Home Safely

Well got on at LAX on business class thanks to an upgrade by a friend! Sooooo good to fly this way, but it ruins economy forever. My last day was a bender, up at 3am, off to airport for 7am flight, then network meeting at San Diego, up to LAX for flight out at 10:30pm and long trip home. I was tired but happy.

Writing in my journal I was reflecting on so many things. The Chilean need, how to mobilise surfers for service; the many needs of our emerging national movements and how fragile and under-resourced we seem to be; the great kingdom minded friends at Walking on Water and churches like Beachside and North Coast Calvary Chapel and others.

I love the passion and conviction of the Latin Americans. I love the 'can do' attitude and intentional strategy of the USA brothers. I love getting people together, helping them connect, assisting their success, and not getting in God's way too much.

Thanks to all you sponsors and supporters who helped the Chilean project and we are planning on returning in February 2011 to build, assist in a surf contest, participate in a surf camp all contributing to the establishment of Christian Surfers Chile...and a whole lot of fun as well. Maybe you want to join us?

Key Leaders Meeting in Florida

So what do a Peruvian, Costa Rican, Salvadorian, Panamanian, American and an Aussie have in common?? Well if you are a Christian Surfers National Director quite a lot it seems!

Our North American Regional Coordinator, Cal Fisher arranged a great three days of meeting at Daytona Beach and we shared training, hopes, heartaches, practical skills and some great fish tacos. The only thing we didn't share were waves, though it was 6-8...inches, but the water was warm and the company even warmer.

I'm amazed at what God is doing in Central America and the passion, faith, vision and boldness of these brothers. I must admit I certainly received more than I gave and have plenty to take home and apply. Pray for my meeting tomorrow in San Diego as I host a surf ministry networking meeting. Then pray I get on the standby flight home from LAX, there's 22 others on standby! Dios de bendiga.

Chile House - Day 3

The rain and wind howled in and I snuggled under 4 blankets with my clothes on. Jeffro was right we should have purchased some firewood at the supermarket for some heat in the tiny wood stove which would have helped.

The last sheet of tin went down, ridge cap on and external and internal lining fitted. Poor no. 2 man robbie had accidentally put his foot through the ceiling lining! I'm so impressed with the team who despite limited building experience are giving it their all.

So in just three full days we have a standing house! Try doing that at home! The house actually looks like the real thing now and Manolo's smile at the end of the days says it all. I headed out next morning to the airport and Mitch shared more of his vision and passion for this tough community. There is a wide open door for for surf related ministry here. I have about 5 interested people who want to come next Jan/Feb. Mitch says we can build a house (or 2?!) run a local surf contest, take a surf camp. Pichilemu increases from 3,000 to some 50,000 over summer. Want to come along?

Building in Chile - Day 2

Woke at 2:30am and felt a bit sore. We go to local market and buy ugg boots from Australia for quarter of the price. There's my 'Chilean' gifts for the family. Back at Monolo's place we continued cladding and started pitching the roof. All moves along quickly, and the house is taking shape. The local family cooked up an amazing seafood chowder for our lunch. Clams, mussels, abalone along with chicken beef and rabbit cooked in white wine. Robbie finds shot pellets in his rabbit! I find the head of the rabbit floating in the mix.

We push through to 3:30pm knowing the wind has been glassy all day and down tools to make the late session. Punta de Lobos is 5-7' dead glassy and running 300m down the point. It's a mad scramble of wetsuits, boots, hoods and the sketchy paddle across the channel to the stacks and then into the lineup. Seals swim around and a handful of surfers dot the lineup - no hassle. A spectacular sunset finishes the day.

We join Nate for the fledgling CS meeting and three core local surfers come along. I share some story of CS, challenge the guys to surrender their surfing to Jesus and teach on the parable of the talents. God is not so concerned with how well we surf but how well we serve. We finish with a local party, supposedly starting at 10:30 but people arrive at 12...just as we leave.

Building in Chile

I woke to the room shaking with an earthquake at 5am...should I get out? It stopped before I could decide... Welcome to Pichilemu!

Jeff Ryan of Misfit Aid and I helped load the truck with wall frames Mitch and the YWAM team had already made up. We arrived at Momono's lot and his smiling face welcomed us. He is a fisherman with a few kids and lost his house in the earthquake. He has been crammed in his mother's place in a shed since February.

Today the "Homes of Hope" team erected the whole house frame. Girls fixed fibre cement sheeting, guys manipulated frames, local dogs quarelled underfoot, nails flew into the soft wet pine and everyone enjoyed the easy going leadership of Robbie and Mitch. Lunch was handmade crab and cheese empaladas... Gotta have more of them!

Momono is stoked to see his new family home emerge before his eyes and has promised us a seafood lunch tomorrow. Surf is cold, onshore and messy...perfect building conditions, but a 6-10' SW swell forecast tomorrow.

Thanks for those who helped partner in this project. There's a heap of homes condemned in this town. The tsunami ripped through the beachfront demolishing fences, buildings, boats, even concrete handrail. They have rebuilt quickly and tourists have returned, but with the cold, wet winter here those without homes are suffering. Talk to you tomorrow.

GPS Men's Ministry

I got sick and tired of seeing guys struggling with marriages, relationships and being uncertain as men. I know, I have my own struggles. So we started GPS Men on Track for Austi guys and their mates. Get on track, stay on track, doing it together.

Last week we had 75 turn up for our first of a 5 week series and Steve Dinning shared on a man and his justice. Social justice, how come it seems to be women rallying round the causes??

Tomorrow I am speaking on "A Man and His Romance" from that sexy little book in the Bible 'Song of Songs'. I will be accompanied by Gillian the Brave who is sharing on "Things Women Wish Men Knew About Women".......I'll be taking a few notes myself! I love seeing guys get together to raise the bar, rather than lower it!

Just home from a couple of days in Melbourne meeting with Mike and Vanessa Allbutt, home from their first service of 2 1/2 years in Puerto Escondido, Mexico planting a surf ministry. Great to debrief and chat and encourage vision for the future. Tired now, gotta go to bed. Night.

Chilean Film and Food Night

We had a great night back on Friday the 21st May with 40 people coming out to watch a local Chilean surf movie "Chile Oculto" and eat some great Chilean food!

We were outside with fires for warmth reminding us that there are a whole lot of families still in tents after the earthquake. I loved the fact that people came from church, local surfing community and other friends. It was a very cool atmosphere and a highlight was doing a live video conference call to Mitch Anderson in Chile who shared his heart about the local situation there. It was 6am for mitch and 9pm for us, and all went well until the rain started and Aaron and I were left under a plastic tarp to cover the computer and data projector while everyone else bailed to the shelter of the verandah. So funny!

We raised another $1,200 bringing the total to about $5,000, enough to build a house and kit mitch out with new tools. He is looking forward to a shopping spree when I arrive on June 10! Thanks to all who supported this.