13 JUNE - 23 JULY 2019
10 flights, 4 countries, many different cities, 12 thousand miles after...
M I D D L E E A S T
The trip to the Egypt was an encouragement to dream bigger, and to not be afraid of the big vision! I was there to attend a leadership course, which was an amazing time! There were 4 sessions every day which is super intense, and I am still trying to process it all. The teachings were about us as a movement and what is it that God has been speaking to us about; His covenant and our respond to it, the dreams of God for the nations, pioneering stories (we have been around for 50+ years!), understanding more about why we operate the way we do, and hearing from this region about what God has done and still about to do!
One story is about this millionaire in Egypt, and how they came to know Jesus and chose to follow Him. Their family own big resort hotels, and they disown them because of their recent decision to be Christians. Now they are homeless, and some of my friends taking care of them because they had no money. I am personally challenged by the courage of the people in this region, choosing to follow Jesus. But what surprises me was their joy in serving the Lord even when persecution is very much real! During the conference, we were able to pray and encouraged each other, I met some very great friends, and making connections to see more teams to be sent out to this region!
S A M O A
"The impact of this outreach will be seen in the next 5 to 10 years from now."
That's what the leader of the outreach said at the end of our time. We had such a blast in this outreach! A lot to say when I travelled with a bunch of my good friends that are practically family.. I've known the Rivers family (my leaders for this trip) for the last 8 years, but even more than that. In 2008, I was trying to figure out my future and I just became a Christian a year before. There was this missions conference happening in the city and I was attending it; that's how I ended up in YWAM. Aleni was one of the teachers that gave me the confirmation to commit my life to Jesus as a missionary, and the Island Breeze ministry was there too. It was such a powerful ministry!
Fast forward 11 years later, I went to Samoa with the Island Breeze and it is such a privilege! We had a lot of laughs, a lot of prayer for breakthroughs, a lot of time to share the Gospel to thousands and pray for them; and then God showed up to call people to missions! We were able to share at Aleni's church and I was sharing my story in missions; and how he was the one that spoke into my life about mission call! After he preached about missions, people came up because they want to be used by God, it was a powerful moment.
There was a lot of personal-impact during this trip to Samoa, meeting the extended Rivers family and knowing their struggles being in missions, but also see God's faithfulness in their lives! After this two trip, I am really encouraged to keep going with my missions calling - for many years to come!
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Now, for a few months in Perth (possibly until December!) #stoked #moretocome
Tirza
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Now, for a few months in Perth (possibly until December!) #stoked #moretocome
Tirza