New Zealand Mission Work
"I have been a member at the Martinez Church of Christ since August 2001. When I turned 18 years old I left my family in Rodeo, California to attend a missions program designed for young Christians interested in spreading the gospel throughout the world. I was in the Adventures In Missions (A.I.M.) program for two years; I spent eight months training at a Bible College in Lubbock, Texas and the next 18 months as an intern at the Otumoetai Church of Christ in Tauranga, New Zealand.
In Tauranga I served in a variety of ministries including Bible in Schools, Kids Klub, M.O.P.S., Bethlehem Foster Care, Youth Ministry, Visitation, Australian Mission Trip for Youth, Women's Ministry, Full Stop, FriendSpeak, Children's Bible Classes, Intermediate Camp, and many others. My most memorable experience in New Zealand was during a FriendSpeak lesson with a young woman from Japan. I had the most joyful experience of being the first to tell her about Jesus Christ's love and sacrifice for mankind. I remember shutting the front door of my house after she left, and I could not help but run and jump around the house with endless joy! Praise God for rare moments like this!
I returned to the U.S.A. November 2007 and worked a secular job until Fall 2008 when I enrolled in Junior College for one year. I was mildly involved with the youth at Martinez, and continued to grow in my faith. After many nights of longing to return to New Zealand, God answered my prayers, and I moved back to Tauranga in November 2009 to live and be a part of the congregation.
Currently, God has blessed me to be a part of several ministries. I am on the core planning group for our Women’s Ministry. I help with our Young Adult Ministry. I lead a Bible study with three youth girls on Tuesday afternoons, and work as a Teacher’s Aide at a high school. I am learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ wherever I go in the world. I am 23 years old and Lord willing, will begin working towards a Bachelors in the Social Sciences in February 2011 in Tauranga, New Zealand to help fulfill career goals in the humanitarian/development aid field in third world countries.
Jesus tells Simon to put out his nets in Luke Chapter 5. Simon had been fishing all day and caught nothing. Yet he responded to Jesus with these profound words, ‘But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ Do not be afraid. Follow Christ.”
In Tauranga I served in a variety of ministries including Bible in Schools, Kids Klub, M.O.P.S., Bethlehem Foster Care, Youth Ministry, Visitation, Australian Mission Trip for Youth, Women's Ministry, Full Stop, FriendSpeak, Children's Bible Classes, Intermediate Camp, and many others. My most memorable experience in New Zealand was during a FriendSpeak lesson with a young woman from Japan. I had the most joyful experience of being the first to tell her about Jesus Christ's love and sacrifice for mankind. I remember shutting the front door of my house after she left, and I could not help but run and jump around the house with endless joy! Praise God for rare moments like this!
I returned to the U.S.A. November 2007 and worked a secular job until Fall 2008 when I enrolled in Junior College for one year. I was mildly involved with the youth at Martinez, and continued to grow in my faith. After many nights of longing to return to New Zealand, God answered my prayers, and I moved back to Tauranga in November 2009 to live and be a part of the congregation.
Currently, God has blessed me to be a part of several ministries. I am on the core planning group for our Women’s Ministry. I help with our Young Adult Ministry. I lead a Bible study with three youth girls on Tuesday afternoons, and work as a Teacher’s Aide at a high school. I am learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ wherever I go in the world. I am 23 years old and Lord willing, will begin working towards a Bachelors in the Social Sciences in February 2011 in Tauranga, New Zealand to help fulfill career goals in the humanitarian/development aid field in third world countries.
Jesus tells Simon to put out his nets in Luke Chapter 5. Simon had been fishing all day and caught nothing. Yet he responded to Jesus with these profound words, ‘But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ Do not be afraid. Follow Christ.”
-Veronica Rayfield
