July 02, 2015
Cold night, warm heart for Big Sleepout
Rotorua broadcaster Kingi Biddle says it's not just the big cities that have problems with homelessness.
He's spending tonight in a cardboard box on the streets of the sulphur city as part of the Lifewise Big Sleepout.
He says while there have always been homeless people, the numbers are growing.
His wife Wendy is part of an intiative that provides meals for the homeless in the city two nights a week.
"There was this one time we asked one of our homeless whanau to bless the food and he stood up and he said 'bless the food and the hands that made them', So it was a big reminder for us. He wairua to te tangata, he mauri to te tangata. Even though Papatuanuku may be their floor and Ranginui maybe the mat, they're somebody's son, daughter and our whanaunga" he says.
Kingi Biddle says donations for the kaupapa can be made on the big sleepout.org.nz website.
In Tamaki Makaurau there's a homeless wananga today and tomorrow at Tatai Te Hono Marae in Epsom, where rough sleepers can get health checks, haircuts and other services.
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