In JO-burg Airport!

Is it Almost Monday Already?

My experience here in Belize has been unexplainable. I never thought I would get as far as I did these past 3 months. My life has been so transformed. My expectations for this experience and for YWAM completely BLEW MY MIND! I don’t know how you feel about living with people for three months but for me, it has been one of the best experiences of my life. 

                We spent twelve weeks of lectures 5 times a week 4 hours a day. How would you feel after that? Tired/sore? Ha-ha. Well Lets’ begin with a little run down of what the lectures were about. : ) .

WEEK ONE: This week was Orientation week; basically we just got to know each other and the staff as well as the base. It was a week of learning the ropes.

Week TWO:  Was taught by our base director Chris Toney. He spoke about worldview and how each of us views things differently because of how we have been raised. Through our parents, teachers, school, friends, church, media etc… He also explained different religions like Islam, Mormonism, Scientology and the Jehovah’s witnesses. He taught us about dualism and how if you look closely at every religion in the world they all have a piece of truth from Christianity in it, whether it is about the Bible or Jesus.

Week THREE:   Five of the staff took a day of the week and each prepared a lesson for us. They spoke about different topics like passion, heaven, prayer, the fear of the Lord and the Fear of man. It was really cool to have them take a week and do our lectures because it gave us the opportunity to really learn about them and see how they take things from the Bible and explain it to all of us.

Week FOUR:  We had the amazing privilege of having Jeff Pratt speak to us. He is really an incredible man who is a mouthpiece from the Lord. He spoke on the father heart of God. It is hard to summarize all he taught but basically he showed us how God desires to have an intimate relationship with all of his children. Jeff revealed the truth of how God’s heart is broken for all his missing children, and he longs to bring everyone person on the earth home.

Week FIVE:  Lynn Toney who is also one of the base directors and the wife of Chris Spoke on the Ball and Chain. How each of us is carrying around things that keep us from a pure relationship with the Lord, whether it is bitterness, hurt or unforgiveness. And how in apologizing to someone or forgiving them and restoring broken relationships we can enter close and honest friendships, marriages etc… During her lectures we were to write down some people who we felt we needed to forgive either through a letter, or with the smaller things through just speaking it out. We then were all asked to write letters to those we felt took more than just saying it out loud. It was really hard for a lot of people to do but it definitely changed several of the students’ lives after taking the steps in doing so.

Week SIX:  This next week was from John Gotz who was by far one of my favorite speakers. He spoke on our identity in Christ and how as Christians we have victory and authority against the enemy because God has already won the ultimate battle! As he spoke on this topic it taught me so much about myself. This week was where things just began transforming. John was such an encourager and I’m so happy that he brought his own team down to our base. It was such a time.

Week SEVEN: Was a week of bible study and digging deeper into the word. John Peterson showed us different ways of putting the bible into proper context and programs and books that we can add to our “tool box”.  Part of the homework for the week was to read the book of John through five times. Each book of the bible was meant to be read in its entirety so we are able to know the context. One thing I loved that John Peterson said was:
“Let’s say you’re standing in front of God in Heaven right now and he asks you… ““How did you like my book?” “Are you going to say you loved it even when you didn’t even take the time to read it? Or are you going to tell him you didn’t read it but you still believe in him?”

Week EIGHT: This week taught by John Murphey was also one of our favorite weeks. John is a very passionate speaker with a heart for revival in America. He spoke on relationships, Romantic but also friendships, parents, authority and God. He said that “Every problem in the world is a problem of relationship”. So if we can’t get that right we won’t be able to get anything right. He really showed me how I can’t just settle for anyone. God is going to provide the man for me and I need to trust him in that.

Week NINE: Her name is Tiffany Thompson; it was really great for all the girls to finally have a women speaker besides our base director, Lynn. Tiffany talked about how the world has shaped beauty and how we must find our identity first in Christ. Her Days consisted of going through the 5 Pinky Promises.  The girls were able to ask her questions with what it is like to be a woman in leadership. Woman taking on the role of leadership has been such a negative thing.

Week TEN: This week was our ministry week. This was an amazing week where we were able to go out into the community of San Pedro.  We helped out in a school for three days of the week and lead an event for the children in the park. We also went to a church and put on children’s church for the kids. When we went to San Mateo we spoke to so many people. A lot of the ladies I spoke to really made me realize what “Hope” really is.  I have never seen so much hope until coming to Belize.

Week ELEVEN:  Was taught again by Chris Toney but it was more of a wrap up and debrief week of the whole lecture phase, getting us prepared for the next step.

Week TWELVE: We are in the last few days of this week right now. In which we are preparing for all things outreach related. We have spent most of the time in our separate outreach groups. We have been preparing in many ways, learning some things about South Africa, speaking out our expectations and fears and most of all just getting to know each other more as we prepare to spend the next two months together.  These next two months are going to be so much different than how these past three months were. There are twelve of the students heading off to South Africa and only two going to Guatemala!

Now on Monday we are all heading off to our opposite journeys. Twelve students and two leaders getting ready to share the Good News of Jesus Christ! I am stoked.  This new phase came faster than I ever predicted.  Our flights are going to be quite the experience.  We start off by leaving Belize City to Miami. Then we have a 6 hour layover then we fly to Amsterdam and have a 22 hour layover. Then we fly to Jo-burg then have about a 9 hour layover. Finally we fly to Durban. It is so crazy for me to sit here and think of just how much is going to happen during these next two months. I can just picture God using us each in so many different ways. 

There will be more posts to come while in South Africa!