Mudgee and Gulgong

Nine hours in the car, two churches, a choice of 12 cafés, many people to catch up with and some very faithful pray-ers. 

Mattias with a new book at the café.
We had Penny Panda for the weekend. 

We spent this past weekend at Mudgee and Gulgong Presbyterian Churches. Mudgee is around 3 1/2 hours from our house in Randwick, which is quite an ask for the kids to sit still in the back seat. When we arrived in Mudgee we headed for a café and with mines close by and Mudgee becoming a tourist destination, the main street has a plethora of cafés, in fact at least 12 that we were told. 

We then had an afternoon tea where we shared what has been happening over the past four years face to face with a group from Mudgee church. It was an encouraging time for all of us. We were really encouraged by their questions and interest in the work in Loja and especially for their genuine care when we shared with them. 

After the afternoon tea in Mudgee we headed another 1/2 north-west to Gulgong. A small place, with a special charm and appeal. We arrived at our hosts house where the key was left in the letterbox and dinner on the stove. What great hosts Vaughan and Ali were. We stayed the night there and our hosts eventually came home after a party. We enjoyed getting to know one another before we slept in the quietest town that we know of (although our kids were all noisy). 

The band at church

Sunday morning came on slowly thanks to daylight saving changes and having the extra hour to get ready the six kids before church was helpful for all of us. We then headed into church where I (John) preached and we gave a presentation about the work in Ecuador. 

BBQ being served off the ute

After the church service we managed some morning tea with those at the church and heard from a lady who had been praying for the past four years for Oswaldo every day. It was a great time for all of us and it was topped off with a visit from my nephew Ben with family, cousin Rodney and family (all from Gyrie), and Karine's sister Jodie with family (from Molong). It was great to have some lunch with them and the back of the ute as a dining table made us feel especially welcome to country NSW. 

Thanks for your hospitality everyone and for the way that you welcomed us into your lives once again. 

Café in Mudgee

Karine - the wife

Evie thinking about her nuggets

Smiley Annalise

Mudgee kids

Straight roads

Yes, they are all Woldhuises by name!

The BBQ crew

New friends