Big news... {Spring 2013 Newsletter}

To read our latest, Spring 2013 Newsletter, click here.  We have some big news, announcements, and would love to have you partner with us in prayer and support!

12 Hours to Takeoff...

So once again we are off.  This time I am taking the TWO girls BY. MY. SELF.  Which means a lot of prayers and diapers.  We have never traveled internationally with a 2 month old.  So that will be completely new for me, let alone with two kids, let alone doing it all by myself.  I am actually weirdly excited.  A little worried.  But mostly excited.

Brandon is already down in Nicaragua with our DTS teams.  I have enjoyed hearing from him and listening to him share about how they are doing.  I can't wait to join him.

Like I've shared before, we pack with ziplocs.  It works really well for us.  Keeps everything separated and organized, and then we can press the air out and get the bags shrunk down to a thin/small size.

So this

Slowly gets packed away... because we have to bring diapers with us, those take up most of the room in our packs.  The first time we went to Nicaragua with Shiloh, we brought hundreds of diapers.  Yes, hundreds, I think it was something like 700.  But we had a team full of surfers with board bags, so they used the diapers to pack their surfboards up nice and tight.  This time we have to bring a little over hundred, with no board bags... at least our bags will be lighter on the flight home.  ;)

Eventually the pile gets smaller...

Then the bags are packed, filled to the brim with diapers, clothes, and snack food.  One 90L bag, 1 regular backpack, and then Capri will ride in the Bjorn.  I thankfully only have to carry all that by myself from the baggage claim in Nicaragua, through customs, and then walking out to the area where Brandon will meet me.  Not too bad, but its the only part I am worried about.  Well that and our potty training little girl, an extremely short layover in Houston, and keeping Capri happy while at the same time keeping Shiloh entertained and well behaved.  Prayers please.  :)

I am looking forward to not only reuniting with Brandon (2 weeks is too long), but joining the 23 team members who are busy doing ministry down there!  Here's to happy traveling!

DTS Begins...

Our much anticipated DTS begins today.

Whoa.

17 students.  Which is crazy because that is the largest DTS to date for our base.

Plus there is a Basic Leadership School running alongside this DTS, another first for YWAM Pismo Beach... our first ever secondary school.  5 students on that school.  Their school began last week.

So by this evening when we kick things off, there will be 22 students coming together to embark on a crazy 6 months of discipleship & leadership training.

Whoa again.

I always compare DTS to running a marathon.  Its a long race, so you can't think 'immediate' or 'now'.  You have to have a long haul mentality.

Our pace of life changes when DTS begins.  We love it.  It has its hard times... life becomes "go go go" and with intensity.

:)  But its been much anticipated.  And we are very excited to begin this DTS & see what God has for these 17... well, 22 incredible people.

Our staff are incredible as well... Brandon & I are super honored to have 3 people who are so amazing and they really make our work easy (and they make us look gooohoood)  hahaha.

Marathon.

I also have compared having a baby to that before.

Shoot.  We'll be doing that also.  2 Marathons.  Um, whelp, big gulps.  More and more dependance on God is never a bad thing!

Ya'll can be praying for us.
                                For the students.
                                            For the next 6 months.

Time for a post...

Over 2 months!  Whoa.  Can you tell when life got hectic/morning sickness consumed our family?  I promise, the Ekstroms are still here, still chugging away with YWAM and life in Pismo.

Our newest addition has been making this mommy VERY sick.  So Brandon has had his workload doubled (dare... tripled?) these past 2 months as he's been helping me out with work, Shiloh, and taking care of me on the worst days.  Thankful for great husbands!

The current DTS is on outreach in Asia.  Its quiet around here.  We've been just maintaining the base so that the rest can reach the unreached over there.  We have heard some amazing reports so far.   We said goodbye to one of our closest friends on staff as she returned back to her hometown.  And then we welcomed a new staff member from N.C.

