I am reading a biography at the moment about William Colenso, who was a missionary in NZ from Cornwall, england apparently with some scandal in his life as he had an illegitemate son with a maori woman while he was married.
Not to repeat all the story as you can read for yourself, but one of his contributions at the time was to print the first Bible in nz in english and maori translation. Literally he worked in the printing press with ink and paper in the 1800s. He was there at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and was a witness to all those important events that make what the nation is today in terms of relations between two different peoples.
Im finding it fascinating that maybe his descendants today can tell that story.
It got me thinking does my family have anyone like that in the past or...am I like the first 'missionary' in my family? The first to become a christian? Or how about other people do they take faith in their family for granted? Are there any famous people who did worthy things in your family history or perhaps involved in anything scandalous that changed the course of history. Did your 'tribe' encounter anyone outside or is it your family has always kept to themselves, their class or kind of people?
Nowadays there is a huge diaspora and migrant population, how far have you come and how far will you go? I read about illustrious families in america who run the country and high up in politics who could trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower. and then there are people who have no idea, and are lost and dont even know their own mum or dad.
Not to repeat all the story as you can read for yourself, but one of his contributions at the time was to print the first Bible in nz in english and maori translation. Literally he worked in the printing press with ink and paper in the 1800s. He was there at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and was a witness to all those important events that make what the nation is today in terms of relations between two different peoples.
Im finding it fascinating that maybe his descendants today can tell that story.
It got me thinking does my family have anyone like that in the past or...am I like the first 'missionary' in my family? The first to become a christian? Or how about other people do they take faith in their family for granted? Are there any famous people who did worthy things in your family history or perhaps involved in anything scandalous that changed the course of history. Did your 'tribe' encounter anyone outside or is it your family has always kept to themselves, their class or kind of people?
Nowadays there is a huge diaspora and migrant population, how far have you come and how far will you go? I read about illustrious families in america who run the country and high up in politics who could trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower. and then there are people who have no idea, and are lost and dont even know their own mum or dad.
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