Gisborne

Gisborne is Richard's home town. It is a port city for the export of logs, meat, wool and other produce such as apples and Kiwi fruit. No matter where you look there is something associated with the coast (beautiful beaches) or Maoris and their culture. From the hills behind the city there is a great view of the city, port and Poverty Bay. The bay is misnamed. When Captain James Cook planted the British flag on the local beach in 1769 to claim New Zealand for Great Britain he was repelled by the Maoris who have him nothing - hence the name Poverty Bay. However, that name has proved to be wrong as the surrounding hinterland is so productive with its crops and fruit, as well as sheep and cattle farms.

In a central park stands a big wooden carving symbolizing the prow of a ship. The Maoris arrived in New Zealand in about 1250 AD. They came in carved canoes from somewhere in the mid Pacific Ocean. One of the seven canoes landed near Gisborne. They named New Zealand, "Aotearoa" (the land of the long white cloud).

Wainui Beach is a few kms. to the north. It is one of the many beaches lining the East Coast of NZ. New Zealand has such clear blue skies. There is no haze or smog to cloud the view. For that reason NZ has a lot of problems with skin cancer as the sun burns so much quicker in such a clean environment.

About 30 kms. south of Gisborne a popular picnic spot in the summer is Rere Falls.

Waikanae Beach, Gisborne's main beach, is popular all the year round, but especially in the summer as tourists come in big numbers to enjoy its safe beach.

Wairoa (East Coast of NZ)

Wairoa is a town of 5,000 on the north side of Hawkes Bay on the East Coast of New Zealand. To the north of Hawkes Bay is Mahia Peninsula and at the easterly end of the peninsula was this lighthouse which served shipping for over 80 years until about 1960 when it was brought to Wairoa and became the town's "landmark." Wairoa serves a farming community mainly sheep and cropping. We spent last Sunday with the folk at the Lahore Street Assembly which is one of our commending churches and we had a great time of fellowship.

Monday being a glorious day (picture perfect blue) with no clouds in the sky we decided to take a picnic lunch to Mahia which brought back memories of holidays on the beaches when we would go fishing and and for walks along the beach.

With our good friends and hosts, Garfield and Rachel Sproul, walking on Mahia Beach.

Lake Taupo and mountains

Being Sunday, we started the day by going to the Community Bible Church in the morning for their Lord's Supper. As we were driving to the meeting, along the lake, we were awed by the beauty of Lake Taupo with the snow capped mountains in the background. Three mountain peaks can be seen: Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu. Ruapehu is an active volcano and periodically erupts. Ruapehu also brings back memories as I did my army service some 45 years ago on the slopes of the mountain at Waiouru Military Camp.

We had a good time of fellowship at the Community Bible Church, one of two Brethren Assemblies in Taupo. I was also asked to bring a message this morning. Their numbers were down today with some sick and others out of town. The C.B.C. has faithfully prayed for us and supported our work over many years, so it is good to return and have fellowship with such special people.

We have five more days at Lake Taupo before we move on to Wairoa and Gisborne on the East Coast.

New Zealand Photos

New Zealand Memories (Richard’s version)

Returning home brings back its memories. During the past month we have travelled to different parts of the North Island.

Auckland is an interesting city of about 1 million being built on an isthmus and some 30 volcanic domes. It seems that wherever you go you get a glimpse of the sea. However, we did not see much as it was constantly raining. However, we did meet a lot of old friends and family members.

Gisborne, the place of my birth and upbringing, always stirs some memories. One of the first stops was Waikanae Beach where we spent a lot of time every summer with picnics, swimming and fishing. We included a drive up to Whangara (20 minutes north) where the movie Whale Rider was filmed. The Marae (meeting house) used in the film was very familiar to us as our home assembly in Gisborne used it for several years for the annual Sunday School Picnic as well as for Youth camps.

The Waikato, a rich dairy farming region to the south of Auckland, occupied a lot of our time. Nancye comes from a dairy farm in the Waikato and several of her brothers are still farming there. How relaxing to look out from the dining room window to see sheep or cows grazing on gently rolling green hills. It was at Te Awamutu, a small town in the Waikato, where we celebrated Nancye’s mother’s 90th birthday with over 50 guests in attendance.

