New Zealand

New Zealand Delegation Chair: Peter Wood KMG

Homelessness is an ever-growing problem in New Zealand cities as rental housing has become more and more unaffordable. Our focus again this year has been the Coats for the Homeless program through the winter months. Local fundraising enabled New Zealand Order of Malta members to distribute 700 coats to vulnerable people in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington.

We acknowledge the generosity of the Central Eastern Region (New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory) for funding the coats for Auckland and to Catholic Social Services (CSS) for their distribution. CSS were enormously grateful for the Order of Malta’s initiative and benevolence in extending this opportunity to Auckland’s homeless people.

Wellington-based members walked the CBD streets one night a week during winter, encountering people who were sleeping rough and gifting them a coat. As well, our Hospitaller, Dr Greg Coyle, has been working with the Wellington City Mission and The Salvation Army to ensure as many homeless people as possible have a warm and dry coat. The coats are more than just a garment to ward off the cold and rain, they are received as an expression of caring Christian love.

Coats have been distributed in Christchurch with the support of our first Order of Malta volunteer. It is not uncommon for winter temperatures there to reach below zero with about 70 days of hard frost.

There are few members of the Order of Malta in New Zealand and the members have actively set out to recruit new members. These discussions with ‘possibles’ have begun in 2018 and we pray these encouragements and discussions will bear fruit in 2019.

With so few members currently spread across both the North and South Islands, it is difficult to get everyone together. We have laid plans for a members meeting and fellowship gathering in 2019 in Wellington.

We continue to pray God will uphold the work of the Order of Malta in the coming year and pour down his grace and blessings on our New Zealand members.

NEW ZEALAND

Left: Members of the New Zealand Order of Malta help distribute 700 coats to vulnerable people in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington.