Base Update

I believe that God is really working in and through us as a YWAM base.

An update about the Grey house is that we didn't get the money we needed for the down payment, so we thought that was the end of the line. We were told that the owner wanted to do something with the money this summer and was looking for a quick sale, but now he has offered that we rent for another year and try to raise the money we need! Crazy.

This brings up many more questions, everything seems to be connected.

We have been thinking about making some really big changes to improve the DTS program, and started by extending it, which i still believe will help us make the school all it can be. Now we just have to ask ourselves an honest question - do we have enough time to plan out the whole school before September.

We are also low on staff, but high on vision. Most everyone has a big project or ministry they are wanting to develop but every year we give up these things for 6 months for the DTS. To do that again seems to be sending the wrong message to the students, do as i say not as i do. We stop some of the big things God has called us to, to staff the school. When you think about it, that really just doesn't make sense.

We are praying about whether the school should be postponed until next year. Finding people to rent the house through us for the year, maybe staff, or just others looking for an intentional community.

We would have time to develop our own ministries, as well as grow together as a staff, encouraging and supporting each other in our dreams. Continuing to raise money to buy the house, and also raise our profile within the city.

I am excited to develop our relationships with the churches in the local area. Share our knowledge about missions and help them in anyways we can to prepare for trips. I would also like to develop some teaching materials for youth groups, sharing about different cultures and the way God is moving in countries across the world, as well as in the city of Seattle.

Thee are lots of new things happening here, and everything is still a little up in the air. I switch between feeling very excited and raring to go in these new adventures and feeling very sad and a little overwhelmed by the reality of not having a school.

Please be praying that the big decisions that are being made by me and all of us as a staff.

I will be sure to let you know when conclusions have been reached and then be more specific about what my year will look like, thank you again, God Bless

Maryland - Tornado and gelato

I am writing this from Maryland. I am here with my housemates for her brothers wedding. I am here to be an extra pair of hands with Zara, and also to have a little getaway from Seattle!

I am staying with my friend Amanda at her parent’s house, which has become a surrogate home away from home for me over the past few years.

Our flights from Seattle were all delayed because of bad weather so we didn't arrive until about 3am - and it’s been full of adventure since!

The first highlight is the tornado. Yes, tornado.



We went out yesterday to the shops in warm sunny weather. An hour or so later as we got back in the car to come home and saw that the clouds had got pretty dark.
On the way home the radio show broadcast a severe weather warning, which included a tornado warning. He said the weather front had started where we had been shopping and then was moving in a SW direction towards where Amanda parents live, and where we were headed. The dark clouds were so dark, and were right behind us, and moving in fast. The radio kept telling us to abandon our vehicles and hide in a ditch if we saw a tornado! We were a little bit freaked out. I have never been in a tornado before!

We got home and Amanda’s Dad had got out the portable black and white TV and was watching the weather reports that were still saying the tornado conditions were heading fast towards us! We headed down to their basement with some snacks, candles and the dog. Only a few minutes after we settled down there the power went out. It was surreal for the next 45 minutes, but the tornado never formed and the warning was reduced to a severe thunderstorm. We went back upstairs!!

A few hours later, the rain had stopped and we headed out to get gelato. Italian ice, in a million flavours from 'The Cow' gelato shop. Another East coast treat, its delicious.


Last minute preparations for the wedding continue around me.

Retreat

Last weekend, the staff of YWAM Seattle (15 of us, minus kids) headed about an hour north of the city to a place called Bellingham, to Lake Samish and a camp called Lutherwood. It was so pretty and with gorgeous weather all weekend, we made the most of our off time!

We were meeting to try and put on paper some of the Value and Purpose of YWAM Seattle as an organisation, and hope that by doing this, we can set ourselves goals and expectations in line with those values.

I think as a group it was what we needed to get away, spend quality time together, and have time to talk, share, listen, laugh and debate together.

We had lots of fun outside of the meeting too, we took a canoe out onto the lake, played frisbee, bocce ball, and also played on this thing called the Blob. It is a huge inflatable cushion that sits at the edge of the lake, one person jumps onto the Blob from a high platform, and that launches the other person who is lying on the far end of the blob into the water! It was so uch fun. The whole going onthe Bob has made me thnk a lot about hw i confront things that scare or intimidate me.

The guys were playing on the Blob for hours, and i had thought it had looked fun, but knew i would be scared. What if i fell off? How embarassing. What if i got hurt? And on and on. Towards the end of the afternoon my friend Amy suggested that we have a go. Her encouragement was the push i needed. It was awesome!! During my turn on the Blob i felt so free. Like i had faced a fear, and refused to let it hold me back. Yes!

Now i have to take the Blob revelation on into life...

The retreat was a special time for us as a base as well as for me personally, I hope to post some blobbing pictures soon!