{"id":2246,"date":"2025-11-23T07:23:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T07:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/?p=2246"},"modified":"2026-01-22T06:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T06:01:09","slug":"104-20-21-nov-2025-ashburton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/?p=2246","title":{"rendered":"104. 20-21st Nov 2025: Ashburton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Praise God, two days in Ashburton. Hello friends in Christ. We set up camp at a freedom camp at Ashton Beach, twenty minutes east of Ashburton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_103141-scaled-e1763621428858.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2221\" srcset=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_103141-scaled-e1763621428858.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_103141-scaled-e1763621428858-1000x422.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_103141-scaled-e1763621428858-2000x844.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_103141-scaled-e1763621428858-768x324.jpg 768w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_103141-scaled-e1763621428858-1536x648.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_103141-scaled-e1763621428858-2048x864.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A lovely location with brand new toilets next to the beach. The beach is all pea gravel, which is typical down the east coast. There are bird colonies on the beach and we could see big workups with masses of birds feeding near the river mouth. This usually means a lot of Kahawai are present feeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ashburton, 20 November 2025\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EIiez9voK9g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We found a spot near mid town to set our table with the beautiful new bibles and books the Lord had given us. Brother Logen preached from the other side of the road where there were no shops, but could be clearly heard down the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1441\" src=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_115919-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_115919-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_115919-1000x563.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_115919-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_115919-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_115919-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_115919-2048x1153.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When we arrived, we couldn&#8217;t miss this amazing presentation, beautifully laid out for all to see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We met brother Stefan Kitshoff, a local evangelist who had meticulously put together this display of historical, biblical truth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Complete with a large detailed Noah&#8217;s ark model and various laminated signs displaying a range of truths, verses, and deceptions in the world today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Stefan Kitshoff, Ashburton 22 November 2025\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dXwLHUKXh3Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It is obvious that Stefan has the gift of teaching. He teaches biblical history with accuracy and sincerity. The Holy Spirit has fine-tuned Stefan&#8217;s delivery of biblical truth effectively, through love, kindness and gentleness. Glory to Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He lovingly exposes the misinformation, indoctrinating the nations through schools, scientists and media. The Big Bang theory, and evolution are just a few of the deceptions designed to lead people away from God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\"><strong>2 Corinthians 4:3-4 <\/strong>  But even if our gospel is veiled,&nbsp;it is veiled to those who are perishing,&nbsp;whose minds&nbsp;the god of this age&nbsp;has blinded, who do not believe, lest&nbsp;the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,&nbsp;who is the image of God, should shine on them.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1698\" height=\"2364\" src=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193622-e1763880351179.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193622-e1763880351179.jpg 1698w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193622-e1763880351179-718x1000.jpg 718w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193622-e1763880351179-1437x2000.jpg 1437w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193622-e1763880351179-768x1069.jpg 768w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193622-e1763880351179-1103x1536.jpg 1103w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193622-e1763880351179-1471x2048.jpg 1471w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1698px) 100vw, 1698px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Stefan Kitshoff&#8217;s wonderful ministry with Jesus. All Glory to Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1744\" height=\"2436\" src=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193701-e1763880481108.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193701-e1763880481108.jpg 1744w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193701-e1763880481108-716x1000.jpg 716w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193701-e1763880481108-1432x2000.jpg 1432w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193701-e1763880481108-768x1073.jpg 768w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193701-e1763880481108-1100x1536.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251123_193701-e1763880481108-1466x2048.jpg 1466w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1744px) 100vw, 1744px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the illustrations in Stefan&#8217;s displays. Praise God, glory to Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both days we enjoyed a lovely fellowship with brother Stefan, who expressed a very in-depth understanding of the word of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stefan shared how at the recent Climate Adaption Conference in Christchurch, he and a team set up multiple presentations right outside the event, at the new Convention Centre. Also at the Remembrance bridge and a few other locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I discern that climate change is yet another wicked deception stripping wealth from the poor to fund some political agenda. It also drives a narrative to usher in Satan&#8217;s diabolical anti-christ agenda. <br><br>Also gender confusion, another insidious evil enforced throughout the word as normal. It not only breaks down the family unit, but destroys lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\"><strong>2 Thessalonians 2:12  <\/strong> The coming of the&nbsp;lawless one&nbsp;is&nbsp;according to the working of Satan, with all power,&nbsp;signs, and lying wonders,<sup>&nbsp;<\/sup>and with all unrighteous deception among&nbsp;those who perish, because they did not receive&nbsp;the love of the truth, that they might be saved.