The impact of their ministry was significant, with tamariki enjoying their farm and hearing the message of Jesus.
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Read stories from our local communities in Takapau, Kirikiriroa and more!
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“The Lord called her back and now she testifies to His goodness and His blessings.”
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To get a touch from the Lord is so real. Everyone has a “Curtain of Hurt” we could hide behind.
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Ihu Karaiti described Himself as Te Hepara Pai who was willing to die in order to save His sheep.
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The impact of their ministry to tamariki was significant – tamariki enjoying time at the farm and hearing the message of Jesus.
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From Murupara, Kirikiriroa and more! Read about how Maori Postal Aotearoa is impacting our communities!
I questioned God. “Why did you do this? What have we done to deserve this.” Then I decided to put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Raise them up to know the power they walk in as tamariki of God. Train them up in the authority of His Word.
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Ngā
Ihowā is not finished with you.
How ataahua are the words written by Ihāia:
“Nā ināianei, e Ihowā, ko koe tō mātou pāpā; ko mātou te paru, ko koe tō mātou kaipokepoke; he mahi hoki mātou katoa nā tōu ringa.”
Ihāia 64:8
“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8
Ihowā didn’t just knit us together in our mother’s womb (Ngā Waiata 139:13) and then take his hand out of our lives. Ihowā is continually moulding and shaping us today, just like a potter at his wheel.
Psalms 139:13
When the clay is placed on the centre of the platform, the spinning force and the hands of the potter create the shape of the vessel. If the ball of clay is off centre, it will eventually form unevenly and collapse. Like the clay we need to be centered in Ihu Karaiti. He can shape us perfectly when we give him full control and stay centered on him.
One method used when centering the clay is to pull it towards the potter. Have you ever felt his hands drawing you towards him? Sometimes the process is messy as we stretch and shape but it leads to growth none-theless. He wants us to be close to Himself, fully centered and being shaped by Him.
Be encouraged to look at your circumstances differently, knowing Ihowā is with you.
“I a koe hoki ōku whatumanawa; nāu hoki ahau i hīpoki i roto i te kōpū o tōku wharea.”
Waiata 139:13
“For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
Every one of us gets hurt in some way. Hurt can be like a curtain that hangs down in front of us, preventing us from making progress. It is quite remarkable how one person’s hurt can be of little or no consequence to others, but is strongly felt by that individual.
“And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”
But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Luke 8:43-48
Hurt comes in many forms.
• Failed ambitions / dreams
• Job loss / rejection
• Loss of a loved one
• Sporting failure
• Ill health
• Ostracism in a community
• Racial intolerance
• Financial collapse
• Business collapse
For the wahine in Luke 8:43-48 her curtain marked no hope. She suffered from an incurable health issue which resulted in total poverty, while living in a prejudiced society and carrying shame and fear.
What were her options to her hurt?
• Give up
• Get angry
• Grumble about the unfairness of life
• Go toward Jesus and touch His cloak
Only by choosing Jesus would she have the hurt behind her and move away from feeding negativity. She would then have a positive forward momentum and realise the benefits of a new experience.
How do we face our curtain of hurt?
• Does it hang in front of us stopping us from moving forward?
• Do we allow it to feed negatively into our already sad situation? Fabian Pelous said “I will feel bitter for the rest of my life” after England defeated France at the Rugby World Cup.
• Does it block us from seeing new ways of dealing with life and unexpected changes?
• Or will it be the doorway which, when we pass through, we can start afresh?
We are at our most vulnerable during this time, but Jesus Christ stands on the “other” side to heal and guide us into new dimensions of living.
The wahine in our story went through her curtain of hurt to be blessed by the healing power of Jesus Christ. He welcomes us to do the same, whatever variety of curtain we have.
1. Many people were “touching” Jesus, but only the wahine who intentionally sought his touch received His power.
Just because we say we are followers of Jesus, doesn’t mean we are always walking in touch with Him.
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demonsinyournameandperformedmany miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.”
Matthew 7:21-23
2. Jesus knew as soon as He was touched, that healing power had gone from Him to the wahine.
The Creator of the universe is fully aware of every individual person who reaches out to Him for help.
“Haere mai ki ahau, e koutou katoa e māuiui ana, e taimaha ana, ā māku koutou e whakaokioki.”
