a mid-semester PARTY

This week is mid-semester break for USP and FNU students. For them, that means no classes (except most of them still have lots of assignments and tests...) but for us, it's a week packed full of not-on-campus-all-day-every-day ministry.

On Saturday, we had a prayer breakfast followed by an evaluation meeting with student leaders to check out goals that we had set for the year and to evaluate our progress. At the beginning of the year, as a movement (students + staff+ STINTers), we made a goal to share our faith with 2000 students. Currently, we've shared with 2083ish! I can't believe that over 2000 students have clearly heard the gospel at the USP and FNU campuses.


Monday, we held a Leadership training day where we talked about the relationships, roles, and responsibilities of a leader. We also discussed with the girls what things hinder strong leadership within women (namely, lack of consistency in time with the Lord, gossip, and lack of commitment). We want to give students a clear picture of characteristics of a solid leader in any aspect of life and then give them an opportunity to live that out within Student Life.



Yesterday was Suli's birthday celebration! She turned 20 last week, so Niumai and I took her out for pizza and brownies. so good.





The Rugby World Cup is in full swing. New Zealand's hosting the games, and Fiji couldn't be more exciting. With one of the two channels on our t.v. being the official world cup provider, we've had to figure out how to arrange our antenna to get a "clear" and colored picture. Mary suggested aluminum foil. It didn't help. Regardless, rugby has been our football substitute this fall.





We celebrated the 10 points that america scored on Ireland in the
cup with the only real way to celebrate: funfetti cake. Compliments of my ma- all the way from america! YUM YUM YUM.





stay tuned for what the rest of mid-semester break holds!

i shall not want

the LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

today I read psalm 23. and I was shocked. I shall not want? I don't think I've ever thought about it. I've been wanting a lot lately. Not bad things, just things I don't have. but I read it and read it and read it and read it some more because I don't think I quite get it. God's a shepherd. He's my shepherd. He's my good shepherd. So I won't be wanting.
The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out... "I am the good shepherd." [john 10]

jesus tells us like a million times that he's a good shepherd. He either thinks we're really stupid or it's just really important. I never think of God as my shepherd because, to be frank, I don't know anything about sheep or shepherds. I'm sure it was a strong metaphor in the days of david, but I have to sit and ponder a bit for it to have any bearing on my real life. but I'm willing because I actually think it's a pretty big deal. It's a big deal because he takes care of me. He knows what's best and will lead me into righteousness. He restores my soul. So when I want what I don't have, I like thinking about god being a shepherd and me not wanting. I can't help but think that he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Then I feel completely ridiculous for making idols and worshiping created things rather than the creator.

let's talk about grace, baby

This week, during bible study with some first year girls, we were talking about some basic foundations of walking with Jesus. We dissected Ephesians 2:8 and I asked them to paraphrase the verse in their own words. When I asked what it means that we're saved by grace, one girl responded oh so matter-of-factly, "Oh grace. Kori, you love to talk about grace. Grace is unmerited favor!" I asked what she meant by unmerited favor and she said "grace is not getting something that you deserve. [pause] Wait... that's mercy. Grace is getting something that you don't deserve."

Every now and then, I think that if I have to wait for thirty minutes for a girl to show up one more time or if I get brushed off by one more Indian student I'm going back to America. More often, though, I'll listen to a girl tell me about how she finally doesn't feel like she needs a guy to make her feel valuable. Or that she really wants her friends to know Jesus. Or how she just doesn't know if this whole God thing is really worth it. Or that the Lord is creating in her this desire to read his Word. And holy smokes. I can't believe I get to talk to students every day about how the gospel fits into real life. So I talk about grace a lot. Because it's impossible to begin understanding the intensity of the cross without grasping grace. So when my girls start to get grace, I get to see unmerited favor shift from a mental definition to a heart that moves to the rhythm of the gospel a little more closely.

And then I seriously wonder if I don't have quite possibly the coolest job in the whole world.

a good friday (not THE good friday...)

living life with niumai, a first year girl I disciple. hammock time. She was such a trooper (after putting up a little sass) for getting in wearing a skirt. I LOVE spending time with niumai. She's a ball of energy and is learning so much. Today she told me how she's getting to experience that as you walk with the Lord closer and closer, he produces fruits of the spirit in your life. YES!! :)
Gosh dang I'm missing my bike. I almost made this impulsive purchase the other day. I'm still considering it. Also currently nostalgic for the days of: taco bell, pandora radio, and kavin (little brother). And don't even pretend like this picture didn't crack you up.

