Whew. So much to catch up on! After being gone for over two weeks, my brain and my body are so out of sorts and my mind has been desperate to get words onto paper/blog. Generally I prefer the distance between me and technology when I'm traveling, but then I hate having to do so much writing all at once when I get back. I'd prefer the little chunks to the massive updates. But, alas, when you're on the other side of the world with limited access, sometimes you have to settle for the marathon of catching up when you return. I'm sure in the coming weeks I'll unload a hodge-podge of thoughts regarding my recent travels.
I spent the last two weeks on a little-known island in the South Pacific called New Caledonia with Jesus Film Mission Trips. I didn't even know this place existed until I was asked to go on this trip. It's an overseas territory of France, known for its nickel mining, supplying a large percentage of the world's nickel.
Sometime late last summer or early fall, a good friend of mine, Anne, called me up to say that her and her husband were leading a trip to New Caledonia and asked if I would go with them. The trip would primarily focus on one-on-one evangelism on campus at the University of New Caledonia, using the Jesus Film and other short films they produce as a means of engaging students and sharing the gospel. The hopes is to continue to build a long-term ministry and eventually provide long-term staff who will lead and develop Christ-followers on campus. It's a ministry that is in its infancy, so there was a lot of pioneering to do in order to pave the way for what will hopefully come in the near future.
And I figured since I would be on that side of the world anyway, flying in and out of Auckland, New Zealand, I might as well take advantage of that fact and spend some extra time hanging out in New Zealand. So, I spent two extra days at the end of the trip exploring Auckland, visiting Hobbiton (trust me - there will be a post reserved for Hobbiton alone), and going horseback riding on the beach.
All in all, this particular trip holds a lot of memories and a lot of stories. I think each of my overseas adventures has been marked by a specific theme and verse from the Bible. This trip was about redemption and healing - and making Jesus known among the nations. Isaiah 12:4-5 best articulates what I had been praying for on this trip:
"Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world."
I wanted to proclaim Jesus and make him known among the nations - not only what he has done in my life, but what he is doing in New Caledonia also. He has truly done glorious things and I wanted to make this known to all the world. Or at least this corner of the world.
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