DTS STAFF!!

I have extremely exciting news! The opportunity that I was talking about in my last blog is this: I'm going to be volunteer staff for the September DTS with YWAM Durban! If you're not quite sure what a DTS is, let me explain. DTS stands for "Discipleship Training School" and it's is an incredible school that teaches students about the depth and character of God. The aim of the DTS is to develop a daily walk with God rather than to accumulate information. The DTS is approximately 5 months long; 3 months of lectures and then 2 months of outreach. The DTS is designed to encourage students to develop in personal character, to cultivate a living relationship with God, and to identify their unique, individual gifts and callings in God. Cross-cultural exposure and global awareness are special emphases throughout the DTS, and answers the call to "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19.



As most of you guys know, I did my DTS with YWAM Orlando in September 2007. DTS was a life changing experience for me. For the first time, I realize that I had been putting God into a little "Christian box". God challenged me so much during my DTS. I experience community living for the first time at YWAM Orlando, and honestly, I didn't like it back then. During DTS I realized just how selfish I was and God brought up a lot of issues in my life such as pride. He really dealt with my heart... and it was painful. DTS was literally one of the best things I ever did and opened my eyes to missions. It gave me a new excitement about God. I learned so much in my DTS. Each week we got a new speaker to come in and teach on a different topics (this is the lecture phase and is three months long). Some topics include: hearing God's voice, the father heart of God, forgiveness and many others.

So, my responsibility is going to be working with the DTS students. I'll be leading a small group and having one on one's (accountability) with the female students. The DTS starts September 17, 2008- February 6, 2009. In our outreach, we'll be doing ministry for a month in South Africa and another month in probably India. Although I will be on "staff", it will be as a volunteer. Please pray about whether or not you will be able to commit to supporting me through prayer, and/or financially supporting me. My staff fees, food and lodging add up to around $400 a month. So, for the first three months, which is the lecture phase, I'm in need of approximately $1200. For the last two months which is outreach, I'm in need of approximately $4,000 for airfare, staff fees, food, lodging and other outreach costs. All together, that's approximately $5,200. I cannot do this without you guys. Please pray about what kind of role you can play. If you have any questions, feel free to email me anytime. I'd love to chat.

I'll write more about Durban (which is in South Africa by the way), and the YWAM Durban base in another blog later this week. Here is the YWAM Durban's website if you'd like to check it out: www.ywamdurban.org . I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week.