Gift giving session

This week is titled Relationship Week... One of the crazy things we've done this week was that we had to go away and find something to give to someone in the group (student or staff). It didn't have to necessarily be something of great value but it just had to be something that you are prompted to give by God. 

I've uploaded a few of the videos and here are a couple of the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKQcDC34vjw&feature=related

Jamie and Elise. They are like 20 and 19 years old and are married. Elise didn't get to enjoy her full first dance as Jamie's wife on their wedding day. This was Jamie's way of making up for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BId2HWFleoQ

Rebecca is one of the beautiful students that I'm here with. :) She sits with me at breakfast every morning :) :)

Huntington Beach, Orange County, CALIFORNIA

Okaaayyy... so previously on my blog I wrote about how we will be going to California before leaving on our outreach...

I've just been told the other night that... we will be leaving by our YWAM vans on 17th August really early in the morning for an 18 hours drive to Huntington Beach area in California. The event has been given as a vision to the entire leadership team here at the base. We have been praying for God to open up doors and show us how He would like things to happen there.

For the last week or so, we have been praying for God to lead us specifically to the "vessel" that He wants us to use there. We currently have a large church hall ready to be used. But the vision that the leaders received was for the night rally to be held at a place that is neutral. The event will not be held under a church's name so that it will be more welcoming to people that otherwise would not step into a church...

The draft plan is for us to have "sessions" in the morning. For the YWAM people to get "fed" spiritually and  intercede earlier during the day. After lunch, we will all split across the area and start inviting people to come to the night rally where we will have the gospel be shared and teachings as well.

Today we had a worship session in the morning. we watched a video of a prophesy made to this particular base not long ago. After that was done, Peter (the founder of YWAM Denver) felt like we should take up an offering. Now this morning, we had our normal students, staff and around 5 guests at our worshiop session. There were probably about 100 people in total that attended. Peter mentioned that we will be using 7 vans. Petrol (gas they call it here) expenses to get us to and from California was estimated at $1000 a van. So we need around $7000 to get us to and from there.

Peter then challenged us on the spot to pray and ask God about whether we should give, and the amount. It was amazing to see that from that many people, the amount totalled to over $5000!!!! Please realise that these people are not millionares. A LOT of the students are still waiting for the money to be able to go to outreach. But they were moved by God to give! The staff here rely on support for their everyday needs. They do not get paid from the base at all. So seeing that much money come out from the students, staff and guests was absolutely HUMBLING!!! :)



Prayer Request:
1. For God to show Matt (the guy from YWAM Denver who is currently there to help plan things) the place where He would like us to hold our rally.
2. For a "vessel" for the night rally (we were thinking it would be a large tent but then we'd need sound permits, etc to be organised too).
3. Financials.... This event only started coming into the picture a few months ago, so it's not like they've had the time to budget anything in. But it can be seen that this is truly what God wants us to get involved in so we are having the faith for the financials to be covered by Him :) (If you want to give, please read the previous blog that has all the details)

Intercessory Prayer

It is amaaazziiiingg to see how much the students and staff are encouraged to pray here... and when they pray, they don't just do it "korean style" (that's where everyone decides to pray corporately together with EVERYONE just saying things out loud at the same time), but they also WAIT on the Lord and listen to what He has to say on EVERYTHING we pray for.... when I say prayer, I don't mean just praying out over food or over our family and stuff... but over the teams that are currently on outreach as well as events that are currently still being planned...

Our whiteboard after intercessory prayer for OC, California @ Eagle Rock Friday 8th July 2011

We went to our other campus the other weekend for a "camping & hiking" weekend and on the Friday night, we took the time to intercede for our upcoming outreach to California. This whiteboard represents all the things that the staff/students got from God during that time. Visions and verses for us to pray for and with :)

I find it extremely encouraging especially when a few of the people got the same vision from God. It acts as a confirmation for our group that God wants us to take part in this movement. :)

Last week, we also had worship on a Wednesday morning and they asked us to pray and intercede for the teams YWAM Denver have out on outreach at the moment. We broke up into groups of 4/5 people and got given a country, along with the picture of the team and the list of what ministry they were going to do there. We were asked to wait on God and see what God has put into our hearts to intercede for. And after that, we were given little cardboard cards with a name on it. We were then to wait on God and ask what we should be praying for these people....

I was extremely humbled by the fact that God was just giving us, as a group, the opportunity to wait on Him, rely on Him and let Him be the one to guide us as to what to pray for these people and countries.... I must admit that I questioned myself a lot when it comes to hearing His voice especially for others. But in the words of one of the teachers we've had (obviously it's not a direct quote...), too many good thoughts/encouraging thoughts over one topic/person cannot possibly come from us. We are so naturally negative that it is not normal for us to be thinking so positively over a topic/person, so it must come from the Holy Spirit :)

Obviously we don't know what is going out to each of the people out there on outreach but I believe that each one of those cards will bless them and encourage them tremendously. :)