My ministry and visiting path ended with a few days in Denver, Colorado, USA, staying with my brother Jon, sister-in-law Lucie, and my teenage nephew and niece Brock and Ava. It took 29 hours of traveling to get there, including time to file a lost baggage claim, replenishing essentials at Target, and Starbucks coffee to keep me going till bedtime. Jon’s family lead very busy lives, with the parents both working full time and active in their community and childrens’ schools, and the kids both excelling in sports and their academic work in high school, as well as community activities. I had basically just announced to them that I would be visiting on my way back from Australia, without asking if the timing was OK. I repeatedly found myself reminding them of that as they apologised for being so busy and occupied during my stay. I really needed some relaxing time and time zone adjustment at the end of my journey, so it was all good.
 |
| Aeroplane window view of Sydney as we took off. I had left Adelaide beforehand in the dark of the early morning. |
 |
| Sydney Harbour is breathtakingly beautiful. We didn’t fly over the Bridge and Opera House, which are east/left of this photo. |
 |
| I’m pretty sure this aerial photo captures (in the centre right) Manly Beach, Miriam’s Manly and the Manly Wharf, of which land view photos are in previous blog posts. |
Seeing the Australian coast disappearing from sight wasn’t nearly as emotional for me as seeing it appearing in view a few weeks earlier. I know I will be returning next year with confidence in some form of ministry in the NCIA, and many possibilities between now and then. My plan for spending 5 months per year in Australia and 7 months in USA seems like a reality now, instead of a hope for the future. Now I know how I can be present and connected and useful in two countries simultaneously, or close to simultaneously. I’ve been able to stay in touch with my family in USA, and Home Church, and our monthly Saturday Brunch, for this whole month. Simultaneously, I’ve been able to visit five NCIA centres in Australia and New Zealand, including helping out with five church events and four social events connected with NCIA activities. Modern technology might have its drawbacks, but it certainly has its blessings. For me, those blessings have added so much value to my ministry and travel and visiting path.
 |
| Yucca plants grow all over and are quite spiky if you brush up against them |
Moose, my brother’s medium Labradoodle, happily came with me on a two hour walk around the bluff on my first full day in Denver. He’s the same breed as my Arya, but looks very different even though his personality is similar. We couldn’t run because my running gear was still in my bag, which took almost two days to catch up with me. I was very blessed to have minimal jet lag and no altitude sickness. I’d taken several precautions to avoid both, like hydration, homeopathy, and staying mentally on Denver time from when I’d left Adelaide.
 |
Behind my brother’s house is a bluff from which you can see the outskirts of Denver with the snow-capped Rocky Mountains behind them.
 It’s easier to see the Rockies to the West of Denver in this photo than in the pano above. The remainder of my time in Denver was pretty much the same: walks and runs with Moose, visiting with Jon’s family whenever we found some time together, watching movies together after dinner, and just relaxing without deadlines and road trips and errands and ministry activities! Some stellar visitors also showed up: Emilie (Suzanne’s niece with whom I’d stayed earlier in the week in Australia) with her three adorable boys, and Lucie’s parents. I thoroughly enjoyed playing surrogate Grandma with Emilie’s family as we played at the playground and went out for lunch. Ange and Wayne came for family dinner on my last evening before returning to Philadelphia, as well as Ava’s friend Sarah. Good times, good people, lots of laughter, family at its best.
My last steps include the photos below, which I cannot convince Blogger to rearrange chronologically, nor to add captions. So I thank you for walking the path with me from Philadelphia to points West, then back again. To be continued next year, with ministry and adventures in Australia again!
       |