Matiu 11:28
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.’” Matthew 11:28
3. The touch of the wahine was an act of faith and was rewarded, but Jesus wanted her to have far more and valued a personal relationship with her.
“Tangohia tāku ioka ki tou e ahau; he ngākau māhaki hoki tōku, he ngāku pāpaku; ā, e whiwhi koutou ki te okiokinga mō ō koutou wairua. He ngāwari hoki tāku ioka, he māmā tāku pīkaunga.”
Matiu 29-30
“Allofyou,takeupMyyokeandlearnfrom Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart,andyouwillfindrestforyourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30
In the words of an old song:
To get a touch from the Lord is so real. To get a touch from the Lord is so real. If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you, To get a touch from the Lord is so real.
Everyone has a ‘Curtain of Hurt’ they could hide behind but remember Jesus Christ is on the other side, waiting for you to step through and reach out to Him.
Article by Howard Goold
“Ka rite ki tā te hēpara tāna whāngai i tāna kāhui, ka whakaminea ngā reme e tōna ringa, ka hikitia ki tōna uma, ka āta
ārahina ngā mea e whakangote ana.”
Ihāia 40:11
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;hegentlyleadsthose that have young.” Isaiah 40:11
For several years my husband was a hepara on
farms around the Waikato. The hipi needed a lot of care - they needed to be moved regularly onto fresh pasture, to be checked for health, drenched for diseases, shorn twice a year and cared for during lambing.
Often he would bring sick or orphaned lambs home in the saddlebags on his hoiho and we would nurse them to health by warming them over the coal range until they could be mothered onto another ewe.
Most of the time the hipi stayed together, but occasionally one would go off on its own and get injured or lost in a swamp.
The Paipera Tapu has a lot
to say about hipi. As far back as Abraham we read they had flocks of hipi and goats. Jacob, Joseph’s brothers, Moses and David were all hepara.
Many times the Paipera Tapu refers to people as hipi – hipi that have gone astray, are lost, helpless, and are without a hepara.
King David was a hepara when he was a tama. He knew his hipi intimately. He watched over them and with help from Ihowā, he killed a bear and a lion that had tried to attack them.
In his famous song, Ngā Waiata 23, David recognised he was like a hipi and Ihowā was his hepara pai.
Ko Ihowā tōku hēpara; e kore ahau e hapa. Ko ia hei mea kai takoto ahau ki ngā wāhi tarutaru hou: e ārahi ana ia i ahau ki te taha o ngā wai āta rere.” Ngā Waiata 23:1-2
Just as David knew each one of the hipi in his care, he also knew Ihowā was always with him. He had learned to trust Ihowā to provide his daily needs, lead him along paths that were straight, walk with him through paths that were threatening or difficult, protect him and correct him when he needed it. He acknowleged the goodness of Ihowā towards him and had faith that when his time had come, Ihowā would have a home for him in heaven.
Ngā Waiata 23 has been a great comfort and strength to believers through the ages.
Ihu Karaiti used illustrations about hipi and hepara pai to teach the people about the aroha Ihowā has for them. He spoke of the hepara who went searching for a lost hipi in order to show that Ihowā cares for each and every one of us and wants us to be safe as part of His flock - safe from the ravages and consequences of sin in our lives.
Ihu Karaiti described Himself as Te Hepara Pai who was willing to die in order to save His hipi. Ihu Karaiti came not only for those “trouble makers” which we all have in our whānau, but for each one of us. He knows us by name. He doesn’t want anyone to perish.
If we admit that we need Him to rescue us because there is nothing we can do to save ourselves, and if we trust Him to be our hepara, to follow Him each day, then we can know we belong to Him and He will never leave us.
Article by Liz Silcock
In the mid 1960’s Ralph and Pat Wichers purchased a dairy farm tucked alongside the Wairoa River. It was to be their home for the next sixty years. Here they raised their six tamariki and established a thriving dairy farm.
In the 1970’s their lives took a significant turn. Having always been church goers and quite religious people they attended a gospel meeting at Lahore Street Gospel Hall in Wairoa. At this meeting the message they heard impacted and changed the course of their lives. Pat understood for the first time her need for a saviour. Hearing the message of Jesus Christ and how He was born and then gave His life as a sacrifice for all who are willing to put their trust in Him. It finally made sense and she committed her life to Jesus, the Son of God – being baptised shortly afterwards.
