Designing and building furniture is helping Trust Stedfast of Ashburton move on from the pain of leaving loved ones behind.
The 28-year-old, with his wife Cherish, left Gloriavale about six months ago after deciding they and their six children ‘‘needed some space’’.
Trust said as tragic as it was for him and Cherish to lose connection with siblings, parents and many others inside Gloriavale, the couple did not want this loss to define them.
Gloriavale had instilled in them a love of God, something they continued to nurture within themselves and their children today.
‘‘There’s a lot of really great memories, and a lot of quite painful memories. Moving on creates who you are, it’s not our past that creates that,’’ Trust said.
Part of moving on for Trust has been indulging his sense of creativity.
The man who used to thrive on making props for Gloriavale’s renowned biennial concerts, is today making and selling furniture. He builds items such as play lofts, play kitchens, outdoor furniture and bedside cabinets that double as pet beds.
‘‘I like to do things that are a bit unique and take a bit of imagination to create.’’
He uses driftwood, parts of trees and rough-sawn timber to get a natural look.
For wood found in nature he dries it, skins and shaves it, then sands it down.
‘‘I like to try and get something a bit rustic and bring it down to finished,’’ Trust said.
Trust sells the furniture he makes mostly on Facebook Marketplace.
He hopes to stock an outlet in future as he takes his passion from hobby to full-time career. Currently he is enjoying having time with his children, aged one to nine, as he and Cherish, an early childhood teacher, homeschool them.
‘‘I love to do custom building as well. If someone has something they want, I can take their ideas and put it into something basically for them. I just love to create things. Timber is something I have worked with.’’
In Gloriavale, Trust had been relied on for his woodworking skills, while also managing farms and working as a classroom agricultural tutor for children.
After leaving Gloriavale, the family first went to Christchurch, then Napier, before coming to Ashburton about four months ago.
‘‘We love it,’’ Cherish said.
The town was friendly, and people had been ‘‘really helpful’’ to them as they adjusted to life outside of Gloriavale.
