Where I'm Going to Be...

Ok so onto the exciting part...where I'm going to be for the next 8 months!

Before I start here are a couple acronyms so this all makes sense:
YWAM=Youth With a Mission and DTS=Discipleship Training School.

I will be flying to Brisbane, Australia with my mom (who just retired from teaching) and my friend Josie on September 4.  We are spending 3 weeks travelling around in Queensland and then will be parting ways with Josie as she starts a YWAM Waves DTS outside Brisbane in Maroochydore (more on YWAM later.... if you're curious check out the Waves Base's website: http://www.ywamwaves.com/ ).

My mom and I will then be flying from Brisbane to Christchurch, New Zealand.  We will travel for another week (maybe up near Nelson?) before I start an Earthcare DTS at the YWAM base in Oxford, a little town just outside Christchurch (the Oxford Base's website is: http://www.ywamoxford.org/ ).

Before I go any farther, just a little info on YWAM and DTS...

Youth With A Mission is an international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. Also known as YWAM, their calling is to know God and to make Him known. Back when they began in 1960, their main focus was to get youth into short-term mission work and to give them opportunities to reach out in Jesus' name. Today, they still focus on youth, and they also involve people of almost every age (even many people who choose to spend their "retirement" in active service). Their many ministries fit into three main categories: evangelism, training and mercy ministry. They are currently operating in more than 1000 locations in over 149 countries, with a staff of nearly 16,000.

A Discipleship Training School (or DTS) is a program offered by many YWAM bases which aims to prepare messengers of the gospel, helping students to know God in depth. The goal is to form Christian character and establish Biblical principles while developing a daily walk with God. This intensive Christian training course typically begins with an 11 or 12 week classroom phase followed by a 12 week outreach. There are hundreds of DTS programs run internationally.

For more general info on YWAM check out their website: http://www.ywam.org

Ok so on with my story....I am doing the Earthcare DTS which has a focus on looking after the environment from a biblical perspective.  I do about 3 months of training in Oxford NZ with little side trips on weekends around the South Island of NZ.  After that I'll be heading out on Outreach for another 2-3 months probably somewhere in Southeast Asia (Cambodia or Indonesia I am guessing, but I don't know yet).  I return to NZ for debriefing in mid-March and then the DTS will be over.

After that point in time I will have 5 weeks to travel within New Zealand before I fly out of Auckland at the end of April.

Anyway there's my exciting news.  Right now reality is starting to hit since I leave in less than a week....and the feelings of excitement/fear are setting in.  I'm guessing I won't post again until we're in Australia so consider this my last post from this side of the equator...catch you on the flip side!