The Blessing of the Anti p Ministry

 On Tuesday morning the team from Rongopai House in Kaitaia, Haley, Lucy, Roberta, Debby, Susan and a handful of loyal volunteers, were busily setting up the hall at St Saviours Anglican Church.          There was much excitement and anticipation for the Anti p Ministry were coming to share their stories and their kaupapa, giving koha of t-shirts and hoodies.  Arriving in their big yellow bus, the team led by Brendon was accompanied this time by Benny, Bex, Mohi and Jason.

                           The big yellow, Anti p Ministry bus parked outside St Saviours.

The visit was the brain child of Haley, a former meth user and dealer, now a one woman success story-her life is now a small anti-P ministry in itself. Haley had made contact with Brendon, found accommodation for the team and put together the major part of the organisation for the day, including the catering. Dino, director of Rongopai House, had a poster designed  Haley created Facebook posts, the team shared them throughout their networks, and by word of mouth,  with eventually over 70 people attended the morning.

                     Anti p Ministry team members, Rongopai House staff, friends, whanau and visitors.

In Kaitaia, meth use is high, it is dangerous, it destroys lives and the families of those who use it.          This event was a unique occasion, one that would inform and offer hope to the hurting and struggling community of Kaitaia. Prior to the meeting's start, Brendon drove the bus through the main street of Kaitaia, with Rongopai staff members aboard, along with mums and children from the Feed My Lambs group that meets weekly on a Tuesday, in the St Saviours church hall. There was a lot of joyous shouting and tooting of the horn to members of the public throughout town. We even saw Haley's mum who got the most toots and shout-outs. 

                                              A quick hikoi up the main street - (I am directing the driver)

Once back at St Savs, we all filed into the church sanctuary and seated ourselves to listen to the stories from the team which were both triumphant and tearful, horrendous yet hopeful, brave, and a testimony to lives and a spirit within that would never give up. To a God who never lets go of his children, no matter how dark the darkness becomes.

After karakia and waiatas from Roberta and the mums from FML, Haley started the session with her story of meth, jail, rehab. Three year and half years ago, Haley was a frightened mum, who from within a remand prison cell,  thought she may not see her small children again. Today, Haley is Programme assistant at Rongopai House where she is now, in her own words, "giving back to the community that she once took so much from". Haley is not just my work colleague, but a friend, and she and her two young children are very special to me, and to all of us here at Rongopai House.

                                                             Haley and her mum

We then heard the stories from each member of the Anti p Ministry team starting with Brendon, then Bex, Benny, Jason and finally, Mohi.  I was moved to tears by each story and for different reasons listening to them. With Bex, it was the finality of being in prison and getting one last chance at life and being a mother, if she went to rehab. Jason shared that now that he was finally clean, his mother no longer cried herself to sleep at night. It took a violent kidnapping that finally woke Benny up to the fact that it was either going to be a life in the gangs or a life lived well, free and happy. Mohi talked about how he lived on the streets and stole so he could eat because it was better than living in his violent abusive home. Most of the team had lost family or friends to suicide, or contemplated suicide themselves, if only to end the pain.

All of the team, including Haley, shared how in their darkest days they would pray to God to help them through just one more night so they could go home, be parents, be free in spirit, soul, body and mind. Whanau was tops, and the most important aspect of life to all of them.

                                    The team: L-R, Benny, Bex, Jason, Brendon and Mohi

All shared how that now they were clean they wanted to sow seeds of hope into communities, offer help, encourage people that there is another way, and most of all, the team wish to love people back to life, health and freedom.

There was loud applause for everyone, a brief Q&A , then a couple more waiata, a karakia and we all headed up to the hall for lunch.

                                               That's me (L) choosing cake for my mates

Before they left I gave each of the team, copies of "the little book", The Long Cold Nights of June.  My story of surviving my brother's death by suicide, after a long struggle with depression and drug addiction.  I also left some copies of "the little book" in the bus for the team to hand out to whoever may be in need of a book that offers healing and hope.

 

                The "little books" all aboard the Anti p Ministry bus 😍

I wished, we all wished, the team could have stayed longer. But we look forward to them being back in the North at the end of January 2022.

We wish them well, we wish them safety and good health.

We wish and pray, we hope and together we look forward to the day when all the streets and towns of Aotearoa are meth-free.  AMEN 💓💖💚💝

If you would like to know more about the Anti p Ministry, visit their facebook page - follow them, support them and share their kaupapa with everyone.

Anti p Ministry.