Alicia Kwon is one of our awesome Phase Two community leaders. When she started with MADE to Lead at the beginning of 2025, she was super shy, but she’s grown hugely in confidence and also in her desire to make a difference. As she has “rubbed shoulders” with our community, she began to notice the needs around her in the suburb where she now works - Ōtara.
Alicia came to us with an idea to use her birthday money to cook up a feed for the people she was crossing paths with on the streets of Ōtara. Our team connected her with our community partner, Shining Light Community Trust, and together they came up with a plan to turn Alisha’s idea into action - and delicious kai.
On Friday 30 October, Alicia saw her idea come to life, as over 80 kids were fed a delicious meal of creamy chicken pasta and home baked bikkies. Alicia cooked up this massive feed, enthusiastically assisted by Margaret, Rox and Melissa (and Mel’s daughter Gracious); they dished it out to the kids who come to Shining Light’s after school programme, where it was very well received!
Here is what Alicia told us:
“A big thank you to Whakamana Ora and Shining Light for giving me the opportunity to be part of reaching out to the Ōtara community. It was so lovely to prepare and serve meals and share not just food but also God's love. ❤️
“What started as a project God placed on my heart became an opportunity to practise trusting in His provision and to learn to share the love everyone deserves. I didn't realise how much this experience would fill my own heart, too, and remind me of the joy that comes from serving others.
“Things didn't go quite to plan on the day, and we had to change our original plan. But God had other plans! More children came, parents joined us, and even people experiencing homelessness came along. It was a reminder that sometimes our plans change because God has something greater in store.
“I'm so grateful to Whakamana Ora for guiding me through my first outreach experience and to Shining Light for welcoming us into their team.
“Already looking forward to what God places on my heart for the next outreach. For now, this experience has definitely fuelled a fire in me to grow deeper in my faith, continue serving others and keep learning to lean on God's presence and guidance.”