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Bangladesh

Another Season Come and Gone

All but three of the people of this picture remain here at ywam maui. Another season of students has come and gone and once again I find myself looking to the future and what god has in store for me next. But first let me take a second to just briefly tell you what has happened.

I just got back from the country of Bangladesh - a crazy muslim country that can only be described as complete chaos. I am beaten up emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It was the best and worst thing I have ever done. But you know what God did? He remained faithful, He supplied every bit of strength, energy, and spirit. He remained good - never letting us out of His sight and hands. He truly remained our all in all.

That is what I learned on this outreach. Fight, fight for everything, fight for what the Lord has for you, for what He has given to you, for what He has spoken to you. Fight because you do not fight alone, because He is on your side and no matter what - and I really mean no matter what - He is there for you when you are in need, you will be squeezed until nothing of you is left and He will come and be himself. We are not in this fight of life alone. We have Him and His body.

Seriously read this:
Phil 1:27 - 2:18 and consider the hard times you are going through. Press on my friends for God is faithful and sure.

We are back!!

Wow

Well this is really the first time that I have had the time to sit down and update all of you guys on my life overseas.

I have now been on outreach for about a month and things have not been easy. Leading a team is the hardest thing I have ever done and it certainly is stretching me in ways that I have never been stretched.

Learning about yourself in the school of hard knocks is never easy, but it certainly will be rewarding. Currently the team and I are in Chittagong, Bangladesh. We are headed to a remote hill trek full of Hindus to preach the gospel and see what God has placed there for us. Bangladesh most certainly is a crazy place, similar to India it is a wild country of millions of people and very little order. Most certainly the craziest place i have ever been. In the midst of the crazyness there is a thread that the Lord has been weaving in me.

What does it mean to abide in christ. Reading through chapter 14 of John over and over again I have been trying to live life wrapped in christs love for me. Having it shield me, having it care for me, having it guide me. I wish that it wasnt so metaphorical sounding. I am seeing now that in the hard times how tangible his love really is, how sweet a comforter he can be and how much i really need more of him and less of my own strength.

Pray for us, as we head into the jungles. Pray that the broken hearted will be bound up and the captives will be set free. Pray for me. I need God, and I am helpless and cold without him. Life is so simple and yet such a struggle - love God and love people. We were meant for love and God has an endless supply of himself, after all He IS love.

1 Day

Here we are, on the eve of my next adventure with God overseas and the waiting is probably the hardest part.

I have been finding out a lot about myself these past couple of weeks: funny how being under the pressure of responsibility seems to squeeze out the crap in you. Me and Jesus have been becoming better friends everyday because of it. Simply put, I can sum up all of what God has been teaching me into a few short, age-old sayings: Keep It Simple, Don't take yourself so seriously, Jesus is with you always.

Turns out that these are the best leadership motto's I have as I follow after Jesus and lead a few of my friends into the unknown wilds of His plans for this trip overseas. BOY, I am excited!!

1 more week

We as a team have one more week till outreach and we have just received and put together our itinerary from the contacts within the countries. Here it is:

August 26 – Arrive in Bangkok, Thailand

August 27- Country cultural Orientation

August 28 – Bangkok temple tour

August 29 - Sept10: College campus Ministry

September 10 – 22 – Slum Ministry

SEPTEMBER 23 – LEAVE THAILAND

September 23-25 - arrive in Bangladesh

September 26-30 - COX BAZAR (ywam pioneering place prayer and un reached tribal ministry)

October 1-10 - CHITTAGONG (youth camp for christian youth, tribal ministry etc)

October 11-17 SHERPUR (women camp and ministry)

17-25th DINAJPUR (evangelism, kids mini, church mini)

26-6 nov- DHAKA (university mini, mercy mini, kids program)

An update of the team

Of course life here in the pleasant little hawaiian town of Haiku is going just swell. So far we have learned that not only that God loves us unconditionally but that satan most certainly does not. With that we would like some prayer for health as almost all of my team has eaither gotten sick or is sick or is starting to feel sick.

On a completely different and better note! Time has been flying by here and we leave in less than a MONTH!! Each one of these students has actually been growning in more ways than even I know. God is so personal and detailed in each of our lives isn't he? A verse for this week that hopefully will inspire some fresh meditation and encouragement is

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11 We have all read it before, but do you cling to it?