Purpose

What is DTS? What do you do as a staff member of a DTS?
These are questions that I have been asked and have asked myself often.
As we’re starting this year’s school, I’ve sensed a change: a new seriousness and passion to follow the vision of our mission.
Within the body of Christ at large, DTS is a unique experience for a believer, as it allows for an intensive discipleship process in which students can put aside the distractions of everyday life and enter into full focus on their relationship with God. The live-learn aspect of it only amplifies the opportunity for transformation. It is in that live-learn relationship that we as staff have our responsibility. We want to provide a nurturing environment in which our students can not only be changed, but transformed. We get to walk with them every step of the way.

That’s how we found ourselves in the outdoors of the Buffalo National River, climbing, backpacking and canoeing. Outdoor adventures are awesome tools that allows students and staff to experience God out in nature, away from distractions. We face challenges, explore the gifts and strengths that God instills in us, and see him carry us through those challenges.
At this point we’re in the third week of our school and our first week of regular campus schedule after having spent most of the first 2 weeks outdoors.
This week’s teaching is on relationships. Some of our students, though having grown up in church, have never had a comprehensive teaching on how to develop godly relationships, especially how to go about romantic relationships.
I’m excited how God is answering our prayers and is already working in this group.
How often do you see young men (or men in general) openly express themselves and even their feelings? Yet our guys have decided that they love God more then they fear men and that being vulnerable is a small price to pay for holiness.

God is faithful

My heart almost stops as she steps out the door. Then its pace rapidly increases as she comes closer with each step. I can hardly believe that a woman that beautiful and wonderful would spend the rest of her life with me.

This day was a sheer miracle. When I proposed to Jenni by a beautiful waterfall in the middle of the Ozark National Forest, neither of us had any idea how we would pull off a wedding. The ring I gave her, I could only give because God had moved in peoples' hearts to give to me because they believed that God's blessing was on our relationship. Even with the limited budget I had I was able to get the perfect ring for my love.
It was because of experiences like this one and many more that we were able to trust God to provide for our wedding.
We have so many people to thank - most of all God - because on May 7th we had a perfect wedding in a field with beautiful weather and the company of many of our friends and family. Our reception was a blast as we looked back at how God had guided our lives together and then committed our future to Him in prayer.
Not only did we have a wonderful wedding, but by God's grace we were able to get on a plane the next day to spend 3 weeks in Austria. We toured the country and had a great time with many friends and family members whom I had not seen in years and whom Jenni had the chance to meet for the first time.

Thank you again to everyone who was part of our special day and time in Austria.

God is faithful.

Missions in action

"Hey everyone, alright, so Faith In Action is a group started, because of Christ Jesus and His love and mercy He has shown us in our lives and by how He inspired us on our last Mission's Week together, by a few of us highschoolers that want to serve God. This group will be doing many different things, such as: street evangelism, raising money for different organizations, and showing Christ's love and sacrifice for us by serving Him in many different ways. We encourage anyone to join and be apart of something greater than ourselves- Spreading God's Word."

This is the opening post of a group on Facebook called "Faith in Action," which is a result of our Mission Adventure (MA) week that we here at YWAM Ozarks put on for a group of high schoolers from Joplin, MO. It's not just on facebook either. They have organized several events with the goal of reaching out to people in their city.
When praying about this MA we felt like God wanted us to put a special emphasis on evangelism. It was a risk, because there was potential that the students would be really uncomfortable approaching total strangers and telling them about Jesus. However, as the students went out talking to people in Ft. Smith and going from business to business in our little town of Ozark to pray for them, God proved himself faithful. Through these and other outreaches, along with games and activities that showed what the missionary life can be like, God awakened a passion for missions in their hearts. They took that passion with them to Joplin and are living it out there. Yes, their faith IS in action! PRAISE GOD!!!

This in itself is an amazing testimony of God's power, but it's just part 1!

The following week was to amaze us even more....

Please stay tuned for part 2.

