About
Biography
My life began from humble beginnings in my birth place of Bankstown, NSW Australia. I was born to two hard working, loving, sacrificial and attentive immigrant parents with a mix of Polynesian, Māori and caucasian decent. My love for Australia and all of our historic values was instilled into me from birth. I grew up in Greenacre, attending Greenacre public school, igniting a love within me for academics and sport, making captain in my final year. My love for middle eastern cultures began at a young age surrounded by my school friends and community of mostly middle eastern cultures.
Strathfield Girls High School, was the birth place of my volleyball career. After a few short years of working hard in school and sport, I was offered a scholarship at 14 years old to live and train full time at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, ACT with the Australian Womens National Volleyball Team.
By the age of 20, I had represented Australia in the 2000 Olympic Games, played professionally in Padova, Italy, competed in a World Championship, played over 200 games for Australia and held the Australian flag with pride countless times while singing our national anthem. Wearing the green and gold colours for years instilled within me, a strong sense of belonging to the Australian people and our country. Training for an Olympics as a teenager, was a natural progression from my parents legacy of love, drive and discipline. Competing at the Olympics at 17 years old, solidified within me a strong foundation of resilience, work ethic and endurance.
I experienced recklessness and troubled times throughout my twenties when I began partying with drugs & alcohol after I cut my promising volleyball career short. I was promiscuous with sex and careless in my decision making leading to domestic violence, depression, alcohol dependency, poor mental health, suicidal thoughts, broken relationships and rock bottom. Those years humbled me from any elevated view I had of myself. Crushed and at the bottom of a black pit of moral failures led me to seek redemption and new beginnings.
I gave birth to my only child and son at 25 years old. Being a mother is my greatest role but has always remained a private role.
I overcame self-induced hardship as a single mother, with the love of my family and a decision to follow Jesus Christ. I began to walk the life of a Christian I was baptised into by my Catholic parents, just now as a willing and devoted adult. This was the significant turning point in my life. Money, fame and success was not as fulfilling as I had once dreamed it would be as a little girl growing up in Greenacre. My faith in Christ became my identity and my desire to prevent others from the pain I experienced, led to public speaking to thousands of kids in schools and churches. I shared my story with the Sydney Morning Herald in 2015 and began raising money for www.one80tc.org. Further charity work began, assisting to help those struggling through www.wesleymission.org. I also became a drug-free ambassador for www.thepainpod.com, and through my own work at Candifest Ministry (now Christie Ministries) and The Wander Organisation I continued to raise funds and awareness as an anti-drug campaigner.
From 2014, I completed my certification to become a Personal Trainer, I founded Candifest Enterprises Pty Ltd trading as Wander Commercial Services (WCS), offering cleaning and other services while training for the Australian Volleyball League as the Captain of the Sydney Amazons. I stumbled upon YWAM in Kona, Hawaii while on holiday, leading me to put my company ambitions to sleep while I travelled to the Amazon Jungle in Brazil as a Christian Missionary on a medical mission. Upon returning to Sydney, I joined Marrickville and Auburn SES before moving to Townsville, QLD where I gained my Commercial Pilots License (CPL) for a helicopter. I am settled back in Sydney completing a double degree online part time.
I live a quiet and simple life privately while raising my teenage son in partnership with my ex. I work full time on my company, ministry and philanthropic endeavours. I specialise in public speaking, campaigning and advocating, creating a new company Wander Group Pty Ltd to continue my vision for The Wander Organisation (TWO) in 2022. I have a sense of duty as a mother to do as much as I can, for as long as I can, to stand for what I believe is in the best interests of Australians, especially children, the sick and those less fortunate. My vision is to witness reconciliation and peace among our diverse community and create a kind and compassionate future for our children to belong to.
The Wander Organisation (TWO)
The Wander Organisation (TWO) is what I feel our world needs most right now, and the community of like-minded visionaries whom I collaborate with.
TWO was established in 2016 as a philanthropic platform to raise awareness and achieve positive change through advocacy campaigns.
This included:
- Wander Athletes: uniting high-profile athletes to inspire kids to say no to drugs.
- Community engagement: providing free volleyball games at Bondi Beach to encourage fitness for beginners to professionals.
- One80tc.org fundraising: Sydney to Hunter bike rides, gala dinners, golf days, singles nights, red carpet events, and public speaking.
In 2022, with a dedicated team of supporters, TWO expanded its scope and united key concepts from humanitarian groups, emergency management services, not-for-profits (NFPs), non-government organisations (NGOs), political parties and governments to formulate our company systems and social enterprise.
Our platform is based on 12 policies to assist humanity and bring forth a unified, free and peaceful future for our children to inherit.
With your help, together we will be the change we want to see.
Welcome to The Wander Organisation family
Christie Ministries
Christie MInistries is the new name for Candifest Ministry but our vision for Christian festivals will remain under the name Candifest. Candi stands for Christ AND I and represents a persons one on one relationship with Jesus Christ. Christie Ministries is a Christian business and my place to share God working in all areas of my life in public ministry.
I am a non-denominational single Christian woman. I share my life experiences to help others navigate the road of salvation to deep and intimate relationships with Jesus Christ. When we begin to build intimacy with Jesus, our soul begins to repair as we enter the fire and refinement of healing. Deception and lies over our life are revealed. Worldly pursuits are replaced by divine pursuits. Our identity is found in Christ and our soul is reconciled and at peace knowing our relationship with the creator is
eternal.
Relationship
I focus on building an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and a one on one relationship with God. The Church is within us 24 hours, 7 days a week to help us and to be a light to the world in all we do.
Life
I develop practical habits to incorporate my faith and relationship with God into all areas of my life. God is with us in all we do. I seek to live by Christian principles and integrity with the bible.
Fellowship
Healthy relationships with God allow us to be in fellowship with others. I look at life as a Christian in relationship with others, both Christians and non-Christian’s. The sharpening of our faith lies in fellowship and
community.
You can follow my Christian life on Instagram and facebook.