Departure

Well the time has come for me to depart New Zealand.  It isn't at the time nor the circumstances that I wanted to, but it still has to be.  For those that don't know, I am heading back to the states earlier than I anticipated.  My Pa, grandfather, is not doing well in his fight with cancer.  So I am coming home to be able to be with him and say good bye when the time comes.  I haven't exactly had the trip I was hoping for either.  Arrie, the South African chaplain, who I was hoping to get in touch with, was never available to meet up.  I tried multiple times to get a hold of him, but never heard back in the end.  Likewise I was unable to find an opportunity that was working with World Cup specifically.  Luckily I was able to get with a local congregation and assist them.  This was also limited to only a few days a week.  I have been feeling really down with the amount of work that I have been able to accomplish.  However, I have had a few thoughts that make it worth it.  First off is that God wanted to test me to see if I would follow his will.  I remember a couple of weeks before I left, God asking me this question.  He asked, "Will you still go even if I tell you right now that you will fail?"  Now a friend of mine has been asked the same question and he says that he would like to say he would.  I can say that I did.  I don't think that I really understood what God was asking of me at the time, but now I really understand the gravity of following God's call.  I am also reminded of the story of Jeremiah.  Jeremiah is tasked bringing news of Judah's destruction to its people, even though he doesn't want it to happen.  Jeremiah ends up following God's commandment because he knows that it is more important than his personal feelings or ambitions.  Like wise, my personal feelings had to be put aside in order to follow God's will.  So even though my plans fell through, God's plans were still at work.  In fact Jeremiah 29:11 is ghe verse that has been giving me peace.  I also think God brought me here on behalf of a few others.  Even though I did not intend on working solely with the missionaries that are here, I appearently elped them out a great deal.  Cody expressed to me how much he was missing Chris, his partner for the AIM program, and said that I had been a real blessing to him.  He enjoyed having someone that was around to help and just hang out with.  I also really encouraged the full time families as well.  They were impressed that I was able to jump right in with what they were doing and encouraged by my demeaner.  In fact, the way things have gone I am the reason that they are considering bringing in interns on a short term basis.  Currently they are taking AIMers which commit to a 14-18 month stay.  It was mentioned that, that wouldn't be the most feasable for the ministries plans.  They are toying with a short term basis which would allow for a bit more flexability.  So I am glad that I ended up having such a positive influence on my new friends.  However, I do think that this trip was also a bit of training for me.  The first thing that I learned was paitence.  Waiting on what God is doing and reveal what he has done, is not an easy thing.  In fact it is down right hard.  I must admit that I can be a lazy bum some times.  However, in the mission field that is not the case.  I have to do something in order to feel accomplished.  That is where this trip was different.  There was no tangable evedince that I was doing anything productive. As a result I became frustrated, though I didn't show it, that I wasn't accomplishing anything and the whole trip was for naught.  However, after hearing that I was such an encouragement to the people here, I know that good things come to those who wait and persevere.  The knowledge that I was such a blessing, was good.  Another thing I learned, though not necessarily a good thing, is how messy mission work can be.  Currently the team is having to go though a situation in which the views and values of a couple do not line up eith te views and values of the rest of the team.  It has been really good and eye opening to see how they deal with this issue.  I find it important in case I just happen to be lead into the mission field.  Then again this concept can deal with any other team situation as well.  So looking back on my short time here, I would say it was a success.  Though I didn't get to take as many pictures or see as many things as I would have wanted, God was using my time here in New Zealand.  I am glad I was able to make the trip and would do it again if I had to.  Well I will be flying out at 10:30 pm on Thursday.  I'll put pictures up when I get home.  This is Ryan Dillon signing off.

