tree. All in all it was a good chance to meet some new faces and get to know some more familiar one.

As well with Easter camp i am still attending Focus group every Wednesday and even lead a bible study group which was British theme which was fun for teasing the kiwi's. They are all really relaxed and chilled out so it a lovely group to attend.

God Warrior is still all go and we have been looking at the Lord's Prayer with the kids and it been really good fun teaching the kids stuff and going with them on that journey to discover Jesus.

Also I have been building a good group of friends and have been spending some good time with them.

Travel

I have alright on the old travel front this month, I have managed to go through Arthur Pass with Miriam and recently I have travelled up to Auckland to get my US visa and even managed to go to Eden park to watch England play the Black Caps in Cricket, managed to stay with the knights and have now obtained a my visa.

Other News

So me and Miriam are still an item and are enjoying the start of the journey. Although during our trip through Arthur's pass Miriam got a phone call saying that her gran had die and so this has been a very hard time on Miriam and her family.

Answers to Prayer

If you've read my previous post you will remember that I felt God calling me to Christchurch and was praying for vision and clarity. Well the amazing thing about God is that he doesn't just answer prayer the way we expect them he does things his way and the generally better than we imagine. So I was sitting in a car and just had a moment of just silence and I realised that I spend a lot of time trying to do stuff instead of just taking the time just to be silent. Also I been trying to pray more about my situations and I have been praying about this TreeTech job and it was amazing at the interview as all the thing i went into that room concerned about just were solved. I really feel this is a good place for me to be.

More Prayers

Miriam and her family as they try to get over the death of her gran.

My work that I will leave City Care on a high note and go into TreeTech on a high note as well and I can really feel God's blessing in this job.

Anyway that's it for now catch you next month

Blitzy