So it's been a while, and I am unbelieveably jetlagged.
I realised today in staff meeting that this is not a suprise when 3 things happened to indicate the possible level of how ragged we all are after flying into Vancouver, (across the entire pacific ocean I might add) at 10am, and then being at work precisely 23 hours later....
(during staff meeting) "Wow, you look drunk!"
(while praying) "I know we are all feeling pretty hung over right now..."
(also while praying) "God, please be the shot in the arm that we need to get us through this day with good attitudes" hmmmm. concerning.
But yeah. Basically just wanted to put the word out there that I am back in this Vancouver, BC, CANADA, freaking a little, reeling a lot, and doing my best to take stock of the bitter sweet things I find waiting for me upon my return. I'll be doing a newsletter sometime this week, and in the meantime, here are a few pictures from the last couple of months.....

Much love, and many thoughts of home and you that I love
Hillary

Elsylyn and I in the cafe down the street

Opio, Me, Elavaya, Brielle and Adongo (YWAM KLers)

Our team and the entire staff of the cafe down the road
(they wanted a pic of us before we left because we ate there so much!)

Dear Adam doing his best to sleep on the plane (jk!)

The girls on debrief in Langkawi (oh the beautiful ocean!)

$10 aviators in Little India

Laura, Crystal, Me, Brielle
Our 'cultrually appopriate' yet fun clothing

Jubilee (YWAM KL) and I at KAWAN (the drop in centre we worked at)

Our team and the gorgeous team from Heidebeek, Holland

So it's one of those days where I feel like I am thinking about so much stuff that my brain really might just suddenly seize up and harden into a block of something resembling cheese or polyfilla. eeeeewww, that was an odd mental picture.
So we've had a fun day today, we had usual base worship here, then cleaning and lunch and then headed across town to the central market to shop a bit (and hang out with a VERY cute Kashmir salesman....) and then on to meet Mike for a swim at the Marriot Hotel. Needless to say, very swanky and filled with more white people than we have seen in our entire trip so far!
We did have fun though and it was really good to talk with Mike, albeit briefly about some options back in Vancouver and how things will progress from here. I know we are alwasy telling the students to live in the moment and really try not to be distracted by the future and other plans and ideas and to really finish well, but I think today was nice to take my eyes off this outreach and really look forward in a really good excited way about what lies beyond. And now I can check fully back in, the bitter of finishing and saying goodbye to Malaysia, and my friends here and this DTS, sweetened by a world of possibilities now ahead.
Anyways. Brother Charles, Adam, Erik, Sam and Crystal are having a full on Elvis Rock jam session right now to practice for going to a Muslim Drug rehab centre on Saturdya night, so I am going to sign off now, have a bit of a dance and let Crystal have the computer to look up some lyrics.
14 days til Vancouver.......
Heaps of love
Hill

So I'm in another net cafe in KL.
Gamers are obnoxious.
Seriously. Who does that. Get headphones for your stupid gun games and music!
Ahem
Ok
sorry
outburst aside
I can't even really believe that I am still here and I've already been here 6 weeks, and will be back in dear Vancouver in less than 2 1/2 weeks. my my where has the year gone. To be really honest, I'm dreading leaving Malaysia, there is definately a part of me staying behind, and a realisation that I'm gonna need to come back for sure. Is that really you God? (i know i know, shameless dig at the gospel according to Loren) but really, I think KL is definately another stop on the highway ahead.
Wow that was a terrible metaphor
So anyways
HAve been researching options for the team debrief, none of which i will post here because i didnt' know (until recently) that some of the students actually read this and we want debrief to be a total suprise. so it will have to be for all of you too! :D
All that aside, things have been going really well. WE got to participate in the 20 years of YWAM in Malaysia celebration on sunday night, and catch up with some awesome old school YWAM types in the likes of Tom Hallas, and Kel Steiner (yay for the South Pacific) and generally chill out, dress up, and eat some yummy food at a swanky hotel in the heart of KL.
I am holding the fort today working at the base with Erik and Braden, Crystal is sick,and the others have gone to Kawan. I should be back there on Wednesday though, on with Cantonese/Mandarin lessons!!! :D
I bought presents yesterday, that was fun.
Also, finally commited 6 months worth of savings into my portable harddrive, to be used for editing purposes when i'm back in Van. Needless to say it is a thing of wonderous silver aluminium cased beauty and sleekness, and both myself and the other appreciative and understanding computer nerds present kissed it and stroked it and ooed and aahed over the new 'baby'
Speaking of babies, any news on Wade and Jo......?
No pics today sorry due to technical difficulties and the fact htat i have to leave this net cafe before I ahve a tanty at the aforementioned gamers
Lots of love
Hill

Wow So I can't believe that's it has already been a month nearly since I have posted! How did that even happen? Oh yeah, cuz I'm in Malaysia!tehehe So hopefully you have not given up on reading this entirely and you have not forgotten about me, because I have been sending emails even though I haven't been posting. But, even though I have just emailed and there is nothing left to say on this blog post I wanted to (FINALLY) post a couple of pictures from our time here in Malaysia Hope you like them! And I better get some comments out of this lot!!!!!!!!! Love, and hopefully will post again soon Hillary

Laura and Hillary's rockstar anime hair adventure!

Me, Linda and Crystal digging into a fresh coconut, taking a break from the blazing scorching hot outside.

I don't even know what was going on here. But Roti Canai is definatley a meal we will all miss a lot! And for 1RM and amazing goodness who wouldnt' :) And thank goodness for Mango Lassi. Definately one of God's brilliant creations.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

So today was one of those days filled with amazing potential for "so this one time...." stories.
Not everyone will quite understand what that could possibly have meant, but the myriad of crazy that filled my day today was rather shocking! :)

But now, as I sit here at either very late at night or very early in the morning I am struck with the realisation that is is now 2007, tomorrow (or 7 hours from now) I fly to asia, I am goign to turn 23, and I need a haircut. Like I said, an night of big realistaions.

Actually I didnt' actually say that did I. Anyway...