September 12-18

Well the week was a good one.  I didnt do a whole lot.  Most of the week was spent getting over jet lag and getting aclimated to thr area.  So I guess I'll get started. Monday morning I woke up at 11:00 and got 13 hours of sleep.  I dont think that i have gotten that much sleep in years, it was glorious.  Alfterwards I got up and found me some cereal to eat.  So the rest of the morning wss spent having breakfast and watching rugby.  It was a good short morning.  At about 12:30 I got a call from Jeremy and he asked if I wanted to go with him to run some errands.  So after a few mimutes he showed up and we headed out to get the oil changed in his car.  While the car was in the shop we went over to an electronics shop and I was able to get an adapter for my devices and a top up for my phone.  Afterwards we headed to Denny's for a little lunch.  We ate and talked about what I was planning on doing for the week.  After, we picked up the car and headed back to Jeremy's so i could get some internet and hang until what we had planned later.  At around 6 o'clock we headed to bible study.  In the bible study they are going over different religions in the world.  Right now they are talking about Islam and the similarities and differences between it and Christianity.  It was a really cool discussion.  After the bible study Jeremy took me to my new house.  For the next two weeks I was going to be staying at the cherry's house who were currently in the states.  Now I am not staying alone.  The Discover church has an intern, Cody, who is also in the house.  So when Jeremy and I got to the house Cody, Paul, and Scott were playing "Call of Duty: Black Ops."  They asked if  I wanted to join in.  So we played until around 12:30 and then headed to bed.  I got up at around 10 o'clock and decided to watch TV.  I spent the day aclimating and just hanging out.  At around 2 oclock cody and I headed out to do what they call "Icebox."  Icebox is basically an after school program for the local kids.  It is a way to get them off the streets doing something fun instead of causing trouble.  It was pretty fun actually.  I ended up playing Smash Bros. Brawl and schooling some people in that.  Thank you Garrett for teaching me what I know.  That ended at around 5:30 and so cody and I headed back to the house.  We also brought two of the Icebox kids with us and had a great dinner.  Afterwards we played Black Ops until around 10:30.  Aftewards we took Willy and Collum home and then played some more Black Ops. Again I made it to 12:30 and then headed to bed.  Wednesday I got up at 10:30 and watched some TV.  I was lucky enough to be able to catch a replay of the rugby games the day before.  After watching for a bit Cody and I decided to shoot some more people on Black Ops and do we played to an through lunch.  At around 2 o'clock we finally headed to get some.  Afterwards cody went and picked up Stephen and Sara, kids from the local church, and brought them back.  We played a variety of games, Black Ops and Monopoly Deal, and then fixed dinner.  After dinner we played some more and then took the kids home.  Thursday was a good day.  Not because I did anything special, because I didn't, it was because I finally heard back from Arrie, the SA chaplain.  He said that he would be in Auckland on Wednesday and that we could get together and game plan.  So that was a good way to start the day.  The rest of the day was pretty much the same.  Cody got back at around 11:30 and we played some Black Ops.  At 2:30 we headed to the Icebox and did the after school program.  After the Icebox I hitched a ride with Paul, the spiritual formation leader at Discover Church.  We had a really good talk about my story and testimony.  Afterwards we played some more Black Ops and then headed to the Thursday night bible study.  This weeks verse was over John 11:35.  It wasn't about quantity but about the depth of conversation.  