Got Robbed!

This my be my last blog for a little while.

So earlier this week my car was broken into and a camera stolen and last night(sat) our flat was broken into and approx. $6000 was taken including Graeme's TV, my laptop(macbook), both our ipods, and a few other things. Talk about a Rough Day.I had time to process through this a little this morning and remembered back 3 months into my first trip to NZ when i had experienced another huge crisis with an accident that escalated somewhat out of control. I decided to look back to see what past lessons i learned then that were meant to prepare me for now. This is what I have speculated:

1. God is in Control
With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. Jer 27:5 This is what i read first this morning when i opened my Bible.

2. I am not the MistakeIt is easy to want to blame others or to want to assume the responsibility yourself. You think of all the options of what you could've done to prevent it, but the reality is that Graeme and I were the victims here. I shouldn't develop of guilty complex over this.

3. God can and does work in miraculous Ways
In the midst of the chaos during the first trip, we thought Dan's expensive camera lens that fell out the moving van window was collateral damage. After prayer, a three hour return drive, and a 30 minute search we miraculously stumbled on his relatively unscathed camera lens. It was a small find for the amount of total damage over the month, but it was an irreplaceable bright spot and testimony to God's faithfulness overall.

4. Life is about people not Objects
I am frustrated. I feel dooped! It is a weird feeling, but I am not crushed. Neither Graeme's nor my life center around objects. We will miss our hard earned indulgences, but our purpose in God and our support through relationships allow us to be frustrated, but relatively untouched in terms of our overall outlook towards life.

5. If you haven't gotten insurance for something you were meaning to, Do It!!!
Dan and i were discussing the need for car insurance during the drive we got into our wreck.
Graeme was meaning to get content insurance for the house, but hadn't gotten around to it.
In both cases we have paid the price.

Hopefully you can learn and be encouraged by my experiences.
I appreciate your prayers and support.

Be encouraged. I don't welcome problems... but i fully acknowledge that when you are trying to serve the Lord, "accidents & problems" often mean that you are threatening enough to Satan and his kingdom to cause concern and retaliation.

How is it different being back this time?

A friend asked me this question the other day and do you know what stood out most?!? I don't have to work for extra money outside of my ministry! The financial support of everyone in the US, Australia, and New Zealand has allowed me to focus on the people and what i do best. It definitely has been different because and it is largely do to the sacrifice and service of others to allow me to pour into people who need to experience Christ in their lives. thanks for giving!

Last Week THis Week

Last Week
-Coffee and the conversation went amazing as the coffee friend asked, “How do you do it? You know, live the way you do…?” The friend is finally coming to church this Sunday!
-I also helped the pastor(Brett Jones) move into his new place across town (which means my office which is in their garage moved too!) [It is nice to be able to support the pastor]
-I was able to finally go surfing on my day off, and look forward to using this as a good connection tool in the near future as summer arrives.

This Week
-I will Help setup the church office in the Jones’ new place
-I am Preaching my second sermon in New Zealand this Sunday
-I will Confirm and hopefully meet with two men who are known for their approach in witnessing to others in New Zealand!

Thanks again for your prayer and support
Brent Dongell
Proverbs 19:22 “What a man desires is unfailing love…”

Last Week This Week

Last Week:
Elections seemed to dominate my brain space with the US and NZ elections both taking place.
The “American Blackout” screening on Friday was a decent turnout although it did not directly reflect the quality effort.
The coffee shop friend asked to sit down and discuss some issues concerning “God and life” but that conversation and attending church have yet to come.
I was able to attend a morning Fijian Church “Sione” where I was able to continue befriending the teens and breaking down difficult but unnecessary cultural barriers because of language and comfort zones.

This Week:
I have set up an appointment to talk to the coffee shop friend midmorning Thursday
I have a good amount of Master’s work online to complete, but the work continues to be helpful and informative for ministry here and ministry to come
I will follow an evangelism course and meet the teacher in hopes to sit down and connect with him as a reference about the boundaries of boldness in evangelism here.

Prayer Partner

Meet Rhett Snell
Before i returned to New Zealand, God really began to impress on me the importance of prayer and reliance on Him for things to succeed.

I also read a book that illustrated the wide gap of accountability. Something like 15% of ministers followed through on their evangelistic goals without accountability compared to 50+% of ministers with an accountability partner.
I put two and two together and i have begun meeting with Rhett on a weekly basis to pursue prayer. This has been a new experience. Never before have i met with someone where neither of us have a dictating time limit and just pray...

It has been powerful and a great personal comfort whenever prayer is brought up. i know that it is solidifying in my life and stirring in others.

This next week, we might go to main parts of Auckland and pray over the city. To some this is a waste of gas money, but to me it is a big blanket of covering and a contribution to the empowerment of the church and the body of Christ. It truly is a stance in a spiritual battle i still don't fully grasp yet. But i am excited!

Last Week This Week

Last Week:
The coffee shop friend asked me if she could go to church, so the prayers are working! Too bad cession didn't have a night service she could attend this week.  The Wesleyan pastor's conference (Equip 08) ran this weekend. I connected with a good number of different pastors and their leaders from across the north island of New Zealand.

This Week:
My personal goal for the next two weeks is to find a respected Kiwi evangelist to learn from. (I won't know my boundaries of boldness vs. insensitivity until then). I am also in charge of coordinating setup for a film showing and outreach opportunity at the church on Friday night called "American Blackout." For the last three weeks we have been collecting info and taking pictures, so this week we will be solidifying the information to create a long awaited church directory for cession|community(this is key in my communication with others). The new cell group will have its second meeting this week, and i will now begin forming a First Contact/Impressions team to engage visitors.

PS. Only the Americans had ever carved a pumpkin for Halloween; our South African, Kiwi, Fijian, and Swedish friends had never tried this before.