I´ll leave the light on in the parlour

But for now it´s Haere Ra!
I feel now as though I have come over the bump, moved on so to speak. Although I was intially homesick and not even waiting to be overseas for long, I think I have come through that now, and realise that the light is still on in Aoeteroa (even if just a little) but for now Im here and going to make the most of it, and who knows what happens. Glad it only took a few days for the mental shift in my head, I think my lawns are mown, gardens kept and rubbish put away, which means I can enjoy the lifestyle!

I´ll leave the light on in the parlour

Trapped by ignorance

It is amazing how the same rules apply for all of mankind the world over. Not knowing the language has caused us to feel trapped, physically just to stay in your room and go nowhere, socially cos you have no idea what is happening, and educationally beacuse you have no way of undestanding and learning. The simplist of map books gave amzing freedom to tear us out of the boredom and hopelessness of not knowing. We spent about 2-3 hours today walking around town, and although we got lost at times, the map gave us the confidence to explore and also get Jon's visa for Paraguay.
The other thing that disturbs me and makes me realise that nothing really changes is while we were walking to our restaurant tonight (where we got awesome steaks) we would see everywhere people going through the rubbish bags on the sidewalk and keeping anything they needed or wanted. Black rubbish bags here are like trademe in NZ. It even looked as though there was a trader point at a particular place where people were lined up with plastic bags, not really sure what for. A case of ignorance when young, or from their parents perhaps?? Ignorance of what they can do with their lives.
Ignornace surely aint bliss, instead a vicious trap of excuses and fear. Stumble around, make a fool of yourself, but for goodness sake, dont put up the wall of ignorance!

Trapped by ignorance

Travelling light?

It’s amazing the difference between saying, “let’s go overseas” and the process it takes to get yourself on the plane and flying overseas!
We have finally done it all, after a stressful wait this morning for our passports and Jon’s visa, we are on the plane and flying toward Argentina. Quite amazing really.
As we finished packing our boxes at Mum & Dad’s place, and then placed all of our belongings into 2 suitcases, and a few backpacks, and checked them in, trying to keep a track of them all, and then carrying the others around the airport, going to the bathroom and eating lunch, I realized the benefit of traveling light. I suppose that is a good analogy for life in general, to carry around with you only the bare necessities of memories, emotional, spiritual and mental weight.
Ironic really that as we flew over New Zealand we flew back over Tauranga. I picked out Bethlehem College, our old house etc. and as it started to come more into view the cloud cover came over, and before long we couldn’t see it.
After the frustrations of last year, and the point in time where we said, lets just go overseas, to flying back over Tauranga in this plane, I feel that God has helped us bring closure on our situations in NZ, with handing over the youth to the new pastors, debriefing with Dave & Joce, and developing that friendship, to saying goodbye to Wynne and getting the surprise from Geordie and family and then the clouds caused us to see it no longer.
The sun is setting on what we knew, and a new chapter in our life is dawning!

Travelling light?

Best Suprise Ever!

WOW!!! What a cool suprise we got today, after doing a whole lot of errands around town, dropping my brother off at the airport and generally being busy we got home to find Jon's parents here (that was planned) but also his sister and her family. We love her kids heaps and were disappointed we couldnt get up to say goodbye, so it was such an awesome suprise, I really felt emotional and didnt know wot to do!! Even now Im so glad they came, they are like my family and I love them to bits, this is probably the best present or suprise in my life and makes going even sweeter (if it can be) knowing that they love us and vice versa. Its strange cos I dont feel as though I deserve it but overwhelmed to be together, I suppose thats the way family is suppose to be like!

Best Suprise Ever!

Breaking Status Quo

Well...
Lots has happened since I last blogged. Once the tickets where confirmed it was all go to get other smaller but probably harder and more annoying details in place. Things like bank accounts and new eftpos & VISA cards, insurance, police clearance forms, shopping for things we need overseas,replacing our digital camera (taking a lady to court and then settting the debt collectors on her!)travelling to Wellington & back in 36 hours to get Jon's Visa for England, trying to look lively at work, our farewell at church, last computer games with the youth, and lots of card games and talking with our host family the McDougalls. All in all it has been busy but it has bought closure on moving on. We have also been to dinner to quite a few people's places, and "Team Extreme" took us out to dinner at Pizza Hut which was nice. We welcomed the new youth pastors and handed over the youth to their leadership, and said goodbye to the youth on Friday night as they head off to camp without us! It was quite hard & emotional, but at least I didnt cry in front of them!
Then Saturday was our last pack & clean up then left Tauranga as we drove to Paeora for my cousins wedding. The feelings were mixeds as we meet many people from Europe at the wedding (my cousin has been living in Germany) and got excited about where we are heading, as opposed to the sadness of leaving.
Ironic really since last year all I could think of was leaving, yet now after a change in job & getting to the McDougalls better, church seems more positive, and living a more balnaced lifestyle, it seems crazy to throw that all away and go somewhere crazy, not knowing when we are coming back. I feel most disappointed about my friendship with Joce, as I feel after 3-4 years of not having any close friends, we really started to enjoy each other's company (or at least I did!) but I'm trusting God that as we break camp, destroy our comfort zone, and step out of the ordinary that He will give us a better understanding of how He created this world to be. For me, I want to experience relationship & community with others in satisfying way. Let's see what our journey brings!

Breaking Status Quo