Our visit to New Zealand was something we’d both been looking forward to for a long time. It was back in 1986 that Christine’s brother, Peter, left Britain for New Zealand with his wife and daughter of a few months and since then we had only seen him twice, once over here for a very brief visit and then when we travelled to see him in 2001. So the scene was set for a major family reunion, with time to meet Peter’s daughter-in-law and two grand-children for the first time, and also the partners of two of his older children, who both got engaged on Christmas Day! The journey ‘down under’ is the longest that can be done without starting to come back, and leaving Manchester on December 31^st we celebrated New Year with a Singapore Sling somewhere over India.

The winter in Preston was soon forgotten as we sat having coffee in the blazing sun on January 2^nd with Trevor and Cathie Hoggard in their back yard in Auckland. Also there, were Cathie’s mum and sister, Liz and Sheila Huddleston, known to a number of folk at Fulwood, who were over for a visit. Trevor and Malcolm’s paths had crossed previously, as is inevitable in ministry, but Trevor is now serving with the New Zealand Methodist Church, where he’s responsible for co-ordinating the English speaking work. Malcolm was able to draw on Trevor’s wide experience when we spent two days with him at the end of our visit. New Zealand Methodism is facing many of the same issues as we are, but it was good to learn from their responses as we travelled around. In particular, we saw some ecumenical activity, city centre work, Fijian, Samoan and Tongan congregations and their new approach with young people.

The other significant event of our visit was a reunion with our son Richard and his girlfriend Pippa as we began our travels. Richard had left Preston two years previously, for six weeks in New Zealand and then almost two years working and travelling in Australia, so we had much to share. Hiring a car, we covered hundreds of kilometres on both North and South Islands, finding hidden surprises along the way. From waterfalls, dams, rocks with amazing formations, animals and birds, to people who were so welcoming and helpful, there was never a dull moment! We had the opportunity to canoe across a lake, bathe in natural hot-pools, fish in the sea, take a gondola to see fantastic views over Queenstown and ride down the hill on a luge, watch groups of seals playing on the water’s edge, suffer the effects of the sea but see a rare Hector dolphin swimming next to our boat, and see spectacular views in much of the country.

We also experienced some contrasting aspects of church life, on one occasion finding ourselves worshipping in what had been the front room of a house, lowering the average age, but being treated to cake and coffee afterwards. Whilst the weather was warm, there were some reminders of British summers when we had to picnic in the car because of the rain. Our friends and family were very generous with their hospitality as we spent half our time staying with them and the rest in youth hostels and backpackers’ lodges. We discovered travellers of all ages and from many different backgrounds in what is becoming a truly international country.

New Zealand is a young nation and is only just acknowledging its Maori heritage. It’s also a fragile country as the earthquake in Christchurch demonstrated, and as can be seen from the geothermal activity across the islands. Part of its youthfulness is in the appetite for change and we certainly experienced this. None of this would have been possible for us to experience without the gift of a sabbatical and for that we are enormously grateful. Our appreciation also goes to the Church Stewards who took on more responsibility in our absence and to the rest of the Circuit Staff who provided pastoral cover and led many of the services on Sundays and midweek.