Amazing, Amazing Grace: Letters from Lockdown
During Aotearoa’s Nationwide Level 4 Alert, many of our WMCNZ whānau have found creative ways to express God’s mission by serving as Christ’s hands and feet in their local communities.
This week one of our ministers, Rev Semisi Kailahi of Amazing Grace of Gethsemene Wesleyan, wrote us this beautiful letter to share with us the way God has been working in and through him as he seeks to serve God and the people of his community.
Rev Semisi has taken the challenges of adapting to being the church during lockdown in his stride, embracing new digital technologies to connect with people and worship together with other Tongan Wesleyan communities. He has also been serving vulnerable members of his community by delivering groceries to those who are unable to get out, or who are struggling with the financial pressures of loss of work and income.
We are so grateful for all that Rev Semisi brings to our National Movement and we wanted to share his inspiring letter with you all.
Dear Wesleyan Family,
My heart was full of joy when I returned from delivering some shopping to two of my church families, one day this week. The looks in those faces when they received the gifts were invaluable. I was still smiling when I arrived home.
I checked my email in case someone sent me an email for another ZOOM (ha ha). There was an email but not from work or the Office. It was an email from a kind Pastor in the Church. She was asking for my account number. I hesitated to give her the number, but then the name of the pastor is a name I do trust. She wanted to give away some money to someone as part of her charity work as a Christian. According to her My name and face came up and that’s why she needed my account number. Bless your soul Kind lady. I wish more people will remember my name and face when they want to give away money (ha ha) or something in the name of our Lord.
Later on in the week one of my brothers left at my gate a big shopping that filled our fridge and our cupboard. I believe that if you want to give to others, give what you honestly earn. Yes, give what you sweat for and you will be blessed in return.
About two months before the lockdown, my son who had just completed his degree got a job. He is now working from home. As I am working from home too, he is teaching me how to use the new technology. You see I am blessed because God uses other people to bless me. Let me here, thank God and all those people who bless my life.
Praise God and thank you all.
Your Brother in Christ.
Rev Semisi Kailahi
Rev Semisi Kailahi is the Minister at Amazing Grace of Gethsemene Wesleyan Methodist Church and also serves on the National Council of WMCNZ.