12p0601nz - Ministry Details and Packing Tips!

Hey New Zealand Team!

It’s finally time to give you a few more details about your trip! This Summer is going to be incredible. You’re going to see God do great things in you, and in the people of New Zealand. It will be hard at times, but know that it’s all worth it. Get excited!

Your team will be working with El Rancho in Waikanae, a small town on the Kapiti coast. Here’s some information straight from your contact:

Ministry Vision: El Rancho is a retreat and camp with the mission of "Encourage children, support families and grow God's Kingdom." They run a number of programs there at the camp and host many churches, schools and community groups for retreats and camps. The primary ministry El Rancho runs is kids camps, which occur during the NZ school holidays (4 times per year). This will be one of the primary things you will be involved in during your stay.

Ministry Summary: In addition to El Rancho's Kids Camps, encouragement to staff and work around the facility, El Rancho will help connect your team to many ministries, churches and service opportunities in the Wellington region. These may include helping out local youth groups, street ministry, local service projects, and elderly visits.

Ministry Sensitivities: You will develop relationships with the local faster if you come in with a humble attitude and servant’s heart. Be quick to listen and slow to compare things to your own culture.

And check out the El Rancho website! (Please do not contact the ministry on your own or allow your parents to contact them either. We want to protect and honor their privacy.)

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Cultural Norms and Sensitivities:

Western Culture: New Zealand's culture generally follows the customs of the wider western world, although New Zealanders are usually less career oriented than residents in the U.S. and Western Europe.

Greeting: The standard greeting is a brief firm but gentle handshake made with direct eye contact and a smile. Strangers who become acquaintances generally move to a first-name basis fairly quickly.

Holidays: During Maori events, people usually greet each other with a hongi; the pressing of noses together.

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There is a general packing list that can be found in your Profile by going to Mobilization Info tab and then to the preparation section. In addition to those items, you should also bring:

Pillow case & extra sheet and/or blanket for bed (b/c its so cold!)
Warm clothes!!! It will be winter there and can be cold and wet. Layers are what the local people use for warmth so it is a good idea.
Rain/wind jacket: it gets very windy and will be raining quite a bit during this time of year.
Shoes and clothes you can get muddy in as you may be doing some outside work that can get dirty.
Be sure though that what you bring is clean when you fly in as New Zealand customs is very picky about anything being brought into the country with foreign dirt on it.

These are already listed on the general packing list but I want to emphasize them:

Sleeping bag and pillow (there are things called Sleeping Bag liners that are like thin sheets for inside your sleeping bag)
Headlamp (flashlights are fine too…but headlamps are AWESOME because you get to have both hands free. Hands-free is good for going to the bathroom outside at night, reading while your teammates are sleeping, and even for dance parties!
Water bottle (Nalgene brand is really great.)
Outlet Adaptor (Do research and see if outlets are different than in the U.S. If anything, you may need an adaptor, not a converter. You probably only need a converter if you're bringing something high powered like a blow dryer. You can get an international adaptor at Wal-mart or Target.)