Adventures in Paradise Volume 2 #26

Kia ora everyone! Our excellent adventure continues with some additional thoughts on the perfection of timing and the advantage of listening. It is also the story of a long-overdue birthday cake and a bag of apples.  Last week. you may recall that I shared a “moving” story with you. That story concerned the domino effect brought about when Ward and I acted collectively on a prompting that we had received individually. Last week, I apologized for the length of that particular blog, so rather than rehearsing it all over again, please feel free to refer to blog number 25 for further details. I will add, however that our roommates, Francis and Peter Burt, have now relocated to the MTC in Manila and are ready to begin their great adventure in the Philippines.

One of my life long philosophies concerns that fact that everyone should have a birthday cake on their special day every year. Presents are optional in my mind, but a birthday cake is essential. I have fond memories of growing up in a house where once a year on June 30, I would wake up extra early and bake my mother a cake. I would always try to be extra quiet so that my mother would be surprised and it was always such a relief when the cake was finished before my mother woke. Mom would emerge from her bedroom, yawning and stretching and she would always look totally surprised by the sight of my freshly-baked creation. It never occurred to me until years later, that when my mother finally presented herself in the kitchen, it was well past the time she would normally have awakened. I am grateful that my mother was thoughtful and patient enough to stay “asleep” until I had time to finish her cake. What timing!!  Now to my utter embarrassment, I am also grateful that she never mentioned the pile of dirty dishes, pans and counter tops that were lurking in the background. After presenting her with her cake, I usually realized that there was somewhere else I needed to be and dashing out of the house, I left the birthday girl to enjoy her cake while cleaning up the mess created by its invention.   My mother has been gone for fourteen years and still one of my biggest regrets is that I never told her how utterly sorry I was for leaving her in such a state year after year. Sorry Mom!

But I digress as this is actually the story of a much more recent cake. We went to visit a little family that we have grown to love. In the process of that visit, one of the little girls quietly showed me a package that she had obviously wrapped by herself. With her hand to my ear, she whispered that tomorrow was her mother’s birthday and she had wrapped up one of her favorite toys to present to her mommy when she woke up. Listening to that little voice, I was suddenly transported back to my own childhood and all of those surprise birthday cakes that I had presented my own mother. I asked Ashlyn if they were going to have a cake and she said no. That simple one-word answer came with a prompting that a birthday cake was, in this case, a necessity.

So, as I had done so many other mornings light years ago, I rose early and baked a chocolate cake. Ward went off in search of birthday candles and by midmorning, we had a chocolate cake with chocolate icing (another personal philosophy is that one can never have too much chocolate!) complete with sprinkles and thirty-two candles.  I found a lovely serving tray in my new kitchen and we excitedly hopped into the car, eager to make our delivery. While my mother’s reaction was always predicted in my imagination, Antazias reaction was totally unexpected. I did expect that she would be surprised, but I hadn’t factored in the tears that were shed. Antazia expressed her surprise and her gratitude then said something that I asked her to repeat because I thought that I hadn’t heard correctly. I thought that she was telling me that this was the only birthday cake that she was to receive this year and I was so glad that I had again listened. But that is not what she said. Her actual words were, “This is the only birthday cake that I have ever received.” Antazia had grown up as an abused child and as part of that abuse, she was not allowed to celebrate her birthday. And as a young mother with limited means, a cake was considered a frivolity. Again, as I stood in her kitchen, holding her youngest little girl, I was struck by the fact that Antazia needed that birthday cake. And again, just like our experiences of the preceding week, that need was being relayed to us and all we had to do was act.

We are being tutored and we are learning to listen and to follow through. It should then have come as no surprise to us when the very next day, after having harvested some Granny Smith apples off of our tree and delivering them to our blind friend, Samantha, her husband expressed his gratitude by simply telling us that his wife had been craving apples all day!

As always, we are happy and working hard. We are grateful for the lessons that we are learning and for the touching and tender moments that we are experiencing. Although we don’t always know why we are prompted to do something, it is always a tender mercy when we are given the gift of knowing . We also don’t understand how the stars aligned so perfectly that we find all of you in our lives, but we are glad that they did! Please think of us whenever you enjoy a piece of chocolate cake or bite into a crisp Granny Smith!

Love, Ward and Susan    Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in Gisborne, New Zealand

 

 

Antazia and her first ever birthday cake

I think that "Halo" is the perfect name for this little angel.

Adventures in Paradise Volume 2 #25

Kia ora! Our excellent adventure continues with some thoughts on timing. At the moment, we are experiencing a serious case of having been in the right place at the right time. and we have once again been reminded of how important it is to act on the promptings that we receive. It is the story of new homes, helping others and appreciating how far reaching one simple act can be.

A little over a month ago, Ward and I were on our way to Hamilton to attend a conference. We were traveling down a by now, very familiar country road, when we both had the impression that we needed to turn off and visit a couple who had just been called to the Philippines.  The Burts had decided to sell their home in order to help fund their mission, and when we noticed the “For Sale” sign, we both felt the prompting to stop in and visit with them before they left the country. Having never been to their home before, we chose the first driveway that we found and luckily noticed their car  parked in front of a sprawling ranch house.

This home, viewed down a tree-lined drive was surrounded by paddocks, and orchards. Ward, who is a country boy at heart, was in awe of the open spaces and the lack of neighbors. He felt that eventually the Burts would be sorry to have sold this little piece of paradise, but knew that they were doing what they thought was most feasible under the circumstances. Time was also a huge factor, and the clock was ticking. Francis and Peter were given a total of six weeks to prepare and the strain of that undertaking was showing on their faces.

In addition to the dilemma over the sale of their home, Francis, especially, was concerned about what they would be facing in the Philippines. In truth, they had expected that their call would require them to serve much closer to home. They were anticipating a call to Australia, or even possibly somewhere in their own country. The Philippines was not even on their radar and they had no idea where or how to begin. To add to the anxiety, unlike Ward and I, who were each allowed two fifty-pound bags, the Burts had the extra challenge of packing eighteen months into one suitcase each. Francis off-handedly mentioned just how nice it would be if she could actually talk with someone in the Philippines so that she could know more what to expect. I mentioned that friends we had made in the MTC on our first mission, Brent and Janet Barlow, we currently serving in that country and that when we arrived in Hamilton that evening, we would try to contact them by e-mail.

We sent two e-mails that night from our hotel in Hamilton. The first was to the Barlows and it turns out that not only were they in the same mission, but the Burts were actually replacing them! By the next morning, the Barlows had contacted Francis Burt and she had the information she needed to move ahead, with her planning. In a moment of clarity, I realized that we were the only people in New Zealand, and perhaps the whole world, who knew both the Burts and the Barlows! What an amazing coincidence that proved to be! The second e-mail we sent that evening was on a whim. We were so concerned that the Burts would have to give up their home that Ward wrote and offered another alternative. If the house didn’t sell, we could move in and the church would pay rent on their home for the duration of our mission. Peter Burt thanked us for the idea and said that depending on the outcome of the auction, he would consider our suggestion as plan “B”. We heard nothing more about this and considered the matter closed until a little over a week ago.

Early on Thursday morning, the phone rang and the Burts informed us that the house had not sold and asked if  we  would still be interested in moving. In a fortuitous meeting the previous Sunday, Francis Burt literally bumped into the Elder in charge of missionary housing, who happened to be in Gisborne for the weekend. In discussing their plight, they had asked Elder Saunders if the church would possibly be willing to move us into their home. The brief discussion centered around the fact that time was of the essence and that the Burts were quickly running out of options. Our moving has had much less to do with our enjoying a pleasant home in the country than it has to do with the fact that two people who were trying diligently to be of service needed assistance. It was not about us.

The day before we were to move in, the Burts learned that their departure was to be delayed by two weeks, so the four of us have been roommates for the last few days! I have had a little window of insight into polygamy as I have shared a kitchen with another woman, and it’s HER kitchen! It seemed like a case of bad luck and terrible timing, until the Burts discovered that neither their new charge cards, or bank accesses were working. There was also a problem with insurance activation and had it been discovered after their arrival in the Philippines, it would have been disastrous.  The Burts now had an extra two weeks to work out their banking and insurance problems. An added blessing of the two-week delay was that there has been time for them to visit with the only son who was not able to visit them in Gisborne before their departure.

Last week three of our dear young sister missionaries were awakened at 4:30 am by someone trying to break into their flat. They were frightened and it served to confirm their unease about the location of their apartment. They stayed with us for three days (the Burts being out of town) as we were searching for a new, safer home for them. This morning, Elder Saunders (remember he is in charge of housing) called to ask us to stand ready on Friday to help the sisters move. You will never imagine where they are moving unless you have a sense of the supreme case of perfect timing involved in our saga. If you do have that sense, you may have already guessed that the sisters are moving into 159 Clifford. If that address sounds the least bit familiar, it might be because it is our old address! And the last amazing plus side to all of this is that the other set of sisters are moving into that home as well. All five young women now will be living in a home in a quiet village neighborhood! The house will also be filled with the same Salvation Army furniture that Ward and I enjoyed for the last six months!

After relating the tale of our adventures in moving, it may be worth remembering that all of this occurred due to the fact that Ward and I felt impressed a month ago to stop and say hello to new friends. We have been struck by the way that simple visit has turned into a blessing for so many and we are grateful. Often we act on those quiet “suggestions” and we never know why. This is one of those rare, but sweet occasions where we have been fortunate to see the end from the beginning and we are humbled by the experience. The added bonus here, is that in eighteen months, the Burts will have their beautiful country home waiting for them when they return to Gisborne. It will not belong to someone else. By the way, our bonus is that the sheep will arrive here next week and we are looking forward to welcoming their babies in the spring. We can hardly wait!

We are struck by the perfection of the timing of the events of the last month. We are so grateful to have felt the unmistakable influence and guidance of Someone who always knows best. I cannot imagine any way that we, personally, could have orchestrated the events of the last few weeks and had the outcome be so perfect for so many. I have counted several little miracles and I overwhelmed by the experience.

