Bring Tamatoa Home

Last Wednesday morning we watched Cheltenham Beach and North Head from our deck in anticipation of a small swell as a result of the earthquake and following tsunami that happened in Samoa. We were told to expect a swell of 1 metre, but as the arrival time got pushed back further and further we finally heard on the radio there was a swell of 40cm. Yeah, it was a bit of a laugh for us all, especially those who made the most of the moment and scrambled up North Head for the view. We were all unaware of the extent of the tragedy happening in Samoa as we were making fun of ourselves, or for some, planning an escape route.

The death toll lies at 170 with more suspected to come. Thousands of people have lost their homes, family members and many in NZ have been affected by this too. My heart and my prayers go out to them all.

There are many stories that have saddened me but this one also touched me. A 4 day old baby Tamatoa Inglemells was born a month premature after his parents had to run for their lives. The story is here in the NZ Herald website. If he doesn't get his flight home to NZ he will die in Samoa. I encourage you to give whatever you can to help this family or many others in desperate need.


Aww isn't he lovely?

**Update: Yesterday the New Zealand Government paid for a mercy flight home for Tamatoa and he is coming home today. People have mentioned to me their lack of sympathy for this couple, as the decision to travel in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy always carries risk, this being precisely the reason why they did not have travcl insurance; they would not have been covered. But at the end of the day he is a helpless wee premature baby needing urgent medical care. I am pleased that the government is helping.

The many ways you can help with the tsunami relief efforts are:

Pacific Cooperation Foundation
Deposits can be made at at any Westpac branch. All the money raised will go to the Samoan Government

Red Cross
- Make a secure online donation at redcross.org.nz
- Send cheques to the Samoan Red Cross Fund, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
- Call 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
- Make a donation at any NZ Red Cross office

ANZ bank Make a donation at any ANZ bank branch, or donate directly to the ANZ appeal account: 01 1839 0143546 00

Oxfam - Make a secure online donation at Oxfam.org.nz - Phone 0800 400 666 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 600 20

Caritas - Make a secure online donation at Caritas.org.nz
- Phone 0800 22 10 22 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 4 11 11

TEAR fund - Make a secure online donation at tearfund.co.nz
- Phone 0800 800 777 to specify Samoa the Philippines or Indonesia. You can also donate at CD and DVD stores.

Mercury Energy - Donate at mercury.co.nz
or text the word Samoa followed by the amount you wish to pledge and your Mercury account number to 515 or by calling 0800 10 18 10.