I rubbed her feet with her herbal cream and started to massage them, "what happened when you dished up the stew Nanna, I can't wait any longer to hear the rest?"

"Oh yes, I've put the plates in front of them and told them to sit down.  All I could think of doing was to pray.  I told them to wait I want to say grace, my heart was pounding, I couldn't think straight but I remember I asked the Lord to bless them and give them decent jobs to enable them to provide for their loved ones."

"What happened next?"

"They ate as if they have eaten weeks ago.  I started brewing some tea to keep myself busy.  Then they got up, I swallowed hard, I think I stopped breathing for a minute.  To my surprise, they left silently the same way they entered.  I slowly sat down on the nearest chair.  My knees felt like jelly and my whole body was shaking."

"Grandpa and the kids found me still sitting like that twenty minutes later.  He decided there and then to sell the farm, his friend from New Zealand was nagging him to join him here.  He promised to find him a job on a farm."

"So that is what convinced you to move to New Zealand."

"Yes, there were several farm murders in our neighborhood and Grandpa refused to take any more chances.  His friend, Alex promised him that it was much safer here. We sold everything and applied for our passports and thanks to Alex, Grandpa received a working permit."

"When did you move here Nanna?"

"We arrived here in Dunedin on the second of February nineteen-eighty-seven with a suitcase and a small bag each with a few articles we treasured and our clothes."

"Where did you live?"

"There was an old house on the farm, where the owner lived previously before he built the new house.  He was kind enough to let us stay there and we bought new beds and the rest of our furniture from the Salvation Army."

"That could not have been easy."

"We saw it as a new beginning, at least we were safe, and that counts for something doesn't it?"

"That's true, and Grandpa lived and worked on the farm till he died."

"Yes, he enjoyed farming though he worked very hard, he was happy that he could raise your mom and uncle in a safe environment.  They did well in school and were happy."

"What happened to you when he died?"

"Your mom and dad helped me to get the apartment in the old age complex and I was happy to be near them.  I could see them more often and be part of your and James's lives while you grew up, what more can a grandma ask for?"

"You and Grandpa were very brave and we can only thank you for giving us the opportunity to live and grow up in such a lovely country.  It must have been hard for you to leave your family and friends and to sell all your stuff."

"It was, and the first few month's I cried a lot, but through the years I learned to appreciate everything.  I could write to my family and friends and they always reminded me of how fortunate I was.  The farm murders continued and are getting worse, like eight-hundred a year at present.  I can only thank the Lord for saving me that day."