As always, we are happy and trying to work hard. We are also grateful for the perfect timing that has put all of you into our lives. You each in your own way are miracles and we are grateful. We are also grateful for the opportunity of living so far out in the country that we do not draw our bedroom curtains at night. Instead, we watch as the moon and clouds drift lazily across the starlit night sky and are awakened by brilliant sunrises every morning. All is well.

Love, Ward and Susan     Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in Gisborne, New Zealand

 

Peter and Francis Burt welcome us to our new home

 

The Burts are standing in front of their kitchen door. If you look to the right, you will see a sun-filled living room (in New Zealand it is called a lounge)

 

Our favorite young women who just moved into our old house. Please note the broad grins as they welcome us to our old/their new home.

 

 

Looking east out of our bedroom windows. The windows continue around the corner to the north 

 

This photo was taken from our bed this morning at 6:15. It is glorious!

 

Ward took a walk this morning and found this little pond and waterfall

 

Please disregard the couple in the foreground and focus on their backyard!

Adventures in Paradise Volume 2 #24

Kia ora! Our Excellent adventure continues with some thoughts on an old saying. We have been learning here in Gisborne how important it is to “Keep Calm and Carry On.” Our beautiful little city of thirty-four thousand, is surrounded by rolling pasture lands which abruptly give way to the forests that I have mentioned in previous blogs. It is no exaggeration to say that in less than a five minute drive from our house in the heart of suburban Gisborne, we can observe deer grazing among cattle on grassy hillsides. Our new home is a charming combination of city and country. To describe the areas surrounding Gisborne as bucolic, would be an understatement.

 

With the combination of city and country comes an interesting view on travel in particular and going about the business of life in general. That combination demands an adjustment of personal timetables and often schools us in the idea that we must learn to slow down, accept patiently and go with the flow. One must plan ahead. But planning ahead for the unexpected also involves learning to accept and often embrace the challenges associated with acceptance. Such was a journey we undertook last weekend as we traveled up the coast to Ruatoria to fulfill a speaking assignment.

Ruatoria is a small village about 130 kilometers away from Gisborne. That one hundred thirty kilometers translates to about  eighty miles. and at home, we would calculate that traveling early on a Sunday morning, our journey would take roughly about an hour and a half. Having factored in the narrow winding roads we allowed for two and a half hours, which turned out to be an excellent idea as we ran into an unexpected “traffic” jam halfway to our destination. No amount of muttering under one’s breath, honking (not really a good idea here) or revving of the engine was going to make those cows move any faster. So, we stayed calm, enjoyed the view and eventually, carried on. Staying calm provided a peaceful moment and delightful photos.

 

 

As we pulled up to the tiny chapel, we again remarked on the beauty that is evident almost everywhere one looks in New Zealand. The building looked as if it were just dropped into the middle of a paddock, and in fact, that country setting became the reason for our second challenge of the day. As we watched, we noticed that the branch president was pulling into the parking lot with several large water containers loaded onto the bed of his truck.  Alighting from the truck and hoisting one of the jugs out of the bed, he shook our hands and noticing the perplexed looks on our faces, he laughingly explained the reason for the extra water. Sometime during the night a thirsty horse tried to help himself to the water in the tank behind the church. In doing so, that critter broke the tap on the tank and drained it dry. The church had no water, so one of the jugs was placed in each bathrooms. I had never had the experience of having to flush a toilet by hoisting fifteen gallons of water, but yes, I stayed calm and carried on, as did everyone else at church that day!

 

The branch always feeds the missionaries and any guests directly after the services, so we were invited to stay for kai (lunch). Knowing that preparation without running water would be a problem, the president’s wife laid out a beautiful, but very simple meal for us. We were touched by her inventivness, her creativity and her thoughtfulness. We enjoyed a delightful and delicious meal with our new friends and no one even noticed the absence of water. Conversation was lively, often referencing the nameless horse who had made that late night raid on an innocent water tank. While enjoying the afternoon, I did have the thought that a lack of such a resource at home might have thrown me into worrisome fits, but here again, I was being tutored on gracious acceptance of what was and we enjoyed a sweet repast as we stayed calm and carried on.

 Our lunch consisted of mandarins, melon, grapes, nuts, homemade fruit bread and hard-boiled eggs

Ward and I spoke that day, in a branch numbering about twenty people and we were so happy that at the end of our time in Ruatoria, we had twenty new friends. Such is the nature of small congregations. Everyone seems to be related and you find yourself being adopted into the family as well. We had one person who didn’t know any better, suggest that it might be a waste of our time to travel so far to speak to so few. I am certain that you might be able to appreciate our response to that comment. It was calm, we all carried on and by so doing, that Sunday will become one of the memories that we will cherish the most. We would not have changed a thing. It was intimate, unexpected and left us with new stories to tell about people who are teaching us daily how to accept graciously the myriad of  “opportunities” to stay calm and carry on each day. We are grateful for the lessons that we are learning.

We are grateful also, for the examples that you have been to us as we watch you carry on in less than ideal times. Much like our friends here, we have witnessed so many of you behave with calmness and dignity when it was not always easy to do so. We aspire to be the same kind of examples to you. Thank you and carry on.

Love, Ward and Susan    Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in Gisborne, New Zealand