Shiloh turned TWO!  Whoa, when did this happened?!  She's such a little lady now.  She has the sweetest vocabulary, usually thanking us for every little thing.  She has been helping out a lot around the house, learning to clean her room, and helping mommy wipe clean messes (or rather everything 3 feet from the ground).  She is excited for "her baby" and enjoys hugging and kissing mommy's belly.  Melts our hearts!

And yes, Shiloh is blurry in real life.  I bet most kids are :)

Brandon and I are in the process of planning for the Fall DTS, and have been busy reviewing applications.  You can pray that God would be sending students our way... we are excited to see who He has chosen for this school.

Welp, thats a brief roundup... I said brief right?

Please pray for all our students and staff over in Asia!

Spread the word.

For those of you who are new friends, new readers, old friends and readers, or just stumbled on this post randomly... I would like to summarize YWAM, our next adventure with DTS, and how you can be a part of it all.

Brandon and I have been with YWAM for many years.  Brandon has served for 6 years, while I have been a part of YWAM for almost 4.  YWAM, or Youth With A Mission for those of you who do not know about our acronym, is a worldwide missions organization.  Over 50 years ago, God guided one man to begin a movement, and that movement has now multiplied into over 1,000 operation locations in more than 180 countries with over 18,000 people working under the YWAM name.

YWAM values...

 knowing God

making Him known

hearing God's voice

worship & intercession

being visionary

championing youth

being broad-structure and decentralized

being international and interdenominational

having a biblical worldview

teamwork

servant leadership

doing first then teaching

relationships

the individual

families in missions

depending on God for finances

hospitality

communicating with integrity.

As a missions movement, we focus on evangelism, training, and mercy ministries.

Without going into too much detail, that can summarize the general DNA of YWAM.  There are many other incredible ministries around the world, many other amazing missional organizations, and we feel so blessed to be a part of this one.

Brandon and I have a HUGE heart for the training side of YWAM.  We have put this into action by leading and working with DTS, Discipleship Training Schools.

Currently our base has a DTS running right now.  How exciting it is to see students come from all over the world hungry to be discipled.

We will be leading the next DTS, which begins in September.  The school will have 6 focuses:  photography, visual arts, performing arts, music, surfing, and skateboarding.  We are stepping out in faith and expecting that God will send us 25-30 students (that is over twice the amount of most of our past DTSes).  We are also embarking on a new venture for our base... for the first time ever YWAM Pismo Beach will be running a secondary training school:  Basic Leadership School (aka, BLS).  Brandon and I are VERY excited to see this vision come into fruition.  Our DTS will run alongside the BLS, and we are thrilled to see how the BLS will impact the DTS.

How can you get involved?  There are many, so many ways that you can get involved.  Praying for us is first and foremost.  Some of our readers support, or have supported us financially, in which we are so humbly grateful for your generosity!  But I am urging you specifically to get involved in spreading the word about YWAM, about YWAM Pismo Beach, about our DTS... about the BLS.

If you know someone who is seeking discipleship...

...someone who is passionate about photography

...visual arts

...performing arts

...music

...surfing

...skateboarding

...someone who has completed a DTS and would like further training (the BLS is for them)

...someone who has completed a DTS and feels called to full-time missions.

Tell them about the DTS.
Tell them about the BLS.
Tell them about joining staff with us.

This is how you can help be a part of YWAM.... spread the opportunity... please.  I heard of YWAM because someone shared it with me.  Brandon heard about YWAM because someone shared it with him.  Please keep us on your mind, and don't hesitate to share with someone who you think can benefit from what YWAM can offer.

Direct them to our website.
Have them call us, 805-773-YWAM.

If you have made it to this sentence, thank you for reading through details and information that might not be the most exciting thing to read.  :)  But I hope it has given you a snippet about YWAM, and about our upcoming adventures with DTS.  It is exciting to us, and we are thankful for what God has in store!

What has 8 wheels, carries a baby, and fits on an airplane?

A Stroller!

I wanted to thank a good friend for an amazing gift.