Want to try some alligator?

"Would you like to eat some alligator?"
Max and I looked at each other, both thinking the same thing.
"Yea, we would love some!"
The family who made the offer invited us into their home as we were about to take a little stroll into the jungle. We had hopes of catching some pictures of wildlife, which was unlikely because most animals here in the Amazon are very shy and only come out at night. As we were enjoying our fried alligator, we continued to talk with
the little Spanish we had.

The day before, our team had visited that home and others in that village on the Marañon river. When visiting, we would share encouraging verses from the Bible with
them, pray for their needs and just talk about daily life, which for them consisted mostly of fishing and farming. It was so fun and interesting to share life with these people. A lot of times we would just play with the kids and do sports with the adults. Volleyball and soccer are very popular here in Peru.

We also had many of opportunities to serve at the local church through preaching and sharing our testimonies. Many people here can't read so it's so important that they receive good teaching.
In the next village we served the community by digging a well for them. This was especially helpful because their village was a little off of the river, and previously they had to carry all of their water a great distance. Well water helps keep sicknesses down as well because the people would usually drink straight from the river. Parasites and other health problems are often the result, but that is what everyone is accustomed to here. To help out with that, we also handed out parasite medicine to everyone.

In whatever way we could we wanted to share the love of God in both word and deed. He's the one that changed our lives and that is why we want to pass on the riches that he has heaped on us. It was worth all the discomforts and pains we endured, ranging from swarms of mosquitos to sweltering heat and everything inbetween.
We have a prize ahead of us, and with that goal in focus we continually strive forward.

Huancavelica

As our bus winds its way around tight curves through the Peruvian Andes we can feel the air getting thinner as we climb higher and higher. Our destination is a city called Huancavelica, 12,000 feet above sea level. Upon our arrival we went to the pastors house with who's church we were going to work with for the next 12 days, where we received some refreshments, mainly mate de coca, a tea that is supposed to help with the altitude.
After a rich and delicious lunch (though most of us were to tired to enjoy it) we were able to rest some in the hotel. The bus ride took us about 14 hours due to a breakdown. There was a lot still ahead of us that day though.
That evening we got to meet all the youth of the church and share our testimonies with them. It was encouraging and fun to see a fair number (about 15-20) of young people in another country following God and share their lives and passions with us.
It is those youth that make up most of the congregation in that little church. Over the next days we would get to know these youth quite a a bit and form some valuable friendships.
The people here are very friendly and have a good sense of humor. The culture is colorful both in textiles and living. During our stay here we got to see one of the major festivals here called "las Negritos". Back when the Spanish brought black slaves to Peru, some escaped and fled to the mountains where they were warmly welcomed with amazement since the people there had never seen such people before. Aside from all the drunkenness and fireworks at 6am it was very interesting and fun to watch. (the costumes are very exaggerated)
We took advantage of the crowds and performed a couple dramas that we learned there. The people were very open and we were able to share with some and pray with others. Max, one of our students was able to pray with one man for his salvation.
One of the things we felt like was our focus here is to serve and we've had opportunity to do that when we helped the church move from one location to another, paint the inside of the old location and help build a roof over the entrance of the new location. The pastor here also let us preach for his services on Sundays, which was a challenge for some but God proved himself so faithful in showing us just what to teach about.
Aside from serving here were also able to enjoy the beauty of the place. At one point we were up at about 14,000 feet to see the oldest mine here. (the main economy here is mining) The descent back down, which was all on foot just about took us out, since we weren't quite adjusted to the altitude yet.
As we draw near the end of our time here we're still looking froward to being able to pass out clothes at the local hospital.
On Wed. night it's back to Lima again from where we head on to our next adventure: The Amazon rainforest...

Outreach - Peru

The time has come. In less then 48 hours, 4 of our DTS students, my co-leader Becca and I will be on our way to Peru. The other 7 students, lead by our DTS leaders Josh and Jen (who are travelling with their two children Marin and Ava) are going to Thailand and Cambodia.

