The weekend unfolds

Braving the wind rain and storm, car loads of people arrived from Tauranga, Tirau, Putaruru, Taumarunui and Huntly for the 6:00pm Powhiri on to Waipapa Marae. As we all gathered outside the Marae ready for the welcome we could not help but be in awe of the magnificent Wharenui 'Taku hiahia' and the work done by the locals to upgrade the marae and bring out the beauty that resides within the Marae. Nestled among the rolling hills with the back drop of Kawhia moana set a perfect scene and a sense that this weekend would be rich.

Friday night:

After the welcoming and setting up our beds in the wharenui we entered the wharekai (dining room) which was full of warmth as the locals filled the room with songs as we sat to eat.

That night we gathered in the wharenui to find out a little more about each other and began to learn another song.

Saturday:     

Part of Te Haerenga is to embrace cultural aspects and values. This morning was about waka (canoe). The local waka tangata crew shared with us about waka, the technique in paddling, timing etc. Different teams had turns to go out on the water. The challenge our ancestors faced when navigating across the great pacific ocean would have been enormous.                      

                              

Kids programme:

Tauranga House of prayer came to Kawhia and stayed with us that weekend to take care of the kids. Parents were so thankful to the team as they created programmes and games they enjoyed. More then creating the kids programme THOP are committed to pray for Te haerenga and have been doing so in which we are totally blessed.

                                      

Other things the kids learnt in the weekend was about waka (canoes), the names of the canoes that our ancestors came on and they also had a chance to make little waka's.

Guest speakers: We were very honoured to have Sam Chapman as our speaker. Sam is director of Houhanga Rongo ministries, serves on the board for World Vision, University lecturer and has a huge heart for family and community.

Sam shared his story and some key things he has learnt over the years. In particular the turning away of someone who needed a place to stay. After turning that particular person away, Sam & Thelma (his wife) realized they had turned Jesus away. Since then, his home has been home for many many people and that was 30+ years ago. The challenge brought us back to a place of belonging, our need to belong, the core of family and whanau.

“I need some volunteers to guess what is in this lunch box” That night, Sam had us interact with the teaching by asking volunteers to guess as best as possible what was in the lunch box: One could only guess by shaking the box only, one to feel the contents inside without looking at the items, and the other to see inside the lunch box and describe in detail each object. “Who knows best”? The shakers are those that formulate ideas about you from afar, judging by their own understanding. The feelers are they that have an idea about you but the relationship is still at a distant. The insiders know who you are and can describe fairly accurately the you that’s in you and can understand your journey. There are many applications to this principle as we were encouraged to walk close with others in acceptance endevoring to understand. Not to be shakers or feelers but insiders in our human relationships.

Sam’s teaching certainly was full of gems. The weekend seemed to be sprinkled with hundreds and thousands! He touched on repentance-returning to the high place, Whanau-practical ways of creating a family environment, hope for the future and much more…

                                                                         

Chris Wiremu Dir of Polynesian International, a YWAM ministry was the guest speaker for the rangatahi (youth). Chris's background in gangs, his fluency in te reo (maori language) and just his presence grabbed the attention of the youth as they listened intently to his journey. Even after his time with the youth, more questions were asked from him.

Both the adults and rangatahi were blessed by him as he shared from his heart, related it to where the youth were at and brought it back in the context of Maori culture in a way that we could see that God chose this way to communicate to us.

Sunday:

We continued to learn songs, had our final time with Sam and finished with our poroaki (time of acknowledging the host and sharing about the weekend)

As we said our goodbyes, the local boys gathered at the top of the bank to 'haka' us off. Full of strength, passion & courage, they challenged us to go in His power & might back to our homes as we turned our waka to return to where we came from. This time without wind, rain and storm.

Thanks: Thank you to Ngati Hikairo for allowing us to use Waipapa marae, to the 'Waka Tangata crew' for taking us out on the moana, to all those who worked so hard at the back cooking and preparing the food, to the kaumatua's for your presence around the marae, THOP for looking after the kids, our speakers Sam & Chris, to the kaimahi & participants. Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa!

Well.... our next gathering is back in Tauranga at Romai Marae 4th-6th May. Steve Apirana is our guest speaker for that weekend as well as Chris Wiremu who will return to do maurakau workshops. Looking forward to the next one!

Prayer needs

• Finances: Many are believing God to provide for them to go to Hawaii. Approx 70 people.

  • Each person needs approx $2500-$3000NZD.

  • Pray for strategies, faith and confidence.

  please contact us should you wish to make a financial contribution info@islandbreeze.org.nz

   

• Next gathering:

  • Pray that we learn all that God has for us for that weekend as Steve Apirana speaks.

   

• Flights:

  • Pray that we all get on good flights and that availability is there for all of us

   

Until next time.

Ma te Runga rawa koutou hei manaaki!

 

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