Every time I write on our blog I pretend that people are actually going to read it.  I pretend because in reality, I know that hardly anyone does.  I'm not that interesting of a person and not a very good writer, in fact I probably break every rule in the english language when I write.  But I know some close friends do read, so thank you!

Over a month ago I wrote this post.  And at the end I mentioned our needs, one being a travel stroller for Shiloh.  A friend who I went to high school with and since became my facebook friend, wrote me to offering to buy our family a stroller so that Shiloh could travel comfortably.  Her name is Reagan.  We go way back.  :)  We played soccer together in school and also on a few club teams.  We had many classes together, and were "Unicorn handlers" together.  Yes, I said Unicorn.  Ah, the good ol' days.

She is now married, to a fella named Everett, and they have an adorable little man, Logan, who is just a little older than Shiloh.  Isn't he super handsome!???!

Their gift to us, arrived in a beautiful cardboard box.

And we immeadiately took it for an inagural spin.  Shiloh approved...

The stroller proved to be PERFECT for our trips.  We used it at the airport, all the way to the gate.  We used it in between flights, for those looooong layovers in foreign airports.  Shiloh napped in it.

We took it on 45 minute walks in Israel, and day outings.  It was amazing.

One of the days in Jerusalem we thought the roads could be too bumpy for a stroller, so we carried Shiloh.  Mistake.  We regretted not having the stroller.  The next day we took it.... and even if some parts were "rougher" than others, the stroller held up just great!

Again, it was perfect for squeezing in that much-needed nap in between flights.

And it was great for our time in Asia where the streets are less-than-sanitary.... kept our little princess' shoes clean and her from getting any more germs than she needed.

Also, anyone with a toddler knows how hard it is to keep up with them.  But with Shiloh buckled safely in the stroller, I could enjoy a quiet, and more importantly, STILL baby.

We even took it up the Great Wall!  Better than lugging a 20lb baby uphill!

So a HUGE THANKS to my dear friend, Reagan, and her wonderful family!  That stroller got used EVERY DAY and it was such a blessing to us.  I guess this blog does get read after all!  :)  I really do have to brag though, Brandon and I do have the greatest friends ever.  Seriously!  Aren't they a good looking family!?!

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}

  

There's a first for everything... {Shiloh's Hospital Visit}

Saturday night we didn't sleep a wink.  Shiloh was up, crying, fussing, and screaming every hour.  Just awful.  We endured, all you can do when you share a tiny cabin with thin walls... although the poor ladies on the other side probably didn't sleep a wink either.

So after such a odd night, I noticed in the morning as I was holding Shiloh, that she felt kinda warm.  We took her temperature, and it was slightly high.  We immeadiately chalked it up to being teething.  So it was tylenol, check temperature, paci-popsicles, check temperature, hold fussy baby, check temperature.  At about dinner time, her temp was down.  She ate.  Then within half and hour, she threw it alllll up.  Awful.  Hmmm, what issss this?  Does teething really cause vomiting?  No.  So we checked her temperature again. Up.  She ate again before bed.  And again, didn't keep it down.  At this point some of the ladies here on the base who have small children were talking to me (yes, God gifted me to be able to understand spanish for this) about how if it gets worse, they know someone who has good relationships with several pediatricians in Diriamba.

Over night she did eat once, and did keep it down.  Praises!  But when we woke up around 6am, her temperature was up higher than ever.  She ate again, and this time immediately threw it up.  So that was that.  Off to get the phone number of that friend.

His name was Mynor.  Super amazing man.  When Brandon called to tell him what was going on, he said, "Okay, I'll be there in 10 minutes."  He took us to one pediatrician that him and his wife use for their 2 ninos.  But she was out doing her rounds at the hospital.  So he called another.  That doctor met us at his mothers home.  While we were sitting waiting for him, Shiloh threw up AGAIN.  Gosh.  This was beginning to really worry me and wear on my heart.  Poor thing.  She just layed against my chest as I held her.  No expression on her face.  The doctor was very kind, and he basically told us that the only way we could tell what was making her so ill was to take her to the hospital where they could run some lab tests.

