Canterbury

Donald and Chris
Stella, Gwen and Katie

Today is Thursday. Yesterday we went to Canterbury. We saw a lot of old buildings and walked around the town. It was a fun day. Chris and Stella have taken time off work to be with us which is really nice. We have been having a great time with them – lots of laughing and joking around as well. It is nice to see where they live and actually stay with them.

Katie has an amazingly heavy cold, even though she has been taking her antihistamine! Yesterday we got her a bottle of otrivin and at least last night she was able to get a more restful sleep. I sure hope it doesn’t end up in an ear infection like it usually does in NZ and that it clears up before we get back on another plane. She is doing amazingly well even with the late nights and early mornings – although I must admit that she is still in bed as I write this and it is 8.00am! Not like her at all.

Yesterday we were inside looking at the Canterbury Cathedral – it was amazing although I wouldn’t want our church to be like it! There were groups of children on a school trip and we decided to listen in. He was telling the children about Thomas Beckett, who ended up being an arch bishop. Anyway the guide continued to tell the children that Thomas Beckett had excommunicated 3 other priests and the children were then told that once you were excommunicated you then go to hell! It was a good teaching time about salvation with Katie and that once you are saved we are always saved and it doesn’t matter what others say! (the men were excommunicated because the priest didn’t approve of something they did – which wasn’t a sin – they simply had offended him). It was very interesting that they were allowed to talk like that to the kids on a school trip – we can’t in NZ! I just wanted to grab the kids and take them out of there and tell them the truth!

We also walked around a castle in ruins and also on the old city wall. What an amazing day we had. Katie has been learning lots about the history in London. She has also been very excited when she knew some of the facts that she had learned from school in Church History Lessons. All of a sudden her Church History lessons have come to life – well sort of.

Chris wanted to do go on a punting boat so we all went punting on the river at Canterbury and through the country side.

Home again and a late night for Katie again. Ohhhh well I guess we will be home soon enough for her to catch up on sleep.