From this time on how they did life changed significantly. Ralph and Pat started to attend the Lahore Street Gospel Hall. They enjoyed ministering to the tamariki during the Sunday School times and this soon extended to inviting the tamariki back to their home for lunch and a play.
Soon every Sunday afternoon excitable Wairoa tamariki would arrive at the Gospel Hall around midday and from here they would be taken out to the farm. Pat prepared kai –usually a mince stew or sausages which was always followed by dessert, often a delicious fruit crumble, ice cream and custard.
Before each meal a karakia was said and after each meal there was a devotional time. Ralph and Pat or visiting guests would tell a story and teach the tamariki about the love
of Jesus. Māori Postal Aotearoa resources were always available for the tamariki to colour, read and explore and would be taken into homes that might otherwise never hear the message of the Bible.
The tamariki loved heading out to Wichers farm as there were many fun things to do. There was always an assortment of bicycles, a well worn trampoline and various board games for tamariki to play. In later years a John Deere Gator was purchased, and the tamariki loved being taken for rides on this. Being next to the awa, the summer months were perfect for lots of swimming, manu and floating on the awa.
The Wichers whānau gained an old school building, and it was moved on to the property to become a place for these tamariki to play basketball, table tennis and pool. There were always plenty of animals for the tamariki to engage with too - dogs, cats, cows, ducks, chickens. There was even a horse and alpacas at one stage.
Occasionally Ralph would load kids in the van or ute and take them over to Opoutama on the Mahia Peninsula. After frolicking on the beach they would work together to gather pinecones into large bags. Ralph would sell these in town to raise funds for MPA. Ralph loved to meet and chat with all the locals and talk about the work of Māori Postal Aotearoa.
those times on the farm had become very precious to him. He was thankful for the love and stories of Jesus he had heard.
Pat and Ralph became known for their generosity by sharing the blessings they received from God. Many missionary families, the Bible Society, Māori Postal Aotearoa, and Christian workers were financially supported by them. Their home was always open for anyone travelling through Wairoa and a nourishing meal, often sourced from the produce of the land, was prepared and shared.
“E aroha ana tātou ki a ia, nō te mea ko ia kua mātua aroha ki a tātou.” 1 Hoani 4:19
Sometimes tamariki would end up staying with the whānau for a season. They would learn about working on the farm, gardening, food prep and more about the life of Jesus. Ralph and Pat became Mum and Dad to many more tamariki than just their own.
This ministry continued for nearly thirty years until the ages of Pat and Ralph meant it was no longer feasible to have tamariki in their home. Pat (being younger in age than Ralph) was able to continue her work with tamariki through Christian Religious Education and Chaplaincy work in the local kura. The impact of their faithful ministry to tamariki over this time was significant, with at least 1000 tamariki enjoying time out at the farm and hearing the message of Jesus.
Many years later one young man wrote to Ralph and Pat from prison and let them know that, as he now had time to reflect,
They understood 1 John 4:19 and lived it well. “We love because He first loved us”.
Ralph passed away on the 14th December 2017 and his Pat passed on to glory on 24th of June 2022. Pat had recently reminded the whānau of this text on Ralph’s grave; Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life” John 8:12. She reminded us that in those hard times her hope was in Him.
Ralph and Pat will be missed but their legacy and light lives on in many. Both Ralph and Pat are now safe in the arms of Jesus and will be hearing
“Ka mea tōna ariki ki a ia, ‘Pai rawa, e te pononga pai, e te pononga pono; pono tonu tāu mahi ki ngā mea ruarua, māku koe e mea hei rangatira mō ngā mea maha; uru mai koeki te hari o tōu ariki.”
Matiu 25:23
“Well done good and faithful servant: You have been faithful with a few things: I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.”
Matthew 25:23
This year I have been organising road trips for some enthusiastic young ladies. Since they are 9-15 years old, that has to be outside of school hours. Remembering that we had a new long weekend this year, seven of us jumped at the opportunity to go away for two nights to Whanganui and New Plymouth at Matariki. A few weeks later, a couple of us did another trip, this time to Rotorua.
