A Christmas Note from the Davidsons

Christmas makes us think of other Christmas’s and celebrations, each one special.
We were remembering how Joel had a line in a Christmas play. ‘Out the back!’
The line of the Inn keeper which he delivered to tired travelers and excited shepherds,
‘Out the back!’

Out the back, was where it was all happening, God becoming Man, Jesus being born, the A& Z who writes celebration into our lives.

Out the back is where it has been happening for us.
Karen flying many, many miles to isolated cattle Stations to hold clinics.

In Tennant Creek I have enjoyed helping teaching circus skills at Youth Linx, being involved in the Desert Harmony Celebration and Ukulele group plus working in the Op Shop and taking occasional church services.

Karen is the pianist at church, and plays in the Ukulele group and manages the Op shop, in Tennant Creek weekends always seem busy.

Out the back a lot happens and God shows up in many disguises.
We shouldn’t be surprised, for one of his many names is Immanuel , God with us. .

We are going home to NZ for Christmas with very flexible plans. ‘Just get here! ‘ Was the word we received from the Reefton Roughie.

Joel and Tuiana will be with us. Tuiana is settling back to life in NZ living in Nelson.

Karen has settled in quickly to her new job at Aniginini Aboriginal Health Corporation . In the New Year she will be off to some of the out the back clinics, helping them improve their service. She has already been down to a couple of clinics out from Alice to learn the ropes.

We a have a, new Indian Son Prabhu living with us, and enjoying Robert and Michael living close by.

This note comes with our best wishes and prayers for you that Christmas will be great and you will enjoy God’s gift in the coming year.

For us a child is born,
for us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulders
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Arohanui

Ian, Karen Joel Tuiana & Prabhu

Well here we are nearly knocking on the door of December with  all the joy of

Christmas celebrations waiting for us to enjoy with family  and friends.

Again  we  have the opportunity to say,’ thank you God  for Christmas ‘ for  the real Christmas, God becoming  human and living among us. A wonder and well worthy of all the songs and stars .

You can see where my head is at present as time seems to rush by.

I was thinking the other day in retirement I have plenty of time to do things, on the other hand, the hourglass sands are on the running out side ,and yet there are so many things yet to do,experience, celebrate and share.

The pictures that come with this show something of our  travel to Maroochydoor. 

We saw Tuiana  working hard  as  Nanny and was able to enjoy some picnics with the children . Joel came over for a fortnight and I went back for a couple of weeks in Auckland.

I was well looked after  there and Allan took me down to visit our Great Uncle Jack who shared with us some of  our family history.

It was good to spend time there with Allan and Margaret and to see Joel at work.

Karen came back, to go on her last Barkly Areo Medical visit around the Stations as she had taken up another job. She was sad to say goodbye to those she has been looking after.

Because Karen changes jobs we also had to shift houses, only 2 doors, closer to Robert but quite an effort in the very hot sun, smaller house with no view, but the  house is ok. I was still in N ew Zealand so they tell me I have a debt to the shifters still.

Karen is now the CQI facilitator for the Barkly Region, based at Anyinginyi Aboriginal Corporation, she had the responsibility of Anyinginyi and 5 Department of health clinics  , so she will still have some travel out to remote areas.

The job is about best practice and quality audits, at present she is working on the accreditation   for  the Anyinginyi Health centre, so lots of meeting s . Karen has been to Darwin for training for a week and looking at going to Alice springs next week to work with another CQI Facilitator.

I have been enjoying making some wooden toys of late wooden puppets that dance when I play the Ukulele and am selling them at markets here.  I call them the hand carved original Blain St Dancers .

I  have been making Incredibly  Secret Hooey Sticks!!

We head  home on the 22^nd Dec joining Wrighty’s Marae for Christmas

Arohanui

Ian and Karen

Desert Harmony

It was good to part of the Desert Harmony Festival here at Tennant Creek.
The youth night went off well, with a lot a young people performing on stage under the stars.
Click here for Barkly Regional Arts and Desert Harmony  you never know who you'll see.
I rode my bike in the Parade through town making bubbles as I went along.

