Testifying

Be prepared in season and out.....

 

Recently we ministered at a local church (Church of Christ Ann Street) and were blessed with the diversity of their congregation. The students from DTS lead worship, shared testimonies and danced. I also was able to share a testimony about how the bible doesn't say we choose to make a decision in faith, but it says we choose to LIVE in faith... a good reminder ~

Newsletter Feb 2011

A new year at Island Breeze

Dear supporters and families.

I am writing to update you about some new opportunities, honors and challenges ahead for this year. As I'm returning to Island Breeze Brisbane, I've been asked to step into leadership position. I'm very honored by this request but I do release the weight of it as our base continues to move forward in our 'rebuilding' season. We are praying in new and inspired staff to help facilitate all the visions we have for this year including outreach to the Aborigine community, starting our missions resource centre, training students in our Discipleship Training Program, increasing our rugby sports ministry and continuing to minister to the local community.

After having shared my personal vision of 'discipling and creating opportunities to use spiritual giftings, for those native to the Pacific', my directors Waqa and Jade have asked me to head up the 'Missions Resource Centre'. This centre has been inactive for over one year and so there is a lot of regrouping to be done. Our targets are to facilitate outreaches, both locally and in the Pacific, to create missions conferences and a missions library, and to coordinate with local churches to open doors to missions. Currently we have three team members and are excited about gathering information and contacts to see God move amongst Australia, the Pacific and across the world.

As I take on this new responsibility of leading the 'Missions Resource Centre', my time will also be spent mentoring and helping staff the Discipleship Training Program that beings this Sunday. Currently we have nine students and have a rugby/missions focus. I am also continuing to support the community contacts from last year (having moved out of community centre) including small groups, youth nights, and connecting outreach groups with the local needs. As you tell, my prayer is for God to show me how to wisely use my time and to stay focused on His call.

As my title changes, I will be traveling more this year. All of us in Island Breeze are now being encouraged to attend the 'Principles of Redeeming Cultures' school, run through YWAM. The one I am looking at taking begins in September in New Zealand and the cost is approximately 3000 american dollars. I have also been asked to help staff a DTS school in Vanuatu, where I spent some time last year, staffing and translating from English to French. Although I will be unable to staff the entire school, I hope to spend one month supporting the school and Tony, who is leading it. It will bring some challenges as it is a 'survivor' DTS and I will really experience 'island life'. The cost for airfare is about 500 dollars round trip. I also feel a goal with this new vision is to continue to learn about the Pacific Island culture. While I would love to spend my time solely on traveling to the different islands, this wouldn't be possible financially nor with my responsibilities at the base. I do however feel like the Cook Islands is on my list to visit this year, hopefully in July. The focus is not only to understand the culture but to gather contact information and learn about the base so we can easily coordinate outreaches.

 

Pictures: From a goodbye performance for the Raiqisos who are pioneering Island Breeze in Fiji; two pictures from our Tuesday Nite Live worship session

What I've been Up to!

What I've been up to!

Arriving into Brisbane in January, I was met with some tired boys on the base from helping Queensland recover for the flood. I joined in some of the cleanup and was so proud to see Island Breeze pouring into the community. One family had three autistic children and were prepared to climb into the roof of their two story house when the helicopters came to tell them the river was receding. Needless to say there was a lot of house cleanup, toys, and landscaping for us to help with. We were touched by their stories and also touched by the volunteers in the community. We were honored when a council member came to the base to officially thank us for our support of the community.

We have also been hosting some outreach teams. One team is a DTS from Vanuatu, composed mainly of Fijians. The second team is a performing arts DTS from Melbourne. We've been blessed by their outreach and love. We also held a joint worship with Sunshine Coast YWAM, performed in the community, and served a local Tongan pastor. We look forward to more opportunities ahead!

TRUST in finances

" Where He guides, He provides. Where He leads, He feeds"

Some teaching this week for our discipleship training school was about faith and finances. Having been stretched already it was excited to be able to testify to God's faithfulness. But its a constant challenge to depend solely on Him and not on my own works or methods for money , food and shelter.  But faith requires sacrifice. God has been good to provide up to this point, so why should I doubt?

 

Am praying for the 1400 american dollars that will be owed to my health insurance the end of this month. Please pray with me! 

Being stretched and blessed,

Alissa

Fijian quote of the day

Watching one boy looking up at the bats flying around the trees. Me: "Dont be scared"  Him: "Im not scared, I want to eat one". HAHAHA And he wasn't kidding. About half an hour later one friend was talking to some family that happened to be in the area and one old man, from the islands, grabbed a volleyball and threw it into the bush, trying to smash the bat to eat. HEHEHE and this is in Australia!  Good laughs

DTS training

This week I was asked to do a cultural orientation for the Discipleship Training that recently started here at Island Breeze. We have seven fijians, one from Vanuatu, and one from the UK. This is a rugby DTS and consists of all men. After the cultural orientation of discussing warm culture (people focus) vs cold culture (task focus) we went into some teambuilding excercises. It was a lot of fun and also a good time to stretch the mind and build some long lasting friendships. May God bless this team as they learn, minister in the Brisbane area, play rugby as a ministry, and outreach to the Pacific.

Wototo group

 

We were able to attend the 'Wototo' concert, a group of African orphans who have come out of amazing violence to speak of freedom and forgiveness!! Inspiring for us at Island Breeze!

Combined Worship and Prayers for Hurrican Yasi

This past Monday we took the morning to lead a combined with worship with a nearby YWAM. It was a bit of culture shock to be around so many North Americans and Europeans. Our outreach team from Vanuatu performed their dance and Waqa and Soni led the worship. It was a great time of worship and interceding for Egypt. May God grant other AWESOME times of worship to come!

