update seven: ticking along....

....(13 hours ahead!)

It's all been quiet on the (extremely south) western front here... well apart from more noticeboards! so the photo above this week is a rather gratiutous one of my lovely family back home who recently sent me a great package containing a cadburys creme egg (my all time favourite!) and a packet of mini eggs (my all-time second favourite (yes Easter is a happy occasion for many reasons on my calendar!))

from l-r : sis (the lovely rachey), me, (me) dad ( Jaoow), mum (Mrs Grace Bates), and bro (rod-er-ney.)

Well, another week, another scintillating round-up from Rangiora... yes yes, the highlight of your week I know... simmer down now,... (certainly the highlight of mine (and sadly that last comment was not made in jest...!)

Ive added little gizmo to my site which you should see flashing away in the side bar....... it tells the time and temp in ChCh (general rule of thumb,...add a couple of degrees celsius on for Rangiora as we tend to be quite a bit warmer here-something scientific to do with the mountains!!)

It's probably beginning to dawn on you that there really is not much to report this week! Well apart from a lovely fun dinner with Alexandrea and Paul and Gwendolyn (they are so fab!) where Paul shared his inspiring story of his arrival in London 'sans-very-much-at-all' and how God came through each time he was on the wire! Some unprompted encouragements I REALLY needed to hear so that was great!

Also I have been asked by a lovely couple at church, Jacqui and Paul to help them out with their Silver Wedding Party in a few weeks.... great to get my hand back in with this area but whilst I really enjoy it and am keen to show people what can be done on a budget, it has made me realise that working on such events is perhaps not my big dream after all..!

I mentioned noticeboards earlier...(and no.. they're not my big dream either!) Warning: people who are not fully signed up members of 'Noticeboards Anonymous', you can skip to the next paragraph!

I'm now working on the one in the Parish Hall which is the main one seen by non-church users (ie line dance class attendees and the like (Laura they need you!)) Whilst taking down the current info today (see photo: above), I came across an info sheet from the AWA (Anglican Womens Association) An extract from which, read as follows.....

"This year we have a very interesting programme.... At one of our meetings Sister Annette will join us and help us with the church linen which needs cleaning and ironing.

I think Ive just lost the will to live.

More generally speaking, Im eventually getting to grips with the accent ('ixccent') Simeon and I entertain ourselves for hours by getting each other to repeat certain words in our respective accents (ixxcents) Im always right of course (well I DO speak the Queens english and its everyone else who has the ixxcent)

Kiwis may as well be speaking Klingon sometimes though with their heavy (hivy) accents (ixxcents.... OK I'll stop now)

Exhibit A

I remember my first week here (all those years ago....) I was just heading out for my first trip into Christchurch, and I asked Christine for a few tips on what to see..... Cathedral Square featured highly and as well as the (rather obvious) must-see of the Cathedral, this included the sculpture of (and I quote) The "Cellist" , a landmark of Christchurch....

A little while later, fresh of the bus I found myself in the square by the cathedral (looked like a typical parish church to me!) and so after a polite look around that I headed to the sculpture.... now pause a minute to look at the photo...

Can you see how this depicts a 'cellist'!?.......

....No. nor could I, but I spent a good (and very determined) half an hour walking round it, standing back, moving closer, squinting at it through half closed eyes... etc etc- perhaps it was a particularly abstract pretentious 'interpretation'...

Eventually I rather grudgingly admitted defeat and resorted to my trusty 'AA Essential guide to NZ' for the explanation......

'........oooh...... a "CHALICE"!!!!!'

drat.

Exhibit B

I was helping Christine to sort the angel costumes for the pagaent....

me: "can you pass me a pin please Christine..."

Christine: "a pin or a pin?"

me: "err" (silently ...EH!!??) "..a pin!?"

Christine: "a PIN pin?"

me: (beginning plot how I could begin to back away slowly whilst making no sudden movements....) "um yes a pin"

Christine: "so you want this (holding up a pin) not this" (holding up a pen!!!)

aha!

and herein lies the fundamental flaw with the (otherwise fab!) kiwi accent..... the 'e' in any word is replaced by an 'i' sound but the 'i' in any word remains as an 'i'. So for example 'Les' becomes 'Liz' but 'Liz' remains as 'Liz' so 'Liz' could be 'Les' or 'Liz' and you don't know until the rather ambiguously-named person turns up, whether you are about the meet a 'Liz' or a 'Les'..... (a rather irreverent but practical thought has just occurred to me that this could potentially prove very useful for any guys called Les out here planning a sex change).

On that rather unfortunately seedy note ......I'll say goodbye! (I warned you there was no real news this week!) hope you're all well... would really would love to hear all your news too!

cx

ps just want to clarify that any emails you send me will go directly to my private email address as normal and will not be published for all to see on this site as some have feared!!!)

update six: a grand day out...

Jessica (back) and Emma (front)

hello, just thought I'd share some pics from our day out with Jessica and Emma (her little sister) it went so well and it was such a joy to take out two such beautiful and special little girls and spoil them rotton!

We just laughed all day, even though the 'long hot summer' broke for the day into downpours on and off - typical!

