Final thank you to Australia

As we are about to leave Australia for Timor, Indonesia, for a week, it is time to say farewell. We want to thank the Deputies for Theological Education for inviting us and organizing so many aspects of our stay here. It has been delightful!

Here is picture of them on one final evening.

Richard Heerema, Jim VanderPlas, Gerhard Visscher, 

Rev. Ed Rupke, Mark Hoogerdijk

The Deputies presented us with a wonderful gift just before leaving: 

a vase handcrafted from Jarrah wood by FRCA's own world-renowned Jack de Vos

We were so impressed with the gift that we took the time to visit Jack and his wife Ina.  

Here he is at home with one of his many pieces.

And here he is in his workshop, busy with yet another.

You can see more of his work on www.jackdevos.com

On our last Sunday, May 25, it was a privilege to preach in Armadale FRC (above).

Afterwards, the church organized a coffee fellowship to bid us farewell. 

A couple pics of the farewell social.

We want especially to thank Alwyn and Anne Terpstra. During our Western Australia time, we were privileged to stay in the flat behind their house. Even better than that, we were privileged to enjoy their hospitality and build a meaningful friendship with them and their two daughters, Tanya and Melissa. 

It has been a pleasure to be here, to speak, to meet so many of the brothers and sisters, to dialogue about matters related to CRTS on so many fronts, and to encourage future students. We feel like we have gained a lot of new friends and that we have a much better understanding of the context in which the Free Reformed Churches serve our one Lord and Maker.