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Hear an update from M/V Pacific Hope in the Bahamas, 2020 is declared as the Global Year of the Bible, YWAM in Colombia is helping out Venezuelan refugees as they flee their country, YWAM East Timor continues their ministry to help restore their country after the fight for independence from Indonesia, update from YWAM Lesvos refugee ministry and the deadly fire at the camp, and more on this episode of the YWAM News Show …
Thank you for downloading this, the 119 episode of the Youth With A Mission News Show, I’m your host, Bill Hutchison.
You can contact us, subscribe to future episodes, leave comments, and find links to all the stories we talk about on the show notes for this podcast at ywampodcast.com/119 …
Stories:
Update from M/V Pacific Hope in the Bahamas
Last episode I shared with you the work that the M/V Pacific Hope is doing in the Bahamas in response to Hurricane Dorian. They are continuing their work in partnership with other organisations like the Rotary Club of Grand Bahama …
The latest statement from the M/V Pacific Hope “red shirts” is …
We are looking for construction and general volunteers to help us rebuild the beloved Bahamian islands, recently devastated by Hurricane Dorian. MV Pacific Hope is a 182ft vessel providing construction, medical, and education to places hit by natural disasters. Our first phase was medical, to make sure that the health on the islands are stable with no life-threatening injuries. Now we are in our second phase, rebuilding.
Pacific Hope is one of the first medical ships into the Bahamas after the devastating Hurricane Dorian hit in early September. We secured one of the first MOU agreements with the government, secured multiple warehouses and distribution sites with the amazing help of Rotary on Grand Bahama Island, and have been physically handing goods straight to people in need, driving to the places hit hardest with our ATVs, setting up medical stations and sending doctors out to Grand Cay to help with life-threatening situations, transporting water and supplies throughout the islands, repairing restaurants for people to eat warm meals again, and so much more. We do not leave shortly after, we stay to help rebuild, all to demonstrate the love of Christ. We need your help!
Your help and volunteer efforts with allow us all to work together to help rebuild these islands that were so damaged and destroyed and help these families and communities to get back to a normal life. They need safe and secure structures, hot food, water and medical centers, schools and supplies.
We are looking for general volunteers, volunteers with any construction background or experience, dock repair and builders, captains and crew who can drive center consoles and help deliver supplies, debris removal – these areas have so much to repair and rebuild – any and all aide is needed and appreciated!
We need volunteers starting end of this week – you can come from 1 to multiple weeks depending on your availability. All lodging, meals and water are provided, just need to have a valid passport.
For more information you can email them at purser@mvpacifichope.org or visit their webpage at www.mvpacifichope.org.
If you can’t volunteer at this time, you can also help by donating at their GoFundMe page.
Global Year of the Bible – 2020
The A.D. 2020 Year of the Bible movement aims to affirm and promote the value of the Bible for all people and calls for an end to Bible poverty at a time when over 1,600 languages still do not have a translation of the New and Old Testament. Six goals of the movement are to pray, translate publish, distribute, educate, and motivate people to engage in God’s word.
On the last episode of the YWAM News Show we talked about YWAM’s work to End Bible Poverty. The A.D. 2020 Year of the Bible movement ties in with that vision and YWAM has partnered with organisations including Wycliffe Bible Translators, American Bible Society, Call2All, World Evangelical Alliance, and the Catholic Church.
You can connect with AD 2020 – Year of the Bible at bibleyear2020.com or on social media using the hashtag #bibleyear2020.
Tent of Hope Ministry
Because of the severe economic crisis in Venezuela over four million refugees have sought refuge in other countries.
You can read more about the Tent of Hope Ministry at the Missions Box web-site, and connect with the YWAM location involved in the ministry, YWAM Cartagena, at their web-site, jucumcartagena.com.
Timor Leste (East Timor) Ministry Updates
Australian Mercy, a part of Youth With A Mission, recently received updates from two of their projects in East Timor, Timor Leste, located in Hera and Bahareduk.
The Kid’s Ark Hera project continues to grow and develop with its school, clinic, disabilities centre and potential hospital project. The staff are all very positive and there is a great buzz around the project site.
Bahareduk is a community development project that is seeing significant engagement in the local community. 60 out the 70 houses in the village have been built, a part-time clinic has been established, and an agricultural project has been established.
Last year Timor Leste celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the vote for independence. After that vote Indonesian militia groups moved through the country killing thousands and burning villages and cities. Unfortunately, even though that happened over 20 years ago, the devastation is still evident and Timor Leste remains one of the poorest countries, with one of the youngest populations, in the world today.
The YWAM projects in East Timor are bringing communities that have suffered back to life. You can find out more about these projects, how you can help, and how you can give, on the Australian Mercies web-site, australianmercy.org.
Refugee Update from YWAM Lesvos
In a single 30-minute period of time last month in Lesvos, Greece 13 boats of refugees arrived. YWAM has been ministering there for many years and have reported that things have really started to pick up again. At the moment they are looking at record high numbers of refugees since 2015. Photos that the YWAM team has posted on their Facebook page show that almost 50% of the refugees on the boats are children.
Lesvos is one of the main entry points for refugees wanted to enter Europe. There is less than 10km between the Turkish Coast and the Greek Island, so many people attempt the crossing in rubber rafts.
YWAM is currently working in one of the primary refugee camps on the Island of Lesvos and you can find out more about their ministry on their web-site, ywamlesvos.com.