The funniest moment came on the way back to Rangiora as we drove into a garage after the car started making funny noises; as Chris and I looked under the car (not sure what I was looking for..... dead possum or something I suppose!Chris spotted a load of liquid dripping round all the mudguards and the tyres were all wet, fearing a petrol leak or worse she grabbed the nearest useful looking person- a handily-close man in a boilersuit who ran the tyre centre there.

After a lengthy explanation of the situation and examination of the leak with much concern all round, he looked at both of us and said (in the cheery but pitying manner that only Kiwi's have mastered.......) "er....tyres are all wet because you've just driven through that big puddle over there...."

we followed his gaze along the length of the wet tyre marks from the roadside across the garage forecourt leading all the way from our car back to the rather waterlogged kerb.....

oh.

On to other news... well I have been very busy whilst the family are away on hols, starting in earnest on projects around the church.... first things first.. the noticeboards! Hold onto your hats!!!

Seriously though, This kind of thing is where my passions lie.... I think this is important, its the face of the church... the only 'window' that so many people using or passing the building see into the church and currently whilst there IS a lot of good stuff happening at the church, the face they are showing to the outside world perhaps suggests otherwise.

I was exploring Kaiapoi (the neighbouring town) the other day and came across a local guide in the Tourist Info office. Turns out that St John's Church is in a lot of the guidebooks as Rangiora's main attraction!! (no comment) The building IS beautiful and is one of the oldest buildings in the area, built only five years after the first settlers arrived in the Canterbury region, and also it lays claim to being one of the largest of Canterbury's numerous wooden churches.....

...anyway so I reckon that a few tourists may well come this way and I think its a crime that they come and find a tired, old-fashioned and seemingly unloved church. (think Vicar of Dibley territory,and double it then add five)

It's tricky working with so few resources, I think I took what I had for granted at HTB, they are very blessed there. Everything takes twenty-times as long as I have to keep stopping to go and find what I need, buy it , or -more likely- improvise!) Today I spent half an hour wrestling with a dodgy stapler, I never realised that its possible to fully staple your finger to a noticeboard.. but believe me it is!! I thought for a while I was going to become a permanent fixture on the new display... Consequently I am typing this with one hand (so good news for the slower readers amongst us....)

I realise I'm making this out to be Third World stuff, of course its not at all, a million miles from that! Its just that in the areas I'm working on, nothing has been touched for years (if ever) and it all needs to be started from scratch. That's something I always wished for when I was churning out the same old stuff that had been happening for years at HTB so moral of this story is... 'be careful what you wish for!!!' (p.s. I thrive on it really!)

Other excitements of the week (are you sitting comfortable on the edge of your seats?) I got a phonecall from my friend Jarrod who's just arrived back in NZ, how lovely to hear a friendly, familiar voice and talk about familiar things and know that they're not on the other side of the planet! Can't wait to meet up with him and Debra soon and their new son Levi!

Also my flatlining social life will experience a significant, but highly positive, blip tomorrow night as I head off to Alexandrea and Paul's for dinner!! yey!

thats all for now! Oh just one more thing.... it's been 39 DEGREES here today.. yes I know you've probably had the same temperature but Im talking celsius not fahrenheit...(don't be cross)

and email with all your new year's news! I'd LOVE to hear it! If you cant email via this blog then just use my normal email.. all goes to the same place!

Charlotte x

ps I'd love to commend to you a fab talk you can download off the 'plumbline ministries' link on this page.... It's called 'Surrendered to Love' and whilst the title may well want to make you vomit, as it did me, the story itself is absolutely mindblowing! Something I certainly aspire to!

update five:

new year... new priorities

I took myself off to Rangiora Races this weekend... the jockeys dont sit on the horses but behind them in strange buggy contraption things... all very odd!

WELCOME BACK TO WORK!!! (BOO!) just hope the District Line is working for those of you who that matters for on a Monday Morning!!

Im going to rather cheekily kick off this time with a couple of prayer requests for those of you praying for me......

Prayer request 1) update on Jessica ....... Chris, the lady who runs the childrens choir called me the other day and asked if I would be free to help her take out a few of the girls from the choir for a day (to get them off their parents hands as it is the long summer hols here!!) now that was a complete answer to prayer as I had been thinking a lot about Jessica and how I would love to get to know her more and encourage her but felt I wasn't in a position to as didnt know her parents at all etc etc so could hardly turn up as a random (& foreign!) stranger on their doorstep and ask to if I could take her out! Anyway so now I get the chance to! hurray! please pray that it does all work out so we can take them out for a day trip.... it would be so fab to get the chance to spend some time with her and the other girls, a lot of whom also come from difficult backgrounds......to begin to develop a real friendship and trust so I can truely get alongside her. God really has given me such a heart for her (Ouch!)

Jessica came bounding up to me at one of the pageant rehearsals before Christmas, seemingly really pleased to see me after my trip away which was nice...... I was having a rotten day feeling VERY sorry for myself (I have mastered that particular art to perfection!) she sat by me all through rehearsals and at one point turned to me and said bluntly 'You smell just like my mum who's been dead for two years.' This threw me into silent but total panic that my personal hygiene habits needed a more than radical overhaul.. ) however panic swiftly abated as she then went on to ask what perfume I wore (phew!) Anyway it led into me being able to chat to her about her family....so Im really glad I smell like her dead mum.