Tauranga is where Nancye’s mother used to live before Te Awamutu. We spent some time there after leaving the Waikato. Tauranga always includes a walk around Mt Maunganui (another extinct volcano). Mt Maunganui was where John Duckhorn first discussed with me the concept of STEP – the summer cross-cultural outreach in Los Angeles. That was during John’s visit in 2004.

After Bill, Angela and Jon flew out of Auckland to return to Los Angeles we travelled to Wellington for a few meetings. A highlight there was celebrating my Aunt’s 91st birthday. It seems that it is a bit contagious celebrating birthdays in the 90s!

And now we are at Hatepe, a little community of about 100 holiday (vacation) homes on Lake Taupo. Hatepe is 22 kms. south of the town of Taupo. The name in Maori means “wiped out, finished” as a famous Maori warrior Te Kooti came through here over a 100 years ago with an axe to grind. Most of the villagers were away at the time but he killed the one man who remained to guard the village and then burned the houses. Being winter time there are very few people here, and so since we have been here we have talked to no one else or been in contact with anyone else (except by telephone). With a busy ministry in Los Angeles that is a new experience for us. We are not sure when it has happened in the past as we are always surrounded by people.

However, we are enjoying the experience. Today the sky is so clear and blue and the sun is shining brightly. The house we are in is just 25 metres from the water’s edge. It is so quiet and peaceful looking out over the lake towards the western hills. We have enjoyed seeing and hearing the birds - tuis, native pigeons, fantails, ducks, chaffinches and swans. What more could you want for company!

LAKE TAUPO

I am sitting in a warm room looking out over a beautiful calm lake with the surrounding mountains. Birds, ducks, swans and rabbits pop in and out of the scene. There is blue sky peeping through fluffy white clouds....what could be more relaxing than that?

We arrived here in Lake Taupo yesterday afternoon after an enjoyable weekend in Wellington where we met up with good frieds and relatives. Dick had a few meetings and much interest was shown in the work in LA.

Now we are settled in here in a comfortable beach house with all mod cons and plan to just relax as much as we can. Dick will be speaking at the local assembly on Sunday and sharing at a home meeting next Wednesday but otherwise there are no pressures. It will be good to catch up with a few friends at these meetings. We need to mix a little with other people or we might start talking to the walls!! We are not used to such solitude!!

We trust not too many are jealous of our situation here - however, we don't feel guilty and plan to enjoy it!!!

ON THE ROAD ....

Our family are now back in the USA - so we are now travelling to visit a few friends, family and churches to share about the work in LA.

We have had a great time in the first three weeks here with our kids visiting family etc. Nancye's mother's 90th birthday party went very well and we did enjoy seeing family members not seen in over 40 years!! It was fun.

We have travelled south from Auckland and now are in Palmerston North staying with friends. The drive down was quite interesting (about 7-8 hours altogether) driving through beautiful farmlands where we saw new born lambs and calves everywhere. We drove by the highest mountains in the North Island and they were covered with snow. In fact while driving through what is known as the "Desert Road" (it is high desert) there was a lot a snow everywhere but the road was clear. In fact that same road had been closed the day before so we were fortunate! We even got to drive through snow for a few minutes but not much - fun!!

We are now staying with friends and have a couple of small meetings tomorrow. On Thursday we travel on to Wellington for a long weekend and a few more meetings and meals out with friends.

Then we will be back to Lake Taupo and three weeks of real R and R on our own at a beach house that is being loaned to us. This house is right on the water's edge so the scenery is very spectacular so we look forward to that. Maybe we will catch up on a few emails there also.

KIWI LAND ....

Yes, here we are in our homeland once again. We arrived in the midst of 3 severe storms so it was a nice change from hot California!!

It has been good to catch up with family once again....we have been with Dick's brother and family, Nancye's sister and mother and now we are with Dick's sister for a couple of days. All a little much in less than a week as we are still feeling the affects of jet lag and so are tired. We have two cars between Bill/Ang and Jon and us so have been tailing each other around the countryside! They are just small cars thus the need for two - got to make those "boys" feel comfortable and share the driving around a little - we are all slowly adjusting to driving on the other side of the road and no accidents yet!

