Thailand & Cambodia

It's official.  I will be taking a team with another staff person to Thailand and Cambodia.  We will be leaving very close to Christmas, possibly the 22nd.  We now have 9 students who will be with us to make a total of 11 people.  I think the flight from Brisbane is a pretty long one (about 10 or 11 hrs?).  We have only met as a team once to talk about what it will be like over there and what to expect.  Though Thailand and Cambodia border each other, I am under the impression that they are very different countries.  Cambodia has more poverty as they do not have the tourism or natural resources that Thailand is able to have.  Cambodia has about 14 million people and 95% are Buddhists.  Cambodia has a huge youth population.  About 50% of he population is 21 and younger.  Thailand has  over 65 million people and a greater land mass than Cambodia.  Thailand has many more large cities than does Cambodia as well.  Thailand is also the prostitution capital of the world.  

So far we are looking to do some very practical outreach ministries.  We have opportunities to work in orphanages, help build houses, play soccer with youth, and various other ministries to share God's love to people.  Please pray for our team as we prepare to go over there.  It is important that we understand that this trip isn't about our wants and needs.  Please pray for our team to have a servant's heart.   

Outreach Locations

We have come to the time in the DTS when students hear about our outreach locations and they choose where they feel they should go.  The outreach location that I will be co-leading is to Cambodia and Thailand.  We also have teams going to Vanuatu and also to Indonesia.  We had tried to get an outreach team to go to Darwin, Australia to work with the Aboriginal people, but as of right now, the students are very hesitant to be part of that outreach.  As a base, we feel that we are in a location to effectively reach places like Australia for obvious reasons and also to reach Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands.  

I am very excited to be part of the team that goes to Cambodia and Thailand.  However, we have not told the students yet where they are going because we haven't been able to decide where to put them since no one wants to go to Darwin.  Please pray for the DTS students as they make decisions where to go.  Pray that they would be open to go where they are most needed.  Also, it is very hard on the leaders who have felt called to go to Darwin.  

It is a great privilege that we get to go to places like Cambodia and Thailand to work with people to show them God's love.  It can also be difficult at times so please pray for team unity starting now well before outreach.  Next week I will share with you a bit about what we will be doing there. 

My 1 on 1's

As YWAM staff, I have been given four male students whom I meet with weekly.  The time is set apart so that the students can process the information from lectures.  It is also a time for discipleship which is a fancy word, but basically means a process of change.  We want to help guide students along on this journey called a DTS.  So far, I have met with every one of my 1 on 1's at least once.  I am so blessed to have a variety of guys.  They are at very different places and it will definitely challenge me.  

I have a guy from Norway named Kristoffer.  Kristoffer has had a rough time dealing with the death of a friend back home recently.  Luckily, he has two friends who are also doing a DTS with him here on the Sunshine Coast.  I also have Hans who is a 17 year old from Florida.  Hans feels a strong calling to missions.  I have a Swedish guy named Joppe.  Joppe is one of the funniest students we have and is so hungry to learn as well.  Last, I have Alex from Denmark.  Alex is a gentle giant.  He is very quiet, but I know he is eager to seek out God.  

One thing I noticed is that each student has so many questions.  Please pray for these students and ask God to give the wisdom.  They are all fun to be around and I'm so excited to start the week of lectures.  This coming week we are doing "Hearing God's Voice".  

  

The Start

Every student is now here and the DTS is officially started.  The houses are full of students from so many different places.  We have several students from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.  We also have one from Finland and two from England.  The other half of our DTS is made up of Canadians and Americans.  The other staff and I half carefully placed students in rooms with people of other cultures and nationalities.  It is so fun to watch the interaction between people.  Sometimes it's hard trying to understand people through a thick accent.  It's also difficult trying to understand different terminology (ie: garbage=rubbish etc).  One thing I have come to realize is that even though there are so many noticeable differences, people are all created by God and have so much in common even if we live worlds apart.  All people want community and relationships, no matter what that looks like.

This week, we are mostly doing orientation to YWAM and getting the students comfortable with each other and with staff.  A big part of this week is everyone must tell their story of how they came to be here at YWAM (also called a testimony).  If you would like to pray for something, pray that this would be a great experience and everyone would feel comfortable sharing.  It really breaks down a lot of walls between the students and staff.  

All the students are in love with the beach and the beauty of the Sunshine Coast.  It really is a great place to be during DTS.  There are a wide range of student ages as well.  We have two 25 year olds and a 24 year old.  We also have two 17 year olds.  Lee is a 25 year old student who I am really excited is here.  He has not stopped talking about how excited he is to be here and how he has to pinch himself to make sure it's not a dream.  I'm so glad he is here and I know he is going to be a great leader and example for our younger guys.  

Thank you to everyone who prays for our DTS.  I really hope you know that you are a great support and would encourage you to continue.  I will try and get some pictures up of students to give everyone a visual:)