CELESTE
Part 1 of 5 parts
Luke 4:18 "for the spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted".
"I was born into a Christian family in South Africa, and very close to the Lord as a young girl. As I came into my teens, I strayed away. I never felt like God deserted me, but I went off and did my own thing, lived in other countries, chasing my dreams of exploring the world. The doors opened for me to come to New Zealand, and it was a miracle how I got into the country. I was working in hotel management and discovered New Zealand was hosting the rugby world cup. There was a very small window of leniency for people who had hospitality training, so I applied and was given a 2-year work visa ignorant of how difficult it was and how long it usually took to get a visa. God knew where he wanted me to be. I worked such long relentless hours I became like a robot and felt like I had lost my soul. I was trapped as I wanted to earn my residency, but I remember sitting on the beach one day and crying out to God. 'I'm done; there's nothing in this worldly life I connect with'. I looked down at my feet on the pebbly beach and saw a pebble with a cross engraved in it. It was a lightbulb moment. Something spoke to me and just clicked. I felt God say to me 'have you forgotten about me? Have you forgotten I am the God of the impossible?' This began a time of questions and finding my way back to the Lord. God had me and was protecting me.
"Skip a few years and now a New Zealand resident and married, I knew I needed to make some decisions for myself and my future. The closer I grew to the Lord, the less my husband seemed to understand me. After 15 years together, he asked for a divorce. I never imagined this could happen in my life, yet a new chapter of my journey began, one marked by confusion and hurt. The Lord gave me clarity about why our marriage failed, and from that moment on, nothing in my life was ever the same. In the pain I prayed 'Lord, I give you my heart'. I knew then He was my only answer and the only one I could fully trust. I've tried it my way Lord, from now on I'm doing everything your way.
"I can reflect now on my broken heart and how the Lord patiently restored me. Nothing went unseen, He made sure everything was open so He could come in to cleanse and heal me and bring me to a point of forgiveness. I began to understand my heartbreak was not wasted. God was preparing me, shaping within me a deep love for children that He would use in the days ahead. He placed in me both compassion and a longing to see the broken hearted healed. I found myself yearning to serve in an orphanage. I remember telling my parents I wanted to go to the Philippines to volunteer in an orphanage. They committed to pray about it and that very same week in their church home group a lady who worked for Ruel Foundation [a volunteer organisation in the Philippines providing a safe a loving environment for children in crisis with 3 homes, Calapan, Sorsogon and Romblon), shared they were looking for volunteers. What a lesson I learned - the power of speaking it out, the power of words spoken in faith. God had planted the thought in my heart but it wasn't until I spoke it out that He began to move".
Exodus 14:15 "the Lord commanded Moses. Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the seas to dry land".
PART 2 OF 5 PARTS
"Once I let go and surrendered to God, He took me on a journey of healing, restoration and beauty. I was so in awe of what God was doing in my life and the tender way He healed me. When I flew to the Philippines the orphanage children reflected the pain I had experienced and I felt their rejection, pain and unworthiness. I found I could love them freely without fear of being hurt again. I would wake up excited and energised, full of ideas how to make these kids feel loved and valued. During that time the Ruel Foundation bought another orphange on another island (Sorsogon) and I was asked to help establish it. God had already shown me that the 2 months I had committed to be at the orphange were only the beginning, there was more. So when the question was asked, I knew in my heart I would return and pour out my time, energy and love.
"I returned to New Zealand to work hard and top up my bank account determined to fly back to the Philippines as soon as I could. I was trying to sell my car and 3 days before my scheduled flight back to the Philippines I banged into another car and crumpled the bonnet. Why now Lord? What are you trying to show me? Remarkably the collision company agreed to fix it immediately, but next I received a phone call from the travel agent advising Manilla was in lock down and I could not fly. When the airlines resumed operations, a new rule required all passengers to be vaccinated. I was against this, and wondered then how would I ever get to the Philippines. How would I see God's hand at work in this now?