As a side note, we're planning a girl's weekend retreat for the end of September! I'm reeeeeally excited.

Also, follow me on twitter: korieberle. You could be my 31st follower...no big deal.

whooops

I forgot I had a blog. So sorry about that. Life is getting really exciting here! We had our student conference a month ago! It was a BLAST. Seriously. A lot of students attended and the American summer project team was partially here for the week. The second semester of classes just began at USP and as I'm getting to meet with students, I've been hearing all about the different ways the Lord used the conference to teach them more about who He is. It's so cool.











I went to New Zealand for a couple weeks! I think the most beautiful place I've ever been. 1 week international conference + 1 week traveling = incredible glimpse into god's heart for the nations and some of his most masterful creation. The conference gave the fijian students a chance to broaden their worldviews and challenged me too! The Lord started to incline their hearts towards the lost and he planted seeds in so many student's that I am confident will blossom into being sent to the ends of the earth.








arrival.





there were university students from all over the world: japan, malaysia, australia, indonesia, singapore, thailand...










the crew (sans rob)











with the kickoff of semester #2, I'm getting back into a pseudo-normal routine. Everyday I get more and more excited about the girls I'm meeting with this semester. And I'm not just saying that because I'm in fiji doing ministry and those are the sorts of things I'm supposed to write on a blog. I'm seriously stoked.

I attended my first fijian birthday party today. An 8 year-old's Spongebob Squarepants celebration. Spongebob cake and all. I arrived in costume (obviously) as Squidward. Jealous?

Thanks for reading. No more empty promises about blogging more. But I will put in a good effort to write something in the next week. or two :)

peace out, fiji

Tomorrow is the beginning of our local student conference! the theme is Just Be It, from Ephesians 5:1. I'm STOKED. Today, I spent all day running errands, getting together the last details for the conference. I've come to humbly accept that it's nearly impossible to do a day of errands in suva without my ipod. I switched up the music on my ipod, so i jammed to some kickback Weezer and Brand New. Emily Clouse, you'd be proud that i still rock out to seventy times seven and the sweater song.



Anyway, another key component to a successful day in suva is HBK. chicken pie and cream bun for lunch, thank you. also, thanks suva for the rainy day. since my hands were full most of the day, I went a little fijian and left my umbrella behind.





the third, and most essential ingredient to doing anything in suva: patience. why the picture of the airport, you may ask? nope, just the local bank.






in honor of the american team's last week in fiji. the best summer project bible study a girl could ask for!










I realize i look angry, but this is actually my gangsta face, which also doubles as my "i'm-wearing-a hooded-sweatshirt-for-the-first-time-in-fiji-as-prep-for-new-zealand" face. SO excited for some cool weather!







That's all I got for you. Stay tuned for some sweet stories from the conferences! keep it real, america.

it wouldn't be so green without the rain

good news! I found my camera! surprisingly, it was in my backpack :)

there's a TON happening in fiji right now.

+ a group of 23 americans are here for five weeks. university students (mostly from miami u.) here helping us with ministry for their "summer project" with crusade. we're so thankful they're here and i'm excited to get to know some of the girls better! 12 college girls, 5 college guys, and 6 staff members.
a picture at the welcome lunch for the american group. is that a white fijian you see in the front? Yes, yes I am. last weekend, our team got kalavata (matching dresses and guys have matching shirts)!

+ First semester classes are wrapping up at USP, and with the summer project team here for the next month or so, we're branching out to Fiji National University (FNU). We'll continue ministry at USP, but we're excited to see what the lord has in store for students at FNU.

+ the excitement level of this week was made significantly higher by the celebration of Brian and Rob's birthdays!!!! Brian's birthday (monday), we went to a chinese restaurant for supper and then came home for dessert and Harry Potter #5. Wednesday we celebrated Rob's birthday with lasagna (YUMMMMMMM), apple pie, and some of rob's favorite games. Tuesday involved a mid-birthday treat: fruit pizza. best food week ever? yup.

+ After 5 1/2 months in fiji, my umbrella has become kind of like my underwear, i hardly ever leave the house without. today, however, I went in town, sans umbrella. my frugal side got the best of me, and i refused to pay for the short taxi ride home. as a result, i was drenched when i got home. unfortunately, you can't really tell the color difference of my clothing because it was ALL wet. Nonetheless, sammy, our guard, took a picture of me. i laughed most of the way home. i suppose everything here wouldn't be so beautifully green without all the rain.

+ today we bought our plane tickets to the conference in New Zealand in July! So excited!

lots more to come!