Well as vague as this post has been, (and I promise the drivel will stop very shortly as verbal dimwitedness gives way to sleep) I'm glad to close the book on 2006 and welcome in 2007. I'm excited for the possiblities, curious to look around the many bends in the road, and freshly reminded of the amazing and wonderful friends that I have in my life that have so taken care of me regardless of my particular brand of crazy.....I'll tell you the stories if you care some other time.

Anyways, take off time is in 7 hours, so it's definatley sleep time
Love you lots like jelly tots (I mis syou Gav!)
hill

Merry Christmas!!!!!!
I know I am a day late for anyone reading in pretty much anywhere else in the world, but for Vancouver I still have an hour and 10 minutes to revel in Christmas jolly-ness, so bear with me ok?
It's been so awesome
I find myself sitting in my little flat with my Christmas lights, tealights, cute little christmas tree and really realising how blessed I am.
Wait, I know I know, CHEESE, but seriously!
Not only did I have two amazing Christmas days with two wonderful beautiful families here in Vancouver, but I got to... (just to name a few....)
1) Eat TURKEY!! (with duck and cornish hen and stuffing and potatoes and gravy and cranberries and.....mmmmmmmmmm........)
2) Be part of the making of a TURDUCKEN! (www.diygourmet.blogspot.com for more details)
3) Opened up my first amazing wonderful Christmas stocking filled with wonderful thoughtful loot
4) Heard from some people from a bunch of places around the world, and shared some wonderful Christmas friendship.
And much more amazing wondefulness that I can't even begin to type out.......
I seriously look back on my post from about a week ago and say again (with a rather different feeling in my heart) how is this my life?
It's been so awesome after some pretty low times here in Vancouver to really feel so welcomed and at home and relaxed, and though I miss some certain not named here individuals very very very (yup you read that right, THREE verys!!!!) much......I can still smile and say I've had an amazing two days of Christmas.
Thank you, all of you, for soooooo much wonderful investment in me. Thankyou for taking care of me.
Happy Birthday Jesus.
Love, hillary

So much to blog about and so little time
I am going to breadrun in 45 minutes. It will be the first time I have ridden my bike in a long time too becuase of all the rain and snow etc in Vancouver so we'll see how well I do.
There has been so much going on and I've admittedly done an appalling job of keeping this page up to date.
So lets see.
I had a really weird feeling of 'how is this my life'. I got an email from Philip saying that he 'found me' on imdb.com. Yeah I know. Who would've thought. How is this my life.
And then, I was walking down 1st avenue, and looking up at the beautiful mountains, very early in the morning and completely overwhelmed by how beautiful the skyscape was, mountains, cranes, North Van houses and 1st murals. Beautiful Vancouver........how is this my life?
And now Christmas shopping, waiting in line at Chapters and HMV for 20 minutes at a time, and I still wonder.....
This is a crazy beautiful priviledge, and I wonder.....
Thursday night was Lovefeast, and for those of you not well versed in YWAM-ese that basically is the end of lecture phase party for the DTS students and staff leaving on outreach.
We invited everyone from our little community and dress up and have a good dinner.
Also, because of Christmas we got turkey......mmm mmmmmm....turkey........
It was a relaly good night to see everyone all dressed up and excited and having fun and looking back on the 3 months past and 2 months ahead on outreach.
Friday night we had our small group Christmas party hanging out, had dinner out at an amazing fusion restaurant on the Drive called SASH, and then dessert and a movie at mine and Jacqui's house. Watched 'Whale Rider' and cried and laughed and cried more over the beautiful story and beautiful New Zealand.
Yesterday was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo fun. We finally managed our big sleep in and our once monthly bacon and egg girl chilling out brunch. It's sad that this is our last one til I come back from outreach, but we enjoyed ourselves, eating bacon with Renae and watching 'Ever After'.
Then went meandering around Hastings st, paying bills, buying groceries and (on a whim) getting our eyebrows threaded!!! So weird! and painful! but great fun too, and I never had any idea what a difference $7 and 10 minutes makes to your face!
Very cool.
So yeah, that's pretty much where it is at right now.
Christmas is looking busy, but fun and I hope you all got my Christmas newsletter, if you didnt' and want to, please please email me and I'll make sure you are on my mailing list.
Off to breadrun
Love you
hill

Pictures pictures pictures.......



Jacqui and I and the Christmas Tree upstairs


Stefan and I and the Christmas tree again
Bacon bacon bacon......

Really grainy picture from the Lovefeast of Stuart and I, more to follow, but haven't had a chance to get them all digital yet....... eventally.......

So, I jsut got home and I tried to do some laundry. however, in this crazy snowy weather, the pipes are all frozen and there is no water coming in to the washer.
gutted
so i'm guessing it's gonna be dirty clothes day tomorrow, either that or a skirt or something! yipes lol
anyways
nothing much else to say really. Had a minor breakdown tonight, but it'll pass, tomorrow is a better day.
Love you
Hill

So it's been so cold for the lasts 4 days that I have pretty much just wanted to chunder. Or puke. Or vomit (see catering for all the many vernaculars of our organisation and the readers of this site.....did i spell vernacular right?)
But yeah, starting monday there has been snow and ice abounding, and Vancouver has been transformed into this 1-2 foot deep winter wonderland. I say wonderland very carefully too, because I have had a few moments of panic slipping on patches of ice, and the usual 35 minutes it takes me to get to work by bus (i love my bike, but not in snow!) is now a sad and blustery 1 1/4 hour trip. Sad.
And, said weather situation has finally pushed me over the edge of needing to buy a decent Canadian grade winter jacket. Waterproof, snow and ice proof, long, bikeable and WARM. Becuase currently I am wearing 2 tank tops, 3 t-shirts, a jean jacket, and 2 hoodies.
toasty, though as padded as a teddy bear. I feel like i put on 30 pounds overnight.
Brrrrr. And now, we are going ice skating.
Yipes
will let you know how it goes, i'm pretty scared to be honest......