It was a good talk and lasted about an hour.  Afterwards Cody dropped me at the house and took Danny, one of the guys at the study, home.  I fixed some dinner and watched TV until bed time.  Friday morning rolled around and it was another lazy morning.  Originally we were going to try and go to the Brazilian consulate so that cody could work out some details for his trip.  He is going to do work there for a couple of months and then come back to New Zealand.  However, he woke up at 11:30 and so we were a bit off on our timing.  We still headed out to try and go to the consulate.  We missed the first time.  After  getting directions we found the correct address and made our way there.  We ended up at this house, not what I thought a consulate would look like, and unfortunately no one was home.  Since we just couldn't catch a break we gave up and decided to try it another day.  So we headed into down town Auckland to meet Danny for lunch.  After lunch with Danny we headed back to the house.  I did some home work that was due later and Cody got ready for some basketball.  At around 4 o'clock we headed out to play.  We ended up playing for a good two hours against some really good people.  I learned that I am indeed out of shape.  After our basketball extravaganza we went and picked up Stephen, Sara, and their mom to go play lazer tag.  Jeremy was taking his youth group and had invited anyone else who wanted to go.  There ended up being about twenty people there to play.  We all had a blast.  We ended up playing three games in which I was in the top three every game and the champion of the last one.  I guess all that Black Ops training payed off.  Afterwards we headed to the Northshore Church for some fun and fellowship.  We hung out there for about an hour and a half.  Afterwards Cody, myself, Stephen, Sara, and their mom started the trip home.  Well we got lost.  So a trip that should have taken 15 minutes took an hour.  Oh well, it was a nice little jont.  After we dropped everybody off, it was dinner time.  We headed over to MickeyD's and got dinner.  Yeah yeah I know going with American fast food, so sue me.  After dinner we played some more Black Ops and then called it a night.  Saturday we slept in again and then watched TV.  After that we started to clean the house becsuse the Discover Church was having a get together on sunday night.  Stephen and Sara came over and helped us clean.  We finished in about an hour and then played some Black Ops.  I know there is a trend here, and I'm not exactly happy about it but good things are coming.  Anyway at about 9 o'clock we took the kids home and then went to grab dinner.  After that we watched the replay of the games that had been played earlier and then headed to bed at 12:30.  Sunday we got up and went to do some errands.  We also went and got our costumes for the night.  It was an 80's themed party and so we went accordingly.  I decided to go as ZZTop.  So we headed over to the Two Dollar Shop, yeah that is what it is called and pick up the stuff.  I did get pictures and will put those up when I get a computer.  So at 5 o'clock people started to show up.  We had a good potluck dinner and lots of fellowship.  After dinner we watched Back To The Future, thought that was fitting, and just had a good old time.  Our night ended at about 10:30 and everybody headed home. Cody and I watched some more rugby and then i turned in for the night.  We were going to get up at 8:00 and play some basketball.  Well that is it for the week.  I know it sounds like I am not doing much, but i have determined that maybe this is what God is trying to teach me.  Patience.  It isnt coming easily, but it will pay off.  I have no doubt that God will work it is just going to let him.  Also Paul said something that is another possibility.  God may not want me here to shape anybody but myself.  Well that is it for now.  Stay tuned for more.  This is Ryan Dillon signing off.

