Posts by Jackie Clark
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Hard News: Karen, and being kind, in reply to Geoff Lealand,
I am so sorry that this is happening, Geoff. Being old is no fun for the elderly, and dying is no fun for the living. I was just saying to a young friend who is on death watch that it's one of most pure expressions of love, holding vigil. May Josephine be able to take some breaks, and may he die peacefully. All love to you, my friend.
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Hard News: Karen, and being kind, in reply to Russell Brown,
People find it extraordinarily hard to talk about loss. I think what they are thanking you for is that your expression of your grief and loss reflects how they feel about their own losses, and give them words for what they're feeling.
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Oh darling heart. When I see you soon, you know there will be vast hugs and much love from me to you. In the meantime, enjoy your mum, and remember Karen with love (and tears are good too. "Tears are love" I would tell Carol).
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Christina is starting a mentoring programme in February. This is what she says: "We are looking for any woman who would like to mentor one of our mums. There will be a training/info evening for those interested and explaining what's involved. Mainly connecting with a mum either weekly or fortnitely via phone or visits or taking mum to an appointment etc. These are our community mums that have come through refuge or our programme. We give you phone vouchers and petrol vouchers allocated from our funding."
So, if you're interested, email me please. -
Speaker: Need, in reply to Hilary Stace,
There aren't currently any disabled children at Refuge, Hilary. Their accessiblilty isn't great (it's a rented HNZ house). I can ask Christina if you like? She runs a solo parent group in the community as well, and there are bound to be parents who require some extra help.
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Yesterday was the Refuge Xmas Party, and there are so many people to thank for their generosity. Many of you emailed Russell or I and offered valuable help, and I want you to know how appreciated that is. You must know that you are making a very big difference in many lives – if you give me stuff, it goes directly to the women who need it. Thanks to many of you, this Refuge is going to thrive. I wrote a little something by way of explaining the difference your kindness makes.
Every act of kindness, you see, is something some of these women may never have experienced before. It builds their confidence, their self love, their trust in other people. -
And here we have the list for next year of things that need doing, and skills that you have that you can offer.
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Speaker: Need, in reply to Chris Waugh,
That is indeed the place, Chris. Today, RNZ are coming out to Te Whare Marama with me, I think they're doing a Morning Report package. And on Thursday, the Herald On Sunday is coming to the Refuge Xmas party - there are 85 ex-Refuge families who still recieve support when they leave - to do an interview etc. Hashtags will be busted out.
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This thread is just full of me isn't it? Never mind. I wanted to update you all a bit on what's been going on behind the scenes. Many of you have sent me, and Russell, emails and I thank you so much for what you are doing. There have been wonderful offers of help, which we have taken up with alacrity. We've had everything from phones, to laptops, to furniture donated. All of it much needed, and all of it just so appreciated. This is a long term thing, for me, and, I hope, for some of you as well. The idea, really, is to get Te Whare Marama to a point that when a new family arrives, their needs are catered for in advance, and everything they need is just waiting there for them.
On Wednesday night, a group of us (look for us at #auntysocial #WhaeaPower ) got together, and wrapped presents for the kids, and their mums. There are a lot of presents. I know because they all came to me first, and I had a front room full of gifts. I think around 6-7 people bought for each of the 17 children, so they are extremely well catered for! (There are also other people who had seen the blog post, and got together presents for each child. It's a bit of a bonanza.)
As well as presents, my front room, at various times, has served as holding house for boxes/bags of food and clothes. Some of it from you guys, right here.
And on Monday, I will be going out to Te Whare Marama to speak, with Christina, to Radio NZ, who, I believe, are doing a Morning Report package. On Thursday, there is the Refuge Xmas Party, and the Herald on Sunday will be there.
This has taken off in the best possible way. It isn't about the Twitter Aunties - this is about Christina, and Trish, and Debbie who work at Te Whare Marama, and love all the women and the children very hard. Who keep them safe, and wrapped in their arms, until they feel ready to venture out into the world again. It's also about all of you, heeding my call to action, and jumping in, wholeheartedly, to support this beautiful place, and these beautiful people, who have been struggling for so long just to stay afloat. Successive governments have failed them, and because they're not part of the National Collective, they miss out, all the time. Well, not this time. Not if I have anything to do with it. It's their time to shine, their time to be recognised.
We're in it for the long haul. Let's do this. -
I think it's a very natural fit. Kia ora, e hoa ma