So welcome to winter in Vancouver.
We just finished our staff retreat at an amazing hotel Downtown, and I had such a great time, getting to know more people at the base, and really getting a chance to pray and get a heart for more of the city than just east van. We explored the city, had fun, drank coffee, ate a really really good supper and breakfast, hot tubbed, swam, chilled out, sang, shared communion, ideas emotions, hopes, plans and had a really good time of trying to build a bit more community.
AND, it was snowing!!! It's been crazy cold, but I sitll persevered and wore a pretty skirt and top combo cuz i wanted to take my chance to dress up, and then it snowed! yipes
And over the last 24 hours or so there has been a good 1 1/2 feet of snow, and it's all beautiful and powdery and fluffy and amazing.
So what else was there to do on a night like this after such a good weekend? We sat in the hot tub and then did snow angels. Yup, I'm not even kidding.
Check this out.......

Step 1: Shovel off all the snow from the top of the hottub


Step 2: Put snow into the hot tub to cool it down a little to reduce the body shock


Step 3: After sitting for a while in the steaming hot, collapse, tackle or be tackled into the snow, and make snow angels until you can't feel your skin and then jump back into the hot tub. Ouch.


Step 4: Grin and bear the pain! And laugh. Laugh a lot!

Watch out for yoru hair freezing with snow in it htough, it gets very brittle! and your head gets sore.

But, in saying all of that, I feel very alive. I am now though warm and toasty watching a DVD at Krista and Laura's place. Also the cup of coffee and the TimTam I just ate I'm sure has somethign to do with my feeling of wellbeing.

I have been busy dreaming over the last couple of days. Had some great times and some great thoughts and thankfully some wonderful ideas about my future here and the time i will be in Vancouver. I'm so grateful for the last little while and the people here. Sigh.

Anwyas, Jil comes to visit this week, very exciting, and Jana is arriving too! I can't even believe how exciting this week is turnign out. Also, it's Angel's and Mortals this week, meaning that we all have someone's namet hat we are going to look after and care for and give little suprises to. Am soooo looking forward to this, and for all the fun stuff I get to do for my mortal....should be fun......

Andhow about those All Blacks........ my base director is Welsh, and he was a little bitter. It was great.....

So I need somemore minties....pineapple lumps too......mmmmm

Saddest thing today is that I am supposed to be doing my driver's test tomorrow afternoon, but with two feet of snow out there, i think i am going to just suck it up and pay the 25 cancellation fee rather than either die from sliding through a red light or failing and paying 85 instead. oh well, it will just have to wait til after outreach.

I am more tired than I think I have been in a long long time.
But it's been worth it, for this lovely bunch of people. Aren't they a good looking bunch?

So I am a happy Kiwi today.
Yesterday I had the awesome treat of not only eating pineapple lumps that my awesome mum sent me in the post, but Randy cooked up a full lamb roast with potatoes and carrots and I
made roast kumara and pavlova with passionfruit topping for dessert. It was an ANZAC feast, shared with the Parizeau family, Tom (our speaker for the week) a Kiwi YWAMer called Mark, Stuart and myself. So great and so much fun!
Really enjoyed being able to laugh and joke aobut some kiwi aussie things that only that only we find really funny, and just being able to laugh and laugh and laugh.

I am in the market right now for a second harddrive and a new video camera for me to get seriously into more video stuff and some awesome opportunitiesthat are coming up that I want to tackle but need a camera for. Preferably of the Canon XL2 variety. Anyone have 10 grand to spare? or any other ideas?

On a completely seperate note, since everyone else has already blogged about this, I figure I will join the club. Round about 2million Vancouverites are not able to drink water out of the taps right now, for the last week and maybe for a few more. Too much rain has caused land slides into the catchment reservoirs and the water cant' be filtered or treated properly. So the water coming out of the taps is brown. And icky. and slimy. We have to boil it for at least a minute and even then it still looks and tastes like mud. It doens't give you gastroenteritis if you boil it htough so i guess that's an upside!
So yeah, less rain would be good. Less rain here and more in Australia. That would be very good.

Also, very encouraged today. Jessa and I joined together for small group intercession time and the 7 of us prayed together for NEw ZEaland. So encouraging and aweswome and good to be able to share with these guys about my beautiful amazing country and ask God for words of encouragement and pictures for our country. Goood time spent well.

Tomorrow is American thanksgiving. Be thankful for something ok?

Anywyas, back to class now and thoughts of making videos.
Lov eyou lots like minties
hill

P.S. here's one or two new pics....





This was my group, "Team Chuck Norris" who were BEATING the butter for the chocolate chip cookies we made. I hurt my hand punching the bottom ofthe bowl!
Uncle Fatih's potato pizza is awesome............especially on Friday social "mandatory fun" nights........
Stefan's birthday tiara that I got him, to wear during staff meeting! tehehe, he's a good sport for sure!

So today was hilarious. and a day full of contrast.
I woke up in a truly awful mood, not sure if i was crying or not, didn't want to go to church, just wanted to sit at at home on my computer or something equally as sad.
I woke Jacqui up in time for church and while I almost succeeded in dragging her down, she in the end convinced me to get changed and go to church with her at Coastal Church in downtown Vancouver. It was really really awesome, and even got to just chill out, worship, and for the first time in a long time at church got to hear some really solid good bible based teaching. It's sad that that is not the norm from my last little while of being in church, but either way i'm feeling refreshed. I was still a bit sad and emo, but much much lifted in the spirit. Someone once said your spirit is never depressed, it is alive in Christ, it is the body and mind that drag it down. Too true sometimes.
Saw Jenn and her three kids too at church and we ended up hanging out together helping with the kids watching the Vancouver Santa Parade. Was fun, and got to laugh a lot and pray for the city in the streets, streaming with people all getting ready for the holidays. Major highlight had to be when we saw the STAR GATE float!!!!! 'Tealk' was there, and there were a whole lot of other cool guys all dressed up as Gu'uld warriors. So awesome. I was cheering and laughing and having fun. They loved it too and hanging out with the kids and stuff was really good for me. Sinple joy at little things mixed in with some worhsip is really good. Also, funniest 'kids say the funniest htings' moment went to little Tessa who turned to me halfway through the parade on my knee and said "this is better than church, there's more candy here than at church". Awesome.
It's strange to think I'm adjusting to the fact that Christmas is now going to be a cold time! I think I'll HAVE to come home for Christmas next year just to make sure that I don't forget what it's SUPPOSED to be like!
I'm relaly looking forward to the speaker this week ,he is a member of the Global leadership team, and he is an AUSTRALIAN. YAY for south pacific solidarity. Might make some pavlova........ :)
Anyways.
Had a good girls night with Ange and Hannah and Jacqui on saturday night, watched the truly awful yet hilarious "American Dreamz" and then "A lot like love" awwwwww, major chick flick teary eyed heart quivering wedding minding cutesy chick flick. talk about not needing to be more emo and watching the wrong movie, yet really enjoying it lol.
anwyays
am really going to sleep now, it's nearly 11 and it's anther long week of early mornings coming up
love yous
;)
hill