"In the time of waiting, God connected me with wise people who encouraged and prayed for me. In that season when I thought I was ready, God had other plans and built me spiritually and emotionally. I was introduced to a family of 6 who shared, God's plan for them was to sell their house, buy a boat, sail offshore and share the gospel. I jokingly said, well maybe that's how I will get to the Philippines cause I'm not allowed to fly! Once again, I spoke it out. A short time after they had prayed, it was confirmed they felt I should be on the boat with them. I also prayed into it and God gave me confirmation after confirmation. In the same week a small child gave me a picture of me on a sailboat. Another person randomly used the words Philippines and sailing in one sentence. I was staying on a property with a fire pit beside the river. I went down there to pray and found 2 small sail boats that seemed not to belong to anyone. So many details were highlighted. During a worship time the words of a song seemed to explode in my mind 'fresh wind. blowing blowing'.
"There I was, a single woman with no sailing experience about to set sail from New Zealand to an unknown destination that was not in lock down, with a family who also had no sailing experience on and boat they barely knew. But God. (See LP and Marinda's testimonies numbered 13,14,15 on Facebook or # 11 on www.nowwearetalking.nz google site) God is a God of clarity and that same day when with friends we prayed into that, an older man I hadn't met before approached me and said 'I'm not sure this will make sense to you, but God told me to say pull up your sails so my winds can blow in them'. That was it, I knew this was God's plan. The Lord told me and confirmed it!
"We set about provisioning the boat and getting to know the layout, functions and how to sail. Our first boat trip experience was to bring the boat from Whitianga to Tauranga to equip and attend to the many details needed to prepare a vessel carrying 7 people (3 adults and 4 young children) on an off shore passage. I was still working full time but we were united in our focus and trusted in the Lord to make a way. Many people spoke against what we were doing, but on multiple occasions God confirmed this was what He wanted us to do and we believed He would go before us and provide all we needed. Our God is a God of the impossible and He will make a way. We needed to focus on that and put aside all the negative talk.
"There was a moment with my parents when they accepted I was committed to this plan, but they never fully released me. I understood their concern and smiled when they bought me a satellite phone so I could contact them daily. It was a challenge to grasp there was no back up out there on the ocean, no helicopters or coastguard, days without seeing land, unknown weather and seas, no trips to the supermarket, no sailing experience amongst us, but God. I didn't even know if I would get seasick. Even though we tried to take sailing lessons we were turned away because we were not vaccinated. Many islands and countries were still in lock down, but two weeks before we were to set sail, Vanuatu opened its borders, so it was decided we would sail there from Opua (Bay of Islands) when we had the best weather window. We would use Vanuatu as a stop off and re-provision and catch some time ashore, before we headed on to the Philippines".
PART 3 of 5 parts
God is a God of promise. To Noah He said "the rainbow is my signature in the sky, my seal of love to confirm I have kept my covenant between me and every living thing of earth" (Genesis 9:17 TPT translation). Wherever Celeste went the rainbow with all its colours appeared, a divine promise declaring that the God who commands the seas is faithful, and He had gone before her.
"Sonadora (52 feet or 16 meter Solaris catamaran) sat waiting not only for me to arrive in Opua, but for the right weather window to depart New Zealand waters safely with our course set for Vanuatu, the only destination open to us during the world wide pandemic. We believed this was to be a provisioning stop off before continuing on to the Philippines. I had advised Ruel Foundation I was still going to fulfill my commitment to them and was sailing to get there. The day my parents dropped me on the marina an exquisite rainbow appeared right across the whole sky and in the center was Sonadora, our haven for the next few weeks. Full colour, bright and a reminder of God's promise. He had gone before us. That was to be my witness through the whole passage, every time I took an uncertain breath he brought a rainbow to the sky. And there were many rainbows!
"I had my own room (cabin) and space and as we set off, a rhythm and pattern developed on board. Night watches shared by us 3 adults, many coffees, music, fishing, dolphin watching, school work with the 4 children and boat maintenance filled our days. After ten days at sea, when Vanuatu came into sight, I felt as if I had glimpsed God's own rainbow of promise. The sheer joy of knowing He had brought us safely to land.