So we went to the Diriamba hospital.  (Much different experience than an American hospital).  But nevertheless, its a hospital, they have trained doctors, and medicine.  It actually one of the best in this area of Nicaragua, Mynor said.  So they checked us in, took her temp... it was still rather high.  And they ordered a blood test, and a urine test (more on that later).   We'd have to go to an outside lab to get them done.  So the doctor encouraged me to keep nursing her as often as I could, so that she would stay hydrated.  I sat down in the waiting room of the clinic and did so.  We planned on taking her to do the labs once she ate... but upon finishing, she threw it all up... whoa.  She couldn't even lift her head up at this point.

Mynor (did I mention how amazing he is), pulled some Nicaraguan strings and got them to let us into the hospital's labs to do the blood test right away, and then get her on an IV.  The blood test was hard... who likes watching their little one get pricked?   But then the IV insertion was even worse.  Because she's such a plump baby... they had a hard time finding a vein.  It took the nurses two tries, and in between tries, they gave her some drops of tylenol, and that made her throw up AGAIN.  Yes, for those of you mommies out there, I was in tears.  I would do anything for Shiloh, Brandon would too.  We'd go to any lengths to find out what is wrong, to find medical care, to keep her safe, and healthy... but at that moment standing in a foreign hospital, with a crying baby, feverish, vomiting, and so helpless, I cried.  And cried.

Eventually the nurses got the IV in, hydration!  They gave her an anti-nausea medicine through it, and began monitoring her while waiting for the lab results.  Brandon and Mynor went back to the base to grab us some belongings... the doctors told us we might be there +8 hours.  Shiloh slept.  And slept.  And slept.  By afternoon time, she was acting more "herself".  She even gave Mynor some baby smiles.  (I think she could tell just how amazing he was!).  The lab results came back.  She had an infection in her urine.  I guess the doctors said its common in this climate down here, really easy to dehydrate, and the dehydration makes babies prone to it?  Thats what we gathered from his quick diagnosis.  The nurses gave her some equivalent of pedialyte (tasteless, but Shiloh LOVED it), an antibiotic, and tylenol.  They told us we were free to go after she could keep it down for an hour.  But to come back if any of the symptoms returned.  Ay ay.

taken while in the hospital

her 2 prescriptions.

her poor bandaged hands

Complete turn-around.  She was back to her bubbly self in no time.  Babies really do bounce back.  REALLY.

bruise :( but she's all better now! :)

It did scare us as parents.  I guess being the first time she had been sick didn't help either.  Being away from our own comfort and our own pediatrician.  But you know what?  We have an amazing God.  One that beckons us to put our trust in because His love surpasses our fears, our worries, our pains.  We prayed over our daughter.  And God was our comfort while we were worried for her.  God was my comfort as the tears fell in that exam room.  Its moments like those that human words can't even bring an ounce of comfort or peace the way that God can.  I was reminded of a couple of verses from Psalms:

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you." ~Psalm 56:3

"for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care." ~Psalm 95:7

And for those of you who are still wondering... Shiloh is completely healthy now.  She is back to her bubbly, giggly, and monstrous self.  And we're are very thankful!  Thank you to each one of you who prayed for her!

Oh yea, remember when I mentioned that urine sample?  Um, they gave us this tiny cup:

How do you get a baby to pee in a cup?  Seriously?  We chose a better alternative, one that goes in her diaper.  It was one moment during all the chaos of the day that we had a good chuckle.

A mid-July Video Update

Oooooo Ahhhhh! Video Blog!

Let us know if you like the videos... maybe we'll have to switch to this rather than writing.

Preggo Update

I thought I would share a little of a preggo update...

