NEWS FOR 2024
JH Aotearoa Parent & Child Adventure Experience
110 parents and teenagers from all over the country attended.
The fun, challenges and adventures deepened and strengthened relationships between parents and teens.
We also saw families rebuild broken relationships and extend grace and forgiveness to one another.
We asked the teenagers to fill out a survey at the end of JH. As part of that survey, we asked them to circle on a scale of 1 – 10 how close they felt to their mum or dad at the beginning of the week, and at the end of the week. Every single teenager who attended said they now felt closer to their mum or dad, than before they came. It was so encouraging to see those young people who had circled a 2 out of 10 at the beginning of the week - circling an 8 or 9 at the end of the week, and then to visibly see the change in how they were relating to their parent.
We saw parents become better equipped with skills and knowledge on how to parent their teenagers well.
Many teenagers learnt what it means to live out their faith in the world they live in and became inspired to do so.
We also had a number of families who had never been in a Christian environment before attending. Many of these families joined in worship and prayer times, and all had a fantastic time with their children.
The majority of the young people and their parents who attended made a six-week commitment to read their Bible and connect with God every day. Many families have told us they have continued with this commitment to this day, and it has made a massive impact on their lives, their families, and their relationship with God.
During the JH week, just under half of the teenage sons and daughters who attended either made a first-time commitment to Christ or recommitted their lives to Him.
We had mums and dads who also recommitted their lives to Christ, and many overcame fears and experienced freedom.
This year, God seemed to be ministering specifically to the dads. There was an incredible connection among dads in some of the Huddle Groups, and we had more dads than ever recommit their lives to Christ. We are excited about the impact this will have on the families. If the dad is fully committed to Christ, it will flow down powerfully to the rest of the family.
Written Comments from Teenage Sons and Daughters about JHA 2024
I learnt about God through the activities, and I found out my dad is an interesting person to talk to.
I became a Christian this week.
I’ve got a lot closer to God and also been able to reflect on my previous mistakes to make sure I don’t do them again.
I’ve learnt that although your parents can be frustrating, they actually really care about you.
I’ve got so much closer to dad this week – it was awesome.
I’ve learnt you need to not ‘take’ your whole life but to ‘give.’
This week made me realise I need God more than I thought I did.
I’ve learnt the importance of being grateful and showing gratitude to my parents.
I’ve found out his week that I can trust my dad.
I recommitted my life to God.
I’ve got so much closer to my mum and God.
JH has changed the way I think about relationships and changed my relationship with my dad.
I’ve learnt my dad is actually really cool.
I learnt I need to forgive others.
I learnt what Christianity is all about.
I’ve learnt that God wants me to honour my parents.
My highlight was rafting with my dad and seeing him laughing and having fun.
I’ve found out my mum is a good listener.
I’ve found out my dad has been through some stuff in his life – I get it now, and I understand him better.
This week has really helped my relationship with my dad and makes me look forward to the future more.
I learnt my dad cares about me more than I knew.
JH has changed me it’s helped me to let go of a lot things and forgive my dad.
I became a Christian this week. I gave my life to Jesus
CHEck out the written testimonies from our guests in the Video below
All of these things that have happened in the lives and hearts of the parents and teenagers who come to JH Aotearoa are God’s doing, from beginning to end. We want to give glory to God for what He has done!
We also want to thank those of you who pray for JH. We are so grateful to you. We have a full-time prayer team onsite every year whose primary focus is praying for the families who come.
The foundation of the entire JH Aotearoa ministry is prayer. When we meet as a team on Thursday nights throughout the year, prayer frequently is the main focus of our time together.
We are so grateful to those of you who support JH by praying for us and for the ministry.
This last year has been a difficult one, and there are moments when we wondered how JH was going to be able to happen at all, given the difficulties and obstacles we faced, but God has been so faithful. It has been a huge faith journey for us personally, having to trust God for the impossible and then seeing Him answer those prayers, overcome the obstacles and problems, and miraculously provide the finances to enable JHA to happen.
We are so grateful to God for what He has done and to every one of you who has supported a family in some way so that they could attend. Thank you!
Volunteers
Each year, just over 100 to 120 Volunteers attend, most of them young people in their early 20s, but we also have grandparents, mums, and dads who volunteer. Here is our wonderful volunteer team from this year. Many of the adults who come as volunteers do so because they have been through the programme with their own children and have been deeply impacted by it.
We are very excited about the ministry that JH Aotearoa is having to our young volunteers – it’s like there are two streams of ministry going simultaneously, one to our guests and one to the volunteers.
The volunteers are on site for 10 days, so it is a big commitment. They give their time and service, but we do not ask them to pay to attend.
