26 or 1?

I got lots of wishes of "Happy first Birthday" on Sunday, meaning my first NZ birthday but much more water has gone under the bridge and I turned 26 on Sunday! I had a lovely birthday weekend with a facial and dinner on the Saturday. On the Sunday I had church where some very good friends of mine were being commissioned before moving to Nepal. I then went back to the flat for a pot luck lunch with lots of people from my church. The girls next door had baked me a birthday cake and I had a lovely afternoon with them. Then in the evening Nyree, Viv, Olivia and myself went out to the ballet to see Romeo and Juliet. It was my first time seeing a ballet and I thoroughly enjoyed it despite not feeling well! I am very glad that i knew the story though, I'm not sure I would have known what was going on if I hadn't! It was another excuse to get dressed up and we had a really great time!
Everyone here made it so special! I couldn't believe how many lovely presents and cards I got from people, it was amazing!

A Black Tie Affair

Nyree invited me out for a fundraising meal on Saturday night. She would pay most of the cost as a birthday present to me. It was a black tie, 4 course dinner! After being so good with food and going to the gym for 3 months now, it was nice to have a bit of a splurge and not worry! It was really fun getting all dressed up. It was lots of fun getting to know people that I don't know that well and the food was really good!

Shane from church was playing guitar and even took requests and then i was very embarrassed when everyone sang happy birthday to me!

Olympics - Scripture Union vs TSCF

Not wanting to miss out on the fun of the Olympics, our office were challenged by SU (who we share a building with) to an epic battle! The events included:

straw javelin - where Liz was our absolute star player thrashing the rest of the field.

sock hockey - the key was knowing the rugby ball behaviour of the rolled up socks.

egg and spoon relay race down and up the stairs - where despite dropping the (hard boiled) egg twice we still managed to finish 1st.

rubber band archery - Ouch! Some of us weren't very well practised at this.

balloon volleyball - It was quite difficult smashing a balloon to the ground as it definitely wanted to float!

Frisbee discus - SU were victorious at this highly skilled event.

table top soccer - which involved blowing a ping pong ball off the other side of the board room table. Fortunately no-one fainted from lack of oxygen.

It was such fun! We even had an independent referee. After a hard slog, TSCF were victorious by just 2 points and we were very pleased to receive our medals and trophy!

Part 1 of a social and cultured week.

On Tuesday night, I had the privelage of being invited to watch Craig Pollock (our national directors son) sing with 700 other school children and an orchestra 80 strong. Craig was brilliant as were all of the children. It was a really fun evening and I spent half the night wanting to learn to play the cello and join an orchestra! I think i'm a bit old for that though! I went with Ailsa (Craig's Mum), Luke and Jamie (Craig's brothers) and Jeni. Unfortunately Nigel couldn't make it as he is in Beijing at the Olympic games.

A Sunday afternoon stroll!

(me with Island Bay behind me)

Saturday was an awful day weather wise but on Sunday it was beautiful. I was sat in the lounge with the front door wide open, sun streaming through, reading the Sunday paper and Raewyn called me and asked if I fancied taking a walk! I had enough time before night church and thought it would be great! Raewyn and I walked through the suburb where I live and walked to the top of a nearby hill which overlooks the coast and the suburb. We walked down a different way and then round the coast back home. It was a really lovely walk and i'm glad raewyn suggested it.

A new member of the TSCF family as another leaves!

Emily used to work in the TSCF office as an administrator. She just recently gave birth to Hamish Ryan Johnston. Huge Congratulations to Mark and Emily! We now have one member of our TSCF office creche although i'm not sure who will supply the next....

On a much sadder note. Liz Watson has now left TSCF as her and her husband Matt move to Nepal in early September! Liz has become a very dear friend over the last 8 months and I will be very sad to see her go! Matt and Liz are an amazing couple and I look forward to hearing their news as they head off on their big adventure!
On Monday, we had a farewell lunch for Liz and little Hamish even made an appearence. We will really miss her at TSCF and I will really miss her as a friend and as a car pooling buddy!

MV Doulos

Constructed in 1914, MV Doulos is the world's oldest active ocean-going passenger ship (same age as The Titanic). During her lengthy career, she has sailed under four distinct names: Medina, Roma, Franca C and Doulos. The ship has been utilised for four very different purposes: freighting goods, transporting emigrants, for cruises, and most recently in her present role as a vessel to bring knowledge, help and hope to the people of the world.

Doulos visits port cities throughout the world, supplying vital literature resources, encouraging inter-cultural understanding, training young people for more effective life and service, promoting greater global awareness, providing practical aid and sharing a message of hope in God wherever there is opportunity.
It is due to be decommissioned and so is undertaking a farewell world tour and was in Wellington for a week earlier in the month! After talking to Dad and finding out that he had been on board the Doulos back in the day (when he was a young(er) person), I was keen to go and have a look. It also has a very cheap book store so decided it was definitely worth a look!

The office decided to go together on a beautiful sunny Wellington winter day!

Lives That Count

The TSCF conference entitled 'Lives that Count: Mission from McDonald's to Mongolia' took place in Auckland from 27th June - 2nd July. It went really well and it was fantastic for me to meet so many students.

