Desert Spring is a Charitable Trust formed in 1991 and is based in the Fairfield
neighbourhood to work with individuals, families and groups.
Our aims are life transformation, strengthening community and faith community development.
Currently we are achieving this through being a whanau/family-focussed community
centre encouraging a sense of belonging and contribution.
This at present includes:
- Desert Spring Ministries Whanau - families helping families
- Honomai Committee fundraising and advisory group.
- Community Garden - Growing vegetables for whanau and for the foodbank.
- Holiday Family Events - Tenting, camping and day trips.
- Korero Club - Celebrating and learning Te Reo Maori in a supportive environment.
Desert Spring Ministries Services
- One-on-one support and future planning
- Employment, employment education and job coaching
- Advocacy and referrals
- Playgroup - each Wednesday 9.30am - 11.30am term time
- Community Education
- Budgeting Advice
Other Associated Services
- Te Kakano Native Plant Nursery is an innovative enterprise to:
- Teach work skills in a supportive environment
- Create employment opportunities
- Develop an income source to self-fund and contribute to Desert Spring Ministries
- Offer horticultural training and work experience
- LIDS Employment and Education Package to:
- Provide part time employment
- Develop employment history and work ethic
- Gain employment related education through River City Training Academy
- River City Training Academy
Staff
John Baker Desert Spring Ministries Manager
Kaylene Helliwell Office Administrator
Tania Ashman Community Centre Coordinator
Tauki Heta Employment Coach
Jillian Boyce Nursery Manager
Dorothy Wallace Playgroup facilitator
Shane Marquand Job Coach and LIDS Coordinator
Desert Spring Ministries Faith Community
Growing in faith and living it out
Sharing Life
We have discovered that sharing our lives with our local neighbours brings all of us into a radically new relationship with God and with each other.
It is a place to learn, be challenged, develop your faith and see it in action. You are forced to look deep inside yourself to discover where Jesus stands strong, amongst the tangle of your culture, perceptions and personality.
We share our lives through working in the garden, being on Honomai committee, joining the whanau events, learning together and spending time together.
Prayer Life
Prayer is an integral part of our shared life, and may be said in English, Te Reo, at the beginning and ending of activities, as statements, as questions or even as poems.
Prayer Team: We have a prayer team that meets each Tuesday morning to pray specifically for us at Desert Spring and River City Training.
Encouraging
- Catalyst: A group exploring the issues from a theological and post-Christendom perspective.
- Good Neighbour Parties: Creating opportunities to encourage and celebrate with Jesus inspired families who share their lives within the local neighbourhood.
If you want to know more about us and our lives together,
please contact Tania Ashman at Desert Spring Ministries 855 2728
Desert Spring Ministries Values
- Spirituality
- Exploring Gods intention for the world
- Inspired by Jesus life and message
- Everyone is valued
- Community/Whanau
- We value good relationships both within Desert Spring Ministries and with our local communities
- Everyone has something of value to contribute.
- Social Justice
- We walk beside the demoralised and exploited
- Challenging injustice is important
- Journey
- We value sharing the journey of living
- Celebration
- We value creativity, celebration and fun.