A Family in Missions

I think one of the most popular questions that come up when someone is asking about our life with YWAM is how we fit being a young family into our work with YWAM.

Its a good question.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about our involvement as a married couple, as an expecting married couple, and as a family with a young baby, and on and on.  I don't take it lightly, and I don't merely say "We trust God."  I am a practical person.  I think about things, weigh the costs, love to plan, and I refuse to sacrifice certain things just because of some 'missionary calling'.

First off, I tell people that 'we do what we have to do in order to make it work'.  What I mean by that is we have made choices that allow us to be a family and still be fully involved as missionaries.  For example, we have lived in unusual living situations after having a baby, we have packed her up and taken her overseas, used travel sized pop-up tents for her to sleep in and nap in.  We do what we have to.  Brandon and I rotate our schedules or one of us sits out if it benefits Shiloh to be at home, napping, or not involved in a certain thing.  We take Shiloh with us... she has experienced loud worship sessions, prayer times, lectures, sermons, work days, ministry outreaches, etc... and Brandon and I have learned to parent her in those moments, but also allow her to experience what it means to participate some also.   We do what we have to.

Also, I should mention that we fully believe that children are of upmost value, and are no less important to ANY mission that we are as adults.  This view has actually spurred us to want Shiloh and other children to be a part of our missionary work.  Yes, in many situations, children open more doors for relationships with people.   Said another way... our YWAM organization has values that it affirms and uses to guide many choices, and value #15 is:

15. VALUE FAMILIES
YWAM affirms the importance of families serving God together in missions, not just the father and/or mother. We encourage the development of strong and healthy family units, with each member sharing the call to missions and contributing their gifts in unique and complementary ways.

Therefore, Brandon and I believe that Shiloh can contribute.  And more so, we believe that it is important for us to serve together as a family.  Its valuable our ministry that we work as a family, stay together as a family, and/or make decisions that best represent a healthy family unit.  We believe that families are something that so many cultures understand, but yet so many people have hurts or bad examples of families.

But what about safety??   This is usually a follow-up question I get.  Safety is very important to us.  We are very careful about protecting our family.  Just like any other parent we have child-locks on cabinets, we keep a close eye on Shiloh when the oven is on, and we are the same parents whether we are in America or in a foreign country.  We probably are actually more precautions when we are traveling on outreach.  Some of our traveling might seem 'careless and adventurous' to some... but trust us, we don't throw caution to the wind and knowingly put our family at risk.  We take the necessary steps to make sure we know any dangers in the location, and even avoid it if there is a risk, we are careful regarding health risks, and so many others.

Every day of our lives, we make a decision thinking, "what is best for our family?" and "is this best for Shiloh".

I used to think that after being in YWAM with a baby, and traveling overseas with her, I would actually realize that I was more limited.... and that eventually we wouldn't even want to take our whole family on outreaches.  Boy was I wrong!  The reality is that I was able to do more than I expected.  It has been easier than expected.  And I actually look forward to involving my entire family.

As we are awaiting our 2nd baby, we are once again looking at taking a small baby overseas.  We are going through all our questions, our thoughts, our decision making factors.  We are weighing the costs, the facts.  And yes, we are 'trusting God' also.  But we are excited in that we know that it is possible.  It isn't too difficult.  And it is more important for our family to 'go' together, rather than be split apart.  We are looking forward to taking #2 with us, and when the timing is right, we will be going all together as a family of 4.

Story Time

There are so many stories to tell.... I won't bore you.  I'll pick only a few.  We really only spent a short week in each place, so in reality, there is tons more going on than what we saw.

