Time Change

There is going to be a 16 hour time change from Michigan to New Zealand. I thought it might be helpful for those who read/look at my blog to know what time it is where I am. So it is posted to the right of my page. As I get ready to leave in 8 days, I think about the fact that I will be gone for 6 months at the most and it seems like a long time now, but it is really quite small when you think of how long you live. But all it takes is an amazing learning experience about God and yourself to change your life forever. So not only am I having a change of time in the world, but also in life. I am looking forward to what God is going to throw me into next after New Zealand, even where He calls me in my time of outreach with Youth with a Mission. This is a change in my life for the good but I still have no idea what I might encounter. I pray that my teammates and I can reach out to the people that God intended for us to talk to. Also, that we may change their lives for the good to. Please remember me and my teammates in your prayers, that the people we encounter will have open hearts and minds to listen to us.

I will try my best to write on my blog and show pictures when I get free time to keep you updated on what is happening in my life and New Zealand. Feel free to shoot me an email (abronsink@gmail.com) saying hi or even send a letter or card to the address below. It made my day getting letters, cards and packages in the mail when I was in Colorado last winter.
Amy Bronsink
YWAM Oxford
PO Box 47
Oxford, North Canterbury 7443
New Zealand

August Update

In a little over a month I will be on my way to New Zealand with Youth with a Mission! Here are my top 5 things that I am most excited about.

1. Showing the love of God to the people in New Zealand!
2. How God is going to challenge me in my faith through everyday life.
3. What I am going to learn about God and myself during this time.
4. The people I am going to meet and the friendships I will make.
5. Embracing the culture of New Zealand and other countries I might end up in.

 As excited as I am about this experience; I still need spiritual/financial support to go to New Zealand. I can use prayer that the people my teammates and I meet in New Zealand will have open hearts and minds about God. If you feel lead to help me financially you can send a tax deductible check to Middleville Christian Reformed Church, 708 East Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333. All you need to do is write YWAM in the memo line and they will know that it is for me and send it to YWAM New Zealand. If you are interested in more of what Youth with a Mission is and what I will be doing, you can go to this link http://www.ywamoxford.org/. I am doing the BDTS (Backpackers Discipleship Training School).

I am going to try an update my blog as much as I can and show pictures. However, I will not be bringing my laptop with me because it is staying working right now because I have rubber bands holding the battery cord in it. But there are computers on the Youth with a Mission base in New Zealand so I will try my best to post a couple times a month. If you would like to correspond with just me, just send me an email at abronsink@gmail.com and I will get back to you as soon as I can. On my blog post you can select an option to "follow by email" meaning each time I post anything you will get an email saying that I posted something!

Have a great day!
~Amy

Getting more out of life

After coming back from working in Colorado at Keystone in their Ski and Ride School department I realized that I needed more out of life. I asked myself what I would change and decided I wanted to see more of the world. I didn't want to travel by myself so I decided to apply for YWAM (Youth with a Mission) in New Zealand to show the love of God to the people there. If I can show one person that God is a part of the small stuff in our lives just as much as the big parts it will be worth it. When I was in Colorado I had the opportunity to ski for free, so I did that on my days off. While skiing I would look out and see what God has created and wondered what else is out there that I am missing out on. I have always been fascinated by Australia and New Zealand and their culture.

I got accepted into the YWAM program in New Zealand and will be leaving at the end of September for 5 months. There are 2 phases to a YWAM program, the first part is Discipleship Training School (DTS), meaning I will spend the first 3 months learning more about God and how to communicate to non-belivers. This specific YWAM DTS program is a backpacking one. Meaning I will be able to see other parts of New Zealand on the weekend when I am not in school. The second phase is an 2-3 month outreach puting into practice what I learned in the last 3 months and I can do that right in New Zealand or Internationally. I haven't decided yet what to do or where I should do that. I am nervous but excited to see what challenges I come upon. I never thought that I would be a "blogger" but I figured it would be easier to keep up with me and my adventures through here. Hope you are having an amazing summer!