September '14 ~ Update on the July '14 DTS

All Dressed up for the Aussie Bushdance!

Hello to all of my friends and family around the world! Here's a long overdue update on life at YWAM Toowoomba. 

July 2014 Discipleship Training School

As most of you know, the purpose for the DTS (and the purpose of YWAM) is to know God and to make Him known. The DTS is an intensive 5 1/2 month program where students (young adults from all over the world) get the opportunity to receive solid, intense teaching from multiple speakers on subjects like "the character and nature of God", "the Fatherheart of God" "Holy Spirit" "Evangelism" "Spiritual Warfare" "Lordship", and more. After 3 months of these teachings, and also being apart of local ministry and evangelism in the community -- they are sent overseas in teams to put into practice everything they've learned as missionaries. 

Pablo teaching on "Fatherheart" & ministering to students.

We are now over half way through the Lecture Phase of the July '14 DTS, entering into week 7 for which the topic is "Spiritual Warfare". This has been an incredible schools so far as our students have encountered God in powerful ways. The Lord has spoken identity and purpose over each of them and it is a privilege to be apart of their journey as staff. It has not been an easy season by far, as a base we are still in the "pioneering phase" and are still in the process of becoming established. This school we've had a lot of "firsts". During our 2nd week of lectures, 2 students decided to go home due to missing their families. We still care about them deeply and wish them best! We've heard this happens fairly often at YWAM bases, and in the end students do have to want to be here and be willing to let God move in their hearts.

Also, to give you news that only just happened a few days ago -- one of our students, James, received some devastating news regarding his family. We got him on the next plane back to his home to be with them. Please keep him and his family in your prayers, also for the students here, as on a DTS we really do become like a family and love each other deeply. He intends to return in a few weeks time, so please keep them in prayer. 

Worship at Ballistic

As a base we got the opportunity to be involved in a local youth event called Ballistic Youth Conference! It was a weekend of spirit-filled worship, workshops about leadership, prayer and revival, etc, there were sermons and teachings, and alter calls giving young people the chance to respond to God. The first night over 250 young people showed up from young groups all over Toowoomba. Over the weekend, 70+ young kids made a commitment to follow Jesus, and many of them for the first time! Praise the Lord! The DTS was able to attend the conference and help serve over the weekend which was incredible! 
Here are some pictures from the conference...
 

Landon (ywam staff) with the coolest kid ever!

An awesome testimony that happened at Ballistic! One of our students, Nikolai, had gotten bitten by a Redback Spider (very venemous spiders in Australia), and had to use crutches to walk due to the severe pain in her foot and leg. The doctor's said it could be a while before it went back to normal. Redbacks and nasty little nuggets. Anyways, that weekend at the conference, another student prayed for healing in her foot, and she was completely healed!! She was able to walk out carrying her crutches and hasn't had any problems since then!! It's amazing! God loves to heal His children :)

There are only 4 more weeks of the lecture phase before we transition into OUTREACH PHASE!

And some news I've yet to announce, myself and our school leader, Zac, are leading a team together to Malaysia for 6 weeks! We will take a team of 6 students on outreach to do various ministries in Penang, Malaysia. These ministries will include village ministry, homeless ministry, preaching and leading worship in churches, music ministry at local cafe's, and street evangelism! It will be an amazing outreach and God has spoken so much life and promises over our time there. God loves the Malays so passionately and we get the privilege of sharing His love with them! The Lord is so good and we are very excited!

Thank you everyone at home for all of your prayers and the support you've given me since the Lord called me to the mission field back in 2012. It has been quite a journey since then, and I don't foresee it ending for many years. I know the Lord has called me to the nations to preach the gospel and be His hands and feet in each location He places me in. Please know I could not do this without your support and prayers. Thank you immensely for your love, prayers, and support!