The first story comes from Door of Hope.  A fella moved to Israel years back, and had a heart to serve the poor and street people who lived in the inner city of Tel Aviv.  He would take coffee and tea to a local park and hand out hot cups of it to the prostitutes and drug addicts there.  After a little, he bought an apartment nearby that park.  But didn't realize that it was directly in the middle of the red-light district there.  So when strung out ladies would show up at his doorstep, he tried calling around to find a safe house for them to go to, even a program that would help house them, anything really.  But there was nothing.  NOTHING.  No program to help women in prostitution.  No ministry.  Nothing government.  No Jewish center to reach out.  These women really had no one who cared about them.  So that is how Door of Hope was begun.  He now has a center where the women can come in off the streets during the daylight hours.  They can receive a hot meal.  They can wash up.  There is even a salon where they can be pampered, and a closet of donated clothing for them to pick out new clothes.  And beds so that they can rest.  But most of all its a safe environment, where they aren't taken advantage of, where they are LOVED.  They see love extended to them when they come to Door of Hope.  Its a beautiful answer to a need seen by one man.  We had the opportunity to serve there a few times.  It was beautiful.  It was ugly.  It was heart-wrenching.  But these woman are given a glimpse of hope, and some have truly seen and received that hope.  Those are the warm stories.  Some have rejected it, or not survived the effects of their lifestyle.  Those are the tough stories.  But it was a honor to see this merciful extended hand of LOVE that now exists to help these ladies.

In the second country we were in we had some amazing things happen. I cannot be specific about the details, but we had open doors to do things you can't normally do. Not to mention the one-on-one times that was spent with the locals, one time some of the staff had two locals over and they played "The Passion of the Christ" - it was really cool to see the reactions. So many great conversations with people about great things, it was a great trip and if you see us in person, please ask us about it.

Another story is, well, a conglomerate of many things.... we got to meet with each student while we were visiting them... and let me tell you... God is doing great things with each one of them.  From the personal to the experiences, to the relational, to the outward, and the inward.  We saw God move in them and through them.  It was exciting.  It was encouraging.  They are on FIRE, so watch out!  :)  We know that God will be using them... in their hometowns, but also in the nations.

And we're off!

Wow.  We leave in 4 hours.  FOUR!  I am so silly because it really hasn't sunk in yet.  I'm sure that once I am locked in a plane with a busy baby it will.  But right now, it hasn't.

Its a 12 hour flight to Tel Aviv.  Yowzers.  We do stop in Istanbul for a flight change.  So that will be fun, to see Turkey, or at least its airport.  The airline has reserved bassinets for us.  Crazy that they have those right?  So we're crossing our fingers that Shiloh will actually get sleepy and doze off in them for a bit.

Our bags are packed.  Except for Shiloh's peapod.  Peapod?

This is her peapod, with a much younger and smaller Shiloh sleeping inside.

She is taking a nap in it at this very moment, so that will get loaded in once she wakes up.  How do you pack for traveling on an outreach with a baby you ask?  I thought you might...

Like this:

Everything in Ziplocs.  LOTS OF ZIPLOCS.  The photo is from our 2 months in Nicaragua... so its actually WAY more than we are taking on this trip.  But you get the idea.  Both Brandon and I pack one hiking backpack each to be checked, then he'll take a regular backpack as his carry on, and I'll have the diaper bag as mine.  We have a wonderful travel stroller (I'll do a fun post on that later) that we can use in the airport and then gate-check it.  And thats about it!  I'm sure we've forgotten something important.  We always do.  But Brandon assures me that Tel-Aviv is like, in his words, "Miami".  So basically, anything we forget and need, we can just find it there.

So off we go.... I am really excited to see the team.  We arrive in the wee hours of the morning, so I am not sure if we'll get to really greet them or not.  We might just be crashing for the night and do our 'hellos' in the a.m.

Thank you for all your prayers!

Offering

Last night we had an offering.  The two DTS Outreach Teams still needed about $2,000.  Plus Brandon and I still needed about $4,700 for our Pastoral Visit to see the teams.

22 YWAMers sat in the living room.  We worshiped.  We prayed and asked God what we should each give.  We listened.  And we gave.

The numbers of what was needed began to drop.  People's amounts began to zero out.  Wait------ did you hear that?  They ZEROED OUT!

Our number began to drop.  And drop.  And drop.

Brandon and I both had our eyes closed once our amount still needed was down to around $4,000.  We just closed our eyes and sat quietly in the Lord's presence.  People were still giving.

When the offering was completed we received a total of $2,189!  Amazing!  (I'll admit, I was crying.)