 I also had a spot doing some comedy magic with Emma from Barkly Arts at the Alice Desert Festival performing in a circus tent.

 Karen is back today after another Barkly Mobile Medical run out to the stations. The satellite computer let them down so were back to paper notes. Weather wise it is getting hot up in the 30+ these days. Karen said it was in the forties when getting back into the plane sitting on the station airstrips.

We are are enjoy having Prabhu living with us a the moment. He works for the Department of Families and Children. He is a good cook as and often gives us a taste of or India.

 He gave me a T shirt for my Birthday which says. I'm Not 71, I'm 18 With 53 yrs Experience.

 Robert and Michael gave me a 'one hundred and one cheeky dogs" T shirt, and yes there 101 dogs on it. This T shirt has been personalised for me.

On the right sleeve it says; Hearing Aid, Wallet Diary, pen , Bagpipes, Whistle. On the left sleeve, Glasses, Bag, Bike, Keys, Banjo. I don't have to get a tattoo on my arm to remember things after all.

Karen, gave me an ipad so I am learning about App's and apple things,its good Prabhu here to help.

 Joel and Tuiana also spoilt me. Many happy memories of a year ago at Marehau.
This year I wasn't abducted !

We have been busy in the Op shop here as well as in the local church.

 I'll sign off with four words from Philippians 3:1 Be glad in God.

 God Bless you

Arohanui Ian and Karen

click here for web album

The Democratic Set - Tennant Creek blog post - teabagcreek@gmail.com - Gmail

This is short film showing something of Tennant Creek I am playing the Jews harp and being a mad hatter watch for that..Karen and Tuinana are sweetly singing Blue moon

Click here - to view the project

The Democratic Set - Tennant Creek from Back to Back Theatre on Vimeo.
Performing Lines, Back to Back Theatre, Barkly Regional Arts and Artback NT: Arts Development and Touring present The Democratic Set, filmed at Tennant Creek Civic Hall on 22 – 24 May 2012.

Democratic Set is toured by Performing Lines for Mobile States, with the support of the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and through the national performing arts touring program, Playing Australia.

August update from Ian and Karen

Allan and Margaret seeing Karen and the Dr off around the Stations 

The satellite computer all set up at Brunnette Downs with a helpful dog 

We had a day at Elliot for the opening a building for Families as First Teachers. Karen was popular with the fave painitng . I was busing making balloon animals.

Chris the secretary of the office retired so I make some flowers and a princess love heart wand. 

Elliot beauty with painted face. 

Second hand shop sign in Alice Springs. 

This car caught my eye

Star light by candle the first outing of many  lanterns which will apear on Friday at Anyinginyi Manu  Desert Harmony Festival at  Nyinkka Nyunyu.

This is where the Nyinkka Nyunyu lives in these rock the spiky tail goanna. Fast asleep the other night when I was there.

We have practicing hard an over the rainbow performance the touble is every week we have a differen't lot of children.

Emma is very patient and it will come toegether on the night.

I will send some more pictures of the event.

Tak care

Arohanui

Ian and Karen

                  

Some recent pictures of Elliot and Tennant Creek activities

Click here to go to web abum

What has been happening from Ian and Karen

Hi I tried to stream the pictures but I seem to be missing one step so after a morning of trying I am trying this so I hope the numbers print to pictures on the blog. Oh the wonders of didgital technology. I

Tuiana has gone to work in Brisbane we miss her not being here. She left in the night and arrived at Mt Isa next morning and caught a plane from there in the evening.  Yes sometimes it gets cold at night here but not often.

 I enjoyed being part of the holiday programme at Tennant Creek working with Emma.

At Elliot with Karen and Robert ,Kangaroo and bush turkey for tea ,I did a magic show Karen cooked and painted faces.

Celebrating Territory day plenty of fireworks at Tenant Creek. The girls here will miss Tuianans'  beauty treatment. 

Show day was fun again, Karen and Robert were busy on a health promotion stall.That not it in the boxing pavilion.

