E-BLAST - 2 SEPTEMBER 2012

Mark and Delma at Australasian Religious Press Association - ARPA annual conf., 6-9 Sept (this week) Wellington NZ (held every 5th year in NZ) along with  two young writers Belinda Croft and Laura Veloso (first young writers to ARPA).

Photo - Salley 22 graduates Accountancy 5 October ACU Sydney, first job interview Tuesday this past week for a junior accountancy type job, Thursday was offered a position, starts on Monday (tomorrow), at head office, Carlton (Sydney Sth). Wesley has loaned Salley his car for several months, learnt manual gear change (here celebrating). 

E-BLAST - 26 AUGUST 2012

Delma at the northern rivers Christian Women Communicating International (CWCI) annual conference, Lennox Head last weekend.

Delma is involved in two KYB groups (CWCI): Tweed Heads Presbyetrian (Wednesdays) and the Baptists (Thursdays).This conference brings the regions KYB groups together along with CWCI supporters.

Delma enjoys these CWCI conferences, catches up with ladies from the region.  

FARMFEST TICKET HOLDER N0. 1

FarmFest 2012 is being held 9 Sept., at Midge Point (includes Bloomsbury - Laguna Quays - the Carlisle Coast - Whitsundays mainland). FarmFest promotes all things rural and semi-rural. It is a fund raiser for the regional school at Bloomsbury. 

Mark and Delma attended last year which was the inaugurial FarmFest hosted by friend and local developer Garry Poole. Farmfest hosts everything from light aircraft, farm equipment, farm animals, the SES, vintage cars, stalls of all varieties, real estate, coffee and tea .....

On their recent visit to Laguna Quays Respite visiting Garry Poole they became 2012 FarmFest Ticket Holder No 1 -  Photo is Mark handing to Garry the $5. . 

E-BLAST - 19 AUGUST 2012

Laguna Quays Respite "green house" / "shade house" is now operational. The shade cloth fitted perfectly, the aluminium shelves now have pots and hay (we were given a bale of hay).

Garry Poole gave us additional plants, horse manure and soil and we've planted additional passion fruits along the fences and numerous other plants. It was a short and very relaxing visit after Melbourne's busyness. Tweed Heads last Thursday. 

DELMA ON SEWIMG MACHINE

Delma on her Mother's Day gifted sewing machine that is left at the Laguna Quays Respite cottage.

2nd bedroom is turned into Delma's office when we visit: card making craft on the desk, sewing machine at the end of the desk, keyboard for playing and singing hymns, the single bed for reading.

September two mission visits of two weeks each. October, three missionary visits. We stand in awe of the Lord.

E-BLAST - 12 AUGUST 2012

Melbourne young writers - Saturday night a dinner, very enjoyable and hilarious. It was the first time Mark and Delma had met Annamarie one of our Sport writers who is currently engaged in a Sport Science degree.

Group suggested that next year's young writers mini-conference be held in Melbourne to coincide with the Australasian Religious Press Association annual conference which we attend.

Dinner photo - from the left - John, Laura, Rusell, Belinda, Ben and Annamarie. We caught up with Jeremy on Friday, Merewyn was ill and Rosie was away.

TONY DUNKERLEY

Melbourne - Once again it was a great joy being entertained by Tony Dunkerley over Friday lunch. Tony is the immediate past President of the Victorian Football Association, Junior Football Commissioner, fmr Joeys Assistant Coast and fmr Victorian Under 21 Coach.  

Tony Dunkerley has accompanied Mark on innumerable Country Town Tours around Australia as a soccer coach and guest speaker. He has given numerous seminars on mentoring.

During our Melbourne visit we caught up with numbers of mission associated people including mission agencies in relation to the Laguna Quays Respite cottage for missionaries.

LAGUNA QUAYS RESPITE GREEN HOUSE

Sean Spencer in his engeering shop painting the green house frame. The original frame was bought over from the Laguna Quays Respite cottage where the rusted sections were cut out, a new leg attached then rust proofed and two coats of paint. A potting tray on each side is being secured, shade cloth attached with galvanised strapping.

Many missionaries enjoy gardening and potting which is very relaxing. Gary Poole provided soil and horse manure, there are pots available and designated areas for planting. Moreover Delma is our green thumb.

We visited Laguna Quays Respite for a very short stay after a hectic period developing the New Zealand young writers and then the Melboune mission.

E-BLAST - 5 AUGUST 2012

2012 Basil Sellers $100,000 Sport-Art Prize in Melbourne was once again remarkable. Mark and Delma were guests of Mr Basil Sellers AM.

1968 was one of the entries and being an Olympic year it fascinated Mark as this was a scene from the 1968 Mexico Olympics when USA 200 metre sprinters Tommy Smith (Gold medallist) and John Carlos (Bronze medallist) raised their blacked gloved fists (Black Power). Australia's Peter Norman (recently died) was the Silver Medallist.

Mark was 17 at the time and moving toward his peak athletic and hockey years and recalled this incident well. Delma said she was 15 and also recalls it. It is one of the most highly recognised images of athletic history.

NICK FARR-JONES

Nick Farr-Jones is one of three Judges for the Basil Sellers Sport-Art Prize in Melbourne. It was lovely catching up. Nick was the 1991 Rugby World Cup winning Wallaby Captain. He and Jeanine Treharne opened Basil Sellers House in Moruya in 1992. Delma and Mark were guests in their home in Paris a few years later in their years in France and they have kept in touch over the years.

Nick was very interested in the "Life After Sport" athletes issues whether they be cricketers, Olympians, rugby players ... whatever.

In the background is the winning art entry of the typical nicknames of identities (in your team). Mark said it was brilliant as he could identify all those in his hockey team back in the 70s.