"I was drawn to a restaurant in Port Villa that happened to be run by Filipinos. They were excited to hear we were to sail on to their home land and asked where abouts we were headed. When I mentioned the small island of Sorsogon, the women exclaimed her husband was from there and into the cafe he walked. He was an elder in the Vanuatu Christian International church and in Sorsogon, had a brother who was also connected to a church. Because of his recommendation, the orphanage children began attending. He gave us advise on the best sailing routes and we all knew this was yet another divine encounter. I felt the Holy Spirit so strong in me and the Lord drew people to me to pray for and gave me words of knowledge for people I had never met. The Lord filled me with such power and peace, I knew I was standing in His perfect place for me at that time.
"As I was walking along the street in Port Villa I passed a very neglected looking, barefoot woman. The Holy Spirit stopped me and said go and buy her some shoes. I ran after her and took her into a shop and bought her shoes. Again prompted by the Holy Spirit I said to her simply, you need to go to church. A few days later I bumped into her again, still wearing the shoes and she told me she had been to church. She was happy and full of joy. I started to pray that she would continue going to church and she began manifesting and being set free. On the street in Port Villa. The Police came to see what was going on, but there before my eyes she was being released and set free in the name of Jesus. She was laughing as a joy came upon her. A crowd gathered to witness this deliverance and healing. I felt the Lord was preparing me for what was to come and showing me that He was with me, He would use me and I could trust Him where ever I was.
"Meanwhile on board Sonadora, my hosts were praying about what, where and when God wanted for them. It was a shock to them, but both LP and Marianda felt strongly the Lord wanted them to remain in Vanuatu (see testimony # 67 on Facebook or # 45 on google site) Well Lord, how am I going to get to the Philippines now? Several friends advised me to just get the vaccine and fly but I didn't have a peace about that. What now God? I thought this was the plan? As I committed this major change to prayer, God kept giving me a vision of a dolphin. But Lord, what does that mean? What was this dolphin about and literally every day I kept looking around the bay where Sonadora was anchored, expecting a dolphin to arrive with an answer. There was no context, just this picture of a dolphin. I shared with my hosts the one word God had given me, 'dolphin' explaining that was all God had impressed on me.
"Back in New Zealand, supported by the Missions Outreach group they asked if there were specific prayer needs. Out of the blue one day when we were alongside the pier filling up with fresh water, a guy appeared and introduced himself, explaining he was a previous owner of Sonadora. What an answer to that specific prayer request! The electrics on board had been playing up, so I asked the group to pray not only for the electrics but also for God to send someone who would know what to do. Later over a meal he revealed he had originally installed the electrics on board and was willing to help!
"A couple of days later, as so often happens amongst boaties, a New Zealand guy came alongside in his dinghy. He knew the family LP and Marianda had bought Sonadora off. He told us, they had all sailed together, and shared stories of the goodness of God. He had a beautiful yacht anchored in the bay and explained he used his boat both for leisure and doing God's work. He would deliver goods to the outer islands and help build schools or whatever was needed. One evening over a shared dinner he started going on about dolphins. He mentioned the word so many times that our collective ears pricked up and although he knew nothing about my word from the Lord, he was inadvertently speaking into being what then turned a prophetic word into reality. Although I was in a very vulnerable place, I knew God had sent him, but little did I know he was to provide the answer to my commitment in the Philippines.
"He explained he was waiting for his crew to arrive in Vanuatu and was ready to leave as soon as they did. As an experienced sailor and while he was still able, he planned to sail around the world. He told us his next stop would be the Philippines. On board his boat, I shared with him my journey, time frame and commitment. He stood up and said he would be honoured to sail me to the Philippines. Later, in the stillness of the evening, I remembered the 2 little sailing boats God had shown me so many weeks before beside the river (see part 2), that God picture was to become a reality. His crew never arrived! The electrical guy eager for a sailing adventure also, chose to join us instead. I asked God for one final confirmation this was the way He wanted me to go. He revealed this through a book written by a dear lady in my home church in New Zealand. When I was shown over his boat I noticed on a bookshelf in saloon, the same book my friend had written. I was shocked as I knew it was in my gear and on Sonadora. I wondered how it had found its way onto this yacht and into the Captain's bookshelf. When I asked him about the book, he explained it had been given to him by his Mother. It turned out my friend, the author of the book and the Captain's Mother were good friends. This confirmed I was in good hands and this was indeed God's plan.
