Our leadership team

Dr Gnanavinthan Thavanayagam (Vinnie) (Settler and Trustee)

Vinnie born and raised in Karaitivu, the same village as his wife (Anu) in the eastern province of Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon). It was enriched with Tamil culture and natural beauty surrounded by the sea and paddy fields which fed the village with fresh fish, organic food and unpolluted oxygen. After completing his honours degrees in Engineering and Business Administration (MBA) and working as a Group Senior Manager managing a staff of 3,000, he emigrated to New Zealand and gained a Postgraduate degree and PhD in Engineering which led to him being employed as a Senior Manager in Operations in a pharmaceutical industry. Vinnie was raised as a Hindu but in 2012 he had an encounter with Jesus and became a Christian and was called to heal the broken hearted and eradicate child poverty globally by feeding, clothing and proving shelter for the poor.

Dr Anusooya Gnanavinthan (Trustee)

Anu born and raised in Karaitivu. After completing her honours degree in Biological Science working as a lecturer in an university, she emigrated to New Zealand and gained a master degree and PhD in Food Science which led to her being employed as a Head of Quality, Compliance and Innovation Manager in a food industry as well as a Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland.
Anu had an encounter with Jesus during her undergraduate study. Since then, she has been carrying the love of Christ to others.

Eng. Nilakshini Susanthan (Nila) (Trustee)

Nila was born and raised in Batticaloa, in the eastern province of Sri Lanka. After completing her Bachelor of Engineering, she moved to Singapore in 2007 and did her master’s degree in Structural Engineering and worked as an Engineer for 10 years. She emigrated to New Zealand with her husband and daughter in 2017 and started to work in Auckland. Nila was raised as a Roman Catholic. She was diagnosed with an ovarian cancer in 2019. On the hospital bed, she had an encounter with Jesus and experienced a vision from Jesus and received a miraculous healing without a chemotherapy. She was called to heal the broken-hearted that their sorrows may turn into joy.

Pas Don Newitt (Trustee)

After an encounter with the Jesus in 1980, Don Newitt was called to leave his printing business and to live faith and work for God which he has faithfully done for over forty years as a pastor/evangelist. He has planted and led decaying churches into growth in three countries, written discipleship manuals, taught at ministry training college, various leadership seminars and numerous churches. He has held evangelistic meetings in U.K. New Zealand, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands and seen many miracles. He has also experienced a lot of persecution and suffering including cancer three times and pneumonia twice but his passion for the Lord has never wavered and he continues to serve the Lord and inspire others to do the same.