After living a life on the road with a young family in a bus, James Worthington is putting down roots at Bridge Valley Adventure Centre as its new general manager.
James, his wife Maddy, and their six children have transitioned from their custom-built house bus to the ‘white house’ at Bridge Valley, to begin a new chapter after travelling for two years around the South Island.
It came after three-and-a-half years exploring Israel in a bus, where their fourth daughter was born in Galilee. Their journey, from civil engineering in North Canterbury to volunteer work in Israel followed a passion for building community and fostering relationships.
“I’m a man of faith and went to volunteer support and service, but also explore the land of the bible,” he explains.
Back in New Zealand they wanted to continue their bus lifestyle. It was during Covid-19 and the tourism industry was offloading vehicles, which meant they were able to buy a luxury coach to convert into a house bus.
“We had four children, then had a baby during the build, so we added an extra bunk into the bunk room. Then the day we moved into the bus, we found out number six was on the way. It was a bit of a head-in-the-hands moment. So, we put the baby in a baby hammock over our bed until she climbed out of it.”
Part of their bus journey was based at the Kaiteriteri campground where James had the job of after-hours duty manager and he says it was a great playground for the kids for a few months. Now they have an adventure playground at Bridge Valley.
Out of the bus, he admits it is “quite nice spreading out and doing some stretches on the carpet”.
While living in a bus, James worked online as digital project manager for Derek Prince Ministries, which offers bible resources, and he says he will use those skills to bring innovation to Bridge Valley.
“We don’t want to be just up-to-date at Bridge Valley; we want to be at the forefront of camping facilities around the country.”
At the same time, he is enthusiastic about embracing Bridge Valley’s rich legacy.
“It’s humbling to stand on the shoulders of giants,” he says, acknowledging the countless hours and resources poured into the centre by its founders and supporters during the past 40 years.
Stephanie Moore, one of the centre’s founders, tells how her late husband, Allan, established Bridge Valley Christian Ranch in 1982 with a dream of creating a place where city youth could experience country life and encounter Jesus.
She says their initial vision faced numerous challenges, from funding hurdles to council opposition, but their determination and faith ultimately turned the dream into a reality.
“Allan and I couldn’t have done it alone. It was a community effort, from trustees and lawyers to builders and cooks. Seeing the impact Bridge Valley has had on generations of young people has been worth every struggle.”
Over the years, the centre has expanded and now serves as a venue for school camps, conferences, retreats, and family adventures. Activities such as laser tag, rock climbing, and high ropes provide physical and mental challenges, while she says bible-based teachings and life skills programmes help participants grow.
