Meet the NewSong 2010 South Africa team!

Last weekend, we had our missions retreat in Crestline at Thousand Pines retreat center. It is such a quiet and serene spot in the mountains. All of the teams joined together from all NewSong sites. This year’s theme was “KNOW LOSS KNOW LIFE” based on Luke 9:24 which says, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” I love this verse and how it embodies missions and what happens after. The Message version says it this way: “Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?”

Retreat is my favorite part of the preparation process because you meet different people whose hearts are bound by the same tie of servitude, and also for the reason that this is the time when the team usually bonds the most. At this time, the “technical” stuff (airline tickets purchased, dates set, etc.) is usually out of the way and the team can breathe a little easier and just spend time getting to know one another. I enjoyed watching my team bond and slowly begin to take responsibility for and care for one another.

I think my team will do great things in South Africa and I can’t wait to see how their hearts are broken and forever changed by this experience. Because I’m so familiar with the “lay of the land” I rely on the fresh eyes to take me back to my first time and to show me how much I’ve grown since that time. My eyes there are so different now as I see beyond a superficial “intro” layer.

On Friday night of the retreat, I looked around at my team, and I was excited. I had this overwhelming feeling of pride—both my own and God’s. I felt like God was smiling at them and giving them a round of applause for their courage to step out this year, turning faith into action, and “go.”

These are things I love about my team already listed by person:

Tyler – Tyler is the “all American boy” to me—well rounded, athletic, kind, just a nice guy. He’ll be helping to lead the men’s group. He has a missions past and has many leadership skills. He’s always the first to volunteer and is very energetic. We may lose him on the trip….well, maybe we’ll find him but I bet it will be under a massive pile of little children who I know are going to flock to him! This guy will soon be leading teams again—maybe to South Africa next year?

Jenn — Jenn is quiet at first but her strength is evident in the quiet. Silence is always comfortable. She is that person that you feel that you have known for a while even though you just met her. She’ll be helping out with leading the women’s group with me.

Elliott – Elliott is quiet at first so he’s a little bit of a mystery but everyone can tell what a big heart he has in there. He is very talented and loves music. He plays on the worship team at NewSong (guitar). He is going to be a huge piece that completes our puzzle on this trip. He is very easy going in conversation and I think he is going to really show his strengths on this trip.

Peter – Peter has the most gentle spirit of anyone I’ve met in a while! He is so kind. Although he is gentle-natured, there is a spiritual strength there that I know we will all rely on during the trip. I know he will continually grow, and I know this trip will be a huge platform for that growth. Watch out for this guy in the next few years!

Susan – Susan is so easy going. She is the one who gets along with everyone and will be the one to rally the team when we are all tired and half asleep. I love her spirit. Susan will be up for any challenge presented! This personality is much needed on a team, and we will appreciate her encouragement carrying us through difficult times.

Lisa – Lisa seems to be a caretaker. There were many occasions on the retreat in which she tended to the team. She is very calm and easy going. Lisa is taking a leap of faith on this trip, and I know her faith will be reassured before the trip and rewarded on the trip.

Janet – Janet has spunk! Janet came later to the team but jumped in at 100% with an attitude of “I’ll do whatever I need to do!” She is getting married in October but never lets the stress that she must have with planning 2 big events show. She exudes a positive energy that is contagious.

Dianne – Dianne is our social one. She blends easily into groups and is so easy to engage in conversation. She would be the first person to break the ice in conversation and connect the group. She likes to have fun and will be an asset with planning fun events to further bind the team.

Team, you rock! I can’t wait to share this experience with you!

Bottom (L to R): Jennifer Hananouchi, Danielle, Peter Ahn, Lisa An, Dianne McAlexander
Top (L to R): Janet Pamoleras, Susan Chong, Elliott Kim, Tyler Ternes

My little starfish

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…”
I made a difference for that one.”

