Hello from Los Angeles
Jan 11th, 2008 by Gary
Tis the new year! We are enroute to the UK where I’ll begin my new job next week, leaving a NZ summer and heading to the northern winter is a bit crazy(!) but hey, who needs 25 degrees, beaches, barbeques, & warm nights? Right? 
I’m sitting in the foyer of the hotel writng this wee note surrounded by accents that remind me we have left NZ. It is strange having to ‘tip’ again, not a Kiwi thing!
The UCB head office team gave us a wonderful farewell that will live long in our memory. They sang a beautiful song that I recorded. I will ask Jim to post it on the blog for your listening pleasure.(smile)
We belong to a neat family!
Love to hear how Christmas and New Year was for you. I spent a lot of it listening to Shine1220AM who are in Providence Rhode Island, I really enjoyed their programming. I’d love to hear what is new for you, if you have any new programs that perhaps you might consider sharing(?), please post the details here.
Let’s make the blog hum eh?
Hey Chuck & Sherry! Blog your ‘news’! We’d love to hear how things are in Thailand.
-Gaz
Hi Gary
I am Marlie Dawson - a Kiwi also - and I am working for UCB in Chatham, Ontario Canada. Just wanted to say hi … I have heard so much about you and Pam from Al Baker, Garry Quinn etc.
Blessings on you and your family as you move. I know how it feels to move from one side of the world to the other
Marlie Dawson
AAAY it was a sad day to see the Hoogvliets leave our fine shores for the UK. We know they will be greatly appreciated in the UK. We are looking forward to continued updates by Gary the king of email and blog. He is such an inspiring man. This momentous occasion of the Hoogvliets departure from NZ has driven me to contribute this the first blog of my whole life!!! This has required the overcoming of a deeply embedded resistance and fear . This great personal breakthrough can be attributed solely to the high regard we have for Gary Pam and Summer.
Hey Gary,
Welcome to the USA even if it is for a brief amount of time. You made the jump to the UK. Was wondering if/when you were going to do it. If you get a chance, drop me an email and let me know all the details.
Hope you had a great 2007 and Christmas celebration. 2008 is going to be a great year. The best is yet to come!!!
I pray that your new position will be all that you want it to be. I know that you will bring to it a wealth of knowledge and your own personal NZ touch.
Blessings to you and your family.
David
Gary & family,
Nice to see some of the pics of your farewell. Can hardly believe you’ve gone to the UK already. Glad you are th king of email and blog that way we can all keep in touch. With a doubt this is a door God has opened for you and Pam. Keeping you in our prayers as often as we think of you like the Apostle Paul once said.
Bless ya
John Marks
General Manager
The Rhema FM
Newcastle Team, Australia
Hello all….how neat it was to see the photos and to read Denis’s first ever blog!…..won’t be long before he is ironing and cooking!. Thanks one and all for your words of encouragement. …Hey Marlie…so cool to know there is another Kiwi in Canada with UCB…you are working with great people there!.
It is a precious thing to be working with you guys….what a wonderful family to be a part of.
Gary
Gary
Hello all….how neat it was to see the photos and to read Denis’s first ever blog!…..won’t be long before he is ironing and cooking!. Thanks one and all for your words of encouragement. …Hey Marlie…so cool to know there is another Kiwi in Canada with UCB…you are working with great people there!.
It is a precious thing to be working with you guys….what a wonderful family to be a part of.
Gary
Gary
Hey Gare! I believe you are now “surrounded” as you put it by some other accents now! Hey you can always come back to the U.S. and relive those L.A. memories at Medford! Whenever you need a road trip—stop by TheDove! We’ve got a cup of “TheDove Blend” waitin’ for ya!
Steve J
Hey Big G….this is just to say ‘Hi’ …. I trust you’re all settled in and enjoying the ‘new’ environment?? Let us have your new contact details please…..one of these days I will be visiting you in the UK……..love to Pam & Summer….have a great 2008…ewl
Hey Gary, finally cought up with your old haunt - Richmond New Life church! We motorcyclists invaded the place on wet Sunday last month, met the local bikers and fired them up for ministry to the southern bikers. Thanks so much for putting me in contact there. You see your influence in minsitry spreads even when you are no longer here in New Zealand! Don’t fret the whole summer BBQ thing you think you are missing - we are back to the rain! Traveling the 3,500km round trip of North and South Isalnd over the past 7 days proved to me that it rains everywhere in the New Zealand - so much for sunny Nelson!!!
Helene.