Hey Everyone,
This month has been divided up by locations. Three different locations in 4 weeks – just getting things warmed up for the rest of outreach. Here’s a bit about what we got up to in our travels.
Impact Summer - Byron Bay
Right after Christmas we drove for 2 days up to Byron Bay. I’ve been to the Impact Summer outreach in Byron Bay 4 times now. And every time I have loved it! It’s such a great town, and the outreach is so free. Everything is so open spiritually. We did things like open-air performances in the park, preaching in parks, pancakes & chai in the park, beach volleyball contests, and many other things that we used to connect with the people. There is such a freedom in the town to talk about God, and generally people will listen.
I really saw each member of our team (including myself:)) step out in new ways. I was involved in leading the outreach team, and it was a stretching, but awesome, experience.
Sydney
After Byron Bay, we travelled down to Sydney, via a night at my parents’ house. Mum was quite happy to have 15 extra people crash in her house, and we all enjoyed having access to real showers, and just being made to feel at home.
In Sydney we stayed in a YWAM base, and had a week of teaching on the Holy Spirit. It was a great week, and again we were all challenged in moving more in the gifts of the spirit. At the end of the week, we had a time where we were all prophesied over, which blessed all of us. The team also got to have a tourist day in Sydney, which they really enjoyed, while Bec & I were able to go home for the weekend, celebrate Emily (my sister’s) 20th birthday, and catch up with some friends which we enjoyed:).
While we were in Sydney, Bec & I also had the opportunity to go to our cousin Bridget’s christening. We were so glad that the timing worked out perfectly so that we could be there, and see some more of the family!
YWAM 50th Celebration – Canberra
2010 is the 50th year of YWAM. In celebration the founders of YWAM, Loren & Darlene Cunningham, are travelling around the world, visiting a lot of countries to share some of their vision for the future of YWAM.
We went to Canberra for a week on our way back to Adelaide to join in the 50th celebration there. It was so amazing to hear so many stories of God’s faithfulness and provision, not just from Loren & Darlene, but from lots of different people there. And it was exciting to hear some of the vision for YWAM this year.
Part of what is happening in YWAM this year is that there is a medical mission ship travelling around Australia, and then heading to Papua New Guinea to help them in practical ways, as well as to help equip them to move into missions. Part of the tour around Australia is raising awareness of the needs in PNG, but also to motivate Christian youth to get involved in missions. As part of our outreach, we will be part of the road crew travelling with the ship, visiting churches and high schools, and anything else that God leads us to do.
If you would like to know more about the ship, visit the website: http://www.ywamships.org/. You can be involved through things like collecting spectacles and toothbrushes to take over to PNG with the ship.
Back on base
In some very exciting news on base – Pablo, Fernanda, and Isabella (our base directors) got their visas to come back to Australia, and are now back on the base! It’s so great to have them back, and this week we are looking at different things that God is speaking to us about this year.
Now we’re back in Adelaide, just for a few weeks. Next we’re headed up to Newcastle to do some training for travelling with the ship tour, and a NIKO camp. Then we travel with the ship to Sydney, Ulladulla, Geelong, and back to Adelaide. And then finally we will be heading overseas to Vanuatu or PNG for the final 2 weeks of DTS outreach.
Love,
Natalie
