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Intro:
Today on the YWAM News Show we will be talking about the recovery from the dual cyclones that hit Vanuatu, a sports club ministry in Tanzania, a teacher’s workshop in South Sudan, YWAM Emerge’s aquaponics program, hiking retreats into the Scottish highlands, and more …
Thank you for downloading this, the 131 episode of the Youth With A Mission News Show Podcast, 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/131 …
Stories:
Cyclone Damage in Vanuatu
The island nation of Vanuatu was hit by 2 severe tropical cyclones in the space of 3 days, TC Judy (Category 3) on March 1st and TC Kevin (Category 4) on March 3rd 2023. The first cyclone caused severe damage to housing, community buildings, infrastructure, vegetation and crops. Then, before the community had a chance to recover, the second one hit with greater force and moved slowly, punishing an already damaged community for at least another 8 hours. The government has now declared a State of Emergency for the next 6 months.
The YWAM Family Care Centre in Vanuatu suffered damage to their buildings, some flooding, and many of their trees knocked down. During the cyclone the YWAM Centre had 120 of their neighbours come and shelter with them, and they are still providing shelter for some who are still unable to return home or to other shelters. They are working with the community leaders to discuss the recovery plan, are grateful that all their members are safe, and desire prayer for everyone’s health and safety, and that there would be food for everyone staying with them. (source)
V2 Life Association, one of YWAM’s other ministries in Vanuatu also suffered the loss of most of their trees, had flooding in some buildings, many ceilings were damaged, and they have electrical issues in a few buildings. There is significant clean up and repairs needed to their centre so that they can continue to provide primary school education in Teouma Valley. (source)
Australian Mercy staff are already on the ground assessing damage, consulting with disaster management officials, village chiefs and local community organisations, assessing where best we can assist. Volunteer work teams will initially start by assisting in recovery in village and squatter areas in the Shefa province. They are asking for funds to be donated to provide for the purchase of food and water, first aid supplies, building materials, tools and the means to assist in distribution of these items.
Find out more, and how you can help, on the Australian Mercy web-site, australianmercy.org.
Jeffrey Woodke Released in Niger
In 2016 a long time YWAM Worker, Jeff Woodke, was abducted from the town of Abalak in Northern Niger. This month he was released, after being held for six-years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8rATwEykus
This is fantastic news, and we pray for Jeff and his family during this long awaited reunion. Since that video was released, Jeff has since been reunited with his family and is still under medical care and supervision.
PNG Bible Translations
Last year YWAM Ships Kona brought an oral bible translation recording unit to Papua New Guinea.
Since that video was made, the container has been delivered to Madang in PNG and they are currently working on translating the bible into 33 different dialects. (source)
Women’s Health Container and General Purpose Clinic
The latest container that has been built to serve in PNG is a women’s health container and general purpose clinic. It will provide a safe and private space to do gynecological exams, antenatal checks, health education, and can even be used to deliver babies if needed.
The container is completed and is about to be shipped to PNG in the M/V YWAM Liberty. (source)
Global and Community Health Seminar
In August YWAM Ships Kona will be running a Global & Community Health Seminar.
The seminar is designed to train participants to serve in global settings wtih continuing education focused on cross-cultural clinics and community care. The course covers tropical diseases in a case-based format and highlights the provision of quality care through the application of global health guidelines while considering cultural context.
The course is from August 21 – 25, with an optional medical outreach August 26 – September 8 in Papua New Guinea. (source)
YWAM New Vision Sports Club
YWAM Arusha in Tanzania runs the New Vision Sports Club.
