September 1-7 Riverwalk and Measles

We walked along the Waikato RiverWalk in Chartwell this week.  That's a walk I could easily do every single day for the rest of my life.  It's not far from our flat and it's gorgeous.  We saw a Kingfisher bird.  Astoundingly beautiful.  The water is clear, the weather was perfect.  And the boats .... the steering wheel is on the left side when you're in the boat.  Driving on the opposite side, steering wheel, blinker signal is on the right .... We've been here a while and only Linda still seems to hit the windshield wipers upon intent to turn.  Pedestrians walk on the left, and boats .... boats have steering wheels opposite ours.   Why are Americans boat's steering wheels on the right anyway? 

We're loving New Zealand.  As missionaries, we're on a 6 week rotation that repeats. 

1.Transfer week:  Incoming and Outgoing missionaries and their interviews/Transfers and movement of missionaries.  A few trips to the Auckland Airport. Prep meals served at Zone Conference.

2.  Zone Conferences .... 5 different zones, all spaced pretty far apart in different locations

3.  Interviews of all missionaries... back in their boundaries.

4.  Catch up and Mission Leadership Council

5.  Get ready

6.  Pre transfer planning .... organize who will be going where next.

Things to consider:  Which areas have cars, which missionaries drive, who can walk or bike/who needs a car, Which missionaries have already been together, Who is a trainer/leader, Which Sisters are in the Online Teaching Center, How many incoming missionaries need trainers, How many flats are available/empty/needed. How many cars are available.  

Linda is passionate about keeping missionaries healthy and sends weekly health tips and recommendations reminding them to wash hands, drink water, spray their flat for bugs, wear sunscreen and avoid poor nutrition habits.  Many doctors visits and health issues are preventable.  We've seen a week with a serious spider bite that required IV antibiotics, Knee pain, metatarsal fractures (multiple), eye surgery, wisdom teeth removal and ongoing Physical therapy for rehabilitation after 2 wrist surgeries and cast removal.  And it's winter here, so we still have plenty of colds and flu.

The beginning of this week we were made aware of an outbreak of Measles in New Zealand.  There are now over 1100 cases reported. Update here:  https://www.immune.org.nz/hot-topic/measles-overseas-and-new-zealand  The majority of them are in South Auckland.  We found 6 missionaries in South Auckland who needed vaccinated.  We had those done on Tuesday.  Free clinics are all over Auckland because of the outbreak.  However, most states are required to send extra vaccines to Auckland, and so the rest of the country doesn't have as many as they used to.  Getting the rest of our missionaries protected was a little harder.  

Linda has been proactive and sees disease and the speed at which it spreads is alarming.  Learn here:  https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/what-are-epidemics-pandemics-outbreaks#1

When there's an outbreak, medical professionals have to start drawing lines.  Children became a priority, so vaccines were not available for anyone over 18 outside of Auckland.  We finally found 2 clinics who agreed to order some for the missionaries who need them.  Hopefully they arrive this week.  Thankfully, a person is 95% protected with just one dose.  So our focus is simply the first dose. 

If you're wondering why this wasn't accomplished prior to entry, it was for the vast majority.  However a large percentage of our missionaries are Islanders from outlying Pacific Islands who come here without any prior vaccination.  Sometimes it is done in their MTC locations, sometimes it is missed.  

Learning locations of clinics we can use and finding new ones has been consuming.  It is gradually improving and we will soon have a complete resource list!

Because this past week was interview week, we traveled again to some locations where we were able to take an evening and walk around Mount Maunganui.  It is surrounded by ocean. It's a great little hike where we saw seals and plenty of shells.  We did not make the summit (761 ft), as we were looking for the trail, and discovered it at the end of a leisure walk around the entire Mount.  We'll return at a later time! We also find evacuation routes in most buildings and churches, as well as posted on the beach which on this sign shows you the Mountain (Manganui) at the end.

We drove by the entrance to Hobbiton, down some open farmland.  We did manage to find another great fish restaurant.  Hoki is the fish in season and is plentiful everywhere right now. It also just happens to be the kind of fish used in fish sandwiches at McDonalds.

The "ALL Blacks" continue to dominate the rugby world here.  It's an ongoing topic of discussion and focus. 

People sometimes trip over themselves trying to read our name badges.  We love asking them if they've talked to missionaries before.  There are good people everywhere.  We seek to share anything that could lift and inspire them to know Christ and feel the peace he offers to all of us.  This Wednesday our missionaries are having a "finding fast" and are reaching out to find new people to teach and working diligently to seek those who are wanting to know the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ.  There are some inspiring missionaries here who love God and are great examples of his love.  We invite all to Come Unto Christ.