tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79416463579769636622012-02-16T20:05:01.965+13:00The chronicles of my adventuresmatt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.comBlogger531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-71923984039330114552011-05-09T07:38:00.001+12:002011-05-09T07:39:57.722+12:00

“I spent most of my life pretending I was somewhere else, off with you on one of your adventures. My own adventure turned out to be quite different.”(Frodo Baggins LOTR)Well it is true; our adventures do often turn out to be different than what we expect. And my next one even has a purpose. I find something that is jumping out at me from scripture is an idea. When God instructs the Hebrew people

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-48571123587163124462011-04-28T05:03:00.000+12:002011-04-28T05:04:39.895+12:00

What is an orphan? Well the answer to that can vary, and sometimes the specifics have to be talked about. During my time in South Africa I have come to see things a little bit differently than before and would like to share.Single Orphan: A child who has lost one parentDouble Orphan: a Child who has lost both parentsIn some cultures, especially those we came across in South Africa, the orphans

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-51319289344777286392011-04-25T06:10:00.000+12:002011-04-25T06:11:53.740+12:00

How bitter sweet it is to be in Switzerland once again. A strange sentiment to begin a blog post I know so I’ll take a few steps back and mention the finale of my time in South Africa.The final location that we travelled to was in the North East of the country near the town of White River. A ministry to build homes and not just houses. This location is the greatest importance to me, a place full

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-26890113307574029922011-02-11T07:20:00.000+13:002011-02-11T10:06:34.706+13:00

Time and time again God takes you for a walk of incredible beauty. My friend calls them BP&J dates, because it often turns out that she‘s got a penut butter and jam sandwich for to eat while God shows her some breathtaking view and sits quietly beside her to watch. Here in South Africa the beauty is in the sunset, the sun rise, the mountain, the clouds rolling off the mountains, the rivers, the

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-78761099938409899812011-02-05T03:08:00.000+13:002011-02-05T03:20:07.032+13:00

Hey hey,Hanging out in South Africa.It's been three weeks now in Capetown. And here's the sumarry.Week 1 Taking Care of Sick peopleYes, the team got sick in the first week in South Africa. But that's a good thing. Now that the sickness has gone around we're safe for the rest of the trip right? Well, not 100% safe from sickness but for sure it's ou of the way now. Week 2 Track and FieldYeah, we

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-74199560643155707712011-01-13T08:51:00.001+13:002011-01-13T09:19:47.367+13:00

Life, what’s that all about?
in John 10:10 Jesus says that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”but what does full life look like? what does it mean? Well I don’t have any answers more accurate than Douglas Adam’s infamous 42 from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy but I do have some thoughts.Which times in your life

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-72048931253077742342010-12-31T01:23:00.000+13:002010-12-31T01:52:07.706+13:00

Do you ever start a conversation with someone and there’s so much to talk about yet you’ve no idea what to say?Well, that’s where I am at right now. I even thought that writing out these sentences would help me figure out where I could start but that’s not even helping.Perhaps I’ll mention cultural acclimatization - I am getting very used to being here in Switzerland, so much so that even the

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-5381452547336621972010-12-07T05:49:00.000+13:002010-12-07T05:51:32.475+13:00

Well I'm in the apls, and the swiss alps none the less and God has once again provided for not just my needs, but my wants. This time it's my desire to go snowboarding that He has helped me to accomplish by providing a seasons lift pass. Go God.Not only that but a friend of mine will not be around much this season due to money mooning and military service so he's letting me use his board. That

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-32495731937046369332010-11-15T08:40:00.000+13:002010-11-15T08:57:03.570+13:00

Intense week this week. The official name is called Father Heart of God, but that's just the general theme. It took an entire week of lectures to unpack a little bit about what that means, so I'm not going to try to do so here.What I will let you know is that I had some cool times. I was managing the comings and going of this week making sure everyone knew what was happening from day to day,

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-8069007494242498202010-11-15T08:33:00.005+13:002010-11-15T09:00:01.133+13:00

Chapter 3 Filled with contempt I gazed up at the wall, studying it, searching it. I wanted to know everything about it so that I would make sure not to place it in my own wall. The small clefts where the birds could make their nests, The Wall cared for it's inhabitants, but it never cared for me. The rough places that could be climbed by people looking for fun had hurt my hands. The shade that

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-56124142800845057722010-11-15T08:33:00.004+13:002010-11-15T08:59:04.623+13:00

