Dave and Denise (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāpuhi) Tims live in Randwick Park, Manurewa, South Auckland NZ. They have now served for over 35 years in ministry with Youth for Christ, Te Ora Hou and UNOH (15+ years). Both are trained primary school teachers. Denise is working on a Masters in Theology (Christian Community-led Development) and Dave manages two locally-led social enterprises. D & D have three adult children, two daughters-in-law and two moko (grandchildren).
UNOH’s role and D & D’s role, is to see the ‘God-image’ in every person, to name that image and to encourage that image to find a space and place to flourish. It’s in this expression that God’s Kingdom is celebrated and neighbour-hooding occurs with each other, with Christ and with the land.
On this journey, D & D have met some incredible people who share a common concern for Randwick Park and have pulled together to make the neighbourhood an even better place to live. They believe in this cause and that life can be different. They encourage changing the narrative and living out the saying; “Become the change you want to see in the hood.” No matter what the narrative or story, there is goodness in any neighbourhood and in every person. Words create Worlds. No matter whether you wear a business suit or a gang patch, each one of us has something good within, and that goodness, once acknowledged and shared, can change the world.
Dave spends his week
- Managing two not-for-profit social enterprises with 9 part-timers & 1 full-time staff member.
- Visiting neighbours
- Running parenting courses
- Organising street and planting parties (focusing upon planting over 100 trees on street verges)
- Working in partnership with Manurewa Marae on local health issues.
- Being a Trustee for two local entities
Denise spends her week:
- Supporting a local food coop
- Volunteering at a local primary school
- Supporting the Residents Association with admin
- Involved with a lot of admin for UNOH and the Social Enterprises
- Studying for her Masters and working part-time at Carey Bible College
- Visiting neighbours
- Coordinating daily morning prayers and a weekly community meal
D & D have found an abundance of amazing people who care about; what is going on in their neighbourhood, the condition of the parks, engagement with children & young people, and concern for the problems of alcohol abuse and domestic violence.