6th Week In New Zealand

What an amazing week!

Us "Base" students finally got out first look aboard the M/V Pacific Hope, a YWAM Medical Ship that brings healthcare to the South Pacific. For those of you who mght be wondering, I will be apart of 1 of the 3 teams going abroad the ship for our DTS Outreach Phase.

However, we went to do way more than get a quick tour of the boat. We went to work. After the tours were over and we had finished our lunches we were assigned our work stations. Some, chipped old paint, others helped with the bathroom remodel. I was placed on a team that painted the inside of the hold; Marine Paint paint is not joke, had to wear gloves and masks.

After all of the the work duties were done, we, almost 100 of us, left the ship for a marina park so we could do the well delayed baptisms. I was one of 19 that choose to get baptized. While I had been baptized before, in the Jordan River no less, I was very young and felt that I need to be "re-baptized" as an adult decision in my walk with Christ.

We then headed back to the ship for a pizza party to celebrate the baptisms and have out first Outreach Prep-Talk. To say the least I am so excited for my future life on the ship.

Thursday and Friday passed really quickly as we concluded our lectures on Spiritual Warfare. However, for myself and most of my fellow Medical/Compassion DTS students the weeks end would not been one of rest.

On both Saturday and Sunday we had First-Aid training. Two reps from the New Zealand Red Cross came out to the base and taught us, how to respond to a number of medical emergencies, how to preform CPR and how to use AED Machines.

The whole class passed! So, we are now all certified by the Red Cross to give First-Aid.

We got out of classes just in time for some of us to get on a van to an evening service at a local church. This time I went all "Kiwi" and left my shoes in the van, first time I have ever got to church barefoot.

I am so loving NZ! Though I am looking forward to go to Vanuatu for outreach, I will so miss this place!