Jill Shaw in New Zealand – Highlights and Glimpses of 2016…so far!

Auckland, NZ: In the midst of my normal routine of meeting with people for discipleship, mentoring missionaries and church planters, Wednesday night Bible study and Thursdays at Massey University as chaplain, other events, meetings, initiatives and projects take place or develop. The following are some of the highlights & glimpses into my calendars of 2016 so far.
 
January 2016
15 Jan: Had a great meeting with a group of highly qualified and well placed women forming working group to mentor female university students from refugee backgrounds. Our group is diverse; Malaysian, Afghani, Fijian, Yugoslavian, Kiwi and American; Jewish, Muslim, secular, Catholic & Protestant.
 
In late January I participated in a musical festival that I liken to a massive church service, a gathering of the church for encouragement, connection and equipping. I assisted at registration tent, which resulted in amazing conversations with others volunteering there, mostly young adults. The conversations about the lordship of Jesus in our everyday decisions and routines was a highlight.
 
I’ve been asked to be a wandering sage for the 2017 FestivalOne event. This means I’ll act as a chaplain, as a discipler, as a challenger and encourager.

February 2016
A glimpse into my week as of 2 Feb 2016

Tuesday Mentoring student from refugee background this afternoon. 

 
Thursday  AM at Massey University as chaplain. 
•Afternoon – 1st Uni Prep session where I facilitated group interaction and introductions.
 
Side note: Praying about an opportunity to participate in hospital chaplaincy training. No financial cost, but a time commitment of an evening a week through July.     – declined opportunity

11 Feb
This week I watched Peyton lead the Broncos to Super Bowl victory with a house full of Kiwis, Fijians and others.
 
I met with Shore Community Church’s Jr Hi coordinator to discuss mentoring her ministry leaders. It resulted in us setting up regular times for me to mentor her.
 
Today I met with our church community outreach coordinator for 2 and a half hours and we solved half the problems of the city!
 
I’ve talked with a few Catholics about Ash Wednesday and what Lent might mean for them if they added something in rather than took something out of their preparation for Easter.
 
Made connections for new chaplains to join teams, for student support advisors to understand refugee background students better, and prayed through each floor of the new university dorms, that each resident would have blessed dreams, both while sleeping and awake.
 
I helped train the Uni-Guides who mentor new students. This puts me in relationship with 45-60 2nd & 3rd year students, and it means they speak well of chaplaincy on the campus tours. We used to get skipped on those tours! I help them with their public speaking, people skills and group formation techniques.
 
University orientations always require much time and attention in Feb as the new academic year begins in February in NZ. If we make lots of contacts during these big events, we can follow up with them throughout the year.
 
Uni-Prep for the Refugee Background students was an addition to my February schedule. Meeting with 12-24 female students, some of whom arrived in NZ just weeks previously, gave a new respect for people taking on challenges in a foreign culture and language, after God only know what period and degree of transition from a home they previously loved dearly.

Uni-Prep for the Refugee Background students was an addition to my February schedule. Meeting with 12-24 female students, some of whom arrived in NZ just weeks previously, gave a new respect for people taking on challenges in a foreign culture and language, after God only know what period and degree of transition from a home they previously loved dearly.
 
The Auckland InterFaith Forum 26-28 February renewed connections and provided new connections within the community. These networks help us problem solve when religious conflict arises, when needs become obvious and when trusted educational resources are needed. It’s no good asking for peaceful and appropriate input  if you don’t know you can trust the person you’re asking.
 
March 2016
March ticked along with making the most of opportunities, regular Wednesday night Bible studies, days on campus. discipling, retreat planning, Book club,
 
Ministry with refugee background students is going well. If we can help these young ladies(for now) succeed, they fulfill their ambitions, they maintain dignity and identity, become contributors in their new home culture, enrich society… and don’t become disenfranchised or marginal.  It’s strategic and relational.

April 10th I facilitated leadership training for the Pacific Region Conference of Girls’ Brigade, a Christian version of Girl Scouts.  Leaders from Cook Islands, Australia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvulu and Vanuatu seemed much encouraged.
 
