Ocean Beach Walk yesterday
Orewa last weekend
My best of about 20 pictures of sheep
Anna and Daddy
(Lynn)
We're finishing up a cold but clear and beautiful weekend. It was down in the 30's last night so we had to break out some extra blankets last night and build an early morning fire. There's a "Little House on the Prairie" feeling to going out for firewood before breakfast. Hopefully just another month to go of the real cold and rain.
We had a few very good relational days. We are concentrating most of our time between two different churches. The two could not be any more dissimilar. The first church, Whangarei Church of the Nazarene, is pastored by our friend from California, Miguel Abascal. He came here with his wife and 6 kids two years ago and had only a half dozen people in the church. This morning there were albout 18 adults and 15 children. Miguel is a Bible scholar and does great expository teaching. We're going through the book of Acts at present. Most people in the church are young. We feel called to worship/learn/work/support etc. mostly at this church. Secondly, we have become friends with the local Anglican priest and his wife who also serves as a priest to some of the rural parishes in Northland. They, Anne and Mike, are very similar to Dawn and myself in their love of scripture, music, and literature. Prior to being here they were at a small church in the Australian outback. They have alot of good snake and kangaroo stories. Their church has about 50 people who are mostly elderly. The liturgical service is familiar to Dawn with her Prebsyterian background but pretty foreign to a Baptist boy like myself. Both of these ministerial couples are trying to bring previously struggling churches into Biblical truth and positive growth. Between the two churches we cover all ages and social groups in our town. Our prayer is for a strengthened church body all over town - no matter the denomination or demographics. In general, churches in New Zealand are small and there is not very much Biblical knowledge. There is a huge need for revival and sound teaching.
Dawn had a girls night out Saturday night with her friend, Rene, mother of Anna's friend, Brooke. She lives around the corner and has been a great help to Dawn.
We finished up the weekend with dinner at Bob, Carolyn and their son, Oden's house. Bob is a 68 year old retired U.S.Navy Seal Viet Nam veteran who has been a sailing and diving junkie all over the South Pacific for the last twenty plus years. Carolyn is a nurse midwife and a Kiwi. Oden was in Phillip's class. We had hours of fun firing Bob's cannon out over the water (he uses real black powder and a wick but fires a cork out into the bay from his porch). He is quite an interesting and friendly character. The family spends as much time living on their sailboat as in the various houses they rent. Bob has had the same boat for 30 years and has a deep relationship with her. I look forward to warmer weather and a good day out on his boat.
Speaking of boats- I miss my Bryant deckboat and a good sunset cruise with family and friends on Tellico or Fort Loudon. It's been three months away from home and all 6 of us are a bit homesick. We'll carry on, though, and see what else is in store here in our remaining 9 months.
The new spirometry equipment arrives tomorrow and I continue to refine my home sleep testing skills. Unlike in the states, I have to do all of these tests myself for the time being. I know everyone in the offices in Knoxville would get a kick out of my struggles with the equipment. Prayers and technical advice appreciated.
3 comments:
Hello my far away friends! I must tell you that my son has come home for a few days! He has been in Hawaii for a month playing war games with 10 other countries out on the deep blue sea, its called RIMPAC and they do this every two years, it was a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. His ship then sailed to SanDiego to drop off the sailors who crossdecked onto the George Washington. Phillip will stay with the Kitty Hawk until it retires in Washington. He will then fly back to Japan to finish up his time there. I think he said 9 more months. He would like to be stationed in Hawaii. He brought back a copy of the newspaper from when Pearl Harbor was bombed, it was really interesting. I loved reading about the beautiful dresses that were on sale for 5.95 or you could buy 5lbs of chocolate for 1.00. There was even a job position posted for someone when had a good bike, starting salary was 30 cents an hour! ANYWAYS, he looks so wonderful and so grown up! Cherish every moment with your babies because with a blink of a eye they are grown. I'm very proud of that young man! Rachel started back to school, she has a pretty tough 1st semister, hopefully she'll do fine. Evelyn has been working the same job for 5 months! She has made a huge turnaround and really thinking about what and where she wants to be in a few years! I'm just tugging along and hoping all my kids make the right decisions in life and not have to battle through it. The sleep center is once again blooming and VERY busy, would like to see some pictures when you did your study, how did it turn out??? I could be available to come out for a few weeks to lend a hand with confirming and scheduling patients!! Let me know! HAHA!
Glad to once again hear from you, try and keep warm and keep sending the pictures. 9 months will be over with before you know at and you'll be back in Knoxville having lunch at Big Fatty's!
When you put faith, hope and love together, you can raise positive kids in a negative world.
Love to all! Debra
Does this mean I am going to have to buy a cannon to shoot into Whittington Creek in order for you to hang out with me when you return? Somehow I don't think my insurance agent is going to approve. You know, with all the attorneys in the world today the liability is just too great!
Glad you all had a fun weekend. Hopefully it will warm up soon.
Tried to call tonight but you all aren't on line. I will try again soon.
Take care. We miss you guys.
Chad Hatmaker
WOW! You guys have been busy! I loved hearing about the history of New Zealand, and some of the similarities. Such a good comeback story - yes, not so good for the birds though!
We have made it through the first few days of school and Nolan and I were talking about the differences in school in New Zealand. We would love to hear from the kids about their experiences in school if they are willing to share.
Girls night out sounds fun Dawn!!! Can't wait for our next one! We miss you guys!
Christa and Nolan
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