Joy Rudland and Sarah Rennie and their five children lost everything they owned in a recent fire which destroyed their Double Hill Rd home.
But rather than dwelling on their loss, they only want to express their gratitude.
The family had lived in the home for the past nine years, but were absent when the Waitati Fire Brigade arrived at the inferno, which engulfed the house at 4pm on May 11.
"The fire incinerated absolutely everything," Joy Rudland said yesterday.
"All that's left is the twisted metal bed frames in the bedrooms.
"Everything else is ash."
Despite the devastation, their five children had responded well to the trauma of the event, she said.
"Their resilience has been amazing.
"They went off to play sport and go to music lessons on the Saturday morning after the fire.
"A woman came up to us a couple of days later and said: 'I hear you've had some bad news'.
And Josh said: `Yeah, we did not win at football on Saturday'."
The family has been staying in Dunedin, but has been returning to the ruins at weekends to feed their calves, sheep and chickens.
"We've been so humbled by all the support.
"The Waitati and Dunedin communities have been just wonderful.
"People have been bringing around food and helping out in all sorts of ways," Ms Rudland said.
"Everyone has been so supportive.
"We've felt very supported and loved."
The family's luck was starting to improve last week.
Sammy Gifford (9) won his age group section in the regional NZ Post Art Awards on Friday while, on the same day, Otago Girls High School pupils presented his sister, Sarah Gifford (17), with half the proceeds of its mufti day.
On Sunday, 8-year-old Josh Rudland's football team won its grade 10 tournament.
The cause of the fire was unknown, southern region fire safety officer Stuart Ide said.