To get from Auckland to where we are now involved is about 7 hours of driving in mostly rainy weather so that was a little tiring. But the countryside has been very green but with lots of water/flooding around and rivers overflowing their banks. My (Nancye) old High School is completely flooded and school has been cancelled! I remember that happening back in the '50's!! The school is built right on the river bank and I guess the stop-banks just couldn't hold all the rain we have been having.

Tonight Dick's sister and their church are organising a welcome home dinner for us so that will be interesting - seeing lots of old friends etc.

We have yet to be able to hook up with the internet with our computer so we are just checking in where we can with other people's computers. Hopefully we will get organised soon.
We leave back for my sister's tomorrow and then have the big event of the year on Saturday - my mother's 90th birthday party where we will catch up with some cousins I haven't seen in over 40 years!!! Will be interesting to say the least.

Until the next instalment..........

ON THE MOVE AGAIN

Yes, we are on the move again and heading to New Zealand for four months (July 28 - Dec 4). Our main purpose for going is that Nancye's mother will be celebrating her 90th birthday on 13th August so there is to be a family luncheon/reunion for all those that can attend. Bill and Angela and Jonathan are also going to be going for about 3 weeks so it should be a happy time. We are sad that Debbie and family wont be able to be present at this time - a little far away.

While we are in New Zealand we will be visiting mainly family, but also a few of our supporting churches and some family functions - even going to Melbourne, Australia for three weeks for a family wedding and to visit friends.

We are also hoping to have some good R and R while there as we are both feeling quite tired and weary these days - must be getting old!

So, we will endeavour to keep you up to date with this blog.

Cologne to Los Angeles

After the conference ended in Wiedenest I stayed on and had a couple of very quiet days. I purposely allowed a few extra days just to walk in the countryside and do a little thinking and meditating in preparation for my return to Los Angeles. There were only about 20 of the conference delegates left and little by little they departed on the Monday and Tuesday. By Tuesday evening there were only eight of us left.

Tuesday was an early start. A student from the Wiedenest Bible Institute took me to the airport leaving at 5.45 am. My flight for Heathrow, London, left Cologne at 8.35 am. Cologne is a quieter airport with Frankfurt to the south being much bigger and busier. I thought I may have encountered more delays at Heathrow, but no. Security was tight and strict but moved along pretty quickly. After an hour and a half in London it was a 10 hour flight to Los Angeles, flying over, Iceland, Greenland and Canada. It was interesting seeing Greenland with snow and ice and then with a clear demarkation give way to the tundra vegetation and small lakes.

Nancye met me at Los Angeles and it was then home to relax. The family was all somewhere else celebrating the 4th of July, Independance Day. We celebrated at home!

Later I will try and post a few photos of the conference.

SLOW train to Berlin - FAST train to Cologne

The Wiedenest Brethren Missions Conference officially finished on Friday. It was a most stimulating time giving a fresh vision of the work of the Lord world-wide. It makes us realise that we are not alone in the battle but that the Lord has His servants everywhere faithfully spreading the gospel. Of course there is still a need for workers as the harvest is great!

Earlier last week Brian Killins (missionary in Bogota, Colombia) mentioned to me that he would like to visit Berlin. That part is OK. However, late Friday night as I was enjoying a cup of tea around 10.00 pm he looked for me to say, Manuel Cortes, a Colombian brother from Bogota also wanted to join us, however, Manuel had to be back so as to return to Colombia on Monday. We would have to leave at 4.30 am on Saturday morning. I like the adventurous spirt of Brian and responded immediately with a "YES"!

