SOUTH PACIFIC--
Gina (Messiah '13) writes: This past weekend during our home-stay visits with CCSP, Max and I stayed with Eric & Joy from Kaikoura. They live one block away from the shore, so most of our time was spent in the water. Eric and his son have a lot of experience with diving for crayfish, paua, and butterfish, so Eric took Max and I on a diving adventure. We suited up with our snorkel gear and wetsuits and spent a few hours out in the water hunting for crayfish. After a long day on the beach, the four of us shared a nice tea and fruit salad before we spent hours watching the “Sevens” rugby tournament. I have never seen that sport played before so I found it very bizarre/exciting. On Sunday, we attended “The Vineyard” church, which Eric is the pastor of, and stayed a few hours after the service for a lunch of fellowship. This lunch was one of the most enjoyable aspects of my weekend with the Koops. We were able to converse with and get to know the people of the community who I would most likely not come across while spending time downtown. Every single member of this church is incredibly friendly and I love to hear about their crazy stories and experiences in life. Each person seemed to own an interesting past which ultimately brought them to a relationship with God and becoming a member of this church. I hope to continue to strengthen my relationships with these people while I am living in New Zealand.
After the church lunch, Eric and Joy took Max and I out on their boat and we rode around the Kaikoura peninsula. The views were absolutely breathtaking and I unfortunately forgot my camera! It was the most enjoyable boat ride I have ever had. We anchored the boat somewhat close to shore, and went snorkeling once again. Something I strongly enjoyed about the family that I stayed with was their laid-back personalities and enjoyment of simply “being” together. We did not need to converse with each other in order to be comfortable and enjoy each other’s company. We simply sat on the boat together, drank tea, and observed the beautiful scenery. The days spent with Eric and Joy were very peaceful and gave me a chance to relax and reflect on my experience here thus far. Living with a family for the weekend was a perfect way to experience the New Zealand culture in a genuine way as well as feeling a tiny bit closer to home and my own family.
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