<sup>&nbsp;<\/sup>And&nbsp;for this reason God will send them strong delusion,&nbsp;that they should believe the lie,&nbsp;that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but&nbsp;had pleasure in unrighteousness.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\"><strong>Romans 1:24-28  <\/strong> Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts,&nbsp;to dishonor their bodies&nbsp;among themselves,&nbsp;who exchanged&nbsp;the truth of God&nbsp;for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sup>&nbsp;<\/sup><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\">For this reason God gave them up to&nbsp;vile passions. For even their&nbsp;women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.&nbsp;<sup>&nbsp;<\/sup>Likewise also the&nbsp;men, leaving the natural use of the&nbsp;woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\">And even as they did not like to retain God in&nbsp;their&nbsp;knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things&nbsp;which are not fitting<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\"><strong>Ephesians 1:6-7   <\/strong> to the praise of the glory of His grace,&nbsp;by which He&nbsp;made us accepted in&nbsp;the Beloved.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\">In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to&nbsp;the riches of His grace<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\"><strong>1 John 1:9 <\/strong>   If we&nbsp;confess our sins, He is&nbsp;faithful and just to forgive us&nbsp;our&nbsp;sins and to&nbsp;cleanse us from all unrighteousness.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Praise God for brothers in Christ like Stefan, who speaks truth in the Spirit, to the Spiritually blind. That they may see and be set free from the chains of this world. That they may know the truth, the way and the life through Jesus Christ. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I sensed our time with Stefan was a divine appointment. Jesus connected us for fellowship and strengthening in the Spirit. We hugged before departing.  I was saying goodbye to a beloved brother in Christ, but I knew in my heart, I will see him again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\"><strong>1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 <\/strong>   For&nbsp;the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with&nbsp;the trumpet of God.&nbsp;And the dead in Christ will rise first.&nbsp;Then we who are alive&nbsp;and&nbsp;remain shall be caught up together with them&nbsp;in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus&nbsp;we shall always be with the Lord.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1441\" height=\"1314\" src=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_122911-scaled-e1763621771124.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_122911-scaled-e1763621771124.jpg 1441w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_122911-scaled-e1763621771124-1000x912.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251120_122911-scaled-e1763621771124-768x700.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1441px) 100vw, 1441px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We met another brother in Christ here with brother Logen, who has evangelised in Thailand for quite some time. We enjoyed a great fellowship with him also, praise God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank You Father God for your marvellous work in Ashburton. Thank You for the seventy three precious souls, You drew out of the world and into Your arms. All glory to you Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank You Jesus for Your grace and mercy upon all, through the cross. Your beauty fills the hearts and minds of all who turn to You.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-3-color\"><strong>Hebrews 1:3 <\/strong>  But even if our gospel is veiled,&nbsp;it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds&nbsp;the god of this age&nbsp;has blinded, who do not believe, lest&nbsp;the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,&nbsp;who is the image of God, should shine on them.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bless you and your families with love from your brother in Christ, please comment by clicking on the post title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>You can navigate to our SFC YouTube channel by clicking here:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ServantsinChrist\">www.youtube.com\/@ServantsinChrist<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>____________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About <strong>Canterbury<\/strong>, <strong>Ashburton<\/strong>&#8230;.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ashburton<\/strong>&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/M%C4%81ori_language\">M\u0101ori<\/a>:&nbsp;<em>Hakatere<\/em>) is a large town in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canterbury,_New_Zealand\">Canterbury Region<\/a>, on the east coast of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_Island\">South Island<\/a>&nbsp;of New Zealand. It is the seat of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton_District_Council\">Ashburton District Council<\/a>. It is 85 kilometres (53&nbsp;mi) south west of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christchurch\">Christchurch<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ashburton.-Attributed-to-Andrew-Cooper.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ashburton.-Attributed-to-Andrew-Cooper.png 1536w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ashburton.-Attributed-to-Andrew-Cooper-1000x667.png 1000w, https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Ashburton.-Attributed-to-Andrew-Cooper-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The town has a population of 21,600.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-NZ_population_data_2018-3\">[3]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;It is the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ranked_list_of_New_Zealand_main_urban_areas\">29th-largest urban area<\/a>&nbsp;in New Zealand and the fourth-largest urban area in the Canterbury Region, after Christchurch,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Timaru\">Timaru<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rolleston,_New_Zealand\">Rolleston<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Toponymy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashburton was named by the surveyor Captain&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Joseph_Thomas_(surveyor)\">Joseph Thomas<\/a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=New_Zealand_Land_Association&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\">New Zealand Land Association<\/a>, after&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bingham_Baring,_2nd_Baron_Ashburton\">Bingham Baring, 2nd Baron Ashburton<\/a>, who was a member of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canterbury_Association\">Canterbury Association<\/a>.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-Blain-4\">[4]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;Ashburton is sometimes nicknamed &#8220;Ashvegas&#8221;, an ironic allusion to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Las_Vegas,_Nevada\">Las Vegas<\/a>.