New Zealand Update #1

Summary of the past year
I got my visa, and now I am just waiting on the ticket!
A lot has gone on in my life over the past year. I interned at Springlake Wesleyan in MI in the fall, I moved back with my parents to Plymouth, IN for the spring where I started my master’s through Liberty online, I worked part-time at the climbing wall at the LIfeplex, I interned under my dad at Plymouth Wesleyan, and I made trips to California, North Carolina, and Michigan to talk about New Zealand and grow my support team!
sharing about New Zealand at PWC's VBS where they took up the offering to support.

I am ready to go
A lot has also changed just recently. My work visa just arrived back from the embassy and all the paperwork done, so I am good to go. I am waiting for the final clear from Global Partners to buy my ticket and head out to New Zealand the first week of September. We had to thin down the budget and I still have $3,200 total to raise in the next month, but then I am good to go for the start. At this point, I will still be $4,400/yr short for my two years and I will continue to try and raise this, find work my second year, or comeback a little early if my money runs out.
(http://www2.wesleyan.org/gp) Go here if you’re interested in giving. My Fund# is WM29-0052

A girl?
In that process I also met a girl. Her name is Jamie Thompson and she is quality.
A long distance relationship was not on my life plan, but through different faith lessons and a very comfortable, fun, and conversational relationship with Jamie, I think it is worth the pursuit. Over the past several months we have spent some time together and plenty of time on the phone, considering she lives in San Diego and I am in Indiana. At the same time, she is starting a new two-year job commitment working in Lynchburg Virginia with a mission’s agency called World Help, so hopefully we can be a good support for each other. We have heard every reason why this is crazy, but we know that God is a part of this and if trying to make a long distance relationship for this period of time doesn’t help determine your compatibility and commitment level, then I don’t know what will! I will be out in San Diego spending some time with Jamie and her family this weekend for her birthday and this will be our last time together before we split ways. More to come on this story in the future on my personal blog.

How to keep updated.
My blog will be the most reliable way.
www.brentdongellnz.com will be NZ ministry and church stories
www.brentdongell.com will be personal thoughts and fun
obrent@gmail.com is my email but I make no guarantees of next day replies
cell: 574-780-5383 through this August.

Thanks for caring and your support and prayers.