PS thanks for your prayers for Hurricane Yasi that hit northern Queensland. To this point, no fatalities. Property damage we can rebuild. The consensus seems to be its a 'wake up' time from God, drawing us nearer to Him!

Australia DAY Celebration

AUSTRALIA DAY

Last Wednesday we celebrated Australia Day with the rest of the nation. I watched clips from honoring the 'memorable' role models of the year and feasted on BBQ in the hot sun. They just don't do it like the 4th of July though! Here are a few pics from our 'island breeze' celebration! We feel blessed to be allowed to honor God in this beautiful country!

flood cleanup

I have arrived safely in Australia and since being back we've spent the week working on cleaning and landscaping projects for those who have been affected by the floods. It seems the first cleanup up has been done and people are now needing help getting the mud out of their basements, lawns and scrubbing with bleach the areas most affected. The boys at the base even worked on Saturday and Sunday but seem to enjoy it. We've been able to get lawn equipement back into running conditions and the girls and I spent an entire day cleaning and sterilizing toys for a local family with three autistic children. Their first floor was storage and play rooms, education rooms for their children. The water was so high on their house that the were prepared to climb in to the ceiling when the helicopters flew by to let them know the water was receeding. Many of these families will have emotional 'cleanup' as well as material (one seven year old boy kept telling me that the rain was coming and another flood; he had a hard time understanding that the flood was a one time deal). This week is our 'staff retreat' as we regroup together to focus on the upcoming year and our vision to continue working with the indigenous nations to spread the gospel and redeem cultures. Many changes ahead! Praise God for safety and provisions for all of us.

Pictures: volunteer firemen still continue to work with Brisbane residents (Api, fijian man next to truck); me pretending to work with the mud after spending the morning scrubbing the upstairs floorboards; a DTS student on outreach from Fiji, resting after a days workb

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2010

HIGHLIGHTS of 2010

Australia

:

-Learning new cultural dances and traditions from the Pacific

-Helping two days a week with Shekinah program for girls (alternative school)

-Helping two days a week with local chaplains in the schools (Deception Bay and Grace)

-Supporting local Youth groups and church fundraisers

-Running our Tuesday Night Live community worship service

-Supporting local food bank

-Starting up and leading a women's bible study and prayer time

-Fundraising

-Prayer

Vanuatu

-Teaching on Evangelism for Discipleship Training School

-Lead worship and devotions on YWAM base

-Helping coordinate a rugby team to play in Easter 7's

-Translating English to French for Leadership Training (two men from New Caledonia)

-Surviving earthquake and pneumonia

-See a deaf man healed

-Revival in the local church

-14 people baptized

-Prayer

First Nations Outreach in Alberta/Manitoba Canada

-Support Coyote Creek Chapel

-Help run Youth Night and Kids program

-Co-lead women's bible study and share testimony

-Share in local Sunchild School

-Participate in local round dance

-Lead two teens girl to Christ

-Run a cultural night : see ten men come to chapel for first time

-Prayer

-Home visits and prayer

-Cultural Dance performance (two)

Budget changes for 2010:

Increase in travel expenses: 5000 dollars a year

Health insurance: 1011.25 dollars for the year

Monthly rent/food: 200 dollars per month

Possible "Principles of Redeeming Cultures School" in April: 4000 dollars

I am looking forward to continuing to see God work in Australia and the Pacific this upcoming year! Please pray about whether you'd like to join me financially or in prayer. Many blessings to you and your family this Christmas season and into the New Year!

　

　

　

　

Meeting Baby April

Am blessed to spend December in Iowa meeting my new niece, April Joy, who was born to my sister and brotherinlaw Matt in Nov. I was travelling from Alberta to Manitoba on outreach when she was born and am loving the time spent with her over Christmas. Leaving will be difficult. Thank God for technology like skype and digital photos!!! Amene!
Here are a few pics of my first reunion with April...

Highlights from IB Manitoba

We spent two weeks in Manitoba, learning about the Canadian culture and ministering to local churches. We did home prayer visits, working with a youth center, and did two performance. We also spent a few days with Island Breeze Manitoba working on dances and fellowship





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Highlights from First Nations Reserve

Our time with Sunchild Reserve and O'Chiese reserve involved a lot of children's ministry, working with a women's small group, doing our Island Breeze dance presentation at school and hosting a Cultural Food night.

Islanders in the Snow

We are working on a fundraiser for Thursday called "islanders in the snow"...fundraiser for our trip to Canada. I love that name :) So simple yet it says it all! We will doing our entire dance performance as well as serving dessert and sharing testimonies- will be a blessed time!
our leaders are currently in canada already preparing for us to come and the team has really pulled together well, everyone experssing idea, agreeing, working hard to prepare. It will bea good outreach. So far it looks like the following with go, with Ma from Fiji and Donovan aborigene still working on finances:
Metui from Tonga
Cke from Vanuatu
Gee of samoan/new zealand
and myself :)
How did i get in the mix? Only God!!

I saw a koala the other day, just outside the kitchen. Sometimes I forget that Im in australia becaues our base is more 'island' focused.... So cute, Ill attach a picture. Notice the long claws though! Ive heard they arent very friendly!
The boys played their rubgy 7s this weekend in Byron Bay and won the plate, they only lost one game so I guess its the second tier to win. Good on them! Only some stiff walks today! I didnt go this year, fighting off illness so stayed put. But proud of them! Ma and I tried on their new jersey, ill attach that picture too. Cheerleaders! and cooks... ha

GOD BLESS YOUR DAY!!