Hi!
Well its been a while since we've written, but here we are again updating you on the happenings of our lives. So, to recap the last 6 months:
Recap:
.. we've just finished up 6 months of leading our schools, Sven with his Discipleship Training School and me (Andrea), the Art Evangelists School. We both enjoyed these 6 months of seeing those we led enter into some great adventures with God. We also got to go on outreach!
Outreach:
Andrea's take on outreach: I was able to go with my team to Nepal and China but first stayed in Perth to do outreach for a month. The opportunities in these three locations were endless, with doing a lot of portraits, face painting, murals, children's activities, serving with local churches and long term work in the different locations, evangelism, discipleship and some pretty awesome prayer times.
One of my favorite days was when we went to a village in Nepal. We did a time of pulling the people together and did a performace for them. I made an art piece with some of my friends during it, some people did face painting and others sat and talked with the people. I saw some women laugh hysterically at the one skit, so funny! During our lunch break a man invited us to his home and he wanted to know more about God. He and his wife both decided to follow Jesus that day!
Sven's take on outreach: Hi, I didn't do a full outreach as I also lead the youth ministries in YWAM Perth, so we ran a summer camp for 12-18 year olds at the end of January, it was a great success and we got to do some practical service and outreach with the kids, along with great teaching and fun and games. I then visited my school's 2 outreach teams, in India and Nepal respectively. In India we got up north into Sikkim, a remote unreached area, which is full of opportunities. We got to trek in Kanchenjunga national park and connect with local believers. In Nepal we visited one of our long term works there, the team that started the work are all mainland Chinese which is super cool. Andrea was there as well, so that was great. The Nepal team saw many people come to the Lord and the India team saw 240 miraculous healings in about 3 weeks, very very cool if you ask me!!!
All in all, it was a great time. We loved our schools very much, are very proud of all our students and look forward to the next School starting in October. But before then, we've got 6 months of ministry. So, this is what's next:
What's next:
What are we doing with our lives now that this season is over, you might ask? ... Well first, we are taking some holidays.
Holidays:
Sven's dad and his wife Sue have been visiting during the last week, its been great! We've been exploring the city and eating lots of really good food (gaining the weight we lost on outreach!). Mostly, we've just been spending quality time with each other, as we get to do with family every so often. We love having them here. More family (and friends) coming to visit are ALWAYS welcome ;)!! Tomorrow we say goodbye as they head back to South Africa. And although we didn't leave the city much with Sven's dad and Sue, we will be leaving the city this week as we head to Margaret River.
Margaret River:
For years, we have been wanting to go to this thing in Margaret River called 'The Margaret River Pro'. It's a surf competition and the Christian Surfer crew help out with the competition to be salt and light in that environment. It's a great opportunity and we are always stoked to help the Christian Surfers crew as they do a very good job. It's a beautiful part of the country with some great waves and fun quirky people. There should be some youth down there as well, so looking to make connections to so some more ministry down there in the future. Once finished there, Andrea will be heading out at the end to go to Canada for a short time.
Canada:
A few days ago, we got word that my (Andrea) Oma passed away. She had been sick for some time and we had been aware of her condition, so her passing didn't come as a big surprise, but still hard nonetheless. I've felt for a while that I would go to Canada when the time would come, so I will be heading out next week to make the memorial and be with my family. We appreciate your love and prayers for my family during this time. Sven will be staying back to visit with some friends that are coming from South Africa and jumping back into ministry.
Ministry:
Sven leads his ministry in YWAM Perth called Nexwave - Youth ministry. We mainly so seminars in different high schools in Western Australia (State and Christian) and lead or help with youth camps. This first team has been busy for the guys and really good, I was around for some of it and away for some, but the team has been great and I have some great co-leaders who help out heaps. There is never a dull moment when it is on, I recently survived a camping night on a school over with 140 year 9's (14 year olds), it was very special! At the moment things are going terrific, we have a great team here, lots of opportunity in schools. We have done some great seminars, topics like, sexuality, relationships, peer abuse and basically anything that gets requested as well as off the cuff answers to questions
I will be kicking off my re-pioneering ministry called Faces58. This is very exciting as I've been putting in a lot of effort for it over the past year with doing the Leadership and Pioneering School (9 month school from Jan to Oct 2013 where we went to Dubai, Jordan and Israel for outreach), I'm ready to get the vision into action again! So once back from Canada it will begin. Myself and my one other team member at the moment, are in faith to see much shaping and growth take place in the next few months as we enter into the community and use art as the tool to see the community be all that God intends it to be.
