Our Story
the story of
king's kids nz
1987
Australia
In January of 1987
Duane, Andrew, and Melanie Stitt participated in King’s Kids Australia's first outreach in Perth during the America’s Cup Event.
had on both the 3 children and Kevin and Chris was instrumental in Kevin putting his hand up at a YWAM gathering offering to start the King’s Kids ministry here in New Zealand. He had no intention of being the leader, just thinking he would get things going for someone else to take up the leadership.
The impact the outreach
1988
South Korea
Kevin saw there was an opportunity
for the family to join an American King’s Kids Team led by Dale Kauffman who was planning to take a team to South Korea during the Olympic Games in September 1988. But due to the concerns of the possible threats on the Olympics by North Korea, the Outreach was cancelled.
In communicating the cancellation of his plans to friends and family, Kevin added an afterthought at the bottom of the letter - asking if anyone would like to join his family and take our own team to South Korea. He had been assured by Koreans who were in YWAM New Zealand at that time that the dangers were minimal.
It was while riding on a bus
in Korea with the team of kids that Kevin realised that this was what he had dreamed of doing, and it was a ministry where his whole family could be involved.
to this letter resulted in Kevin and Chris running the first King’s Kids Boot Training Camp in the YWAM Base at Pahi. Lance Redigar, the Australian leader, joined our Boot Training Camp to give the adults a quick overview of the principles and values that King’s Kids International adhere to. Our cook, Catherina Su’a taught the kids one of their dances and was immediately recruited as the team choreographer.
Because the Stitt children had already been on the KK Outreach in Perth, they were able to have valuable input into how things worked. The team to South Korea during the Olympic Games consisted of 28 children and 14 staff from New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
The overwhelming response
1989
Tauranga
The following year
during 1989, Kevin and Chris led a 3 week King’s Kids Outreach in Tauranga, based at the Rugby Club Rooms and later that year in Wellington based at Newlands College
1990
Auckland
In January 1990
during the 5 weeks leading up to and during the Commonwealth Games in Auckland, King’s Kids teams from Australia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands joined a number of New Zealand teams.
They initially met
at Nga Tapawae College in Mangere for 4 days of training, then traveled to various parts of the North Island from Hawkes Bay to Kaitaia. The 300 children joined en masse on two occasions to perform 2 songs all together.
1990
South Island
a team comprising of 27 children and 12 staff spent 11 weeks on outreach in the South Island. Beginning with a Boot Camp in Havelock at the home of Peter and Chris Brown, the team paying $100 each in faith, experienced the provision of God and had an amazing time. Diane McCarroll supervised the minimal amount of school work they were to do. The drama “The Champion” was effective in the streets and in schools. The final presentation was in the Banqueting Hall of the Beehive.
From May to august 1990
have led many other King’s Kids teams overseas, including Barcelona, Morocco, Poland, Brazil, Pacific Islands, Australia, Atlanta, China and Russia.
Kevin and Chris have had the privilege of seeing God at work in the lives of children, adults, and whole families that have been impacted over their 20 years of leadership.
Kevin and chris
was established. King’s Kids Auckland purchased their own building and Staff grew, leading Regular Performing Arts teams, Specialist Dance teams, Sports teams, HANDS teams, Street Kids Outreaches, NIKOs, after school programmes, Girls Clubs and All Year Round teams.
King's kids south island
2014
Auckland
to welcome Cleide and Nadilson Araujo from Brazil as the new ministry leaders here in Auckland. Since their arrival the team has grown and new ministries have been birthed as they continue to effectively bring the Kingdom of God to the community around them and to this nation.
We were delighted