The Americas so far

Shift Colours

The trip to North America went really well and marked our fourth month under sail. As a family we have settled into the rhythm of life on the road. Sharon is keeping pace with home school, the kids are loving life and living an adventure of a life time, and whilst I struggle with keeping my inbox in check, I'm constantly amazed at how God is using Christian Surfers to share His love and grace within the surfing culture. 

Our US East Coast Home the CS Office Base & Multiplication Centre

An early start up 04:30am and off to the airport through CRAZY Peruvian traffic, in every way as warm and gregarious as the people :) 

Cleared customs in Miami and boarded another plane, bound for Norfolk. Arrived at the CS East Coast Camp out at 02:00am the following day.

Christian Surfers East Coast Camp Out Outer Banks North Carolina / Amazing Gospel challenges by ND Dean Plumlee

HUGE NEWS / CHIEF MATE / OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR CS 

It's a pretty well know fact that I am somewhat "Administratively Challenged" and because of this for a while we have been looking to add an extra staff member to the CS International team. I can now publicly confirm that Casey Cruciano has been seconded from team CS US to join us in J-Bay as our operations manager. We are so appreciative of this answer to prayer and for how God has worked all of this out.

Pray for the Cruciano Family moving from their home in North Carolina Outer Banks to J- Bay South Africa in July 2016

PILOTGE 

East Coast  - First a visit to a church in Virginia Beach, then from the Cruciano's home, in North Carolina, to South Carolina, where we overnighted and connected with the Charlston CS Chapter, stayed at Nathan Arkwood's spot and checked in with Bill Hogan. Then through Georgia and onto the CS head office and the Multiplication center in St Augustine, Florida, that would be home for just over two weeks. It was here that we realized that this would be the longest we would be in one place so far on this trip and by now that was AWESOME :)

Friends Shakas and Straw glasses / US East Coast is a beautiful place 

SCHOOLING UNDER SAIL 

Sharon is diligently cracking away with Maths and English and we are even talking about instituting an Afrikaans day just to keep our kids ears in tone, however home school is by no means school at home :) 

Boys in the stocks (AGAIN) / Governors Palace Williamsburg / Civil war enactment BANG! / Taking off with the Wright brothers in Kill Devil Hills = cool School :)

Port St Augustine  

For two and a bit weeks the picturesque town of St Augustine Florida was our home base. It was amazing to be able to be in the mix of the CS US office. I was able to catch up with Dean Plumlee, the national director of CSUS, and get a real handle on their passion to see disciple making disciples. We stayed at the multiplication centre & Office, real close to a beautiful expansive beach. Thank you so much to Paul, Summer, Laurel, Dean and Amy for all you did for us and for sharing your lives with the traveling Harley's.

Harvest Festival Dress up / The Alligator & Crock Farm / The Spanish Fort that was the start of St Augustine 

Come About

Buzzzz my cell phone shouted. A message form Nick Gilmore is always catalytic :) "Hey we have organized this impromptu barbecue for Brett Davis in California and now it seems every one is coming, I think it would be good if you and Dean Plumlee were able to come."
So a scurry of planning and checking and shifting schedules and before we knew it we were on our way to LAX. What an amazing event - there were about 150 people there, some driving over 470 miles to be there. Amazing evening. It was great to catch up with some friends, go for a surf with legends and also have some good time with Lyle from the CS US Board.  

Impromptu Cali Barbie / Dustin & Jessica (who since got engaged WHOOO!) / Sharing a breakfast Burito with legends in the faith :)

Sailing to Disney

Well, it may have been reckless to fund this experience by selling our car, but hey, how many times in your life time will you have kids who are 8 & 12 and be just a few miles down the road from this glittering spectacle. 

We bead farewell to our base in St Augustine for a few days and headed as a family to hang with Mickey and Donald and crew. Wow what a wonderful experience!

Our God is a God of the details, amazingly it just so happened that good friends from back in South Africa, who are now living and working in the USA, just happened to be there at Disney over the same exact dates as we were. Now what are the chances of that !!!

A real blessing and memories we will cherish forever :) 

Harley's and Scharffenorth @ Disney

Sailing to the Caribbean Seas and the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a beautiful and interesting place. It was where the Spanish colonials first set up shop. So in down town Santo Domingo you will find a number of picturesque remnants of this era. 

Nathan with Christopher Columbus / Thanks Rafael for showing us around (Rafael is the National Leader of CS in the Dominican) 

On arriving we were greeted at the airport by Dustin Miller, the CS Regional Coordinator, for the Central and North America region. Dustin and Emily live on the north shore. Thanks for making the long drive to fetch us Dustin :) 

The DR with Dustin Miller below and Rafael above 

An all boys camp out - Nathan, Dustin and I jumped in a buss for a 6 hour ride from the North Shore down South to connect with the National Leader of the DR Rafael Ferreras at his Surf School. 

An amazing national event with over 150 campers from all over the DR. Sleeping on the beach is a great adventure and in a rain storm a leaky tent makes it all the more so. 

CS Camp Out in the DR with my Boy / Read more on the CS Site  

Hanging out seeing where Emily teaches and getting a better picture of the Millers World. 

Other CS Ports of Call in Central America 

With the family setting up camp in the DR - myself and Dustin Miller headed out to connect with Mike Proctor and the CS Crew in Panama. Great to see how seriously the guys are taking governance, and it was a privilege to sit with Dustin, as he and Mike asked a pastor to join the Board of CS Panama. 24 Hrs later and we were on our way for some leadership meetings in Costa Rica. Damian Boza, the National Leader of Costa Rica, fetched us and we were off to Jaco, for some good surf and great meetings, then back to the DR. Really excited to see the development of a regional leadership team for the Americas taking place. 

 After Surf Breakie with CS  Legends. / Nathy mesmorized by beautiful DR Sunset / Mike Proctor Rodo and CS Pnama Crew / Rafael ND of DR & Huan.

Parting Shot 

Next stop "California" :)