Jordan Wilson provides the musical accompaniment for Agape Fellowship's celebration of members with birthdays in July and August. Photo / Judith Lacy
Jordan Wilson provides the musical accompaniment for Agape Fellowship's celebration of members with birthdays in July and August. Photo / Judith Lacy
Rae Poulsen tells her story in a matter-of-fact way, not pausing to eat the celebratory morning tea.
It's hard to take in the magnitude of what she is saying. The 60-year-old isn't after sympathy - she wants to share how beneficial she finds Agape Fellowship.
Poulsen came to Agape incentral Palmerston North 11 years ago after she took an overdose. She suffered from severe depression and up until six years ago, suicidal thoughts would flood her mind like a switch had been turned on in her head.
"When the switch goes on you can't convince me that I'm not the worst person that ever lived."
But the number and duration of bouts has significantly reduced. "I put it down to this place."
She was sexually abused as a child and has found her tribe at Agape.
"This is my family, I have a very large blood family but I walked away from them with the help of Agape. They have every abuse known to man in my family."
Poulsen used to see only in black and white - there was no colour in her vision, but she credits attending Agape as allowing her to see colour.
She has found it in her heart to forgive one of her abusers, saying he was just as much a victim as her. "Years ago I forgave him for me because the hatred was eating me up."
Once she couldn't look people in the eye and tell her story; she says she wasn't owning it. "I can actually look people in the eye and tell my story these days."
Life hasn't been all plain sailing recently, though; for the past six months she has suffered from headaches so bad she's barely got out of the house once a week. She did manage to get to Agape for its July and August birthdays morning tea.
"This place is the home of unconditional love and they don't want anything from you. All they want to do is make you smile, to make you feel good."
Poulsen says people come to Agape because they are sad, lonely or broken.
"It's completely unconditional here, if you're in a bad way, need to cry your eyes out, scream, they are there for you. We all close around you if you are upset."
Before Christmas she attended Agape five days a week. "It's light hearted and we have fun, we play games and we do things."
She has two goals, firstly to get back to what she was doing before the headaches arrived.
Secondly, she would love to visit her daughter in England and her granddaughters aged 3 and 4, plus a grandson is on the way.
"I've come a long way and the other thing I do when I can is try to help the other people when things go wrong or they are upset."
Agape (Greek for love) is a charitable trust that offers support to people with a variety of needs and disabilities.
Co-ordinator Craig McDonald says Agape is for anyone who feels they need support because they have a disability or are alienated from wider society. While its contract with the Ministry of Social Development is for community service card holders, it will accept anyone who asks for help.
Agape was started in 1988 by Methodist deacon Lorna Goodwin, and McDonald has worked there for 20 years.
"We work with our members to identify what they want and how they want to achieve their own goals within their resources, capabilities and timeframe," he says.
"We operate largely like a family and our work is based on developing long-term trust without time limitation. Rehabilitation for anything takes a very long time."
Bernard Mullan suffers from depression and anxiety and has been going to Agape for the past few months, two to three times a week for an hour or two.
It's a safe, well-supervised environment with plenty of laughs, Mullan says.
Support worker Steve Russell says Agape is a big extended family. Asked what he likes about the job, Russell replies helping people.
"Because people have met here they have become friends, which is a really positive thing."
Agape Fellowship members Ruth Jackson (left) and Jen Lowndes. Wednesday art group members each painted a letter of the Agape artwork. Photo / Judith Lacy
Jen Lowndes says McDonald is good at helping her set goals. She has made good friends who have helped her with her eight-year-old son.
Ruth Jackson has been a member since 2007. She says there is a lot of kindness and warmth, no matter where people come from in life.
"I feel that I've been helped to be a stronger woman and I feel that everyone's been very understanding of my deafness."
Agape's regular programme runs Monday to Friday and includes walking, cards, swimming, arts and crafts, and music appreciation.
• For more information ring co-ordinator Craig McDonald on 359 0729 or email agape@inspire.net.nz.