The Matariki Weekend trip was a significant time away for all involved. Before we left I was encouraged to see God’s provision and hand on things, even in the face of spiritual battles. For example, someone sent fuel vouchers and someone else stopped me at the checkout to pay for the groceries for the trip – glory to God.
The three days away was an incredible time of outreach, fellowship and fun. Outreach is the main reason for these trips. Being the fourth one, most of the girls have become used to approaching strangers to hand out literature and were keen for more conversations.
One girl paired up with me in Dannevirke, where two teenagers paused briefly to receive tracts. I asked if they knew much about Jesus, which they didn’t. They agreed we could explain a bit more to them and so I left the rest to my 11-year-old companion who beautifully shared the reason Jesus came, tied in to Romans 6:23.
Another girl got in a conversation while patting a cute dog and talking to its owner.
As we were walking down the street in a big group, one of the girls gave an “After Life” tract to an elderly man. He stopped to thank us, saying his wife of sixty years had passed away “a year ago, tomorrow.” We paused to talk and pray for him. He pulled out balloons for the team, from a pocket stash he had reserved for his grandchildren.
We went to an evening event to give out literature. Two of the girls gave a tract to a lady and ended up in a fifteen minute conversation. The lady asked, “Even if you’re a volunteer and you do all this good stuff, you still go to
hell?” To which they replied, “Yes.” “That’s harsh, isn’t it?” “Well, we can’t say that because God made a way; we just haven’t accepted His way…” was the response of one girl. She then thought to herself, “Wow, where did that come from?” an experience I can relate to when having conversations myself where I don’t know what to say but the Lord just gives the words at the right time.
The two girls couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the night and I don’t blame them, because it is awesome to be used by God in such ways and share the Gospel with others.
All the girls were buzzing from the outreach and I was thankful that the Lord had answered my specific prayer for every single one of them to have at least one good Gospel conversation.
As well as intentional outreach, we also visited others involved in ministry and had good fellowship. Firstly we stopped in Takapau to join in with a Matariki stall I helped organise, run by friends in the area who jumped in to help out and had a great time chatting to locals.
We visited the MPA base in Whanganui, to see the source of the calendars and
other literature we have handed out and the mailbox lessons that they send out. Malachi and Char still had some of their old machines to show off, which was pretty impressive and we enjoyed watching demonstrations on them.
In New Plymouth where we stayed, we enjoyed fellowship with our hosts and their church. We saw a couple from Wycliffe Bible Translators who shared about their work teaching and helping pregnant mums. One of the team was inspired by their talk and is seriously thinking of how she can serve God in ways like that when she finishes school.
And in between we had a tonne of fun.
A few weeks later three of us went to Rotorua for 3 nights, where we teamed up with other young people for outreach. We did a day trip to Mount Maunganui and another to Hamilton, where we enjoyed sight-seeing, fellowship and giving out Gospel booklets along the way.
I’m hugely thankful to the Lord for a great trip and thanks to all who prayed and supported through prayer and practical support.
– Maria Henderson
I just want to thank you so much for the lessons. The girls have really enjoyed their small groups and doing the lessons. The leaders have enjoyed marking them and giving out the certificates. The girls loved getting their three month certificates and are looking forward to their six months.
- Pauline Taylor
The Good News Community Centre in Hamilton invited Maori Postal to have a stand at their Matariki outreach event on June 24th. The event was based on craft activities including raranga, making manu tukutuku, colouring Matariki pictures and origami whetū. There was also a short video presentation of the story of Matariki and a free sausage sizzle.
The tamariki loved doing the different activities and every whanau that attended visited the MPA stand and took something with them. Especially popular were the Tamariki A Ihowā magazines, the colouring pages and the new Te Tino Kōrero comics. At the end of the day, one tāne came and asked if he could take the left-over magazines and posters for his church.
We thank the Lord for this enjoyable day and for the opportunity to promote the work and resources of MPA in the community.
God has been doing amazing things in the community of Murupara. We have been very successful in sharing MPA resources all over the eastern Bay of Plenty from Ruatahuna to Galatea, to Whakatane and right down to Wairoa - even Perth, Australia. We were very blessed to be able to come together with our Christian brothers and sisters from Wairoa and spend four days at Opape Marae with Pastor Celia and Rob Grant from Encounter Church Whakatane, and Pastor Waipatu and Desiree Winitana from Cityrock Church Wairoa where we shared testimonies, outdoor activities, baptisms, Sunday church service, fellowship, worship and many other things.
