THE POWER OF CONNECTION

ANDY BANKS | Northland/Auckland Youth Consultant, SUNZ

In our time of lockdown, we experienced both presence and separation. Bubbles were formed creating constant presence of housemates and, at the same time, wider connections with extended whānau and our communities became physically disrupted. As we came out the other side into a new post-COVID world, we could be forgiven for thinking that life should be quickly getting back to how it was before lockdown. The reality though, as we know, is very different. Many people are still experiencing a huge range of emotions and displaying symptoms similar to those seen after major trauma and grief. In reality, that is exactly what many have experienced over the last few months as they faced separation from loved ones, redundancy, cancellation of travel plans, major celebrations and life plans—or simply the loss of the life they had before. The natural flow-on from this has been increased rates of anxiety, depression and suicide in our communities. Where do we begin, as followers of Christ, as we look after ourselves and support those around us? The SUNZ Āpōpō programme, which seeks to support communities responding to mental health and suicide, picks up on two factors commonly seen as mental health spirals down and people begin to consider suicide. One is a lack of meaningful social connection and the other is a lack of hope. Being connected to each other is a basic human need and although this lockdown period has brought about a lot of disconnection, some new ways of connecting and an increase in checking on and looking out for others have developed. The shared experience of lockdown has certainly brought about some stronger relationships which we don’t want to lose, along with the renewed desire to be connected which has been a real positive. I love the verse in Romans 12:15: ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.’ It’s about love in action, it’s about journeying the good and bad of life

together, it’s the knowledge that no matter how I feel or how another person feels, someone is there keeping vigil, meaning we are never alone. As followers of Christ, we realise that our connectedness to God is critical as well. It’s this connection that holds us firm and gives us hope even if all around us falls. Even if this hope is masked by our circumstances, we simply need to raise our gaze afresh and reconnect with and trust the one who has overcome this world. Rick Warren summed this up well when he said; “You never know God is all you need until God is all you have.” These key areas of hope and social connection are picked up on in the wonderful words in Mark 12:30-31, where Jesus outlines the most important commandments: to love God and to love others. Our loving connection with God brings hope: hope when all else fails; hope when we can’t see the next step to take; hope when grief seems insurmountable. Our loving connections with others bring meaningful relationship, companionship on the journey of life and the knowledge that we are not alone. As we respond to a world struggling to come to terms with a new normal (and face it ourselves), I pray that the power of connection is a key tool that we as the church can use, to bring real hope and real social connection, in a world that is crying out for both.

Some mental health support resources are available on the BREAKTHROUGH website www.sunzbreakthrough.org.nz

AS FOLLOWERS " OF CHRIST, WE REALISE THAT OUR CONNECTEDNESS TO GOD IS CRITICAL AS WELL. IT’S THIS CONNECTION THAT HOLDS US FIRM AND GIVES US HOPE ..."