a HUGE announcement and a new name for the blog

The Announcement:
We have decided to move back to the United States.  Our time in New Zealand has come to a close and after much prayer and discussion, we have agreed as a family to move home. We fly home on August 6, 2011.

Why?
I resigned from my position as Director of El Rancho last week and have a new job helping manage Hidden Hills Ranch in Prunedale.  Hidden Hills is connected with an educational not-for-profit and runs events, school resources and farm days.

We are both excited and sad to leave our friends and home away from home in New Zealand.  It has been a precious time for our family and we have made many good friends.  It is hard to leave. Jen for one is very sad to leave our life here.  It has been a dream for her raising our boys in New Zealand for the past two years.  In fact, it feels like we have lived here for ten.  The boys are both excited and sad.  They are sad to leave their friends here at El Rancho, but they are also young enough to handle the transition again.  It hits Corban the most as the oldest and as our most sensitive son.  On the flip side, we also look forward to rejoining our friends and family in Santa Cruz.  I believe it is where we belong.  I have a deep connection to being in Santa Cruz and cannot seem to shake it.  My mom said, "you've always been a Santa Cruz boy."  She's right.  Both Jen and I will have family close by and this has become more important to us over the past two years being away.

One key reason we are coming back is because I feel a deep sense of calling to fulfill my vocation in pastoral ministry.  I long to serve as a minister to people everywhere, but especially in Santa Cruz County.  I intend to get involved with Faith Community Church and our friends who serve there.  I have discovered a clarity in my mission and calling.  While serving here I got to teach a university elective course.  I absolutely loved it and felt God's pleasure while teaching. It became extremely clear that teaching, mentoring and pastoring is what I was made to do.  While working at Hidden Hills Ranch does not involve these things, it does provide the means to move and live in Santa Cruz until a full time paid pastoral position emerges.  We will leave the timing up to God and trust that we are moving in the right direction as we listen to his invitations and continue to conform our wills to his for the sake of others.

Now What?
We need your help.  This will be a huge transition for us and we would like to ask our family and friends to network together with us and help.  Jen and I have taken many of our discussions and made a wish list and needs list for our return.  If you would like to be involved in supporting us, we would welcome your help!  Here's what we need:

1. We are looking to house sit in a furnished home for all or part of the month of August (and possibly September).  This will help us get settled until we find a new place to live and await our belongings in our shipping container.
2. We need one family car to borrow for a week or two when we first arrive.
3. We need to buy two cars.  We are looking for a family car/van for Jen and a commuter for Rob.  Our budget is between 8-10,000 for both.
4. We are looking for a good 3 bedroom 2 bath rental between Santa Cruz and Watsonville for the lowest price possible. (Because pricing is low, we are also looking into whether we can afford to buy a house there.)
5. Please feel free to invite us over for dinner.  We want and need to reconnect with friends and especially friends for the kids (especially boys).
6. We plan to home educate our kids.  Jen is looking for connections with other home educators.

So I guess it is time to rename the blog.  No longer can it be called NamZealand.  It requires a new name to capture the proper description of what we are doing--moving home!

So in honor of our decision to move back to the USA, we will change the name of our blog from NamZealand to NambAmerica.