So it's half past 12 and I can't sleep
Kinda lame that the old insomnia is back tonihgt, particularly given that I am waking up (or perhaps in this case changing out of my pjs) at 5.15 to get ready to go to the homeless breakfast. And then staff meeting. yipes.
It's going to be a long Friday.
Things have been pretty good here, though I think, ironically enough, that I'm exhausted. Weird
I was just listening to the Muttonbirds, not bad late night music at all.
Oh, for those of you who were enduring the stress with me, don't worry any more. Today it was mostly clear and I was able to wear my new red arm warmers. mmmmmm it's a beautiful thing. Actually, to be compeltely honest I was pretty psyched about my outfit today. Worked out really well.
I talked to a really nice Sikh guy today. That was intersting.
Also, watched my first episode of ER since I arrived in this country, strange but true I know! But it was great. How I have missed you all ER buddies ;)
Was feeling a bit homesick tonight, sleep deprivation will do that to you I guess, but I think it'll pass. Had a bit of a confession yesterday in the class we had, and it was weird to say outloud that while on one hand I love Vancouver and my life is committed here, I really do miss New Zealand and all that is in it and all that it is and just the fact even that that's where I came from. That's a big part of what makes me who I am.
Ok, I'm taking the low battery blinking light on my laptop as a sign that I am to again try the sleeping thing. I'll let you know how it goes.....

So, can happiness be bought? Apparently not. But maybe it can be installed…….

Tehehe

Sigh

I am now the proud operator of a beautiful laptop (named Marvin) who is now equipped with Macromedia Flash, Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop and Premiere. It’s a beautiful day. It may be raining and grey and blustery, but it’s a BEAUTIFUL day.

J

Thanks Stuart J

I was so happy last night on the bus I was just sitting there grinning.

Then I walked home grinning

Then I sat at home and grinned some more

I had to force myself to sleep, but then again being in a seriously sleep deprived state made that easy. And I could dream dreams of editing. And kerning. And layout, and……ok nerd fest over

So class is going really well.

This week is all about HOLINESS, fear of the LORD and IDENTITY.

Very good stuff.

The only lame sauce is that yesterday I got the cutest and best loveliest sale arm warmers. Red and knitted and beautiful, with black stitching and two little red flowers and a little cut off red thumb.

Soooooo beautiful

And I planned an entire outfit around them including red/black/white chuck taylors, and then I wake up at 6am and it is POURING with TORRENTIAL rain!!! Urgh

On the upside, rain means I get to wear the cooler than cool pink and black gumboots that are on my feet right now. But then pink and red clash, so alas, the arm warmers have to wait for another day

Sigh

But the gumboots are good and my feet are toasty warm

Ok supper time

So anyways

That’s pretty much all for tonight

I’m pretty happy

Soundtrack of the last week for those of you who have ever played JukeBox with me, or are just equally musically minded: The Killers – Avril Lavigne – Adoration on the Gospel Train – Hillsong United – Crowded House – The Muttonbirds and John Mayer

Love you like pineapple lumps and minties (which I have run out of here in Vancouver, hint hint!)

Hill

Oh also, check out my beautiful outreach team!

From left to right, Sam, Linda, Crystal(with the hat) Brielle, Erik, Me, Braden, Laura, and Adam in the green sweater. Me, Laura and Adam are staff :)

And this is me eating a piece of my first DAIRY QUEEN ICE CREAM BIRTHDAY CAKE

MMMMMMMMMMM

So if you like these pics and wnat more and you didn't get the newsletter, or my latest October newsletter, please email me or leave a comment so i can get it out to you!!!

So Jacqui is home! It's so fun having her home, and so good having my Vancouver 'sister' back here to talk to.
It's been a really good week actually. Well, aside from a few not great days I have already enlightened you about.
I have realised today how much I love Vancouver. Iknow that I (and many around me) tend to throw the word 'love' around a lot, but I really mean it. I was walking down the street coming home today after work, and I looked up at the mountains, and they were all dark green and beautiful. And it was about 6.20, so the sun was setting, and there were beautiful pink and orange clouds sitting all soft and fluffy all around the top. And I felt so peaceful. It was quiet and beautiful and crisp and it's so strange, but I feel so at home here. There have been hard days, but at the same time, there are hard days whereever you go, and I think I'm beginning to really know that I can face those hard days here, just as well as I did at home. Before this was home. Circular, I know, but good.
the DTS is going really well. It's been amazing, in the last few days especially, as i've seen (to my great privilege) God do, say and make amazing things happen, through and in our students, and our staff, including me. This 'job' of mine is sweet.
Will post again this weekend, then will ahve a bit of break for next week while we are awy at Go conference. It's gonna be sweeeeeeeet.
Love
hill

Prayer stuff
-Safe travels and good learning at Go Conference. Also, good connecting times with other YWAM friends from other bases for the week.
-Good rest this weekend, before we go
-Safe travels and good vehicle safety for our VERY OLD 15 passenger van, and the 5 hours there and back that we will be doing over the week.

