letter from New Zealand
What do you picture when you think of New Zealand? Perhaps the idyllic scenery and breathtaking vastness made famous by the Lord of the Rings movies. Undoubtedly it’s a country that remains at the top of many people’s bucket lists. Whilst the scenery is truly magnificent, it hides a very dark truth for the people who make up this beautiful nation.
Death by suicide remains alarmingly high in New Zealand, and the shocking reality is that the incidence of self-inflicted death is highest amongst 15–19-year-olds. In a recent report by UNICEF, out of 36 OECD and EU countries, New Zealand ranked bottom in mental health wellbeing for children.
Whilst surrounded by so much beauty, why are people so hopeless? Part of the answer surely lies in the rapid decline of faith in Jesus, with over 50% of people claiming no religion in the recent census. This number is in shocking contrast to the 2002 census, where around 60% of people identified as Christians.
