Beyond Sight: The Derek Rabelo Story

Film Synopsis for BEYOND SIGHT:

Amidst the small beautiful city of Guarapari, Brazil, Derek Rabelo's father prayed that his son would become a famous professional surfer. His father named his son after the legendary Pipeline surfer Derek Ho, the embodiment of his dream.



Unfortunately on May 25th 1992, his prayer seemed unanswered when Derek was born blind. Seventeen years later Derek decided that despite his blindness he still wanted to surf and that he wanted to surf Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu. Through the encouragement of his parents, best friend, and surf coach, Derek embarked on a three-year journey of grueling mental, physical and spiritual training.

Join Derek as he perseveres towards his goal of surfing Pipeline and along the way inspires the best surfers in the world including Kelly Slater, Gerry Lopez, Tom Curren, Damien Hobgood, Derek Ho, Laird Hamilton, Lakey Peterson, Coco Ho, and the entire surfing world. You will learn from Derek's story that the best journeys in life are walked by faith, and not by sight.

http://vimeo.com/45393228

More Information:

http://walkingonwater.com/films/beyond-sight/




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Groundswell Conference 2012

Eric Arakawa: Who Do You Surf For?

 

 

 

RISE UP: Episode 2 - FLOURISH

Here we go.... Episode 2: FLOURISH.

Our heart: to share stories from around Australia & the world that show the ordinary girl is EXTRAORDINARY! We love to celebrate this, encourage & inspire girls to 'rise up' & be all that God has created them to be. There will be a brand spanky new episode at the start of every month.... so keep coming back for more :)

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Chile Open Air Meetings

"It has really given us a chance to preach the gospel to many surfers that would never set foot in a church." Nathan Anderson, Pichilemu, Chile

Nathan and team continue to hold a Saturday afternoon beach meeting with open air worship, word and food. They also just held the first ever national Chile meeting to discuss the future of a surf mission expanding to become a national movement. Pichilemu is the centre of Chilean surfing and a timely place to grow the mission.

More Information, contact:
 
Nathan Anderson
Evaristo Merino 730 , Pichilemu, 6ta Region, Chile
Phone: 56-72-841444
Email: nahxcsurfer@gmail.com
Web: www.puravidachile.com



 
Mission
Our vision is to share God's love to the growing surfing community here in Chile. We are located in Pichilemu, which has most likely become the main surf destination in the country. Our current activities include a weekly surfer friendly Bible study, surf lessons and surf contests. We are also running a surfer focused Discipleship Training School through Youth With a Mission. We still have not established a formal CS mission in Chile and are seeking people to partner with in pioneering this ministry.

Nuestra visión es compartir el amor de Dios con la comunidad de surfistas en Chile. Pichilemu se a convertido en uno de los principales centros de surfing de nuestro país. Nuestro labor incluye un estudio Bíblico semanal para surfistas, clases de surf, y campeonatos. También ofrecemos una escuela de discipulado a través de Juventud Con Una Misión. Todavía no se ha establecido formalmente un trabajo de Christian Surfers en Chile y estamos en búsqueda de personas para desarrollar y ser pioneros con nosotros en este ministerio.


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Spain National Conference

"We focused on a theme of 'Bottom Turn', that being the start of a wave and so basic to every other manoeuvre that follows." Shane Sparks, Spain

Over 40 surfers braved cold conditions in CS Spain's second national conference. European RC Phil Williams spoke and much fun was had. Spain is in one of the worst employment and economic states and it is a time for the church and its related ministries step up and face the challenges. CS Spain has a lot to learn and do. www.christiansurfers.es


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ASP and Chaplaincy Opportunities

"We finally met as key chaplains for the first time in Hawaii and now we have a clear direction to take this to the next level." Steve Bligh, International Chaplaincy Coordinator

The ASP has been restructured with new owners and chaplaincy has good favour. New chaplains were confirmed in Nuno Rosario for Europe and Marquito Santos for South America. CS Australia recently trained another 7 chaplains ready for the amateur ranks of Surfing Australia events.

Living On Cloud Nine

Film called "Living On Cloud Nine", this Film has been born out of a desire to see the lives of young surfers change for the better. FREE DOWNLOAD: http://www.livingoncloudnine.com


Christian Surfers Queensland in conjunction with Compassion Australia and the Australian Christian Channel.

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RISE UP: Episode 1 - "In the beginning"

RISE UP: Episode 1 - "In the beginning" from CSA Girls: RISE UP on Vimeo.