The three of us left Wiedenest by bus soon after 4.30 am and arrived in Gummersback some 40 minutes later to stand on the railway station freezing while waiting for a train. After almost dying of cold in the frigid morning atmosphere we took the train into Cologne about an hour to the west. After a half hour wait we took the slow train to Berlin as between the three of us we purchased a family ticket that only cost 33 Euros. However, to get to Berlin (600 kms from Coogne) we had at least nine changes of trains and waits of over half an hour in each place, but it was good to sit back and enjoy the German countryside. There were crops of wheat, barley, sugar beet, corn, potatoes and millet to name a few. The German countryside is so green and well organized. It seems there is no waste land. There is either forest or farmland , apart from the villages. We passed through Dusseldorf, Essen, Hamm, Hannover, Braunschweig and Stendall to arrive in Berlin some 11+ hours later. We found a hotel and after a quick "rest" took to the streets on foot and by bus to see some of the sites. At dusk we went up the Berlin tower to see the city as the sun set. It is a very attractive and interesting city. After a meal at 11.00 pm we returned to the hotel and were up again at 7.00 am.

We tried to find a church nearby but to no avail. After a breakfast we took a tour and visited the downtown and government area - what remains of the Berlin wall, Check Point Charlie, what was East Berlin, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and much more. It was a very interesting morning. Earlier we had made the decision either to return on the torturous slow train or get the fast train. We opted for paying a bit more and taking the fast train. The fast train left at 2.00 pm and we were back in Cologne soon after 6.30 pm. What a difference as we flew acroos the countryside at speeds of up to 200 kph with no changes of train and just a few stops.

What an adventure! It made me nostalgic of missionary days in Colombia when would take off on adventurous evangelistic trips to remote villages. Oh for another life!!! We'll just have to wait for all that the Lord has prepared for us in the adventures of heaven.

Today I am going to relax. I purposfully allowed two free days at the end of the conference, when most have departed, to walk in the countryside, read, pray, meditate and prepare myself for returning to the demands and problems of the work in Los Angeles. Your prayers would be appreciated as we have a serious issue before us that is demanding our attention back in LA.

From Every, Tongue, Tribe and Nation ...

The Conference in Wiedenest has been a great experience of unity within diversity. Today my lunch was with Turkey, U.S.A., Pakistan and the Philippines. Afternoon tea will be with another group and on it goes. The main sessions of Bible Teaching and Mission Focus have been from a diversity of men from around the globe. The best two communicators, in my opinion, have been two brothers from Kenya and Zambia.

The evening sessions have been moving as different men have brought reports from their home countries. Last night we heard from Alfredo Capote and his homeland Cuba. It is a miracle that he got a visa to leave, but he talked of 776 believers in 60 assemblies in Cuba and that in spite of repression. Hans Ramirez reported on Colombia. What a joy to see a Colombian proudly, but nervously, bring a report on the progress of the gospel in Colombia. Sony of the Andaman Islands (India) followed with a report on the devastation of the Tsunami with 40,000 who perished but none of the local believers. Hani from Sudan talked of the inroads of Islam and the civil war in that land. Finally we had a most moving report on Turkey and the reality of the martyrdom of the three men a few weeks ago. But God is at work in the world.

This afternoon we have the closing session and the main speaker will be a local brother from Germany.

Wiedenest, Germany

I arrived in Germany on Sunday afternoon at the Cologne Airport to be met by Toby, a German, and three other brothers, one from Malaysia and three from Zambia. These men have become my friends while at the Conference. Coming in to the airport one is impressed by the Rhine River and the two spires of the famous Cologne Cathedral. We waited a while at the airport as one of the Zambian's suitcases didn't arrive. It was then a fast drive on the autobahn to Wiedenest a small town of 3,000 directly east of Cologne - about an hours drive. There are two speeds on the autobahns, fast and very fast. We were doing 160 kms per hour and cars would zoom past us at probably around 200 kms per hour.

Wiedenest is set in a beautiful setting of hills and valleys. It is green and it has rained every day since our arrival. The Germans jokingly talk about two days of summer they got back in April.
It is so tranquil to be out in a more rural setting. Wiedenest is the home of the Brethren Assemblies' Bible Institute. They have a fine facility and it is an ideal setting to host the Brethren International Missions Conference. There are attendees from 78 countries of the world, including places like Cuba, Nepal, Iraq, Russia and Eastern Europe. The Lord is doing a mighty work all around the world. I find it most stimulating to attend such a conference to receive a new or fresh vision from the Lord. I always fear getting into a rut in the work I am doing for the Lord.