And such is life....we have to live life for "that one." I'm constantly reminded of this story. At work, when I'm overwhelmed with so many clients, the weight of their situations, and advocacy, my boss reminds me "one starfish at a time." [side note: I love that about her] As I read "The Hole in Our Gospel," Rich Stearns (President of World Vision) relates tackling the world's poverty to that story. We can't do everything..but we can do something, and in that way, we become less overwhelmed and more mobilized.



When Rich Stearns visited NewSong, we had a push to sponsor 1000 kids in a community in Malawi. We actually exceeded that goal! I had wrestled with child sponsorship because I give generously already to organizations and people in need. I just couldn't shake the still voice urging me to go look at the table of children to sponsor. I became excited as I sat through the service, anxiously waiting, imagining, planning, visualizing....Who would I choose? What all would I be able to send to her? When would I send her the first package? Should I close my eyes and pick one? Then it came to me...I could help instill this in the next generation by including my niece, Brady, in the sponsorship.



Brady is 10 and loves to read, learn about new cultures and places, and do art. Brady is and has always been such a fantastic girl. One day, she will change the world, I know it. I think she would love to help me out. I went back to the World Vision sponsorship table and searched through hundreds of faces looking for a girl born the same month/year as Brady (January 2000). I never found January but after finding several boys born in 2000, I finally found her! She was born in September 2000. Her name is Lozalia and she is my starfish!



When my sponsorship package came in the mail this week with more detailed information than I had gotten on the day of sponsorship, I was so excited to comb through all of the information. I immediately ran out and began stocking up on things to send her in a package. When I realized how excited I was over my "new friend," I began to wonder (and still do)....What must it be like the moment you find out that you have been sponsored? I hope that one day I'll be able to ask her in person.



Today, I will mail my first package to Lozalia.

Support

Dear friends and family,

As I have already mentioned to many of you by email, I’ll be returning to South Africa this year to the same community that I have served for the past 3 years and will be serving alongside Monte Christo Ministries. I will be leading a team including 8 other young men and women. My hope is to instill in my teammates a love and passion for Africa so that they may be ambassadors on their behalf. We leave on August 6 and will return to the US on August 22, 2010.

I would love to share this journey with you and “take you along” in whichever capacity or capacities suit you best. Here are a few ways to get involved at this point:

1. Donate financially. The trip will cost between $3500-4000. All donations are tax-deductible and the majority will be used while I am there so you will get to see your “dollars at work.” You may donate by check or online. Directions for giving are posted below this letter.

2. Support in prayer. Prayer support is the most important part of the trip and is what enables us to go and allows us to be received best in the communities. If you would like to pray for our team, please send me an email so I can add you to the list so you receive updates and prayer requests.

3. Donate materials. We will be collecting materials for the community. Specific details are to be determined. Please email me if you would like to donate materials to send, and I will give you the list and recipient.

The statistics of poverty can be overwhelming [~26, 500 children die daily of largely preventable diseases related to poverty], but we can focus on one person. Monte Christo uses our donations to serve these children’s communities and provide a safe haven from drugs and gangs, church programs, basic necessities, and love.

Thank you for continually supporting this yearly mission of love. I have seen your donations, prayers, and donated goods change lives and put smiles on many little faces.

Much love & blessings to you & yours,
Danielle

Newsong treX Online Giving Instructions

1. Go to http://www.newsong.net

2. Click on the “GIVE” tab on the upper right portion of the webpage.

3. You’ll need to register with our secure website in order to give online

4. Either login with your current account or create a new one if you’ve never registered with us before by clicking the button on the right.

5. Once you’ve created an account and logged in, you’ll be taken to a screen titled: SCHEDULE NEW CONTRIBUTIONS

6. Click on the drop down box titled “Fund” and choose the option that says: Fund: * IRV-2 IRVINE TREX MISSION TEAMS

7. This will bring up a second box called: Sub Fund

8. Click on the Sub Fund drop down box and choose the team and person you want to support. The Sub Fund will look like this: “IRV TREX - ”

9. Click the circle that says: to make a one time contribution.

10. Fill out payment and billing information.

11. To complete your transaction click the button in the lower right side of the form.

12. Thank you for supporting NewSong treX