My INCREDIBLE friends take their family to Delhi, India.

After being there, I know the rawness and difference in life that they will experience over the next year as they begin their journey in New Delhi. I also know the beauty that will come from it.

Please keep them close to your hearts as they adjust to life there.

http://mollysindiatrip.tumblr.com/ is where you can read their adventures. Hope that you can find the time to read and pray.

We LOVE our Rugby. All Blacks win the World Cup.

I love this video of the crowds watching the game on Sunday night...just shares an insight to human emotion, even if it is just a game. 


I am a proud kiwi at the moment!

Our World Champion All Blacks! from Jared Brandon Productions on Vimeo.

A few sweet moments

My favourite, MOST favourite time of the year is Spring. I love the clear, crisp blue skies, the birds chirping, flowers emerging and the new beginnings. It is such a beautiful time and I am enjoying it greatly. 

 Sunrises and sun shine meant that I got to wear my jandals for the first time since summer. . . mmm

 Flowers are starting to bloom

 Precious friends visiting and making my worlds collide from all over the world again.

 Baking hearts

Take Heart

It's been an interesting month or two, ones that have landed my head in many different places. All places have been good to go, to explore and to really ponder. Some that have been familiar to me in the past, and some unfamiliar.

My most intense and scary place is thinking about and considering my future. You see, I have been the person that has jumped on board any adventure that I could, if an opportunity was presented, then I took it - of course I considered and weighed my options, you'd be foolish not to. But this space is different, it is full of the unknown, of really heavy considerations for life in my future, of what that may look like in my 30s, and how I want to set myself up for that now. I want to be flexible, still able to jump on board adventures, I want a sustainable career, I want to not be bored and complacent, I want to be able to give and be generous with all that I am and have, and I want to be able to be secure and comfortable.

I have been asking myself what the priorities are for me in life. How are they different from what they were 5 years ago and how might that be different in 5 years time? It's a crazy thought this future thing, and it has spun me out a little bit. I am glad I have not had my head in that cloud before because it's hard - it's hard to predict life and its paths and journeys that you encounter. I don't think we really can predict, but I'm thinking more and more that we can plan.

PLANNING. I thought I finished with the whole teacher thing? I didn't think I had to have a plan for every day anymore, or every semester or year. I don't want to plan, never have, and have always hated it. I'm a 'fly by the seat of my pants' girl, and the good old kiwi attitude of 'winging it'. But, I'm just not sure it's going to cut it anymore. I don't think I can just 'wing' this thing called life.

So as I am trawling through options that I have for my life and future, I just guess I have to take heart, and be secure that it will all be worked out in the end. I have complete faith and security that life will be good, fun and full, but it's the in-between areas that I am not so secure in. What do I dive into next week and next year? I mean, I have no clue.

Icing on the Quake

This is what Christchurch looks like this morning, snow covering and even settling on the beach. An "icing on the quake" as they are calling it. I know I am not there but saw it in the news and loved it. It is so classically Kiwi.

Common Themes in Christchurch

Hey friends,

As most of you know, I have had the absolute privilege of a very lively upbringing & life which has included me living in many towns, cities and countries. The difference between myself and most others is that I don't have that rooted, stable place that a person grows up in which, in a way, identifies them. I have discovered in life that most places I go I seem to think I could call it home, not forever, but for a season. There is one city though, that throughout my life, I have most identified with being 'home', where I have that 'it's nice to be back' feeling. Christchurch is just the special place to me, I may not live here now, or maybe never again but somewhere deep inside I guess it will always have that comfortable feeling of being home.

And again, as most of you know, my 'home' has been hit by several large earthquakes over the last 9 months. This week I have returned to Christchurch for the first time in 4 months, and after a few more, quite impacting quakes, I've noticed not only the landscape changing and declining, but the spirit also. I wanted to share some common images of what I've encountered on most streets today, not when the events have first happened, but what it is still like today as I drive and walk through this once was beautiful, but now battered city.

Cracks are everywhere, this is just one of thousands in the roads which make for a bumpy ride.

Portaloos line the streets, for some people they haven't had a toilet or shower since September. Houses just waiting to be demolished or fixed. I think this one needs more than a hammer!