Prayer request 2) a job!!!! (still!) its just not happening! I have decided to concentrate on the Rangiora area (I have a heart for the place now!- that in itself is surely a modern day miracle!) but it really limits me.. My CV doesnt really qualify me for a future in dairy farming or irrigation or the like! God's going to have to pull something out of the bag here!!! There is SO much to do at the church and that is my first priority but its a voluntary role and to enable me to get lots done there Im going to have to get a local job. Andrew and Christine are being massively generous in their hospitality here but I would love to be able to give them a little rent (for my own sake as well as theirs!). Anyway, I knew when I came that I was not coming to make my fortune(!) and that God knows what i need here and He WILL provide if this is where I am meant to be! From past experience it's often been eleventh hour stuff anyway!

That's been one of the best bits about stepping out of my comfort zone... waiting to see how God is going to get us out of THIS one.. a bit like a scene from a James Bond Movie when you KNOW that Bond ("Oh James"!) is going to end up on a boat with a lovely lady sailing off into the sunset but current circumstances , as hes backed into a corner, perhaps suggest otherwise!

It was scary going from having a regular wage and (whilst never being rich!) not having to think or worry about the rent or giving a thought to buying a coffee or newspaper etc, as money was due in the bank month in month out.

Since July (my last paycheck!) I HAVE been provided for incredibly, its come from anonymous or other gifts or rebates from previous bills. One example.... The day after I quit my job back in May I booked a MUCH needed holiday costing 150pounds (no pound sign on NZ keyboards!) with my brother. I really hesitated before quitting my job that particular day (as we were planning to book this holiday!) and subsequently then on booking the holiday (as I had just quit my job!) then the very next day I get a cheque from someone I had done a tiny bit of voluntary work for (my cost for that had totalled about 20pounds) the enclosed letter said the cheque was to cover costs and a 'little bit' extra... the total...?? 150pounds!!!!

The night before I gave up my job I was in bed feeling awful about life and just crying out to God asking him why wasnt He doing anything.... the answer came.... ' I WANT to do things but you have to make the first move...' (hence the quitting the job thing which was long overdue but was my comfort zone). Since then the holiday money story has been repeated (in slightly different ways) over and over again, a cheque dropped though my parents letterbox for me to use "as you feel God leads you", (after a good cry about how wonderful it was, that went on my NZ visa!) , someone giving me a leaving gift which went on my digital camera, one of my most favourite possessions that gives me so much pleasure(and without which I fear my blog would be rather dull!).... I also got a rebate on my London house bills the very day I had to pay my travel insurance.. guess what? the cheque was for the exact amount of the insurance!! I could go on and on....

these are merely financial examples... the point is not that I dont ever need to work again as God keeps giving me free money... though if thats your will Lord then I completely and humbly submit to it ;) ... but rather that it wasnt until I got to the end of myself (I was trying to cling onto my 'safe life' however miserable- but simply could stand it no longer) that He was able to begin blessing me so outrageously! ("Wake up O sleeper and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you :Ephesians 5:14- that verse came to me time and time again when I was in London feeling that life had reached a complete dead end)

I made the decision before Christmas to stay here for now (incidently the same day my friend rachel did her bungee jump so that evening in Queenstown we celebrated taking the plunge in more ways than one!) and so cancelled my return ticket.. so really feel I want to give this a go. -that this is where I should be.

Waking up on Boxing Day it was like I had turned a corner and whilst circumstances havent changed I have perhaps come to a recognition that there is a vast element of choice as to how I approach this and in response, my choice is to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in! Whilst being here almost feels like Im putting my life on hold in so many areas (career, marriage potential!) etc etc, I am also experiencing a sense of freedom and 'joy' that I never have had before, I think that comes from simply being where I'm called to be for now.

It's dancing with Him but not knowing the next step so He leads and I simply have to submit and follow and its exhillarating but also scary and not necessarily as glamourous as Strictly Come Dancing! but I wouldnt have it any other way, to go back to how I was living before would be a deadening blow to my soul. (I dont want to be sitting on the sidelines wistfully watching others dance!)

I've had a few thoughts and dreams about initiatives I could get going here but thats all they are at the mo, there is just SO much to do but I need to offer them to God and see if He agrees! We'll see.

What I do know is that whilst Im lonely here its a different type of loneliness than I was experiencing in London- its not a miserable loneliness...hanging over me even though I was surrounded by people and friends... more merely circumstantial - just a case of not having anyone to hang out with and share stuff with. Nothing more than that!

Ive actually started talking to the cats....which is perhaps a bit premature given my age but good preparation for my future potential career as a crazy spinster! I think I need some friends and quickly, problem is the lack of people here my age and unmarried so I can make friends to a point but no one that I can call up and hang out with...and no one that calls me as first port of call... Im coping possibly because Im quite a loner at heart and can do stuff on my own and I have been, but there are limits! Also, being female I have to be sensible about what I can do... ie no overnight tramping/camping on my own which I would love to do... Its frustrating!

anyway, this weekend was quite exciting for whilst I won nothing at the races I made a new friend! Alexandrea is a cousin of Steph King (for those of you not from Camberley, Steph is a lovely lady from my family church in Camberley!), Steph put us in touch after realising I was moving to the exact same random part of the world that Alexandrea had moved to a few months before from California along with her husband Paul and young daughter Gwendoline.....