Karen has been out recently around the Stations. She is off to Alice next week for a course so we head down on Saturday.

I have been  enjoying  Ephesisans of late .  I'll share with you I have put in a song prayer (chords on request)


I give thanks for you
and, I ask for you
that you may have the Spirit of wisdom
and revelation
so you may know him
and run the race in joy of his grace
knowing him


God Bless 
Arohanui
Ian and Karen

Kakadu and Kathine Gorge

NZ. Kakadu Tennant Creek Plus...

This occasional blog seems quite occasional of late. Due to travel here and there.

When here at Tennant Creek we have been been busy Karen with health and I have been helping with Psycus helping with barbecue to feed the hungry performers, the Op shop and church and Barkly Arts and Bugs Barkly Ukulele Group.

We enjoyed a quick trip home to celebrate Molly Wright's 21st a happy occasion, the four days travel there and back was well worth it. Home is where the heart is!

Sorry if you didn't see us this as time was pretty tight, we kept moving as we seem to do here, busy in one place and soon somewhere else.

Karen was straight back on the Areo medical run around the stations and I was off to Ali Kuruung to do a magic show for a health expo in the community there.
I have also had a magic show for a birthday party here.
We have played the Ukulele's at open mike sunset concert at Nikiniyu Artists market.

Karen was grounded at one of the stations for while as they had a bird strike and engineers had to fly out from Alice to check the plane.
She is very brave, and always seems to have an adventure of some sort.

After being here for year she is also very popular helping those who are so isolated often getting phone calls between visits for advise.

We had a John Flynn celebration at the mission hut at church. We moved all the clothes out of the Op shop and the Country Women's Association put on a high tea which was delicious.
It is 100 years of work by the Australian Inland Mission. John Flynn is featured on the $20 note he headed up the mission and started the Flying Doctor service.

We have been to Alice for Karen to get a broken tooth fixed and also meet Karens sister Thelma and Roger off the Ghan they had come up from Adelade. They are with us for three weeks.
They came to Elliot where Robert and Karen were working in the community doing public health re drugs and alcohol

Queens Birthday Australia, this past weekend we went back up to Eliot for the night Karen dropped of medicine at the clinic. Next day it was off to Mataranka for a swim
in the hot creek there on the edge of Kakadu National Park.
We went on and stayed at Katherine going up the Gorge in Nitimuluk (place of the Cicada) National park.

We did the two gorge trip with Thelma and Roger saw a number of crocodiles and stunning sights of the gorge and its history.

Karen and Roger so taken by it wanted to see from the air so they went on two hour flight over Kakadu in a small fixed wing aircraft.

We swam again at Mataranka on our way home yesterday.
Today Karen is yet flying again she was off this morning to Lake Nash by the Queensland border to help out at the clinic there for the week, she flies back Friday.

Well must try and get this posted as they say I'll finish with some local wisdom I heard the other day,

No one owns the land.

The land owns you.

Listen to the land.

Keep in touch

God bless, Arohanui

Ian Karen and Tuinana

(and the Wilson Eggeling Mob)

May

  Thought it was hight time I let you know what we are doing. Karen always seems to be out, coming back or getting ready to go again on the Barkly Areomedical Mobile.

She his getting to ready to go out again after next week.  So has been getting supplies, immunizations and prescription etc are up to date.
rontacting the stations and the Dr. r and a new pilot this time. He went  on the last run with the pilot who has been doing it for a long time.


I have been enjoying working  with Psycus Cirucus who have been teaching circus skills   here.
We are also enjoying being part of Bugs Barkly Ukele Group. We even have played at a couple of local events.  It is fun playing with others and getting to know more people here.

We are involved in the Op Shop at the Church , I have been taking a service every three weeks. Karen is the main person on the piano.
Tuiana is enjoying work at ther Primary School, I was there the other day and I heard  someone say,"Miss Tui will sort it our for you."
The weather is a little it cooler though we still have the air con on quite a bit.

Karen had a week at Ali Kurung doing health checks we both stayed at Wycliffe well  and,she drove in each day.
Wycliffe Well is the UFO captial of Australia Joel advised me to and wear a tinfoil hat. We survived.

