Kia Ora Whanau

I'm spending lots of time with my whanau, particularly with my grand kids. Theo is 3 and a half and Evvy is 18 months old. It's great for an old man like me to run around and play hide and seek, read books and fall asleep on the couch with my mokopunas.

This Rahui, thanks to Mrs Gordon our Head of the English faculty, for telling me that this is what it is. Rahui means preserve and protect. Much better than lockdown.

This Rahui means that we must listen to the Ministry of Health and our Prime Ministers office and stay home and adhere to the advice we have been given. If there's one thing about us as New Zealanders we will endure we will overcome and we will be better people for it. We will be better connected and not take for granted the freedoms that have been take from us.

Maybe you will call an old mate after this is all over and catch up or mend the rift with a whanau member. Life is too short not to learn from this.

My heart goes out to all those that are particularly vulnerable and my thoughts and prays are with them and their whanau.

We shouldn't need a virus to teach us a lesson in how to think of others and care for those that are most at risk. I am hoping that we rid ourselves of this virus, but keep the aroha and awhi that we see on our streets as we see strangers from across the road and ask after them. Getting groceries for our elderly neighbours is something we can all do from time to time. Staying connected long after this virus has gone.

I am very proud of our staff, students and Board of Trustees at Massey. We have reacted as quickly and as well as we could in 48 hours.

Please keep an eye on our website for updates particularly at the end of Easter when we return to "remote learning"

I am hoping that we can get back to school as quickly as possible once we have had the all clear.

Stay safe and well.

Arohanui

Mr Denham