Support for Amber and Pauly Rhodes!

The past three and a bit months, since the devastation of the Cyclone on our home, has passed so quickly and yet feels like a lifetime ago. So much has happened and we are now strangely in a whole different life than we were 4 months ago. We have moved into a lovely new home in Waitākere and are making it cosy for the winter ahead, so far it has withstood the ongoing ferocious storms in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, long may it last! All of us still have moments of almost paralysing fear, most recently when I returned to Karekare during a heavy downpour and found my hands shaking on the steering wheel and planning escape routes, should the hillside below my wheels suddenly fall away, but, we have a wonderful support network, the kids are being well taken care of by school counselling staff and we have systems in place for our mental wellbeing.

The wreck of our home was finally red stickered three weeks ago and the debris cleared this past week. Countless truckloads took tonnes of mud and damaged belongings to a landfill, we managed to salvage a couple of precious things, including the poem 'Desiderata', rules to live by and which have held me in good stead during this time of misfortune (Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings!) The team who cleared the debris were incredible, they performed the task with grace and skill, and it made the process so much easier.

We will soon be performing a karakia (blessing) to acknowledge the memories, the histories, the links to our ancestors, the multitude of memories the house held, and to clear a path for the future to unfold.

We continue to count our blessings and are unceasingly grateful for your support and contributions which has helped us enormously during this trying time, so once again, THANK YOU.

May your lives be filled with wonderful things, good health and wellbeing, sunshine and joy.

Thank you once again, from the Rhodes family.