The Volunteers receive 3-4 days of training and ministry before the event begins. They then give what they have received to our guests. Sometimes, what happens during the training time is just as powerful as what happens during the Event. Many of our young volunteers first come to the Parent-Child programme with their mum or dad, then return the next year to do the Second Wind Student programme, and then in subsequent years, they come to serve as volunteers.
The experience that our young volunteers get at JH in service, leadership and ministry is an incredible discipleship training programme that deeply impacts many of them. We are now seeing these young people go on to become leaders within their Christian communities and have a huge impact across a wider sphere.
Here is a quote from a pastor about the young volunteer who was a Huddle Group leader for his son.
“The role models the Huddle group leaders were to our boys speaks louder than a lifetime of sermons. These leaders have shown our sons an inspirational type of godly manhood.”
WHAT VOLUNTEERS HAVE SAID ABOUT THEIR TIME SERVING AT JH AOTEAROA 2024
There is a spirit of service, sacrifice, and putting others before yourself at JHA. So, it's great to be in that atmosphere, to learn and to grow in that.
I’ve so appreciated being able to open up and share so vulnerably with the guys in my Huddle group without fear of judgment.
My family relationships have been healed and restored through my time serving as a volunteer at JHA
I have gotten so much out of teaching at JHA. It’s teaching you don’t normally get in church.
While I’ve been serving at JHA, a great weight/ a dark cloud over me has gone. For the first time I feel free, I’ve been healed. I have hope!!
When I came to JHA to volunteer, I knew I would probably be working quite hard, but I had no idea how much God would pour His love and grace into me while I was there. I have come away refreshed, exhilarated, and newly surrendered to Him!
I was blown away by seeing God work in the kids and parents’ relationships this week. Seeing how they were when they arrived and seeing transformation happen in their relationships is awesome!
JH AOTEAROA SECOND WIND
ADVENTURE EXPERIENCE
Second Wind is the next step in further discipleship of our rangitahi, our younger generation.
The Second Wind Adventure programme is for students who have previously done the Parent Child Programme and are in their final two years of High School.
The programme empowers teenagers to own their faith in God and discover the next step in His plan and purpose for their lives.
Second Wind runs simultaneously to the JH Aotearoa Parent Child Programme.
Here is what our young people who attended said when we asked them “How do you feel after attending Second Wind this summer?”
I feel uplifted, encouraged, and much closer to God. I feel like I now have a more godly attitude and a mission for the year.
Loved the talks with the boys and with the leaders. So great to be in an environment where I felt safe, to open up and be vulnerable and open about life with a group of caring guys and amazing leaders.
I feel refreshed and less worried and fearful.
I feel amazing after the 24-hour solo time. I feel like a new person.
I now have a desire to spend time with God I didn’t have before.
I feel so good, much better than before I came. My spirit, soul, and body were strengthened, refreshed, and encouraged. I have learnt so much and made great connections with others.
Great talks, great content, very relatable, helpful, and encouraging, which has helped me change my attitudes in areas.
I’ve learnt that waiting and trusting God is the right way. Through deep and meaningful chats, I felt a great sense of community and trust with the coaches and teammates.
Supportive, encouraging coaches an awesome programme. I feel free.
I feel so refreshed and ready for the year to come. I’ve pushed my body to the limits and did so much more than I thought I could. I’ve connected with God and learnt how He talks to me.
Loved the opportunity to open up and feel forgiven of shame from past actions and addictions. I feel free and clean.
Second Wind is amazing. It really cleared my head and my vision for my future and helped me build connections with God and others. SW was life-changing.
OUr leadership Team
2024 & BEYOND
Our vision is to see the impact of JH Aotearoa elevated across the nation. More families than ever in our nation need what JH Aotearoa can offer. Parents are desperate to find a way to connect with their children, who are immersed in a digital world and often barely speak to them. Parents are desperate to find a way to pass their Christian faith and their values onto their children. JH gives them the opportunity and equips them with the ability to be able to achieve this. JHA also gives parents and their children the opportunity to forgive each other and reconcile and strengthen their relationship. We want to see more families have this opportunity.
When we first prayed about the possibility of bringing JH to NZ, one of the things that we felt that the Lord was saying was if we were to bring it to NZ, it wasn’t just to be a programme for wealthy families but that we were to make it available for families from all of the walks of life in NZ. Most NZ families can’t afford a JH experience. It has been a complete miracle and answer to prayer that this has been possible through the generosity of individuals like yourselves.
Part of our vision for the increase in impact is being worked out with our liaison with churches and Pastors. Often it is the Pastors’ who know best which families could most benefit from a JH experience. Thanks to the wonderful initiative of one of our faithful Supporters, who has committed to partnering with a church in Rotorua. We now have a church Pastor who each year identifies 4 families in his church who will benefit from JHA and encourages them to come. This is possible because this Pastor has a trusted donor who has promised to provide scholarships for those families who need them.
