The sea sparkles, stretched taut like a shimmering silver blue cloth, the edges creasing against green land and frothing on black rocks. The plane swoops and circles over cars crawling like ants on ram-rod straight roads, the city of Auckland congealed around ocean bays and lagoons, it's suburbs scattered across the horizon as we land.
The rhythmic clunks of the baggage carousel gently and unhurriedly deliver our long-since parted from belongings. It takes a second turn on the belt before I remember what my bags look like and hoik the 30kgs which should prepare me for a year of NZ summer, autumn, winter and spring.
I'm met on the other side by Sarah who transferred from CAP UK earlier this year and she takes me straight to the office of CAP NZ to meet the team. My new desk is decorated with balloons and a glimmering golden welcome message smiles up at me across the keyboard. After a tour, history lesson, acclimatisation period and meet & greet session we head out for a bite to eat, before I let my tired body sleep a full twelve hours of uncramped, painless oblivion.
Thursday morning is an exciting day as we celebrate reaching 1,000 lifechangers - that's one thousand passionate & generous New Zealanders who are committed to supporting the life changing work of CAP through a regular donation. How exciting!
I spend the week doing work similar to what I did at CAP UK, but also quite different – this time calling churches to see if they are interested in training in the money management course CAP Money. Exciting and exhilarating, I love having these conversations with amazing church pastors who are so passionate about serving and loving their communities!