This week I will have rounded the corner and be heading into my 3rd trimester. When everyone says that the 2nd one is the best... they don't lie! I felt great, clothes fit great, and slept great in the 2nd trimester.... but then- WHAM- I can no longer look down when standing and see my lil' piggies, I waddle, if something falls on the floor, forget about it! and my little passenger actually has begun to painfully partake in a dance party every night. The aches and pains have begun to add up... plus the reality of the size of my belly has taken somewhat of a toll on my pride! Hahaha... just today I turned sideways to allow Brandon to get past me, and realized that my body is no longer tinier when I do that... my torpedo belly was like a road block for him. I have been suffering through something called SPD (not to be confused with STD)... which is a pelvic pain disorder... seems my body is eager to prepare for labor and delivery, so I daily am watching my activity so that I don't end up on bed rest (that would be awful for me). The nurse has informed me that there is a "belt" I can wear... um, yea, that sounds like fun!

But on the upside... we giggle a lot as Shiloh rolls around inside, just yesterday I swear she was bottom-up, trying to moon us through my tummy or something! I have my own built in food tray when I sit down to eat! Thats fun! And I get first rights to the body pillow now! All in all, I am still enjoying this season of life. Its the tiny little annoyances and hardships that I've learned to just take one at a time, and laugh them off. I mean, I get something beautiful out of it all! Its so bizarre to know that there is a little person living inside me!!! And I am humbled that God would see me fit to house her!

She's got 3 more months of bake time... and we've got 3 more months to prepare for her! I am super excited to welcome her to life outside the belly! Keep us in your prayers as we don't have much we need for her, but the things we do need, we are looking to God to provide for us.

West to East

Since our last post, we've packed up our teeny weeny lives into ONE car, driven north to Bonanza, Oregon, gone campin' with the Ekstrom family, washed 4 loads of smokey clothes, RE-packed that ONE car, and then driven ALLLL the way across America to Richmond, Virginia!

It was a very interesting drive... no air-conditioning, through the desert of upper Nevada and Utah... with a very hot and cranky passenger (me... when the temp rises to 90 and you've been in a car for 7 hours with barely any sleep, you'd be cranky too!). Our first stop was in northern Colorado... and driving into it we followed the highways from Salt Lake City, Nevada to Wyoming... and lets just say that surfboards on the top of a car isn't the norm in Wyoming. We received MANY stares. Anyways, one of our dear friends and fellow staff member is from Fort Collins, Colorado, so we stayed at her parents house the first night of the trip. We were able to have dinner with another friend, Mariel, while we were there, before leaving late the next evening to get a head start on the 2nd leg of the trip. The rest of the way, through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois (we got to see one of my childhood homes there), and then into Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and finally Virginia, took us about 3 more days (we didn't do it straight, there were 2 stops along the way, we're not superhuman). Upon arriving at the YWAM base in Richmond, we were two very pooped Ekstroms!

They are extremely hospitable here, I like to attribute it to the Southern Charm ;), and they have given us a great room to stay in while we are here. Its much larger than our bedroom in California, and they've even furnished it, AND DECORATED it for us! How kind! Guess it is to make up for the fact that we get to live above the boys dorm! Ha!

We have been adjusting to their base, and getting to know the staff here. Although we miss our YWAM family back in California (and the beach too), we are so busy preparing for the DTS to begin that the days are flying by.

You can pray for us this week... we have about one whole month worth of work to accomplish by the next weekend... the school starts on the 21st!!! So pray that we can get as much done and that God will take care of the rest!

We'll keep you posted!

Kirsten (and Brandon)

Crazy days :)

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. ~Psalm 145:13b

We are smack in the middle of crazy days... those kind of never-ceasing-craziness days that you actually LOVE because you feel so energized by God, and there is never a dull moment. At least, I love it, and I know Brandon thrives on days like that.

We've been getting everything taken care of here at our home base. Wrapping up little loose ends, and departmental work. Also we've almost finished setting up the 2010 Surf DTS, well, in the sense that we've gotten the "planning" side out of the way. You can even check out the website for our base.... www.ywampismobeach.org We've begun to change all the surf info... and over the next week or so, it should be completed. (Thank you Will!!!)

