Local Missions

Kids Connect Day Camp

In March 2023, six Year 9 students attended a day camp called Kids Connect. This camp is set up by Elevate Disability Trust (in partnership with Children’s Bible Ministries) and caters for children with physical or intellectual disabilities or impairments. The students were ‘buddies’ to campers and did various fun activities with them. It was an opportunity for them to see that despite an impairment in someone’s body, it doesn’t affect their spirit and that everyone can have a relationship with God.

The camp’s theme was “Diggin’ It’ and was a day of exploration through a variety of fun events and large group teaching. The student’s role was to offer their buddy additional support when required so they could fully participate in a range of different activities.

Throughout the day, it was great to see our students being pushed out of their comfort zones as they supported and worked alongside their buddy for the day.

Thank you to Sue Morris and De Gibson, who went along as adult helpers.

On Matariki weekend, 16 students did an overnight mission trip to Otara. We have a longstanding partnership with the Samoan AOG Church in Otara. The students spent time with the youth on Friday night and were involved in painting signs and putting together food parcels. We also prayed and worshipped with the Otara youth that night.
On Saturday morning, the truck was loaded, and the team made their way to a busy intersection in Otara. The students helped with the church’s Community Outreach Day where they participated in activities like face painting, playing games, handing out food parcels and sports equipment.
After the event ended, the team went back to the church. We gave a gift to the church and a tired, but happy group of students made their way home.

In Term 1, eight students from Middle School attended the Kids Connect Camp in Blockhouse Bay. The camp is run by two organisations, Elevate Disability Trust and Children’s Bible Ministry (CBM). The theme of this year’s camp was ‘Carnival’. Each KingsWay student was a ‘buddy’ for a disabled child all weekend. They were there to give support and encouragement as the campers did activities. There were lots of traditional carnival games like ring toss and exciting activities like the flying fox and riding on quad bikes. Everyone dressed in their carnival costumes and there were lots of prizes up for grabs.

Our Middle School students were excellent ‘buddies’ and participated eagerly in all the games and activities with their new friends. At the end of the camp, they asked me, ‘Can we go again next year?’

A big thank you to the students for giving up their weekend to serve others, as well as Melanie van Rooyen, who also attended. This is genuine servant leadership in action.

On 26-27 July, twelve students travelled to the Otara Samoan AOG Church in South Auckland, accompanied by Andrew Marriott (Director, Motivate NZ), Mi Rae Han (Head of the Mission Council) and Colin Gray.

On Saturday, after a hearty breakfast, we helped to set up for their Community Outreach. Many people turned up, and they enjoyed the free food and helped themselves to clothing and bags of groceries.

The KingsWay students helped in many ways: face painting, preparing food, playing games with kids and interacting with locals.

We hope that the connection with Otara can become stronger and the youth at S.A.O.G could come up to KingsWay to do outreach on the Coast.

On the weekend of the 23th November 2016, 9 Year 9 and 3 Year 10 students accompanied by Mrs Zelda de la Guerre, her husband, Manie, Andrew and Margaret Marriot from Missionary Ventures, went to the Otara AOG church on a local mission trip. This is the second year KingsWay students had the opportunity to reach out to the South Auckland community and to share many God moments with our Samoan brothers and sisters.

We spent quality time together getting to know each other and learning more about our cultural differences and customs.

On Saturday afternoon, we had an outreach in a nearby park, did some cleaning up and face painting and also sang with the youth group at the playground and night market.

The Otara AOG church treated us like royalty. What was wonderful was how they mentored our students and were awesome role-models.

On Sunday morning we attended the church service and presented our item as well as a love gift to the church. We connected well with them that it was hard for our students and some of our Samoan friends to part ways on Sunday. We hope to repeat this trip next year.