E NEWS 7 JULY 2023
Tuesday a few of us from SAOTT went to the launch of Living Wage at Parliament. Hon Michael Wood who was originally going to host this event handed it over to Ibrahim Omer List MP for Labour. Ibrahim’s story is amazing. Ibrahim is from Eritrea. He was a refugee, while in the United Nations-run refugee camps in Sudan, Omer worked as an interpreter. This work led to suspicions of spying and he was retained by authorities until the United Nations intervened. He came to Aotearoa as a refugee in 2003 and got a job working as a minimum wage cleaner in the University of Victoria. He was doing 80-90 hour weeks. He longed to study in the halls of learning that he cleaned and was determined to one day make his dream come true. It was in 2014 that he finally graced the halls of learning. After he graduated and worked representing low paid workers as a union organiser.
One of the issues that the living wage can have is that it now gives families more opportunities to have a better quality life instead of doing 6 day 12 hour shifts like Rosa one of the unionists that represented Security workers and formerly cleaners. Even physically they were no longer having to kill their bodies to get that extra cash to pay the rent and kids lunches and school fees. Of course one of the downsides for your co-workers is that those who have been in the same workforce longer may feel that now that there is pay equity for everyone, that they should now be entitled to a pay increase as a sign of longer service and seniority.
Lois Robertson and I have just returned from wishing Pam Ormsby a happy 90th birthday. What a remarkable life she has led. It is our prayer that she will be well enough to attend church on Sunday so we can sing happy birthday and blow the candles on her cake.
Most of you may now be aware that I am one of the 3 nominees for PCANZ Moderator Designate for the 2025 General Assembly. Last week was very stressful as the profiles went out to all the churches throughout the country and only my profile was abridged without my knowledge or consent. Northern Presbytery who sent it to PCANZ had even added my signature to it and Head office assumed it was signed with my approval and endorsement which is why it was sent out. That was not the case and 8 days later this has been rectified and on Monday a revised version was sent out. Unfortunately I am aware that some Parish Councils have already voted on the initial profiles as a church rang me this morning wanting to interview me and had not seen the revised mailout. I have experienced an uneven playing field all my ministry life and this is just the icing on the cake. Injustice affects me mentally, physically and spiritually.
This Sunday we are privileged to have Rev Frank Hanson preach from the word. It is an honour to sit at the feet of wisdom and I look forward to sharing the Sunday service with him.
I’m off to Auckland Thursday 6th July for the launch of Vaka of Stories from the Dawn Raids this is courtesy of the Ministry of Pacific Peoples as I am a member of the Steering Committee. We have a training day on Friday after which I am very much looking forward to sitting down to a meal with all my siblings all of whom I haven’t seen for six months. Enjoy your weekend folks. Manuia. Fei
You can read the full E-new here: https://mailchi.mp/7837e3f3b070/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9370219