Lesvos Update
On Monday YWAM in Losvos posted an update about a deadly fire that has occurred at the refugee camp that they are working at. At least one person has died in the fire, but there are fears that there could be more possible victims.
The fire started at one of the shipping containers housing refugees. The camp is designed to house 3000 refugees, but is currently housing about 12,000, which has lead to significant over crowding.
In addition to the fire there have also been rioting by some of the migrants who are protecting what they say are slow response times by the firefighters.
Christian Movements Among Refugees in Europe
As refugees like those arriving in Lesvos have flooded into Europe since 2015 it has been a challenge to meet all of the needs of these people. While that has been happening there have been some amazing opportunities. The gospel is spreading, and new movements of Christians among the refugees have begun. Thousands of people who have come from unreached areas of the world are experiencing the transforming love of God!
As teams and individuals are reaching out with God’s love to the refugees they have learned a few key lessons. The primary one of these lessons is to rely on the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of new believers, it has been key to seeing the emerging Disciple Making Movement grow.
Within the movement they have adopted these vital practices:
- Keep things simple so the new believers can easily apply it, copy it, and teach it to others.
- Show trust and confidence. Believe in them and affirm them in taking the lead.
- Everyone can share, participate, and help determine what needs to be done.
Within the movement more than 2000 have been baptised and over 100 fellowships formed. Disciples and new fellowships are spreading rapidly across Europe and at the same time, when refugees return to their homelands, they share their faith and start fellowships there.
There are many opportunities for reaching out to refugees. This could include refugees or immigrants in your own area, or you could look at joining a Youth With A Mission team working around the world.
You can find our more about these opportunities on the YWAM Frontier Missions web-site, ywamfm.org.
YWAM Deaf World
YWAM Deaf World is a multinational group of YWAM and YWAM-partnered ministries serving the Deaf community around the world by presenting Jesus and empowering Deaf leaders. Their passion is to see the Deaf peoples of the earth encounter Jesus, know His Word, and become a light to the world!
Statistics say that only 2 – 3% of the Deaf community around the world know Jesus personally. YWAM Deaf World believes that the Deaf community has an important role to play in the Body of Christ, and that the Deaf community should no longer be an unread or forgotten people.
The goal is to see Deaf leaders encounter Jesus and His word. They desire that the Deaf would be sent out, fueled by their relationships and encounters with the Living God, into their homes, schools, and work, bringing light and hope wherever they go.
Find out more at the YWAM Deaf World web-site, ywamdeafworld.org.
YWAM Hockey
YWAM Hockey runs yearly outreaches into Russia. They have games against men’s teams in Russia, and run hockey clinics for kids. In addition to taking their Discipleship Training School students on the outreach, they also open it up to other adult male and female players …
Find out more about the Russia Hockey Outreach in January 2020 at ywamhockey.com.
YWAM Uganda Partnership in Uganda’s Future IT Innovators
Youth With A Mission in Kampala, Uganda has been helping to facilitate the ReFactory project to help support the growth of the country’s software industry ecosystem.
The nine month ReFactory courses provide an intensive introduction to software development which enable students to work on industry based software projects. The courses have been designed to bridge the gap between employers and university graduates and equip students with workplace skills, encouraging them to become the leaders of the future.
The YWAM team have been instrumental in the project’s success and continue to provide local governance and experienced teaching faculty to ensure the CM investment provides young Ugandans with the opportunity to be part of a technology solution in their nation.
It’s exciting to read about the work that Youth With A Mission is doing in parternship with other organisations in Uganda, and you can read more about on the BDaily News Site in the link in the show notes at ywampodcast.com/119,
Training
SOFM (School of Frontier Missions)-Tauranga, New Zealand
In January 2020 YWAM Tauranga, New Zealand will be running their next School of Frontier Missions …
The School of Frontier Missions (SOFM) is designed to prepare missionaries to “go the distance” in long term missions. During the three-month training phase students game more understanding about God’s heart for missions, the differing worldviews, and the basics of language learning. Students will also learn about the issues of living cross-culturally, how to plant multiplying churches, and how to survive and thrive long term.
After the training phase an extended outreach that normally lasts about two-years will be had with either joining the Himalayas team or to be a part of a new pioneering team in East Asia, the Middle East, or another nation that students feel called long-term to.
The course will be running from January 20, 2020 – April 10, 2020, you can find out more about the course at ywamfurnace.nz.
School of Communication
YWAM Perth will be running their School of Communication in July of next year…
During the school students examine different media resources that are available for use, and also hear from speakers who bring context and input into topics that are present in popular media.
Throughout the school students focus on gaining practical skills and tools with immediate application. Students create media resources that can be used with future products, and leanr how to design, creat, and work in a team context. Some of the topics that are covered include:
- God the communicator
- intrapersonal and interpersonal communication
- public speaking
- worldview
- Bible study
- more …
On outreach students use the skills, tools, and principles that they have leanred to see Kingdom change and transformation for the nations.
Find out more on the YWAM Perth web-site, ywamperth.org.au.
YWAMer Murdered in Angola
Please pray about a tragedy that occurred in YWAM Angola.
On August 30 a young woman, Yelissa Mendez, was murdered. She was the daughter of Ismael and Sibeli Mendez, Brazilian YWAMers who have served in Angola for almost 30-years, since the days of the Angolan civil war. They have raised their two daughters there.
Yelissa was Ismael and Sibeli’s youngest daughter and was an English teacher.
Please pray for the Mendez family and all the YWAM workers in Angola.
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