Blessing of the Pacific Suicide Prevention ResourcesHenderson - Auckland

THEME: I came that you might have life. John 10:10

INTRODUCTION: Talofa lava, Kia orana, Malo lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Ni sa bula vinaka, Taloha ni, Talofa, Kia ora, Warm Pacific greetings and thank you for the opportunity to offer a few words of reflection in the House of God this morning. May I extend to you this morning the apologies from Hon Jim Anderton who is unable to be present with us on this special occasion.

·We have come together this morning to reflect on the value of life, the meaning that our Lord Jesus Christ has given to our lives and to bless the Pacific Suicide Prevention Resources and tools specifically designed for our Pacific community so that we can continue to see life flourish amongst Pacific peoples – rather than the tragedy and grief suicide causes amongst the families who are forced to pick up the pieces.

·I want to acknowledge the work of Niu Development group, the National Pacific Suicide Prevention Group, SPINZ, the Todd Foundation and many others, in producing these resources. It has been a collaboration that has made significant steps towards developing ways to educate and engage Pacific peoples in discussing suicide and suicide prevention.

· “I came that you might have life” is the biblical theme for today’s service. It is a fitting theme that I believe illustrates the life giving role these resources will play in addressing the sensitive issue of suicide within our Pacific community.

·Suicide is a serious health and social issue. New Zealand has one of the highest suicide rates in the developed world. And sadly too many of our Pacific people feature among them.

·Over the last 20 years New Zealand has witnessed a dramatic increase in its rates of suicide, including Pacific people.

·In 2001 nearly 500 people died by suicide (more than the annual road toll which is around 400). Many more people attempt suicide and thankfully, are unsuccessful. Most of these are women.

·80 per cent of New Zealand’s suicides are aged twenty-four years and older.

·In 2001, 22 Pacific men and women died through suicide (20 males and two females), that is essentially double the rate of the 12 deaths in 2000 and 14 deaths in 1999.

·As far as I’m concerned and the families of those who died, is 22 deaths too many. The trend is very concerning and these resources will go a long way towards reducing the number of deaths from suicide.

·While the numbers of suicide deaths amongst our people is relatively low compared to the national population – this is not a reason for the subject to be swept under the carpet. Life is a gift, it is precious and the protection of life is important to us as Christians and to humanity.

·So what do we know about the reasons prompting our people to choose to take their own lives?

·There is very little research on suicides by Pacific people but the research available tells us that suicide by Pacific people seems to be centred around:
·unresolved family conflicts,
·inability to meet family and social obligations,
·shame resulting from misdeeds,
·failure to meet unrealistic expectations,
·low self-esteem,
·abuse (which to my way of thinking includes physical, mental and emotional abuse): and,
·conflict between traditional ways and adopted new ways, constraints or demands placed by misconceived sense of obligations.

However while contributing factors for Pacific young peoples attempted suicides were similar to other groups, there were also distinct differences.

·Research by Dr Jemima Tiatia showed one of the unusual features was that 43% of the Pacific young people who attempted suicide were employed, which contradicts research that unemployed people are at greater risk of attempting or committing suicide.

·Many were young women, over 20 years of age, and living with their families at the time of their attempt.

·And that most suicide attempts took place at home.

·What can we do to prevent the number of suicide attempts and deaths from increasing within the Pacific community?

·It is through initiatives like the Pacific Suicide Prevention Resources being blessed today – we are moving closer to nurturing future generations of Pacific people who will be empowered with a positive attitude, with positive ways to deal with the hard times in their lives. And we will see fewer people taking their own lives. Life is for living and celebrating.

·Last week the Government through the Ministries of Health and Youth Development launched the “ALL AGES DRAFT STRATEGY - a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention across all age groups.”
·The strategy is in response to the 2001 suicide statistics which show that while New Zealand’s suicide rate is trending downwards, we are still losing around 500 lives a year.

To end, I want to remind all of us here today, that we too also have a role to play in ensuring suicide is not an option for our Pacific peoples.
First and foremost, we must continue to rely on the strength and wisdom of our God, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to guide us through the trials and tribulations we each will inevitably encounter in our lives.
We must allow ourselves to listen without judgement to our loved ones when they are facing difficult times because sometimes a good ear and a shoulder to lean on is all they may need.
Finally, you may want to offer your services to the cause of preventing suicide where you can. This could be in the form of volunteering to help out with the work of the National Pacific Suicide committee; it could be through working with others and running a programme at your church or school putting Pacific Suicide Prevention Resources into action.
For our small Pacific communities, that are lacking resources, partnership and collaboration has is one of our greatest asset s – and this project has proved that.
May the Lord bless each and everyone of you involved in making this day a possibility and may he bless those of you who have worked so hard to see these Pacific resources become a reality.
Ia fa'amanuia e le Atua lenei fuafuaga, ma le tatou fa'amoemoe. Manuia le tatou sauniga.