Fresh Expressions : School Holidays...

This past week has been week 1 of school holidays. School here in New Zealand runs in 4 term segaments, about 9-10 weeks long with a 6 week summer break. Between each term is a 2 week holiday. This past term (term 2) was 11 weeks long so the boys were more than ready for a 2 week break.

We started the break by making a weekend trip to Christchurch, our first NZ home. Well, let me rephrase that....Bryce and I made the trip while the boys all stayed with friends here in Dunedin. They were thrilled to be with friends and not have to make a 4 hour trip. (Funny how we used to make a 9 hour trip to Grandma's house and now 4 hours is just about too much!) We made the trip because Bryce was preaching at ReChurch, the Chch church plant of our organization and to catch up with friends.

Saturday morning, Bryce and I took my original beach walk. I was hoping for a brilliant red and orange sunrise but insead was a grey/blue sunrise. Beautiful in itself....

During our six months in Chch, I had a lot of emotional days missing family and friends...being in a new country, adjusting to a different culture, different accent, and having few friends. I would walk to this beach and this was my wishing bench, wishing that I could have someone I love sit on it with me. I'm happy to say that while I will still miss my family and friends, I am happy and feel so much at home in Dunedin. This is where I'm suppose to be.

You may recall that Chch has had a series of devastating earthquakes beginning with the big 7.1 in September. It is a moment we will never forget. Since then there have been thousands of aftershocks and several other big quakes, with the latest one being June 13th. While I only took these pictures of the beach with my camera, my heart captured so many more. The roads are terribly bumpy (munted as they say in NZ), there are port-a-loos/potty, and water tanks in many neighborhoods, and silt and sand everywhere. My heart breaks for Christchurch. Its a city that has been beaten with these earthquakes and although it is tired, it is not broken. Christchurch is rebuilding. It is recovering. It will just take time.

So many emotions rolled into just a weekend......

We have enjoyed having the boys home and doing special things with them. Friends over to play, sleepovers, hikes, and day trips. We are thankful to live so close to many spectacular sites, hiking spots, and beaches. Nothing like having a day of fun on a mountain or beach and then sleeping in your own bed. :) God had truly blessed us.