After church services we will be going to the airport and fly back to Los Angeles, so we are all packed up as we head for church services which are held south and east of Auckland in the town of Ngatea. This location makes it easier for some of the brethren from Hamilton to come over for the service. We were wondering if the six of us and our luggage could make it in one vehicle....it did. It took about one hour and 40 minutes to get to Nagatea. Again, we really enjoyed the various pastoral scenes, sheep in the fields, rolling hills. We are enjoying seeing this Creatioin.

This is our third Sabbath on this journey and we are eagerly await seeing the brethren . We are greeted so warmly. 

The plan for the day is a one hour Bible Study, then a pot luck lunch followed by the Church service.  

My Bbile Study is entitled "Will He Find Faith On the Earth?" which is about our encounter with the brethren in Mufumbwe, Zambia last year who waited 25 years to be baptized. They never gave up hope about coming in contact with the Church. They lived through trials and abandonment....but they prevailed. Their story is so inspiring to me and I like to share when I can with a PowerPoint slide show. 

The lunch was great. Lots of fruit and cheese. Lots of very tasty cheese in New Zealand I notice. For the first time I met Rogan Webster, the father of Jason in South Africa and daughter Shannon Sweat in Dallas, Texas. Bev and I sat with him at lunch.

Then the church service. First, Daniel played the UYC promotional camp video . It's amazing how much the people loved it....even though it doesn't directly apply to them and the seasons are counter to the seasons here in New Zealand.  

Great special music by a husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Picket....

I then gave the sermon about one of my favorite subjects....the story of Simple and Amazing Grace from Old Testament to New Testament.  

Then we spent at least another hour or more talking with everyone. At the very end one of the brethren had a dead battery in his car and Daniel jump-started him.  

We then went on to the airport where we had a dinner at the "Down Under" restaurant, talked a while and said our good-byes. 

We truly truly enjoyed the entire Porteous family. We feel we know them, the churches and have lots to look forward together.  

Our flight is on time and we left at 10:45 PM for the United States on Air New Zealand.