Toothache!!!

I want to ask for a little more prayer. I have a pretty bad toothache and most likely I will have to have aroot canal. I do not know a dentist here nor do I have the money to pay for it. So pray that I find a good dentist and that it wont' be too much money.

Funny story

A little while ago there was a small group here that went downtown to play volleyball. However there was a miscommunication and nobody brought a ball. So they decided to play imaginary volleyball. The locals surrounded the court because they wondered what was going on. Pretty soon there was a decent amount of people around the court as if they were watching a very interesting game. About 20 or 30 minutes into this game, one of the teenage girls ran through the court and decided to steal the ball.(the invisible ball I might add) Dumbfounded at the fact that some girl just stole an invisible ball, it took about 10 seconds before they chased after her...the locals found this hillarious before someone donated another invisible ball to keep playing. After about an hour of invisible volleyball, they came back to campus. I think I need to join them for volleyball more often.

PRAISE REPORT!!!

Last week I found out that I was $4000 short for outreach. I received all but $2500 by thursday from all of you(so thank you SOO much) however, I was still missing that chunk. Now on our outreach, there are 24 people, and 4 married couples, so our leaders made us 4 families of 6 people. My outreach parents came to me and said that whatever amount I did not raise, they would cover!!! I was astonished!!! (I still am) I do not know if any of you have sent money since then, or were planning on sending money, I told them that I would give them whatever money that I received from here on(unless those who give specify that it is money for outreach supplies or spending money). I thank you all for your prayers and support(in every way from finances to cookies to cards)!!! It has meant more to me than I can express! YOU are my miracle.

Weekend with Carlos' family

This weekend was another relaxing one. I spent Saturday and Sunday with Carlos' family chilling on the beach, driving around, and relaxing at the house they rented. It was SOOO nice to get real food!!!! It was unbelievably good food! It was also really nice to get off campus for a couple days. But more than anything it was nice to see Carlos and Jenn...a couple familiar faces that laugh at my jokes and understand my facial expressions.

SUPRISE!!! (prayer request)

Today our team learned something that was quite suprising. There was miscommunication and I found out that I need to pay for my outreach fees by this upcomming Thursday. So I will need about $4000 more by then. I don't know what happens if I don't get it, so pray for me that God will provide it. I know that God is much bigger than my finances.

Valentines Day!

So far I have received the coolest valentines day cards EVER from my CASA!!!! I am unbelievably proud of them! I have never received so many nor the quality of cool cards in my life. Unfreakingbelievable! I love and miss you all. I'd send valentines, but I'm still trying to raise money for outreach!

Tacoma Team

Last night I went exploring the campus with one of my friends. It was really cool.

This week we are talking about spiritual strongholds and the speaker is from Parkland! We read a book that they wrote last week and I'm excited to hear from them because apparently this is supposed to be a powerful week...
...Tonight they prayed over me and they felt like God said I was created as a Warrior, Servant, Musician, and Leader. It was really cool because I didn't tell them anything, and they said that music will be a large part of my life. Quite stunning.

Not really looking forward to valentine's day tomorrow. The girls here are making a big deal of it....girls are wierd.

Weekend...

Well my weekend plans fell through...Both days... :-( So I got stranded here on the base with nothing to do. No pictures. No stories. Pray for my patience because I am getting too easily agitated by some people. I feel like a caged animal that didn't get to go for it's weekly walk. On the upside, I'm looking forward to next weekend because Carlos and Dren are comming to visit!!!

BBQ and Relationships

This week our topic of lecture and discussion is relationships. Of course with all of us young'uns running around (most who have just graduated high school) it is necessary. Our speakers (a married couple) are very real and fun to talk to. Jim actually joined one of the dodgeball teams durring the tournament. The unfortunate reaction to the relationship talk is an excess of conversation about who likes who...which is the opposite of what we're talking about in class. However, I was up late last night talking with one of my buddies about how God is shaking him and it was very moving for both of us. So God is definately working here. I have been going for a walk every night and sometimes I don't see a single person and I just talk with God, other times I get into good convos. I'm still processing what God's been trying to say to me.

