International Conference

Written on Delta Flight 1386, August 6, 2014

Sitting here at the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica about to begin the 30-hour trip home. We have just completed our 11th International Conference as well as the successful announcement of the new International Director. How was it? How do I feel? Read on.

TUESDAY, JULY 22

The leadership arrived early and had a day or two recovering from jet-lag and had some down time surfing in 29º Celsius bath water!

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, JULY 23-24

We held two days of International Leadership Team meetings, getting alignment on strategy and heart. We had training on cross-cultural sensitivity and leadership by CS Costa Rica veterans Dennis Leon and Craig Rice, which was insightful and humorous. There was much discussion about the future of CSI, the new International Director and international office. What a godly team we have.

FRIDAY, JULY 25

Our Board joined us on day three and we processed more on succession and our need for better governance globally. That same day our 'Expanded ILT', made up of key national directors and global strategy champions, joined in to discuss how we share in vision, staff and fundraising.

SATURDAY, JULY 26

With these layers of leadership aligned we held the biennial representative Council meeting and our conference room was full with 50 leaders representing 26 nations. What a joy to see complete consensus for the appointment of Roy Harley as incoming director! Our beloved chairman Marcus Judge did a great job, as he has done steering us so well through this vital appointment. I was initially feeling a bit numb, it has felt like a slow-moving train heading to this destination. I choked and a few tears shed as I talked of my love for this great CS family and also acknowledging wonder wife Gill and kids. It was so good to have my family standing by me.

There was also unanimous approval of some changes to our constitution, election of board members and approval of our strategic plan and budget. Two new fundraising initiatives were approved; a crowdfunding project for succession, particularly to send the Harley family around the world for a global visitation in 2015, and "Surf House", a unique way for homeowners in key surf destinations to donate accommodation that CSI will promote and manage bookings amongst friends of CS. So if you or your friends have holiday accommodation, or you are to take an overseas holiday, check our website first!

SUNDAY, JULY 27

With these 4 days of meetings behind us and unity secured it was time to party on for the official conference! Opening day just so happened to be the peak of a swell and overhead waves thumped out front of the palm-lined conference centre. Some helped add to the crowd on 200m lefthand rivermouth rides at Boca Barranca. What a thrill to see people from all over the world converge on the sleepy town of Esterillos Este. There was the heroic efforts of a busload of Mexicans who drove for 4 days and negotiated with suspicious border officials through 4 countries! There were 3 Norwegians glad to shed wetsuits. There was the South Africans, some of whom endured 60 hours of travel round the world in the longer direction! There were the lone delegates from Mauritius, Fiji and Thailand. So they came on planes, buses and cars - the gathering of the CSI family.

Sunday night we were welcomed with traditional dance and a moving mixing of the sands ceremony. We then celebrated 10 year service awards for those who had exercised national or international leadership. Jon Mak, Brad Whittaker and Marcus Judge were honoured for ten years on the CSI Board. Kock and Rianne De Vries for pioneering CS Holland. Geoff Hutchison was at his first international conference after 12 years on the CSNZ Board. It is good to honour faithful service. We wrapped up the night with the public announcement of the new director and Roy and myself were interviewed. I was very moved with the standing ovation and a few more tears shed. God miraculously gave us 1 Samuel 12 and I shared four things that I had clearly sensed.

1. Finish clean to start clean - anyone who feels they have been mistreated by me to come share this so I can make it right.
2. Look back - consider all that God has done. The Groundswell book is testimony of this.
3. Look forward - live dedicated holy lives as the key to future success.
4. I'm not leaving you - just the role. My calling is not determined by my position. We all went to bed assured that God was clearly in this succession and there was great confidence in the process and the person.

MONDAY, JULY 28

The opening session by our guest Britt Merrick, joined by his son Isaiah, was a feast on 2 Timothy encouraging us all to finish well.

Some classic cultural presentations were performed by our Europe and Africa regions, including a return of Johnny Von Lycra and newcomer Mini Von Lycra that had us in tears of laughter. The MC banter of Salvador and Johnny kept us moving and laughing. Local CS mentor and Pura Vida pastor Dennis Leon shared a timeless word on disciple-making and has obviously modelled it in his open home with many adopted 'sons'.

