USA: The Land of Big

Big cups, big meals, big trucks, big malls, big people. It's also big hearted, big Christian culture, big developments in Christian Surfers and of course big Dean Plumlee our CSUS Director. Ok, I'm joking Dean, he's 60kg wringing wet but got a huge heart and such a godly, talented leader.


During the course of travel I finished reading "When Helping Hurts" about how aid can be misunderstood, and I was ticking off how many mistakes I've made doing mission trips! Ouch.  

Wednesday. I had a great time with Cal our North America RC and we talked about the nations in his region, visited the national staff, checked out the new national training centre they're about to embark upon and enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of Coral. The Bible says, "...there are not many fathers amongst you..." but Cal is one and a spiritual father to many.

Thursday had us get the best waves I've ever had in Florida with a zipping left-hand bank at Metanzas Inlet. Casey was stylish as usual on boards from 5' to 9'. We all got stung by jellyfish - Dean looking like they chewed him up! By divine appointment Jon from Puerto Rico happened to be in town so we had some vital discussion there, and I didn't have to leave the country! I love being in the same time zone to call any USA friends and supporters. Good fundraiser with Cal's supporters and I typically hear, "I had no idea CS was so developed!" 

Friday. Back on the plane, long talks with Cal. In LA my old friend Mark Curtis who founded the Christian Surfing Association back in 1984 puts us up. 

Saturday. It's a team meeting at 7:30 over breakky to finalize the fundraiser that night. Another meeting to discuss our International Conference. What do you do when you're "meetinged out"? Go shopping at Marshalls cheap discontinued lines. How could I refuse a $3 lime green rubber belt, or $10 felt hat, or Dean's $14 fake frilled dress shirt or Cals $10 Levis slippers!? After retail therapy we head off to a surf ministry network meeting with old and new partners. Then to the CS Chaplains Fundraiser in San Clemente. Thanks to Lyle Castellaw's team building, wonder sisters Stacey and Julie have transformed the community centre. Mark Chu and other CS leaders have rallied around 175 attendees! Pro surfer Damien Hobgood is interviewed regarding the impact of the CS chaplains, I share, items are auctioned, good food and music are provided and Hawaiian shaper Eric Arakawa exhorts us to be courageous Christians under pressure. The chaplains Abe and Liselle are a bit overwhelmed being the centre of attention when their role is not to be. What a great night!!

Sunday. Breakfast with CSUS chairman Lyle, what a great man. I preach twice at Shoreline church about God being on the move and us being willing to move with him. Special to be with Pastor George Hulse and to cheer on Walking on Water's Director Bryan Jennings who was both commissioned for ministry and his new baby girl Ella dedicated. We do the sacred walk to Trestles and the Hurley Pro contest where we see Abe in chaplain action. Then engage in running the gauntlet across the train tracks and "no entry" signs as timeless generations of surfers have done. Back to Lyle's and a highlight meeting with Dean. So challenged to be a more godly man. Goodbyes and onto LAX.

Monday. I'm supposed to be writing you from home. But a weight restriction bumped me off the standby ticket and I'm left behind! It's 1am at the Holiday Inn hotel. Bummed. I've talked to Gill, and now I've talked to you all. Goodnight see you in Australia soon. I love this job - really is such a privilege. 

Santa Cruz Reunion

After a long flight it was a sweet reunion with old Santa Cruz friends. We spent 3 months here in 1999 and so appreciated Trevor and Tracey Kendall for Trevor's time as CSUS Director and so much more. I honor them for their part in our history. Good to see the old Steamers Lane and eat bagels!!

Tahiti Visit Video

Tahiti Day 5: Nehemiah Day

Another perfect day in paradise, but today is 'Nehemiah Day' and we need to rebuild Kevin's sea wall that has a huge hole punched in it from the swell. He has also lost about 15 cubic meters of sand from his yard. Without the repair their place is pretty vulnerable. Tehani is stoked and with the 'human backhoe' poi man we easily work through the day concreting lava rocks back into place.

The conversation flows easily as we reflect on our week. The waves were impressive, but our conversation revolves more about how we can be better godly men and how CS Tahiti can better serve the community and make an impact for the gospel. As physically beautiful the place is, like anywhere, the darkness of human hearts spoils things and we know Jesus can make a difference.

It also happens to be my birthday in Australia, so I get a heap of well wishes. Kevin drops us out to Tapuuna reef for a surf. By the time we get out there after the 30 min paddle its 5:30pm and we watch the amazing sunset over Morea and surf our way into the dark. A couple of friendly local guys offer to tow us back to shore, and we are glad to not be navigating the reef pass in the dark!

We go out for a birthday dinner and celebrate our week together. Gifts are exchanged and Kevin's kids Manaari and Heirani are great examples as they help and serve with dessert and Tehani's amazing chocolate tart!!

We do the late night pack up and then pray. Tired but very happy, what a great birthday.

Next day we are up at 4am and off to the airport where we meet so many pro surfers, photographers and staff. They are all very happy with the contest, waves, images and results. We also are very happy to have encouraged leaders, networked partners, encouraged a faithful family and practically served the Heminways.

Check out my album on Facebook for more photos.

