September/October Update
Sunday, October 20th, 2013Hi everyone around the world! We are all doing well here in Battambang, Cambodia, at the end of the long rainy season.
Here are some highlights of what’s been going on in our lives, ministry, and family:
1) We had our annual National Staff Conference in Siem Reap, which is 2 hours away from us. We took 2 busloads full of our staff and students and met with the rest of our organization’s staff that minister in different parts of Cambodia. It was close to 200 people there and the theme of this year was “Press on Towards the Goal.” There were so many great speakers and a passion lit up amongst our staff to keep our eyes focused on Jesus as our ultimate goal. It was a very encouraging time, as we had time to seek the Lord corporately about how He wants to lead us into the future here in Cambodia.
2) Our 5th ever School of Biblical Studies began at the end of September, with 17 students from all over the world! In a recent Monday Morning Worship, I looked across our meeting room and was in awe to see all our staff and students that come from so many different backgrounds and countries and was THANKFUL for God’s faithfulness to bring the Nations to Battambang, to be trained and then sent out to the Nations!
3) Lyla celebrated her 2nd birthday on October 10th! She loves to dance, eat rice and fruit, playing in the water, and especially loves to worship to Matt Redman’s song “10,000 Reasons.” She is such a blessing in our lives and we look forward to this new year of discoveries and development!
4) In the last few years, we’ve partnered with a church network from the States called the Rural Shepherds Network. “Rural Shepherds Network exists to encourage, promote and nurture meaningful relationships among rural ministers, to equip and empower rural pastors in their personal lives and in their callings, and to strengthen, multiply and plant, strong local churches in rural communities.” There were 4 people from the network that came and ran a local Pastor’s training seminar as well as a teacher’s training seminar here for 1 week! What a blessing they were to come alongside our ministry as well as the local body of Christ here to equip and train us!
5) YWAM’s training arm is University of the Nations, through this the training programs that we offer here in Battambang, have a 2 year track which includes our Discipleship Training School, Phase 2(Staff and leadership Development), School of Biblical Studies, and finally the Titus Project (training for SBS grads to learn how to effectively teach the Bible to oral learners). After one successfully completes this 2-year track, they are able to graduate with an AA degree in Biblical Studies through the College of Christian Ministries at the University of the Nations. This past week, we had 6 of our Cambodian staff receive their degrees and graduation certificate! It was so amazing and exciting to see how much they’ve grown and used their training to reach not only Cambodia, but neighboring, closed countries with the Gospel.
Prayer Request:
1) In about 3 weeks, our family is going to Bangkok, Thailand, to await the arrival of Baby Boy Gustafson! Caroline is now into her 35th week of pregnancy! Please pray for health of Caroline and baby, as well as smooth delivery and the transition of a family of 3 to 4.
2) For continued hunger and passion for Jesus, to fill us up, so that we can pour out to those we minister to here in Battambang! That we will have the wisdom and joy to be able to disciple our Cambodian leaders to be effective in the various ministries they are involved in.
WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, PRAYERS, and PARTNERSHIP for us to be able to do what Jesus is calling our family to do here in Battambang, Cambodia! We LOVE you and are so GRATEFUL for you to be a part of our ministry!