There was inspirational worship and reports that night from the irrepressible Phil Williams and a media-rich presentation from Africa.

TUESDAY, JULY 29

More early surfs with the nations, prayer on the beach and rice and beans combo for most meals - the true Pura Vida experience. Britt Merrick's challenge continues from God's Word, and how good is it when one can debrief with the speaking over a surf afterwards!

The Pacific region intimidated all with a traditional haka and Australasia had the whole conference participate in an Aussie bush dance. Jodene Watling did all the women proud with a rousing call. Another late night to rolling thunderstorms, steamy rain squalls and jet-lagged bodies squashed under our meeting tent.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30

Each morning starts the same with sunny offshore winds and soon has all sweating under the meeting tent. A live iguana is released into the worship session - the culprit is nameless!? Meal times are wonderful opportunities to share stories, meet new friends and there is much laughter. Following on from another amazing session from Britt was our new director Roy Harley encouraging us before we absolutely baked on the hot black sand getting our conference photo done by the ever serving Aaron Hughes.

The afternoon was a community service opportunity with life-sized crosses, with garbage bins attached, set up at all the key local beaches. The CS logo was spray painted on all bins and for the first time local council will be able to remove beach trash.

There was great cultural expression and reports by North America with a moving testimony by Israel from mexico, saved from drugs, drinking and a broken marriage. In typical form the South Americans could barely contain themselves and many testimonies were shared over their rather extended 20 minutes!

THURSDAY, JULY 31

We break into strategy groups following Britt's session so people can dive into more discussion and training. From chaplaincy to short-term missions to disciple-making communities we had engaging conversations.

So stoked to release the Spanish version of the Groundswell book available online, English online now as well.

We saw the CSI world map repopulated with coloured dots, reflecting our global reach. I shared my last director's report and that felt strange. We announced the location of 2016 conference to be Australia, a lot of stoked cheering followed!

We honoured another amazing succession from Cal Fisher to Dustin Miller for North America and we had never seen a 65-year-old grom so stoked to receive a gift of a new SUP. Go Cal, we love you!

Then it was given over to worship, communion and prayer for one other. With lightning and thunder as our backdrop it was a very precious time seeing spontaneous prayer for one another covering an hour. Truly sacred ground.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1

With people leaving all over the place it was a chaotic time. We had a short final session with Britt then we honoured our amazing Costa Rica team led by Damien and Ernesto. Cheers for the Monterey Del Mar hotel staff who were so stretched by us without breaking. A final wrap up by Roy Harley encouraged us to 'give up' (our lives and monitored to Jesus) 'change direction' (and be doers of the words we received) and 'go surfing' (we need to be constantly going to our lost surf communities).

So ended another conference. 220 stoked family returned to 26 nations committed to surfing for Jesus - that is Pura Vida. Our theme verse John 10:10 'The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that you might have life in all it's fullness."

See you in Australia in 2016!

Raglan 2014 Mature-Aged Surf Trip

Nine mature-aged surfers took a sanity saver and surf trip to Raglan's hallowed lefthanders. From 'Apex Predator' Paul Campbell, to the token 'wonder grom' Taylor Davis we had a great 6 days. Surf, cook, eat, walk, cards, monopoly, and talk. The amazing accommodation with a hot tub overlooking Manu Bay was the best way to finish each surf. One lay day saw us venture down to Rotorua and enjoy the hotsprings there with a natural hot and cold creek. If you want to book the Raglan house, we have a fundraiser option with 4 weeks of the year available for CS-related people at $1000AUD/week, contact us for more info. Another Raglan trip will be done in 2015, stay tuned.

South Africa Travels

The CS Africa Annual Gathering was awesome in March with over 100 attending, including reps from Namibia and North Africa for the first time. I loved the passionate worship at "Potters Place" a secular venue in J-Bay where we hosted the meetings.

It was a privilege to share the speaking platform with Floyd McClung, who is a passionate church planter and who urged us to make disciples of all nations, starting one at a time, even before they are Christians.