Tahiti Day 4: Finals Time

Another perfect glassy offshore morning as I look across the lagoon where our tent is pitched. My back is complaining and I only slept a few hours but we've had morning prayer, discussed more of the future of the mission and caught up with Abe Andrews, the ASP Men's World Tour chaplain.

Gordy and I do the 15 minute paddle out again to catch the last 4 heats of the contest. We can't believe our luck...well it's way more then luck as we booked these tickets 6 months ago never imagining we will have seen one of the most memorable surf events in history.

We see tube after tube with an excited crowd from the best seat in the house sitting on a surfboard in the channel. Kelly Slater and Owen Wright put on an amazing final and the "old bald man" Slater, age 39, defeats the 23-year-old rookie.

The hooter goes, everyone flocks to the finalists...and only 4 paddle over to the break. I figure I might as well be one of them and since they all make it look so easy...actually it isn't!

I had local advice, "Be careful paddling for a smaller inside one because those west bowl sets can nail you," quietly nudging me...as I paddled for a smaller inside one when it came.

The largest west bowl set of the day; huge, blue, and a solid 8ft, pitching right on my head! I quickly realized I couldn't out paddle it so bailed in a metre of water and experienced some of the most violent turbulence ever. Took another on the head, creased a rail but was still able to get one tube and a couple of left overs and paddle back in.

Saw the end of the presentation ceremony, watched Kelly mobbed and Owen left alone. Caught up with Abe again then back to Papeete to Kevin's where we inspected a car sized hole in his front yard that had been sucked out of a hole in his sea wall due to the massive impact of the swell. Tehani cooks us a great dinner and we are treated by the kids Manaari and Heirani with dessert. Email catch up, a late night prayer and it's another midnight.

I would like to come another time and get to know this place!

Tahiti Day 3: Sunday Sunny Sunday

Wow, after terrifying, grey 10'-15' Saturday, it's now sunny glassy blue 8'-10' Sunday and the biggest paddled waves in the contest history. Everyone is out there for one of Tahiti's largest events.

But while the world watches the world's best surfers compete at one of the world's best waves with one of the world's best resourced surf companies, another meeting is taking place. Twelve ragged surfers and friends are meeting in a makeshift garage with bread, salad and water to discuss the spiritual needs of the Tahitian surf community. It's the first national gathering of such like minded "kingdom of God" by Christian Surfers Tahiti. There's no live telecast. There's hardly any interest by the church. For 24 years Kevin has generally been misunderstood by the surf community for being a Christian, and misunderstood by the church community for being a surfer. Today, we hope, he has found some more partners.

After some great conversations and encouragement we paddled out to Teahupoo to watch the last 5 heats. Amazing, flawless blue barrels and a huge flotilla of "Sunday afternoon" drivers. Mum dad and kids on jetskis, giggly 12-year-old girls on plastic kayaks, grandparents in boats, babies with floaties and the pro surfing World Tour all cheer the surfers into the best tubes of the world circuit....and they are all less than 50m from the deadly reef!!

Back at Norman's place we feast on peanut butter and jam rolls with banana in our tent like groms. In God's providence the other Brazilians staying happen to be fired up Christians from Hawaii and we have some worship, share our Jesus journey, open the Bible and, despite our differences - no actually because of our differences - it's a taste of heaven.

I happily fall asleep this night to the ongoing roar of the ocean.

Tahiti Day 2: Teahupoo With Teeth

 

Day 2 here and we wake to the sound of a jet plane and house rumbling. It's not the airport, it's a 10-15' swell! The lagoon has filled and waves are crashing against Kevin's sea wall. He lost his stairs last night (and later the walk itself would collapse and part of his front yard join the sea).

Rather nervously we made our way to Teahupoo. Along the road every possible surf spot was out of control. Huge plumes of spray blowing off the waves and detonations up to 30' blow out the back of breaking sets.

The carpark is full at 'Chopes' and I'm amazed to see a channel full of boats and spectators! No way can they hold the contest and the police have already warned people that the high commissioner has declared the water off limits with potential of a fine. As if that is going to deter the worlds best big wave tow specialists in front of a world tour crowd!

We scam a lift in a water taxi $20 for 30 min but a friend Norman says we can join his boat after that. Once out the swell is so thick and too west. I can't believe the numbers of boats, skis, boards etc. There's mums, kids, girlfriends, grandparents, et.c like it was a Saturday venture to the park! The worlds heaviest wave is having one of it's heaviest days and everyone is oohing and ahhing from a channel so close the spit descends over them after each set.

With the west swell it's basically catapulting into a closeout. I see only 6 waves cleanly exited in 5 hours. The rest are detonated beyond imaginable. Raimano has already gone to hospital that morning after one wave. Then a Brazza face plants the reef, another breaks an ankle, another gets stitches. Most tow partners are sporting bandages and blood.

We motor back exhausted from the adrenalin of watching the adrenalin. A beautiful orange sunset across the glassy lagoon is deceptively calm until you see the black silhouette of the whitewash (blackwash?).

Camping out in Norman's backyard, Gordy and I eat salad baguette rolls. It feels like we're groms on a surf camp sleeping on a board bag - but my back doesn't cope the way it used to.

Praying for the next day as we hold the first national meeting of key interested people.