A commitment to neighbourhood presence has reaped dividends at St Matt’s Taita.

In April, Co-Missioners Caro Willis and Maria Kirkland agreed to be at their community garden each week on a Wednesday morning.

Since then, this simple act of stewardship has blossomed into a gathering point for young people and the wider neighbourhood.

"We committed to being in the garden every Wednesday morning," explained Caro. "But we could never have anticipated just how much God would work in the lives of our community through this space."

The turning point came when a member of St Matt’s, a teacher from Capital Training who works with rangatahi (youth), approached the Missioners with a question: "Do you think I could bring my young people to the garden each week?"

Since then, a group of 4–6 rangatahi from Capital Training has joined the community gardening sessions each week for the last two school terms. They’ve gotten their hands dirty, participating in planting, harvesting, and cooking with produce from the garden. Each session concludes with shared kai (food) and whanaungatanga (connection time), bringing the participants closer together.

Maria says, “As the rangatahi started coming, others in the church and even local residents got involved.

“We’ve had people sharing their gardening and composting knowledge, which has helped expand the garden with support from a Wellington Tree Crops Association grant.”

Reflecting on the experience, they remark, “We’re witnessing the fullness of God’s Kingdom in action. Our friend from Capital Training is connecting her faith with her work. The rangatahi are finding a sense of belonging, learning new skills, and members of our church and neighbourhood are catching a glimpse of the Kingdom by offering their time and talents. It’s beautiful to see how stewarding the land has met a real need in our community.”

Last week marked the end of the second school term with Capital Training. The group celebrated with a round of thankfulness, reflecting on the growth they’ve experienced—both in the garden and in their lives. Three rangatahi, who had successfully earned their NCEA Level 1, were farewelled. Although, it was sad to see them move on, the farewell was marked with warmth and gratitude.

“One of the rangatahi told us how much they enjoyed being outside, learning new things, and meeting new people,” Maria says. “It was a real highlight for them, as were the marmite and cheese scones we shared at the end!”

As St Matt’s garden continues to grow, so does the sense of community. Caro and Maria remain committed to fostering a space where the Kingdom of God can be felt, shared, and lived out in Taitā.