In other news, our outreach team went and had a barbeque. There are 26 of us including our 2 leaders and the children. I didn't realize that there aren't too many guys on our team. Looks like I'm going to be the big brother to many(I am the oldest one that is not married.)...I'm thinking I'll be needing prayer for that too. This friday we will be hanging out again as a team. Not sure what we'll be doing yet. But our team is fun, but big. It will take a while to get to know everyone...but I still have a few months to build Relationships.

Waterfalls, Trees, and the Super Bowl

This weekend I drove around with some people that will be going on outreach with me. We had a good time hanging out and being random. We had no real plan, but we drove to Hilo and went to Akaka and Rainbow falls. Our whole day was just based on "What do you want to do next?" It was really relaxing and I had a really fun time.

Sunday they set up the Super Bowl on Campus and there were a whole lot of people who were rooting for the Steelers, and the curse of Seattle stood. I could not believe that they lost. The rest of the day I finished our assigned book "Strongholds". It was a relaxing weekend.

PRAYER REQUEST!!!

UPDATED information! Monday

Saturday 5 people went down a stream on a man-made river and 2 of them fell off a 30(ish) foot waterfall onto rocks. God was definately present and everything went as best as it could, and the simplified version is that 3 helicopters came and flew them out and the two that fell off the waterfall were sent to the hospital. Sharon has some scratches and bruises, but is okay, Nicolas got 7 or 8 stitches on his face, but Amanda broke her pelvus in 8 spots and punctured her lung. She had surgery yesterday and it all went well, but she will be having corrective surgery on thursday and should be in able to leave the hospital in 2-3 weeks. She is not allowed to fly for 11-12 weeks, but she wants to come back to finish our DTS and go on outreach. Her parents are flying to see her on Tuesday. I would like to ask for prayer for a speedy recovery so that she can fly back here and continue in our school. Pray that God will use this situation for His glory! Thank you all so much for being there for me!

Fasting

This friday our campus did a corporate fast. It felt kinda wierd, but it was inspiring at the same time. We prayed for the south pacific and then the whole YWAM base prayed over our team that is going to Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, and Tonga (and no other team). They were blessing us and speaking prophecy over us and it was quite a new experience for me. to have two dozen people surrounded by a couple hundred....quite amazing! As they prayed, I felt like God said to look at everyone's feet, and then He said "blessed are the feet of those who bring good news!" They told us that our team will need and extra $10,000 for our trip(as a team) and that the people of Tonga feel like the Isrealites did when they first saw the promised land...they feel like grasshoppers in their own eyes.(Numbers 13:30-33) This encouraged me in my desire to go to Tonga. Dinner after the fast was baked potatoes...they were GOOOOD!

New Update

I have been working on the newsletter I am about to send out. I have about a dozen left, then I'll be mailing them, but I found out today something new. Our trip will be going to Fiji, Samoa, then back to Fiji for the last week of the first two months. Then we will spend the next 2 months in Vanuatu and Tonga. Friday they told us the order of our trips and that they wanted to know soon who was planning on staying. I found out they were buying tickets today and that I had to make my choice. I'm going to be doing a lot of praying about it, but I told them to buy me a 4 month ticket, and God will allow me to change it if He doesn't want me there. I believe that God has me here for a reason. For those of you who I made plans with for June/July, please forgive me...I'm going to be praying more about it, and I need discernment whether to change flights and the like. So for now I'm planning on staying...Because I told God I would go where He wants me...But that also will be a lot more money that I'll be needing. BUT, my life is in His hands. I am pretty sure that all of you who read my blog get my newsletter, but if you don't let me know, and I'll send you one. I've been praying for everyone as I have done each letter. It was an amazing experience! I realized how blessed I truly am to have you all in my life!