This system has been hugely fruitful, as the testimony letters we have received attest. Here is that Pastor: Pastor Andrew Parrington from Living Well Church in Rotorua.
We would love to be able to set up more of these kind of partnerships throughout the country. We already have Pastors here in Auckland who can’t wait to do this. They know JHA's impact on families and the transformation that can come from it. If you would like to be involved, please feel free to connect with us.
CHRISTIAN PARENTING COURSE
Based on feedback from parents, we have developed a four-week course called “Parenting Teenagers from a Christian Perspective.” The Christian community desires more input in this area.
The course covers:
The journey of transition teaching from JH Aotearoa
How to pass your faith onto your children,
Navigating the use of technology with your teen.
How to build a relationship with your teenager
How to avoid the pitfalls of teenage romantic relationships.
Strengthening your teen’s emotional health and well-being
We have run the course for several church communities within Auckland and just recently for St John's Church in Arrowtown. Two other churches are keen to have the course in the next few months.
CHURCH LIAISON
Dave Youngson is our church Liaison person and he has been doing a fantastic job of meeting with Pastors around the country.
When a Pastor has attended JH on a scholarship, we then encourage them to promote JH and send others in their community to attend. The flywheel we are working on is as mums and dads and sons and daughters return from JHA and share the stories of what God has done in their lives with their church community. Then, the church community becomes inspired to raise funds from within their community to send funds to other families who can’t afford to attend. When church members have given funds for children and parents to attend JH, it isn’t just a JHA story. It becomes a part of their church's story!
SOME OF YOU HAVE ASKED
HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED:
OUR POSTURE AS A MINISTRY IS TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT IS HAPPENING AND ASK YOU TO PRAY AND BE LED BY GOD AS TO HOW HE WOULD WANT YOU TO PARTNER WITH US.
We would be delighted to speak with you directly if you would like more information or have questions about the ministry's needs, costs, finances, and structure or if you would like to serve at the Event.
If you would like to contribute towards Scholarships for families who can’t afford to attend. JH Aotearoa is a registered charity, and you can donate directly by bank transfer. The JH Aotearoa Account details are - ASB 12-3082-0220202-00. The full cost of a Scholarship for a Parent & Child to attend is $2500. Many recipients also only require partial scholarships, and all scholarships pay a minimum of $250.00 themselves - which is usually fundraised by them.
Become part of the JH Aotearoa Family by giving an ongoing monthly donation. This could be $20, $50, $100 or more. This can specifically be for Scholarships, Ministry Development or a JH Aotearoa Seed Fund.
Currently, all donations given to JH Aotearoa go directly towards funding families who could not otherwise attend (with the exception of a small amount that goes to a part-time administrator). All of the JH leadership team give their time voluntarily, and printing has also been generously donated.
If you would like to attend with your child or to volunteer at the Event, go to jh.org.nz to register.
OUR OBJECTIVES AS A MINISTRY:
Malachi 4:6 + Matthew 28:19-20
To strengthen and build family relationships between teenagers and their parents, and to lead both parent and child to become fully committed disciples of Jesus Christ.
To see families liberated through loving God and loving others. To bring about reconciliation and healing within families.
To equip Christian parents with the necessary skills to raise their teenagers to follow Christ in today’s world.
To disciple our young people, to become men and women of character who own their faith in God for themselves and who are discovering the next steps in His plan and purpose for their lives.
Success of the ministry is not measured, by the numbers who attend or their enjoyment of the programme, (although this is also an aim) but rather by the lasting transformation of their lives by Christ Himself.
HOW THESE OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVED:
PRAYER: The foundation of the ministry is prayer. It is the beginning of everything. Without prayer there is no JH Aotearoa.
PRESENCE Of GOD: Prayer invites God, into all that goes on. Without His presence there will be no lasting impact or transformation.
PEOPLE: The JHA crew seek to model the great commandment of loving God and loving others. Every guest who comes is welcomed, loved, accepted and respected.
PROGRAMME: Fun First Adventure. Intentional programming. Excellence in every area. Safety.
PLACE: An undistracted environment. Opportunities to connect with God and meaningfully connect as parent and child.
PRAY WITH US
For the families of NZ to grow in their faith in God and their love for one another.
Funds for Scholarships for families to attend JH Aotearoa this year.
The Second Wind Programme – the continued development of it for the NZ context.
The Parenting Teenagers from a Christian Perspective Course – the further development of it within New Zealand.
Guests and volunteers for our next summer
JH Leadership Team – wisdom and guidance
Thank you so much again for partnering with us in the ministry of JH Aotearoa.
Blessings,
Phil and Desiree Thompson on behalf of the JH Aotearoa team.
