15 May, Sacred Heart Girls' College, New Plymouth

We presented an hour's programme each to 2 classes of the college and it was a bonus that some of the girls from New Plymouth Lifeteen who were students there (Alana, Therese, Roseanne) could come to support us. One of them, Roseanne, very bravely gave her testimony when we asked her to, and we were very proud of her! The action song "Trading My Sorrows" went very well with the students (thanks, Steph, for teaching that to us :-). We also played a short video that had a Christian message. It was a powerful way to convey the Gospel and which could capture the young people's attention. If you are interested to know further, just let us know and we can tell you more


Chris sharing her personal testimony.











Ju giving a taching on sharing our faith.




Picture with some of the girls who attending the proggramme at the monastery at the end opf April lending us their moral support.

16-21 May, School & Parish Mission :Outreach in Ngaruawahia

While we weere on Parish Mission in Huntly, we also had the opportuinity to reach out to St Paul's primary school in Ngaruawahia...here are some photos of our time with the kids.

11 June, Au Revoir Chris ;-(

On 11 June, the community and friends came together to bid farewell to Chris who in September will be joining tzhe ICPE commnity in Germany. The gathering was filled with laughter and tears as different people honoured Chris for who she is and the blessing she has been for each one of them during her stay in New Zealand.

Despite the tears, it was a time of great rejoicing adn gratitude for all that Gopd has done and the miracle and blessing of each encounter, each relationship that has developed in her time in New Zealand.

So for Chris it is good-bye to her home in Middle Earth.

We wish her all the best for her time in Germany where we know for sure she will be blessed and be in turn a blessing for those who God will place in her path during her stay there.

Titus with Chris...he baked his first cake...for Chris!! Well done Titus!! The cake was yummy!




Picture with fellow Singapreans we have be-friended in our time in New Zealand.

Worship Nights at St Gerard's

We started a monthly worship nights 3 months ago in response to God's call to make St St Gerard's a spiritual lighthouse, a house of prayer.

The poster for the first worship night at St Gerard's

Chris part of the worship team for the 1st worship night. (far left on her guitar)

The second worship night

Chris leads worship at the 3rd Worship Night, 28 May

Sr Mari had a prophetic word that God wanted to do a healing work in people's hearts that night and indeed, as we made specae for people to pray for each other, the Holy Spirit moved among them with His healing touch and strength and that was borne out from the testimonies given at the end of the evening.

God is indeed faithful to His word!!

For those interested, the worship night happens every last Friday of the month.

16-21 May, School & Parish Mission:Outreach in Huntly

The Huntly Outreach Team - John (Malayisa), Esther (India) & Chris, Cat & Ju (Singapore) From Kaponga, we drove north to Huntly to conduct 3 days of outreach at the St Anthony's Primary School as well as a 3-evening parish seminar. It was very special that we could spend those few days with the 29 kids from the senior class. We shared with them about God's love for them, their identity in Him and how they could grow in these truths. The biggest blessing was that we could talk to and pray for each of them individually. We were chuffed when at the closing mass, all of them came up and prayed for us ;-)

We did not have time to do home visits at Huntly because of our day programmes with the kids but despite that, a good number turned up for the evening seminars, including almost all the staff from the primary school. It was very strongly felt by the team that God's mission for us was to bring new hope and encouragement to His people there. This was confirmed by the feedback and responses we received from those who attended the seminars. Praise God!



Chris leading the childrens choir at mass.









Chris giving a teaching on the Images of God



Chris & I listen on as the kids share about their pictures of family and where God fits into their family.

6-13 May, Parish Mission :Outreach in Kaponga

7 of us conducted a parish mission in Kaponga & Manaia. It was wonderful that we could visit parishioners at their homes, listen to their feedback, pray with them and encourage them. We witnessed God's amazing grace in bringing home to Him one parishioner who had stayed away from church and the sacrament of reconciliation for 20 years. God's transforming grace was evident by the brightening of her face and whole demeanour as the days went by. We were also blessed by the warrm and loving, friendships that were struck as we spent time witht he people.

Witht the youth in Kaponga

With the kids in St Patrick's Primary School.



Chris and John performing the mime "The PAinter"...Chris is John's beautiful model...mime depicting how different people/things look when seen through God's eyes.








Ju giving taching on the 4 Gospel Truths with the enthusiastic help of the kids in the school.

9-16 April, Holy Week Retreat: "Stone Rolled Away"

5 people signed up for a live-in retreat at St Gerard's during Holy Week. They received teachings, experienced various prayer forms, had a taste of community life, participated in the Holy Week's liturgy and para-liturgy, including a Sedar meal, Maundy Thursday mass and washing of feet, Stations of the Cross, Good Friday service and of course Easter Sunday Eucharist. It was a week of restoration and new hope for the participants.

The theme of the retreat was "Stone Rolled Away"....it was a special time of celebration.




Chris giving her teaching on God's covenantal love

25-28 April, New Plymouth Lifeteen Leaders :Wise Man Built His House Upon A Rock!

Lifeteen New Plymouth

6 girls from New Plymouth's Lifeteen Group came for a live-in programme with us at St Gerard's. The passage that the programme was based on was Matthew 7....about building their house on the right foundation.

The programme was based on the needs they had identified. We ran the programme in collaborated with Wellington Lifeteen and the Head of the Liturgy Office. Throughout the 4-day programme, God ministered to them in very evident ways and they left St Gerard's, each personally strengthened and recharged! It was very heartening for us to meet them again a couple of weeks later and to know they are faithfully working on the resolutions they had made at the end of the programme, and also that they've grown closer as friends. \o/

The lifeteen girls in front of the backdrop they created.