Shops with their entire faces crumbled away....

This office up top has good air flow!

It's completely unfathomable to me that the streets are still in this state, and I'm standing right there and looking at it in disbelief. The thing that is probably the most hard to deal with is that it seems to be continous. The earth settles for a quiet moment, but then again, it rumbles and brings down something else. For the people of Christchurch it is not a matter of the bigger ones that come, but the ones that are felt every single day, the smaller ones, the unreported, but with every new one brings a new hole or crack and even more discomfort.

It's funny because as I've past demo sites I am struck with the question 'What was even there?', and the 'I can't remembers' are frequent. So as the memories of what this city once looked like begin to fade, my hope is that the rebuilding of it is redemptive and strong. That woven in to it's new fabric and shape, is the true colours of the people of this land and nation. I'm hopeful that once again, Christchurch will be called beautiful, because even in it's mess, I still think it is.

Christchurch definitely not forgotten.

Friends around the world...

I ask you to keep Christchurch on your minds.

The media, for the most part had forgotten about Christchurch - until this afternoon when a series of large aftershocks hit and caused more damage, fear and concern after the major earthquake in February, preceding to the one in September (confusing I know - there's just so many!).

But to my friends and family in Christchurch, know that I have not forgotten, New Zealanders here and around the world have not forgotten and the deepest prayers, love and strength will continue to go out to you each and every day.

I have friends who still, 4 months later, do not have running water, bathrooms and full power facilities. Porta-loos or 'pottys' still hang out on every corner and the neighbourhood share much more than the street they live on. I will be there in two weeks time sharing the neighbourly love also.

Here's a picture to show the scale of what is going on thanks to a friend...

Let's all hope the earth in New Zealand begins to settle.

People

I'm continually amazed at the calibre of people that I have in my life.

My life has always been about people. I love people, love stories, love cultures and love meeting and making connections. It truly blesses me to my core.

I just took another look around in the globe on the inside of my head today and just counted my blessings for the amazing people I have in my life that are just plotted all over our planet, near or far. Each and every person so special to me in such different ways.

Each person taking a vital and active role in my world, to lift me up, encourage me, kick my butt, make me laugh, to love parts of me I thought no one could, to inspire me, to provoke action and thought, to humble me.

I could continue the list forever but just know that I love having you in my life and it wouldn't be the same without you. Yes, you!

Loving lifes adventures right now because they involve you.

So thanks friend, where ever you are.


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In the absence of words...you get pictures.

Wedding Season...Kim & Isaac

Anne-Marie & Richard
Jen & Patrick

The event of getting glasses..
Breakfast smiles..
Buying myself flowers...Friend had an amazing launch of his new fashion line..
Pretty colours in the midst of Autumn..
My University..
My first Valentine (Thank you Benjamins!)...

My brother is a champ...and glad he's still walking.

This weekend in New Zealand was one of the biggest motorsport racing events in the southern hemisphere - the v8 Supercars. My brother was invited to race in a support series and did an amazing job driving with the big boys of the track, coming in fifth position, on his last lap on his second to last turn he was doing great...

Until...

A major crash - his first. But this I am thankful for - his new and improved safety gear, seat and harness. He is sore, bruised and battered as well as extremely torn into pieces, but he walks.

The driver that clipped him after he passed was in the wrong, you can't see it this angle but Stephen gets hit in the rear, spun into a wall, then thrown across the track to hit the other wall where he came to a stop.

Urgh, it's painful, as a sister and as a supporter to see this happen. So much time, effort, energy and resources has been poured into this - what he loves doing, and at the mercy of another silly driver and his decision - it all comes crashing down.

But, again, thankful that he walked out of it - because it could have been a very different picture.

QUAKED - Some guys having some fun with the ripped apart streets.

Some people just know how to turn the lemons into something fun. Love this vid of some guys taking to the ripped apart and wavy streets of Christchurch after mother nature tore them up.

Wild Times.

I know that I promised a blog about someone that needs your support. Yes, I failed that. But I do hope that you have allowed God to move and you have been praying nonetheless. One of these days I will get to writing the story...

