Friends and Family,
We are halfway through staffing lecture phase of this September school. We are approaching week 6 of lectures. On this school, we have 40 students, including a family with two kids and a married couple. It's our biggest Discipleship Training School yet! Not including orientation week, we’ve gone through these topic weeks so far: “Hearing God’s Voice”, “Character and Nature of God”, “The Living Word”, “Father Heart of God”, and we are looking forward to “Lordship” this week with Mark Parker.
Last week was a big ministry week being that it was “Father Heart of God.”During ministry times a lot of students walked through forgiveness and healing from wounds from fathers, mothers, siblings, and past relationships. During ministry time, we were hit with how privileged we are to be a part of staff and the importance of what we are doing. Walking through some bondage with students, being allowed into that intimate space, and seeing them set free is the most incredible thing.
We are halfway through staffing lecture phase of this September school. We are approaching week 6 of lectures. On this school, we have 40 students, including a family with two kids and a married couple. It's our biggest Discipleship Training School yet! Not including orientation week, we’ve gone through these topic weeks so far: “Hearing God’s Voice”, “Character and Nature of God”, “The Living Word”, “Father Heart of God”, and we are looking forward to “Lordship” this week with Mark Parker.
Last week was a big ministry week being that it was “Father Heart of God.”During ministry times a lot of students walked through forgiveness and healing from wounds from fathers, mothers, siblings, and past relationships. During ministry time, we were hit with how privileged we are to be a part of staff and the importance of what we are doing. Walking through some bondage with students, being allowed into that intimate space, and seeing them set free is the most incredible thing.
During Father Heart of God week, and many other weeks we hear students share the pains and the hurts they’ve experienced in their life, sometimes sharing those hurts for the first time with others. It’s such a beautiful thing when you see a person, through their weeping and tear-stained face, want to forgive their father and repent for years of bitterness towards them. We see God replace the lies that have been residents in their minds for years and God set them free with the truth of who they are as sons and daughters. It’s incredible when we get to pray for freedom in someone’s life and then see God move and release their chains of captivity. The freedom these students are experiencing is something that will stick with them forever. Freedom is priceless and it is so good that these students are experiencing true freedom now in their young lives.
Our base just recently purchased an old backpackers that they turned into student housing as the new “Wave House.” This is an exciting step for our base since they have been renting houses for the last ten years. It’s been cool to see the students grow in unity as they’ve been living all together, unlike living separately in houses around the coast. The “Wave House” is also located within a neighbourhood so it’s been an awesome opportunity to reach out to the neighbours and surrounding community.
Every school we have one morning before outreach called "Giving Morning." All the needs are placed on the board in front of class and students are invited to give according to how God moves them. It is not required so it is even more awesome to see how God works. Remember this is in a room full of staff and students that don't have a ton to give.
After...... !!! $16,300 Given!!! This was in one hour. What would this kind of giving look like if we started to do this in our churches and among bodies of believers? The widow's mite kind of giving..... God is so good!
Although Amanda and I aren't leading outreach this school, we have been busy as logistical staff (which basically just means we aren’t “outreach” staff). We still participate in lectures, have our weekly one on ones, work duties, and base duties. Since this is one of the biggest schools yet on our base, they are dividing into 5 outreach teams that are leaving next month for the following countries:
•South Africa/Mozambique
•Cambodia/Myanmar (Burma)
•Japan
•Uganda/Tanzania
•Indonesia/India
We will be supporting them in prayer as we make our trip back home while they are on outreach. Yes! We are coming home! We would love to meet up and catch up with you all. We will be in Grand Rapids from November 24th to January 10th. We hope to have some sharing times where you can hear more about the ministry we are involved in.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Love,
Josh & Amanda
•South Africa/Mozambique
•Cambodia/Myanmar (Burma)
•Japan
•Uganda/Tanzania
•Indonesia/India
We will be supporting them in prayer as we make our trip back home while they are on outreach. Yes! We are coming home! We would love to meet up and catch up with you all. We will be in Grand Rapids from November 24th to January 10th. We hope to have some sharing times where you can hear more about the ministry we are involved in.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- Safe travel back to the USA on November 24th
- New Apartment (We have to move out of our old one before we go home! Pray that we can find something else affordable and close to the base.)
Love,
Josh & Amanda