HOORAY!! It's finally here, after a long gestation period, the first in our movie series called "RISE UP" is fresh out the oven. Our heart: to share stories from around Australia & the world that show the ordinary girl is EXTRAORDINARY!

We love to celebrate this, encourage; inspire girls to 'rise up'; be all that God has created them to be.

There will be a brand spanky new episode at the start of every month.... so keep coming back for more :)

christiansurfers.org.au 

Christian Surfers Girls Australia: with all your heart ♥

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New Look Jesus Pro Am

Now in its 28th year, the annual Australian Jesus Pro Am will move to Newcastle, NSW for a massive event November 17-18. The Pro Am is a favourite for Australian surfers - as much for its excessive food and hospitality as its prize money! It is also the only contest of its kind to have equal prize money for both men's and women's divisions.

Check out the event's newly relaunched website and to learn some of the history of the Pro Am in the 90's read an extract from our forthcoming history book at the end of the newsletter.




Jesus Pro AM 2012

Where: Newcastle Beach, NSW
When: November 17-18th


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Tablistas Para Cristo - Conferencia de Líderes Claves

Antonio "Toñito" Farfan (a la derecha de los guapos arriba) ha servido como el director nacional de Tablistas Para Cristo (CS Perú) desde el año pasado cuando tomó el lugar del ahora coordinador regional para América del Sur Aldo Ventura. Recientemente tuvieron un retiro con más de 25 líderes para un fin de semana de enseñanza bíblica, entrenamiento en liderazgo, oración, adoración y planeamiento estratégico. Su sueño es sembrar más grupos en toda la costa para surfear, y siguen apoyando a comunidades pobres en el norte.

The Christian Surfers Story

"Groundswell - The CS Story" Extract: "Jesus Pro Go Home"
 I pulled the plywood sign off a large eucalypt just a kilometre in from the highway. Along a bit there was another: 'No contests here!' Then another: '&*#@ off Jesus'.

Apparently our attempts to work in with the Bendalong locals at their secluded beachbreak merely gave them time to galvanise a plan against our moving the Jesus Pro Am from the city beaches of Sydney to the remote South Coast. It had all come about one meeting when the Pro Am seemed to be dying and we drew inspiration from the community festival feel observed in the NZ Jesus Easter Surf Classic. We had taken a huge risk and step of faith booking out the entire camping ground of 150 beds and made the 'Jesus' into a camp/contest for the weekend.

"Why don't you guys hold the contest somewhere else?" asked the sandy-haired grommet in the general store. "We're gonna surf right through your contest site,' threatened the weather-beaten local with missing teeth. "How many litres of milk will you need in the morning?" asked the ecstatic shop owner. "They'll get over it," encouraged the Manyana Junior Boardriders secretary.

So many different reactions were going down that Friday afternoon. Our dedicated prayer team were in overdrive praying to divert a conflict. Nighttime provided cover for some locals to get close enough to start pitching rocks at the team. Kiama leader Phil Imisides was the first casualty. Suddenly he clutched the side of his head and blood seeped through his fingers.

Tim Oyston, of Wollongong remembers... "It was getting ridiculous with more rocks being thrown and our generator being tampered with. We so wanted this to be a positive event for everyone, locals included, and it felt like there was an attack not just physically but spiritually as well to discourage the whole team. Eventually, we had no choice but to ring the police who flushed out a heap of teens from the scrub. The police knew the culprits and sent them home with a warning. We went back to work. It sort of felt like Nehemiah building the wall as we worked and stayed on watch for further sabotage!"

Saturday March 12, 1993: The surf was firing and our new 'community' seemed to be working well. Rusty Moran and the Cronulla team were going from cabin to cabin with breakfast treats and plunger coffee. On the beach, the combined local churches provided coffee and cake. "I can't believe I'm sitting on a chair, drinking real coffee out of a mug!" said one local mum in the shade of the hospitality tent as she watched her son surf in the Juniors. Surrounding parents nodded in agreement.

No negative locals appeared to disturb the contest area. We assisted the community with its campaign to protest the building of a nearby 'megatip' refuse centre and a petition was circulated. Meal vouchers were used to claim lunch and that night everyone met in the Manyana Community Hall for dinner, a surf movie and a short gospel challenge.

Wayne made a good call that night: "The local community won't judge us by how good our contest was, but by how clean the place is afterwards." We painstakingly cleaned every bit of the beach and track. It was a totally new benchmark, not only for the Jesus Pro Am but for any surf contest. We had made a breakthrough with the local community and with the surfers by combining evangelism, social action, community, servanthood and professionalism. Surely next year would be even better!





