Happy anniversary to us! One year ago we arrived in South Africa to work with YWAM. Most of the year Alberto has been in class (Bible and Counseling), but recently he has started getting involved in local ministry to hurting youth. We lived in tight quarters for 10 months, surrounded by other YWAMers. Now we are in a beautiful home with just our family! It has been a hard year, but a very good year. We are grateful to God and to you, our friends and supporters. We are excited to see how God will use us in spreading His Good News of salvation to the nations, starting right here with the troubled youth.
Note from Alberto: “How to Stay Afloat in the Storm”
Life these days is like a severe storm, with strong winds that sweep across our everyday existence. Sometimes we stop and ponder what we are doing on this crazy earth. We look at others having a good time in their groups as they celebrate the common events of life like birthdays, graduations, weddings, funerals. Superficially, everything looks good. Deep down, however, so many of us are suffering. As Christians, we pray to God for miracles of healing. Most of the time, we end up not getting healed and instead ask ourselves, “Why?” It is hard to be thankful when we pray for a healing in someone and instead the person dies. We know we prayed in faith according to the Spirit that is within us. The only satisfying thing we will have in our hearts is knowing we had the privilege to pray for that person. We know that our salvation is more important than healing from earthly circumstances.
Jesus wants to be our first resource. Let’s come to Him because we love Him, and not because we want something from Him. Let’s pray for those who do not know Jesus yet, as our eternal healing is more important than our physical healing.
Please let me encourage you with Isaiah 43 as you continue through the storm: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
Thank you very much for the different aspects of support you have given our family. We are faithfully here in South Africa building the kingdom of God in troubled youth and their families. God bless your humble and generous hearts.
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People come to study at our YWAM base from all over the world, and return home empowered with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We recently celebrated an evening entitled “Voice of the Nations.” YWAMers from many nations shared their culture through song, dance and a parade of flags.
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Happy 16th birthday to Isaac! He is growing and maturing before our very eyes. Here he is pictured with his two best friends. Three boys, three nations.
He had a wonderful month back in the U.S. at camp, and has just started homeschooling using Veritas Press’s online classes. This is a classical Christian curriculum that we have used on and off over the years. Isaac was getting too frustrated in the local school, thus the change. I am happy to have him home again, and his classes are pretty amazing!
DTS (Discipleship Training School) is YWAM’s signature course which comprises 3 months of discipleship training and 2 months of outreach. DTS students recently returned from outreach in Tanzania, while another team just left for Kenya and Swaziland. Exciting days!