Chapter 2 One day I began to build my new wall. As I was building some people walked by and said “What a nice wall, it looks very much like The Wall over there.“ In a furious rage I tore down the beginning of my wall. The ferocity with which I went about taking the wall to pieces scared the passers by and they ran from my prescience. Again and again this would happen. Sometimes I would only

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-27000595233878892572010-11-15T04:53:00.003+13:002010-11-15T08:58:35.356+13:00

Chapter 1 I am as I have been for ages past, gazing up upon The Wall. As a tower it rises up and up higher and higher. Forever have I dwelt in the shadow of this wall. I have looked up at it, thought about it, climbed upon it and studied it. I hate The Wall. Though it has always been there protecting me from the the whether, the storms as they pass, cast shade for me in the hot, hot heat, lured

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-36431153830481330932010-11-02T02:52:00.002+13:002010-11-02T03:40:44.608+13:00

WOW! It's only been like two and a half weeks since I arrived in Switzerland, but everything that we've gotten done it might as well have been a month. The country even welcomed me with a nice snowfall for the fist week, which has since all but melted now...but it was there.By now I am over the jet lag, the students have arrived, and the 10/11 school for snowboarders has begun. I am really

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-37153403552033911452010-09-14T08:03:00.002+12:002010-09-14T08:04:10.844+12:00

Righteousness and stewardship are two words that pop into my mind as I go through the process of applying for a building permit. I want to do things the proper way. I want to make sure things are squared off. Building permits are a part of the governmental system that we live in, yet, most people don’t get them. Why? It’s simpler, it’s easier and it’s less expensive. That’s the system isn’t it?

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-79987908693750751282010-04-22T05:16:00.001+12:002010-04-22T05:16:40.840+12:00

Now here’s a story worth telling. I tell you what, what and adventure. Check this...So in November, I know that’s going back a ways, but here’s what we did; we met as a team to decide where we would be going in South Africa and asked God to show us the locations. We left the north east, mid west and south west of the country. Now on the leadership side of things we spent time trying to make

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-54884559836445076982010-04-20T04:54:00.000+12:002010-04-20T04:55:36.244+12:00

Well I said that I’d let you know about my outreach, and up till now I haven’t done such a good job, but here goes.So after we travelled through what looked so much like southern California, in a nice coach bus, we arrived in a town called Nelspruit. It sounds a whole heap different when the South Africans say it, comes out something like Nielsberry. From the bus drop off, we were picked up by a

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-54162586209922294282010-04-07T05:49:00.000+12:002010-04-07T05:52:14.162+12:00

Well, let me see. I suppose that I shall have to do a lot of updating in order to catch people up on stuff. But in all honesty there’s probably no way to get you up to date on anything. But here’s my plan. My time in South Africa was really cool and we did outreach in four different locations so I will split those up into four different blog updates beginning with the beginning of course.Our

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-59768590806003627902009-12-11T03:50:00.001+13:002009-12-11T03:50:47.474+13:00

So what's new?Well, let me explain...no, there is too much, let me sum up...Buttercup is marry Humperdink in little less than half an hour......wait wrong scenario...So how do you view the world? What tint do your glasses have on them? Is everything in black and white? Perhaps you like the yellow ones because you're an optimist and they make things look brighter. How aboot the red ones that are

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-84727944326046910852009-12-04T05:22:00.000+13:002009-12-04T05:42:41.853+13:00

Well, It's my birthday in two days. For those of you who don't see the notice on Facebook telling you that same thing, that is because I chose to hide my birthday date. It's strange, since I was about 15-16 I never really liked my birthday, it was an excuse to have a party, and a bunch of pop and chips and movies and whatnot, but then I started to realize that I could go and do that stuff

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-2320458859742439432009-11-27T02:53:00.001+13:002009-11-27T02:53:32.190+13:00

The past two weeks here have been something else. So much stuff has gone on during the lectures that I am bursting at the seems to share it. This is just what I have experienced, and I know that I have friends out there who are not Christians and that this stuff may not make sense, but it is what I am up to and what I'm going through, and it is very real. Last week's lecture was about The Cross,

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-23931770324927860042009-11-20T02:44:00.000+13:002009-11-20T03:17:53.004+13:00

OutreachWell here's a cool story that I shall enjoy typing up for your enjoyment as a reader, or so I would hope that you're enjoying it because you are after all the one who is reading it. So as some know and other are finding out, as a part of the Discipleship Training School (DTS) we get to go on an outreach. For this DTS program the outreach is allotted 10 weeks. So that means, for 10 weeks

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-9505838042026959602009-11-14T03:17:00.000+13:002009-11-14T03:51:26.768+13:00