So I cried today
My dad messaged me on the computer and told me my dog died. On October 4th. From a night of seizures and subsequent heart failure.
I didn't htink I would cry, but yeah, I did.
It's strange, cuz I know she's not a person or anything, and over the last 18 months I have had to deal with hearing about people I know dying while I've been in Canada and unable to be there with the people that are grieving. It's weird how just being away makes the emotions so different. In my head I can see the empty kichen and living room now and a part of me is glad that I'm not there realising that she isnt' there anymore, but at the same time I'm so sad that even as I write this, noone is even there, cuz I'm here, Alec is in Japan, Mum is in Singapore and Dad is in China, and I can't be with them either.
Sigh
But you knwo what? It's still a good day.
Had a really good one on one today, and I think that helped when Dad told me what happened, cuz really, it may seem heartless, but it gives a good big chunk of perspective, realising why I'm here and that really God's got everythign under control. I can be sad without it being a huge drama.
Though, that is aparently something I have to realise about myself. A development on the old "drama queen" statements that I used to get a lot, yesterday I was described as a "pan full of flour" While some people are pans full of slate, that when a big rock lands in the middle they are disturbed, but not all over the place. However, pans of flour, such as myself, get a rock to the gut and the dust cloud goes up and everythign turns into a gong show for the first day or so until the dust settles. Is this a good hting? a bad thing? or just me? I think for now, either way, here's to a bit of balance, and landing somewhere in between the two.
Jessa has promised htough, in hearing about my late-dog that she will refrain from calling me hill-dawg for at least a day or two. Thanks Jessa.
love and pineapple lumps
Hill

So it's another day in paradise
No really it's been a good day.
Have been tackling some interesting kinda thoughts right now
Nothing bad, just enough to chew on
Had our first outreach prep time today wiht out students all divided up into their teams, so though I'd post a pic of our lovely outreach team. Adam, Myself and Laura, ready to lead and rock Malaysia!!! YAY!

Am so excited for outreach but at the same time a little sad as none of my one on ones are coming with us, they are all going to the other location. sigh.
Had an interesting thought today too. But now I can't remember what it was. Got distracted.
This week is a really great lecture week. I love that after two really emo weeks, now I am being really challenged intellectually, so that the changes you feel like you want to institute in heart and spirit can be bolstered by commited decisions and thorough processes of hte mind.
HAve a lot to think about htough. And while tha'ts a good hting it means that I am really tired right now.
So it's short post tonight.
Will post prayer stuff below.
Love you lots
Hill


Prayer points
-Continued strength and unity for our leadership team as we weather the storms of a lot of busyness, tiredness, weariness, and all the other ness-es you cna think of that fit. We all love each other and we need to remember that on a daily basis!
-Continued wisdom and guidance about my one on ones and how to work with each of them in what they are going through
-Continuing relationship building that is going on here now that I am settling well and sorting things out a bit more.

So
This is a short post
But I'm on the island having a much needed weekend off
It's been great, Jessa nd I came over on the ferry this morning and have spent a whole bunch of time with Layne and her amazing family
Will post more later, but for now, just some pictures and a quick hi and hello from my weekend holiday :)
Love you lots
Hillary

So, welcome to the gong show that is my life.
The last two days have been hilarious. In a crying, panicked, kind of way of describing hilarious
You know.
Well ok you probably don't. Apparently when I am stressed or emo (emotional!) then I cope by being funny. Thus, when I am upset and try to confide in people, whom I have joked about the situation with, then they in turn joke with me thinking I don't care, and my feelings get hurt that they are laughing with me and not reading my mind and instantly understanding that i'm actually upset. Gong show indeed. But a good learning curve and a relationship builder for sure. I'm sorry if you know what I'm talking about right now, and I apologise. Though I already did that in person.
Sigh
Emo indeed. On the upside I have some really good soap, thanks to JahJireh family soapworks (aka good old YWAM enterprise!! If you need some soap I'll hook you up!)

So here's some food for thought. did an excercise in class last night, exploring the Father heart of God. The excercise started out to look at our names and the meaning of our names. Then after praying for a while and remembering back thinking of the names that we were called as kids. the hurtful painful names that stuck like burrs on our hearts, and weighted us down. We wrote them on sticky notes and stuck them on our shirts, then introduced ourselves to eachother using that name instead of our real name. It hurt, and there were a lot of tears as people realised what they had been carrying around with them. Then we pulled them off, and burned them. Then prayed, over night to ask God, our Father, for what HE calls us. What HIS name for us is. How HE sees us. I really really like my new name. Hillary isn't going anywhere, and I think for now, I'm just gonna meditate a bit more on this new name. But it's comforting that in the Gong show, God sees me. And He whispers to me. And He knows MY name.

So yeah, I think that a little emotional turmoil makes you stronger. Makes you hurt, but you know you are alive. And besides, things are actually, and objectively, going really well. Have attached a couple of pics below, and will make sure I have some fresh ones for the October newsletter. I love our students and I'm so excited for the next five months. I am also stoked to be going away this weekend with Jessa to visit my friend Layne on Vancouver Island. Blissful rest :) Aaaaand, tomorrow night we are all going as a school to Glenn and Lorrain's for a BBQ and then to a Vancouver Giants Hockey game. This is one of the teams that they draft the NHL from so it's gonna be awesome!!! plus Glen and Lorrain do AWESOME BBQ and BROWNIES!!!!

Anyways, it's bedtime, need to be at work for the homeless breakfast ministry at 6.30 so will love you and leave you with my pics of the day.

Will post something that is hopefully much lighter and cheerier sooner rather than later. With love and emo
Hill



Introducing the Small Group Dream team!
My girls, left to right, Rene, Aubrey and Laura. She really is that tall!




