TESTIMONIES
Stories and experiences of how the Lord moved while we were on the road.
Bundaberg, QLD 2020
While at a home group we were able to share testimonies and a short devotional, afterwards, one of the ladies from the homegroup shared that a few of the women were inspired by the team and the stories we shared and that they had recommitted to follow Jesus more intentionally.
During our time at a Youth Group, one of our team members was able to share her story with the Pastor’s Wife. This conversation led to a breakthrough in her (Pastor’s Wife’s) life and she told our team that she felt like she was able to share her story again.
Tamworth, NSW 2021
We mainly worked with Liberty Church. We did a variety of different things including: digging up new walk paths, helping to lay a cement form, working at the Food Care, different forms of children’s ministry, etc. One highlight from the week was an event that we facilitated at the Baptist Church called Crossroads, which is where a community of people with varying disabilities get together to fellowship and hang out. During the evening, Marcus led a time of worship in which a lot of people felt led to sing and speak out. One of the attendees felt led to share about some grief she had in her life and two members from our team immediately jumped up to pray for her. It ended up being a really impactful time for her and the rest of us. We’re hoping to see and be led by the Lord into more intentional, relational moments with people as we continue to serve in the coming weeks.
Gympie, QLD 2021
One afternoon during our week in Gympie, a woman on crutches passed by me on my way into the toilet of a shopping centre. I wanted to stop and talk with her about who God is, but my chance quickly slipped away. I asked the Lord to let me run into her again if He did have a purpose in it, and just 10 minutes later we crossed paths again. I was able to pray for her and she seemed so surprised and appreciative that I would stop and take the time to care for her. I have faith that God has healing on offer for her and know that showing her a glimpse of who I put my faith was a worthwhile seed to plant.
Port Macquarie, NSW 2019
We were able to host a community dinner and worship service for the different churches and individuals that we met during our time in Port Macquarie. During the worship time a 15 year old Sri Lankan boy who was Hindu background was touched by the presence and peace of God, and gave his life to the Lord after the service! We were able to give him a bible and connect him with a youth group.
Dubbo, NSW 2021
Our ministry this week was working mainly with Riverside Church, helping them with renovations. We also got opportunities to do worship for our accommodation hosts, help around the pastors’ home, & be a part of three youth/young adult groups on Friday night. A cool testimony from this week was that we two ex-YWAMers. One of these is a woman who did her DTS in Kona in 1977–her work duty was helping to clear the grounds for what is now the Kona base. The other was a younger guy who did his DTS in Nigeria in 2008 & hasn’t met any other YWAMers since he moved to Oz—yesterday was his first Sunday back in church & we just happened to be there! Continue praying for Dubbo & that the enthusiasm the people there have for Jesus will spread.
Bathurst, NSW 2021
During one of our times of evangelism, we met someone with the same birthday as me, which was a great conversation starter. We took the opportunity to go a bit deeper with him and we were able to share the full gospel with him. He was very open and appreciative and allowed us to pray for him to gain more understanding and heart for a relationship with God.
We facilitated the Church service at Hope Bathurst and felt led to share openly and vulnerably with the congregation as we spoke on healing and redemption. The congregation was moved to receive prayer for emotional healing in their lives. It was a powerful time. We felt God speaking about it all week and it was cool to see Him move the way that He did in the lives of our team members and the church.
Goondiwindi, QLD and NSW Border 2021
During the week we served at Boarder Rivers Christian College, every morning we would have devotionals with the teachers and join in their classes until the school day ends. We spent time talking It was an amazing time of connecting with kids/teens and showing them people to look up to. At the end of the week we were able to invite some of them to the local church for youth group where we lead and spend time sharing testimonies. God's faithfulness and His sweetness was something that our team held onto. There was a deep truth that we needed to have in God, and He was faithful in His ways.
Narromine, NSW 2021
We spent the majority of our time working with Generosity church. The pastors have a vision to open up a community space that is a safe place for people to gather. So for the week, we did heaps of work projects around their church & community centre—e.g. painting, flooring, treating wood, etc. We also spent time helping out the Baptist Church with small service projects in the community. We had a blast building relationships with our contacts and their teams. They expressed that YWAM has been a great encouragement to them. Please continue to pray with these amazing local leaders that the churches' influence in town will grow!
Gatton, QLD 2021
We went to Lockyer Valley for a week and while we were there we were able to serve alongside multiple churches in the area. During a community Outreach Barbecue on Saturday afternoon, one of the team members was talking with an elderly lady from the church that was experiencing knee pain, she had woken up the day before not being able to move very much. That was not normal for her. The team member prayed for healing for her knee and the next day at church when she asked how it felt the lady said that it was so much better, she had actually forgotten that it had been hurting in the first place.
Lismore, NSW 2021
We went into this 6 day trip excited for the unknown and looking forward to simply jumping onboard and serving the local church's vision. Most of what we were doing was all about partnering with Pastors in that area through prayer, worship, and serving their churches in practical ways. Knowing we had a short time there we went all in with building connections with every person we met and getting the opportunity to encourage them in their journey with God. It was very evident God is bringing unity to the Lismore area!
Bundaberg, QLD 2021
A team of us went to Bundaberg to volunteer at a Southern Cross Kid's Camp (SCKC). SCKC is a five day camp designed to interrupt the cycle of abuse and neglect in primary aged children's life. Many of the kids who come are in the foster care system.
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At the camp, we were given a buddy. A friend for the week that we would spend 24/7 with. Each of the campers were given a Bible and I was so inspired to see that instantly the kids were sitting down to read. I had a little girl read out of Genesis to me while we were waiting. My buddy also wanted to go through and highlight some of my favourite verses. She would even ask me what they meant.
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It was really encouraging to see how much they desired God and it was powerful to know that when they all return to their homes that the hope God gives is going with them.