Right now needs are just so immense around the world. I can't believe the massive devastation from the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami, to me its incomprehensible. I'm still in shock about New Zealands own disaster, but here the world is facing yet another, straight off Christchurchs' back.

There are so many precious people to me in Japan that are facing nuclear uncertainty, warnings of more earthquakes and subsequently more Tsunami.

I guess this is just a small plea for you to keep pressing on and praying. Life is crazy, and the events over the last couple of weeks really puts life into perspective.

Just a small Christchurch update - I think our local and national government have down a phenomenal job in guiding this city and nation through the tragedy, giving a ton of amazing support. BUT it doesn't mean everythings fine. I still have friends and family that have no home to go back to, and people with no sewage and power. Almost 3 weeks down the track - its a tough ordeal and full on props to the people living like this and getting on with their lives.

On an even more personal note, my Grannys health is not good at all. She suffered a heart attack (not fatal!) when the quake happened, and is now on more solid ground at my parents - but since then has had 2 mild strokes. I would appreciate you sending up a prayer or two for her.

Massive thanks to everyone for the support.

xx

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Trying to Capture Stories...

So for the last day or two, I have been trying to think of what to write and how to communicate the great depth of loss, confusion, devastation, joy at times and absolute trauma that Christchurch, New Zealand and certain parts of the world has had to deal with over the last 4 1/2 days.

As all of you know, Christchurch has gone through one of New Zealands most disastrous events in our small but colourful history. To many other countries, a death toll of 113, and rapidly rising doesn't make much of a mark but let me tell you in a country this size, it doesn't just hit those people directly - our nation takes a stake to its heart.

For many people, they are thankful they are alive, able to hug and kiss their loved ones and able to stay in their homes. For others, many others, they have simply fled to more stable ground and will deal with the mess in their own time. For a lot of people, including a lot of my family and friends, have lost their homes, livelihood, income, businesses and are relying on Civil Defence welfare centres to provide their basic needs. For the friends and family that have been fortunate enough to be able to stay in their homes - a lot still, going into the 4th night, don't have water, sanitation, electricity and are very quickly running out of gas for their barbecues which have provided for their needs such as water boiling and cooking.

I say this out of basic reality check rather than to pull at your heart strings. The real deal is that the almost 500,000 strong people in this city have been absolutely brought to a halt and to its knees. In what ever sense of the term - out of desperation, out of need, out of fear, and out of prayer.

We are known for our strength, our fighting spirit, our ability to move on and to rebuild (especially after the last quake), our hospitality, our comradeship and the way that we just 'muck in'.

Among the sad and gut wrenching stories, come amazing miracles and tales of people risking their lives for others. Student volunteers getting out into the streets numbering in the 000s caring for the elderly, cleaning up streets, shoveling silt from roads and driveways and generally just doing what they can. Amazing stories of survival, of how they waited and had faith, of how others rescued co-workers and used their strength such as mountaineering skills to lower their colleagues out of buildings. Its truly amazing the things that you hear and the strength of the human spirit.

I know that the people of Christchurch will be stronger and better in the years to come. I know that there will always be a hole and a missing part in all of us, and I know that we can't do it without the strength and support of this nation - New Zealand, and the nations of the world.

Thank you nations of the world that have come to our aid. The outcome would have been much more grim if you didn't come...at least with your efforts, it has enabled us to carry hope and thankfulness.

Tomorrow I'm going to share a story of an incredibly strong woman who I cherish. She needs your support and prayer.

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Christchurch Devastation

This is mainly for my friends who are not living here in New Zealand.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/photos/4688271/Christchurch-aftershock-Feb-22

My city of Christchurch suffered yet another massive earthquake around 5 hours ago. So far, there is a death toll of 65 and estimated to at least double as rescue workers work around the clock to get people from under the rubble.

It is scary, devastating, breath taking (at the power of the earth), and horrifying.

This quake is another massive blow to a city that had not breathed a sigh of recovery since the last major one in September.

My request is this - you simply must keep Christchurch in your hearts and mind. It is wounded deeply.

Thank you x