A NEW CHAPTER.......

some BIG news: i'm moving to hawaii to work with surfing the nations in a little over a week. so this blog will be used for more updates and hopefully i can keep up with some of my creations on the side.

starting april 14th, i will be joining sls (surfer's leadership school) and committing a year to join staff with stn. after spending the last three months in their internship, i felt God tugging my heart to this next big chapter.

what exactly will i be doing the next three months?

"Surfer’s Leadership School (SLS) is a 3-month program designed to better equip our new staff members as they enter into their commitment to serve with Surfing The Nations. Each student will discover their unique strengths of leadership, team building, and how they can impact their community most effectively. The program involves class discussions, guest speakers, teamwork activities, event planning, and an apprenticeship within STN."

what is surfing the nations?

"Surfing The Nations impacts local and international communities through the sport of surfing and selfless service by meeting needs and changing lives. We live by our motto of “surfers giving back,” and our desire is to see lives changed, of those who we serve, as well as of the individuals within our organization serving. Our hope is that as they learn to love and serve others, they will grow into positions of leadership and maturity themselves.

Locally, we have one of the largest food distribution sites on the island of O’ahu. Feeding The Hungry caters to Hawaii´s needy, disabled, homeless, and working poor populations. We also reach out to at-risk youth in our high school and college outreach programs, and make annual trips to the neighbor islands of Hawai’i, Lana’i, Kaua’i, Maui and Molokai. Internationally, Surfing the Nations makes annual trips to Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Israel and Egypt and bring clothing, toys, supplies and the serving surf culture."

i am really excited about this next year, the only thing that has freaked me out about this decision is the fact that now i am a full-time volunteer...which means, i get to raise support. so please be praying for me, and for creative ideas on how to fundraise. my goal is to raise $900 a month. if you would like to support me you can go here and put in the note column that is support for venessa rude. all donations are tax deductible on the website. or you can send checks to the address below. also your prayers would be very much appreciated!!! pray that i surrender my ALL to the lord and to trust his plans for my life. pray for comfort for the times i may get lonely and miss what once was my home. and if you want to write me letters (this would make me so happy!!!), send them also to the adress below:

Venessa Rude
c/o Surfing the Nations
P.O. Box 860366
Wahiawa, HI.96786

top picture: my baptism at pipeline on the north shore. i couldn't have asked for better people to baptize me.

bottom picture: our annual freedom skate contest in moloka'i.