22 May
Down Under
When we first started seeking the place for my sabbatical, we had no idea what God was going to do. A week ago last Monday, we got word of a place offered to us in New Zealand. We booked the tickets that Wednesday and were on a plane that Friday. Tuesday our Kiwi friends drove us up a long, twisty driveway through jungle growth, and there it was. It is an incredibly beautiful place: a large and modern house, deeply polished hardwood floors, beams and trim made of some exotic wood, more glass than walls, and this view from the front deck:
It is sub-tropical here and though it is equivalent of mid-November back home, the temperature is the equivalent of mid-summer: 25 C. and a little humid. We are told these aren?t strictly palm trees, but they look like it to us and they grow everywhere. A big crazy-looking bird (like a purple chicken) just walked by as I wrote that last sentence. And a bunny. And a peacock just jumped up on the deck!! It?s a wonderland. There are apparently some beautiful beaches nearby, and we will get to them sometime. For now we are quite happy just to be here (okay, now a whole harem of peacocks just went by!).
We had no difficulties on the way here. Our friends John and Michelle who have helped us get here have been very kind, and we are at rest and have no plans. There is a kiwi bird calling outside our door. I'm serious! God is good.
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