Day Eight

Today really is a blur and I'm writing this no longer from Vanuatu but from Auckland, New Zealand.

It was a 4.30am start to get to the airport for our 7am flight and by this time we were all feeling the effects of the week and were getting quite tired. Soon we were on the plane heading for New Zealand. Everything happened so quickly and I'm still processing things, looking at photos and thinking about all that has happened in the last week and what it will mean for me in the future!

When I first laid eyes on NZ outside of the plane window I couldn't help but feel a joyous feeling that accompanies the saying "there is no place like home" but I also couldn't help but feel a certain ache for my family back in Vanuatu - I have really fallen in love with this country and the beautiful people that reside there.

It was great to run up to my Mum and give her a great big hug but at the same time I knew that I would soon hug goodbye to a team that has really become my family over the last week! I probably rushed the goodbyes a bit because I knew if I thought bout it too much I would probably start crying (and crying wouldn't look good for my 'manly' side). Soon I was walking towards the car with my Mum and I couldn't help but wonder why the team wasn't walking with me; it felt weird to not have them around me anymore - I know I will miss them heaps!

In a weeks time I will do an official "post-Vanuatu blog" because that will allow me time to process and think about all that has happened and what this trip will mean now that I'm back in New Zealand!

For now I just want to thank God for the amazing opportunity I was blessed with in the last week!

Thank you Carlton and PYM for running 'Going Global'!

Thank you Robyn for assisting Calrton as team leader!

Thank you to my family in Vanuatu and in particularly in Lenakel College for showing me God in such an amazing way!

Thank you to my family Carlton, Robyn, Tervor, Natalie one, Natalie two, Rebekah, Laura, Hannah and Sami for being such a great family in the last week - you were each a huge blessing and I will never forget our time together in Vanuatu.

And thank you to everyone who has prayed and supported this trip in some way; shape and form - I know without a doubt that this trip was well prayed for and God's presence was experienced in amazing ways throughout the week by everyone!