Arrival

Well here is post numero uno. This one is about the journey over, and first Sunday. Warning parental descresion advised, professional driver on closed course, do not try at home.... Well the drive to Dallas was pretty uneventful, until we got into town. We got to one point and hit a stand still. This was at like 1:00 in the afternoon, and my flight left at 4:10. Yeah I was a little worried. Luckily we pushed through the traffic and made it to the airport about 2 and a half hours before my flight. I made it through security and immediately set out to get some food. Unfortunately my terminal didn't have much to choose from, so I ended up getting a bag of chips, big snickers bar, two small chocolate chip cookie brownies, and a Wild Cherry Pepsi. A lunch of champions. I was sharing my departure lounge with a flight to Denver and struck up a nice conversation with an elderly couple from Florida. We talked about where I was going and what I was doing. It was really encouraging to talk to them. I boarded the plane and started my three hour flight to LA. Now the problem with a domestic flight with American is that there is no in-flight movie. So I was wondering what to do with myself, when I remembered that Dr. A had provided me with plenty of Physics homework to do. So I set out doing that and actually got several comments from the flight attendants about how amazed they were that I was interested in physics. Anyway we landed in LA and now it was time to find my connecting flight. Well LAX doesnt actually do a very good job of telling you where your flight is. Lucky for me I had four hours to figure it out. So after talking to four people I finally was able to figure out how to get to my flight. I also was invited to get a drink by two attractive ladies that I let cut in front of me in line. I decided that, that was probably contrary to my mission and declined. Besides I ain't no ones sympathy drink. And moving on, I hopped on a shuttle bus and headed for my correct terminal. I was the only one on the bus and so I was able to strike up a conversation with the bus driver. We talked about football, and how I looked like a rugby player and so I could tell chicks that I am one so I could get me a date. Finally at the correct terminal I went in, got my ticket, and began going through security. So have you ever been in line and there is this one person who keeps causing problems with their check in bag so they have to keep running it over and over through the X-ray machine, yeah that was me. Appearenty my HP Touchpad is a bomb so they wanted to keep running it and see if it would actually chang into one. So Brandon be forwarned. Also there was this one TSA agent who kept looking at me suspiciously. I mean, here I was having my bag and stuff run over and over trying to be pleasent and he was looking at me like I was a terrorist. I was smiling and everything and he was suspicious of me. What is this world coming too? On another note the guy in Dallas asked me if I had any grenades in my hat, I had to tell him the truth and say no. I figured that wouldnt go over well had i said yes. After I was through security I decided that my first priority was to find something to eat. Luckily there was a Burger King, I know they are still around, and so I went and grabbed a meal. After that it was off to the gate to wait for my flight. About thirty minutes 'til take off the lounge was packed and they finally let us all board the plane. I started talking to the guy next to me who was gojng to be backpacking across NZ for three months. I thought that was cool and so I decided to tell him what I was doing. I laid it out and he said "Oh I didnt know Christians did that" in the sort of way that made it clear, he was not a believer and was not interested in the sales pitch that most give him. Well my intention was not to sell him on anything and so I changed the subject and we talked for a little while longer. Once on the plane I found my seat at the back and bunckered in for my 14 hour flight. Now I will say this, in my extensive travel experience, this was the nicest plane I have been on. New Zealand Air has a really nice thing going on. The inflight entertainment was top notch, the food was quite good, and I actually had a lot of leg room. I started by watching two movies and then getting 6 and a half hours of sleep. Followed by another movie. Finally at about 5:15 in the morning we landed. It took me about an hour to get through customs and Bio Security, something that I experienced for the first time. After getting through security I met Eliza and Jeremy, my contacts, and we went to McDonalds for breakfast. Afterwards they took me to One Tree Hill. We stuck around for a couple of minutes, but not to long due to the wjnd , cold, and impending rain. Which is kind of funny, seeing as the first day in Cape Town was the same. Jeremy and Eliza then took me back to their place so I could clean up and get ready for church. We then headed to the Northside Church of Christ for Sunday morning service. Northside is a small little place with about 70 members regularly. This Sunday they had 20. The service lasted about two hours. Afterwards there was a tea break and class. Once church was over we were invited go over to one of the families house for lunch. We had sandwiches and a really nice chocolate cake. At about 5 oclock we left the house, this was also were I would stay the first night, and went to the Discover Church for evening service. It was a shorter one with just as many people. After Discover Church Eliza, Jeremy, and I went to a place called Hell's Pizza to grab dinner. We got two pizzas to go and went to one of the families from Discover Church's house. At this time it was about 9 oclock. At about 10 oclock we headed back to Jerry and Virginia's and i was able to call it a night. I'm surprised I made it this long. I hadn't gotten much sleep on the plane and made it until 10. Well the first week is coing up so stay tuned. This is Ryan Dillon signing off.

T -1 Day and counting...

Well here I am one day away.  Millions of things to do and little time to do them in.  All my bags are not packed so I am not ready to go (Do you see what I did there?).  However, I am excited, and a little nervous, about leaving.  I am ready to see what God will be doing with me in New Zealand.  I mean the journey leading up to this point has been exciting, the rest should be no exception.   Yet I am stil a little apprehensive about everything.  I will be traveling alone, I won't know a soul when I get there, I don't know what I will be doing,things of that sort.  Also things here are getting interesting.  Yesterday I find out that my financial aid might be in jeopardy and that my accumulated loans could kick in when I get back.  Talk about a shot the the gut.  The people I talked to said I have several options it will just depend on the situation when I get back.  Two and a half hours on the phone and I still don't think that I have gotten a clear answer about what is going to happen.  But it is a little late now.  I leave tomorrow and am gone for two months.  Another thing going down is that my grandpa is not doing well at all.  His cancer is getting worse and I don't know how long he is going to last.  It is pretty disheartening, but Matthew 8:21-22 keeps coming to mind and so I continue to prepare.  I think it is funny how things like this seem to happen.  My friend, Hein Reyneke, told me that he is encouraged when bad things happen before a ministry opportunity.  It tells him that something great is going to happen and that Satan is trying his damnedest to screw up the good (Sorry for the language mom, it won't happen again).  So with all these things happening I am encouraged.  I am encouraged because even though I still have no idea how God is going to use me, what work I will be doing, or how everything is going to work out; something good is going to come out of it.  Well I am unsure of the internet access I am going to have so I don't know what the blogging is going to be like.  But I am going to try to make it a weakly thing.  Well until next time, this is Ryan Dillon signing off.