KURA
“I come from a big family of seven brothers and sisters, plus another 5 from Dad. We are Cook Island Māori – my mum is pakeha and my dad a Cook islander. My aunty told us if anyone asks, we were to tell them we were Cook Island Māori.
“My dad was very strict in his beliefs and did his best to teach us about the word. As children we would sit at the kitchen table to read and study the Bible. We would sit there for hours and although I thought it was so boring at the time, the teaching later became important to me.
“I had to stand up for myself being 3rd in our family line with 2 older brothers, 3 younger sisters and 1 younger brother. Looking after my sisters came naturally and that foundation was laid at an early age.
“At school I was quiet and shy and as the oldest girl my freedom was restricted. I loved sport but because we went to church on Saturday, my dad would not allow me to play. I didn’t realise how important my School Certificate and Sixth Form certificate were. I achieved them but I just wanted to do my own thing and find my own way.
“The day I left home at 18, I remember my dad yelling at me from the kitchen window ‘and don’t come back’. I yelled back ‘I won’t’. I was not only leaving, but I was also talking back to my father and disrespecting him, something I had never done before.
“I stayed with a friend but two weeks later my dad somehow found me, knocked on the door and asked me when was I coming home. I replied “now’.
“Two weeks later I left again but this time for good. There were so many situations I got myself into, but when I look back, I can see the hand of God upon me keeping me safe. I met good people and even though I had a couple of boyfriends, I knew they weren’t the one for me. I had a great group of friends, who worked, laughed, partied and had fun together and always looked after and helped each other.
“It all changed when two years later just before my 21st, my dad died. He had tried to bring us all home the weekend before he died, but none of us kids went. Then on the Monday while at work, he choked on a pie, had a heart attack and died.
“A year later on a trip to Auckland to stay with my cousins, I met the girls, Father. I went back to Wellington and he followed me and our relationship began. On the night I found out I was pregnant with our second daughter we had a big argument, and he left to go back to Auckland.
“A week later, I was shocked to be told by the Police he had been drinking, and during a car surfing incident, fallen off the roof and was in hospital in a coma on life-support. I was pregnant but took our wee toddler to Auckland, and we lived in the hospital family unit for a couple of months supporting him. Eventually he woke up and in his stubborn way, discharged himself from hospital and we moved back to Wellington. I was very pregnant by then and he had a battle to regain his strength.
“We had a lot of rough times. His head injury brough erratic behaviour and out of his frustration, he threatened us, tried to kidnap our daughter, was violent and had suicidal thoughts.
“I found him one day in the bathroom having a seizure. I had walked past the bathroom door and heard a strange gurgling, so although very pregnant I managed to kick the door down and found him gurgling and unable to breathe. I ran to the neighbours and called the ambulance, and he was saved.
“When our youngest daughter was three, I knew it was time to leave. His violence had escalated and we were not safe. I had to look after my girls.
“We left on the bus for Tauranga with nothing and moved in with a friend who had boarded with me in Wellington. A brave move as I had no money, knew no one, and at that stage did not even have a driver’s licence. We got off the bus and took a taxi to her house which she had to pay for. But we were safe.
“Although on occasion he spoke to the girls over the phone, I found out from his brother he passed away when our eldest was 15. At his funeral his family told me he had never been the same and they felt he was heartbroken after we left him.
“There was an occasion when I went to Auckland for a family funeral and agreed for him to look after both the girls for a couple of hours. The girls told me they felt unsafe but at a crucial moment the phone rang and distracted him. I believe that was God protecting them. I grew to understand he would use our kids to get to me; I am so thankful God allowed me to see that.
“I didn’t know the Lord, but He was chasing me. Before we left Wellington, I studied the word for several weeks with the Jehovah’s Witness. They used a different Bible, and I didn’t feel comfortable with the answers to some of my questions. Their hearts were in the right place, but I knew it wasn’t for me. The Mormons also approached me but when they told me they studied from the Mormon Bible, I said no. I understood enough from my childhood to know the teachings didn’t line up with what I knew in my heart.
“When I moved to Tauranga everyone I met was a Christian. One lady from the school my daughter started at, invited me to her place for a coffee which I thought was weird. I was very broken and wary of people but made a commitment to myself, I would not move once my daughter was enrolled in school. They needed stability and a safe home too.
“My neighbour who looked after the girls sometimes was also a Christian. Out of that friendship she led me to the Lord and the Christian Bible.
“I began going to a local church and one evening they put on the movie ‘Left Behind’. I was sitting in the back with my mates, and we were chatting and being noisy, so I decided I really wanted to hear the movie so moved away and sat on my own. I was so touched; it really impacted me. I gave my heart to the Lord that same evening.
“When I was told about Baptism, I wanted to understand what it was all about before I went under the water. I was a new Christian and had so many questions and ideas about the Bible. I was supported in my journey and wanted to learn more about the goodness of God. I did different courses that helped me understand and heal me. God became the anchor in my life I realised I had always been searching for.
“When we moved to Tauranga, I was constantly looking over my shoulder and checking to see if he was coming. Fear was a focus but gradually I learnt to give it to God and let His peace fill me instead.
“Last year I had a breast cancer scare and It was found to be a phyllodes tumour (very rare fibroepithelial breast growth that develops in the connective tissue rather than the milk ducts or glands). I needed a second operation to take a bigger margin around the growth and opted to have a mastectomy. I had a peace about it all and know God was walking through it with me. God has given me a resilience and strength to get up and just carry on. If I didn’t have God as my strength my life would have crumbled.
“I got behind in my rent but decided not to tell anyone. I simply talked to the Lord and believed He knew what I needed, and when I needed it. I went to an encounter evening at church and the visiting Pastor asked who the person was who could not pay their rent. I raised my hand and laughed out loud kind of embarrassed. He pointed to me and asked me to go forward. When I got to the front, he held my hand and I thought, yea He is going to pray for me. He said out loud ‘we are not going to pray, I ask all those here to come forward and put some money in the basket for her. My eyes opened in shock and all I could see was people coming forward and putting money in the basket. I received more than enough for my rent and was also able to pay off some outstanding bills too. Seriously! I was bawling my eyes out. It was crazy. It was what I needed and more. It was so powerful and when I shared this with my brother who was not a Christian, he was so touched and ended up giving his life to the Lord.
“He has been with me through every season, and I know He will go with me into the next. I have seen His faithfulness as I raised my children. I’ve known to trust Him through my medical and financial hardships.
“Now today, I live in His blessings watching my daughters flourish in life. One, an incredible mama to my mokos, (mokopuna/grandchildren) and the other training to be a doctor. My next season will be even better because He fulfils my needs, and I give Him the glory in all I do”.