TSCF staff & families in Nelson

At the end of January, I was at Bridge Valley camp for TSCF staff & families conference. This is an annual event that is half vision setting for the year and half just being together - and it's great that all staff are there, as well as as many spouses and kids who can make it. This was my fourth such staff & families conference and definitely the best for lots of reasons -

• The summer weather. You'd think late January should be great weather but in Rotorua two years ago it did nothing but rain and rain and we almost got flooded out, but this year sunny Nelson lived up to its billing. Great for us, not so great for farmers - all the paddocks nearby were very brown.

• The site. I admit I had my doubts about going to Bridge Valley. With about 20 kids I thought it much better to be on the sea of lake front rather than up in a valley; and the only other time I'd been to Bridge Valley was last June and it was ice cold. But I was so wrong - an ideal site. Great times playing with the kids in the (green!) lake, on the water slide, in the kayaks, on the shooting range, the standard of food - all excellent. Here's my colleague Jane and her daughter Sasha on the go-kart - who's enjoying it most?

• The guests. It was a joy to welcome John & Beris Butt, students from Otago in the 1950s, and hear their reflections on student work through the decades and their encouragements into today. It's wonderful to have them in the wider TSCF family, supporting us on the front line of the work. It was a real joy too, to welcome Daryl Bay, a local church pastor, as he took one of our morning sessions teaching us from Luke 7:36-50, where a woman wept over Jesus feet and dried them with her hair. It was superb to delve into that passage and for Daryl to teach us so clearly about how great Jesus is - thanks Daryl!
  

• The team. This is the only time of year the whole staff team gathers in such a relaxed manner, and certainly the only time TSCF staff & families are all in one place. It's great. We increasingly feel like a team, and we pray that we will continue to be friends sharing the gospel in universities and with each other. It was sad to farewell Andrew Barlow, team leader from Otago. I've learnt much from Andrew and will miss his wisdom and experience. Yet it was exciting to welcome five new colleagues - Scott, Anna, Gillian, Gina & Ben - from 4 different countries, and working in 3 different cities across NZ in varied roles.

Here's a photo of us all - lifted from the blog of our director, Nigel - his reflections here

And lastly, here's my wonderful, smiling, supervisor Val Goold. Looking forward to working with you this year Val!