New Board member of a Samoan Aoga Amata...

Aoga Amata PIC Mangere (Samoan Early childhood centre) back fenced section

I have been blessed to have been brought up in Mangere PIC (Pacific Islanders Presbyterian church) as my village growing up although I didn't really understand the true difference it made until I had my own children.

Through the legacy of the late Rev. Bob Challis, a then retired minister and LMS (London Missionary Society) missionary, Rev Challis  had a vision for Pacific peoples in the 1960s and 1970s, in Auckland, he helped to establish this church to be a beacon of support for fledging families moving into Auckland from the Pacific Islands, and I'm sure he prayed over the church many times before his passing.

The church was established in the mid 1970s with a congregation of three ethnic groups including: Cook Islands, Samoa and Niuean, and over the years we have grown old together, celebrated, mourned and danced together and shared many unique memories that have made us strong over the years. It is also one church that has much unity and respect for one another's ethnic diversity.

This church was also blessed with additional land adjacent to the church that was purchased in the late 1990s - early 2000s to now house three Early childhood centres for: Cook Islands, Samoan and Niuean speaking language nests (as they were formerly called). A true blessing for our congregation.

Our eldest child and youngest child were blessed to have attended (as our middle child was home raised with playgroups) and our youngest especially has fond memories of the Samoan Aoga Amata that she enjoyed from ages 2 - 5 years before attending primary school.

So when I was asked to consider becoming a Board member, it was with some difficulty as I am already swamped with so much to do but as my daughter's experiences were so positive of her overall time there I thought to assist in whatever I could do in support of the teachers, parents, children and board for this important opportunity for children to learn initially Samoan language with English.

It's been discussed that the first three years of a child's formative learning is compacted into pathway imprints and so it is important that an Early childhood education centre that is ethnic-specific is supported to ensure that a child leaves feeling confident and armed with transferable skills to take on their compulsory education journey for all 5 year olds and that's what I hope to support in my new role...