sustain:if:able kiwi

a year ago: reflections on trans tasman crossings

It was during these September days a year ago that the Taylor family made public what was an enormously difficult decision, that of a transition to Australia: Baptist-on-loan; Kiwi-in-exile! It was a decision we’d been processing in a range of ways since May of 2009, with wise friends, with family, with Church Board, with spiritual directors.

It lead to a year of goodbyes and hellos, of last things and first things. A year shaped forever by the welcome to Australia teaching load that greeted me. To use gardening metaphors, of cutting roots and transplanting trees, of watering, watering, watering, watering in dry Aussie soils, of seeing first signs of new shoots. Of accents across denominations and countries.

We’re still taking root and as part of that it seems important to note the anniversary. To look back over the guidance and the dreams and the needs. All of the Taylors are looking forward – to a year when energy can go into simply dwelling, and not simply surviving through the summer heat of transplanting.