UNOH

ADAPTING By Elise Fletcher

Every day we pass the kids play-area at the end of our alley. Most of the kids call us ‘Jon’ interchangeably … I, Elise, have given up correcting them! In the relative cool of the evenings it is buzzing. During the lockdown period, while local schools were still closed, I noticed that an impressively large trampoline with a safety net had been donated to the community. There was a lot of excitement!

For a couple of evenings the trampoline was the centre of attention, supervised by an adult volunteer who allowed two or three kids to bounce at a time. The queue was really long and rowdy! It seemed a bit strictly policed considering how free-range a lot of these kids are usually, but I was impressed at the level of organisation.

The next time I passed, I noticed that the play-area was locked. A few days later it looked like someone had attempted to dismantle the trampoline as the poles all stood at different lengths so that it was half tipped over. The kids were allowed back to play but the previously novelty item had become an obstacle in the middle of their space. Football and basketball were now played around the trampoline. It must’ve stayed like this for almost two months before it was eventually removed.

I’m not sure of the circumstances of the useless trampoline but the sight of it made me sad on so many levels. The potential for fun was huge! I don’t know where it came from or where it went but I’m sure that what was intended as a blessing quickly became a burden.

It was the dysfunction of adults that prevented its use. I have to include ourselves in that judgement as we didn’t offer our evenings to supervise. I suspect that there was conflict around ownership or safety or fairness… there is always something to fall out about. Poverty mindset can complicate anything.

I’ve been trying to identify other ‘useless trampolines’ in my life at work and at home; once life-giving things that have been allowed to fall into ruin rather than making effort to navigate their use in times of stress or change. Some are physical things – toys, stockpiled materials, a particular space. Most are more abstract – they are skills, passions, partnerships and ideals. I reflect on where their lack of use causes harm to me or to others? Does their use need rekindling or do they need dismantling to allow space for new life?

Many of us have this tendency to guard old ways of doing things, to hang on to remnants of ‘back then’ even when they clutter our capacity to see a good future. In the era of a ‘new normal’, one blessing has been acceptance of the need to adapt. Just because something worked once it shouldn’t become a shrine. Trampolines can be fun… but once they are not, let’s pass them on and seek God with empty hands for what is next.

MAGIC MOMENTS by Derek Porter

“And there came a voice from heaven: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him!” Matthew 3:17 (HCSB)

As a new father, I spend a fair bit of time looking at my son; whether studying his countenance to interpret needs, tending to his soiled diapers, bathing or feeding him.

Yet nothing compares to when we just sit in silence facing one another.

Usually his head oscillates back and forth in my hands, bypassing my eager eyes in order to behold the more beautiful and exciting things this world has to offer: sunlight in the windows, blue-green walls, white ceilings…wall fans.

Suddenly, his wide-eyed gaze catches mine.

He smiles his big goofy toothless grin and my heart explodes inside my chest.

It’s not that I love him any more in that moment than when he’s screaming at the sandman or conquering his swaddle like Houdini or immediately soiling his freshly donned diaper.

But for that magic moment, there is connection. Relationship.

His tiny drop of delight at seeing my familiar face meets the tidal wave of my love and affection, born of a lifetime of hope, nine months of anticipation, and three months of seeing my own image reflected in his.

His love for me is a minuscule fraction of my love for him, and yet that fraction is so sweet because he gives it to me freely.

I suspect my heavenly Father feels the same way about me.

He loves me always, but it brings a special joy to his heart when I just take time to gaze upon his face, and better yet, enjoy it enough to smile.

No words, no works. Just wonder.

Just delighting and receiving his delight.

Relationship.

Just for a magic moment.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SWEAR IN YOUR PRAYERS? by Matt Di Lorenzo

What happens when you swear in your prayers?

Sometimes I swear. 
When I am overwhelmed,
                                          frustrated,
                                                           tired,
                                                                     angry,
                                                                                stressed,
                                                                                                fed up,
                                                                                                           exhausted…
It slips out.

