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