Auckland Baptist Tramping Club The Summer Tramps Reunion is always a popular Club event, with 40 people coming along this time. We began as usual with a mix-and-mingle over drinks starting at 5pm, followed by a pot-luck BBQ. At 7pm we gathered for the formal part of the evening. This began with Helena showing the new promotional DVD for the Club that will be taken to churches and other places. The new roll-up display poster was also on show at the front. We then went on our armchair journey to the north of the South Island, following those who went there in the Christmas holidays. This began with a song from the group who did the Queen Charlotte Track, then we watched slideshows of the other tramps that were offered - these included Cape Farewell, Heaphy Track, Abel Tasman Coastal Track, Nelson Lakes, Murchison, Mt Arthur, Mt Owen, Harwoods Hole, Lake Sylvester, Whangapeka and Asbestos Hut. Phillip D read some amusing original poems.

Phillip closed the evening at 9:45pm with devotions, focussing on search-and-rescue missions. On one of the tramps Barbara had to be rescued by helicopter after breaking her ankle. Phillip commented on the Bible stories of Noah, and Zaccheus where Jesus says that he has come to seek and to save the lost. Lost here means in the wrong place; we are spiritually lost, and Christ finds us and saves us. Phillip read three short poems on the theme of salvation and reconciliation. God wants us to be part of His search-and-rescue team to seek and save others, and the Club would be part of this spiritual SAR mission.