GREETINGS FROM JANET PRESLAND AUCKLAND DIOCESE PRESIDENT:
Auckland has the startling news of reporting that a new branch in the parish of Orairaka is in the process of being formed. This truly is amazing as opposed to the closure of branches. Several ladies have expressed interest in joining and are already working out means of fund raising. A beautiful hand made quilt has been donated and they will be raffling this through the parish over the next few months. The diocese has been doing some justifying of expenses and the personnel available to carry out tasks. The Council is now only going to meet twice monthly through the year and this falls into line with most of the other dioceses in New Zealand. Thank you to the members attending the recent Board meeting for their friendship and motivations to carry on with organising our wonderful CWLNZ.

The following is an account from Irene Farrell, Auckland Diocesan Mission Convenor on a MISSION TRIP TO VANUATU. Last year we had an appeal from a sister on Ambae Island, Vanuatu. Could some one please help fix the roof on the convent because they were walking around in water. I happened to mention this to an Anglican group I knew (Vision Vanuatu), and they said they would like to help as they were going to the island to do a project. Their team leader was over there last July and found the mission. They measured up the roof and said the priest’s house was in worse repair and that we should do both.

The CWL President at Wellsford, Michelle Oliver, asked the Wellsford Joshua Group to help, and after a few meetings with Vision Vanuatu, we have managed to put together some volunteers, and an anonymous donor gave $15,000 to go and buy new iron. We in turn have been helping Vision Vanuatu with demolition materials etc for their project. Vision Vanuatu kindly shipped it and have it stored, waiting for us to come. Once there, they will help us transport it to the other side of the island and help us with the labour. This has all been twelve months in the planning. Everyone (five men and two ladies) are paying their own way and the Pukekohe CWL is supporting the two women re food etc. We expect it to be a bigger job than planned, and think there will be structural damage.The National Mission Secretary asked me to check on some of our missions while there, so with the help of the late Bishop Visi and present administrator, I will be staying in Port Vila for five days to visit branches missions before going to Ambae to help (chief cook and bottle washer). The rest of the group go straight to Ambae. We leave early August and will be away three weeks. We go with Bishop Pat’s blessing. This is a join effort of CWL, Joshua Men’s Group and Vision Vanuatu, Anglicans and others. (Found out how the money was given really sad. The donor’s son was murdered and his insurance came through. His dad said it’s not mine, it won’t bring my son back, so wanted to do something worthwhile with it. He told us to go and buy new iron. God is good, even though it’s sad because I just didn’t know how we were going to raise the funds.)