Hmm, this is an interesting conundrum. I'm sitting here in Davos Switzerland busy almost every day all day and I can't think of anything to write about, go and figure that one out. So I've decided, just now in this very moment that if you've got any requests I can certainly write about anything.Let's go with A Day in the LifeSo, I wake up around 6:30 or so and hit the snooze button like any

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-25129121998645951132009-11-07T07:14:00.001+13:002009-11-07T07:15:16.605+13:00

And so they will continue to so, some seemingly longer than others. These past few have however been of the short variety. Days filled with lots of stuff to do, people to talk to and things to learn. As a DTS staff member I'm seeing first hand now how much goes into a school from the planning and organizational side, and It's haunting how much more goes on that I don't know about. God bless the

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-76343598070043898842009-10-26T05:47:00.001+13:002009-10-26T05:47:47.667+13:00

Well I certainly enjoyed my last two weeks in New Zealand. The adventure began before I even arrived in Auckland. My flight out of Kolkata was delayed leaving me very little time to check in for my next flight. Also, they couldn't find my bag so I got on the flight knowing that is wasn't coming with me. So instead of heading straight for the north and the trek I'd planned, I stayed a few days

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-53797610205044872332009-09-30T10:40:00.002+13:002009-09-30T10:58:59.622+13:00

I've left Kolkata.I'm standing in an airport and it seems strange. I'm sad to have left a place that, simply by being there, makes you think about your life in terms of your wealth and how to live out your faith. I am sad to have left behind the kids of Daya Dan after watching them improve so much over the past two months.I think most of all I am sad to leave behind my friends and fellow

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-46056349822748937842009-09-10T17:48:00.000+12:002009-09-10T17:49:53.534+12:00

A short update, but a cool story. First let me take you back a couple of weeks. One of the other volunteers are Daya Dan and I decided that it would be good exercise to start walking back from the home to our hotel. That sounds fine does it not? Sure as long as the weather’s good, but alas we’re in the middle of monsoon season. Fortunatly for us it’s been a dry monsoon season, which is not so

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-85547426022051421992009-09-03T21:13:00.001+12:002009-09-03T21:13:55.999+12:00

As promised I’ll tell you a bit about what I do as a volunteer. I get to the house around 8:00 in the morning. Sometimes I’m late, sometimes not, it’s pretty relaxed. I then help wash clothes, dress the boys, clean and change bedding, hang laundry or just play around. The task depends on how many volunteers we have and who’s already doing what. On the 1st floor there are between 20-30 boys from

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-47771357843377258822009-08-27T18:35:00.001+12:002009-08-27T18:35:53.034+12:00

So, upon reflecting about my last post “Some Things My Eyes Have Seen,” I feel like I have given Kolkata, India and the Indian people a bad wrap, which is most certainly not my intention. I feel that the issue that is the saddest part is money; money, the desire for which is the root of all evils. I recall at this time something said to me at a bible study where we discussed money; it came in the

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-85180477180372528392009-08-20T19:06:00.001+12:002009-08-20T20:52:42.509+12:00

For those who are unaware, the title of this post is in reference to a song that I like very much. It’s by a group called Disciple and it’s a tribute to soldiers who fight in other countries. When I first heard it I thought it should also be a tribute to missionaries who fight for God in other countries. The first line goes like this “The things your eyes have seen are the content of my darkest

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-74403341235957601982009-08-13T21:55:00.002+12:002009-08-13T22:16:00.214+12:00

I went to go somewhere and arrived at a destination much different than I expected. And the ensuing adventures are now, in hindsight, a delight. But of those adventures I can not yet write...in detail anywaysTwo weeks and two days I have been here in India and I’ve been sent e-mails “How are you? Haven’t heard anything, hope you’re doing okay.” Wow, you love me! You really love me! But alas

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-76524623443471544242009-07-26T23:10:00.001+12:002009-07-26T23:12:29.038+12:00

So true stories...funny story, that’s also a side note, I was reading my bible the other day and found that Jesus often said “Truly, truly I tell you…” He might as well be saying “true story…” which is something I say. I only have two types of stories, true and funny. No really, it’s a true story ; )Flights from Queenstown to Auckland: I sat next to a lovely couple on their way to France for a

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-6439498296214677112009-07-26T22:48:00.001+12:002009-07-26T22:48:14.190+12:00

So at the end of DTS we read a book about and discussed the concept of Re-Entry. What it is like for a missionary to go from the mission field to being back home. In a DTS the student is constantly growing and being challenged and during those 5-6 months they have so much going on. How much? SO much. The return home can often be overwhelming because home has not been growing at the same rate, it