We had coffee on Saturday morning (pic taken on self timer so forgive the rather fixed facial expressions!) and it was really fun! Gwendoline (3) very solomnly asked me where all my friends were... I told her that that's something Ive been asking myself a lot recently(!) but that I was enjoying the chance to make new ones with her and her mum!! They were completely lovely and am very much looking forward to meeting up with her and her husband Paul again soon!!

Anyway that's enough news for now Im sure! speaking of news... there was a piece on tonight's bulletin about Prince William starting at Sandhurst... they showed a few pics.... very strange to see a familiar Camberley landmark in my lounge thousands of miles from home!!

lots of love!

happy new year!!!

I took this photo of the sun setting on 2005 in Rangiora..
Rangiora is a Maori name meaning Glowing ('Ora') Skies ('Rangi')
...can't think how they came up with that...;)

update four: thelma and louise... the out-takes

Lake Taupo with Rachel (l) & Kathryn (r)

Well its been a while since my last email... Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, I thought I would wait until after the festivities to send this one to give you all something to do once you have got bored with your christmas toys. so snuggle down out of the cold with a cup of coffee and a hot snack ... (anyone for turkey casserole?) and imagine the sunshine......

Christmas was certainly different! I spent the sunday evening of Christmas Week relaxing in a deckchair on an early summers night watching a full re-enactment of the Christmas Tale... complete with a full cast of angels, wisemen and their camels, (well llamas masquarading as!) shepherds and their sheep, all emerging from various parts of the large garden and surrounding fields... and of course no Nativity Story would be complete without the shepherd boys fat Labrador which had the (unplanned) starring role by regally taking up its stately residence at the crib at the start of the night and not budging for the rest of the performance, with its fine and -it must be said timely contributions of a huge and rather bored sigh every so often- made my night!

Christmas Day itself was a day I was gearing myself up for to get through... definitely a family day and I was fearing feeling very lonely and far from home! However whilst a couple of times during the day I did get a real pang for home (and my mums TOP Chrimbo lunch!) I looked on the bright side, mainly that I was getting out of helping with tackling the drying up, but my guilt was minimised by sending my family a sheep-decked tea towel to open over dinner as my contribution to the annual chore! (p.s. just to clarify I sent them other presents as well!)

Seriously though, I was very well looked after and we had a great pressie opening sesh before the morning service then onto lunch with Andrew parents then a walk in the sunshine (very odd!) then (even odder!) onto Andrews sisters house to join with loads of other family members for an evening BBQ at their VERY SWISH pad in the hills overlooking Christchurch. All great fun.

Since I last wrote I promised you some Non-Rangiorian tales as I was about to embark on my road trip with my friend Rachel who came over from London for a couple of weeks. So here goes....

First thing to say about the trip was how blessed we felt- I was getting pretty worried about how I was going to finance the trip as work hadnt (still hasnt!) worked out but we were given free use of a car and were put up for half the trip at various friends and parents of friends homes all around the country, (5 star treatment as well- this 'Kiwi Hospitality' I had been hearing about certainly lived up to the hype!)) what amazed me was not just that it was all affordable but that it was affordable but we were getting over and above the BEST, people would pay a high premium for many of the treats and hospitality we got for nothing! God (and our hosts!) are good!

I wont go into details about each place we visited as that would be horribly dull! (I'll save it for the 4 hour marathon holiday pics slide show you are all invited to on my return....(attendance compulsory..."what do you mean you're washing your hair!? ) Also I wont bang on about the beauty of this place, take it as read, its stunning! I'll attach some pictures and let them do the talking (they still dont do it justice though!) SO heres a whistlestop tour of the Islands!


auckland

Half a day spent here, must admit to enjoying the city vibe after weeks in Rockin' Rangiora!

We shunned the tourist trip up the sky-tower (cost: $18) for a walk up the slopes of Mount Eden (cost: free - with a complimentary leg workout thrown in). same view... actually a better view as the sky tower was actually in it and thats the main landmark of Auckland! photo is of post-picnic (well we deserved a treat after the hike!)

My residing memory of Auckland will forever be the traffic lights! You could wait for HOURS at a pedestrian crossing trying to get across the road, I was wanting to post some postcards and spying a post box on the other side of a crossroads I thought Id nip across- big mistake. I was still there 20 minutes later, I could have hand delivered the postcards to their recipients in the UK and returned to find the same group of people patiently waiting on the kerb waiting for the lights to change.(OK so I exaggerate*)

*but only very slightly

rotorua

Rotorua smells, it really does- of rotten eggs and bad drains but only when the wind is blowing in your direction! I was fascinated by the boiling mud pools and steam happily puffing away all over the place, made me laugh! We stayed with our friend Kathryn who had just returned to NZ after a few years in the UK. She rather disconcertingly kept crouching down and feeling the ground to test how warm it was (very warm means the surface is very very thin- eek!)