Over the last days God has proven his faithfulness once again.
A lot of the finances that were still open and came in just in that short time, enough to match the $10,000 a supporter of our ministry has pledged to give.
This brings us close to what we need for our expenses in Peru and Southeast Asia.
There is still an amount (approx. $5,000) needed to bring us to the amount we budgeted for these trips, so if God leads you to give, I've added instructions on how you can do that below.

Thank you so much to everyone who has already given so generously.

Please pray for us while we're in Peru.
Pray that we would declare that God's kingdom has come and that people would accept Jesus as their LORD and Saviour. He alone is worthy to have our entire lives surrendered to him.
Pray that we would build his kingdom through everything we do. The way we treat each other (unity) and how we care about the people there should reflect Jesus.
Pray that each of our students would discover the unique strengths and gifts that God has put in them.
Pray that we would get God's heart for Peru, that he would lead and guide us and that we would be sensitive to his guidance.

Here is a rough outline of where we will be and when:

• Jan 6th - arrive in Lima
• Jan 7th - depart to Huancavelica (a city in the Andes mountains @ 12,000 feet elevation) via bus (12 hour drive!!!)
• Jan 8th-19th - working with a local pastor in Huancavelica by ministering to children, teaching in the church, evangelize, and visit villages around the city (Huancavelica is one of the poorest areas in Peru)
• Jan 19th - depart for Lima (bus again)
• Jan 21st - fly from Lima to Iquitos (the main city in the Amazon region of Peru)
• Jan 23rd-Feb 1st - serving at a indigenous community on the river, helping with the construction of a church, possibly digging a well and just spending time with the people and build relationships
• Feb 2nd-Feb 12th - ministering in the city of Iquitos, again mostly working with local churches
• Feb 13th-Feb22nd - serving at 2 more indigenous communities
• Feb 24th - depart back to Lima
• Feb 25th - Mar 1st - working with YWAM in Lima
• Mar 3rd - return to Ozark

We can receive donations at our website, via Paypal. Follow the link below:

http://www.ywamozarks.com/donate.php
To donate by check, make your check payable to YWAM Ozarks and indicate that it is for DTS Outreach. We will still be receiving donations even after we've departed. Mail it to...
YWAM Ozarks
7119 Mountain View Dr.
Ozark, AR 72949

2010

When I think back to this last year, my heart is filled with thankfulness and awe of the things God has done and has allowed me to experience.
I want to share with you some of those that I remember:

- successfully leading our 8 DTS students on their outreach

- touching the lives and building relationships with the simple, but most hospitable Berber people

- facilitating a Mission Adventure week for a 9th grade group from MO

- taking a group of local high-schoolers on a life changing mission trip to Dallas over their spring break

- the begin of a ever deepening relationship with Jenni :)

- setting up a prayer and art booth in the middle of 16,000 people attending a music festival with lots of sex, alcohol and drugs

- driving thousands of miles with Jenni to attend my best friends wedding and visiting her family and friends in Colorado

- successfully completing a Wilderness First Responder course in Salem, OR

- seeing our good friend and campus director Jim Nizza going home to be with God after battling cancer for 7 years

- being refreshed and strengthened at our first staff retreat in Fayetteville

- celebrating with our YWAM family our 50th anniversary in Denver

- welcoming our 12 new students to the begin of their Outdoor Adventure DTS

- spending our first 11 days in the woods, rock climbing, backpacking and canoeing, and then spending several days out again on camping and climbing trips

- seeing God transforming their lives through the teaching of weekly speakers, small group and 1 on 1 times and most of all through the answering of prayers poured out for each of those students

- asking Jenni to marry me and hearing her say YES!!! :)

- spending our Christmas in Dallas with our DTS students to serve and reach out to the poor and needy

These are just the highlights. I'm most thankful for the love, grace and forgiveness that God gives in so generous measures, but also for his discipline and all the hardships through which He allowed me to grow.