Brady White

This week we heard from Brady white. He shared with us a little bit about several different topics. He talked to about how passionately he pursued his wife while dating. How he loved her and took every opportunity to show it, but in his first year of marriage that dropped off and she felt like the whole dating thing was just a big show. He told us that to show us how our culture only understand love as a feeling. Reminded me if Joshua straub teaching us how to love better instead if feel better. Love is a commitment. The love that marriage is, the unconditional love, the love that is til death do us part. It is not going to always be rainbows and butterflies. It is hard, his wife spoke to in chapel about their move to Disney as she pursued a job there. The sacrifices they had to make for one another and how she got to impact the lives of kids there was awesome. She told us a story of a little girl who was born without the ability to hear and when doctors found a way to give her hearing, she told them that the first thing she wanted to hear was the Disney princesses. Well Blair got to be on of those Disney princess that sat and had an imaginary tea party in the magic kingdom with this little girl as she heard for the first time.  It was really cool to see how God has used their family up to this point to make a difference in the community God has placed them. This weekend I am home for a college acceptance function. Hopefully this will help shed some light on the college decision I have coming up between Westmont and Pepperdine. I think that God will use me at whichever school I go to but a decision still has to be made none the less. Til next time 

New Zealand/Fiji/USADay 35

And The journey home begins, we got up at like 5:30, got ready and headed to the airport, we were on a tiny plane to start out with. No security, like 18 people on the plane, 8 of them being us. Morgan was practically sitting with the pilots. Then after we got to Auckland we walked to the international terminal, which felt like a long way since I wasn’t feeling well. We had our layover, then flew to Fiji, we had to enter the country to get our bags from Laura Pitman, then we went back through security had another layover and then got on our long flight to LA, I tried to sleep most of the way and was pretty successful, watched a little bit of the movie Taken, but mostly just slept and woke up and went back to sleep. Then We got on our flight to Denver and in Denver Laurel got on a different flight home and we got on our flight to Little Rock, we got to Little Rock and the Moreheads were there to pick us up. They took me to the Doctor to make sure that I was alright, which I was, then they took me back to their house where everyone else had settled in for the night, they made me a grilled cheese and I had some fruit. Then we watched wrath of the Titans before going to sleep. Finally home in the US.

New Zealand Day 34

This morning we got up and went to Taupo, the city of fun if you will. We had a great day planned. We got to Taupo and got in a limo to go skydiving. It was really cool white limousine. We all got geared up, decided what video packages we wanted and got in a plane. Morgan Jon Giovanni and I were in the first group. We took off and I thought they weren’t going to close the door. And I was right by the door so I was a little concerned, then they closed it. It was really cool, as we went higher we could see Mt Doom and the whole lake area, it was intense. Then they opened the door he was alright swing your legs out, so we did then it was 3 2 1 and we were out. It all happened so fast I didn’t even have time to freak out. The first 3 seconds was crazy and indescribable feeling, then we were in free fall, the camera man was getting shots as we fell, and It was pretty cold at that altitude, but it got warmer as we fell. Then we pulled the shoot and coasted to the ground, it was one of the coolest experiences of my life, Im really glad I did it. Later that night we went sailing which was really fun, the wind wasn’t really strong but strong enough that we didn’t need to use an engine or anything. We saw some neat rock carvings ate huge burgers and sailed back. Then we went back to the hotel and got some sleep.

New Zealand Day 33

We got up early and got on the bus and went pretty far drive through the country side where we saw some cows and a few sheep, passed a bunch of farms and mountains. We ended up in this valley where we stayed at Lake Aniwhenua. I was feeling pretty sick so I opted out of the activities there. The group that went eeling though, which is what I would have done got stuck out on the lake, it was kinda an issue, I didn’t hear to much I just know they didn’t catch an eel and it took a long time to get back. I mostly just rested there and tried to recover.

New Zealand Day 32

We got up in the morning went down to meet the bus and starting waiting….and waiting until we eventually decided they told us the wrong time so that they could leave the Americans behind. Oh and I forgot to mention it is raining. So we got on the bus and headed to Waitomo where we went caving. They had us crawl through a box to make sure that we would be able to fit through all of the tightest parts of the cave, it was pretty easy for everyone in our group. Then we put on wetsuits and got helmet and boots and headed out to the cave. The entrance to the cave was probably the tightest squeeze in the whole cave. We saw the glow worms and floated in our inner tubes, the water was freezing though, but other than that the whole tour was pretty chill just walking around and checkin out glow worms. It was really neat, then we got out and took our gear off and got back on the bus and headed to Mourea. That was our cultural night, they preformed for us, songs dance ect. Then we all slept on the floor in one big room, except for our girls, they had their own room that was locked up at night, that gave them some privacy and security.

New Zealand Day 31

I ended up not sleeping very well and having a bit of a fever, I threw up early that morning, before having to pack all my stuff and get back on the bus. I was feeling a little better, but far from great. Loaded up on the bus and just tried to rest. We stopped at another grocery store, this time in Hamilton and got some groceries, then continued on the Raglan. We stopped in the city for about an hour and a half, went into some surf shops and what not. Then we went to the hostel, we were staying a different place down the road. Morgan Jon Giovanni and I rented vespas and followed the bus over to our accommodations. We then took our backpacks up to our rooms, it is definitely the nicest place we stayed yet, it only cost $45 a night per person though. I still not was feeling to well and decided not to go surfing, I rested for a bit, took a shower then went and drove around, I met up with the rest of the group and we took to vespas back and got a ride from one of the employees at the hostel, she was really nice. She is originally from Boston and came over here with her brother on work visa and here she is. We got back and found out that the rest of the group didn’t start the grill yet by mistake, so we are working on dinner now. Made us some burgers finally and ate and then I went to bed.

New Zealand Day 30

We got up bright and early at 5:45 to pack up our stuff and go to the bus station. We got there and found out that the bus doesn’t run as early on Sunday. So we had to bite the bullet and call a couple of cabs. We got down town with plenty of time to spare, got some Duncan Donuts. The bus arrived, we got checked in and began our journey. We went to an office building and heard a talk about how the bus worked. Then we headed to Hahei, we stopped in Thames and went to the grocery store. Then we continued on to Hahei, it was low tide so we went straight to the Hot Water Beach, it was fun the geothermal sports were really hot in some place. Then we went into the ocean, the waves we pretty big, the water was kinda cold, but had a blast. You get used to the water pretty quick though. I think I got some pretty cool GoPro videos as well. Then we went to Hahei and got checked into our cabin, which was cool. It was really close to the beach. Then Morgan Giovanni, Jon and I went kayaking. We kayaked through a marine reserve and to a couple different cove, we stopped at a famous one called Catherdral Cove. Got out explored a little bit in a small cave and big archway, our guide made us cappuccino and hot chocolate. Then on the way back we went around an island and through a cave, that was fun. Morgan and I both had our GoPros going, I think between the two of us we got some good footage. We got back, cooked some dinner, garlic salt and lemon pepper on some chicken breast, and some chicken and cheese quesadillas. It was really good, that night we watched some GoPro videos and then I got a headache and went to bed.