Welcome to Lecture break, 15 minutes of stretching and Goldfish eating!
left to right: Robert, Crystal, Rene, Aubrey, Jamie, Jenn, and my other two lovely co-staffers Jessa and Laura

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
It's a good day. A day off work, and good sleep in, a new haircut, pavlova and TURKEY
oooooo and do NOT forget pumpkin pie.
Plus it's October and it's SUNNY outside in Vancovuer!
Like I said, it's a good day.
So I went to Old Navy yesterday, and faced my fear of horizontal stripes. I'm pretty happy i did too, green and pink and yellow and brown and all crazy mixes of stripes are fun!
So yeah, just thought I would post and say Happy Thanksgiving, because I realise as I sit here and type there is a lot I have to be thnakful for. I knwo that sounds horribly cheesy but really, there is so much blessing in my life, and so many amazing people that have been a part of it. So thanks...
Lots of love
Hillary

So I can't really even begin to explain or document the last few days.
It's been hilarious
And random
And intense
And well *shrug* here goes.
So have been keeping on keeping on with classes and one on ones and everythign else that has been goign on. It's been very exciting and after a whole two weeks now, things seem to really be picking up speed.
Outreach teams have been decided now, and I will be working with Adam and Laura heading up a team of 6 students. More details for that will follow in email and the October newsletter.
Friday was so great, and even though I was up at the break of dawn (actually nope, it was dark out) it was totally worth it. Part of this DTS is that staff are involved in the local outreaches, so Jessa, myself, and four of our awesome wonderful students help out at a breakfast for homeless people in our area. It was a really great opportunity to help out a really great ministry, and learning from Pastor Joe and the other guys in the ministry. Also got to talk to a really talented girl from the First nations youthgroup they ahve there, who has been having some trouble lately here. Reminds me of me when I was 14, so hopefully will be able to get to know her more and speak more with her.
I am having the night off tongiht, watching 'Legally blonde' and (believe it or not) about to do my nails! tehehe. How girly can you get huh
So for those of you who were interested in the "experiment" I got given a pack of pastry, so I decided to get a batch of mince and cheese pies going. It's so far the beginning of something, cuz the pastry wasn't ideal, and I havne't got the gravy quite right, but otehrwise, the pie was goooood. A 'not quite perfect but pretty nice' taste of home. Gave one to Ralph (who as an English guy, of course gets it) and Stefan enjoyed one too as a 'cultural experience' tehehe. It was a really fun night actually, Stuart and I set up camp at his place with pies, icecream and he had a suprise for me for the night.........Footrot flats on DVD!!!! It was soooo fun, and i loved being able to have company enjoying south pacific goodness!!!!! Soooo great, thanks Stuart!
Today was an entirely different, yet equally entertaining story. Last week I won tickets through one of the local newspapers for "The Magic Flute" Stefan and I got quite excited about it, and so planned to go on the train and bus out to Surrey (about an hour travelling)
However, after all of it, it turned out to be a really weird show, an ADAPTATION of The Magic Flute, re-written and re-told for children and from a Canadian First Nations perspective. It was good for what it was, but definately a *ahem* little outside of what we expected.
Oh well, it was a fun day hanging out with Stefan, and I really enjoyed it.
I am also on a quest to get my haircut. Hmmm
Oh and how's this for great. Got a new bankaccount with no fees for 100 transactions per month. Not a big deal normally, but HUGE for me, thanks God! ATM and no feeeees :)
Anwyays
The plan for the next week is all mixed up because of Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday. I'm excited to have my second Thanksgiving in Canada, and will be enjoying it relaxing at home with the Parizeau family, Stefan, Stuart, Henri, Pam and Craig and Jamie. I am bringing Pavlova!!!!! mmmmmm Am so excited. Turkey is the coolest thing. Turkey everything............
I think there is definatley turkey in heaven....
Ok
this post is long now
hopefully not too boring
i'm kinda sleepy
Will make sure I take some really good pictures for the October newsletter.
Love you all lots
Hillary

So the saga of the bike chain
Don't get me wrong, please I beg of you, but if my bike chain falls off one more time while i'm grinding up some lovely Vancouver steep bit I'm gonna have a wobbly. Sigh
Though the look of grease stains on my hands and the inside cuff of my jeans makes me feel positively handy. As if I actually knew something about bike chains.....
It's alright though, I think I am going to have to suck it up and take my bike into the shop tomorrow during lunch. oh well.
Things are going really well, the first week panic attack stress moments are definately lessening, and it's been good to kind of get into a groove, and find a bit of normalcy as the routine begins to sink slowly in. It's crazy busy still, but at the same time, it's nice to know that I'm working really really hard, and on days like to day being able to see just a tiny glimpse of how God is already at work both in us and in our students. Had my first one on one today and after the dramas, uncertainty,tears and prayers to work out who would be in whose groups, she told me that all the girls had all talked about who they wanted most for their one on ones, and it turns out that what they hoped for was exactly matched with what ended up happening. Yay for listening to God's voice!
Am having a really good dinner while i sit here typing this, haven't had couscous in months, so it's nice to be back in that too :) Simple pleasures right?
So has anyone heard that song "From the Inside out" by Hillsong United? Froml the United We Stand album. Soooooo good, good album. totally awesome worship song, have been singing it a lot at church, and managed to get it off Stuart, so have been rocking it at home too. So great to start and finish a long day with some good worship times.
Am also in the middle of a Kiwi experiment. It's going to be great (well at least I hope so!) so will post picutres if i am successful......(yup i know that was vague, I don't know who could be reading this....!
Anyways, time to jet, so look below for some prayer points and I'll post again soon.
Love ya
Hill


Prayer points for praying people
-Outreach decisions are coming again, between the two Southeast Asian places (let me know if you want more details) and so the teams, and the leaders (i.e. me and the other staff) are praying about where to go, and where to get the money to go. Everyone needs $400 by Friday to pay deposits for tickets, and one or two students don't have that yet. So it's going to be an interesting time!
-One on ones and journals and general discipleship wisdom for me as I get to know my three girls better.
-Continued energy and health as the momentum of the schedule picks up and the weather gets colder


LATER TODAY - UPDATE

The experiment completely worked, it was a wonderful amazing success. Pictures coming soon.

