“What we’re about to do is unprecedented in the 60 years YWAM has existed.”
Just three days ago, the entire YWAM Kona campus gathered into assembly for an incredibly sudden announcement with equally sudden news: all outreach locations with YWAM have been closed. No Mongolia, no Brazil, and not even Hawaii (with the exception of very few.)
In prayerful guidance, the core leaders of YWAM announced that in view of current global events, we will be sent home for outreach instead of proceeding with our locations. In addition, the state of Hawaii has required that gatherings should be no greater than 250 people starting Wednesday. YWAM honors Hawaii for its decision, so within 5 days, about 600+ YWAM students are flying home—including myself. (I’m coming home super early, everyone! As in, today. Surprise!)
As it’s only been three days since the announcement, there are still several details waiting to be drawn out for us. But here’s what I do know:
- I’ve been commissioned as a YWAM missionary to my hometown. A list of requirements is being made for every participating DTS student how to effectively do outreach right in our hometown which has never been done before with YWAM! For two months, I’ll be spending hours ministering, evangelizing, interceding, and serving where God calls me in West Texas!
- With that said, our Northeast Asia DTS was originally planning to graduate in Seoul, South Korea on May 24th. As you can probably guess, this isn’t an option right now. But in September, our DTS wants to join our leaders in a 40-day worship event in Korea. If the tensions across the globe settle down in that time, we will be heading to Seoul to officially graduate from Northeast Asia DTS.
- What about donations to outreach? Because most of my donations were given to me personally and not through my YWAM donation link, you are more than welcome to ask me for a refund if you donated for my outreach phase. Those who donated to my outreach phase (not lecture phase) through my donation link will receive an automatic refund within 3-4 weeks (or longer for international transfers)! However, I’m very excited to let you know that 100% of all remaining donations will go toward international outreach when global events have subsided and I’m able to reach Mongolia with a team!
Crazy, right? Unprecedented for YWAM and for the world, and yet this is the time in which God called us all to be here. I never thought that I’d go to Northeast Asia DTS to go home and be a missionary there, but I’m excited!
Four hours before the announcement of our new “homereach” plans, God gave me a picture in my head of a specific kind of ministry in a specific place in my hometown. I thought it was a really cool idea for after I’ve returned from Brazil, but after the announcement was made, God told me it was for outreach right now! Haha so awesome.
So yes, believe it or not, I’m excited to go home for outreach. God’s been giving me lots of ideas every day and I can’t wait to see what kind of glory I can bring Him in Texas instead of Mongolia or Brazil right now.
I just have a funny feeling that I need to go through home in order to be fully released into Asia.
If you have questions or need ministry or even have ideas for ministry, please message me and help me do this homereach thing!!
Signed,
Allison the Adventurer
