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Marie Te Hapuku and Kerry Henderson - Source: Supplied
When New York-based Kiwi soprano Marie Te Hapuku heard about the Christchurch earthquake, she did what most expats did. She called home, in this case her dad, who lives in the South Island.
"I was upset about it," she remembers.
Perhaps because he's a South Islander, her father counselled her that getting upset wasn't going to fix Christchurch. She should maintain a positive attitude.
Te Hapuku agreed, and hung up, thinking, 'There's more that I can do.'
Fast forward just under five weeks to a stately church just off Washington Square, and an event called 'Voices for Christchurch' .
Joined by Kerry Henderson, who's from the smashed city, Te Hapuku and some opera singer friends sung their hearts out before 200 people to raise money for a place most Americans hadn't heard of until a month ago.
It was one of those New York nights that are so difficult to explain to outsiders, and so magical to be a part of. And 'Voices for Christchurch' was a group effort.
Aussie Simon Van Kempen and his American wife Alex McCord from reality hit The Real Housewives of New York City stopped by to show their support, leaving their kids in the car with the nanny, while they mixed and mingled with the guests. Twenty five volunteers, all of them Americans, provided the grunt work, ushering people, pouring wine, setting up, and cleaning up too.
When Te Hapuku sang 'Pokarekare Ana' there wasn't a dry eye in the house, or - it almost seems - a full wallet: Add $12,000 to the restoration fund.
A few days later in a room at a YMCA near Grand Central Station, a group of families who call themselves 'Little Kiwis' did almost the same thing; if you count face-painting and poi dancing as artistic expression.
This was a more homely affair, with a bake sale (shortbread came in red and black) and some raffles. The Crusaders' t-shirt autographed by the team went for $475 to the family of Ruth and Justin Putze. He's from Christchurch. She's from Methven.
The event did better than expected. "I would've been happy if we'd made $2000," says Emma Kelley of Little Kiwis. "We ended up making $4000."
Not without some sacrifice, possibly, in the form of future dental bills; Emma's girl Annabelle guessed the number of lollies (they were probably candies, but let's not split hairs) in the jar. First she guessed 50, then infinity, then 1000. That last number was correct, meaning that five-year-old Annabelle got to keep the jar and the sweets.
The value of persistence is thus exampled; something that all of those in the battered city will increasingly be called on to display as they move further from the tragedy itself, and the front page.
But they won't disappear from the minds of those people I've just told you about, Kiwis who live in a city that's normally better known for its overarching flashy self-interest, but this week was a quiet model of charity for Christchurch.
Read more Tim Wilson opinion
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