Catch-up Part 2: Mid-semester break!

August 29 - September 6
It was a very full week of road-tripping up the South Island with a group of about 25 students! Here are some of the photo highlights, with a few comments. (Note: I only picked out some of the best scenery photos to post for now...a more comprehensive bunch will probably be posted on Picasa later.)

I'm not sure the name of this lake, but I called it 'beholding and reflecting'. :)

New Zealand traffic jam!

Lake Tekapo and the Southern Alps

Tasman Lake



Lake Pukaki. We spent ages here skipping rocks...
I think brother Paul held the record for 8 bounces.

Same lake, different angle.

Rakaia Gorge

We spent the first night in Ashburton, where a brother in the church owns an alpaca farm, gift shop and restaurant. One alpaca can cost tens of thousands of dollars at its initial purchase because the fur is so valuable!

After Ashburton we drove to Christchurch, where stayed for three days.A little background on Christchurch: Last September 4th there was a 7.1 magnitude quake, with an epicenter 25 miles west of the city. The second major quake on February 22 was a 6.3, but was more destructive since it was centered just 6 miles from the center of the city. 181 people were killed, and it was the second deadliest natural disaster ever recorded in New Zealand. On the last day of our stay, we were driven by one of the local brothers to some of the damaged areas. Seeing the devastation was sobering, and I feel for the many people who are still putting their homes, their lives, back together.

My experience of Christchurch went beyond this, however. I got to stay with a family for the three nights we were there, and this was an abundant blessing! I had nearly adopted this family as my own by the time we had to say goodbye. Rob and Rebecca Heath are such genuine, open people, and my time with them was very sweet. (They also happen to share my parents' first names!) Many times you can really see who Christ is as He is expressed through His members, and this was one of those times. Through this couple, as well as the other brothers and sisters in Christchurch, I left with a deep impression of the Lord's love, and a fresh appreciation of His loveliness.