Embracing New Beginnings: Reflections on Orientation Week and the Journey Ahead

This week is Orientation Week for the University. The city has welcomed a few more visitors from families and parents of students outside Tauranga and overseas. I spoke with the Residential Life Manager, Dr Camille Reid who was very excited about welcoming new residents to the hall and looking forward to supporting them for a successful year ahead. Angela and Bruce Robinson were also present to meet students and parents as we begin a new relationship with the University with the “Host Family Programme”.

This experience takes me back to when Felicity and I took our youngest daughter, Latafale, as a first-year student to Otago. What a beautiful time that was! Watching her spread her wings and begin that journey—full of great expectations and uncertainties but eager to take on the world. I understand that Cath and Nick Page were also taking their son, Jack, to Christchurch and supporting him as he settles into his new environment at the University of Canterbury. For parents, it can be a mix of emotions—excited for our children but also sad to see them go.

There is certainly excitement in stepping into a new environment, whether as a student starting university, a family moving to new home, starting a new Job or school, or even organising a bedroom someone once occupied. There are always challenges that come with new beginnings.

The bible speaks about going into new environments as well:

Jesus Called “the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits” He instructed them ““Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.  Wear sandals but not an extra shirt.  Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.  And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent, drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them (Mark 6:7-13)

The Lord also appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them,

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road (Luke 10:1-4)

As we enter new seasons of life—whether as students, parents, or individuals in new environments—let’s remember Jesus’ words: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” We can trust that God will be with us through the challenges and the excitement of these transitions.

May we find strength in knowing that we’re not alone, and as we take on new beginnings, may we continue to grow and support one another in faith and love.