Month: April 2016

ANZACS – We will remember them

We will remember them!

For the past 20 years Challenge 2000 has encouraged our young people to reflect on ANZAC day, what it meant in 1915 and what it means today.

Our focus is on Service, Sacrifice, Peace and Justice and how these are significant values of our country – now and then.

Much time is spent on learning about WWI and WWII in particular and how these wars shaped the psyche and soul of Aotearoa New Zealand.  Then a play is workshopped, practiced and delivered in centres and churches.  What happens is incredible.  The “actors” actually absorb the identity of those young men and women who served overseas.  Flanders Field becomes real to the “soldier” and the mum and children who stayed at home know the pain and fear of waiting.  The nurse writing the letter for Reg on board the hospital ship leaving Gallipoli is moved to tears as Reg says how his younger brother was killed on the beach.

Kids playing

 

20160424_192318 20160424_191819 20160424_192252The haka by a soldier of the Maori Battalion at El Alamein honours his dead comrade and beings the spirit of his ancestors alive again.

Words can’t describe it really – but our young people grew as they discovered the history, feelings and courage, fear, pain and reality of War and its wide ranging effects.

Now we need to not just remember but to act so that all can have the quality and type of life that others were prepared to serve and die for.

Will you serve? Will you sacrifice? The challenge is there. Worth thinking about – worth acting on!

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And the conversations weren’t all serious…………………

Conversation in a vehicle:

Sam, 7, who acts as a boy in 1945: “When I take Under Mike by the hand – shall I say come and see my poster of Aaron Cruden?”

Luke, staff member: “Ummm maybe don’t say Aaron Cruden cos he wasn’t alive in 1945”

Sam: “Shall I say Christian Cullen?”

Luke: “No I don’t think Christian is that old either! Maybe you just say rugby stuff?”

Sam: “Yeah maybe the All Blacks weren’t invented them!!!”

ANZAC Day

Flanders Field

 

 

“They ask me where I’ve been

And what I’ve done and seen.

But what can I reply

Who knows it wasn’t I,

But someone just like me,

Who went across the sea

And with my head and these hands

Killed men in foreign lands ……..

Though I must bear the blame

Because he bore my name.”

Poem by Wilfrid Gibson

Girls Adventure Group – Tramping Scheme

Challenge 2000 has recently formed an outdoor adventure group for young women. Our objective is to help young women to experience new things and to step out of their comfort zones.

The groups first expedition was a two day tramp along the Oronogorongo Track into the Rimutaka Forest Park. For some of the young women, even sleeping in a tent was a new experience. Simply in saying ‘Yes’ to this adventure took a lot of courage. The young women were tasked with preparing and cooking their own food on camp cookers, finding an appropriate place to rest, and navigating the journey.

On reflection, one participant said:
“I just want to say I learned a lot on those two days; like anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I think the most challenging part for me was the walk, it was a struggle but I got there in the end. The thing I enjoyed most was bonding with the leaders and with my old friends. This would have never happened if it wasn’t for Challenge 2000”

It was incredible to see the amount of physical, mental and emotional growth that can occur in the space of a weekend. In seeing the young people be challenged and inspired by all that nature has to offer, it was very motivating for Challenge 2000 staff to endeavour to provide more opportunities like this for our young people.

Bridge Bush walk Stones

School Holiday Programmes!!!!!

Pushing Boundaries at Adrenaline Forest

“If you keep doing what you’ve done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” – Anthony Robbins

Young men from Colleges in the Porirua region participated in the various courses at Adrenaline Forest in Wellington as a reward for their progress in school.  The course also aimed to encourage the young men to step out of their comfort zones and face the challenge as a team.

By the end of the day, the young men were exhausted from the physically demanding courses but were grinning from ear to ear about what they had achieved.  For some, it was a fear of heights while for others, it was the struggle of working as a team.  All in all, it was a great learning experience with a bit of fun added!!!

Adrenaline Forest Team Photo Adrenlaine Forest Briefing

 

Rugby 101: Passing, Tackling and the Breakdown

“I don’t believe in magic.  I believe in hard work” – Richie McCaw

Peeling it back to the very basics of passing, tackling and the breakdown, students attending the rugby clinic learnt the art of mastery.  The small technicalities involved in making a good pass to the timing and positioning of a tackle were examined in the sessions.

The students enjoyed the sessions and have the ability to teach their respective teams or work on the drills themselves.  As one student summed it up: “you don’t have to get paid like a professional to train like a professional”!

Rugby tackling Tackle bags

 

H2O Extreme and We are ANZAC’s
As the children arrived, they were all filled with excitement for the days ahead. The first day was spent at H20 Extreme in Upper Hutt. We enjoyed riding the lazy river, cruising down the slides, practicing our swimming and having lots of fun. As the day went on we saw the children grow in confidence ready to take on new challenges.

On the second day, the children came back with big smiles on their faces ready to experience an Anzac filled day. We started by reading stories, learning about our soldiers, teddies, dogs and nurses that had been to war. The children had a chance to try on different army gear. This was definitely a highlight for many of our boys. We then headed to the city for a tour to look at the sights, the kids were full of questions and even managed a game of nonstop tag before we headed back to the Challenge House.

Thank you to all the children, parents and people who provided baking and volunteers who helped out on these days. Your support is so appreciated and make these days possible.

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