It was lovely to have friends again(!) and we had a great few days going to all sorts of fab places, cruising on Lake Taupo, seeing the glowworms at the Waitomo Caves, gondala rides, An evening with a Maori tribe etc etc. Kathryn made a top guide with SO much know-how, we were taken off the tourist trail loads which was great as Im very keen to experience the REAL nz not just what you're told you should see to 'do' the country! Kathryn's family are such great fun. her dads BBQ'd garlic prawns are to die for (see photo!)- my only regret was that we never got to meet her 80-something year old gran whom they were treating to an abseiling experience she wanted for her birthday the following week!

One of the many kiwi things Kathryn introduced me to was the nations total and complete hatred of Possums. they are loved in Oz but LOATHED over here. Animal lovers look away now but running over Possums is a hot contender for the National Sport! The road is littered with them. We saw a stuffed one in one of the museums we visited, "ooohh so THATS what they're supposed to look like!"


roturua to nelson

We drove down to spend a night with our friend Ruth's lovely gentle parents in Wellington before hopping on the ferry to cross back to the South Island. The ferry trip across the Cook Strait is just beautiful if a little choppy!

We stayed that night at Danella's parents (Danella is my old manager and was one of the people who was very influential in my decision to come over here!)

Their home is FANTASTIC! on hills overlooking Nelson and the bay and Danella's dad had put out the British and Canadian flags (Rachel is from canada) on the flag poles to greet us as we drove up!

nelson to queenstown

We drove down (picking our way through the Possums (R.I.P.)) over a couple of days via a night at Punakaiki beach (where we sipped Moet on the beach at sunset! Rachel had bought a couple of mini bottles with her! (ooh we may be backpacking but we're from HTB dahling!!!)

We then drove down to Queentown via Franz Josef Glacier, this was awesome (to coin a Kizi phrase!) you can take your pick out of several walks to the glacier (from a 10 minute walk to a viewing platform to a fullscale hike on the ice) Due to time constraints (there was still many hours driving ahead! we opted for the shortest one and Rachel didnt bother changing out of her 'daywear' so it was very funny to witness her skipping up the hill in her sundress and sandals as we passed by hikers in full survival kit! A new adventure sport was born.... "Hiking with Handbags!!"


queenstown

To compensate for her glacier exploits Rachel did a bungee jump at Queenstown- on the original bridge where it was all invented, I was short on money so couldnt go for a skydive which is something Ive always wanted to do, will save up for that one! (Dad, make sure mum doesnt read that bit!) so I cheerily waved her off to near certain death and went into town to indulge in the rather safer pursuit of christmas shopping. (though the term 'safer' is perhaps rather questionable if you are undertaking the said activity on Oxford Street the week before Christmas) Anyway, it provided another great chance for me to immerse myself in 'urban life'. Queenstown is the adventure capital of NZ and is a buzzing place though still very quiet in UK standards but certainly beats Rangiora!


fjordland

We then headed to the most isolated and supposedly most beautiful place in NZ- Milford Sound. A BEAUTIFUL and tranquil inlet in Fjordland National Park where we took a cruise and saw seals and a penguin (but sadly no dolphins!) The photo is of the scenery on the road to Milford Sound.... may all look idyllic but Im actually getting bitten to death by the dastardly sandfly.... felt rather like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock.... they came at me silently from everywhere!

fjordland to christchurch

Back on the road via a couple of overnight stops in random places- not much to write home about- to Christchurch probably most notable en route stop offs were Mount Cook and then Lake Tepako (see pic- taken through the altar window of the church of the good shepherd (dont know how they concentrate on the sermons there with that view to distract you!)) .... then onto Rangiora... ahh I had missed the old place!!!

It was tough saying goodbye to Rachel and feeling rather 'friendless' again but I am looking forward to catching up sometime once hes settled in, with my friend Jarrod who is returning to live in Christchurch this week after a few years in London with his wife and new baby Levi! Not least because he owes me big time from a bet we had over who would win the Ashes- I dont think he counted on me going to such great lengths to make sure I could collect my winnings!

I'll leave it there for now, you're probably about due for a snooze infront of Morecombe and Wise Christmas Special now... will write soon with other news.

Happy New Year! (I shall let you know what 2006 is like as I reach it first!)

update three: christmas crisis!?

not so sure about this 'stepping out of the boat & walking on water' lark

Hi Everyone. Hope this email finds you well and gearing up for Christmas in the frost! There was a photo of the ice rink at the Natural History Museum in the World section of the 'Christchurch Press' and I experienced a real pang of longing for London (my first real one to date) It looked so festive, everyone wrapped up in scarves and hats on a winters night- London at its best!

Im still finding it very odd seeing the Christmas decor around when the suns shining and summer sales are in full swing. Christmas is definitely NOT a summer sport! Few concessions seem to be made for the lack of winter atmosphere here with 'Let it Snow' jangling away at me today in the shops, and it must be said that Santa seems to take on a slightly sinister edge when he is to be found lurking amidst the beachwear!!

On the subject of shopping, I have been intrigued by the size of some of the coins here. The 20c and 50c pieces are practically the size of dinner plates. You feel really quite wealthy as you drag your purse containing half a set of Wedgewood around the town until you come to make a purchase, count it out and realise you have the grand sum, of about 67 pence in there.