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-64684295368823333462009-07-25T15:14:00.001+12:002009-07-26T21:36:43.452+12:00

Well it’s been a while since I’ve updated so I’m going to do a couple of posts so as to split of the different topics.I’m going to start with more details as to how Calcutta came to be the destination. Let’s begin back when I was still a young lad. I remember hearing a story about a man who travelled to Calcutta India to volunteer at Mother Teresa’s house of the Dying destitute. The story that he

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-56861315330416152662009-07-03T16:30:00.001+12:002009-07-03T16:30:16.095+12:00

So, updating time.I did NOT get the job as a snowboard instructor on Treble Cone (TC). The hiring clinic was an intense 4 day rider improvement, teaching improvement and audition for a position. Unfortunately for me there were some well and good riders and teachers in the group. Enough of them were better than myself that they got the positions and not me. I must say that I think my riding has

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-8306652161804730402009-06-25T15:30:00.000+12:002009-06-25T15:31:09.347+12:00

Okay, let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. I am in Wanaka New Zealand and I’ve been here for 29 hours and I don’t really want to leave. Yeah, it’s that awesome. Today the weather’s not as good as yesterday and yesterday I didn’t take my camera out so you’ll just have to wait for photos and a couple new videos.God’s awesome and he’s given me a really cool place to stay and some

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-74107610203377814642009-06-18T11:19:00.001+12:002009-06-18T11:19:59.104+12:00

Over the past week, since DTS graduation and commissioning, I’ve been working my way around the North Island. Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellington. Now I begin heading south with a bit more purpose. I’ve got a few people to meet along the way, but then I’ll end up in Wanaka. Let’s hope that I can arrange some accommodation before I get there.While in Wellington, a few mates from the DTS and I

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-22745733114597236942009-06-07T17:07:00.002+12:002009-06-07T17:31:01.932+12:00

The end? Who'd think something this awesome could come to an end? But alas, all good things must come to an end so that something even better can occur. This last and final week is called re-entry. Discussing how to close off a season as intense and incredible as the past five months. Some people reading this are probably curious to know what happened during the past six weeks while I was out on

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-67560390175786552902009-04-23T16:49:00.002+12:002009-04-23T17:00:20.693+12:00

I'm defenitly not a photographer, I still got nothing.Anyways remember those pinapples I mentioend, yeah we bought 7 of them for $4, which with the exhcange rate what it's at that is like $2 canadian...pretty sweet eh? I'm pretty sure I ate a whole one today.Funny story, my mother, bless her and a Happy Birthday to her as well, which is yesterday my time but I hope still today her time, but then

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-33656423464402026552009-04-16T16:05:00.005+12:002009-07-03T16:12:50.949+12:00

No pictures. "WHAT!?" you cry out "You're in Fiji and no pictures?" Well to be honest I am in Lautoka and there's not much worthy of me taking pictures. All those picturesque shots are the resorts. Next time you're here try getting into the real Fiji, it's even better.To be honest, I think that this part of Fiji is very similar to Tijuana Mexico, only more tropical. The market's kind of cool,

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-8511033563939695962009-03-27T20:09:00.003+13:002009-07-03T16:14:12.560+12:00

Again, I took no pictures this week, but for a different reason. We spent the week on land as the ship was dry-docked and I didn't have room to pack the camera. Not that I'd have had a chance to use it as there wasn't much beauty. Not going to lie, I missed the ship. My bunk at the Crystal Springs YWAM Base was shorter than the one on the ship and too small for me. I ended up pulling the mattress

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-70503913761962861182009-03-20T16:00:00.003+13:002009-03-20T16:25:54.764+13:00

So, no pictures this week because it was too beautiful for me to stop looking and go get my camera. Last week my front door opened out onto a goergious bay, yes we had to take a boat to get to land. It has an AMAZING view of rolling hills, mini mountains might be the best way to place them, This was on Great Barrier Island. Perhaps I can find a map for you and link it to the Title of this post. (

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-17220551461279458672009-03-14T11:21:00.004+13:002009-03-14T11:39:52.761+13:00

Well, I'm sailing out tonight at 19:00 h. We're heading to Great Barrier Island for a week and it's only going to be a 12 hour sail. From there we head to Auckland for a week so the ship can dry dock and then it's off to Fiji, six days and five nights on the water sailing in the deep blue. I'm so excited. How excited? SO excited.I don't have manyd etails on what/where I'll be doing anything in

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-26762535581653202482009-03-06T16:28:00.000+13:002009-03-06T16:29:45.187+13:00

