Community workshop

The last big program I created for a community outreach and organized good networks this past Saturday from 10:00am to 2:00pm. This program was called 'Community workshop: life choices' it offered speakers from MSL training and MIT as well as heaps of food served by the MSL lecturer. It was a program focused on how to do interviews for employment and how to write resumes (which are called CV's in New Zealand). I worked on getting several speakers together over the course of four weeks. I had a friend print out 300 fliers for the event and had my youth and I walk the community of Takanini putting them in mailboxes the week before the event. I went to several pastors and their wives and asked them to send their youth to this event. I spoke with the youth leader in charge of the district to pass the information along. 

The day comes as I got there early and cleaned the outside from the trash left behind from people in the community. I helped clean the inside of the Church and set up tables for information booths. I created an expo where MSL and MIT would be able to reach out to the youth in the community and the Church. The food and drinks came early, six plates, and each looked amazing.

Before 10:00am two ladies from the Samoan service arrived to learn and help them for possible employment it was exciting to see their faces as they walked in. The representatives from the different institutes were already there with information about career choices on the booths I had set up for them. But as 10:00am came no one else arrived. I texted the pastors who told me they were coming and received apologies instead of we are coming. I did every kind of advertisement I could think of with limited budget but no youth showed. I walked on the streets inviting  youth I came across and over nine of them turned me down but three guys walked in for the food.

I had the program start around 10:30am as the first speaker showed her power point to the two wonderful ladies who showed up. I was greatly disappointed as I had to start giving apologies to the all the representatives. They understood and told me that now that we have created this network of contacts it can be done again. They will help out with budget and free courses to teach whatever I want them to teach to the people of the community and the Church. After lunch the second speaker arrived and we all joined as we listened to her speak of the many branches of MIT and how the different ventures the institute is doing.

The program ended early and I felt defeated with insight that I have created good networks with these people for possible expo's in the future.

We must take the good with the bad in ministry. In it all I had three ladies arrive to learn about the programs being offered and how to help them for future employment. I spoke to many youth and had one follow me the rest of the day.

It does not keep me down for long as I push forward knowing God has called me for missions but not only missions but also holistic ministry. Holistic ministry is one where it is reaching people on all levels of their lives, the pastor is literally walking along side the people to show the way. I will continue that ministry till my last breath helping people lost and broken and trying to create a better future even if it is for one person.

Easter at the Beach

This Easter time was joyous in celebration from Thursday night at Oak Tree Service (Samoan congregation) then Good Friday service at Otara Church. Saturday to the Otara flea market which lead me into being invited to a umu. A Samoan meal traditionally cooked in the ground with pork, chicken, potatoes, fruits. Sunday service from the Samoan service to the Niuean service with a feast afterwards.

Easter Monday I had the chance to go to the beach and assist in four baptism with a BBQ afterwards. It was a time of celebration for the resurrected Lord to having four children deciding to follow the Lord and give up the old ways. It was good to see their energy and their desire for this moment of dying into the old ways and coming up as a new person. A moment where their sins are washed away in the beach that motioned over them. It reminded me of the movie, 'Brother where art thou?' where the three escapees come across a baptism service and you can hear them singing, such a beautiful song.