"So the 3 of us began preparations to leave Sonadora and Vanuatu behind, and once more allow the seas and the wind to fill our sails bound for Sorsogon, a small island in the Philippines where God had called me to support the development of an orphanage, and reveal His heart to those around me".
James 5:16 " The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working"
PART 4 of 5 parts
Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen".
"The New Zealand Captain of the Warwick 53 (16 m) estimated our passage to the Philippines would take 20 - 30 days (over 6,000 km). A much longer sail than my maiden voyage from New Zealand to Vanuatu aboard the catamaran, Sonadora. My assurance was in God as I set sail on a different boat with 2 men I had not met before, bound for an unfamiliar destination. In the eyes of the world this might have seemed risky, even foolish yet I believed God Himself had brought the 3 of us together and He would watch over and protect us. It certainly helped knowing the Captain was a Christian believer and was from a highly respected sailing family in New Zealand.
"In the first days we lost our auto pilot forcing us to hand steer across this Western Pacific Ocean and at night by compass. We encountered tropical trade winds, heavy monsoon rains and strong tidal currents. Time and again we watched dark clouds forming on the horizon knowing when the rain was released it would be a deluge, driven by strong winds. We had to hove to [a stationary position with fixed helm, headed into the wind] several times to give us all some much-needed rest. Eventually the calm arrived and with it no wind to fill our sails. The lull brought such peace and quiet but left us drifting with no headway. On one becalmed day, the Lord encouraged us with a gift. A pod of magnificent whales surrounded the boat. In awe we watched as they blew waterspouts skyward and splashed into the ocean.
"As we sailed on through the tropics, we decided an emergency stop was needed, to check the keel and rudder for bamboo and seaweed we may have picked up in the water. We sheltered in a remote bay but did not go ashore in accordance with our visa restrictions. In these areas of ocean, village fisherman build floating bamboo rafts FAD's (fish aggregating devices) which are unmarked and unlit at nights. Under the shadow of the man-made raft, nets hang to catch bait for fish. FADs can be free floating or anchored but either way no sailor wants to hit one or become entangled. Whilst anchored overnight, a speed boat came alongside and it was clear to us, these menacing locals were there to check us out. We felt very uncomfortable and prayed for God's protection. The Captain sat up on deck all night and I locked the door of my cabin just in case. Very early the next morning we upped anchor and as we left the bay, we could see the speed boat racing from the village towards us. The wind filled our sails, and we flew out of there, away from potential danger.
"On one night watch something felt amiss, so I woke the Captain and asked him to check our direction. We realised our course was taking us straight toward land, so we quickly adjusted the radar and changed our compass heading. Even with little sailing experience the Holy Spirit gave me wisdom, and He guided us safely through. At night the phosphorescence shimmering along the hull was breathtaking, and above us the night sky blazed with galaxies and stars not visible in any city. Once a week we set aside time to worship, pray and praise God for His unfailing protection and grace.
"We made a stop in Palau (Micronesia) for fresh water and supplies although only our vaccinated crew member was permitted ashore. When the Immigration officer came to the boat, he advised the Philippines were still mandated and he wondered how we would get in. On a whim I took his name and details not knowing how important this would prove to be. Later that night we had the Palau police chase and question us over VHF (radio). We think the authorities thought we might be smuggling drugs. They were very serious, but I was able to give them the name of the Immigration officer, and they allowed us to continue sailing.
"Six days later we arrived in Filipino waters. I had a dream of 2 big rocks rising out of the ocean and nervously told the Captain. He was so thankful and told me he was praying we would enter these unknown, obstacle filled waters during daylight hours. As we entered the safe anchorage in the early hours of one morning, the 2 rocks stood there in the bay, clear in the daylight, just as I had been shown. It was quite a moment followed by another God given stunning rainbow, then a pod of playful dolphins surrounded the boat. We waited in quarantine in Cebu as the authorities tried to decide what to do with us. During this time, we were hit by this powerful thunderstorm with lightning streaking through the night sky, booming thunder and heavy rain. The Captain and I stood on deck declaring we would come into this country, and nothing would stop us. The storm cleared and with it, all resistance from the authorities and we were given permission to enter the Philippines. Hallelujah! It took us another 3 days to sail on to Sorsogon dodging all the FAD's and mussel farms. Another miracle, through it all, I was never seasick, not on the passage to Vanuatu nor on the voyage to the Philippines. Finally ashore, I farewelled my God ordained crew, humbled and awed by the faithfulness of the Lord who had brought us safely through it all".
