Informed people make intelligent decisions

Randall from Nawton

Hello to everyone on Neighbourly, my name's Randall Kopa and I've been wanting to reply to a message I received on the 14th of November 2019 but I couldn't find the right words to express how I felt about that message until today. This message came from a person I never in my wildest dreams thought that this person would be sending me a message and definitely not one of gratitude and polite encouragement, but it just goes to show one should never judge a book by it's cover.

In November 2019 I responded to a call for help from an elderly lady in my Neighbourhood who's post was asking if anybody could help her with the brakes on her vehicle so she could get a warrant of fitness for her vehicle, she also stated that her mechanic would not be available for at least another 3 weeks, so without even thinking about it I replied informing her that I would have a look at the brakes for her free of charge of course, but as it turned out VTNZ rechecked her vehicle and found the brakes didn't need fixing at all, problem solved.

Hence the unexpected message I received, when at first I noticed who it was from my first response was astonishment and confusion followed by anger and scepticism The heading read: What do you love about New Zealand Randall: my first instinct was to delete the message I didn't want or cared to know what this person thought about my opinion on what I loved about New Zealand, and just left the message without reading on any further until a couple of weeks later while checking other messages I saw this person's message again and decided to read what this person had to say (I already had a preconceived notion as to what this person was going to say but obviously I was wrong) as I neared the end of reading her message there it was the real reason for her message and to my surprise and astonishment this person was very similar to myself when it came to thinking of our Komatua's and Kuia's, so to answer your question about what I love about New Zealand Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern it is the essence of the culture of Aotearoa to have the understanding and awhi to treat people of all denominations as equals under the one whare and that is the true essence of Maori culture at its finest and to respect, love and take care of our elders for without them there wouldn't be a next generation the things I do I do because I want to not because I'm looking for praise or acknowledgement I do them because they're the right thing to do and needs to be done and not meaning to sound rude or ungrateful but you, our heavenly father or anybody else will ever make me do something if I don't want to do it.

Well theres my answer Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern I don't really care weather you like it or not but there it is, I never thought I'd be saying this to you but god bless to you and your whanau and keep going your on the right track. Ake Ake Amene.