Week 1: Getting to Know the Wekas!
Kia Ora from New Zealand!
After some thirty-hour flights (or a half hour drive for one of us!) everyone has arrived safely at Basecamp, and we finally got to meet our teammates! Even though there were a few language barriers, like wondering if Austrian squirrels lived in tents and getting confused over a rolling noodle (rolling pins for all you English speaking folks!), we are all ‘getting along like a house on fire’ (for now at least…)!
Starting Off the GRID NZ with a good night sleep, we woke up for orientation day where we all learned how to correctly pack a backpack, and how to keep our hiking snacks as close as possible! Finally, we were ready to take on the New Zealand mountains over the next three days! Our first tramp took us to Kahurangi National Park where Joelle realised that she cannot trust the stability of New Zealand ground (apparently it was a bit deceiving for some!). We spent the night in a cosy hut with a great view of the mountains, and some of us decided to sleep outside under the crystal-clear Milky Way.
We started the next day with a nutritious meal of muesli and powdered milk (yum!). Continuing with a study of Genesis and remembering to be grateful for the little things, even though some of them ran away :(. We spent the rest of the day exploring the surrounding nature, where three of us took a deep, freezing dive in a tarn (mountain lake).
Both nights in the hut we had the privilege of meeting and talking to other hikers about their travels, and some took quite the interest in our Bible studies! The following day we began our down climb back to the van. Along the way we had quite an interesting incident with a Weka where one of our leaders did not heed her own warning, to always keep an eye on your belongings! A Weka is a peculiar flightless bird, who apparently did not read the ten commandments, where it is written ‘do not steal’! So, while we were down at a stunning river, a Weka took an interest in one of our leaders’ slippers. Before we knew it, it vanished into the New Zealand bush, slipper in beak! The search began and some of us were quite enthusiastic about returning the slipper (without the Weka) to the leader. So, when a tree started to shake, and leaves begun to rustle, we all grew a bit concerned about what was about to come barrelling out of the bush. Out fell our Aussie friend, Hallum, with an old jandal (flip flop) in his hand (a good substitute for a slipper to be fair), stumbling about his way. We did manage to get the slipper back though!
Overall, we are grateful to God for a safe and sunny tramping trip (there was a lot of tripping going on after all) and we are looking forward to our next adventure!
This moment will never happen again!
Returning to basecamp we were all very tired and glad to be back (and to take a shower!). We wound down after a delicious dinner by sitting outside under the stars, talking with each other, and finding out how great Clara is on the guitar! We have had a quiet last couple days recovering from our tramp, doing laundry, and of course more Bible study.
Thank you for all the continuing prayer and support, we are all having an awesome time with each other. We have included some prayer requests below so you can keep supporting us, it really means a lot that we can be here with Norm and Christy because of you all!
Mini liebe Lüüt us de Schwiiz! Danke tuusig für eui gebätt und dass ihr a eus dänked! Ich freu mich mega, dass mir eusi abentüür mit eu chönd teile! S Team da isch super läss und au wenn es paar luschtigi fehler (das mitem noodle-holz isch mer aso scho chli peinlich…) passiered, chömedmer alli mega guet mitenand us! Eifach echli kultur chönne ustuusche isch grossartig und ich bin mega dankbar, dass ich derf da sii! Ich freu mi, eu I vieredrissg täg wiederzgseh! (hend Geduld mit mir, wenn ich keis wort schwiizerdütsch meh chan…)
Liebi grüess Thirza
“Dear friends in Switzerland! Thanks for your prayers! I am excited to share our adventures with you! Even though a few mistakes happened (I am still embarrassed about the rolling noodle!) the team is great and we are all getting along really well! It is great to share our cultures and I am so thankful to be here. I am looking forward to seeing you again in thirty-four days! (Please bear with me if I cannot speak Swiss German anymore…)” Greetings Thirza
Prayer Requests:
1. Unfortunately, one team member has had to return home due to a family emergency. Please be praying for her and her family at this time for peace, comfort and safety. She was an amazing teammate and is a friend to all of us here. She truly wishes to return to New Zealand and participate on another Off The GRID NZ, which would be an amazing opportunity if that could happen!
2. Our next tramping and kayaking trips!
3. Wisdom & good discussions during our Bible studies
Week One done!!
Written by Hallum (Australia) & Thirza (Switzerland) on behalf of the entire OTG Team
