He Māhuri Tōtara gathers in Whāingaroa Raglan
Fourteen young adults from across Aotearoa recently gathered in Whāingaroa Raglan for A Rocha’s He Māhuri Tōtara programme – a weekend to connect with creation, build friendships, and explore what it means to follow Jesus as people who care for the world God loves.
The weekend blended practical conservation with worship, learning and community. Together the group surfed, shared meals, planted native trees, learned about biodiversity, set predator traps on Mt Karioi, and spent time asking big questions about faith, creation and our place within it.
A highlight of the weekend was joining the Karioi Project team on the maunga, where participants learned about the long-term restoration work taking place across the landscape. Getting hands-on with predator control gave everyone the opportunity to contribute directly to protecting native wildlife while gaining practical conservation skills.
More than the activities themselves, the weekend was about growing deeper connections – with the whenua, with one another, and with God. Throughout the weekend, conversations explored how the good news of Jesus is not only about individual lives, but about God's work of renewing all creation and inviting us to take part in that restoration here and now.
He Māhuri Tōtara exists to encourage and equip young adults to grow as leaders grounded in faith and care for creation. Weekends like this create space for learning, serving, reflecting and discovering together what it means to be people of hope in a world longing for restoration.
We're grateful for everyone who joined us and look forward to seeing how these connections, experiences and shared vision continue to grow long after the weekend has ended.
