Paeroa Christian School officially opened its new Island Falé (house) on April 11, in a heartfelt dedication ceremony.
The wooden structure, located on the front lawn of the school, was dedicated to the memory of former principal Lance Nancekivell and will serve as a reminder of the school’s numerous mission trips to Samoa and Fiji.
Lance, who was the school’s principal for 17 years, began taking the school’s senior students on mission trips in 2006.
“In previous years we’d take year eight students on a New Zealand day adventure somewhere, but Lance wanted more than that,” former teacher Jill Robertson said.
“He wanted them to experience another culture, to open their eyes to a world beyond Paeroa where God was at work, and a world where maybe they had a contribution to make.”
The missions continued throughout Lance’s tenure, and current principal Royce McMurtrie said the spirit of the trips remained after Lance’s died in 2022.
“I was fortunate to go on the last trip to Fiji – it was my first mission trip as principal of the school. And man, it impacted me,” he said.
“These journeys were never just about helping. They were about building genuine relationships, sharing lives, and living out the love of Christ in practical and powerful ways.
“I’m absolutely passionate about keeping Lance’s legacy going by having that mission trip be part of the culture of our school.”
The falé was funded from a generous donation by a school family, who asked that it be spent on a project for the school.
Its opening was attended by school students, faculty, and former students, along with the wider school community. Also in attendance were Lance’s wife Lynley Nancekivell, and Meliki and Ola Talolo, the managers of Oasis Farm in Fiji where the missions currently take place.
The falé was built by charity group MMM New Zealand, who also have connections with the school’s mission programme.
Royce said the school wanted the falé to be a place of shelter, connection, and meaning.
“It’s a significant thing, not because it’s an amazing structure, it’s just what it represents,” he said.
“[It’s] a physical reminder of our school’s mission programme and a lasting symbol of one of our core values, manaakitanga. Manaakitanga calls us to care deeply, serve selflessly and honour others in all we do.
“And in the world that we live in with so many broken connections, it’s actually much more important that we’re intentional about it. So it’s good that people have come. We’ve got ex-students who went on previous mission trips here today and ex-staff, so it’s really drawn in people that have been connected to our school for the past 20-plus years.”