That is  a little of what we are up take care.
Arohanui
Ian ,Karen and Tuiana

Pictures From Joel of the NT

hope you enjoy some of the pictures i took while in the Northern Tertiary last Christmas
-Joel

Click here to go to web album

After the Wet

At present Karen is away flying with the Dr around the station in with the Barkley Areomedical service. They were meant to go last week but five of the airstrips were still too wet to land on.


Some of the stations employ a large number of people so they appreciate the health service coming to them. Here is some information on the Barkly region.


The Barkly Tableland runs east from Tennant Creek towards the Queensland border and is among the most important cattle grazing areas in the Northern Territory.

Roughly the same size as the United Kingdom or New Zealand, the region consists largely of open grass plains and some of the world’s largest cattle stations. It runs as far south as Barrow Creek, north above Elliott and west into the Tanami Desert.

I am kept busy with cooking washing etc. Though I do find time to read ,play the banjo and small pipes.

I have been helping at the youth centre after school with a group of young people who are interested in clowning. They want to do something in the Desert Harmony Celebration later in the year.

I have now taken three service at Church here, the minister leaves at Easter so the three of us who take services will have a bit more to do.
Karen has taken on the job as oversight for the op-shop. where good clothes are sold for $1 ,so it is quite popular.

Karen, Tuinana and myself have joined Bugs, Barkly Ukulele Group. It is lead enthusiastically by NZ teacher here. We have a 'gig' at Nikininyu coffee shop on Saturday night.

The wet is about over, and the windy time is here with a lot of red dust blowing in the wind.

Enjoy Autumn for us.

God Bless, Arohanui

Ian and Karen

Karen off to Kiana

Karen off to the Gulf County Today Karen flew to Boroloola where she will meet up with the doctor flying from Alice Springs, from there they will get a single engine plane and fly on to Kiana classed as very remote in the Gulf country . On the last Barkley Mobile run they were unable to land as the airstrip there is too short for the twin-engine plane. At Kiana there is station, a community and a school which haven’t had any health services for quite a while. The Doctor who has been with Karen on a number of trips to the stations in the Barkly said, she has a torch and a stethoscope and left it to Karen to organise things. Robert and I helped at Karen to the plane this morning with 12 bags, of equipment and medicines. Everyone should be well catered for. The computer has been out for a couple of days after a storm put Telstra out for a while. It has been nice getting some rain. Be in touch in a few days. Arohanui Ian and Karen

Tennant Creek Waitangi Day ‘Mad dogs and Maori go out in the midday sun. ‘) They do at Tennant Creek to celebrate Waitangi Day which we did on Sunday a day ahead of NZ, as all the hardworking Kiwi had to get back into work on Monday. Tennant Creek Maori group hosted a group from Alice Springs who did a great job of entertaining at the Memorial Club on Saturday night then on Sunday at the Bowling club where Michael James and his team had put down a Hangi at 4am in the morning. We were involved in getting firewood .it was a hot job on Saturday and preparing 120 food packs for the hangi . It was delicious. The songs speeches , prayers , haka and entertainment transported us to memories of home. There was hardly a dry eye on the Sunday when Whakaaria Mai was sung and there was a Karanga at the conclusion of it. It was very moving. Tuiaana started working at the Primary School this week, she is enjoying working with the new entrants she knows a lot of them from Child Care. We are swimming in the town pool which cools us down most nights. The kids get a laugh at Karen’s accent, they get her to say Tennant Creek and burst into laughter and try to give her a lesson on pronunciations. Arohanui Ian Karen and Tuiana

Australia Day Award

Joel getting the sound right

Last week on Australia Day Robert Wilson, Karen s brother   received an award  Community Event of the year which was  for the holiday programme he ran at Elliot.

We were there for a couple of days of the programme so here are some pictures.

Karen helped with cooking and feeding, Joel was chief sound man. I was untangling cords and helping Joel get the sound going .  Joel did a great Job keeping the music going.
It was a great time .