It’s about time for another update. First of all, I have been denied employment with Cardrona Mountain Resort for this season due to a lack of available positions. I have no idea what I’ll be doing after DTS but I know I’ll hear something from God. At this point the only option left for snowboarding is paying for a course at Treble Cone out of which they hire some people. I think I’m going to

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-49784708294803453092009-03-03T18:15:00.003+13:002009-03-03T18:31:14.844+13:00

Well a quick little update right now. We've been given the potential locations for the second part of our outreach and I really need some prayer about which one to go to. So if anyone feels comfortable praying to ask God to reveal to me where to go I would greatly appreciate that. I am making point not to mention here what the options are because this is about me hearing from God. I'll most

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-7678132355327438442009-03-01T16:58:00.001+13:002009-03-06T16:30:51.152+13:00

Well the past couple of weeks have been pretty sweet in and of themselves, just nothing SUPER note worthy. Yesterday the boys went on a little adventure to climb some trees and it was awesome, except for the part where my ankle’s sore because I twisted it last week. Oh yeah maybe I’ll start there.Last Saturday we were chilling at the main beach at Mt Maunganui which is open ocean and gets some

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-33203244577388408102009-02-24T20:56:00.003+13:002009-02-24T21:03:55.415+13:00

Here's those photos I promised from the tongariro crossing. Link is the post title.That photo bucket account is where all the other photos that I MAY take will be posted.

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-72271253737834112382009-02-23T16:15:00.003+13:002009-02-23T16:29:38.768+13:00

Well since my vocabulary seems to be lacking...STEPH! I've decided to name this post after a word I may wish to use some day...or it was just a random word that I found, either way this could be funimpecunious means to have little or no money. Today I got to do some deck hand work on the ship. I was painting over rust spots that had previously been ground off and primed. While I was going about

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-42774553533863842592009-02-22T13:13:00.000+13:002009-02-22T13:14:30.149+13:00

Well, this week’s had no huge event highlights like hiking Mt Doom or going surfing for the first time. Despite all of that it’s been freaking awesome. How awesome? SO awesome!Our speakers this week have been Bruce and Barbara Thompson. They’ve been talking to us about the Divine Plumb Line. For those who are not builders, a plumb line is a tool used to measure how straight up and down something

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-9489097937459817732009-02-15T19:56:00.005+13:002009-02-24T21:00:48.561+13:00

Well for those who are not familiar with the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, here's some helpful information. The movies were filmed in one big long 18 months of principle cinematography in the fine country of New Zealand. Many of the scenes in Mordor were filmed at the Tongariro National Park. What you may not know about this park is that it is also home to NZ's best one day track (or hike) Of

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-73415567752852501492009-02-13T17:15:00.002+13:002009-02-13T17:32:47.190+13:00

Man the titles of these posts can be challenging to come up with. This post's title reflects more what my entire purpose of coming to NZ is all about. Seeking after a direction in my life. However I do not want it to be just any direction, I want it to be God's. So I asked him, and he didn't say anything. SO I asked again, and nothing still. Yet despite the lack of an answer to my question, I

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-57423931179621010562009-02-12T15:47:00.002+13:002009-02-12T16:10:29.111+13:00

Well, there's pretty much so much going on that this update is more of a filling you peoples in on whats been happening. Therefore I will probably be bouncing around quite a bit.Well, I'm living on a ship, not a boat, it's a ship, there's a total of 8 crew members, 16 students, 4 staff and 1 school leader. The amount of people involved in the Marine reach ministry is overwhelming. I never could

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-56194418717285452092009-02-11T19:05:00.003+13:002009-02-11T23:58:38.112+13:00

Wednesday is elective day, so for me that means surfing. There are 5 other students who're taking the surfing elective as well. Today was our first official day in the water, but that hasn't stopped me from getting out there. The ship has a couple of surfboards that I can use. Unfortunately there quite short for me, especially to learn on, but it's definitely fun to paddle around in the waves.

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941646357976963662.post-72380427840547997342009-02-10T16:20:00.000+13:002009-02-10T16:42:58.416+13:00

Well here I am in Tauranga New Zealand on board the M/V Pacific Link. That's right, I'm living in NZ on a ship with a nice squishy bunk, actually it's not too bad and I', 5'17". I'm here as a student in a Discipleship Training School (DTS) run by Youth With a Mission (YWAM). It's Week 3 right now and we're moving right along with Lectures. At the end of March we will be sailing for Auckland and

matt.clark.ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11365067551397454844noreply@blogger.com0