NZ on the Horizon

I’m sitting with a mix of nerves and excitement as we get ready to leave Hawaii for New Zealand. In just one direct, nine-hour flight, we’ll be landing in Auckland and stepping into a whole new season of life. This trip honestly still feels a little surreal.

The Seven Wanderers are joining Youth With A Mission (“YWAM”), a Christian organization that’s all about knowing God and making Him known. Specifically, we’ll be attending a Family & All Generations Discipleship Training School (“Family DTS”) in Matamata on New Zealand’s North Island. This season is about learning, growing, and being shaped—both spiritually and practically—as we walk out our faith. The kids are excited about it. The Eldest Wanderer will be attending YWAM at a different base but it will also be on the North Island. Time for him to spread his wings a bit.

The Family DTS is broken into two sections: the lecture phase and the outreach phase. The picture phase happens in New Zealand, primarily at the YWAM base, and the outreach phase happens in another country. More on that later.

But back to New Zealand. Matamata just happens to be where The Lord of the Rings was filmed. Hobbiton. The Shire. All of it. As a Tolkien fan who’s currently re-reading The Return of the King, I am psyched. Expect puns, references, and wordplay. You’ve been warned. I am not a huge fan of the movies but I expect to be a huge fan of the movie sets, at least from what I’ve seen online.

More than the scenery, I’m excited for what God is going to do in and through this time. We don’t have every detail figured out, but we don’t really need to since YWAM hosts us, feeds us, and teaches us. The Matriarch is looking forward most to “not cooking” in her own words.

If you feel led to support us financially, that’s lovely. But please only give if you genuinely feel called to give to us. We are not starving and only want to open the invitation to give because we know from experience that it is truly better to give than to receive. There are better causes and I encourage you to support those who are actually in need in your hometown and through the church, or whatever cause God has placed on your heart. Every act of generosity matters, no matter where it goes. But if you want to contribute, please send an email to sevenwanderers2026@gmail.com.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. We feel blessed when we can connect with you all on the phone or online. I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds—one step, one lesson, one hobbit hole at a time.

The Patriarch