To Fly or Not to Fly?

Yes, I know it's been way too long since our last post. Maybe one of you could volunteer to be our blog writer, hey?

Impact has come and gone. It was a fantastic conference, Stepping Into Eternity, and indeed we did, albeit via our human speakers. It's safe to say, we are looking forward to heaven even more than ever! Greg taught a seminar session entitled, Doing Missions Right.

For more info and photos, visit Nigel's blog: http://2tim42preachtheword.blogspot.com/

This weekend, Greg and Russell are in Christchurch conducting biblical counseling training. The aftershocks continue in Christchurch, including several today. People are becoming more and more desperate in their search for answers from city and government officials. Many don't know if they can rebuild at all. They are living with whoever and wherever they can. Survival is difficult, to say the least. It is winter now and there are still people living in tents in their yard because their home is uninhabitable. Many homeowners are stuck with homes they cannot sell and cannot live in. Much of the land is not even stable enough to rebuild. Any businesses still open are struggling due to so many people leaving the area. It is a desperate situation. Russell and Greg were asked to train church leaders in biblical counseling, as they are struggling to know how to help this dire need. We're praying this training will be instrumental in many lives as the church leaders begin to implement what they have learned.

Well, getting to Christchurch was a challenge all it's own! Because of the ash cloud from the Chilean volcano, many flights to the South Island have been cancelled. Knowing this, we checked the Air New Zealand website first thing yesterday morning. All morning flights were cancelled, afternoon flights yet to be determined. After lunch, we popped into a bank to make a deposit and found there was an Air New Zealand desk there. How convenient! Perfect! No, it wasn't, because the woman was misinformed, as she told us that Greg's flight had been cancelled. Immediately, we spread the word and began to make plans for Greg and Russell to drive to Christchurch, complete with a booking for the ferry, accommodation plans, etc. Greg had to drive Traci home, so she could hop in the other car and drive back to town in time to get Micah from school. Half way home, we decided we'd better abort that plan and return to town (after getting calls from Russell and Ian that the flight was not cancelled). It was now less than an hour from departure. We dashed back to town, picked up Greg's things from his office, then sped to the airport. Upon check-in, the announcement was made, "Flight delayed". Either which way, breathing resumed at last!

Later than night, we heard that there were six meter swells through Cook Strait. Greg was certainly glad to not be on that ferry.