It wasn't.

Friday April 23, 1994: "It's gone, it's all gone!" yelled our soaked equipment coordinator Mark 'Bruiser' Edwards from Wollongong. A howling 40-knot southerly had hit at midnight and taken away two storeys of scaffold, all our banners and some tents.

As dawn came, a 5m southerly swell rendered the contest site totally out of control. There was a mad thirty-minute scramble to relocate. Our grand set up was replaced with a couple of pitiful tents and an assortment of ragged judging seats.

Then it got worse. There were protest signs and graffiti everywhere: 'Jesus Go Home' even down to the amenity block that had been spray-painted overnight at our new location.

Then it got worse. The waves were huge. Surfers got washed out to sea. One guy nearly drowned. Maroubra leader Adam Volkerts got hung up on a rocky outcrop by his legrope. Rain bucketed down. Antagonistic locals jeered. High tides washed through the contest tent. The team was stretched.

Then it got worse. In the midst of it all, an ABC TV film crew was shooting a segment for 'Compass', the national religious program. When one surfer was injured, they even asked if I would repeat my run down the beach with a first aid kit so they could re-shoot it! I was convinced the whole country was going to see us at our worst.

The winner was a very deserving young emerging pro, Mick Lowe, who was stoked to receive his first place prize of return airfares to Hawaii. Imagine our despair when he contacted the sponsor to collect his prize and they said they knew nothing about it. The employee we had dealt with had quit a month earlier. Mick and his parents were great about the fiasco and said not to worry about it, but we all decided to dig in and pay for his prize ourselves.

It was one disaster after another.

But at the presentation night, locals got up and announced how amazed they were at how the team worked together. The Manyana Junior Club supported us more than ever. The ABC program turned out fine. Mick Lowe and his family were appreciative of CS and have been supportive ever since. God showed us that our unity and service were more important than any slick contest site. In an image-conscious surfing scene, it would be a lesson we would keep learning.

Filme de Surf - "On The Rocks"

Veja Nosso Filme de Surf, "On The Rocks" clique no botão legendas,na parte inferior-direita para idioma.



Agora você pode ver a nossa série On The Rocks em Português brasileiro,europeu), espanhol (Europa, América em breve) e mandarim graças a Bougas Jonty e a equipe de tradutores para este grande recurso.

Por favor, encaminhe essa mensagem a quantos você puder!

Assista na nossa página do You Tube e clique no botão 'legendas' na parte inferior direita para selecionar seu idioma.

http://www.youtube.com/christiansurfersint

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Surfero Canario

Jose Luciano Casillas Dorta, once one of Europe's best surfers, has an amazing story thanks to God's grace and some advice from Tom Curren.

Check out his inspiring testimony:
 
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FLUX Longboard Movie

Andy Carruthers has done a great job producing his first surf movie with a range of surfers from 18 to 60 surfing all types of boards from logs to fishes to alaias in the crisp, clear waves of New Zealand. The film is beautifully and artistically shot with its theme of how surfing allows for a broad range of belonging regardless of age, sex, equipment or proficiency. The Christian theme is subtle in Flux with more detail in 'Going Deeper' in the extras. FLUX is premiering through Australia in July.

Contact Andy for details. http://www.fluxthemovie.com



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European Leaders Gathering

May 18-20 saw 30 leaders from 7 nations travel to Biarritz, France for the 7th annual European Leaders Gathering. We were stoked to welcome 5 excited Germans who surf the river wave in Munich. Phil Williams was also stoked to see Chelsea defeat Munich in the European Cup and celebrated 10 years of full-time ministry with CSUK. Special highlights of reports from around Europe included a joint Basque/Irish outreach, Morocco challenges, the Spanish movement, Portuguese media coverage and the upcoming 20th Jesus Surf Classic in UK. We didn't get any sun or waves but were blessed with great company! Special thanks to our French host Christophe Parenty for facilitating it all. Check out some photos from the conference on our Facebook Page.



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Ecuador Surf Camp

About 30 guys and girls from CS Ecuador headed south to the world class waves of Lobitos, Peru in late May for a surf camp with daily Bible studies and opportunities to share the gospel with their friends. Headed by national leader Jorge Edgecombe, he was stoked to have CS Peru send their national leader Tonito, along with perennial man-grommet Muelas and his wife Silvana. "It's great to see how our missions can join together to support one another," said Jorge. Lobitos has a long history of connection with CS Peru, who have assisted in service to many poorer children in the area.


