I arrived home on Tuesday, January 29th at 6am after an overnight flight from Melbourne to Hong Kong. My Monday was spent with friends that have developed in Melbourne. The temperature was a great 24C (75F) and before my midnight flight I had dinner at an outdoor cafe with my host family, The McKenzie's. This is my fourth year of staying with them and they minister to international university students from various nations by having the students stay in their home.
The last day of the tournament (Sunday) I attended the final of both mixed doubles and men's singles. I knew the teams well in the mixed doubles and spent time with both teams before, during and after the match. I did not know either player in the singles final with only the briefest of family contact with one of the players. It reminds me that I have to keep reaching out to all the new comers as the younger players arrive on the tennis tour. Read how the last week of relationship building went at the tournament on the 'The Daily Verse blog'.
Arrived home back in Hong Kong and my family is great. Thank you for all those who have been praying for my family. I saw Ashley, my six year old, getting on the school bus. Joshua, my 18 month old, kind of blinked, did not smile and then later came around wanting me to pick him up. (yes, I do call home every night where ever I am in the world, but it is not the same as face to face) Joshua has a cold and is on medication. My wife arrived home from teaching school and we opened the gifts that I had brought from Australia for my family. Fruit cakes, T-shirts, caps, the free Qantas Airline child goody bag and a tournament sponsor bag of health care products. Thank God, for family!
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