Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011 Recap

2011 was a year of natural disasters, political uprisings, revolutions, and more headlines from around the world. Because of my line of work, many of these events occurring on distant shores hit close to home for me... Flooding and Cyclones in Queensland, Earthquakes in Christchurch, Political Revolution in the streets of Cairo & Alexandria, a Tsunami in Sendai Japan which also affected Kona... I have friends in all of these affected places. It was a year to really thank God for life and ask him to help us make the most the lives he's given each of us. In 2011, I took every opportunity to teach the Bible so I could grow in this area more. I also had many people from Washington come to visit. It was a year of challenges but a year of blessings. But, I'll be honest: I'm looking forward to 2012!!!

Here's a [brief] recap of my 2011 in Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, and finishing the year here in Washington.

January
- Staffing 2nd quarter of Chronological School of Biblical Studies (2nd half of Old Testament)
- Angela & Ryan visit
February
- Taught Zephaniah in SBS
March
- Tsunami in Japan (Damages to property in Kona but no loss of life)
- Taught Esther
April
- Staffing 3rd quarter of Chronological SBS (New Testament)
- Started teaching Inductive Bible Study in the Asia Pacific Discipleship Training School (DTS)
- Started leading Bible Study for friends with Island Breeze
- Chans visit
- Loehrs visit
- Taught 1 & 2 Thessalonians
May
- Taught Colossians & Philemon
June
- Whites visit
- Chronological SBS Graduation
- Left for Outreach
July
- Led SBS Outreach Team to Fiji (Other 2 teams went to Brazil & China)
- Team taught the Bible in Churches, YWAM Base, Bible Study Groups, & Methodist Deaconess Training Centre
August
- Outreach Team in Samoa
- Team taught Inductive Bible Study Seminars in various churches and the Samoan Prison
September
- Stayed in Samoa after team left
- Taught for a week on Inductive Bible Study for the Samoa DTS
- Got Samoan Drivers License and Drove for YWAM Base
- Helped lead Worship & Intercession for YWAM Samoa
- Rugby World Cup began
October
- Drove for YWAM Samoa, visited families in Aleipata (where the 2009 Tsunami hit)
- Rugby World Cup finished - New Zealand All Blacks are the Champions!
- Taught Bible Study using Stories
- White Sunday (Children's Sunday - a national Holiday in Samoa)
November
- Visited YWAM Los Angeles & Tijuana (en route from Samoa to Washington)
- Came to Washington
- Friend, Jerry Tamanisau passed away
- Shared at Hockinson Community Church about ministry in the Islands
December
- Cousin, Gayle visited - she and I chopped our hair and donated it to Children with Hairloss
- Friend, Patrick McCleery passed away
- Dad went back to work after being laid off for 5 months
- Lots of quality time with friends and family

- Sat down to write a blog update for the end of the year...