We knew the offering would be a blessing to help those still needing money for the outreach.  We knew that God would move people's hearts to give.  We NEVER IMAGINED that people's hearts would be moved to give so much!  In total, through the entire offering, $4,140.05 was given!!!

So as of today, we've purchased tickets for the Israel portion of the Pastoral Visit!!!  Whoa!  Thank you Lord!  And we only need $2,500 more for the tickets to Asia + the in-country costs in both countries.   I am so joyed to feel the love behind all that people have given us!  It really is an exciting and inspiring thing.  It stirs my heart.  And I know that God has big plans for our time with the Outreach Teams.

We're excited to have the tickets bought for Israel.  Brandon went there on his DTS outreach back in 2006....  and he's getting excited to return.  I just realized today that I don't know anything in Hebrew!  Guess I'll just have to buy and iPhone and use this cool app:



Just kidding.  But isn't it WAY COOL!!!!

Brandon and I both hope that as you read this, it blesses you in some way, maybe just in a tiny encouraging way... who knows how God will move and bless you!

Pastoral Visit {an update}

Brandon and I are seeing God's provision through you people!  A big thank you to those of you who have given to our Pastoral Visit!  In the last week, we've received almost $1,000!  That is a major hunk-a-chunk out of our needed costs!!!  It makes me want to do a happy dance.  :)  We've also had a sweet family offer to provide a travel stroller for Shiloh!  Yay!

Thanks so much to each of you who have given.  And thanks to each of you that have been praying for us as well!  Its really a wonderful thing to have God use you to pray and give to us, and in doing so to have you partner with this DTS, and this Pastoral Visit!

Pastoral Visit

Israel to Asia.

As a part of this year's Discipleship Training School, Brandon and I are to go on a "Pastoral Visit".  Each school that we run here, we send someone about mid-way through the outreach.  We call that a "Pastoral Visit".  Brandon did one 2 years ago, on the 2009 Surf DTS; he spent 2 weeks in Nicaragua.

This year, we were asked to go, (our dear school leader is unable to do the visit... she's expecting a little girl in May!!).  The DTS has 2 outreach teams.  One is going to Israel (& then onto Ethiopia), and the other is going to Asia.  So we'll be first flying to Israel, and then go onto Asia.  We will be leaving May 5th (spend about 10 days in each location), and then return home May 24th.

During the visits, Brandon and I will be joining in with the teams in their ministries.  We are looking forward to serving alongside the students in the midst of their outreaches.  Also, we'll be taking the time to sit down with each student, and process things with them.  Then we'll do the same with the outreach leaders.  In past DTSes, the pastoral visit sometimes is a pivotal time in the outreach.  It refreshes not only the students, but the leaders also.  It also has helped encourage students, uplift their outlook, resolve any interpersonal conflicts, and just overall bless them.  Brandon and I are very excited to bring them home-baked cookies, mail from home, and since all the students adore Shiloh, she'll be bringing a smile to their faces also.

We need your help!  Will you please pray about helping us get to Israel and Asia?  Here are our needs:

• Prayer for safety, for comfortable travel with Shiloh, and for the time with the 2 teams to be effective and meet whatever needs there might be.
• For a travel stroller- about $15-$20... its called an umbrella stroller.  Its what the airlines allow, and will be the best way for us to travel with Shiloh, who... *smile*... may be walking by the time we go!
• Then for financial provision.  The breakdown of the cost for the 3 of us to go is:

air travel to Tel Aviv:  $1824

air travel to Asia:  $2720

in country costs:  $1000

visas:  $420

TOTAL:  $5964

(Geez.  Amounts like that still take the breath out of me.  But Brandon and I realize that if God has called us here, and He has called this visit to happen, and we are to be the ones to go, then He will also not fail in providing for us.)

We are hopeful that some of you might feel led to give to this Pastoral Visit.  Or others might feel led to pray for us.  In whatever way you decide, we are grateful for!  

If you decide to give a donation for the trip, you can mail a check made out to YWAM Pismo Beach to:

YWAM Pismo Beach

791 Price St. #119

Pismo Beach, CA 93449

{Please attach a note in the envelope saying that it is for Brandon and Kirsten's Pastoral Visit}