Asia and South America Trips 2015

Nasi Gorang, street racing and smoke enhanced sunsets. After my longest home stint in 15 years of six whole months I travelled again. Our Australasia meeting was in a more remote location away from the the tourist bustle. Some 25 of us from six nations attended ably led by our regional leader Ric ho. I enjoyed catching up with some friends beforehand who have been living in a hindu village for the past 5 years and made real inroads as accepted foreigners. I was amazed at the development of surf tourism and so many people filling the line ups from russia through to israel. The traffic also reflected the development with more cars, more bikes and mostly the same roads, it is a test of ones patience and skill to survive. After a long drive through the night we arrived at the local night market and got to eat various unknown foods from tiny street stalls with the locals, barely a foreigner in sight.

A beautiful location with waves our front and great timber architecture made this very comfortable. We had some great worship, shared stories from God at work in our lives, did training and had some surfs. I personally was representing Roy our new international director to encourage the region. I was able to deliver training about our new vision, mission, values and strategies. I gave input on sustainability in our personal lives and ministry. I engaged in strategic discussions. Perhaps best of all, I had meetings around every meal and it was good to be reminded about what quality leaders we have in our most challenging field. They are rubbing up against Islam, communism, hinduism, buddhism and it is quite costly for a christian minority and even moreso for those who would want to change their religion to follow Jesus. One brother shared how it cost him his position in his village, family and inheritance when he committed to following Jesus and yet God turned that around and he is now welcomed back as a Christian believer. Not every story turns out with a ‘happy ending’. Another brother tells of how anyone found with a bible will be imprisoned and deported or worse. 

A solid swell turned up and we all had a chance to stretch and refresh as well as have a good laugh at one anothers mistimed takeoffs. We were able to deliver surfboards and accessories to help poorer surfers the guys are supporting. Anyone interested in helping this with a donation, we spent $600 and have received $250. Donate via http://www.christiansurfers.net/donate/

It was only a five day turn around before I left for Sao Paulo Brazil…

Arriving 3 days before our leadership meeting allowed me to catch up with Sergio our national leader of the past 12 years. It has been some time since I visited as he handed over his south american role four years earlier. We visited the Bible Society where they print 35,000 bibles A DAY every day, the worlds best seller is God’s word, amazing. We discussed the reprinting of the portugues and spanish surfers bible as great resources for the most spoken surfing language (spanish speakers make up the greatest number of surfing nations). We also caught up with some old friends, talked about the challenges of leadership and ate at a great brazillian bbq restaurant!

We then had a solid day of leadership meetings joined by roy harley and Aldo Ventura our south american leader. Myself and Roy were called upon to add weight to our support of the leadership development of Brazil. It was a great time with the national team and a new board of directors to take the movement to the next level. We honour sergio for his years of service and celebrate his release to focus on church planting surfer friendly churches. 

It was then great to wander with Roy for a day to catch up, our first time to do so since we were together in Australia in may. So much to process as I realise I am handing over 15 years of accumulated international leadership. 

I was met in Chile by Matias who then drove me 5 hours south to Concepcion to check out an aid project for 2016. The small town of Bucupiero has some 10 classic left hand point breaks within 20 km of it and it is poised to boom. A tiny school was the focus of our visit and CS Chile and CS Australia will partner with the local council to build a multi purpose room next year with the local community. A holiday with purpose in partnership with our friends of Misfit Aid. 

It was great to return to Pichilemu and good friends Mitch and Juliette Anderson who ironically were at our place just 4 weeks earlier! The have shaped a YWAM base that is integrated with the community via their sports centre which also boasts am olympic sized swimming pool. Mitch surfs large, builds large, dreams large, lives large. He has a big God and figures we might as well go for it with Him! His son Nathan and wife Cole hosted me and I got to share at their surf and sports discipleship school. Chile was languishing in their longest flat spell in memory so after a week in south america I never got wet. 

Arriving home I had bounced between so many time zones It ended up a full four weeks without a full nights sleep. Tired but happy and glad God was able to use us. 

Thanks to all who made this possible.

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.