So, today, on a lovely Vancouver Sunday I would like to share with you my musical inspiration of the day. I normally don't do blogs like this, but after being touched so deeply, (and laughing til I thought I was going to cry or wet myself) I figured I needed to share this with you.
This is my tribute to Wing. I heart Wing

Wing moved to New Zealand about 10 years ago from HongKong, and after some set backs with a far too rigid and narrow minded CD industry there, she decided to launch out, and put herself into the public light with her own money, and fulfill her obligation to share her god given voice with the world to bring enlightenment and joy and happiness.
My personal favourite would have to be "Wing sings ABBA" Who can beat that Dancing Queen.......
listen to free Wing clips on www.wingmusic.co.nz
Especially for you Nic and Ryan and Wade if you are reading, please listen to Highway to Hell, from the "Wing sings AC/DC" collection. It inspired me......(to run and hide)

So, after this whole crazy crazy first week, it's all official that DTS is well and truly all on. As if we could have believed otherwise. This first week had been a rollercoaster, with fun, laughter, tears, angry-ness and general mayhem and chaos, but a lot of goodtimes.
I'm back at my house now, feeling a weird mix of exhausted and empty and way too full of emo and thoughts and such so i think after posting this i will shower, pajama, and watch some Scrubs! yup, sounds like an excellent prescription.
Just wanted to sign on and let you knwo that it's been going well, and to post one or two pics to give you guys a bit of illustration to the name sthat you will probably see me mentioning over the next 5 months or so. It's soooo grea tot finally meet these studnets we've been praying for for so long and it was more than great to live in the hosue with them for a few days.
We took them on a bit of an excursion today around Downtown, an Amazing race set up if you will, and i thin kthey all had a good time. Pair that with the great corn bread and chilli dinner that the Davenports hosted for us, and it was a great Saturday.
Am defiantely looking forward to church tomorrow too, some of the students are gonna come with so that will be good
anwyasy
bed time so here's the pics. and all you phantom readers out there, how bout some comments eh
love yo uall lots
me




Our Amazing Race team at General Motors place (Ice Hockey home in Vancouver)


Crystal and I kissing a moose/mountie?!?!


The Starbucks checkpoint where we had to find "The Australian"


The lovely 7 girl students

So I have a new cell phone number here in vancouver
but thanks to nathan's good advice i'm not gonna put it here on my blog. Apparnetly that's a bad idea
My new number should have gone out in email but if you didnt' get it, email me
or leave me a comment
love you lots
will post more about DTS later
hill

So this is a bit of a weird post. And it will be short cuz it's nearly half eleven and time I was in bed!
I'm exhausted, but thanks for the prayers, I'm sleeping really well now! Exhasuted mostly cuz we've been busy! DTS is officially underway and as was to be expected, nothing has been quite as we expected! (how's that for something)
It's been sooooo great to meet our 13 studnets and the first 2 days have been great, beginning to build relationships and see these fresh faced students so excited about what God is going to do, and us even more so!
It's hard to belive that today was the one year anniversary of me starting my DTS, and now here I am as a staff member. weird.
On a not good note, I'm very sad to say that my friend Dawn had an accident on Monday, and broke her hand really badly. She is having some R&R time at my house, being taken care of by Randy and Rita, but as she was meant to be staying in the girls house with the girl DTS students, I am now staying here.
It's kinda crazy how it all panned out and now I am here albeit for only a week or so, but I'm pretty stoked about it, getting to know the girls and such, but at the same time it's uber tiring and there is a little part of me that misses my crazy high bunk bed!
But it's all good, and I am loving this so much.
Thank you to all of you who have prayed and thought and cared and called and emailed and hav been a part of me getting to this spot for this here and this now.
So, it's bed time.
Love you
will post again soon hopefully with some pictures!!!!

so, it's been a crazy week
I actually can't remember what/when/why i last posted. hang on a tic.
ah, ok, i remember now
So yeah, training is all finished, and so this week has been flat out working, between cleaning the houses ready for students to live in, making welcome baskets and cards, and, very very very exciting, getting my BC drivers license!!!! woooot!
so as of this week i am now a road user on any side of the street. Bring it on!!! tehehe
it's going to be good and my first YWAM driving testing practice duty will be doing bread run on sunday night. For those of you who dont know the YWAMese, Bread run is a things we do every sunday night, where we drive to a bakery in Kerrisdale, and they give us all the bread they have at the end fo the day
so awesome.
so yeah, it's about a 20 minute drive, so it'll be a good trial run. i think i'll be sweet, cuz i aced the theory test, and have been biking a lot on the right hand side of the street, so my head is fairly well wrapped around it. we'll see though :)
Had a super exciting thing today, got to meet the first of the DTS students, who came in early with her parents and so got to bike over and give her the tour of the house and everything
was sooooo exciting, it's all real!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
anwyays, i gtg and get ready for JEn's birthday party tonihgt, will post again soon.
Also, I officially sent off my first real newsletter this week, so if you didnt' get it and you want it, let me know
it has useful things like contact details and ufn things like pictures! :)
Love you lots
hill

so here's a thought on leadership
we had our DTS training today and we were talking a lot about leadership and authority and respect and we did a bible study to give us a bit of biblical context on the whole thing. So we studied the relationship between Paul and Timothy and the mentoring rrelationship etc. And then we went through a bunch of different scriptures looking at who had influenced paul and timothy, and then how they in turn influenced others who went on to influence others again and so on and so forth.
Then Adam had a great idea of getting us all to write our names on the white board and then writing who has influenced us and how we then have to realise we have no idea who we have really influenced, or who has influenced the people who have influenced us. also totally connected to the sermon at church on sunday (guest speaker john bevere) when he was talking about how when Christians fulfill what God has called them to do, beit as an accountant or an evangelist, the knock on effect can't be measured, we never see how many lives we really effect until we're in heaven.
It made me homesick to be honest to write so many kiwi names on the board, as well as a lot of canadians, aussies and americans and other internationals, but it was really good to see all those names written down and be able to thinmk and pray about how you are all involved with the work that i am doing here. all of this is partly due to you and your words and work. pretty huge huh. So thanks.
we had a great dinner tonight, the DTS staff hosted Sara Fay, and did the good old pot luck thing. yay for american bbq chicken, rice, twice baked potatoes, veges and HOT BROWNIE AND BUTTERSCOTCH RIPPLE ICECREAM!
lol
anyways
it's sleep time now. need to gather my strength for biking to work tomorrow on the first rainy morning :( sigh
much love and pineapple lumps
hillary

So I figured that the hiking trip deserved a post all of it's own. Also, that makes it easier to include the pictures.
It was a really good time away, and now for the big reveal.....we went to Vancouver Island, near Nanaimo and Qualicum to be precise, and went for a three day hike in the Strathcona national park, guided by Layne's dad, Everette and their friend Alex. It was pretty intense, but really great to be working and walking together and encouraging each other and trying our best not to break limbs or dehydrate or any of those other fun things :)




We camped the two nights at an amazing spot called Lake Kwai, and it was really fun getting used to all the North American type bush safety things that are never really a concern when camping in New Zealand. I seem to remember the scariest thing in the NZ forest being a wild pig, and the most tent threatening thing to be avoided was a nikau palm branch full of water that might crash at anytime dousing you with water. Never had I considered the possiblity of bears and cougars and the need to carry "bear spray" or keep all our food, and toothpaste and other similarly scented things in a steel box 100m or so from the tents!
This is where we got to eat dinner though.......