I aim to keep these emails quite lighthearted but also want to be honest about how things are and for those of you praying for me I would really appreciate your prayers as sometimes its not so easy.. Its been hard going trying to find my fit in this place, both in Rangiora and the church. I have very contemporary tastes in my work, which doesn't perhaps seem suitable to apply in a place like this. If I'm honest, I'm really struggling to see why I'm here and often feel a spare part and at a loss as to how I can be of any use here, I certainly don't feel like I'm the best person for the job! A lot of the time I get quite overwhelmed with how much needs to be done here, it seems impossible that things can change, so what's the point? I'm struggling with motivation levels and will soon be able to proudly add to my CV 'great procrastinating skills'!

I think most difficult of all, there's no one to share this experience with, I'm on my own so much, everyone else around me is married (literally without exception!!) and there seems to be little of the 'romance' and 'dance' that God promised me with Him before I came, most days its really quite lonely and just one hard slog. (and lets face it, romance of any other kind is NEVER going to be on the cards in this place unless I guest star on the next series of 'The Farmer Wants a Wife' or develop a penchant for men called Brett dressed in too tight shorts, sporting long socks pulled up to the knee and hooning around the town in their dusty Utes! (hello boys!)

Ok whinge over!! I do cling to the great verses and pictures that some of you had for me before I came away and the emails and letters I receive are a real help too so thanks! Also Emma (one of the other English newcomers) and I continue to enjoy quite regular gossips... oops I mean chats! We have just clicked and laugh a lot, it's a real release. And there are wonderful moments when I realise how great this chance is, what''s happened to get me here, and experience just how exhilarating 'stepping out of the boat' can be... and when I think that the alternative is to still be in the boat wondering "what if?"- I feel a lot better!

The paid p/t job front is taking some time to get off the ground, sadly the Thai Restaurant and I went our separate ways citing 'irreconcilable differences' and so I am without income and in desperate need of work (for my own sanity as well as my bank managers!) I have a couple of applications in the pipeline, one at the Jade Stadium (Christchurch's answer to Wembley) in their corporate hospitality dept. If I get the job I'm already plotting how I can sneak off to the pitchside in my breaks to catch up with the cricket/rugby!

Anyway, things aren't so bad! Highlight of the week was a huge jar of UK marmite arriving through the post from my Auntie K & Uncle T (thanks!) This reignited the ongoing arguments sparked off by 'The Great Marmite Debate'' which took place in the vicarage, a few weeks ago. It was a rather sombre affair conducted around the dining table complete with taste-testing in carefully controlled conditions. Alas UK Marmite was outvoted by a narrow margin of 2:1 in favour of the (vastly inferior) NZ version, but as the other 2 participants were very patriotic young Kiwis it was always going to be an unfair contest and so in my self-appointed capacity as Chairperson I declared the verdict null and void.

My friend Rachel arrives in a few days and we are planning a 2 week trip around and about, hopefully with our friend Kathryn Elsmore (also from HTB now living back in Rotorua) - am very much looking forward to seeing some more of NZ! So will hopefully have lots of non-Rangiora news to share next time I write- Hurray!

Below are some photos of around the town... not very exciting I'm afraid, the short of shot that would be in with a fighting chance of winning a 'Most Boring Postcard' Competition... on second thoughts, perhaps the local rag would be interested in them for their front page.. might liven it up a bit.... Anyway, recommended for some bedtime reading if you're having trouble sleeping

the railway at Rangiora looking towards the S. Alps...there's only one train a day here to & from Chch. To catch it you have to call in advance to book it to stop at the station or try your luck at flagging it down!

The vicarage right next to St John's Church.... I'll just check if Charlene and Scott are home!

update two: birthdays', bonfires and bus queues!

me with my lovely birthday flowers magically delivered by my parents on the day! (where would we be without interflora!?)

Hello Everyone, hope you are all well!

Since my first update, I have been busy settling into NZ/Rangiora life. The vicarage is now full as Andrew and Simeon (16) are back from Nepal. So family life is in full swing! Having 2 'younger brothers' is proving to be a lot of fun with much scope for teasing all round. Simeon and Josh are great guys and Christine has confided in me that they are really chuffed to have a 'big sister' about!

Ive just started my work with Andrew. Its all very flexible and informal, I have been given a list of projects that need doing and a laptop to do them with!! A lot needs to be started completely from scratch which is new territory for me but its great to have a blank canvas to work on if a little frustrating and challenging sometimes! Andrew and Christine have not lacked the heart for these areas in the church but more the time and support from some church members to implement the ideas.

I am keen to get going on several things, I mentioned the magazine launch last time and thats number one on my list with a first issue Christmas edition a target! Im also going to get my hands on Andrews office and completely reorganize it, there are links to be forged with the local media and other community groups and a general overhaul of the 'look and feel' of various aspects of the church and church life. Finally event management is of course a part of my role... the first one is tonight with a Newcomers Bonfire Night Fireworks BBQ (I find it very strange that bonfire parties & christmas do's here all feature BBQ's and cold drinks in the sunshine !!! )

I've also been out & about with Christine visiting a couple of parishioners etc... have really enjoyed this side of things and am quite taken with the what the role of vicars wife brings!! (and yes I have witnessed the tougher sides of that too!)
A lot of you were moved by my mention of Jessica, the little girl from the childrens choir. It was her birthday last week so we made a mini fuss of her with a card and a (rather ropey) rendition of happy birthday. When gently quizzed about her plans for that evening she said she had homework to do, there would be no special birthday tea or even presents to speak of. Please continue to pray, she is such a sweet and beautiful little girl.

