Josh returns from New Zealand adventure
by Lacy Rees/Sierra Star
Josh Thomas, seated, clowns around with his friends after a very muddy rugby game in
New Zealand.
He and other teens from the United States were youth ministers for three weeks.
NORTH FORK -- Josh Thomas should have plenty of essay-writing material for school this year.
Especially after spending three weeks in New Zealand this summer.
The Yosemite High School freshman traveled to the island nation with a youth ministry group called
"Teen Mania" in August, which he learned about through his church, Sierra Pines Church in
Ahwahnee. The group carries spiritual messages to young people all over the world.
Two-and-a-half years ago such a trip would have been unthinkable, as Josh was seriously injured when
a .22-caliber bullet entered the left side of his brain in an accidental shooting. His
recovery has been a miracle to his family, and Josh wanted to share his faith in God with other
teens.
He traveled first to Texas where he met the 95 kids in his group who went to New Zealand. They practiced
dances and a skit, "The Rag Man." After the 12-hour flight to New Zealand, they were
divided into smaller groups and visited high schools -- they are called colleges in New Zealand, he says --
and presented hour-long programs. The speakers with the group would talk to the audience about such
things as achieving their goals and maintaining their chastity before marraige. They also
talked to the students about coming to know Christ, he says.
The group put on two concerts with music and skits. Josh played in the part of a blind man
in "The Rag Man." The play is about "when people are hurting with pain and someone eases the
pain," says Josh. The play shows the different hurts people can have and how Christ comes in and heals them.
On two days they went to a park and talked to people there about spiritual things.
His impression of New Zealand was that, "It was really cool.' He said he was on streets which looked
similar to the movie, "Nodding Hill," which takes place in London. He was impressed with the rivalry that
takes place between New Zealanders and Australians. "They don't like each other," he says,
but to him, their accents sounded the same.
Photo right: Josh Thomas came back from New Zealand with a rugby ball and an official rugby shirt that was given
to him.
He said he told a New Zealander, "If you came to America, I would think you were from Australia."
"Oh, we were here first," was the reply. (Technically, New Zealand was the first of the two to be settled by
the British after the explorations of Captain James Cook in the 1700's.)
Some Maori dancers came to perform where they were staying and the teens made a trip to
Rotorua, a Maori town of hot springs and geysers. It smelled of sulfur, says Josh.
He says he went to an all-you-can-eat dinner. He was eating a strange food, when the person
next to him said, "Hey, do you want your colon?" and told Josh he was eating pig colon. Josh
surprised, said, "Really?" at the time. "I thought it was pretty good."
He said things are more expensive down there. A cheeseburger was the equivalent to $6 U.S.
at Carl's Jr.
He had a chance to play a game of rugby, which is sort of like American football, he says. There is no
throwing of the ball, but you can tackle. "I got so muddy and dirty," he says with relish.
On one occasion Josh shared his experience of his gunshot accident with the teens down there and the role of
God in his recovery. "I have never been this close to God as I was when I was there," says Josh. "For me,
I think I don't know what God wants me to do now, but I would really like to be a missionary."
Next time, he wants to again go to another country, but for two months, instead.
He says a lot of people prayed for his right hand, which he has had difficulty in moving since his accident. "I
felt movement in my hand coming back," he says, and he has more movement in his arm than before the trip.
"It is an answer to prayer," says his mom, Jolinda.