Our days this week have just been a hodge-podge of praying for our transition to the Richmond base... the DTS there, and making sure we've got our ducks in a row. Even today we've pretty much cleaned out the whole car, detailed the inside of it... let me tell you, whew! It was diiiirty! And we are just going through our garage and apartment, clearing out, cleaning out, and throwing out.....so that when we are gone, we are leaving things in order. Next step: packing! Yea! If there is one thing about our lives.... its that just when we've unpacked and begun to settle in, God gets our suitcases back out and here we go again!

We have already seen the enemy trying to bring us down.... just small things that are coming up, so please keep these things in your prayers...

1. I've managed to lose my cell phone (small deal, but when its gone, you realize how much you need it!)

2. Also, keep our families in your prayers, we are having some issues there.

3. And then for finances, we just lost some support, and we need to see God provide in the other direction...haha... we are trusting him for at least $300 more a month.

4. Lastly, we are driving my good ol' car all the way across the nation... so PRAY SHE MAKES IT!

Announcement!

Well, Hello friends of ours (who read our blog)!! We have an exciting and very cool announcement for you!!! Brandon and I will be going to YWAM Richmond in Virginia to lead a DTS for their base for 5 months. (No we are not leaving staff with YWAM Pismo... just going to lead this school and then come back here).

Last week, the base director from YWAM Richmond, Chris, called our base with a huge request: His DTS leader for the upcoming school had to return home to Korea due to a family medical problem, leaving the school without a leader... would our base help?

He had been on his knees before God on what to do, cancel the school, lead it himself, or find another leader? God told him to wait, and promised He would provide. That is when a friend of YWAM Pismo (and DTS speaker), Daniel Susenbach, ran across Chris, and after hearing the need for a leader, Daniel recommended our base as having run very good, quality DTS's.

With humility and many nerves, Brandon & I contacted Chris over at Richmond, and we prayed together about filling the need. In the end, we felt willing, and our base is fully behind us going, and the Richmond base has been asking God to bring a young, American leader... so, WE ARE GOING! As a couple we prayed and really felt God's hand guiding us to go, and that we could really serve their base by helping fill this position. Our only hesitation was how young we are... but then, they've been praying for a young leader, so I guess we fit that description! As newlyweds, we are looking forward to the natural bonding and closeness that leading a school results in... and their base is excited to support our new marriage. Also both Brandon and I have family in that area.

The school runs from September 21 through the new year and ends February 26. We'll be packing up at the end of this month (whew, so soon!) and traveling to their base in order to spend several weeks acclimating to the area, the base, their staff, and to have the time to do some school prep work. What an exciting opportunity!!! We absolutely love DTS, and it has been Brandon's passion to disciple as many people as God brings him, so we are joyed to be given this chance to run a school at another base.

As far as we know, there are currently 15 students, and 3 other staff.... and apparently 2 of the staff are Brazilians!!! Yay! The Richmond base will be very different than ours, and we hope to glean wisdom and experience while we are there, and then bring it back to Pismo. We don't have official details to share about the outreach phase... or if we'll even be going on outreach... but we'll know soon enough. Richmond allows a long Thanksgiving holiday, as well as a break for Christmas in between the lecture phase and the outreach phase in which the students can go home, and Brandon and I can go visit family.

We are just super thrilled to lead this DTS!!! It means a lot of change, and hard work, but we love both, and have a fire for trusting God with new and different things!!!

Please pray for us.... we have about 3 weeks to finish up some necessary work here in Pismo. Also we are in need of increasing our monthly support by $300. Then just be praying for our travel arrangements there, God's wisdom, and the such.

Check out our fun lil' video... the joys of having a mac.

As always... we love having a way for people to read what is going on in our lives... so keep checking back with us as we post more! (hopefully I can get some wedding photos up soon)

Kirsten (and Brandon)

Leaving for Nicaragua Outreach!

