I was 15 when I started to question who I was. I am New Zealand born, but a half caste – which means I get my Kiwi side from my Father and my Tongan side from my Mother. I grew up speaking Tongan from the age of 4 years old but when my Father and Mother saw how my siblings and I were getting confused with both languages they decided to stick to English. However, living in NZ because of my brown skin people assumed I was Maori or not white at all! Then I would visit Tonga and I would get labelled as Palangi (white). I started having doubt and confusion and wondered who I was? I acted differently around Tongans than around Kiwis and felt I was chopping and changing my personalities.
I knew I needed to change the way I saw myself but didn’t know how to make that change.
Sitting in a church service I had a revelation, as I heard the preacher say that God created me just perfect and that he made no mistakes. He said that I am loved and that he loves all. A change in my heart took place when I understood that my culture was the Kingdom of Gods culture, which is bigger than race and ethnicity.
I now don’t feel that I have to try and get approval from others through what I do but rest in the fact that I know who I am!! I am loved and I am God’s child!
The joy of this revelation is that I have been given the privilege of being invited to schools to speak to young kids about how to love who they are. What an honour!!!