The morning sessions have focused on Bible Teaching and then the rest of the day different aspects of mission in relation to the current needs of the world. There has already been participation by men from France, Italy, Germany, Kenya, and the U.K to name a few countries. In the late afternoon there have been workshops to choose from and in the evening reports from different countries of the world.

Yesterday I went to a session for the some 80 participants from Latin America and Spain. There are some 8 representing the work in Colombia - Brian and Sheran Killins, Betsie Killins, Cristina, Carlos, Hanz and Andrea - and then me as a ring in. The Colombians accept me as one of them.

I should be at the morning prayer meeting but my secretary, treasurer, manager and coach informed me that I should do a spot for the blog. So as an obedient husband I am complying!

I have had a few good chats with my fellow New Zealanders; John and Helen Hodgkinson, Phil and Janice Aish and Ron and Eunice Diprose. I have yet to sit down and talk with Rob Purdue.

On Monday Chris from Malaysia and three brothers from Zambia and I went into Cologne on the train. It took about an hour but we were able to see the cathedral , the Rhine River and Roman ruins. The Cathedral, built over several centuries, is so huge and the the architecture spectacular. On Saturday I am probably going with Brian and Sheran Killins by train to Berlin for a day or so before returning to Wiedenest and then back home to Los Angeles.

So I'll try and get a few more details written later. Until then ...

HOME AGAIN ......

Yes, we have now been home for 2 days and are gradually settling in again and catching up with all those things that pile up when one is away! Jon did a good job maintaining things for us for which we are thankful....even if he did acquire a new kitten while we were gone!!! Don't know that I'm too happy about that but I am outnumbered in that department I'm afraid (Nancye talking here!). The kitten is called Patience and just happened to turn up on Angela's doorstep and I guess they all fell in love with it but sadly Angela already has an indoor cat and so didn't want to keep it - guess we 'lucked' out because we have a bigger backyard.

Well, our trip to Colombia was great, busy, tiring and went quickly! It was good catching up with old friends, seeing how the churches have grown not only in number but in maturity. We ate many typical Colombian foods (which Dick especially enjoyed - he would 'sneek' out and buy his real favourite Almojabanas every chance he got!! (type of cheese like bread...there is a breadstore on nearly every other corner in Bogota.)).

Our trip home seemed long and boring - quess we were tired from getting up at 3 a.m. We flew to Miami first from Bogota, went through Customs there and then flew on to LA where Jon picked us up at 5.30 p.m. Not too much jet lag involved with only 2 hours difference but we are still catching up.

On Wednesday we expect our first visitors of what seems to be a busy year of guests, but we look forward to seeing everyone and hope we have caught up on our rest by then.

One of these days we hope to get a few photos on this blogspot for all to see, so we will continue to work on that - sorry I don't have the experience to do that so will have to wait for Dick to have some time to do it.

Thanks for all your prayers in our travels.

BOGOTA....

We have now been in Bogota for 4 days and seem to have managed to keep busy! We have been out to lunch each day either with former friends from here and to a typical Colombian restaurant with a few members of one family. So we are being spoilt as usual. I don't think we want to find the scales when we get home.

Last night the J.Vargas church here put on a banquet for couples and Dick was asked to give a message on marriage. There were about 40 couples present and we had a great time. Things are different here - it was supposed to start at 7 pm but I guess it was nearer 8 pm before things got started. They began with an ice-breaker and that was playing bingo in couples. Then they played the old game of asking questions of both partners and seeing if the answers were the same!! Quite a laugh. In between times there was singing. The dinner was actually served at 10 pm so it was quite a late night for us. The folk we are staying with just live a few blocks from the church so we walked home before the others did. This morning they told us that about 3 couples (including them) had gone out for pizza after they had cleaned up and so they didn't get home until 1.30 a.m. I'm glad we had left early as that was a bit late for us oldies to be out eating pizza!!

