Hello from Argentina.

Meet my newset friends. Eric and Mary are pastors of Renacer Church in Co'rdoba Argentina. They are in New Zealand for 5 weeks visiting their daughter. They came to our ESOL class on Wednesday at Mt Albert Baptise Church. I invited them to our Christmas in Rocket park.

They joined the ESOL students and Chinese fellowship by our special tree, and ate of Chinese and Japanese food. I asked Eric if he enjoyed the evening. He said yes, and it was very special and eating the Chinese food was delightful.

I sang to Mary, a little bit of " Don't cry for me Argentina."

Parachute Music Festival 2

Parachute is a festival of a different kind. Even the newspapers and Television reported it. It started back in 1989 with 1200 people on a camp site. This one, the 19th had 25,000 campers, and is the biggest Christian festival outside USA.

There was a lot of fun, and even our three pre-teen boys enjoyed themselves. Sam slept in a tent with M, and I asked if he slept well. "Yes! but of course, not as comfortable as his own bed."

Four days at the festival, Sam came back with his friends J & M. They headed straight to the computers. Modern kids!

L. stayed over for tea/dinner, and she being in the organising committee and doctor would know all about it. I hope she has pysched the water engineer enough to go to next year's Parachute 20th festival.

This morning, for breakfast, Sam helped himself to some sushi rice I made for him yesterday.  He missed his rice.

I will post some pix at the camp when L. gives them to me.

Festivals are generally known to be hippy types, with booze, drugs and alternastive life style. here the police find the campers well behaved, and booze and drugs are banned. 

***Here is Sam the day after, holding his pass, still sun burnt and mozzie bitten. He says enthusiaitically, " I will be back"***

Wedding day

We went to a friend's wedding. D was a baby. I couldn't remember whose wedding it was.

I was wearing one of the oldest bead necklaces I have. I bought it when I was visiting my Aunty Teressa Leung in San Francisco. She took me to Beckeley where she said was the home of the hippies. I wanted to be a hippy too, and bought 2 clay beaded necklaces. I can't remember where the brown one. From then on, I have been buying beads. For a while, I use to wear them. I don't any more. I just keep them and every now and then, I take them out and guess where I got them from or who gave them to me.

To the Chinese, a beauty has to have a swan's neck. I don't have one. Wearing a choker actually accentuate my short neck, so I don't wear a choker or a short necklace.

The Rebounder

Sometimes when aerobics exercise program comes on, we would get out our rebounder and bounce away. Most of the time, it was a toy for the kids.

Wheels: Fork hoist

I did a lot of foot work as I realise I take better photos than riding in a car. I was walking along when I found my newly found boyfriend Sione zooming pass me. He passed me again. I took out my camera and he was most obliging to let me take his photo. He even slowed down so I can take a better shot. Then he waved and thumbs up.

Sione is John for most Polynesians, like the Samoans and Tongans. I have a few students called Sione.

There is even a New Zealand made movie about a Sione. SIONE'S WEDDING is a comedy about four best friends Four Samoan guys are banned from their best friend's wedding.

http://www.sioneswedding.com/

 

Millennium Tree

This structure was donated by the Chinese people in Auckland. It is at the Auckland Domain.

Auckland Baptist Tabernacle

This is at 429 Upper Queen Street. the Tab was our home church for more than ten years before we left for Singapore.

We were married in this church,
We were baptised here, and we had our son Andrew's funeral service here.
We made live long friends here.

The organ is a beautiful instrument.

***Pix were taken by our friend Paul Khor***

Maori Carving

These are large panels of maori carving at the Marae inside the Auckland War Memorial Museum.