My first week in Kona

I've been here in Kona for a week and so much has happened that I don't even know where to begin.
The night I arrived at the campus we were greeted with cheers and shouts from our school leaders. They are the loudest and most outrageous people on campus. Already on the first day I made friends with one of my roommates, Hope, who is also in my school. She is like a sister to me. I had prayed for a friend like that and God has already answered that request in a wonderful and complete way. The campus is huge. There are 9 different schools running at the moment and the campus is growing rapidly. Loren and Darlene Cunningham are directors here and I've had the priviledge of seeing them and hearing their stories about YWAM history. They are such an inspiration to everyone!
I am sharing a small apartment with 5 other young women who are so lovely and fun to be with. We are getting along well, although we need to start working on a cleaning schedule for our room :)

In our first week of school we have learned and grown more than you would normally in a month's time. God is really up to something with our class because of the acceleration of growth and learning. Our group has just over 100 people. We have quickly jumped into building relationships with each other and letting ourselves be transformed by God's love.
Andy Byrd has been teaching us about the foundations of the gospel this past week. This guy is so on fire and radical for God it is so contagious! We have encountered God in our daily worship and prayer sessions in the prayer room. I personally have been stretched in all directions since coming here. I am being challenged to lay myself down, let myself go, and let the Holy Spirit take charge of my heart. I didn't realize how many walls and how much false thinking there still is in me. Do I really believe the Gospel? Will I go out and be a vessel for God to move through to bring His kingdom to the world, or am I too scared of what people think of me, too insecure of what God can do and who He is? Do I believe that He is who He says He is and will I go out and preach His word, heal the sick, and love those around me?
I'm finding that I've been more caught up with my own fears and insecurities and God is doing a big transformational and healing work in my heart. There's nothing like being thrown into unchartered waters with God's love being the only thing to hold on to.

I'm also discovering things about myself  I never knew I could do. One of the things Andy has been making our class do after the teaching sessions is to get into our outreach teams (yes, I found out where I'm going for outreach!!) and stand in a circle while taking turns standing in the middle and confessing our unbelief or pride ,or whatever is standing in the way, in front of the whole team, while they are all praying with you and affirming your prayer! Talking about stepping outside of my box!! no place for fear or pride...
The first time I stood in the circle I thought I would run away, but I ended up making bold declarations of God's truth and preaching to myself in the midst of it - it is fun to see what you can actually do when you just step out in faith and do what you need to do, whether or not you know how to do it!

Note of encouragement:
If you believe God is asking you to do something - don't step back even if you don't know how to do it. He always gives us the grace for whatever we need. We just need to let go of ourselves and trust Him.

I am on a team going to Mozambique to work with Iris Ministries We will be feeding orphans and ministering to people the love of the Father. We will also be going out into the bush and into villages healing the sick and telling them about Jesus. We have to learn Portuguese since that is the main language in Moz. One of my team leaders, Matt, has worked with Iris Ministries before. He and Rachel are our team leaders. I am so blessed to be on their team and I am confident in their leadership. I am thinking of learning guitar because our team needs someone to lead music.


Prayer points

• Unity in my outreach team
• Fearlessness and love for each other and the orphans
• Finances: about $6,000 to go to Mozambique

May you be blessed
much love to you all