Hello everyone! Well, it's taken me some time to set up this blog, I know, but here it is! I left Austin, Texas on the 14th and after many, many long layovers arrived on the 16th in Tauranga... which is not the picture posted, that's of the city of Auckland in New Zealand and where I first arrived internationally. When I had a layover in San Francisco I was lucky that I got to spent lots of my time there walking around the city on the phone with Jacques, Milan, and Adris. With their help I was able to wander the city and enjoy some great food before I headed off to NZ. Also, another blessing was that as I was coming to the end of my long city wanderings I came across a Nike Superstore and was able to buy some new sneakers on sale. Yay deals!

So, after arriving safely I was picked up at the airport and taken to my home for the next two weeks, the boat The Pacific Link. It's an old Japanese fishing boat that was remodeled to be Marine Reach's wonderful traveling DTS. I am here with 18 other students in my school and they are from all over the world. We have some Brits, Canadians, a girl from Northern Ireland, another from South Africa, Some Swedes, Netherlanders, Swiss, New Zealanders of course, and the good ol' USA. Everyone is just awesome and super fun, and I really hope we continue to grow as a family. Sadly we won't be staying on the ship like normal because they have just given it over to the school in Australia. We will be moving to a new facility called Gideon Fields, which I'm told is amazingly beautiful.

For the first several days we have begun a time of sharing our testimonies and stories of how we ended up coming to a DTS. At first I was very fine with the idea of sharing my testimony, as I had done it several times before. But as we began I saw that I really needed to explain and confess much more than I ever have before, and oh boy was that a lot. God really started to break away things in my life that I really had no idea were a stronghold over me. It was just wonderful and the team here really stepped up to take up that fight with me. It's only been a few days and there has already been so much!

I'm am going to close on this last thing. I want to commend Milan in all that he has done these past several years. As I sit here and look out at this amazing place and enjoy treats like a candy and soda, I am really overwhelmed at the courage of Milan. I think of how difficult it would be to up and move to a place even as wonderful as this, and to trust in a relationship with someone from such a different background. Milan must have really heard the voice of the Lord calling him! So kudos to you my brotha, and mucho amor!