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South Africa National Conference

Held 27-29 April over 80 surfers and skaters converged on Jeffrey's Bay and camped out with meetings under a big top tent. It was great to hear guest speakers Gill and Brett Davis as well as Son Skate National Director Bradley Jones. A special report from Rehgert and Vanessa Van Zyl on the Aleph Surf development program was given, with opportunity to perform community service each afternoon. The interns did a great job helping out with Stephanie Zemke, the wonder woman, organising it all. More interns are being sought with a July intake: www.christiansurfers.co.za/CSALT. Roy Harley was surprised with a gift for his 20 years of service pioneering CS in the nation. Well done Roy!

Watch a recap video from the conference here: http://vimeo.com/41302061

 
Christian Surfers South Africa Conference 2012


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Aussie Easter Gathering

This year's annual CS Australia National Gathering was held on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland with RC Jono Bailey and team doing an awesome job organising 200 leaders to be inspired, taught and strategised. A real highlight was the Saturday night local outreach under the stars with bands and the movie premiere of 'Living on Cloud Nine' a story of local CS grommets heading to the Philippines to visit Compassion sponsor children. Over 1000 people turned out in perfect weather. An Easter Sunday dawn service had over 120 paddle out to form a cross and testify to the community that Jesus had risen. Check out some great teaching from the conference at http://cswavemakers.wordpress.com.





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Hawaiian Season

A short-term missions team from Brazil, Peru, the Canary Islands, Australia and Japan joined with North Shore churches for a low key mission to the visiting surfers.

Andy Carruthers from Australia worked with Eric Arakawa and says, "The mission team worked together well, praying each weekday morning at Waimea Bay, then heading out to the surf spots, contests and hangouts to connect with people of their own cultures. We were stoked to see many from the local churches connect with us as well and say how they were inspired to rediscover the world mission opportunity that comes to their shores each winter."

Pecas and Muelas report that they gave out many Spanish and French Surfers Bibles and led a couple of surfers to Christ.

Ken and Satoshi similarly befriended many Japanese exchanging details and passing on gospel material.

Brazilian Sergio and his wife Carly were also inspired, making connections with Brazilians and launching their surf school project to impact the local North Shore area.

We hope to offer a longer term outreach in conjunction with the 2012 International Conference from November 9 to Christmas.

If you have a heart for befriending travelling surfers and sharing the gospel with them and could do it for up to 6 weeks next year please contact us.


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Vanuatu Beginnings

Pacific Regional Coordinator Gordy Webb has just returned from his second visit to Vanuatu. He was delighted to discover that his first visit, which introduced him to many surfers and sowed the notion of a surf ministry, has continued to grow and an indigenous leadership team is emerging. While there he and his wife Jean engaged in a beach clean up and held some surfing lessons, while also instructing the locals on how to give surfing lessons. Gordy was also able to teach the CS Foundations Training course at the local church.


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Philippines Mission Trip

Queensland CS leader Jordan Merry took four 16 year olds on a surf trip combined with a visit to Compassion ministries in the Philippines. "We saw 8-10 people in a family, living in a little shack," Jordan said. "It felt hopeless, but they were happy and appreciated what they had. It really lifted our spirits to see them happy." Jordan said the home visits had had a life-changing impact on the young surfers. "The boys learnt to really appreciate what they have," he said. A great example of a holiday with purpose. More details and a blog from the trip can be found at http://destinationcloudnine.tumblr.com/.


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Africa Developments

Roy Harley reports, "The Surfers Bibles finally made it to Liberia and have been used by a missionary there with the small surf community. Super stoked about the church plant in Mauritius by a missionary family who all surf! Reunion will need prayer as Sean Regan feels his time has come to an end there. Morocco continues to face many challenges, keep praying for Mark and family. We are stoked to have 6 new interns starting tomorrow for our new look 5-month internship program!" Check out the new look Christian Surfers South Africa website and make sure to keep up with the "When a Surfer Gets Saved" series!

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CSI Prayer Calendar and Groundswell Magazine

Our annual Prayer Calendar has been distributed globally to all our missions. Contact your national leader or CSI if you would like a copy. Similarly, the Groundswell Magazine is out and is available for the first time in Spanish as well!


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International CSI Partners Events 2012

You can hear from CS International Director Brett Davis and others at upcoming partner events in Cape Town, South Africa April 20th, in the UK May 24th, and in Sydney October 13th with others potentially in the works! Contact us for more information.