This past Thursday I was given the chance to go on a trip with my mentor and fellow 365M students from Nazarene Theological Seminary. We meet each other Wednesday night and it was good to see each other again. We were allowed to go to a Bible study and listen to the sermon "When life hurts there is hope". I could have spoken up about my own life and say there is hope. However, there is wisdom in being an observer and simply listening to where the discussion goes and who are the speakers. Knowledge is power. The Bible study concluded and one fellow student told me one of the ladies asked them if I was a real life hobbit....lol.
The next day came and through a warm shower to wake me up and my devotions to feed me I was ready for the day to begin. As three students including myself, which most of the time I sat in the middle, in the back seat we were off to visit the places of history in New Zealand. The drive to each location was not long but the length of my legs did not agree. We arrived to our first location seeking a ferry across the bay of islands. It was nice to be on a ferry and smell the water and feel the wind brushing against my face. We arrived in Russell and visited the oldest Church in New Zealand. The first time to visit us was the graveyard as we found Maori and Pakeha (Non-Maori) lay next to each other in this scared place. The Church was small but plagues on its walls told of its history in remembering those who fell in war. It was sad to see the graves of five year olds and yet romantic to see a husband and wife buried with each other. I guess I am a hopeless romantic. We walked through Russell and found ourselves back on the ferry. I sat on the top of the boat and imagined from the pages of "The Bible & Treaty" by Keith Newman how hundreds of European ships sat in this bay.
We visited Waitangi where the treaty took place. What treaty? The treaty that allowed NZ to be governed by British rule while the Maori people were allowed their independence and were able to keep their land and all their treasures. We watch a movie explaining the treaty and how without it the Maori people would have faded into the history books. However, the movie never mentioned how essential the Missionaries were in the treaty. We saw Maori war canoes and Thomas Hobbs home. I could see the steps I have taken were steps taken by millions of others. I was not alone. My camera flashed many times taking in what words could not express in the lands beauty, history, and peace.
We visited several locations during the day but the important one to me was visiting Marsden's cross. I felt the drive there we were about drive off the road and into the sea. The walk showed how unkempt the location was and it was sad. This cross symbolized the first location in NZ where the Gospel was preached on Christmas day in 1814. The first location where Christianity was opened to be spoken on NZ land. It was not the European influence but the Maori Chief that wanted it to happen.
It was good to stand beside this memorial and look out to the bay of islands and imagine how many war canoes and European boats were pushed to the shore and how everyone was together to hear the word of God.
I am glad I was allowed to be given the insight into the history of NZ. I will admit the drive seemed to unwind my personality as I was the most spoken person out of five people. But my headaches rolled me in and reminded me when my word limit was met and every word after would cost me in pain. Oh headaches you are thorn in my side and I know you are smiling about that. You are like a neighbor I can not stand but somehow always has a key to my home and comes down any time you want.
Overall, the trip was amazing and I saw so many beautiful landscapes of NZ and I saw the locations of history. It was fun hanging out with the rest of the 365M students.
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