The Great Sunday Bake Off part 2

Here were the wonderful volunteers at one of the baking drop off points early this morning.

They were very organised sorting the cakes.

The little girl in lilac had made ginger bread men for the children of Christchurch (mum told me that they had hosted some refugees from the quake zone).

Then we all got the chance to write on a banner which would be on the side of the truck as it drove to Christchurch.

The guy who dreamt up the whole project is a fitness instructor. Anyone else out there find this a tad ironic when all those calories were flying around?

STOP PRESS. I just heard from another Wellingtonian that not only did the truck get filled with cakes, but the "excess" was sold and raised $14,000! Yay Wellington!

The Great Sunday Bake Off - Part 1

When the going gets tough, the tough get baking! Some bright spark in the capital (I don't know who), had the idea of a city wide bake-a-thon.

www.thegreatsundaybakeoff.org

The goodies will be driven down to the earthquake zone on Monday to feed those in the tent cities, the Search and Rescue volunteers and civil defence. It has really captured everyone's imagination. Tomorrow for two hours in city square, right before everyone starts work, "they" (whoever they are), will load a truck of cakes, muffins, slices and scones, and sail to Picton (free, courtesy of our ferry company) then take the drive south.

My muffins are in the oven, and I am anticipating the 6.30am train tomorrow to smell like a Boulangerie! Only in New Zealand...

Watch out for some photos tomorrow.

Shabbat

So, so grateful for Shabbat with friends after such a harrowing week.

Christchurch Earthquake photo

I have no idea who to credit for this photo, as I found it on a twitter post this morning. It was taken seconds after the earthquake from some hills outside Christchurch.

Christchurch Earthquake Updates

www.stuff.co.nz has regular news about the earthquake. No more survivors have been found overnight.
photo courtesy www.stuff.co.nz

Our Darkest Day

Not feeling like posting anything after the terrible disaster which hit Christchurch yesterday. At 12.51 a magnitude 6.3 earthquake at 5 kms deep (i.e. very shallow and dangerous) hit the city. It was much more devastating than the September 4th 7.1 because so many people were going about their daily business.

The city centre is a disaster zone, and many are still trapped in buildings.

If you pray, prayers would really be appreciated for our nation, and specifically for the thousands of people who have damaged homes for a second time in 5 months.

Thank you.

Lions guarding

We have a stunning War Memorial in the capital, just at the entrance to the Parliamentary gardens.

Wellington NZ