The goal on the second day was Mount Albert Edwards, and unfortunately Stefan, Mark and I didn't make it all the way to the summit, but instead enjoyed some recoup time halfway up from one of the amazing rock shelves while the others powered up to the top. I can think of worst places to sit for a while though.....



also great was getting to spend time with Layne, albeit briefly,and her family being so hospitable and amazing and fun and taking care of us. Looking forward to going back to the island to hang out with them for sure!

So yeah, now it's back to reality and noise here in Vancouver, and I'm excited to say that I am going out now to IKEA with Stefan and Pam, so that should be fun.

Keep praying for us and for more students for the fall school!
lots of love, hillary

So it's a lovely grey Vancouver saturday morning. Peaceful, still, and still mostly warm despite the rain.
This will be a short post cuz I still have to brush my teeth and put my laundry on before heading out to IKEA with Stefan and Pam.
My muscles feel much better now, and I am enjoying the fact that i didn't have to be out of bed until 9 today. Also bonus was that we scored a free pack of bacon, so jacqui and I had baon and eggs for breakfast, an excellent weekend breakfast treat if I do say so myself.
Had my first day of bike commute yesterday, and even though my muscles were pretty angry at me, the saved time made it all worth while. Thank you so much for the emails and prayers, it's been great, and for your viewing pleasure.......



Also, quick update and praise, we have a location to run the DTS! a church that has been connected with our base for quite a while has agreed to let us use their buildings for the school! fully equipped industrial kitchen and everything, including accomodation for the male students. Thank you God! and thanks to you for your prayers.

Am back in Vancouver
Tired, and aching a whole lot
Will post more tomorrow.
Lots of love

So it's getting late, and my laptop is running low on power, so here's to keeping things brief.
Last night was hilarious, I'm glad to say that my roommate Jacqui has successfully passed through the BroTown kiwiana initiation, watching two full episodes of BroTown with me last night. Needless to say there was some explaining to be done, but all in all, I'm very pleased with her progress tehehe. We need to get the aussies roudn too cuz I know they will appreciate it, especially when Dad sends me a copy of Sione's wedding! (thanks dad!!!!!)
I won't be posting for the next few days as we head off bright and early tomorrow morning for a wilderness adventure (aka group bonding in the mountains!)
The DTS fall staff are all going to a mystery location to climb a mountain for 2 1/2 days with a mystery guide. very exciting. So will try and take some pictures and avoid getting eaten by any bears or cougars so i can live to blog again.
I'm sitting on my couch right now, rubbing some anti-flamme into my right wrist which is a bit stiff after today's epic adventure.
Last year living here i was always a convenient maximum of about 20 minutes walk/bus/train away from just about everything. Since moving back here now, though i love my new place, it's now about an hour walk away from anything.
So, today, after much deliberation over pictures and emails from craig's list (vancouver's trademe/trading post second hand website) jacqui and i made the trek on the bus out to kitsilano beach (1st and balsam for those with google earth) and bought a pair of bikes for $110 each. pretty mint mountain bikes in fairly good nick, and so we put them through the ultimate test of value for money by biking an epic 1 1/2 hours home (via the local Canadian Tire to buy very flash and useful bike helmets).
So yeah, feeling pretty chuffed, pretty fit, and pretty pleased with our endeavours all round.
So as I sleep now, there is though a definate feeling of the calm before the storm, as we head into a super busy period of work pre DTS with a full week of training, moving day at the base, the hiking trip, and a much anticipated trip to IKEA (either you get that one or you don't!)
but yeah, will post pics of my lovely bike (any suggestions for a name for the bike?) and will be back on friday-ish
Pray for safety for us too, between bears and injuries, we jsut wanna have a good time!
Love and pineapple lumps
hill

And here is some general hilarity

Some of the guys made this and they get money if you watch the video. Brilliant


And it is as crazy as you think, that does say 'Patio surfing'

So I forgot to post pics from our epic adventure
Here goes for some

Stuart and a Tim Horton's Canadian Maple donut. Best donut, EVER


Me and either Ari or Noah!?! Hanging in Winnipeg catchin gup with Dave and Heather at the Winnipeg base


Leigh driving! (funny that on a a road trip)


The cosy back seat team, Ange, me and Stefan

So, the saga of the toothbrush
Now most of you know I'm not really a squeemish person, but occaisionally I do get a bit funny when people mess with my personal things. Like my toothbrush, or peopleputting their shoes on my bed!
The first problem was with packing a big hurry and leaving NZ in a rush, and also wanting to be clean while i travelled the epic 21 hours or whatever to vancouver, I had my toothbrush in my carryon. But because of all the crazy carry on bag checking, my toothbrush got all touched and handled (i'm talking bristles too here) by the dude checking my bag at the airport. Gross. So needless to say I bought a new toothbrush in Vancouver when I arrived.
So that was fine and I used the toothbrush all throughout conference and everything. Good.
But then!
I got home and I was having a gumby-running-late-brushing-hair-crazy-morning moment where i totally fumbled and dropped my NICE NEW WONDERFUL toothbrush and it bounced off the rim of the toilet and onto the plunger. Gross. And again I say, GROSS.
Sigh
But now, it all works out for good, I have a new beautiful orange and white toothbrush from the dollar store next to the base. Good