Day 47: Copping with family

This Sunday we didn't drive anywhere, we barely set foot in the motorhome! I also took very few photos.

After breakfast we set off on foot for Copping Christian Fellowship and enjoyed a few hours with them: two hours of worship, then a couple of hours of chatting and eating afterwards. It was their monthly shared lunch and in typical country fashion put on a huge spread! A friend of David's cousin invited us and it was a delight to meet her and her son, so much so that we ended up staying with them in Hobart a couple of days later . . . but I'm getting ahead of myself. 

Sunset from the property

Just like the previous Sunday, we worshipped in a style that's a little different to our usual, but it was good, nonetheless. Their sheer friendliness and amazing welcoming style was very special. They were interested enough in us for several of them to find out that we are missionaries in Japan (not something we tell everyone we meet).

Our our way back up to our lodging, we stopped by David's aunt and uncle's place (they all live on one large property, but in separate houses). I'd never met his uncle and can't remember that I had actually met his aunt. Even though we'd just had a large lunch, we stopped for afternoon tea and cake!

After that we returned to our room and chatted for a little while with our sons, as is our usual habit on a Sunday afternoon. The difference while we're travelling is that our guys are using our house in Ipswich as a meeting spot for a few hours and we call them there. It's a little odd, but works. Unfortunately we haven't had much luck at getting WiFi on a Sunday, so our chats have often been short, without the usual playing of games.

We ate dinner with David's cousin and his partner, who we'd just met. Turns out she grew up in Toowoomba, just like me, and later on had studied in a similar field to me, so we had quite a bit in common to fuel conversation. 

It was lovely to spend the day out of the motorhome in real, solid buildings. And dare I mention showering in a shower in a private home?

Overall it was a delightful weekend. Enjoying the hospitality of strangers or distant relatives we hardly know always makes me feel a little nervous beforehand, but it worked out well and I'm thankful for this time to connect with three people David knew fairly well as a child.