At the end of 1966 I left my home in Germany and arrived at Christmas time in Thailand to work there as a missionary.

Bantak in Thailand: Where I worked as a missionary

Image / Rachel Flintoff

In Mark 9:29,30 the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking about leaving home, leaving home for him and the gospel. He tells us also what the people who leave home for him and the gospel receive.

I did not leave home to receive anything, really. Receiving anything was in fact very far from my mind.

In these two verses the Lord is also speaking about the two ages, the present age and the age to come.

THE PRESENT AGE

Those who leave home will receive a hundred times as much; positive things are mentioned and one negative thing is mentioned.

Here are the six positive things, namely: HOMES, BROTHERS, SISTERS, MOTHERS, CHILDREN AND FIELDS. The negative thing is: PERSECUTION.

THE AGE TO COME

Those who leave home will receive eternal life in the age to come.

After working for 13 years in Thailand and almost 25 years in New Zealand as a missionary I can say that I have experienced what it says in Mark 10:29,30. Read also Matthew 19:29.

Siberian Husky

I have never been able to understand why people have pets, cats and dogs, for example; not really.

In her autobiography TO A DIFFERENT DRUM  the missionary Dr. Pauline G. Hamilton is writing about her dog.

The dog made her aware that there was a fire near her house by behaving strangely, where she lived at one stage of her life. Cinderella, the dog, kept her also from going to pick strawberries one morning. There was a poisonous snake in the patch. Once she was attacked and her Cindy bit the attacker in the leg and saved her.

But I understand now a little bit better why people have dogs.

Today I attended the Ringa Atawhai Healthy Lifestyle Hui (meeting) at Kaitaia Te Ahu Centre, Main Hall.

Te Ahu Ceentre

The invitation says: “Our Vision is to educate and inform whanau (family) on health services available in our community.

I picked up quite a bit of information material from the different stalls and also free giveaways, but as yet I have not looked at the information properely.

This is the book I am reading now:

“Alias Jungle Doctor”

KORU

“He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” – Proverbs 11:25