About 40 people showed up at the Carey Baptist College from 5:15pm onwards for the Summer Tramps Reunion,
a magic carpet journey back to the Tasman area in the north of the South Island where the ABTC had their
summer tramps this year. We sat down to a dinner with lasagne provided, plus pot-luck salads and a pot-luck
dessert.
We remained in the dining room for our presentations about the Summer Tramps, beginning
at 6:45pm. Murray Black told about the day walks that took place, there were 23 of these including walks,
canoe trips, bus tours and much more, but didn’t include the shopping trips! Paul Ungemuth showed slides
of the Mt Arthur tramp, and Ian Marshall did a show of his overnighter Tableland Circuit. David Rutherfurd
took us along the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, then we went to Bark Bay overnight with Cathie Black. We
went with Murray on the 4-day Inland Track packcarry, followed by the four-night Leslie-Karamea tramp
with David Walker. Our final outing was the Lake Sylvester overnighter. Everyone had a wonderful time
in glorious sunny weather over the two weeks, enjoying a wide range of scenery while getting to know
one another much more and appreciating all the wondrous work of our Creator God.
Barbara Langridge
gave notices about a Training Kaleidoscope day in April, the ABTC photo competition, a family walk at
Arataki in March, a day of prayer for World Earth Day, and next year’s Summer Tramps – Otago Tussock
Tracks based in Dunedin, Alexandra and Naseby. Paul Ungemuth showed a copy of a book Tramping: A New
Zealand History by Shaun Barnett and Chris McLean.
Leslie Rutherfurd presented our devotions.
When she was out on the tramp she looked around and said, Wow, God, look at what you've created, reminding
her of Psalm 48:1-2 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God is holy mountain,
beautiful and elevation is the joy of all the earth. The other thing that made this trip really amazing
is bringing us all together. Leslie recalled being in the Navigators as a young Christian, learning many
memory verses. One of these was Hebrews 10:23 about loving and helping out one another and worshipping
together. What's so glorious about God is that He created us for relationship and he wants us to have
a relationship with him. But he also gives us each other to have relationship with each other. And we
can help and encourage one another. On our trip people noticed the way we were interacting with each
other. Maybe we don't verbally share the gospel, but we share God's love and that is attractive. Christine
Marshall closed the evening with a prayer.
|
