This is not quite a poem but hardly a report! When Sister Judith Robinson OP talked to the Dominican Family Mission and Justice meeting on 27 October 2018, this is what I heard:

I heard the voice of a Spirit filled woman whose soul enfolds her body.

The search is to find the beautiful song, the song of Korimako.

 

Who am I?

What is it that I love?

How do I live my life when I know I am going to die?

What is the gift I have?

 

It started with Korimako Peace garden.

People come to meditate and pray or just to be.

It leads to a playground for children.

And sheep in the paddock,

but sheep midwifery got too hard for the woman’s tired body, so the ram had to go.

The cycle of life continues with chooks and kittens.

 

Macrocarpa hedges higher than the house cut the stinging southerly wind and shelter native trees.

The paddock planted in a hundred sorts of willow shoots destined to be sent all over Southland, to hold the land.

 

Korimako grounded in our fragile earth

connects to Tangata Whenua in shared spirituality and love of the land.

A place to grow and feed and be fed

to learn the skills of growing and preparing kai.

School lunches, Free Food Pantry and a young mothers’ garden.

Koha kai. People with disabilities learn kitchen and gardening skills.

 

The vision is shared by forming partnerships;

groups starting at Korimako are supported to fly on their own wings,

and build a healthy community.

 

Dominic surely would have loved the song of the korimako that Judith sang,

as she shared the spirit, energy, connections and blossoming of Korimako.

 

Mary Woods

7 November 2018