The Bible instructs us to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace in Ephesians 4:3-6. “Forthereisonebody,and one Spirit even as we are called in one hope of our calling. One Lord, one Faith and one Baptism. One God and Father ofallwhoisaboveallandthroughallandinusall.” This is exactly what God was doing in all of us. Through His Spirit we learnt so much about one another. It was as if we had all grown up together.
Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head”. God is so amazing. Thank you Jesus. Photos of our trip back to Opape.
Each year we look forward to presenting the MPA resources to our Community at the Light Celebration as the time of Matariki approaches in late June. This year it was held at a different location, in Te Kopuru about ten kilometres from Dargaville.
The Boating Club was transformed with decorations and many folk from the Community, including families, came along to enjoy the evening.
Once again Warwick prepared an amazing display of light creations which he had made and Paula baked her star-shaped shortbread to give away. Always a great way to start conversations about our reason for being there!
As the evening unfolded, we were disappointed that the weather changed and the rain came. However that disappointment turned to thankfulness as many folk came into our tent for shelter.
It gave us even greater opportunities to tell people about the ministry of MPA and give them the magazines and posters. God certainly does work all things together for the good…even the weather.
We had a number of good conversations with folk who seemed interested in MPA and why we were there. Praise the Lord!
It was especially awesome that the organisers were very supportive and grateful that we had come along to be part of this Community Event.
May the Lord use all that was done for His glory.
BELOW ARE STORIES FROM INMATES WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY OUR LESSONS.
To Maori Postal Aotearoa
1. I’m writing to thank you for being a part of your lives through the lessons that you sent me. It is so comforting and enjoyable to have good friends like you at this time in my life.
2. I would love to receive the Lord Jesus into my life. I already feel a lot closer to the Father with doing the MPA studies over the last three years and daily Bible readings. I pray a lot and talk to the Lord all the time. I have learnt to forgive and not judge people. I’ve also done a lot of work on myself and really understanding who I am now. I’ve done wrong and hurt people. I have a healthier mind now.
3. I have received Jesus as my personal Saviour and I trust in him because he says in Hebrews ’I will never leave you or forsake you.’ I believe that 100%.
I was looking forward to Matariki this year, not because of the extra day off, but more an extra day to be able to delight the tamariki in our local park with a balloon and get ‘hope’ into little hands.
We hit Masterton’s Queen Elizabeth II park for an hour or so. I admit I was rather tired, and I was actually looking forward to getting through Matariki. Somehow, no matter how low you might feel before you go or how exhausted you might be when you finish, the tamariki have a magical way of cheering you up, just with their beaming smiles!
The balloons we use depend on the day. Sometimes we twist animal balloons and pop a rubber band on the balloon, which is then placed on the child’s wrist. At other times, we use round balloons with rubber bands attached to balloon ties. Both methods mean balloons are ‘hand’s free’.
On Matariki Saturday I grabbed all my Tamariki A Ihowā and both types of balloons before heading out the house, unsure which I would use. Upon arriving, I realised to my horror, I had a huge problem - I only had five ties for the round balloons and possibly another five that needed preparing. “Easy fix” I thought, “I’ll use my animal balloons”. I rummaged around in my bag and to my horror had left them behind! I had no choice! I would have to work with what I had. I was hugely disappointed with myself for this glaring over-sight.
Within minutes of sitting down, three tamariki arrived that I had met before. The oldest was Hunter. He asked if I needed help. I was working alone and it was a busy playground - boy, did I need help! He was my miracle! I got him pumping the balloons, while I tied knots and drew faces on the balloons. We reached the end of the ties, so I rummaged through my box - lo and behold, more ties!
It was evident Hunter could be better used in other ways, so after a quick lesson, I got him (who was just 8 years old) to tie the bands to the balloon ties. Every time we ran out of ties I would rummage through my box, and find three or four ties. This happened again and again even though each time I was 100% sure there were no more ties left.
Finally we ran out of ties, I could not find one no matter how hard I looked!