And sometimes…

When I think about my friends who are in detention,

I get sad.
(I get really sad)

Weary of walking, 

Sadness.

Deep               Heavy             Profound
                                                                                    Sadness…

And sometimes, 

Anger

10 Years

The pain.

The PAIN

THE pain

I get scared more people will commit suicide.
I get scared my friend will die of cancer before he can be free.  

Overcome by anguish and injustice, I swore in my prayers.
Christ whipped people out of his temple once. I don’t know if my swearing is the same – I probably wouldn’t want my grandma to hear me swearing in my prayer requests (or at all). 

But my soul cannot sit still when I know this. How can it? If the spirit of God is alive in us, then we cannot help but be disturbed by this. We MUST be disturbed. We cannot allow injustice to become normalised. Our spirit cannot become numb to this. Sometimes that may cause an outburst: yelling, crying – swearing. Maybe the swearing is ‘wrong’, but the heart behind it isn’t. The heart is what God wants. Our hearts must be disturbed, disgusted, heavy.

I will try not to swear in my prayers.
I will try to keep it together.

COMMUNITY IN THE MIDST OF RECESSION by Dave Tims

We are heading into a major recession. We haven’t really felt it yet because government has, and is,  softening the blow with wage subsidies and major financial input. But it’s going to hurt, and it’s going to affect everyone.  The government are predicting unemployment increases to 9%, and, according to Tania Pouwhare from The Southern Initiative, there will be bigger implications for Māori  and Pacific, with possible 18-24% unemployment rates for both. Many of our normal funding sources (for Churches, Trusts and Communities) may dry up. Auckland Council services will decrease ($500 million cuts), affecting some major developments, meaning a decrease in funding to Local Boards for community grants and events etc.

Sounds depressing – well it is, and that’s why they call it a Depression. However, it’s also an opportunity.  Dr Ganesh Nana and Pam Ford, both top NZ Economists, see this as an opportunity to ‘re-organise the way we live’, economy is more than just money, it’s about resources and how we organise and use them. Ganesh encourages us to think ‘long term’, with the resources that you and I have, as an investment for our grandchildren, rather than thinking NOW, think “What will I leave behind for them, their families and friends?” (this is a great webinar  on Economics for Dummies, even I understood this)

What does this mean for us? As Community people, as Christians, as people who care, we need to get organised and be ready for what is coming.  Cameron Jones, Baptist pastor in Havelock North,  believes our “best response would be to act as brokers; utilizing our networks to connect those who have need, with those who have the knowledge/experience to help them overcome it (e.g. in accessing work and income entitlements, to find homes, to re-work household budgets and assistance in making tough calls, business advice etc.)” . Working collectively with churches and community, a grassroots approach, will help to bring care and resources for during this time of crisis (what I have noticed is a huge increase in hardship grants eg food, and during a crisis, charity like this is needed.  But we must also move into a recovery mode, and look to rebuild the fabric of communities. One area we are working towards is a Manurewa city employment focus, building a platform where people can find support towards employment).

As Urban Neighbours of Hope we have taken this approach. In the last 6 weeks we have started 16 Street Facebook Pages and employed 7 part-time “Street Activators” from the neighbourhood, with the aim of connecting all neighbours to the Pages (see attached Short Stories 38, for what we did over the lockdown). Through this, street activities and BBQs will be organised with Street Leaders, whānau will be encouraged and up-skilled with ‘online learning’, employment opportunities brokered and kai and hygiene packs will be delivered (sourced from Manurewa Marae). Sadly, COVID 19 exposed ‘the poverty divide’ revealing that many households didn’t have personal devices, and the MOE devices were never delivered.

 The challenge for us all is to network, work collectively and broker relationships. This is one example of the Good News of Jesus.

We just want to say a BIG thanks to all our Supporters who have continued to be generous, both prayerfully and financially, during this time. We appreciate your kindness and belief in us and in UNOH.

God Bless

Dave Tims

ROY RAK CHRISTMAS

MISSION EXPOSURE NZ