Pastor Timothy Lee: One year on from accident

Pastor Timothy Lee doesn't dwell on the question "Why Me?"
"The big picture is not about me. It's about what God is doing through me and for the people of our community."
It was one year ago yesterday when the Rotorua Baptist Church pastor's life changed after he was left a tetraplegic from a mountain bike crash on the Exit Trail in Whakarewarewa Forest.
Mr Lee and his wife Jenny reflected on the one-year anniversary by going to Rotorua Hospital on Monday to visit some of the staff who worked on him after the crash on May 31 last year "just to say gidday and to thank them ... just to appreciate what they did.
"I'm just grateful that I can be here. It's very much by God's grace. It's a miracle that I'm alive."
Mr Lee said he also spent time with his family in prayer and reflection about what had happened.
He said progress had been slow physically but he was gaining strength in his arms and some movement in his fingers.
"I am keen to get out of this chair. It's not my identity. It's not who I know myself to be but I just have to accept that God is up to something ... I'd desperately like to walk, jog, be able to use my hands to fix things. I'm grateful to God for the miracles that he has already performed in keeping me alive."
Mr Lee said he was still working towards his short-term goals of being able to feed himself and use a cellphone and was doing exercises in his home gym to achieve that end.
He admits he has to discipline himself to do the physio. "I'd rather be talking to and encouraging people."
Mr Lee has a team of about five people - including his wife - who provide 24-hour care but he doesn't like having to ask people to do things for him.
"I still find it humiliating in all honesty but then I'm getting used to it. People feel they are helping by doing stuff for me."
He shares his role as pastor of the church and has had an office set up for him in the corner of the church auditorium. He has voice-activated software on his computer and has a carer helping him at work.
Mr Lee said he had been approached by a lot of people who had been following his story either through The Daily Post or Facebook who had told him they were inspired by him.
He said he knew what he had been through would "bring about good" and the priority for him was people.
"The most important thing is to continue to help and mentor people."