From the top of the bottom of the world!

Yes, you read that correctly. I have now stepped foot on Cape Reinga, the northernmost tip of New Zealand, where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean.  On Monday, April 16  four van loads of Kiwi youngins (and some not-quite-so-youngins) hit the road for Rock Solid “On the Road Camp” 2012!   

Our goal: to give young people a chance to meet Jesus through his spectacular creation and the love of his followers.   Our 5-day trip took us through the entire Northland region: from Whangarei to Dargaville, Rawene,  Waipua Forest, Opononi, Kaitia, Cape Reinga, Manganui, Paihia and a million hidden beaches and towns in between! Each day was met with new challenges and the unparalleled beauty of the rugged New Zealand coastland.    

 

Our site-seeing excursion included a visit to the massive Tane Mahuta, “Lord of the Forest” in the Waipua Forest, famous as the largest existing Kauri tree in New Zealand.

On boogie- boards we whizzed down steep sand dunes headed straight into the sea.  Interestingly enough, a few friendly stingrays awaited us in the water below, so we kindly waited for them to depart before beginning the craziness. 

  

Never in my life have I seen so much wild marine life!  See the seal? To our  surprise and delight, he was sunning himself on the rocks, allowing us to walk right to him and say a quick hello.
 See the dolphins?  On our excursion through the bay of Islands and Hole in the Rock near Paihia, we entered the playground of the dolphins and were graced with quite a show!  This is now the second time I have seen dolphins in the wild!  When they weren’t splashing wildly and flipping about, it seemed they were determined to race alongside our boat. . .until the NZ Navy Vessel came by offering a better ride than our boat could offer and they were out of sight again.

I could go on and on about the stunning scenery, sheer cliffs, midnight blue water, and emerald green mountains, but I think you get my drift. 

The only thing more beautiful than the landscape  and wildlife surrounding us is the love of God the Father who crafted all of this for our benefit. And what’s more. . . the beauty that I see is only a dim reflection of the future to come when God restores all things and puts things to right.  On that day what has been invisible will become plain sight and those who have trusted Christ will see him as He is and rejoice!

O