Newsletters
Christmas 2007 Newsletter
14 December 2007Hey “Landlubbers”! Season’s Greetings from the beautiful island of St. Croix, the Gem of the Caribbean! I know it’s been awhile again since you’ve heard from us, and there are volumes that we could probably share with you. But, we would actually like you to be able to read through the whole newsletter in one sitting, so we’ll keep it brief this time! Here’s my two cents...this has been one of the most challenging years of my life! Iwould never have imagined that with the growth and change of our children, I would also have to grow and change. I continue to learn about God’s heart as a father, and how much he loves us and yearns to be a part of our lives...and how it is so easy to forget that He is there, pursuing us, calling us, drawing us, wanting to share more than we often care to or are willing to give. All of this is relevant to having our girls grow up and not need me quite so much as their father. Yea, I know that they still need me, but my role is changing and I’m having to learn what that is supposed to look like. I know that it’s a natural and necessary change...it’s just new territory! You who have experienced this know exactly what I’m talking about. Then there is the “Director’s chair”...another role that I continue to learn how to improve at. W ithout Viola I would be lost. I could not have asked for a more precious gift in my life than her. I pray that this Holiday Season you have someone just as special that you can share the season with...someone who encourages you to go ever deeper in your own pursuit of God! And if you don’t, then let me encourage you right now! He is everything that you could ever need! The giver of all good gifts! Your Creator, who desires a personal and intimate relationship with you! There is nothing more fulfilling, nothing more real than this! Take it! Mark.
Our Discipleship Training School
We are thrilled to be hosting our third DTS here in St. Croix! The school started October 9th of this year and will run through the first week of March. As I write this, our 11awesome students and three staff are on their mid-school outreach to the Dominican Republic,where they are presently working with the American Red Cross doing disaster relief for a few days. Just last month the D.R. experienced some severe flooding due to a massive tropical storm that ripped through the country. During their two weeks there, the team will also be working other YWAM bases, engaging in “street evangelism.” Upon returning to St. Croix, they will enjoy an additional six weeks of lectures by various guest speakers before heading out for their “M ega-outreach” to the South American nation of Peru! Both students and staff are excited about this opportunity...and I’m jealous! Please pray that our students get everything that God has for them during the remainder of the school and that they will be forever “ruined for the ordinary” as they experience how God can use them to transform lives!
Children’s Ministry
Our three staff who facilitate children‘s ministry have been amazing as they have pursued new ways to love on and help the children of St.Croix! There is a grave needfor many
to be tutored in subjects like math and science.Unfortunately, public education leaves much to be desired here.So, one of our staff gals (Nikki), wrote a grant request to Human Resources asking for funding to purchase three new laptop computers for use in an after school tutoring program that we‘ve been hosting for several weeks now.The grant was approved! In fact, $3,000was given, the computers have been ordered and both staff and students are excited to receive their new educational tools! What an incredible opportunity to invest into children in a practical, influential way!
The Project
Some may know that we have been approved by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources to proceed with our first building project, which will include three storage units, a shop and a garage! It was quite a process securing the approval for this, as we live on a —historically significant“property.There were a number of —hoops“to jump through! However, we are now awaiting the building permit and can begin construction once we get it.There is some money set aside for the building‘s foundation, but we still need finances to complete the project...AND we need teams to come and help build it! If you‘re interested, please let us know and we‘ll see how we can get you down here! One exciting vision that I have with this building is that I would like to equip the shop with all the right tools and teach young people some basic shop skills and maybe even beginning construction! We could do the same thing with the auto shop if we can find a mechanic in the community who would be willing to volunteer their time to teach.I can‘t wait! This is awesome!
The Fund Raiser
Last year, due to the incredible financial need of the base, we put on a huge fund raiser to help cover some of the expenses.It was so successful that we decided to do it again this year! This time we advertised on local TV and radio.We called it the “YWAM Mega-fund raiser Yard Sale“ and had all kinds of items that had been donated for the sale.We also had a number of gift certificates from local restaurants and other businesses that we used as raffle items, AND we set up the —One Day Café“, where we sold iced coffees and fresh baked pastries.Though an event like this is a LOT of work, it is also a great way to interact with the community! We had a couple hundred people come that day and pretty much sold everything that we had.We were also able to share with sev- eral people about what YWAM is all about.We only did about half as good as last year, but we only had about half the stuff, so that stands to reason! I don‘t know if we will do a fund raiser quite like this again, but we‘ve learned a lot and have some fresh ideas for the next one! Please continue to pray for the base finances...there is always need in this area.We can‘t function without financial resources… ..gotta pay those bills!