JH Aotearoa 

The vision to establish JH in this part of the world was birthed almost 15 years ago in the hearts of Rob and Edith Hayes St Clair who are part of the Leadership team at JH Ranch USA.

After years of prayer the dream started to become a reality in 2014 when a number of New Zealanders attended JH Ranch with their children.  Unsure of what they were going to experience, they found it was both inspirational and life changing, dramatically bringing positive change to their families.

Having experienced the on going impact of a JH Ranch experience in their own lives, the small team of new Zealanders who attended the Ranch, began to meet together to pray and share the Everlasting Adventure they had began, and dream about being able to give families in Aotearoa New Zealand the same opportunity that they had received.

The vision was to bring this intentional, carefully crafted, highly successful programme that has been refined over 30 years of experience in the US and adapt it to the New Zealand context ensuring that it is culturally relevant, and making it accessible for all New Zealand whanau.

In January 2015 the vision became a reality when JH Aotearoa ran their first ever Parent & Child Event. There were 190 parents and children who attended from all over the country, and 90 young volunteers making the team. The week was packed with 6 adventure activities  - high ropes, mountain biking, white water rafting, low ropes, abseiling & screaming kiwi, and waka and canoeing out on a lake.   There were 5 Big Top Talks (or evening talks), delivered by Rob, Edith and Mack from the JH Ranch Leadership team and Journey of Transition Teaching (or instructional parenting talks) as well as Huddle groups, and extended solo time between the parent and child.  

At that first event we saw healing, forgiveness and restoration within families. Parents and teenagers who came to the Event not even talking to one another were reconnected. People who had never been to church before gave their hearts to the Lord. We saw relationships with God, and family relationships, deepened and strengthened and for many transformed.

For the 180 the parents and teenagers who attended, and for many of the young volunteers also, the Everlasting adventure had began!