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| Mt. Rangitoto New Zealand |
We always had a sneaking suspicion we would be moving back to Canada someday. However, while living and working in New Zealand we never really gave it much air time in our conversations. We love New Zealand. Such a great little country at the bottom of Pacific Ocean. We loved the people, the picturess landscapes, the 5 beautiful beaches within a 5 minute drive from our front door and on and on and on I could go.
When my wife and I got married we put into our prayers a request that God would someday allow us to take our children on a journey that would see them experience more of the world that just Canada. God answered that prayer and in January of 2007 we made the move across the ocean with our 3 teenage girls in tow. The first year was a bit rocky as we seemed to each take turns being homesick but eventually all that went away and we plunged into our new home with a growing appreciation and joy for it. Cheryl got a job in the office at a local elementary school, the kids all went to Pakuranga College for their High School education and I worked in a small international church that was part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance in New Zealand. Cheryl eventually started teaching in the school, out kids all graduated and went on to Auckland University, Paige graduated with a teaching degree, Danae with a spacial Design degree and MacKenzie will finish up he conjoint Arts and Science Degree next October 2017. I finished at the International Christian Centre and through a serious of events found myself pastoring a Chinese Church in an Interim capacity. After 5 years of leading the church and seeking a pastor for it we believed the Lord was now calling us back to Canada. And so the move back happened in May 2016 after 9.5 years of work, life, ministry, friendships and overseas experiences that will stay with us for our lifetime. We were sad to leave and especially sad to leave behind our children but since arriving we have had so many confirmations from the Lord that we have made the right decision in coming back to Canada.
My new blog is a place where I can record some of my thoughts and feelings and experiences taken from my work and ministry in New Zealand and also the new normal that is the current unfolding story of our move back to Canada and the work and ministry directs us toward. I look forward to starting again to write and take some time to share with those who are interested my thoughts, insights, wonderings and there may even be a few laments along the way.
When my wife and I got married we put into our prayers a request that God would someday allow us to take our children on a journey that would see them experience more of the world that just Canada. God answered that prayer and in January of 2007 we made the move across the ocean with our 3 teenage girls in tow. The first year was a bit rocky as we seemed to each take turns being homesick but eventually all that went away and we plunged into our new home with a growing appreciation and joy for it. Cheryl got a job in the office at a local elementary school, the kids all went to Pakuranga College for their High School education and I worked in a small international church that was part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance in New Zealand. Cheryl eventually started teaching in the school, out kids all graduated and went on to Auckland University, Paige graduated with a teaching degree, Danae with a spacial Design degree and MacKenzie will finish up he conjoint Arts and Science Degree next October 2017. I finished at the International Christian Centre and through a serious of events found myself pastoring a Chinese Church in an Interim capacity. After 5 years of leading the church and seeking a pastor for it we believed the Lord was now calling us back to Canada. And so the move back happened in May 2016 after 9.5 years of work, life, ministry, friendships and overseas experiences that will stay with us for our lifetime. We were sad to leave and especially sad to leave behind our children but since arriving we have had so many confirmations from the Lord that we have made the right decision in coming back to Canada.
My new blog is a place where I can record some of my thoughts and feelings and experiences taken from my work and ministry in New Zealand and also the new normal that is the current unfolding story of our move back to Canada and the work and ministry directs us toward. I look forward to starting again to write and take some time to share with those who are interested my thoughts, insights, wonderings and there may even be a few laments along the way.