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-5\">[5]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hakatere is the traditional M\u0101ori name for the Ashburton River. The name translates as &#8220;to make swift or to flow smoothly&#8221;.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-maraehistory-6\">[6]<\/a><\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>History<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Early European explorers travelling through the Ashburton district in the 1840s followed the coastline. However, as land was increasingly taken up for pastoral farming, there was a need for a better route across the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canterbury_Plains\">Canterbury Plains<\/a>. A route that crossed the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton_River_\/_Hakatere\">Ashburton River<\/a>&nbsp;a few miles inland was adopted to avoid swamps along the coast. The township of Ashburton developed as a settlement on the river&#8217;s north bank and served as an overnight stopping point and staging post for coach travel.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-7\">[7]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;In 1858, William Turton operated a ferry service across the Ashburton River, close to the present&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/State_Highway_1_(New_Zealand)\">State Highway 1<\/a>&nbsp;Ashburton bridge. He also built an accommodation house which along with some stables were the only buildings in Ashburton in 1863.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:62-8\">[8]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;By 1864 the horse-drawn coaches of the Cobb and Co. business travelled through Ashburton between Christchurch and Timaru. The coach services continued until the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Main_South_Line\">Main South Line<\/a>&nbsp;railway was completed between Christchurch and Timaru in 1876.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:42-9\">[9]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The town was surveyed by Robert Park in 1864.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:42-9\">[9]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;It was laid out around two central squares either side of the railway line and main highway, Baring Square East and Baring Square West. The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton_Domain\">Ashburton Domain<\/a>&nbsp;was included in the plans for the purposes of gardens and recreation. The 40&nbsp;ha (100 acres) of land that was identified for the domain was described at the time as a &#8220;miserable wildness&#8221; of spear grass, broom, and tussock.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:72-10\">[10]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;A cricket pitch was established in the Ashburton Domain in 1878 and the Ashburton Hospital was established adjacent to the domain in 1879.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:72-10\">[10]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canterbury_Province\">Canterbury Provincial Government<\/a>&nbsp;granted 20,000 pounds to develop roads in the district in 1873. The Main South Line railway reached Ashburton in August 1874 and Timaru in 1876.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:62-8\">[8]<\/a><\/sup><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:42-9\">[9]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;Churches were built in the expanding settlement, including the Presbyterian church in 1876, the Wesleyan church in 1878 and the Catholic church in 1882.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:52-11\">[11]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"mw-file-description\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Ashburton_Borough_Council_original_seal.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Ashburton_Borough_Council_original_seal.png\/200px-Ashburton_Borough_Council_original_seal.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Original Ashburton Borough Council seal (1878\u20131966)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashburton was designated as a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Borough\">borough<\/a>&nbsp;in 1878. At this stage, there were about 500 buildings within the borough.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:52-11\">[11]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;The Ashburton Borough Council was formed in 1878, and remained the local governing authority for the town until the establishment of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton_District_Council\">Ashburton District Council<\/a>&nbsp;in 1989.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:42-9\">[9]<\/a><\/sup><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-12\">[12]<\/a><\/sup><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-FraserB-13\">[13]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton_County\">Ashburton County Council<\/a>&nbsp;first met on 4 January 1877 in the Ashburton Road Board office.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-14\">[14]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;It became part of Ashburton District Council in 1989, together with Ashburton Borough Council.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-15\">[15]<\/a><\/sup>&nbsp;Netherby was added to the borough of Ashburton in 1917, Hampstead in 1921, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Allenton,_New_Zealand\">Allenton<\/a>&nbsp;in 1939.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tinwald,_New_Zealand\">Tinwald<\/a>&nbsp;was added to the borough In 1955.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-:42-9\">[9]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/World_War_II\">World War II<\/a>, Ashburton was used as a training base for the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_New_Zealand_Air_Force\">Royal New Zealand Air Force<\/a>&nbsp;with 50&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/De_Havilland_Tiger_Moth\">Tiger Moth<\/a>&nbsp;aircraft based at the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton_Aerodrome\">Ashburton Aerodrome<\/a>.<sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-16\">[16]<\/a><\/sup><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand#cite_note-17\">[17]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ashburton,_New_Zealand\"><strong>Wikipedia<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Praise God, two days in Ashburton. Hello friends in Christ. We set up camp at a freedom camp at Ashton Beach, twenty minutes east of Ashburton. A lovely location with brand new toilets next to the beach. The beach is all pea gravel, which is typical down the east coast. There are bird colonies on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-paulsblogpost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2246"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2246\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2680,"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2246\/revisions\/2680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soulsforchrist.co.nz\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}