E NEWS 2ND AUGUST 2024
Talofa lava. SAOTT were privileged to host here in our Hall the National Convention on the rights of children/mokopuna all day Thursday. The Human Rights Commission were there in full force. They launched a booklet “Doing what’s right for mokopuna” recommendations from the United Nations to Improve mokopuna rights in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Maori Mokopuna presented an amazing kapahaka on the Convention on the rights of Children. It was moving and incredibly powerful. Our children are crying out to be heard, they are now claiming their voice. What a privilege it was to be a fly on the wall of this National Convention for the rights of children. I enjoy it when we hire our facilities out to groups where I am able to interact with them and be a part time visitor at some of their gatherings.
As I mentioned last E News I was invited to the launch of Alo.Fa on Tuesday evening. It is a new service to deal with healing from sexual violence and abuse for Pasifika in Wellington. I was tasked with the job of doing the opening blessing. It was great to see Catriona and Sandra there. I did a devotion on the “rape of Tamar” from 2 Samuel 13:20 where Absalom says to Tamar after her brother Amnon had raped her “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart”. I’m sure many people present had never even heard of this story from the “texts of terror” in the Hebrew bible. I said “the reality is that the bible passages that disturb us are so easily kept hidden from the eyes and ears of our congregations, communities and families. Then in reality when these texts are perpetrated into our everyday lives the way we respond often mirrors Absalom’s forced silence upon his sister. We reflect the male hierarchical silence in our inability to embrace the victim and give her voice, in so doing we also become complicit. Catriona remarked to me afterwards that Sandra said to her that “they can see just how radical I am within the Pacific context”. That was an affirmation for me. I’m quite sure it was confronting for many of the Pacific conservatives present. Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said, “I’d seriously like to come to your church, I’ll email you when I’m coming” and many others from parliament also expressed an interest in coming to SAOTT. Seeing is believing but I’m hopeful. Now that’s something to look forward to.
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/3d4736b0dd6e/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9468228