It was interesting today at the home where we had lunch. The husband starting talking about Novosibirsk...saying he had visited there a few years ago! He works as a salesman for some sort of equipment and had been to Russia quite a few times so it was interesting to share stories with him and learn of his experiences there. He was telling how he had been there in the winter and just how cold he found it....even putting blankets around the windows in his hotel room to try and keep out the cold!

There was supposed to be another meeting for leaders here tonight but it has been cancelled so I guess we will have a quiet evening at home which will be nice. Tomorrow we will be at the old assembly that we helped to start so it will be good to see old faces and new.

We leave here on Wednesday having to be at the airport at 5.30 a.m. and arrive back in LA at 5 p.m. Taking into account the time change - it will be a long day. We look forward to seeing the family back home and getting ready for visitors the following Wednesday!!

Until the next instalment................

Wonderful Opportunities in Bucaramanga.....

Visiting Bucaramanga (Colombia's fifth city) is like returning home. The believers have given us a very warm welcome and have used us to the full! A brother asked me to preach on radio last week and it included an interview followed by a 15 minute message. What was interesting was that a Judge, second or third from the president, was also present (not a Christian) and interviewed and he then stayed on to hear my message on John 5v24. He commented afterwards that it had touched his heart. He gave me his email address to maintain contact.

The believers in the two assemblies here asked me to speak 19 times !! Some of those meetings included young people and 5 sessions at eldership level. There is really a desire to serve the Lord and to have a biblical basis of leadership. One assembly is a daughter assembly of the original assembly established here in 1973. What is encouraging is to find young people who were discipled in the 1980's who are now functioning as elders. We had a great time together. Of course they want us to come back, at least to visit, but would like us to return and live here!

In the time we lived in Bucaramanga I made over 100 trips to the town of Malaga high up in the Andes mountains where our missionary team saw an assembly established. Martin Sandoval, an elder in that assembly who was saved in 1973, came down to Bucaramanga to spend time with us. He has been faithful serving the Lord in Malaga all these years and has held the assembly together.

On Sunday we spent the day with the Santa Maria Assembly (the daughter assembly) at a recreational park. We started at 9.30 celebrating the Lord's supper and the resurrection of our Lord in a kiosk with 70 people. It was great to be in a tropical environment with beautifully laid out lawns, gardens and trees and hearing the birds singing in the trees and at the same time listening to the believers enthusiastically sing praises to God. Their faith is meaningful to them. Afterwards there was a shared lunch, game of soccer and swimming in the pool.

At 7 pm the youth choir from the main assembly came to the balcony of the apartment where we are staying to serenade us. They sang without music and in four parts and did a good job. They then came inside and sang some more to us after which the young ladies made a meal for us. It was a typical meal from here of arepas (corn cakes) with caldo de papa (potato consommé). Then the young people all shared their testimonies. Six out of the nine, in their early 20's, come from very catholic homes.

This morning a brother called me and wanted me to visit him in a very poor suburb. He is 68 years of age and said that before he dies he wanted to put things right for the trouble he caused 25 years ago! He wanted me to come so he could ask my forgiveness....that was special.

Tuesday, April 10, we fly to Bogota for another week of meetings. We will be staying with Gilberto and Sandra Vanegas. Gilberto was saved in 1972 and was our first disciple in Colombia. He now has a great ministry in Bogota. We look forward to a great week of fun and fellowship.

We just haven't had time to put photos on the blogspot but will do so sometime even if it is sometime after we arrive home.

The "good life" in Bucaramanga...

Yes, we are really "living it up" here in Bucaramanga being invited out to lunch (which is the main meal of the day) each day and yesterday we were even invited out to someone´s home for breakfast. This breakfast was typical for this area of Colombia and consisted of fresh squeezed orange juice, a soup, (a consumé type of soup with potatoes, bread and cilantro and then eggs poached in it!! sound gross? Quite nice actually.) arepas (a type of corn cake) and café con leche (coffee made with milk). A big meal! Then it was out to someone else´s home for lunch which was also real different especially for here. The plate came with a large crepe on it and then in the middle of the table were ingredients like we would put on a taco. You piled all these ingred. on the crepe and squeezed lemon juice over it and ate it with a knife and fork! There was cheese put on the top but no sour cream - that would have been nice too! At another home one day we were served with a soup (fish) and then rice with shrimps in it and a fish type pasta salad and mixed vegetables. So life is interesting to say the least.