I was distressed to see tamariki lining up knowing I would disappoint them. I decided to get Hunter to draw on the balloons as there was nothing else left for him to do. I gave him my box filled with pens and rubber bands.
Whilst I was busy and unknown to me, Hunter rummaged through my box and to my utter astonishment, found five ties! If I didn’t know beforehand, I knew now - God had gone before me. He had miraculously provided all the ties that were needed!
Then Hunter was called away. He had spent all his time with me at the playground, forfeiting his opportunity to play and run
around. I had been more than blessed by his presence.
There were just five tamariki left in the queue. Each got a personalised balloon and left happy, and so was I. I was glad to go but before I could another child arrived.My heart saddened. I had no more ties - not one! The box had run dry! I was about to send the boy away with a balloon straight from the packet when a wee boy rushed at me, pushing in front. He said, “I don’t need this” and handed me a balloon tie. He didn’t know it, but he was an instrument in God’s hand. With that, this last boy got a balloon with a happy face and his name written inside a heart - just like all the other tamariki.
Māori Postal Aotearoa supplied us with all we needed for the Light Glow that lasted three nights. We were able to bless hundreds of tamariki over those nights and many whānau.
The last and busiest night was Saturday. Where we stood we were packed in like sardines, which worked to our advantage for much of the night. We were flat stick giving out Tamariki A Ihowā, karakia posters, colouring pages and calendars for two solid hours. By 8:00pm we were done, and the crowds had all but gone. It was a successful weekend and we pray it will reap an eternal harvest, both now and in the future.
We hope that next year we will be able to attend again, representing Māori Postal Aotearoa in the same capacity. We would like to get to the other Kahungunu Matariki Light Glow events in Napier, Hastings, Dannevirke and beyond.
- Haydee Muir
Everyday expressions you probably didn’t know come from the paipera tapu.
Our karu are very important parts of our tinana. They are sensitive and need special care and protection. We may need to wear mōhiti or goggles at times.
In the old days the pupil was known as the ‘āporo’ of the karu. The expression ”He is the āporo of someone’s karu” came to mean that this person was very special to someone else – dearly loved and cared for.
“Tiakina ahau, ānō ko te whatu o te kanohi, hunā ahau ki raro i te taumarumarutanga o ōu pākau.”
Ngā Waiata 17:8
“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” Psalms 17:8
In the Paipera Tapu, King David, who wrote those words, was asking Ihowā to protect him and keep Him safe from his enemies. And God did so, just as He treasures and protects all who put their whakapono in Him.
“THE APORO OF HIS KARU”
Ko Takitimu toku waka
Ko Ngati Kahungungu toku iwi
Ko Ngāti Poporo rāua ko Ngāti Pāhauwera oku hapu
Ko Mohaka toku awa
Ko Waipapa-a- iwi toku marae
Ko Maungaharuru toku maunga
Ko Richard rāua Lilian oku mātua
I was born in Mohaka, the eldest of fourteen children. During the polio epidemic of the 1950s we moved to Bridge Pa where I attended Pakipaki school. My fondest memories of that time were going to the beach at Napier in an old Ford truck along with my Te Aho, Manihera and Toheiiri relatives.
My whānau and our extended whānau picked fruit and vegetables in the season, and as children we would work before and after school. It was hard yacker, but to make it more bearable we and our cousins would have races to see who could pick the most. We were called “The Boll Weevils” because we could pick anything the fastest.
Dad became a cook in a shearing gang and Mum joined as a rousie. When I left school, I joined the gang too. I hated it. When I met and married Tom I joined him in working at Watties cannery. We lived with my parents , and we were delighted when our son, John was born, I was a stay-at-home Mum. Tom had a job. We had a good home, friends and a son. What more could we ask for?
Life was good and then the unexpected happened: at four months old John died of a cot death. We were shattered. We couldn’t help but ask ”Why is this happening to us?”
My husband Tom was from Tauwhare, Hamilton and it was protocol that our son should be taken there and laid to rest, but my Aunty begged us to have our baby buried at Bridge Pa. After much discussion, we agreed and so our little son was laid to rest with his Ngāti Kahungungu tipuna. It was the hardest thing letting my son go. Tom and I couldn’t handle the grief, and kept asking ourselves “What if we had done this or that?” We started blaming ourselves for our son’s death.
