Where there is hope

The world seems to have become a dark and gloomy place over the last half a decade. We were confronted by a global pandemic that shut the World down. We have seen senseless wars begin…

I’m sure all of us will remember that a few weeks ago we had a massive storm come through. The rivers rose over their banks, areas of Waipā were flooded, roads were blocked and some…

Last week Jesse Wood covered a story on migrants who have recently become New Zealand citizens. See: Citizenship ceremony This got me thinking about my own history. I am the son of a migrant mother…

When I think about John Key, the main story that comes to mind is the flag referendum with the hilarious, big kiwi bird shooting lasers out of its eyes. When I think of Jacinda Ardern…

The last two Te Awamutu publications have included letters on the endangered Māori ward seat in local government; one perspective in favour and another against. I believe it is also important to add a Christian…

A couple of weeks ago the Te Awamutu News published a story on their front page that, I thought, went a long way in showing the nuance of any community issue. Waikeria Prison has had…

Community is at the heart of the human endeavour. Communities that empower care and compassion for the other enable individuals to flourish, though those qualities are often corrupted by power, wealth and prestige. I am…

Election season is just around the corner and we are already seeing possible changes afoot as people begin to put their names in the ballot for both councillor and mayoral positions. We read last week…

The slogan “Make America Great Again”, used in a certain Presidential campaign, grasped at the heart of many people throughout the world. One of the reasons it was so influential was because it spoke of…

Last summer was my first attempt at building a garden and growing something worth eating out of it. About mid-way through December, though, I realised I had made a big mistake. My tomato plants had…