For four years, passionate Rotorua gardener Rob Bellingham has lovingly tended and expanded a community garden that helps feed struggling families.
But now, the 80-year-old retired Baptist minister needs someone to fill his gumboots as he prepares to meet his maker after a “fabulous life”.
Bellingham, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer four years ago. Despite treatment, the cancer has spread and his prognosis has become terminal.
He stepped down three months ago as co-ordinator of the community garden at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Ngongotahā – a position he held for three years.
Bellingham said he was in palliative care.
“And that’s okay – at 80, I’ve done all I need to do ... I don’t really mind when I die.
“Heaven is no more pain, no suffering. That’s my destination.”
Bellingham grew up in a Christian family in Northland.
He was interested in missionary stories and developed a “very keen interest” in the issue of poverty and how to help the poor.
“Christian organisations are very prominent in that area of work. So, I pursued that professionally.”
Bellingham lived in Christchurch, then Levin, working as a Baptist minister and chaplain.
He had studied Christian social ethics and also lived in Bangladesh and India for 10 years.
As a chaplain in Bangladesh, his work involved being part of a team that built hospitals, and offered leprosy, agriculture, and craft programmes.
Bellingham was invited to Bangalore to help with a community development training programme.
He moved to Rotorua eight years ago and married his wife Jan.
Four years ago, Bellingham experienced chest pain. Jan took him to Rotorua Hospital for tests.
“When the X-rays came, my doctor was saying, ‘I need to see you ...‘”
Bellingham’s cancer diagnosis was confirmed. He said he dealt with the news with St Francis of Assisi’s Serenity Prayer in mind.
“Change what you can change, accept what you can’t change, and be wise enough to know the difference.”
Despite intensive treatments and surgery, the cancer was in his bloodstream and spreading to other organs.
He was waiting on test results “to plan better how to keep going for a little while”.
Since his cancer diagnosis, Bellingham had been “translating” the Bible into poetry – “putting the whole Bible into verse”.
He published that work and two other books, and was proofreading another.
“Before Christmas, I’ll have four books published in the last two years.”
Bellingham described himself as “a bit of an athlete”.
“I love sport and tennis has been my lifelong game.
“But in retirement, gardening is still one of my passions.”
Bellingham said the community garden provided fresh, free, pick-your-own produce for up to 80 clientele of a foodbank programme.
To be eligible, clients had to be community service card holders and in circumstances where they could not work, he said.
Bellingham said the garden was about “five or six times bigger” than when he first started.
The production of vegetables was “prolific”, including silverbeet, spinach, beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, leeks, garlic, bok choy, broad beans, celery, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, rhubarb, carrots, lettuce and passionfruit.
He enjoyed “seeing things grow” and “knowing they’re organic and very healthy”.
“We’ve just come through spring, and so I’ve been putting in about 20 hours a week weeding and harvesting.”
However, “living with cancer, it’s sort of beyond my capacity ... I’m weak and slow”.
Bellingham said the garden needed more participation, ideally from clients, to be sustainable.
He was also looking for a new co-ordinator to replace him.
“Anyone who is interested, we are interested in talking to.”
Those interested should contact the Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.