Today we leave to drive down to LAX (thank you fellow staffer, Lauren!!!) to sleep overnight at the airport YAY!  We fly out tomorrow morning... Nicaragua here we come!

We are very excited about this 2 week outreach... our hearts miss going away for months at a time to reach the poor and needy in other nations, but with the wedding planning, 2 weeks is all that God allowed us.  The trip will serve to not only minister to the people living on the dump in La Chureca, but we will be relieving Tyler (who is leading DTS outreach currently in Nicaragua), and giving him a day or two off.  Brandon has been to Nicaragua once before, but for Kirsten, this is the first time.  And actually will be the first time ever working on top of a trash dump.  Our hearts are already breaking for the people living there, especially all the young children.  We can't wait to partner with  Rise Up International and minister to the youth there.  They run schools and feeding programs... and the people there are hungry for more than just food.  We can't wait to share God's love with Nicaragua, and share just how powerful His name is!

We look forward to posting pictures and sharing about all that God does... when we get back!

(oh, and Kirsten has a praise... our flights to Nicaragua gave us a 3 hour layover in Miami... so she'll get a chance to see some good friends in between flights :) !!! )

-Brandon & Kirsten

So is everything ready?

With the wedding approaching, Brandon & I are always being asked "So is everything ready?"

Well... Is everything ready???  AHHHH, not exactly!  But we have gotten a lot of things taken care of... Brandon has been amazing at helping me out.  But I am realizing just how difficult it is to plan a wedding by myself, without help from family (due to the fact that we live so far away from ours)... its a lot on our plates!  But God has been providing so much!

First, we have seen the Lord provide so much of our finances needed for the wedding... we are working off a very small budget, and we almost have all that we need.  So thank you to all of you who supported us!

Well, lets see, what IS ready....  we've locked in the locations for the ceremony and reception, with a backup plan or two in case of weather or other unforeseen circumstances.  I have my beautiful dress, but am still in crisis about how and where to get my alterations done without going over budget.  I found my shoes, FINALLY!  We had a stellar wine tasting party to pick our reception wines, yum!  And I am almost done making all of my jewelry, YAY!  By the way, for all you ladies... if you have the ability, d.i.y. stuff really makes the wedding preparations FUN!  I made/am making all the invites by hand, the seating cards, the programs, the center pieces, the bouquets, decorations, my jewelry, favors, and all the food too!  Well, that last part will most definitely be a combined effort of friends mostly, not myself, but you get the point.... by doing all these things by hand, I feel like we are making our wedding more personal (as it should be), and saving A LOT of money. :) 

There is still so much to be done... so after returning home from our April 28- May 12 outreach to Nicaragua... my main focus will be to complete everything!   I know that the last month will just fly by... so be praying that we can finish everything in time!  We both would like to relax as much as possible the week of our wedding...

But you can be praying for...

-I still haven't found flowers or figured out how to get them wholesale for a great deal....

-Alterations for my dress... it only needs a couple inches hemmed up, and a small tuck in the back, but I know that prices can run high for these type of things...

-Logistics of the day.... we are still trying to figure out how to get the ceremony set up, then torn down, and transport things to the reception...

-Music!!!... we are taking any suggestions... we'll be doing an ipod dj, so if you have any favorites, let us know :)

-Our ceremony location may be changing...

-Some very important people can't come (my niece and nephew, who are suppose to be IN the wedding) due to finances... so pray that God buys them tickets out here!

-We need to raise our monthly support so that we can cover the rent increase of living together...

-Lastly, but most difficult to ask for ya'll to pray for... I am at a loss of my hair, makeup, and other beauty prep... we didn't budget for these personal care things... I can do without, but there are a few things I'd like to do the week before our big day.

And lastly... I'll leave you with some pictures... ENJOY!

The ceremony and reception locations...

Making the invites...

The wine tasting party...

Groomsmen's ties...

My lovely shoes...

-Kirsten