We had vital meetings with the governing body of CS South Africa and lots of conversations with good friend and African RC Roy Harley who hosted us in his J-Bay home. There were hardly any waves, but the mystique of J-Bay never leaves.

It is always a challenge seeing the poverty living side-by-side with affluence and this is slowly changing. For the first time I saw white people acting as car guards and washing windows at traffic lights.

Living the Dream Sequel

So I last left you when I was sitting for 10 hours in the transit area...

Finally got my ticket at 11pm and so glad to board the plane, had not eaten for 24 hours, figured I would get some food on the flight...

Taxied out, and waited 40 min...

Announcement came, air-con problem, have to go back to gate...

Waited till 2am before they said the flight was cancelled...

Bus to hotel after the airlines had to pay our USD$117 visa to get out of the airport, arrived at hotel 4am...

Waited till 5:30am while checking in and they announced to me, "We have run out of rooms, you have to go to another hotel..."

6am was checked into an executive suite at the Sheraton! "Breakfast starts in 30mins..."

Slept 4 hours and up for breakky. Collected by a CS friend and out for lunch...

Rebooked on 7pm flight to Sydney and got on...

Arrived at Auckland Airport at 11pm and told I was not in the system and would have to wait till 5am before someone could find me...

Slept on a bench 4 hours...

Had to purchase another Auckland Sydney ticket and got on 7am flight...

Arrived home three days after I had left to arrive home two days earlier!? Three nights in three different airports...

I had been away 9 days, 4 of them spent around airports...

Felt amazingly good, contentment tested and I passed the test. God is good even when our circumstances may not be...

Living the dream!

Living the Dream

Living the dream of the CSI international director... Writing to you from the airport in Santiago, Chile after my first trip of the year to South America.

Yes I did hang out with friendly Latin Americans. Yes I did eat ceviche and other exotic food. Yes I did get a surf at Punta Rocas. Yes I did have many meetings encouraging CS leaders. You can see it all on Instagram and Facebook.

But..........

I arrived to Lima airport to go to our Brazil meeting and realised I had forgotten to arrange a visa.

I was rejected at the Brazilian embassy for an emergency visa.

I was told I could not adjust my ticket nor get a refund.

I spent a day beating myself up for being so stupid.

I decided to go home a day early only to discover that all three midnight flights were jammed due to a cancelled flight and no standby tickets.

I discovered there is no seating at the airport in Lima, Peru.

I spent a night sitting in a cafe chair under fluoro lights trying to sleep.

I was told next morning my first flight out was oversold.

I got a ticket for the next flight, then they told me the seat was broken and I could not have it, which made me late to Santiago.

I missed my direct flight to Sydney which was the whole reason for shifting to this time.

I have now been sitting for 10 hours in the transit area awaiting a ticket home, it's been 24 hours since I left the place I was staying in Lima. I cannot go back, I cannot get out. There is no food, water, WiFi, shops, friends, distractions - feels like a scene from the movie "The Terminal" without the people, dry wall opportunity...... and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

I do have Juanita the cleaner, whom I watch doing her rounds cleaning the toilets.

And I am reading Philippians 4:11-13 where Paul writes to his support team in Philippi and says, "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether is is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

How many times is that verse 13, "I can do all everything through Christ who gives me strength," misquoted (by myself as well) as if the strength Christ gives is to pass over all obstacles, problems, barriers, weaknesses, opposition when in fact he is really saying the Christ-given strength is the strength to know contentment whilst I am going through them. So rather than thinking the battle is to see Christ change my circumstances to make me content, it's the battle to change me in the midst of circumstances to know contentment.

God is bigger than my mistakes, my circumstances and my feelings. My contentment needs to be bigger than all of these otherwise I am no different.

So I am learning a lesson in contentment. Focusing on thanking God, praying, reading, thinking, catching up on writing and smiling at Juanita as she passes by.

But for sure can't wait to get out of here either!

Another day living the dream as the International Director...

Oh, there's more, finally got on the plane after a half-hour delay, we taxied and waited half hour - then returned to gate, broken air-con. Now 1:30am, been travelling 28 hours and I'm still in South America. Being contentment tested. Stay tuned!