Questions & Answers

"A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16

Firstly, a massive shout out to those that have called or contacted us in one way or another to check in on how we're doing. Thanks team! It helps us piece things together and process the craziness of this time and what it means for now and from here. We've also been considering how this global crisis impacts everyone's lives in one way or another so haven't wanted to rush in with news of ourselves when we wanted to hear how others are doing too. Never the less, it's important that we share with you the following :) So here are some of the questions that we've been responding to...

Q. How are you guys?!

We're doing great all things considering! Obviously it was a bit of a baptism by fire as our first school in and being everyone's first time experiencing such an unprecedented thing like COVID-19. Cancelling the school was rough but we had a strong conviction to make the call when we did, which ended up being the last shot at leaving the country that most of them had. We're grateful we got them out in time and the ones who chose to remain in the country had safe places to go to. So in light of all that has happened, we're counting our blessings that we have great company, a beautiful large property and isolated area in Wairere valley, and peace.

Q. How will the students complete their DTS?

The UofN (university of the nations) have basically swung the door wide open for students to be able to graduate with as little pressure on everyone as possible, but with the hope that they still get an awesome experience out of the remaining weeks of lecture phase. We're so blessed to live in an age with technology which means going online with the remaining weeks and coming up with creative ways for students to complete the school abroad. They now only need to complete the lecture phase and UofN will count it as a completed school, irrespective of whether they did outreach or not. It only means they won't get the credits attained on the outreach portion.

Q. How was the 24hr 'burn' that you and the staff did?

So for those that follow our Instagram, instead of cracking straight into logistics and debriefing with the staff team, you'll have seen that we just really wanted to worship and talk with Jesus about the season we are in first. So the timeline was...we cancelled the school on the Tuesday and began seeing students off on the Wednesday. Baptized 7 students on the Friday and did a 24hr burn (non-stop prayer and worship) on the Monday to Tuesday. At the end of the burn God reminded Barry and I that this team is who he invited us to come serve, and that he has given each one of them dreams that he wants to see carried out. So we invited each staff member to share prophetic words, dreams, desires that they have been carrying from the past to the present. The room felt so full of hope and expectation when we recalled the word of God for each person and committed to championing each toward those purposes.

Q. What does this season look like for you as a ministry?

We're hosting massive amounts of anticipation for this season and have invited the staff to dream big and pray bigger. Barry and I are constantly dreaming up new horizons and laying them down all in the same. No matter how fun and exciting the ideas might be, nothing seems to satisfy right now except knowing Him and making Him known. If anything idea exists in and for itself, then we don't want it. So we're taking this time to deconstruct and reconstruct with Jesus and the beautiful people he has called to be here. Ultimately, we just want people to experience Jesus in all that we say and do as individuals and as a community, so we're getting back to the nitty gritty of how in love and enraptured by God are we truly.

Q. How are you financially?

This question has seriously helped me to reflect on why Barry and I are being supported. I've wondered…is it because people believe in YWAM? or because people believe in what Jesus is doing through Barry and I? A bit of both? We're comforted in the truth that our return to YWAM was all his idea and he is still very much on the move. So therefore, the commissioning is always his to bring to completion. Barry and I commit to listening to Him in order to walk in step with his leadings. Numbers wise, our expenses continue to be $120 a week each for base living expenses and may go up if staff numbers drop over this time if they return to their home nations too. We'll let you know of these changes if they arise.

So, to those who support us financially, we want to acknowledge there may very well be changes in people's financial situations over this time and all up we've so appreciated your support thus far. Please let us know if there are any changes on your end because we want to honour you too and release you from any sense of obligation.

Q. How can we pray for you?

We really want to serve this staff team and community as best we can. Proverbs 29:18 says "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves. But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed". Another version simply says, "without vision the people perish". Barry and I feel so strongly that the best way we can serve the crew here is by spending time with and listening to God, and relaying what he prompts us to relay. Pray that we can do this with grace and wisdom! Pray for the students who left and are seeking God in their quarantined spaces. Pray for the team here, that we draw nearer to God and one another. And of course, join us in praying for the health and healing of all facets of life across the globe.

"I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" -Psalm 27