Home assignment - part 3

Back in Wellington

We arrived back on Wednesday and I took the next day off, since I hadn't really had a full weekend while I'd been away on the road trip. We pilots are very aware of our duty time limitations!

The next event I had was a Friday night youth group at Capital Vineyard. The kids were really interested and asked lots of questions. I visited again on the Sunday night to speak to the young adults group.

My next event was on Tuesday, in Christchurch - a visit arranged by the MAF prayer group co-ordinator there. I also had the opportunity to visit Aidanfield Christian School, where again the kids had all sorts of questions. The one that made me smile was 'My dad flew in a plane once.' Good for him, moving along!

That evening I spoke at the MAF prayer group. A family from Amberley whom I met on my last home assignment had driven down to see me again, which was most humbling.

Returning to Wellington the following day, my next speaking engagements weren't until Thursday. In the afternoon I visited Miramar Christian School, where, it turns out, the wife of a former MAF PNG pilot is working. An afternoon tea invitation unfolded and it was great to chat about mission life then and now. Leaving there, I headed to Capital Vineyard (again) for another 'open event'. My home support team person and I were a bit perplexed when nobody turned up! Ah well - a night off.

The final week looked like it was going to be a bit cruisy, but two events were arranged at short(ish) notice, so it ended up being relatively full. On Tuesday I visited my former workplace, where some of the staff get together about once a month for prayer and fellowship. In the evening I spoke at another 'open event', this time hosted by Maungaraki Baptist.

On Wednesday I had an 'open event' in Masterton, hosted by Lighthouse Church. I was aware that the Rimutaka hill road was going to be closed for night works, so applied to be part of an escorted convoy to get back that night. Mum came along with me, and it was just as well - when we got back to Featherston after the event, the road worker informed us that there wasn't going to be a crossing that night! We chose to drive back up to Pahiatua and cross over to Palmerston North from there, getting home a little after 1 am. (We resorted to making up silly stories to keep ourselves awake...) Despite the drama, it was worth the visit - many of those who attended had been involved in mission work previously and were eager to support me in my journey.

On Friday I shared some insights into the spiritual environment of PNG with the Calvary Wellington youth group, since they were studying Galatians 4 (Paul's warning not to mix Christianity with other forms of religion - Judaism in his day, but equally applicable to animism in the case of PNG).

In my original plan, Friday would have concluded the 'ministry partnership' side of my home assignment, but there was still one more event to go. While we were visiting the Hawkes Bay, Raewyn was asked if she - and I - would be available to speak at their upcoming Women in Mission conference. I had spoken at their 2018 meeting, at a time when I didn't know which programme I would be going to, so I figured it would be a great opportunity to give an update. Raewyn herself was beginning her own support raising for a short-term mission with Mercy Ships. It was a good day, for both of us.

In the final count:

32 presentations (including 4 schools), reaching about 1000 people!