Tītoki

 The last month has been full of catchups, along with a new project. Following our project in Highland home in Pohangina valley we made our way north toward Whakatāne. Given it was an Easter weekend, however, we were able to take a bit of detour on the way to visit friends in Napier. It was so good to catch up with Gary and Nikki, Gary being a long time good friend of Chris’ and also Mark and Jess Smith our original pastor and friends from Grace Church Dunedin. It was a wonderful weekend full of good conversations, adventures, hot cross buns and easter eggs and, most importantly, taking time to remember our hope and the reason we are doing what we are doing- Jesus Christ, who gave everything, even his own life for us. 

Enjoying the sights at the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier

The view overlooking the Hawkes Bay from Te Mata peak

We loved getting to stay with Gary, Nikki and Alfie

After several days of fun and rest with Gary and Nikki it was time to say goodbye and continue our journey north to Tītoki Healing Centre in Poroporo (near Whakatāne). This was an interesting journey as the drive includes going through Esk valley, which had been devastated in the cyclones couple of months back. Despite seeing the images on TV and in the news, nothing really can prepare you when you see it with your own eyes- and this was 2 months on after a lot of clean up had already happened. It astounded me as we crossed the bridges and saw just a trickle of water- more like a stream than a river- how such a destructive torrent of water could come from one storm! It was slow going for some of the journey but we eventually made it and felt a real sense of welcome and peace as we drove in the gate of Tītoki healing centre.

The thick layer of silt still evident up around the houses in Esk valley

 

Tītoki Healing Centre is a facility outside Whakatāne that offers a range of services aimed at bringing peace and healing to people. They offer accomodation and debriefing to returning missionaries, retreats where people can come and be looked after for a few days, prayer and counselling services among other things. As soon as you come through the gates you can feel what a special place it is- a beautiful location, away from the hustle and bustle with amazing volunteers which such servant hearts. 

A stunning mosaic stain glassed window at Tītoki

Thea with 'the biggest feijoa' found in the Tītoki orchard

The project at Tītoki is a big one- a full renovation of a one bedroom cottage- including full repaint in and out, new kitchen and bathroom. The roof was also down for a repaint, but upon inspection it became clear that the roof was damaged to the extent that it would need to be replaced. While waiting for the roofing to arrive the team have got well and truly stuck into the painting and preparations for the new kitchen and bathroom to go in. Being school holidays it was also an opportunity for the kids and myself to come and help out. With the great weather we had they helped with painting prep, cleaning the outside of the building, before helping with some painting too. 

Murray cottage which is being renovated

The kids getting stuck into the cleaning prep before painting (see if you can spot Abbey!)

It had been a great team working on Tītoki with lots of volunteers coming and going to help out- some in caravans and others staying in the onsite accomodation. The variety of skills that everyone has brought has been so valuable, and with the sewing skills of one volunteer, Anne, even the curtains have been fixed up.

 

The team at morning tea and devotion time

We have enjoying being in the Bay of Plenty. While much of the country, including Dunedin, would be feeling the approaching winter, we have been enjoying balmy autumn days. Our weekend days have been spent exploring Whakatāne and the nearby Ōhope, biking, visiting the hot pools at Awakeri and also getting to catch up with family.

A quick playground stop on our bike ride by Ōhiwa harbour

Something we had been looking forward to that we got to go to on the last weekend of April was the MMM conference, in Woodend, just out of Christchurch. The kids got to spend the weekend with their Oma and Granddad (Phil and Judy), who live just outside of Christchurch, my parents (Ross and Catherine) came up to meet us with my dad attending the conference and Chris and I got to spend the weekend kids-free! It was a great time catching up with some of the other MMM volunteers, finally getting to put faces to the names we had heard and fellow volunteers we had prayed for, great teaching from the Bible and lots of fun too (MMM asked me to run a fun quiz which got everyone's competitive game flowing!) We had one extra night after conference and we were able to spend it with Chris’ family, catching up over dinner and celebrating the upcoming birthdays for Abbey and Hudson before heading back to Rotorua the next day.

MMM conference at Woodend Christian Camp

Getting into Rotorua was heading into a storm. We had gone from the sunny south back into extreme weather. The day we got into Rotorua was Abbey’s birthday so we found some wet weather fun to celebrate her turning 4. We had lots of fun at the local timezone, Abbey got to drive a toy car which she was thrilled about, and it was all topped off with a birthday cupcake and fluffy at Bunnings and a trip to the Warehouse to spend some of her birthday money. After all the excitement we had to drive back to Titoki through torrential rain, avoiding slips on the road- we were very glad to get into our warm dry caravan at the end of it. 

Abbey enjoying a spin in the pink convertible and with her birthday cupcake

Playing space invaders!

The weather showed no sign of slowing up though- and by the morning the mixture of heavy rain and wind had brought our awning down with a now bent pole that couldn’t handle the stress. The areas around our caravan and the path to the house were under a couple of inches of water, and the nearby river was rising (it was already higher than ground level with only the stop banks preventing us from being flooded!) There were conversations about evacuation plans if required and lots of prayer that the rain would stop and, praise the Lord,  it did. The further rain that had been predicted hasn’t come yet and the river is going down as well as the ponding around the property. The break in the weather has also meant that the roof can now start to be worked on with the roofing iron here now- one of the final jobs to get the renovation completed. 

The girls- rain ready

Our poor awning after the storm

Thank you so much to everyone who is journeying with us, supporting us with words of encouragement, prayer and financially.

Praise points

• For all the volunteers we have had a Titoki healing centre. There has been a great sense of joy and encouragement on the project
• That the rains have stopped and that we didn’t get flooded
• For Abigail, celebrating her 4 years with us

Prayer points

• That our renovation work at Tītoki will be a blessing for future missionaries who visit there
• That Tītoki will continue to be a place where people can come and find the rest, healing and peace that only God can provide.

If you're interested in hearing more about MMM NZ, or supporting Chris and I financially please get in touch with us, we'd love you to share the blessing of what is going on this year!


For more information about MMMNZ (Mobile Mission Maintenance) - see their website at mmm.org.nz