PART 5
"Due to the pandemic, there were many challenges with the initial set up of the orphanage in Sorsogon for 20+ children. As orphanage head, I was tasked with building a strong Godly foundation. Through the body of Christ, the Lord used me to do the impossible. We were a family, and the children needed the caring and love of Christ centred around the local church that I had first heard about in Vanuatu. Godly conversations, fun, games, hygiene care and nutritious food were as important as their studies. Gradually as the mandates lifted, other volunteers arrived and shared their love with these disadvantaged little ones. I took them all swimming one day and then realised not one of them could swim! Thankfully no one drowned and later all of them had swimming lessons funded by donations back home. Educational resources were sent, and through our Bible studies the volunteers and children all developed a deeper understanding of the heart of God. Guided by God's timing I committed to one year and afterwards decided to go to Australia for a much-needed rest before flying back to New Zealand.
"Within a few days of arrival in Australia it seemed clear I was to attend David Riddell's Living Wisdom course in Perth. I had no money, and no accommodation to attend this 2-week course. I felt there was something significant about this training and it seemed important to attend and prepare my mind for future ministry with children. I applied for the course and stepped out once more in faith. I went to a local church where an older couple I didn't know, came up to me with an envelope containing the exact amount of money for the fees. The Mother of a friend who lived close to where the course was held, offered me accommodation. So very quickly it was all arranged. I was slightly offended when David Riddell asked me a challenging question 'where is your mission field?' When I then committed this to the Lord, He told me, 'You have made your mission field all about where you want to go'. I realised in that moment, this was a big thing and later was able to answer David's question with; 'the world'. Once I had spoken this out, I knew God could then work with that. God's response shouldn't have surprised me, as through David, He laid before me an orphanage in Zambia that needed help with a girls’ home for the sexually abused, an orphanage, and a training center for girls who had been involved in human trafficking. Africa! I had left my birth country behind so long ago. I knew this could only be God and His hand guiding me to first go to Australia, for this course, to meet this messenger of the Lord, and now allow myself to be used by God where He wanted me to be. I found out the area of need was in Livingstone (yes named after the missionary and explorer David Livingstone) close to the Victoria Falls. As soon as I started looking into it, I felt the peace of God. When I arrived back in New Zealand everyone thought I was returning to the Philippines, but God completely redirected it all, and I made plans to fly to Zambia. I received confirmation after confirmation about Livingstone. As I set out for Zambia, in a season of receiving from the mighty hand of God, it made sense with the flights to go by way of India, where He led me to another orphanage before continuing to Sorsogon and the beloved children. Once there, some of the older ones I had discipled and taught about God's ways, the ones who so many months earlier received swimming lessons, now wanted to be Baptised. It was such an honour and blessing to be part of this transformation.
"When I arrived in Zambia, the area of Livingstone was in drought. 21 hours a day there was no electricity. It was so hot with very limited drinking water and an environment of extreme poverty where witchcraft is often used for healing. The Lord used me in a mighty way and brought many connections to support the orphanage. I arranged for the kids to attend a beautiful Christian programme every Saturday called 'kids on fire' teaching them about God's love, how to hear from God, how to pray and understand the Bible. During nightly devotions, we seldom had electrical power so there was nothing to distract these 60 kids from their learning. They soaked up all the teaching and remembered everything. God used me and my connections to get solar panels installed, up and running, to maintain the chicken, the fish and the vege farm projects through the drought to support funds and food for the orphanage. I know my mission is accomplished when the character of God shines forth, and I witness Him raising up a warrior to carry on the service of the Lord.
"The moment I spoke God's word aloud and stepped onto the boat in faith, God steered my course far beyond the Philippines, into orphanages across other nations. God raised up the right people and through His leading, I was able to encourage them into their rightful positions in His army, for the blessing of all His children".
Deuteronomy 28: 1-2 "If you diligently obey God's commands. He will set you high above all nations, and blessings will overtake you".