The students seemed to really enjoy the mixed program of meetings, seminars, destination world, resource centre, Sunday morning at different churches, a day trip to a temple, islamic centre and mall, lots of recreation and the final night concert!

I was kept busy all week working long days but loved watching the students enjoy themselves and get excited about mission.

One of the highlights of the week was the trip to the three place of worship - A Buddhist Temple, An Islamic centre and A Mall. It was a great chance to see how other people worship, understand them better and therefore sharing the Gospel with them more effectively. It was very obvious at all three places the lack of hope or certainty in there futures wheras I can be certain of my salvation in Jesus Christ! The students seemed to find it beneficial and asked some excellent questions to the staff in each of the centres.

I was ready for home though by the time I got back and enjoyed a couple of days off!

A small Tiki tour to Auckland!

The TSCF mid year conference started in Auckland on 27th June. As there was A LOT of stuff that needed to be transported up there, I decided that it would be a good idea to drive. It also gave me a chance to see some more of the country. So last Thursday, Val and I set off with a heavey laden car for our long drive north. The previous day the desert road (main road north) had been closed for a short while due to snow so we were pleased to find it was open when we needed to drive along it. Normally from the desert road you get fantastic views of Mt Ruapehu but there was too much cloud! I did get to see some snow though!

The remnants of a snowman - most of the snow had melted!

Val and what we could see of the mountain through my car window!

The base of Mt Ruapehu! It is very high - I promise!

We kept driving and made a stop at the Huka falls! Very beautiful rapids which are illegal to Kayak down. They are an amazing colour! Can't wait to take Jenny, Simon and the girls to go and see them.

We then carried on our journey - stopped off at Vals parents for the night and then carried onto to Auckland on Friday morning. Next installment will be about conference!

Completed at Last!

So, at the beginning of March, I decided to start a jigsaw. I fancied a bit of brain activity and thought it would be good to do as the weather got colder and had lazy afternoons in the house. It was much more difficult then I expected, but just before leaving for conference (post to follow) I completed it after nearly 4 months! I had lots of little short bursts and then long breaks as I got frustrated and bored with it but perseverance came through in the end and here it is:

Breakfast in Parliament!

On Thursday Morning, I attended a prayer breakfast in the banquet hall in Parliament. It was organised by the council of Wellington city churches and the chair of the TSCF board, Judge Andrew Becroft was speaking about Jesus affecting how we are in our workplace. He spoke excellently and even mentioned TSCF. About 8 of us from work attended to support Andrew. It was an early start but certainly not anything I ever would have had the chance to do in the UK!

Apparently it's winter!?!

After church this morning, Trudy, Katie and myself went out for lunch at Maranui Cafe in Lyall bay. It has a bay window overlooking the beach and we managed to get a table by the window! It's 16 degrees today, the sun is out and the wind is light - what a stunning Wellington day! I will be very happy if winter stays like this! After a very delicious lunch of avacado, tomato and bacon on 5 grain toast we decided to go for a walk along the beach! Whoever comes to visit me will definitely be taking a trip to Maranui!

Time flying by!

OK, so I apologise for the lack of posts for a couple of weeks. I can't believe I'm already in my sixth month of being here, time is just flying by! I'm trying to think what I've been up to since my last post and I can't say that's it's anything very exciting! Work is very busy at the moment as conference starts in 2 weeks! I'm driving up to Auckland (8 hours) on 26th June and I'm looking forward to the chance of seeing some more of the North Island. We already have 90 odd registrants for conference which is great and it looks like it's going to be a fantastic week!

Winter is slowly going by, I still have the urge to go Christmas shopping. Today has been a stunning day though. My friend Trudy came round and we went out for a lovely walk along the coast. I didn't even need my coat it has been a beautiful day!!! If winter stays like this then I will be very happy!

I have joined the gym!!! I have put on so much weight that I decided enough was enough and I've joined the local council gym! I go 5 times a week and am absolutely loving it. I go straight from work so that I don't get comfy on the sofa. I'm feeling a real difference in myself and I'm looking forward to seeing the results in my clothes!

On Tuesday I went to a public lecture with Dr William Lane Craig - The title of the lecture was 'She'll be right: Do we need God in a self sufficient age?' It was partly organised by TSCF and there was a great turn out. Dr Craig is one of today's leading philosophers and it was a great opportunity to be able to listen to him. It took me back to my sociology days at 6th form which I used to love. It was great to see the turn out and hear the questions at the end. Dr Craig shared some of his testimony of how he came to Christ at the end which just framed the whole lecture. I also felt semi-intelligent attending a public lecture!!!

So I think that is pretty much all my news for the last couple of weeks!

Day Trip to Auckland

Sounds a bit strange doesn't it? Day trip to Auckland!!! but it is actually quite common here! This year's TSCF Student conference is happening at Willow Park Conference Centre on Eastern Beach in Auckland so I headed up there this morning to do a site visit. I am coming down with a cold and very annoying cough so the prospect of getting up at 6.30 this morning was not an attractive one! It is about 1 hours flight up to Auckland from Wellington. It was a stunning day in Auckland and I was picked up by a collegue and taken via another collegues house to Willow Park. The visit was really helpful in my preperations for conference. We then stopped for lunch at a lovely cafe overlooking Eastern Beach:

I was then whizzed back to the airport ready for my 2.45 flight back to Wellington. Whew what an exhausting day!

