During the recent School Holidays our Internship team had the opportunity to serve by helping run two children’s Holiday Programs, in partnership with churches in Te Puke and Manawaru. These programs are more than just events; they are opportunties to nurture relationships and witness growth—both in the local churches we partner with and within our team.
Answered Prayers - The Orchard Church
Our first week was spent with The Orchard Church in Te Puke, a collaboration that marked the culmination of a two-year journey. Since 2022, our Word of Life intern team has been working hand in hand with The Orchard Church, with the vision of equipping them to independently run their own holiday program. This year we began to see this vison turn into reality, and seeing it come to fruition was a testament to how God is working through these partnerships with the local church.
This year, The Orchard Church ran the program themselves for the first time, with our intern team stepping back into supportive roles. It was a joy to witness over 200 children attend each day, engaging in fun activities while hearing the life-changing message of Christ. Our first-year interns contributed by sharing Bible lessons and serving as team leaders. Twenty five youth from the Orchard came to the programme as leaders, and in the evenings, had times of community, as well as sessions focused on leadership development. Overall the programme was a huge success, and we are so excited to see what God will continue to do through these programs.
Doors Opened in Manawaru
During the second week, our first-year interns took the lead at the Manawaru Bible Chapel holiday program. This was another amazing opportunity to assist a church eager to reach its community for Christ. The interns did a great job taking responsibility, as each of them oversaw Bible lessons, worship, activities and team leading. Every day, 60 children experienced the joy and hope of the gospel, and the impact extended far beyond them.
Justin Thompson, Pastor of Manawaru Bible Chapel, shared how the program opened doors for church members to connect with parents as they dropped off and picked up their children. The ripple effect was encouraging and exciting. The church offered a follow-up Hope Explored course and distributed Rally flyers, sparking further interest in their community outreach. Justin mentioned that the last time Word of Life came and ran a Holiday Program, he had a family member attend a Hope Explored course, and come to faith in Christ. We pray that Manawaru Bible Chapel continues to be a beacon of hope to their community as they spread the good news of Christ.
Thank you
We are grateful for the partnerships with The Orchard Church and Manawaru Bible Chapel, and for the trust they placed in our team. We are inspired by the dedication of our intern team, whose hard work and enthusiasm were instrumental in making these programs successful.
We are beyond thankful to God for the way he has worked through these programs, the local church and our intern team. Our on-going prayer is that God would continue to empower these Churches to be the shining lights in their community, that the hope of the gospel would be contagious and the community of faith would continue to grow.
Thank you to everyone who played a part in these holiday programs, whether it was through service, prayer or financial support. Thank you for supporting us as we seek to Partner with local churches to evangelise and disciple the youth of Aotearoa.