Well its been a while since we've written, but here we are again updating you on the happenings of our lives. So, to recap the last 6 months:
Recap:
.. we've just finished up 6 months of leading our schools, Sven with his Discipleship Training School and me (Andrea), the Art Evangelists School. We both enjoyed these 6 months of seeing those we led enter into some great adventures with God. We also got to go on outreach!
Outreach:
Andrea's take on outreach: I was able to go with my team to Nepal and China but first stayed in Perth to do outreach for a month. The opportunities in these three locations were endless, with doing a lot of portraits, face painting, murals, children's activities, serving with local churches and long term work in the different locations, evangelism, discipleship and some pretty awesome prayer times.
One of my favorite days was when we went to a village in Nepal. We did a time of pulling the people together and did a performace for them. I made an art piece with some of my friends during it, some people did face painting and others sat and talked with the people. I saw some women laugh hysterically at the one skit, so funny! During our lunch break a man invited us to his home and he wanted to know more about God. He and his wife both decided to follow Jesus that day!
Sven's take on outreach: Hi, I didn't do a full outreach as I also lead the youth ministries in YWAM Perth, so we ran a summer camp for 12-18 year olds at the end of January, it was a great success and we got to do some practical service and outreach with the kids, along with great teaching and fun and games. I then visited my school's 2 outreach teams, in India and Nepal respectively. In India we got up north into Sikkim, a remote unreached area, which is full of opportunities. We got to trek in Kanchenjunga national park and connect with local believers. In Nepal we visited one of our long term works there, the team that started the work are all mainland Chinese which is super cool. Andrea was there as well, so that was great. The Nepal team saw many people come to the Lord and the India team saw 240 miraculous healings in about 3 weeks, very very cool if you ask me!!!
All in all, it was a great time. We loved our schools very much, are very proud of all our students and look forward to the next School starting in October. But before then, we've got 6 months of ministry. So, this is what's next:
What's next:
What are we doing with our lives now that this season is over, you might ask? ... Well first, we are taking some holidays.
Holidays:
Sven's dad and his wife Sue have been visiting during the last week, its been great! We've been exploring the city and eating lots of really good food (gaining the weight we lost on outreach!). Mostly, we've just been spending quality time with each other, as we get to do with family every so often. We love having them here. More family (and friends) coming to visit are ALWAYS welcome ;)!! Tomorrow we say goodbye as they head back to South Africa. And although we didn't leave the city much with Sven's dad and Sue, we will be leaving the city this week as we head to Margaret River.
Margaret River:
For years, we have been wanting to go to this thing in Margaret River called 'The Margaret River Pro'. It's a surf competition and the Christian Surfer crew help out with the competition to be salt and light in that environment. It's a great opportunity and we are always stoked to help the Christian Surfers crew as they do a very good job. It's a beautiful part of the country with some great waves and fun quirky people. There should be some youth down there as well, so looking to make connections to so some more ministry down there in the future. Once finished there, Andrea will be heading out at the end to go to Canada for a short time.
Canada:
A few days ago, we got word that my (Andrea) Oma passed away. She had been sick for some time and we had been aware of her condition, so her passing didn't come as a big surprise, but still hard nonetheless. I've felt for a while that I would go to Canada when the time would come, so I will be heading out next week to make the memorial and be with my family. We appreciate your love and prayers for my family during this time. Sven will be staying back to visit with some friends that are coming from South Africa and jumping back into ministry.
Ministry:
Sven leads his ministry in YWAM Perth called Nexwave - Youth ministry. We mainly so seminars in different high schools in Western Australia (State and Christian) and lead or help with youth camps. This first team has been busy for the guys and really good, I was around for some of it and away for some, but the team has been great and I have some great co-leaders who help out heaps. There is never a dull moment when it is on, I recently survived a camping night on a school over with 140 year 9's (14 year olds), it was very special! At the moment things are going terrific, we have a great team here, lots of opportunity in schools. We have done some great seminars, topics like, sexuality, relationships, peer abuse and basically anything that gets requested as well as off the cuff answers to questions
I will be kicking off my re-pioneering ministry called Faces58. This is very exciting as I've been putting in a lot of effort for it over the past year with doing the Leadership and Pioneering School (9 month school from Jan to Oct 2013 where we went to Dubai, Jordan and Israel for outreach), I'm ready to get the vision into action again! So once back from Canada it will begin. Myself and my one other team member at the moment, are in faith to see much shaping and growth take place in the next few months as we enter into the community and use art as the tool to see the community be all that God intends it to be.
Till next time:
Thanks for being interested in what we do, we we'll keep you posted on things and things and other things.
Lots of love,
Andrea and Sven