Hello there.  We're now putting lots more photos of some of our travels, etc, on a separate webpage from our main photo page.  The photos connect to the background info on each one.  Hope you like it!

To Turkey, and more especially, Gallipoli - birthplace of the ANZAC spirit.

In 2004, on our way home from Africa, we detoured from the UK and Lifeline stuff for two weeks - covering the western half of Turkey - the "seven churches of Revelation" district, plus Cappadocia and Iconium (of Acts), a host of other fascinating places of history and great beauty (enough to fill a separate website); and of course, no Aussie or Kiwi can go through that part of the world without detouring through the Gallipoli peninsula on the Dardanelles.

Anzac Day (April 25, 1915), and all it represents (voluntary sacrifice; laying down your life for what you believe in [even when victory is NOT assured!], mateship, perseverance under hardship, etc, etc) has been very dear to us for many years.  When we first moved to Sydney in 1974, I (Brian) regularly visited an old Christian man slowly dying in hospital.  It turned out that he was a Gallipoli veteran, shot up, and discharged.  He would lie back, close his eyes, and go back there, and recount in vivid detail what it was like on that unprotected, tiny beach (Anzac Cove), the cowardice of their British officers (who abandoned their Aussie and Kiwi charges for the safety of the warships offshore), and the bravery of men doing their best to keep their mates alive in dreadful circumstances.

What he didn't mention though was the valour and nobility of the Turkish infantry under General Kemal Ataturk, who later went on to become the Father of modern Turkey.  How that, after the New Zealanders took the top of the peninsula (at Cannuk Bair), Ataturk was shot and wounded (saved by a tobacco tin that bore the brunt of the bullet in his chest), then rallied his men to repulse the Kiwis two days later, and effectively turn the campaign back to defeat the Allies.

After Ataturk came to power in the mid-1920's he moved to ensure the memory of the dead soldiers of BOTH SIDES would remain revered for ages to come.  His famous quote is on these photos we took there on a very, very moving day in 2004....  well worth reading (click on all photos for a full-size version).....  There were many tears as we walked the paths, stood quietly - laid low by the spectre of sacrifice and war.

Ataturk's declaration memorial at the tiny beach - ANZAC cove	The Lone Pine and its graves >>		Lone Pine war-dead description
view to beach from Lone Pine	Lone Pine trenches	Cannuk Bair Kiwi memorial	The summit twin memorials

In 1934 Atatürk wrote a tribute to the ANZAC's killed at Gallipoli:  This inscription appears on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, ANZAC Parade, Canberra.

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.

We inserted this part of our travelogue in the very early hours of ANZAC Day, 2008, with our flag lowered to half-mast on the flagpole in front of our house.  We are still not ashamed to weep at the memory of such sacrifice.

Another great soldier, the Father of another kind of nation, once said...  "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another....   My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.   (John 13:34-35  15:12-13).  We could (and do) follow such a great leader - One who not only gave a clear order, and built the ultimate mateship among His followers, but went ahead and led by example! 

LEST WE FORGET......  

(and there's more on our Turkey travels on older updates under July 2004).

March 2003.  We went back to NZ for some church ministry in Auckland and Palmerston North.  It had been 41/2 years since Brian had been back "home" and about eight for Elizabeth.  The timing fitted in with the jubilee of Brian's old high school, St Kentigern College, in Auckland.  We'd had some email contact with various ex-students after 40 years of silence!  The week of celebrations was a horrible shock - how old and worn out they all looked...  Except for Barry Dudley, the maths master who terrified us all with his ability to cane harder than anyone else.  He attended the Old Boys dinner and hadn't changed much.  Turned out he was only 28 when teaching us, and at 69 looked remarkably fit.  After plucking up courage to speak to him, I told him of my conversion to Christ at University after leaving school.  This (now) mild-mannered man then smiled and said he too had found Christ 20 years ago!

Unfortunately, we were burgled after arriving home and our camera (with undeveloped film) was stolen, so no pictures except for the grainy video shots.  The video itself turned out AOK.  The highlight was meeting several former masters.  Stanley Mair told us about the Headmaster's death at 63, and amazed us all with his clear memories of how we were and what we got up to!

Then we drove to Palmerston North via Rotorua and stayed with our dear friends, John and Yvonne Walton, in their new house (which they had just sold!).  Their church is as enjoyable as ever.  But the highlight was to catch up with Maggie Plane, the lady I met from Zimbabwe two years ago as she was emigrating, whom I referred to New Life Church (in her street!).  Maggie took us home for a genuine sudza dinner with her extended family!  Sudza in NZ!  What is the world shrinking to???  

Five area trip April 2002 (some church stuff, some holidays).  Qantas ran a special deal in 2001 to wash off some of their excess liability for redeeming outstanding frequent flyer points on their VISA card, and this is what we came up with (just before Sept 11!)....  Garry McMahon loaned us his digital video/camera, and we updated this webpage as we travelled along.  Click on the ones that interest you.