Lydia’s offer of a relief teaching role at Eden Cottage came at the perfect time for her family (husband Samuel and their two children). Not only did she have a job, the whānau also received invaluable help from Visionwest during a time of need.
The connection that began with a job offer at Eden Cottage and led to enrolling their daughter there, deepened as the whānau’s relationship with Visionwest grew. When Lydia started work at Eden Cottage, she was six months’ pregnant with their second child. Within weeks, she went into labour. Their son was born prematurely and spent the next two months in hospital.
LYDIA:
Our son was born in the 30th week and weighed only 1.2 kgs. Of course, I had to stop working for a while, but Crystal [Eden Cottage Head Teacher] kept in touch and phoned me to ask if we needed any support. I admitted that we did and Heather [a Visionwest Community Connector] contacted us to see what Visionwest could do for us.
SAM:
We came to a place where we were nearly financially broke. We’d had to move to different housing where the rent was very expensive. It was really more than I could manage. I was studying also. I’m a trained nurse in India but, to work in New Zealand, I must re-sit all my training so, I’m studying at MIT while I work at a rest home.
Heather did a marvellous job. She came and asked what we wanted, and she got everything. Not only for the kids but also for Lydia. We thank God first for the help we got through Him and, secondly, I give thanks to Heather and Visionwest Community Trust. They have done so much; it’s been a big help for us. They provided everything for our new baby. Things like a bassinette, car seat, clothes, diapers and even for our daughter, diapers and toys.
LYDIA:
And groceries for us all too … Heather arranged for us to receive help with food. I still sometimes get a kai parcel from the Pātaka Kai. That has been a real help.
The way Sam talks about the support his whānau have received from Visionwest shows both their appreciation and the urgency of their situation before support was provided.
SAM:
At that time after our son was born, we were suffocating. We could not do anything because I have to work, I have to look after my daughter, my wife is in hospital, I have to travel from home to work and do my shift … it was really hard. I couldn’t afford to take leave so having the support of Heather and Crystal took away a lot of stress.
Meanwhile, Sam and Lydia had enrolled their daughter in Eden Cottage.
SAM:
Having Lydia working at Eden Cottage was one reason why it seemed good to send our daughter here but what we really like is that Christian values are taught. The previous place where our daughter went to kindy-school was very good, but we want our kids to grow in those values.
LYDIA:
Working at Eden Cottage makes it easy with my daughter but it’s more than that. I’m so happy that Eden Cottage follows Christian values. That’s what I wanted for our daughter and that was the main reason for enrolling her here.
In India, I’d been to a Christian school, so I wanted my daughter to as well. I think values are important, like respecting your elders and trying to always be good. Also, things like being patient, sharing your toys with other kids, waiting for your turn, these are the things that we value.
This week we were focusing on patience. So, we tell them a story from the Bible about patience and then we try to relate that to how they should be with the other children.
Lydia smiles as she describes her daughter’s love for Eden Cottage.
LYDIA:
Before, when I went to get my daughter ready for daycare, she’d say, ‘I’m tired, I want to go to sleep.’ Now that she’s going to Eden Cottage, she says, ‘I’m coming.’ On Fridays, although I often work, she’s not booked into Eden Cottage. She’ll get upset that she can’t come. Then, when it’s the weekend, she’ll ask, ‘Oh, how long, how many days until daycare. It’s taking ages.’ She just loves coming here.
SAM
I have told so many people about Eden Cottage. Already, my friend’s daughter is coming here. He was thinking of sending her to another daycare, but he couldn’t afford to pay the fees. When I told him, he was so happy and now she’s coming here.
LYDIA:
The fees free policy at Visionwest is so helpful for families. At present the children can come into Eden Cottage up to 37.5 hours a week and it’s totally free for the kids from 2 to 5 years old. We have a good number of kids. It is happy, it is going on well.
Read another inspirational story about Eden Cottage.
+++
Find out more about Eden Cottage, Visionwest’s Early Childhood Learning and Care Centre.
**We understand that it is a great privilege when someone generously agrees to share their story. This blog and other material is shared with Sam and Lydia’s permission and we thank them for their generosity.