Craig Rayner Kia Oro,
Third newsletter from the Land of the Long White Cloud (Aotearoa.) It has been an eventful month for me with new friends, new places and new experiences (some good and some bad.) The DTS has been a impactful, bringing freedom after some tantrums from the child (me) have been quieted down and handed back to dad for what they are (disobedience.) Mixed into the DTS has been trips into the New Ze aland country-side with new friends and an overnight visit to a New Zealand hospital.
DTS (Searching the Soul)
It is with mixed feelings that I have approached this school. One of the biggest hurdles for me was that of actually having to do another school. Another school! So I make the decision to attend because I know that it is what is required of me by the MD. Does my attitude about attending change? No, not a chance. I carried that bit of the issue with me, making it very difficult to actually get into the spirit of the school, and to actually enjoy and appreciate all that the MD had for me here. We have had some great speakers, men and women making the choice to follow the MD and living lives set-right and put-together. Within myself I have been in agreement with the majority of what these people have been saying, but my attitude has restrained my ability to respond as I perhaps should have been responding. One of you reading this has a motto that attempts to define the way I should have been attending this school, a motto of "total availability and radical obedience." In all of this I have learned that the word "radical' in this statement is not restrictive enough for me, although the original thought may have been along the line of what I now think, or maybe not. I still need to be totally available, but radical becomes immediately and joyfully obedient. It has been a a difficult time for me, allowing a fathers love to actually change me. I hope that when we actually meet again you will notice a difference as I try to live the life set-right and put-together, set-right and put-together in love and power outside of me.
Bay of Islands
During this month I had the opportunity to travel north of Auckland to the Bay of Islands. This area was the original settlement area for Europeans in the 19th Century, with Russell the capital of the colony at the time. Across the bay from Russell is Waitangi. This is a special place for New Zealand as it is the site where the now much debated Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the British and a number of Maori leaders. We took a weekend to do this trip and I travelled with Marge and her daughter Leah and Chanel, all of whom have been volunteering at the base, adding their skills to help the school run smoothly. We travelled up the east coast to Paihia and stayed overnight before crossing to the west coast for the return journey home. We stopped at a number of places, including Whangarai (the 'wh' is pronounced as an 'f' in Maori) where we took in the site at a spectacular waterfall. The West Coast (closest to Australia) was also entertaining, with an encounter with a HUGE tree called 'Tane Mahuta'. See the photos on the web site for details as it includes a photo of the notice at this tree. Unfortunately the photos do not give an accurate impression of the immensity of this tree. Look for the specks that are the ladies standing in front of this monster-tree.
Things that Go Bump in the Night
The nights here can be interesting, with local gang members climbing on the roof to tag (spray paint their initials) the chimneys, and at the moment, fireworks going off as New Zealand celebrates Guy Fawkes attempt to destroy the British houses of parliament. Not sure of the relevance that New Zealand places on this event, beside an excuse to set off colourful gunpowder.
The big bump for me this month was a night in the hospital with chest pain. It was not a huge amount of pain, but a note of caution that had me visit the hospital to have it checked out. The tests that the hospital conducted did not reveal any problems with my heart, but they wish me to go back in a week and do a stress test of my heart. Should I fail this test the result would be an operation on my heart to clear any blockages. The operation is done under local anaesthetic, but I am hoping that I do not have to go into that region at all. I am now feeling fine. Of more importance is that this attack happened during a time of pressing into the father, and some obvious healing in my life. I believe that this is more likely to reveal the cause, but being safe is not unwise.
Outreach and beyond
There are only three weeks of lectures left in the school. Time has certainly passed quickly. The end of the month will see the school divided into two groups, one group travelling to Bali, Indonesia and the group I will be going with to Guam and Saipan. We have been seeking out the MD for what he has for us in these places and would really like to get the fullness of what the MD has planned in these trips. I am sure that you can find a way to support me and the rest of the team in this work.
Other news has been that I have a new contact in Kazakhstan. These people seem very keen to hear from me and I am much encouraged by their warmth in the communication that I have had with them. As a door, this one appears to be wide open for me. I have filled in the paperwork and look forward to the confirmation of this open door in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime I am looking forward to Guam and Saipan as opportunity to learn even more about me, and helping others to begin a journey of revelation as well. It will be an exciting time. I hope that you will be able to join me in this hope.