April 13th I spoke to Massey University Nursing students on the Christian perspective of death and dying. Secular students struggle to acknowledge that there will be cultural and faith traditions to consider in patient care.  Sikh, Baha’i, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and atheist representatives also spoke.
 
April 21st I enjoyed providing transport, equipment and food for a picnic for youth from refugee backgrounds. They walked up the volcano while I set up lunch. We were Somalian, Burmese, Afghani, Kurdish, Fijian, Kiwi. A Chinese group stopped by to chat and pet Richie. Other curious locals stopped to talk too.
 

I received a formal invitation from The Foreign Minister’s Office in Kosovo to participate in their fifth annual Interreligious Dialogue Conference with the theme, Women’s Roles in Countering Violent Extremism. Preparation begins.
 
May 2016
Spirituality Week on Massey University campus 2-6 May
We created a talking point, old religious books skewered on 4 meters of vertical rebar, swaying in the breeze in the main lawn area outside of the library and eateries.
Between that installation and Richie my dog, we had fascinating conversations in a week blessed with good weather. In bad weather, no one loiters or wants to chat.
  See ANRETCTB report below for more details on the conference, June & July.
 
June 2016
I listened to and met missionaries in my travels in Kosovo, and later in Italy.
A retreat and some discipling amongst the Christian workers in Prishtina encouraged me. I visited the high school, met staff and worshipped with the local church on the Sunday.
See the report below for the conference overview.
 
I used my proximity to Italy as an opportunity to do a pilgrimage to where St Francis lived, prayed and served. The hermitage was a highlight; just being quiet, listening to the birds…. being warm. The pasta and pizza had its charms as well!
 
Because the conference in Kosovo paid for my international travel and accommodation while there, I added on a flight to Rome and train travel to Assisi for some R&R. Meeting up with Missionary Dot Elliott was timely in that she was going through some medical challenges that made being on her own difficult.
 
Late June and early July were complicated by an eventual diagnosis of pneumonia.
 
July 2016 This is winter in NZ.
2 July Fifteen of us gathered at a retreat centre 20 minutes north of my home for a quiet spiritual retreat. I run these twice per year for Shore Community Christian Church as part of my role as Coordinator of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation. It was a terrific sunny day in the midst of a rainy few weeks. I was still suffering from pneumonia, so was grateful for the sunshine to warm my bones while people got on with their business with God. Fortunately one of my housemates was able to assist with set up and tear down as my other assistant was ill and hospitalized with pneumonia the same week.
 
* See the report below for July chaplaincy related events
                       
Report from Jill Shaw to ANRETCTB 4 August 2016
(Auckland Northern Region Ecumenical Tertiary Chaplaincy Trust Board a local body who promotes chaplaincy. They sometimes help with conference expenses and to train new chaplains.)
 
Highlights
In late May I traveled via Istanbul to Prishtina, Kosovo, by invitation of the Kosovo Foreign Minister, for their 5th Conference of Interreligious Dialogue, this year featuring Women’s Role in Countering Violent Extremism. I show cased NZ’s initiatives to build community and integrate our diverse society for the benefit of all. In attendance were two Nobel Peace Prize winners, ambassadors, Foreign Ministers, UN and NGO personnel and members of the Kosovar government. Many participants were from The Balkan region, with others coming from Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia. 
 
I learned much, contributed to many round table discussions and mealtime conversations, as well as presenting on the last day. I do not know what they thought of this American accent representing NZ, and think the interpreters may still be trying to figure out the Maori words and concepts I used, forgetting that we blend Te Reo into our conversations here more than we realise.
 
Northern Regional Hui (Meeting)
I returned, became unwell, was eventually diagnosed with pneumonia, but was able to still host the Northern Regional Hui for chaplains from Waikato and Auckland July 1st.
Ricky Waters organised the programme, a seminar on Christian Meditation presented by colleagues from Massey University, Manawatu Campus. More than 25 people, including local church leaders attended. I’m grateful to this board for your financial assistance in making the day possible.
 
