Coming Home

by Rev. Allan Oliver

For Glenis and I, joining the Wesleyan church was a coming home experience. We came to a place where we felt safe and valued. We were blessed as Redoubt North Wesleyan (RNW) Church developed as a secure spiritual home base for us and a loyal band of families. We wanted to be an outward looking community-serving congregation and drew some locals into our fellowship. Then something like a teenage growth spurt came upon us. Hala and Debbie, a Niuean couple from a nearby street who were looking for a church home, came to a RNW service to check us out. Their first impressions of our service were OK but they left not intending to come back. However, we visited them at home and soon they brought their five lovely and gifted children. (See the Mahani-Tafua Family photo with Hala and Debbie on the left.) They were all soon at home, moving into the full life of our church and, a little later, into sharing leadership. More blessings: they brought along some friends and lots of wider whanau. (See the Whanau photo) And we enjoyed fun adventures together too. The family were so inspired and refreshed by a trip to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with two nights in a Christian camp that they repeated the trip a second year. Footnote: Hala and Debbie together with Shaniqua, Siuofa, Hala and Paisi were at our 2020 Connexion at the Well in Christchurch. Sadly Hala passed away suddenly in April. He was a man full of faith, wisdom and commitment to his family. His value and memory will live on.

The whole family Hala and Debbie with their five children, Shaniqua, Naomi, Siuofa, Hala and Paisi and grandson Carson Hala.

In the mountains – Hala, Naomi and Siuofa