May News

Hey Everyone,

I’ve written a slightly longer blog this time – so please bear with me to the end. The last few months have just been so full and amazing that I don’t want to leave anything out.

Adelaide

After my last newsletter, when we had just returned from Canberra, we spent another 3 weeks in lectures on Identity, Calling, & Dreams, Father Heart of God, and Lordship.

Early on February 16^th, we once again loaded into the van. For various reasons unfortunately 4 of team decided not to come with us on outreach. So that left us with one very full van of 11 people for the journey. After a long day of driving we once again spent the night on the Central Coast, on our way to Newcastle.

Newcastle & NIKO

The next day we drove up to Newcastle, and arrived just in time to see the MV Pacific Link (YWAM Australia’s new medical mission ship) arrive at the Newcastle foreshore. It was awesome to see the ship come in and to feel the excitement of the YWAM crowd (and get on the news for a brief second too J). 

After a few days of learning about the ship, and some training for going into schools, we headed inland a bit to run a NIKO – the outdoor adventure camp that we run fairly often. JJ, who used to be at YWAM Adelaide, had set-up a NIKO for us, so we took the DTS bush for a week. Everyone had a lot of fun, and learnt heaps.

We then returned to Newcastle for a few days, where we started actually working with the ship. Our job was to help the public relations team to give people tours of the ship. We helped with leading the tours, organising groups of people, and mostly just talking to people about YWAM, the ship, and what we were doing.

The Ship Tour

At the start of March we drove down to Sydney. It was amazing to see the ship sailing in to Darling Harbour and being docked right outside the IMAX theatre and the Sydney Convention Centre (and StarbucksJ). After a week in Sydney we travelled to Ulladulla (on the New South Wales south coast) for a week, then Geelong for a week. Then we returned to Adelaide where the ship was moored for 2 weeks. Throughout the tour we mainly helped out the PR team, but also visited schools and churches to share about the vision of the ship. It was such an amazing experience.

So many lives were impacted as we shared about the huge health needs in PNG, about the struggles that Australian youth have with things like depression and self-harm, and how we can make a difference in both of these areas. Through the ship we can take teams of young Aussies over to PNG where they can practically help the Papua New Guineans, which gets their eyes off themselves, and gives them purpose in their lives – which is what they are looking for. There were many people who are now interested in getting involved in missions, whether in PNG or with YWAM, or just missions in general. God was definitely at work through our team, and everyone working with the ship.

DTS

The DTS then split into two teams, and headed overseas for 2 weeks. One team went to Vanuatu, and the other to PNG. They had a great time and impacted the people they worked with, and experiencing the culture they had heard so much about throughout the ship tour. (Vanuatu has a very similar culture to PNG).

We had a very fun graduation with a tie-dye and fluro theme, and then – sadly – we started to say goodbye to people.

Personally

For me personally this last 6 months has been amazing. I have been stretched heaps though staffing the DTS. I didn’t think I would be up to leading an outreach – but I did it. And I did with barely any stress. I knew every day that God was with me giving me peace. But also the team was so awesome! They are a huge blessing and I’m going to miss having them around.

God has taught me a lot about trusting him each and every day to provide what I need – whether it was time to myself, or someone to talk to, or finances, or whatever, God was always so faithful in that. He has grown me so much in my confidence. Many times I would get up and share in front of a crowd, and it didn’t bother me. I was reminded of my DTS, when I was terrified of speaking in front of people, and completely freaked out at the idea of public speaking – but God has helped me to get over my fears of that.

Earlier this month I had nearly 2 weeks off, which was a nice break. It gave me a chance to relax and rest before getting into the busyness of the base again.

Base Stuff

On May 4^th, we had a government audit of the base. As we are a registered training organisation and we are able to get student visas for our courses, every few years the government likes to come and check that we are doing what we say we are doing and that we are doing everything right. There was a fair amount of preparations, just checking that everything was up to date, but in the end the audit went well.

We are currently in the process of renewing several of our visa options to bring staff into the country. At this point in time, we don’t have any visas that are current that we can use for new staff. We have several people who are wanting to join the base, but are being held up by immigration. Please pray that all the processes with be fast, and that we will have wisdom in the best way to go about all the applications, as well as patience for us, and those that are waiting to come.

PCYM

Continuing with the leadership theme, I have just started staffing a Principles of Child and Youth Ministry school (PCYM).  It is the same school that I did in 2008. It’s another 6 month school – including outreach. 

There will be lectures on topics including – child development, kids at risk, ministering to families, working in schools, etc. We will be doing outreach in Queensland, Canberra, Tasmania, New Zealand, PNG, Victoria, and a few places around South Australia.

I am going to be leading a team for most of the outreaches that we go on – so this is going to be a continuing opportunity for me to learn more about leadership.

Some of the DTS students have come back to do the PCYM – so it’s going to be great to continue their journey with them, and the rest of the PCYM students are staff on base in Adelaide. It already feels like a school of family, and I know that God is going to do great things in and through us.

Love,

Nat

January News

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

Nat's December News

Hey Everyone,

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve written a newsletter. Sorry for not being more faithful at keeping in touch. I’ll try and fit as much news as possible into this one to make up for the past few months.

November Impact Youth DTS

On the 25^th of November, the November Impact Youth DTS started. We have 11 students, Danae & Heather from Canada, Kristal & Lauren from the US, Juyoung & Joseph from South Korea, and Taliah, Adam, Bec, Patrick, & Skye from Australia. They’re a really really good group of students, and I am looking forward to seeing what God is going to do over the next 5 months, and seeing how much everyone is going to grow. I am enjoying staffing the DTS. There are some challenges, of course, mostly just in areas of learning new things and stepping up in leadership.

On Monday we are headed up to Byron Bay for 2 weeks of outreach. I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of fun, as always, and that everyone on the DTS is going to have to step out in new ways. We are then heading down to Sydney for a week of lectures, and then on to Canberra for a week. YWAM Canberra is holding a celebration of 50 years of YWAM, and the founders of YWAM, Loren & Darlene Cunningham, are going to be sharing with us.

Base News

There’s been some exciting news on base in the area of relationships. In the past month, both Dan & Caitlin and Bek & Damian have got engaged. Also Laura & Derek have started a relationship.

After our base directors, Pablo & Fernanda, have been away for most of the year trying to get a visa to come back, they are now finally just one small step away from being able to return. With the way things are currently, they will be back in mid January. It’s very exciting to see things so close to be finalised with their visas!

Personally

The last few months have been a bit up and down personally. I have been continuing to find areas in my life where I haven’t been believing God’s truth.

But the last few weeks, I really feel like some things have finally clicked. It’s like I’m seeing God’s love in a deeper way, and it’s just been amazing. God has challenged me in some areas, particularly in the way that I’ve been choosing to focus on the negative things in situations. And I feel like, with God’s help, I’m moving out of that. I’ve had a new motivation to spend time with God, and been better at bringing things to him rather than just whinging about it. God has also challenged a group of us to get more serious about praying for the base and for our leadership, which has been amazing.

Financially the last few months, things have been quite tight. I have had a few extra costs, including outreach expenses. I completely trust that God will supply all my needs, and I’ve seen him come through again and again. But I know that God usually chooses to provide through people, so I would like to ask you to just pray and ask God if He wants you to support me financially.

Thank you so much for your support over this year. It means so much to know that there are people praying for me, standing and fighting with me, and even financially supporting me.

I hope you have an amazing time over Christmas, and that you will have a chance to have a rest and spend time with family and friends.

Love,

Nat