We started drinking and arguing, and eventually decided to move back to Tauwhare for the benefit of us both. We tried to put the painful past behind us and move on with our life.
A year later I fell pregnant again. Late in the pregnancy the whānau went down to Bridge Pa for the wedding of my cousin but we remained behind. It just so happened that my uncle died at the same time so Tom, Dennis (our cousin) and I jumped in Dennis’ Mark 4 Consul and set off for Hastings. The back door had to be closed by tying it to the front door. I remember we had to go up some of those steep hills in reverse, and then turn around and carry on! Then – would you believe- I started to go into labour. We got to the tangi at Pakipaki and paid our respects, hurried to the wedding reception of my cousin, and then went up to the hospital where our beautiful daughter was born on New Year’s Day.
Life was good when we lived at Tauwhare. Another four daughters were born to us. The baby, Hiku had beautiful eyes and a smile like Mona Lisa. Her sisters adored
her. So we just couldn’t believe it when she also died of a cot death. I questioned God. “Why did you do this? What have we done to deserve this?”
With the encouragement of my sisterin-law and some of the Christian kuia at Tauwhare, I decided to put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Although Tom wasn’t ready to do the same, he always supported me in my decision. We were both still filled with grief but carried on as best we could; after all we had four other children that we loved dearly.
Within that year we were asked by my cousin if we would like to whaangai a child. We were ecstatic to be given another chance. We went to Hastings for the birth of this little girl, Mae. We took her back to Tauwhare where her sisters were excitedly waiting for her. Mae was like a new beginning for our family: she was a contented baby and she was spoilt. But death struck again. The pain was beyond compare. I believed I was cursed, worthless, didn’t deserve children. I questioned God. Only the support of my husband and whanau got me through.
I started drinking heavily, partying heavily with Tom and leaving the children with their aunt. Eventually we decided to give life another go for the sake of our children, taking them camping in the holidays and on visits to Hastings to reconnect with whanau.
Three years later I gave birth to a baby boy on Tui Cup Day the rugby game of the century for Ngāti Hauā. What a blessing he was! We asked the hospital to give us
Although her faith had dimmed for some years, the Lord called her back a few years ago and now she testifies to His goodness and His blessing as she seeks to encourage her precious tamariki and mokopuna to follow Him also.
advice about cot deaths, and though they promised to help us, nothing was done. Tom, my husband sat beside my son’s cot at night for over five months to make sure he was going to be ok.
Five years later I gave birth to another daughter. They had been years filled with trouble and sorrow. Tom had become very ill. He was in and out of hospital. They finally diagnosed that the rheumatic fever he had as a child had affected his heart.
We waited over five years for open heart surgery and finally he was given the green light. He was prepped and waiting to go to theatre, when we were suddenly told that someone who was more serious was to take his place. We were shocked and disheartened: how could anyone be more serious than Tom?
There was nothing more they could do for Tom. I was angry. I felt we had been pushed aside. They put him on another medication but he deteriorated rapidly. It seemed that Tom had given up. We gathered our children together and they just had time to say their goodbyes.
Looking back, I am so thankful that before he died, Tom’s sister Ngaromo led him to the Lord. Tom asked Jesus to be His
Saviour. He gave his heart to Him. It is a great comfort to know that Tom will be waiting for me when it is my turn to go to be with our Heavenly Father.
This was the beginning of a long journey of grief. I couldn’t bear the thought of being a widow at the age of 36 - with six children, the youngest being only one year old.
My whānau were there to support my children and myself through our time of grief. I followed the Ngāti Hauā tikanga of pouarutanga – a year of mourning, attending tangis and unveilings. Every time was like reliving the death of my own husband. Kay became a Kaiāwhina at Hillcrest College in Hamilton as she supported her tamariki. She taught Te Reo and later, because she is very skilled in the art of raranga, she taught this as well. Eventually she became HOD before she retired.
Although her faith had dimmed for some years, the Lord called her back a few years ago. She testifies to His goodness and His blessing as she seeks to encourage her precious tamariki and mokopuna to follow Him also.
You did it!
Without your support we wouldn’t have reached our goal. A huge thanks to each of you for your massive expression of affirmation for the work of MPA. The joy and excitement from our team through your generous gifting is unsurpassed.