Autumn in May!!!!!

So it's coming to the end of May and Autumn is definitely here. It feels very strange to see trees looking like this in May! With the dark cold evenings setting in I keep getting the urge to go Christmas shopping! I find it quite confusing to realise that it would be very early! It got me thinking about how much our brains rely on visual signs to determine where we are and what time of year it is. If there is a bank holiday for instance, it confuses me about what day of the week it is! My friend Lizzy, for the first three years of living here started thinking about her birthday as soon as the weather turned colder beacuse it is in September! I don't think I will ever get used to May meaning cold autumn weather and September meaning Spring! I am really glad I live in a place with clear seasons though even if they are the opposite way round.

Which way is North?

I had an interesting conversation the other day. We were talking about what could be causing the headaches I have been having. Somebody suggested that it was because I was upside down. It was then suggested that maybe I was the right way up. We then had a discussion on the fact that space has no top or bottom. Who says North is up and South is down? Maps were initially drawn by Europeans! I found this very confusing! I still do I think! If there is a scientific reason that suggests that the Northern hemisphere is at the top and the southern is at the bottom then please let me know, I would be very interested to hear. Otherwise it is a good reminder to consider a different perspective! Especially of those in the southern hemisphere constantly being told they are upside down! :o) The conversation did put my brain into a bit of a spin though and that definitely didn't help my headache!

Personal Reflections

(left: me 2005, right: me 2008)
I suddenly realised at church this morning that today is exactly 3 years since my world started to unravel and fall apart! When I say 3 years, it hardly feels like anything and yet so much has happened. I started to reflect on where I was then and where God has brought me to now and the two are miles apart not just in terms of physical distance but spiritually and emotionally aswell! I have such a testimony of God's faithfulness and sovereignty.
While I was thinking about this journy that God has taken me on over the last 3 years I was overwhelmed with such a feeling of God bringing me to this city, to this church, to this work and at this time. I am so sure that I am in the right place for this time and involved in the right things and that is so exciting!!!!
In Romans 8 it says:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is my testimony, nothing has or will ever seperate me from the love of God. I'm so excited about what God will do with me here in New Zealand for the time he has brought me here!

A visitor from Cheltenham

It was a lovely surprise a couple of weeks ago to get a message from my friend Beth saying that she would be in NZ and more specifically Wellington for a couple of days!

I used to work with Beth, back in the day of my SHS working life!

We arranged to meet for lunch on Friday. It was so lovely catching up with her! It was quite surreal seeing someone from home though! I got a bit confused about where I was! It was really great to catch up though!

New Staff Training

I decided that it has been a very long time since I blogged about work, so I thought I would tell you about New Staff Traing which we had a couple of weeks ago in a place called Raumati, staying in a house almost on the beach. It was a good chance to get to know people on the team much better and also to learn more about TSCF, the ministry and get some training and input from experienced and wise people. It was good for me as Events manager to get to know possible venues to use and get an idea for catering needs for different amounts of people.

Below is a picture of Andy teaching us a Maori song (with actions):

It was a fantastic week!

Anzac Day

I have just arrived back from the Anzac day dawn parade and I wanted to capture my thoughts and reflections on it before the impact fades.

Anzac day is the New Zealand remembrance day for all who fought in the 2 great wars and other wars since. I have never attended any official remembrance thing before, but with both of my Grandad's passing away this past few months, I decided it would be good to go. I got picked up at 5am this morning to make sure we were there in time for the start. I was amazed at how many people got up at this time to attend the service!

I wasn't prepared for the impact and emotion that this service would have on me. It was extremely moving.

The noise of the canon firing and later the rifles was deafening and was a definite reminder of the horrific scenes faced by our Grandparents generation and service men since.

It was moving to see veterans who played such a huge role ensuring the free society we live in today! It was also striking the amount of effort that goes in every year to make sure we don't forget the sacrifice made for us.

In devotions at work on Wednesday, Raewyn prayed that as we remember the sacrifice made by soldiers for our freedom that we would remember the sacrifice of God's son for the freedom of all mankind. Lest we ever forget that sacrifice - the greatest sacrifice of all!

I don't say this to take away from the memory of people who gave themselves for their nations but to make it all the more poignant by recognising the greatest sacrifice of all!

I think it is very well summed up in the Anzac Statement, particularly the second half:

'At this hour, on this day, Anzac received its baptism of fire and became one of the immortal names in history. We who are gathered here think of the comrades who went out with us to battle but did not return. It is fitting that we should keep this dawn vigil together in remembrance and gratitude. We feel them still near us in spirit. We wish to be worthy of their (/Jesus') great sacrifice. Let us, therefore, once again dedicate ourselves to the service of the ideals for which they (/he) died. As the dawn is even now about to pierce the night, so let their (/his) memory inspire us to work for the coming of the new light in the dark places of the world.'

Lest we forget!