Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Post-Americas

Well I've been home 10 days after a great three week trip to the Americas. So many contrasts from the land of plenty in the USA to the land of empty in the poorer, coastal desertscapes of Peru. However in God's family we all have 'plenty' in Christ and there was abundance in the land of Latino hugs and hospitality!

Starting with time in Orange County we had some vital meetings with the new owners of professional surfing (ASP) who have asked us to do a review for our long-term future with chaplaincy and they have pledged ongoing financial support. We had our first meeting with the CEO of the peak body of amateur surfing (ISA) and have some work to do to get chaplaincy approved there. There was another great networking meeting of surf ministries and interested churches with our friends at North Coast Calvary Chapel and a catch up with good friend Bryan Jennings at one of his Walking On Water surf camps. 

Across the nation to Florida I spoke at our Regional Coordinator's (Cal Fisher) fundraiser and we auctioned off an alaia I brought with me. So good to see the CSUS national office (the Multiplication Center) and hang out with the staff who have grown impressively (in number not girth...though that American takeaway can do that to you!) A delayed flight meant a missed connection to Panama and an unexpected night hanging in a hotel. I realised in 13 years of international travel I have only ever spent 3 nights in a hotel, so glad to be with local families, those places are lonely.

What a joy to meet up with our emerging replacement regional leader Dustin Miller. I was blown away again when I realised he is only 26-years-old replacing our 66-year-old Cal Fisher! Dustin has done a lot to reduce the average age of the International Leadership Team. We only had 18 hours in Panama, but it was worth it to meet up with National Director Mike Proctor and his wife Lory and take the team out for dinner then speak at their meeting with the glowing Panama skyline backdrop. It was a 5:30am wake up to be followed by a 16 hour bus trip to Jaco, Costa Rica. I wanted to experience how Dustin had been travelling in his Central America visitation, and the time flew with good conversation. God has raised up a great man to take on leadership here.

We were up early for a surf with Damian and Ernesto and overhead glassy waves pounded the grey sand beachbreak. Sun and palm trees. I decided to break my 'Dry July' surf fast as the guys were keen to actually surf with the International Director, not have him watching. Mornings like this are sweet, its so good to just plain soak up God's creation and one another's company. Latino breakfast of beans, rice and fruit is the perfect finish to a surf then we headed out to four potential hotels to host our 2014 International Conference. After seeing these I am all the more excited to rally our world leadership here next July and we settled on a key venue. So good to see the local Jaco chapter meeting and hear a report of a couple who did a short-term mission trip to Cuba and the locals donated boards, wax, leashes and shorts to the poor, emerging surfing community. Costa Rica does mission to Cuba? Did you catch that?

Flying to Lima, Peru was a sweet reunion with Gill who joined me for the South America leg. We spent some quality time with our South American RC Aldo Ventura and his wife Estela at their beach house in Punta Hermosa. Grey is the colour. Grey sand, grey sky, grey water. We are on the same latitude as Bali but it is coastal desert due to a cold current refrigerating the climate. What they may not have in glamorous beaches they sure make up in food! Ceviche and a range of seafood at our friend Andreas's restaurant was all time. 

Flying out to Ecuador for the America's Leadership Conference was our main agenda. We arrived in MontaƱita to realise it is the 'sin city' of the country and the surf centre...how come these two things seem to go together in surf tourism? Some 80 leaders from 11 nations joined together for worship, teaching and practical service. We built a skate ramp for the local community, held a public beach baptism and communion and heard stories of God at work in Latin American surfing. A local restaurant owner invited the whole conference for dinner. I never imagined it was the main restaurant right in the heart of the town. Incredible testimony as the leadership served tables, a testimony was given and the worship band rocked out the meal. All kinds of flotsam and jetsam of life paused and breathed in a taste of heaven. Jorge, our Ecuadorian leader, had also organised a meal with the national leaders of surfing, and myself and two others gave a presentation about CS and chaplaincy and community development work. I could barely believe it when the president of the association declared, "There is an open door for Jesus in Ecuador's surfing, we want to partner with you guys any way we can." I have never had such a meeting with a peak surfing body!

We finished with a couple of nights in central Santiago and enjoyed sharing at the local CS chapter and cruising the streets with Gill. Thanks for all who prayed and gave and participated in this trip. As I type this I am finalising packing to head to South-East Asia for our Australasia meeting...but that's for another blog post...