Due to covid the cost of the printer increased dramatically. The Lord, through your gifts has proved yet again that He is faithful to His Word. We serve an almighty God!
‘NowtoHimwhoisabletodoimmeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according toHispowerthatisatworkwithinus,toHim be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!Amen.’Ephesians3:20-21
When I say “I am a Christian,” I’m not shouting “I’m clean living.” I’m whispering “I was lost, but now I’m found and I’m forgiven.”
When I say “I am a Christian,” I don’t speak of this with pride. I’m confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say “I am a Christian,” I’m not trying to be strong. I’m professing that I’m weak and need His strength to carry on.
When I say “I am a Christian,” I’m not bragging of success. I’m admitting I have failed and need Ihowā to clean my mess.
When I say “I am a Christian,” I’m not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but Ihowā believes I’m worth it.
When I say “I am a Christian,” I still feel the sting of shame. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.
When I say “I am a Christian,” I’m not holier than thou. I’m just a simple sinner who received His grace somehow!
Thanks to your generous support, MPA can continue in our mission to see the gospel of Jesus Christ spread across Aotearoa, influence the lives and homes of our people, and providing tangata whenua with free Bible based resources in both Te Reo and English.
The printer will be installed by the end of October 2023. Look out for future issues where we will have pictures of the installation,
and more on the incredible ways in which the God we serve provides for our every need.
With that said, we thank you again for making this investment into the future of MPA.
- Malachi, Char & the Board
“Kei whakapōhēhētia koutou; ‘Ki te kino ngā hoa, ka heke ki te kino ngā tikanga pai.’”
1 Koriniti 15:33
“Do not be misled; ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”
1 Corinthians 15:33
“Haere i te taha o te hunga whakaaro nui, ā, ka whai whakaaro koe; ko te takahoa ia o ngā kūware, ka mamae.”
Ngā Whakatauki 13:20
“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
Proverbs 13:20
fruit placed next to good fruit will eventually turn it rotten too.
“Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be.
God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident.
Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God. Train them up in the authority of His Word. Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control. Empower them to know they can change the world.
Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that they can do something about it.
Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan. He knew Daniel could handle the lions den. He knew David could handle Goliath. He knew Esther could handle Haman. He knew Peter could handle persecution. He knows that your child can handle whatever challenge they face in their life. He created them specifically for it!
Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose YOU to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenges of our lifetime.
Rise up to the challenge. Raise Daniels, Davids, Esthers and Peters!
God isn’t scratching His head wondering what He’s going to do with this mess of a world.
He has an army He’s raising up to drive back the darkness and make Him known all over the earth.
Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them. I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them, but they were born for such a time as this.”
- Alex CravensĀporo - Apple
Aroha - Love
Ataahua - Beautiful
Awa - River
Hoiho - Horse
Hepara - Shepherd
Hipi - Sheep
Hoani - John
Ihowā - God
Ihu Karaiti - Jesus Christ
Kai - Food
Karakia - Prayer
Karu - Eye
Kuia - Older Woman
Kura - School
Manu Tukutuku - Kite
Maramataka - Calendar
Mōhiti - Glasses
Mokopuna - Grandchildren
Paipera Tapu - Holy Bible
Raranga - Weaving
Tamariki - Children
Tāne - Man
Te Hepara Pai - The Good Shepherd
Waiata - Song
Wairua Tapu - Holy Spirit
Wahine - Woman
Whaangai - Adopt
Whakapono - Trust
Whānau - Family
Whetu - Star
Don’t look for the nearest church to your house; look for the closest church to the bible.
- Paul Washer
If you would like a quantity of 2023 maramataka to distribute or share with whānau and friends, please complete this form and return it to us at the address below.
Alternatively, you can order through our website at www.maoripostal.co.nz/ resources/annual-calendar
Our annual maramataka sell out every year so be in quick!
Maramataka will be sent during November.
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Please note: Orders DO NOT carry over from previous years. If you have ordered maramataka in past years, you will need to place an order for our 2023 Maramataka.
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Send to: Māori Postal
Aotearoa
PO Box 10, Wanganui 4500
If you or your tamariki would like FREE Bible Lessons please fill out the form below and send to: Māori Postal, PO Box 10, Wanganui 4500 or go online to our website: www.maoripostal.co.nz
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