Time to say goodbye

"God works in His own timing. Just be patient and trust that He will come through. Remember you always have a family here."

~Pastor B's parting words to me at church yesterday. 

How fast the three years have passed and here I am at the threshold of goodbye. Boy will I miss his fatherly hugs every Sunday, and my Every Nation church whanau (family in Maori) here. Not to mention friends who've come and have stuck by me through the whole time I was here. They have really been my family away from home.

It's been a good journey so far. And God's blessings have been poured on me time and time again throughout. All I can say at this point is, Thank You. It has just been amazing to have had this opportunity to grow as a person, learn more about who I am, who God is, how to deal with tough situations and so many more things that one unconsciously picks up on this road to adulthood.

I still have a long way to go and so so so much more to learn. But NZ and my uni life will always be something that I'll look back and fondly recall "those days when we did this and this...". A phase of time made sweeter by the love and presence of the people who have been a part of my life here.

Onward to new land!

Stunning New Zealand

Seems like another year is coming to an end. I've been busy first with Celta, then with my family coming over and going around the South Island with them... I don't think I've really noticed how the year went from middle aged to become a tottering old man on his last legs. Oh well, new things are always being born, and 2013 is just biding it's time before coming out and bringing us new hope, new resolutions, and all the good things a new year can bring. 

 As I said before, my family came over primarily to attend my graduation, but of cos to do some sightseeing as well. I think New Zealand is beautiful in every season, but to be honest, I think it's its' showiest during Summer. (On good days) the sky is as blue as it gets, the landscape is alternately a very lush green, or vividly yellow and brown in the bush areas. Purple and pink hued flowers bloom all along the highways and even the sheep and cows seem more frisky. But best of all, it's warm enough for us to wind the window down while driving so I don't feel carsick. To be honest, I'm not really a fan of driving along the highways here, especially the inland scenic road; where it does live up to it's name of being very scenic, because I always arrive at the destination feeling like jelly and all green in the face. But this time around, there was hardly any feeling of motion sickness so Praise the Lord! That was a happy trip.

Akaroa. How wallpaper-like the view is. 

Among the flowers (whatever they're called) at Lake Tekapo

The majestic mountain range (I think they're called the Incredibles) at Queenstown.
If I'm not mistaken, some scenes from LOTR were filmed here.

My sister likes feeding the birds here but freaks out when they come close. Hmm...

Pesky seagulls

A half and hour hike to the Devil's Punchbowl

This is actually in a church in the tiny village (population 50) of Arthur's Pass.
Isn't the view delightful? It must be lovely for the congregation to have sermons in this building.