Hearing from Jessica made me decide to look more positively on my own birthday which was on tues. I wasnt particularly looking forward to it being so far from friends and family and not a hope of any party! but it ended up a fab day. Simeon burst into my room to wake me with a bunch of flowers followed closely behind by a beaming Christine holding aloft a pile of pressies!! yey! I got spoilt rotten all day with the best bit being a trip to the cinemas to see Pride and Prejudice.... who can fail to be cheered by the sight of the DELICIOUS Mr Darcy striding manfully across the moors- eh ladies!?

There are only 4 other people in the church (and indeed the whole of Rangiora!) in the vague vicinity of my age. 2 english couples, Neil and Natalie who have been here a year and are employed as Youth and Childrens leaders, and Dan & Emma who arrived last week! They are all from St Thomas Crookes in Sheffield and are here as part of the Order of Mission community. I havent quite 'clicked' with them, I think if I'm honest I'm finding it difficult being the 'fifth spoke' in a number of ways they all sem to have each other! They do seem really lovely people though! I do get on with Emma, she is very funny and down to earth and we have enjoyed a few coffee sessions wondering what on earth we are doing in this odd and isolated town on the other side of the planet to everything we know! We are however enjoying these coffee sessions in the HOT SUNSHINE so this place is not all bad!!

Outside of church life I have landed myself a p-t job in the funkiest resturant in town- Native Thai. Its only for a couple of evenings a week and I am going to have to find more work as a matter of urgency (please pray!) to fund my way here. In the meantime I am getting to grips with life as a waitress after all these years..... its proving to be quite a challenge as firstly I have to decipher the really broad kiwi accents that some of the diners have, then I attempt to relay this to the chefs (none of whom speak any english) my next challenge is to try to identify which dish is which as they come out of the kitchens (all thai food looks scarily simliar on a plate! After all that if the diner seems satisfied with what is put infront of him I half expect to receive a standing ovation from everyone in the room!

Never mind- we muddle though. I often get wheeled out by the owners to mingle with the diners, as they enjoy chatting and finding out more about england- thats my favourite bit. They LOVE to hear my english accent and I often have to repeat things for them so they can hear it again!! its all done in good humour. Everyone is so incredibly friendly and I have already received several invitations round to tea and even one for Christmas day lunch with one dining couple (and that was before they had sunk their bottle of cheeky red!)

I have yet to explore much out of the local area. My friend Rachel (from HTB) is coming out in a few weeks and we are going on a 'grand tour' then. I have been into Christchurch a few times and also been shown round the stunning coastline and hills around that area.

Christchurch is a tiny but lovely 'city' very arty and VERY english- right down the the punting on the river Avon!! The thing that really struck me was how eerily quiet it all was- 2pm on a saturday afternooon in the city centre and it was dead!!! I initially thought that everyone was inside watching the 'Big Game' or something but Im beginning to realise thats just how it is out here. With only 4 million people in an area the size (v approx!) of the UK, (over one million are around the Auckland area and over 3 million are on the North Island.... it's no wonder they are spread out thinly here on the south island!

Whilst waiting for the bus into Christchurch I got chatting to an elderly lady. She commented that the bus was late. "its the traffic, its terrible today". I looked around bemused as a lone car swept over the distant horizon and an elderly cyclist trundled past on his squeaky bike. "Hmm yes- shocking"!!??

Speaking of unbearable excitements.. I had the radio on the other day, listening to a lady winning a competition where she won a vacuum cleaner. After listening to the poor woman practically go in to rapture over her prize ( she must live in Rangiora) I tried another station. So far so good until a couple of minutes later when they announced a competition coming up where you could win a..... vacuum cleaner!!!!! sigh.

Will write again next week. keep sending your news, its always great to hear from you!

take care

update one: turning upside-down...

some news from my first week overseas!

singapore

My 3-day Singapore stopover was great, I really liked the city, unbelievably clean and efficient but still friendly and interesting - London could learn a lot!

Made the most of my time there and did the tourist trail: open top bus rides, early evening lantern-lit harbour boat trips -very romantic if it hadnt been for the fact I was on my own so they squashed me in with 20 jabbering Chinese tourists! :( why me!!!???) and a night safari in the
steaming hot rainforest. Bizarrely the guides all seemed totally obsessed with the new 24-hour delivery service that McDonalds had just launched on the island- even to the point of giving out the phone number repeatedly! Suspicion grew that it was all part of a crafty sponsorship deal. I was vaguely amused that they would be raving on about this as we made our stately way past some wonderful and obviously significant buildings... alas I never did find out what half of them were but if I ever want to order a 2am Big Mac with fries next time Im in the area- Im sorted!


i Spent a lot of my time wandering round the chinatown markets, sampling the foods and chatting to the sellers but naturally found time for a drink at Raffles Hotel. I spent a great afternoon there in the Long bar sipping on my free water (way too hot to sample the Singapore Sling!) and throwing peanut shells around the room (its policy there!!) I was sitting there in colonial splendour rather fancying myself as the "Mysteriously Exotic Western Woman" a la Agatha Christie, this was obviously paying off as I got approached by a couple of slick american businessmen who seemed to think I was from the continent and were keen to try out their dubious language skills on me,

"Bonjour Mademoiselle.... Francais?....." (silence)

"Italiano? Ciao?" (silence)

then, feeling rather bored, I thought I would have some fun ......