They run many different ministries through the club, and they have a desire to build a state of the art sports academy where they want to be able allow participants to live on campus. (source)
YWAM Juba Teachers Workshop
Youth With A Mission have been operating in South Sudan pretty much since the nation game it’s independence in 2011. One of the locations in South Sudan is in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
This month YWAM Juba completed their first ever Teachers Workshop. The participants in the workshop were there to become better Christian educators. Trainers for the workshop cam from South Africa and the US. Their hope is that they can continue to offer this valuable workshop to future educators in South Sudan. (source)
YWAM Lusaka
Continuing with highlighting the videos produced by YWAM Overland Adventures we now look at what YWAM is doing in Lusaka in Zambia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBdxVcOPV3Q
One of the ministries that YWAM Lusaka is involved with is their Hope Clinic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RULPnZte7ek
YWAM Lusaka has opportunities for short or long term staff, as well as opportunities for teams and church groups. (source)
The Hub – One San Nicolas and Aruba
In 2020 YWAM Aruba got involved with a new community hub serving the people in the local neighbourhoods.
YWAM has been working on the beautiful island of Aruba since 2019, after the vision for the ministry was birthed in 2009. The team is currently in the process of building a physical location, and there are plenty of opportunities for staff, mission builders, and church or ministry groups to join them. (source)
YWAM Emerge Aquaponics Program
YWAM Emerge’s aquaponics program, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is creating a global model that is being replicated throughout the world. The program helps local ministries to generate income and a healthy food source that is sustainable and reproducible.
The style of aquaponics system that YWAM Emerge is training people on generates healthy produce year round, uses 90% less water than traditional farming, and requires less time to produce food. It is a unique way of providing both a source of food, and revenue, for communities around the world. (source)
YWAM Seamill Hiking Retreats
Live in awe is a hiking and wild camping ministry under YWAM Seamill. They started in 2021 with a heart for all people to have the opportunity to enjoy creation and encounter a God who loves to meet with us.
The teams take groups into the stunning Scottish highlands and Islands where they facilitate 2-3 day wild camping adventure with God. Each trip is different, and they make nature accessible for the wild camper and the slow Sunday walker. The camps vary from 2 – 5 days, with cosy, comfy, or wild types of experiences.
They run two hiking retreats each year, with the 2023 dates being 11 – 17 June, and 6 – 12 August. (source)
YWAM Next Step
YWAM Next Step is a global team of YWAMers helping the YWAM family of ministries take their next step.
It is a ministry of Mission Builders International. They desire to gather and create teams of YWAMers with common or complementary skillsets who can work remotely to serve the underserved in YWAM. They are building teams of people with multiple skill sets, with desires to serve in areas of pioneering advice, counseling, mentoring, website development, custom online training programs, architectural design and master planning, staff development, information technology, communications, and more. (source)
Loren Cunningham Stricken With Stage 4 Cancer
This month Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With A Mission, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The scans have revealed that it is quite extensive, with cancer being found in Loren’s lungs, bones, and lymph system. Despite that, the cancer cells have not spread to his brain, and he is still able to be quite active at this time.
The family has decided to prioritise Loren’s quality of life, over trying to extend Loren’s life. Darlene Cunningham, Loren’s wife, has stated:
“Revelation has been flowing for Loren like never before—and that is saying something! The joy of God’s dream of getting the Bible orally into every mother tongue on earth is the passion that fuels him every day, all day.
“He has Jesus, family, friends and vision. Who could ask for more? And all of them continue on the other side. … Thank you for your continuing love and prayers through the season ahead.”
We will continue to pray for Loren and his family, and get updates about his health on the YWAM Facebook page. (source)
Pray for the Kanuri Manga of Niger
This month for The Invitation, one of YWAM’s global prayer initiatives, we Prayed for the Kanuri Manga of Niger.
Just under 700,000 Kanuri Manga people live in the east of Niger and far northeast of Nigeria. Most of them are farmers, growing mostly grain crops in a harsh environment as well as raising sheep, goats and the horses which are a symbol of prestige. The Kanuri Manga are Sunni Muslims, with no known Christians among them. They face great physical and spiritual needs with their climate causing famine to return for a season every year.
The three focused prayers for this month are for:
- Blessings on the Kanuri Manga
- That God will bring an end to violence
- That more Christians in this area to be bold
Every month we join together in prayer, and are always wanting to hear feedback about how God led you during prayer. You can send us your feedback on The Invitation web-site.
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