I'm Leaving Again

As most of you already know, this July I went to Australia to dive head first into missions. I took a six-month course called a Discipleship Training School through Youth With A Mission (YWAM). YWAM has been around for 50 years and is in more than 150 countries. It is an international volunteer movement of Christians from many backgrounds, cultures and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Simply enough, their goal is to know God and make Him known. In my Discipleship Training School we had heard about the devastating tsunami that had hit the main island of Western Samoa on September 29th and we were able to go and join the YWAM in Samoa by the middle of October. Our team was able to bring life and joy to the YWAM base, which had been exhausted by their efforts to help with the aftermath of the tsunami. I enjoyed working with my hands and helping so practically, I also loved working with the kids and giving them every opportunity to feel like their life was getting back to normal. I was invited to come and work at the base long-term as a staff member. After being home for a while I know, without a doubt, that I’m supposed to be in long-term and full-time missions and Samoa is the place for me now. I’ll be committing to one year at the base, I’ve bought my plane ticket and I’ll be heading back on February 23^rd.

 

What I loved most about Samoa is the family atmosphere. I was treated like family from the very beginning and now I have more brothers and sisters than I dreamed possible. The Samoans exceed all expectations in the area of hospitality. I am passionate about hospitality and expect to work in this area during my time. I’m excited to learn from them in that way. I also expect to help coordinate the English speaking teams that come to the base to help. I’d be helping with all of this in addition to the small assignments given that go along with general running and managing of the ministries on the base.

 

Samoa has so many needs I can’t wait to get my hands on. The great thing about YWAM is you can pretty much start any ministry and they’ll support you in what God is moving you towards. Here is a sample of the things the Lord has placed on my heart already. I’d love you to pray into these areas as well.

• There is a Mormon temple on almost every corner that there is a Christian church. Sadly, this is a big influence in their idea of white people.

• Violence is an issue on the island that I know God wants to change in their hearts. 

•While working with the kids I was able to connect the easiest with adolescent girls, that might have been the biggest surprise to me. I’m not sure that they are taught to dream, I would love to invest in them and try to encourage and bring about their passions.

•The rebuilding phase of the tsunami is already underway and I long to help rebuild their faith as well as working alongside them to rebuild their homes. The idea of committing to something I was able to be the beginning of is a complete blessing.

 

Now as I mentioned before only volunteers work for YWAM, so in order to stay there and do what God has placed on my heart I need to raise support. If you would like to join me in what God has planned to do in Samoa I’d be eternally grateful. So many of you have already invested in me and I’m always humbled by your generosity. The Lord has never let me down. He always provides and I know He always will. I’ve set my budget at about $800 USD a month. (I have a car I’m trying to sell, however, until it sells I will have that loan to pay.) I wanted to be upfront about where the money is going, so here is the breakdown:

$250 Staff fees (rent and groceries)

$210 School loans

$  15 Transportation

$  20 Toiletries and other necessities

$  20 Internet and communication

$100 Insurance

$  40 Compassion Child

$  10 Laundry

$  15 Entertainment

($140) Car Loan

If you would like to support me financially, you could make a check out to me and send it to my parents address and they’ll put it in my account. You could make a check out to YWAM Samoa and mail it to the base in Apia. You could pay online here on this blog too, by clicking the donate button, if you want.

Thank you for being so interested in my life that you want to read this blog. I'll do my best to update when I can. I really should apologize for not being better with communicating. It's not because I don't love all of you, it's because communicating isn't a strength of mine. 

I'm looking forward to what God is going to do in Samoa and I'm glad He's letting us be a part of it. It's humbling that he wants to use me there. I can't thank you enough for wanting to be involved. Even though I'm in a different country, I still want to know about your lives. Please keep me updated.  

 Here are some important addresses for you:

 My permanent address is:   3359 W Sagamont St., Springfield, MO 65807

 The YWAM address is: YWAM Samoa, P.O. Box 435,  Falelauniu, Apia, Samoa

love,

Emily