"Naaahh, Im from Lahndan innit!"


new zealand

Not much to report as yet as really just been settling in, recovering from the dreaded jetlag and finding my way about town. Rangiora is a market town with a very 'country' flavour. The High Street is hilarious as it looks to me like the set of a western movie, I half expect the pub doors to crash open as Im passing and 2 cowboys to fall out mid-brawl, and the buildings look like if you walked round the back of them you would just come across some wooden buttresses holding the fake plywood facades up! Must confess to wondering what In earth Ive done coming to this place sometimes!

Its tricky adapting to the slower paces of life, couldnt believe it when I found out the town virtually closes at 2pm on a sat afternoon and when I went to the cafe (not a starbucks in sight!) to get a takeaway coffee I stood waiting for 20 minutes whilst it was made! Thats not a complaint at all, more that I realised with a jolt how in London (generally speaking) neither of these things would have been acceptable, as everything is expected to be on hand whenever we want it and RIGHT NOW! when in actually fact we often dont need it so urgently at all, its all a mindset and one Im going to have to work on changing whilst Im here!
St John's Church - the 'main' church of the 5 churches that make up the parish of Rangiora. The building has two claim to fame.... 1) it's one of the oldest buildings in the area ('old' meaning 1850's!) and b) it is one of the largest of the many wooden churches of Canterbury.... it features in numerous websites and guidebooks of the area .. something I reckon we should build on!




My workload is yet to be set as Andrew (vicar) has been away in Nepal, Christine his wife hads been looking after me magnificantly and Ive been taken on a "tickki tour" (no idea what that means!) of the area and also a tour of all the 5 churches they run here. There is lots to be done, not least the launch of a magazine that will help with the disjointed communication and sense of community that exists at the mo between the 5 churches. Christine has also enlisted my help in the Great Christmas Pageant which is big news here in Rangiora(!) It made the front pages of the local rag last year so thats a great event to get stuck into! I will also find a part time job somewhere to finance my travels and to provide another dimension to life than the church/vicarage!

I got rather rudely jolted from my jetlagged state on thursday afternoon by the little girl's who go along to the childrens singing group held in the church each week - they wanted to meet the new arrival from England! I befriended a little called Jessica for whom I would love to enlist your prayers. Something about her struck me, she seemed to have difficulty fitting in a bit (something I can relate to!) I also noticed her shoes were really broken. I later found out from Christine that her mum was killed in a car crash a couple of years ago and her dad and stepmum are really really poor. She has spoken of taking her life several times (shes only about 8 years old). I would love to come alongside her in some way- she needs to know shes a princess! I think shes very special, please pray!

Church this morning was good, Christine led and spoke on the giants (Caleb etc) all very relevant as sometimes the giants loom large when I think about how far away I am from everyone and everything I know!

However, I am being well integrated into NZ culture by Christine and Josh (14), Josh has kindly and earnestly taken on the role of my 'Personal NZ TV Guide' (which as far as I can make out, is mainly made up of US and UK imports!) Im obviously more keen to get out & about though so have been checking out the local options...... hmmmmm a toss up between Rifle Club, Scottish Dancing and Gardening classes amongst others- wild times lie ahead.....
oooh have written loads and these are supposed to be brief updates - sorry!

thanks for your emails, I really appreciate them at the moment, whilst Im keen to get stuck in here its always great to hear from people back home!

keep in touch!!

Dear Everyone

for those of you I havent seen or spoken to recently... Im off to New Zealand to work with the Revds Andrew and Christine Allan-Johns' at their churches just outside of Christchurch. helping them out with various projects.

After leaving work, home and London life over the summer I have been waiting for the next step (well to be totally honest have also been waiting to witness England regain the Ashes!) and NZ seems to be it! Ive no idea how long for.... I have a return flight provisionally booked for just before Christmas but if things seem to be panning out more long term then I am open to staying for up to a year or more. Have absolutely no agenda and am just going to see how it goes.... It may be that it is going to prove a short-term time away from it all or it may be the start of a completely new life out there... who knows!!

Am excited (apprehensive!?) as I know God has His hand very much in this. Over the past few months He has been saying quite profoundly that He wants to romance me (dance with me!) and that I will not be going away on my own but with Him (Song of Songs 2:10-13)

SO this is just a note to say THANK YOU for your friendship and support that has come in all shapes and sizes to date... Im planning to email occasionally with short updates/photos if thats ok! Also I would REALLY value hearing from you whilst Im out there... your news, UK life, whats happening in Corrie(!) etc etc... and any parcels containing Marmite, The Times, or Dairy Milk will of course be gratefully received ;)

keep in touch and looking forward to catching up with those of you who are already/going to be out there!

lots of love