Visiting the Past

As I write this we are crossing the International Dateline, moving from Thursday to Friday in an instant. Even though we moved quickly, instantly, into the future, missing most of Thursday, this trip is really about the past. It’s going to be a quick trip to my past, and I get to take my family with me.

I lived in Hobart, Tasmania (island state of Australia) from 1981-1983. I graduated from Lipscomb in June of ’81 and flew to Hobart in July. I traveled and lived with another Lipscomb grad, Paul Stubblefield. We worked with the Eastern Shore Church of Christ as “apprentices.” It was a wonderful formative experience. I learned a lot. The people there were very helpful and probably a lot more tolerant than I realized at the time. I was young and full of zeal and other things, mainly myself. Anyway, as usual, God works in us and through us in spite of us. We plan to worship with the Eastern Shore church on Sunday. I have not kept up with them very well and don’t know who is still there. I tried to inform them that I am coming, but I’m not sure that got my email.

When I lived in Tasmania I also managed to spend some time in Sydney. I was there 2-3 times for various reasons. Kedra came over with a group of students from Lipscomb in the summer of 1982 to help churches in Sydney, so I have very pleasant memories. We spent 3 weeks together there, and then she came to Tasmania for a little while as well. My parents came to Tasmania at about the same time; they all flew back to the U.S. together.

I also spent a little time in Queensland around the city of Brisbane. It is a beautiful place. We are going there for a couple of days, following a couple of days in Tasmania. We plan to visit the Australian Zoo (I wish the Croc Hunter was still alive!) among other things. I hope also to journey out to places like Toowomba and Gympie, places with churches that I visited in the early 80s. They grow a lot of pineapple in Queensland. I remember it being incredibly good! I hope to try it again.

Our trip to Oz (Australia) will be quick; that is by design. I want to have a little more time to spend in New Zealand, where we spent more time (1985-1989) and still have a fair amount of contact.

[Now on the ground in Sydney. More later.]