I prayed one night, "God please allow me to be your hands and feet, I want to help change people’s hearts away from the world to you. I want people’s hearts to be filled with your love and lives changed. May I be more like Peter and have so much faith I could walk on water. I want to develop a deeper relationship with you so that I can help others more."
I heard a lot of people talk about YWAM and when I went on the website to find out more, I went straight to the University of Nations in Hawaii and looked at their schools. I looked at the next schools coming up and clicked on the first one called Aikea. I remember reading it and nearly crying and thinking, THIS IS WHAT I PRAYED ABOUT! It was all about caring for other people and having a heart for others. It spoke about everything I had prayed for and wanted to do. Lecture I left home in September 2014 for the longest period of time I had ever been away before. I remember being so scared to leave my lovely family and so helpless, yet having that peace from God. We had the lecture phase in Kona, Hawaii for 3 month's where we developed a deeper relationship with God, which was what I had prayed for. Every week we had a different speaker who came in to speak to our Aikea School. Some of my favourite weeks were: Hearing the Voice of God and The Fathers Heart. I really have never been able to hear God’s voice as clearly as I have since that week. From this point on my relationship with God is so much stronger than it ever has been before. Whilst learning about God’s father heart for us it was so moving to see His love manifest itself. This fired me up to want to go and share God’s love with others so they can have their lives changed and be saved through Christ. Our Outreach We left for the Philippines in December to apply what we had learnt during the lecture phase. It was a really long flight from Kona Hawaii to Manila, which was the biggest City in the Philippines. This was the beginning of an incredible, scary, fun, life changing, mind blowing experience! Manila The first bit of ministry I did was praying for a Mum who had Vertigo, as I prayed for her God healed her. This really encouraged me and made me so excited for what was to come. Naga We moved to Naga next and this was probably my favourite time of my outreach. We ran a camp called Camp Oasis about our Identity in God and how we see ourselves. I was a team leader to around 14 teenagers. I had street children, children from the slums and a gang leader. They really didn't respect me for the first few days of being there. I became so worried when it came near to our final night thinking this camp had been a waste of time. Some had been caught smoking in the bathroom and most of their attitudes where not right. On the last night every single person on my team but one younger boy gave their lives to Christ. I got to pray with every single one of them and hear them as they asked Jesus into their hearts. I have never experienced God’s presence move so powerfully at one period of time. They all were changed people! Their whole attitude changed to behaving like gentlemen and loving kind people and the most well behaved team I could ever want. This is just one story out of many! I am so glad I am now living and staffing at the Naga Base! Olongapo The team were split in half and I went to Olongapo to do bar ministry and work with prostitutes. I had no idea what to expect at this point or what I was going to see. I went into the bars and talked and prayed with some of the girls/women and invited them to a YWAM base for Bible Studies. It was an amazing time and very eye opening. I really hope it’s not the last time I ever do this kind of ministry either. Thailand During the lecture phase we prayed for God’s guidance as to whether we go to Thailand. Everyone in the team heard God say yes. I really enjoyed staying there it was so different. Whilst in the Philippines we had squatty potties which where ground toilets with no seat which you squatted over! Also there was no hot water. However, in Thailand we had hot showers and toilets which felt amazing. It was also so beautiful and covered in nice plants and trees. Chang Mai We did a lot of ministry with a man called Pat who literally followed God step by step. He would go and do whatever God was telling to do at that moment. Therefore, we had no plans but were always busy. I worked in schools and at a half-way house for reformed prisoners. Phuket When we all went to Phuket we stayed at an orphanage and worked alongside the staff with the gorgeous children. This was a really good time to love on all these children and really be Jesus's hands and feet. I had the opportunity to work with babies which I loved. I got a real love for the children, a love that I have never had before. After DTS (Discipleship Training School) When we finished debrief and graduated it felt so sad having to leave this family we had been with for so long. I have really had to release everyone from that team to God and carry on growing with Him. I would recommend DTS to anyone who wants a taste of missions and a deeper relationship with the Lord. Transformational Leadership Seminar I stayed on living in Hawaii after my DTS and did another school in leadership. I learnt so much in these 3 months and grew in the gifts God has given me. I also watched God provide over $5,000 for my school and outreach! I had to really trust him in calling me to that school and that he would provide! God has never let me down and I know He never will, He will always provide for me. Outreach Back In Naga While doing the Leadership School I went back to Naga for another Outreach. We ran a weeks long leadership school and another camp for the youth! I loved it and stayed on for an extra month after the team from Hawaii left! |