Monday, March 21, 2011

Becoming Kiwi


Becoming Kiwi

So here in New Zealand the native people are called Kiwi. There is also the Kiwi bird, and the Kiwi fruit so it can get a bit confusing. As we have discovered life here in NZ is a bit different than in the US, but we are slowly being intergraded into the Kiwi culture. Before we know it maybe we will be Kiwi too! You will have to let us know if we start to sound a little Kiwi!  To start with, the Kiwi language is English but it defiantly has some new words and phrases. Here is a list I have been making.

NZ            US
·      Tea time= Dinner
·      Tea towel= dish rag
·      Wee bit= small or little ( “I will take a wee bit more”)
·      Good as Gold= not a problem (“ Could I pay for this later? Good as gold mate”)
·      Flash= means it looks good (“that’s flash”)
·      Hooray= The Kiwi “Goodbye”
·      Heaps= a lot (“ I miss you heaps”)
·      Chap= friend
·      Mate= friend or buddy
·      Boot= car trunk
·      Car park= parking lot
·      Petrol= Gasoline
·      Moterway= freeway
·      Chips= French fries
·      Tomato sauce= Ketchup
·      Courgette= zucchini
·      Biscuit= cookie
·      Cotton buds= Q-tips
·      Flat= apartment
·      Good on ya, mate!= Well done
·      Ground flood= the first floor (they call the second flood 1st floor)
·      Jumper= sweater or sweatshirt
·      Toilet= bathroom
·      Mum= Mom
·      Nappy= Diaper
·      Push bike= bicycle
·      Rubbish= trash or garbage
·      Shift= to move (“We will shift out tomorrow”)
·      Torch= flashlight
·      Wardrobe= dresser or close closet
·      Zed= How they say the letter Z

Here are some other differences:

·      They drive on the left side of the road.
·      There are lots of roundabouts.
·      Most of the time the toilet is in another room from the shower/tub and sink.
·      In the homes the doors almost always open in.
·      There are different spickets for the hot and cold water in the bathroom. (no way to get warm water, either hot or cold).
·      There are no screens on the windows (there are always flies in the house).
·      They have these Flyswatters that have some electronic way of zapping the fly and then it just falls dead.
·      Everyone seems to own a heard of sheep.


Well that is all I can think if right now, I hope this gave you a little inside to the Kiwi life we live here! 


Love always,
 Amber & Samuel

Married for one Month!


Wow how the time flies! One month ago today I married my best friend and the man of my dreams!!! It is so much fun to remember all the fun memories of that wonderful weekend. Thank you to all who came it was really a blessing to have all of our close friends share in such a wonderful event. 

Well a lot has happened in this first month of being married let me begin with a short list:

·      Get married
·      Pack like crazy next day to leave for New Zealand
·      Honeymoon in Fiji! (It was amazing !!!!!)
·      Leave Fiji in a helicopter and find out as we are trying to take off that the hydraulics have broken.  Land safely and wait for another helicopter.  (We arrived safely in the second helicopter.)
·      Fly to Christchurch, New Zealand
·      See the devastation from the Feb 22 earthquake.
·      Meet the wonderful leaders from the Ilam SDA church that we will be working with.
·      Do outreach in the neighborhoods of Christchurch,  answering question like “where is God when it hurts”, “Why does God allow these terrible things to happen”  etc.
·      Look for housing- no luck so far
·      Start up the prophecy meetings again, with speaker David Asscherick.
·      Have a wonderful turnout at meetings, with about 350 people each night.
·      Feel several earthquakes! 3.8, 4.7, and most recently a 5.1 (it’s definitely shaky here!)
·      Do some exploring on the coast of New Zealand, and see dolphins.
·      Continue to work on my Midwifery School.
·      Have powerful Bible studies with people in the Christchurch area.

These are just a few of the adventures we have had so far!

We are so grateful to be working for the Lord and we see His many Blessing everyday. Please continue to pray for us and our ministry here in New Zealand.

Love,
Amber and Samuel

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Arrived in Christchurch!


Hi family and friends.

We had a wonderful time honeymooning in Fiji and have now made it safely to Christchurch. The people here are very hospitable and we are currently staying with a family in their guesthouse that it right next door to their house that is on 10 acres out in the country. It is so beautiful here! We will be staying here for a few weeks until we are able to find our own house. We just received our car today! It is a blue 1995 Toyota Corona. I love it already, and can’t wait to give it a name!  Well the meetings here have been going very well but they have been postponed due to the earthquake and will be resuming March 15, we are still working on getting a new location as the center we were using is now being used as a center for those who have been affected by the earthquake. We are excited for the continuation of the meetings as there are many people looking for hope during this hard time.  Please continue to pray for the people here.

I am attaching the link for the meetings here and I encourage you all to look at the site and even listen to the meetings that are recorded. The meetings are very good and you won’t want to miss hearing them either!!! 


Well love and miss you all,

God Bless,

Amber and Samuel