16 WEDNESDAY 22 December 2010
This Week
Cub Scouts leave no stone unturned in Marahau Richmond cub scouts went camping at Old MacDonalds farm at Marahau. This was the first camp for the summer for the cub pack with another planned for February. This activity required plenty of planning and was eagerly anticipated by all the cubs. Camping of course is one of the most enjoyed activities in the Scouting association. With the brilliant weather leading up to the camp leaders waited in excited anticipation. Sixteen eager cubs met at the Richmond Cub Den where gear was loaded onto trailers and final preparations made. Under the leadership of Allister Hungerford, Nathan Ricketts, Eunice Cresswell and Robyn Stallard the group departed to Old MacDonalds Farm for camp set-up. The first evening meal was a hangi with chicken, lamb, and all the usual vegetables included. While the underground feast was cooking campers wet off for Able Tasman National Park to Apple Tree Bay where they went swimming and sea biscuiting. Later the cub scouts learned how
to make snares to catch opossums and rabbits though none took the bait. Camp fire skits and songs were sung while mashmellows were toasted before a game of spotlight, hot milo and lights out at midnight. The next morning it was hangi patties off hobo stoves for breakfast some balloon popping fun followed by a ‘collect as many live things as you can’ competition. Cubs made rafts out of mussel floats lashed to manuka sticks and these were tested in the river. After a hearty meal of sausages, onions and bread the group returned to the den in Richmond. All cubs earned their cooking badge and a merit badge for completing another night away on a cub camp. Richmond cub scouts thank cooks David Hey and Steve Wilson for their participation. For more information about the Richmond Cub Pack you can contact Allister Hungerford (5447383) or any of the above named leaders. There are vacancies for the New Year with a number of cubs moving up to scouts. The age range for cubs is eight to 10 and a half years.
Cubs had great fun making rafts from mussell floats and manuka sticks
Just a thought - rain is an early Christmas present
It’s pretty sweet looking out the win- like. We wouldn’t be able to pray withdow at the moment, just days out from out some kind of ritual. But because Christmas Day and I’m watching an of Jesus coming at the first Christmas early Christmas present fall from the (and living and dying and rising), we sky. I bet there are plenty of farmers can talk to God anywhere, anytime, anyhow – no problems. rejoicing. We had just (And we don’t even need on two inches by 8 this to go through the palaver particular morning and Julia Roberts’ characby the middle of the ter did in the movie Eat day nearly three – that’s Pray Love. We can talk brilliant. (Typically I’m to God right where we now thinking that is are without getting all enough rain for the mospiritual or guru like). ment – we farming types Sadly, just as some peoare hard to please). The ple underestimate the rain is money falling value of the rain to our from the sky. I’m not district, too many peosure of the value of the ple underestimate the rain in dollar terms, but value of the first Christit would be a lot of monmas gift, of Jesus Christ, ey. For sure some of our Jon Parkes of God become human. blueberries have split; I St David’s But as the words of U2’s guess that’s part of the Presbyterian Church song “City of Blinding mystery of “blessing”. Lights” say, “Blessings Anyway, I was thinking about the rain as an early Christ- are not just for the ones who kneel... mas present, and how as a gift, it is luckily.” We might not know it, but the really helping our district so much. life of Jesus Christ impacts us all, we And perhaps some people don’t real- are incredibly blessed. ise the value of that gift. The rain has And so, knowing that for some people been desperately needed. Just think for 2010 was not a good year, and for otha second if it had not rained a week ers it was, on behalf of all priests, pasout from Christmas, and what if it had tors, ministers and church leaders in not rained until next autumn – things our district, with the full implication of the following words even if you don’t would become a real mess. This has caused me to think of Jesus. believe them, May God Bless you richThe ultimate in gifts, the original gift, ly this Christmas and in 2011. the one in whom all people can walk “The LORD bless you and keep you; and talk with God. If it wasn’t for Je- the LORD make his face shine on you sus we’d be stuffed, we’d be in a real and be gracious to you; the LORD mess. Death would be the destroyer of turn his face toward you and give you us all. We wouldn’t know what God is peace.” (Numbers 6: 24 – 26)
Richmond Cub Scouts, from left: Aiden Stallard, Ewan Hey, Simon McDonald-Ball, Oscar Doty (behind) and Josh Cresswell prepare for an evening of campfire fun
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