IACHE Conference  International Conference of Chaplains in Higher Education 7-14 July 
I am grateful to this board for assisting in my travel to Bendigo, Australia for the IACHE, a conference held every four years and attended this year by Europeans, North Americans, a few Africans, several Australians, 15 New Zealanders and one man from Hong Kong. 
 
The keynote speakers were terrific with much gained from their ideas, insights and questions. We heard from:
 
• Rachael Kohn, a Jewish woman with degrees in NT and rabbinic studies, and host of Spirit of Things, an ABC religious programme of 20+ years, gave a provocative and stimulating opening talk. She then stayed on for the next couple often days of the conference, participating, hearing us and adding insights from her years of interviewing significant religious people.
 
• From Prof Abdullah Saeed, University of Melbourne, on Islam and the Religious Other: Towards a More Inclusivist View. Professor Saeed’s wife attended as well and was open to discussion and sharing.
 
• Fr Richard Leonard, an Ignatian, spoke to us about discernment, wisdom and showed the film Of Gods and Men, about the monks who lived in harmony with a largely Muslim community in Algeria, until they are assistant editor during the Algerian Civil War.
 
The round table discussion I lead on improving support of refugee background students was well attended with fruitful discussion resulting.
 
I also acted a creative director for the final session where chaplains considered and compared models of chaplaincy, then attempted to create a visual that could express values and intent. It was enlightening and entertaining, and a good way to finish out conference.
 
I rented a car for the week. This allowed me to assist with local transport as people were staying in various places, and to facilitate transport for chaplains from Univ of Auckland and Waikato University from Melbourne to Bendigo. This was much appreciated by those who benefited.
 
The conference allowed for deeper relationship building for me as the Northern Regional Coordinator as chaplains from AUT, University of Auckland, Waikato University, Massey, UniTec, MIT ate together, walked around town, travelled, played, discussed and debated issues, ideas and theology. 
 
Other events & initiatives
I was unable to attend an AUT Spirituality andChaplaincy Steering Committee meeting in June due to illness.
 
I was able to participate and encourage a creative Intersections multi faith spoken word event at University of Auckland August 2^nd and Being Muslim in NZ welcome of Syrian refugees on 6^th August.
 
At Massey University we are in the midst of planning for Peace Week 2016 where we hope to have stimulating conversations and activities around themes that have spiritual components people may not identify at first. Justice and peace are very much spiritual issues. 19-23 September
 
Respectfully submitted,
 
Jill Shaw
Chaplain, Massey University, Northern Regional Coordinator for ANZTCA, NZ’s Int’l Rep on IACHE Executive 

In addition to the above roles related to chaplaincy, I serve as:

*None of these compensate me financially other than paying some expenses. I am totally reliant on support from churches and individuals handles through The Ark Christian Ministries, Converse, Indiana USA.
 
Many of these roles overlap and one often leads to another. God is good to increase my influence which leads to conversations about Jesus and His goodness to us in what He accomplished on the Cross, and what God accomplished in Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
 
When I think of how I left Indiana University to equip myself better at Johnson Bible College to answer challenging apologetical questions in secular contexts, and how God prepared me to serve in New Zealand even during my time in Zimbabwe, and I see where He takes me now, I stand in awe. Each season, each path, had both purpose and preparation.
Purposes I probably don’t realize.
Preparation for things I cannot even yet fathom.
                           
God is faithful, and I want to be.
 
^“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”  Colossians 1:28-29
 
This is a lengthy mid-year report! If you do not receive the periodic shorter email newsletters and prayer lists, please send your email address to integritynfaith@gmail.com and I will include you in future mailings.
 
Jill Shaw in New Zealand  
donate online www.facebook.com/IntegritynFaith or send checks payable to
The Ark Christian Ministries
P.O. Box 43581, Louisville, KY  40253 USA
 
“Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” 
1 Corinthians 9:22-23 NLT