Most people know that I, Nancye, like to sew so it is a dream here for me to go shopping for fabric! Here in Bucaramanga you can still buy beautiful, good, fabric as most people buy the fabric and then go to a seamstress to get their clothes made. Marcia took me (Dick of course stayed at home!) to a part of town where for two blocks on both sides of the street it was all little fabric stores (a little like downtown LA - but better!). We had fun walking in and out all these stores, and of course buying a few pieces of fabric along the way! It is real good quality and such a variety of materials. I could have bought something in each store but restrained myself knowing we didn´t have that much room in our bags to take it home!! Would love to go back.....

Dick is keeping busy with meetings and is especially enjoying his times with the men where they discuss different issues related to the local church. So far he has spoken about 7-8 times and being Easter they are having extra special meetings so has about 9 more to go before we leave Bucaramanga on April 10. There are two assemblies here and so the meetings are divided between the two with some being combined.

On Sunday the assembly we are going to is going to do something real different. They are all going to this big ´private´park (a little like a country club) where we will have the morning meeting outside in a kiosk and then there will be a picnic/potluck and an afternoon of fun I guess as there is a swimming pool. We have never been to this place so are looking forward to something different.

The weather continues to be rather pleasant with only a few times that I have really felt the heat and humidity. We have had some heavy storm like rain, but it only lasts a little while before it clears up again. Sleeping has been quite good with cooler nights for which I´m grateful.

We leave Bucaramanga next Tuesday for Bogota and look forward to our time there - maybe not so busy, but one never knows until we arrive just what has been arranged for us.

Thankyou for all your prayers.....

Bucaramanga...

Here we are again in Bucaramanga after two days of travel and one day here. It seemed to take a long time getting here having spent one night in Miami and then 5 hours in the airport in Bogotabefore coming on here to B/manga arriving at 7.30 in the evening. While in the airport in Bogota we had lunch with Gilberto from the church in Bogota and we spent about 4 hours chatting with him and catching up which was great. We were given a warm welcome with Marcia and one of our "old" young people there to meet us!! He was in the young people's group when we lived here but that is 20 years ago so now I guess he is 40!! It is good to be back but we see many changes not only with people but the city has grown immensely and the apartments where we used to live now seem so old.

We are staying with Marcia in the same block of apartments where we used to live and that seems strange - one or two families still live here and remember us! Dick went walking yesterday down the street where we once lived also and one old neighbour greeted him with "hola Don Ricardo" which was interesting.

We had our first meeting last night and it was good catching up with old friends then. We have meetings programmed for most days while we are here and going to a different home each day for lunch, which is the main meal here. Quite a few of the folk that were here when we lived here have moved away to other cities so we will miss them.

The weather is being kind to us...it is the rainy season so quite a bit cooler and not quite so humid so that makes Nancye happy!!

Until the next episode......

Colombia - The Preferred Place to Visit

Recent weeks have been marked by the visits of several well known people to Colombia.

George Bush, President of the USA
Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft
Bill Clinton, former President of the USA
The President of Germany
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain and
the Yarralls from Long Beach.

So Colombia must be the preferred place to visit at the present time and we must be in good company!!!

We leave Los Angeles for Colombia, on Wednesday morning, March 28th. We will spend the night in Miami before travelling on to Bogota on Thursday, March 29th, arriving midday. Our flight to Bucaramanga is not until 6.00 pm so Gilberto Vanegas is going to meet us in the airport and we'll have lunch together. Gilberto was saved in 1971 and has been faithful to the Lord ever since. He is an elder and Bible teacher in his assembly and has developed a good Emmaus Correspondence work in Bogota.

More in Colombia.

Men's Breakfast

Men's Breakfast wth group from Westminster, March 24 - Ariel Corral, Lalo Gutierrez, Martin Martinez, Julio Lopez, Jesus and Carlos Obando.