When we landed back in Christchurch the parishioner who picked us up from the airport had hoped to show us something new in the vicinity of the Church, namely the functioning pedestrian traffic lights across Harewood Road. We were disappointed. Those traffic lights were still not working, just as they had not been when we left the country.

However, less than a week later they have been turned on and now allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross Harewood Road easily.

I still remember that when I arrived in Papanui in 2020 I wondered why there were traffic lights along the cycleway across Blighs Road and Wairakei Road and not across Harewood Road. I spoke to the deputy chair of the community board, Simon Britten, about this when I met him at an event. He told me that the community board had long advocated for traffic lights across Harewood Road, but that KiwiRail had raised some technical issues. Nevertheless, he said that the community board would be continuing to advocate for that crossing and those further north.

Finally, last year there seemed to be some progress. Last September Harewood Road was closed at the level crossing and it was difficult to reach St Paul’s from the west for several weeks. Then not much happened until in November cables were laid along the railway line. Since then it has been quiet, though we heard through official channels that by the end of May 2025 the new level crossings and traffic lights would be commissioned. It seems that did not happen, and it was only by the middle of July that the work was finalised.

As my children cross this road on the way from school, I am relieved that this has finally happened. It also will allow parishioners easier access to church and across the road to the café when they are meeting at Mitre 10.

I have witnessed the considerable work that went into making the traffic lights a reality. It was not as easy as I first thought. But it seems that persistence has paid off and finally the traffic lights are working. It reminded me that many things take their time. That is also true in other areas of life. As Christians we also have learned that some things do not happen immediately, but rather in due time. After all, patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit.