Outdoor Kiwi Classroom #3

On Wednesday, we met for class on a local farm. Half the students worked on the farm, while the other half talked with me about the reading, and then the two groups switched. Is work a blessing or a curse? We were called to be keepers and tenders of the earth BEFORE the curse, so when is work a blessing? What makes for meaningful work?

Marcel (below) is playing Gloucester in King Lear who goes from pride to despair (which Berry identifies as the two false feelings) and finally ends up in hopeful healing (after surviving an attempted 'jump' from what he thinks is the top of the cliffs of Dover). His son made him think he was committing suicide, but when the attempt failed, he awoke to a new apprec- iation of his life--neither proud nor in despair. How do we build hope in the face of either pride of human achievement or the despair of failed achievement? Wendell Berry and Shakespeare have some pretty good ideas about that. (hint--it involves others helping us realize how big life is and how small we are in comparison--and it results in us engaging in good, meaningful work).

Outdoor Kiwi Classroom #2

This was another location for one of our class sessions (below is a shot from a distance with us on top of the rock next to the ocean). This session was on the GOODness of all God's creation (and what implications that has for how we understand evil). This has to be one of the best class settings I've ever experienced--I was a bit nervous about falling 50 feet if I got too excited about what I was saying and took a step backwards. But it was worth the risk.

One sometimes has the fear that meeting outside will be too 'DIS- TRACTING' but to be sure, some- times our insulated ideas and sterile classrooms can also distract us from the overwhelming goodness of God's creation. I also liked getting to continue discussing these ideas as we continued our walk along the peninsula.

Outdoor Kiwi Classroom #1

Tuesday morning instead of being in a classroom, we hiked around the peninsula, over white limestone rocks, walking in silence 'reading nature' while stepping over the many shelled creatures and trying to keep our distance from the ripe-smelling seals sunbathing on the rocks. Finally we came to our first spot to talk about that morning's reading and this was our classroom. I've taught this material before, but for some reason, being out there discussing these things made a much deeper impression on me, and the discussion went in directions it had never gone before. For example, these great students were giving me all sorts of Biblical reasons why I as the "Stick Man" should relate to the earth differently. That is, why should a person who is convinced that it is 'my God-given duty to dominate, control and use the earth as I please' stop beating the earth and start relating to it as a fellow creature who is put in charge of caring for it? Let's just say 'stick man' was not easily convinced. Good understanding of Scripture was needed, for sure, but it would take more than that to convince me to change the way I relate to creation. Stick man remained stick man for the day.

Arrived in NZ

The good news was that I got to the airport on time (thanks Tim).
The bad news was that the airline said I didn't have a ticket or a visa.
The good news was that they realized I didn't need a visa, and I indeed had a ticket.
The bad news was that the flight to LA was almost 2 hours late.
The good news is that after running and rushing through security, I made it onto the flight to the Air New Zealand 747.
The bad news is that the people with my luggage did NOT run (and so it didn't arrive for another two days).
The good news was that I didn't have to spend the night in LA (because I made my flight).
The bad news was that I was stuck in the middle seat in the middle row in the back of a section.
The good news is that I'm not claustraphobic.
The bad news is that after the person in front leaned back, and those on both sides fell asleep, I became claustraphobic.
The good news is that the flight was only 12 hours long.
The bad news was that the flight was 12 hours long.
The good news is that I made it there.
The bad news is that I was still two hours from where I was headed.
The good news is that I finally got there, and on my first full day got to climb up Mt. Fyffe (see picture--and thanks Curtis for hiking with me).
The bad news is we didn't leave in time to get up to the top and back
The good news was that hey, I'm in New Zealand near the top of a mountain looking at the sea.
Good to be here.
I'm pointing to where the site of the school is located--at the Old Convent. We then hiked down the mountain and biked back to where I'm pointing.