MAORI POSTAL AOTEAROA
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Autumn 2020
TE PANUI Nga manaakitanga i runga i te ingoa o te tatou Ariki, o Ihu Karaiti. Covid-19 has changed the way we live our lives. Everyday activities previously taken for granted, face to face interactions with friends and family, school drop offs, gym sessions, social engagements, church meetings, etc have all been put on hold as we collectively fight against an enemy we cannot see. People are having to face the fact that they are not immortal – eternity is just one breath away. During these uncertain times it’s easy to feel scared or anxious, and to become discouraged. Fear, anxiety and stress often develop in our thoughts, and can take a toll on our physical and emotional health. The circumstances we find ourselves in don’t mold us as much as our thoughts do. We may find ourselves in lockdown physically, but that doesn’t mean we need to be in lockdown mentally or emotionally.
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 “…. brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praise worthy – think about such things.” I challenge us to take guard over our thoughts. Ask yourself - what are you dwelling on? God has given us the power to decide what we will think about. We would encourage you that during this time of uncertainty and fear, to choose to dwell on the promises of God. Use this time to grow your relationship with Christ. If you find yourself thinking negative or disbelieving thoughts, view them as birds and allow them to fly past – don’t dwell on them, thus allowing them time to “nest in your hair”. Paul continues in Philippians 4:13 by stating “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” It is by trusting Christ and believing what He says, that we are given the strength to get through these challenging times.
MEANWHILE, AT THE OFFICE WHANGANUI We continue to give thanks to God for your prayers and support, and thank you for your heart to give. Your generosity reaches further than you will ever know.
Over the last year we have seen an increase in the number of resources we are sending across Aotearoa. Within the last twelve months, we have distributed almost 100,000 Bible based lessons, studies, magazines, karakia posters, etc.
PRISON MINISTRY At present we have over 100 inmates regularly returning studies for marking, from every Correctional Facility in the country. Up until the lockdown, Graham was visiting the local prison (Kaitoke Prison) every Tuesday as a volunteer under the Prison Chaplaincy, and has had the privilege of sharing God’s word with many inmates.
CALENDARS We had 30,000 calendars printed for 2020 and have about 4000 left of these to distribute. These continue to be extremely popular and well accepted, and are a very non invasive way of getting the Gospel into places where it wouldn’t otherwise be accepted.
TAMARIKI A IHOWA Our bi-monthly children’s and teens magazine is gaining popularity with almost 5000 distributed each issue. During Level 4 we received a very encouraging email from a lady who had been able to distribute 300 of the Easter issue. She says “Because they are an “activity book”, they were deemed ok to be delivered by a policeman who stopped me while I was popping them into letterboxes.” Praise the Lord that lockdown didn’t hinder the true story of Easter getting into homes!
BIBLE LESSONS & ADVANCED STUDIES We are presently sending out over 3500 advanced Bible Studies and Lessons into homes and prisons on a monthly basis. With digital devices being extremely popular with children and teens, over the last couple of years we have found these numbers reducing significantly. Please pray that God will give us guidance and wisdom as we work towards placing these lessons on a digital platform.
TUPU WHAKARANGI Graham continues as the editor of this quarterly magazine, with 4000 distributed each issue. The current issue (which is awaiting production by our printers) contains an article on the dangers of methamphetamine abuse. There is also a testimony by a local Maori pastor who came from a home where MPA laid a Christian foundation in their lives. This magazine goes into homes, schools, prisons, hospitals and is available for anyone who can effectively distribute them.
MPA ONLINE TE REO MAORI PROJECT With a new decade came new opportunities. We are currently working on the Te Reo Maori Project to further the ministry of Maori Postal by engaging the digital generation, thus significantly impacting Tangata Whenua. The Te Reo Maori Project involves translating over eighty high quality comic book Bible stories with characters from the Old and New Testaments. We currently have six of these comics translated - Te Purakau (The Story), and Te Karaiti (The Christ) Volumes 1-5. We are in the process of securing funding to have 5000 of each of these comics printed (3000 in Te Reo, and 2000 in English). Having a larger amount of comics printed at one time keeps the printing costs down. These comics have also been made available digitally through a branded version of the SuperBible app. The SuperBible is a collection of Bible stories presented with high quality graphics and animated videos, using some of the world’s most experienced animation artists. The quality of the artwork is astounding. Working together with Kingstone Comics and Reach Beyond, Maori Postal Aotearoa can make these comics available to all New Zealanders in Te Reo.
MPA APP The Maori Postal Aotearoa app is presently being developed for the distribution of these comics, along with the Bible lessons to those who have access to mobile phones and tablets. The mobile app will give users the ability to interact directly with MPA, and means any child or adult in Aotearoa or the world would have access to the comics and all our resources. The app is a work in progress, but can be downloaded from either the Google Playstore or the App Store. The comics, Tupu Whakarangi and Tamariki I Ihowa magazines are currently available on the app.
Download the App using your QR Reader here:
Earlier last year Graham was sharing with an inmate who asked him to explain what the difference was between what Graham was teaching compared to the cults he had been involved with. Graham suggested he read John’s Gospel until he understood who Jesus Christ was. On Graham’s next visit, the inmate explained he had found reading John pretty heavy going, but had been given a copy of the Bible in comic form left behind by a prior inmate. As a result, he could follow the Gospel story much easier which in turn, gave him an appetite to start studying the Bible. This was a real indication of the value of such a publication amongst inmates, and an encouragement to us to pursue this project as quickly as possible.
IF JESUS CAME TO YOUR HOUSE If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do. Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honoured guest And all the food you served to Him would be the very best. And you would keep assuring Him you’re glad to have Him there, That serving Him in your home is joy beyond compare. But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door, With arms outstretched in welcome to your Heavenly visitor? Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in, Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been? Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn’t heard, And wished you hadn’t uttered that last, loud, hasty word? Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out? Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about? And I wonder – if the Saviour spent a day or two with you – Would you go right on doing the things you always do? Would you continue saying the things you always say? Would life for you continue as it does from day to day? Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace? And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace? Would you sing the songs you always sing and read the books you read, And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed? Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you’d planned to go, Or would you maybe change your plans for just a day or so? Would you be glad to have him meet your very closest friends, Or would you hope they’d stay away until His visit ends? Would you be pleased to have Him stay forever, on and on Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone? It might be interesting to know the things that you would do If Jesus came in person to spend some time with you. ~ Lois Blanchard Eades
MAORI POSTAL AOTEAROA P O BOX 10, WHANGANUI 13 LOWTHER STREET P : 06 343 7957 E : info.maoripostal@gmail.com W : www.maoripostal.co.nz