Tag Archives: darlene Cunningham

Back at the Crossroads Again – Spiritual Warfare, The Cross, Evangelism

Another three weeks of school are over, just three weeks until we leave for Hanoi. Time can be such a warped thing. Physically it is measured in constants; but in actuality, the 3 months we have been here at YWAM Kona, frequently flips between feeling like 3 years or 3 days. The 3 weeks until we leave will fly by. Ready or not we will be on the aeroplane, fortunately He equips the called! Here is some breaking news, our team will be returning to Kona without us. as Glenda and I are planning on staying in Vietnam until we return to Alberta on June 20th 2017.

Dave Bryan, and his team from the Church of Glad Tidings in Yuba City, were back teaching on Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance. The teaching really is a vivid reminder of the battle between good and evil both in the world and within our head, and equips the students (and staff) with the tools needed to fight the war. Dave has a lot of experience as a somewhat reluctant participant. You can read of some of his experiences in his book “The Serpent and the Saviour.”

Jean Norment shared her message on Unveiling the Cross, Jean has spent more than 30 years researching the Cross and has many experiences of clinging to the cross. She teaches how the Cross must be the centre of the Christian life.

One of the most amazingly spectacular sunsets we have seen in Hawaii appeared on Sunday November 20th. This photo was taken from a friend’s back yard further up the mountain than the YWAM base. We had been invited for a BBQ and were enjoying an awesome meal with Ken as the sun was setting.

Danny Lehmann, a long time YWAMmer, now part of the Campus Leadership Team here at the Kona base, spoke on Evangelism. He always gives away copies of his book “Beautiful Feet: Steps to a Lifestyle of Evangelism” to all the students. Much of his teaching comes from the Bible, this book and his life experience as an equipping evangelist. As I look over my growing list of book recommendations from YWAM it is obvious that Danny is a prolific reader. The fact that “Readers make Leaders” is a truism evidenced in Danny’s life.

Last Thursday was American Thanksgiving, we had a turkey dinner with over 1000 family at the Aloha Lanai cafeteria, here on campus. The dinner was preceded by a campus wide thanksgiving service, Darlene Cunningham shared the message. It was her first public engagement since August when a bad lung infection almost took her life. Gladly she was back to her old self as she shared the miracle stories that have led YWAM to the place it is today. A huge organism of over 20,000 full-time mission workers, with over 1100 locations in over 170 countries that is involved in huge initiatives world-wide and collaborates with many other organizations for the benefit of the global mission.

I have had a couple of opportunities to go kayaking here in the Kahului Bay, a couple of Saturday mornings. Heading out early we can can paddle a couple of hours and get back to base in time for brunch. A couple of weeks ago, we had about 40 or more dolphins out with us. Last Saturday, no dolphins but the adventure continued as we had some great swells in the ocean with waves breaking over the bow of the kayak on occasion.

Each Tuesday morning we gather in the Prayer Room for family worship and intercession, it has been awesome to have the teens and children involved in leading the worship, great kudos go to Brian and Cristina, two of our students, who have done an amazing job of getting the young’uns involved.

Last week some good friends from Calgary took time to visit us on campus while they were vacationing on the Big Island. We have known Dennis and Dayna since my first mission trip, in Nov 2002, when we served together in Santiago, Chile. A year after our time in Chile, they attended Cursillo weekends in Calgary and so our paths continue to cross. It was great to be able to share a couple of hours with them, to show them around the base, and catch up on all that is happening in their life.

Until next time be blessed and be a blessing, A&G

Scripture fromEnglish Standard Version (ESV)

Back at the Crossroads – Preparing for students

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It is now Arrival Day! Thursday October 1st, our students will be here soon.

Bob & Carolyn Hopkins

Our second training week was spent with Bob and Carolyn, our school leaders, getting some Crossroads specific training and preparing for the students arrival. It is wonderful to be working alongside this couple. They have been leading Crossroads DTSs for 28 years, and they still have loads of joy and passion, energy and wisdom to share. We are truly blessed to be serving under their guidance and counsel and are thanking God for them daily.

We are meeting in a different classroom from the one we had last year, it wont be quite as tight. Our 34 adults will fit comfortably, even with their 19 children on occasion, though we will miss the beautiful ocean view. I’m not sure how we will know it is Wednesday without being able to see the cruise ship. We spent some time at the end of last week cleaning the classroom: dusting, sweeping, mopping, and cleaning widows. Setting up and learning the audio video system; the name badges and room door tags are printed. The school, our students and staff have been prayed over each time we meet.

We are completing Transition week: the week between quarters where staff get to do the jobs normally done by mission-builders and students on work duty. We spent most of Saturday helping in the kitchen, we worked two shifts in the dish-pit. That is Eric, one of our new friends, at the sink. We had a lot of fun, and met many more people, somehow working together is a great way to get to know one another. Then Monday was Campus Beautification Day. All staff are volunteered, at least strongly encouraged to volunteer, to prepare the campus for Arrival Day on Thursday. This summer had only a couple of mission builders to look after the grounds, so there were many, many weeds to be pulled, plants to be trimmed, dead foliage to be hauled and grass to be cut. All the common areas in and around the buildings, patios, laundry rooms, and hallways had to be swept, dusted and cleaned.

On Tuesday I had to take a Driving Test — I passed. So now I can drive University of the Nations vehicles, 15 passenger vans mostly, some minivans and maybe a car or truck, once in a while. This will be helpful for picking up guest speakers from the airport and getting snack supplies from Costco, and transporting students to Walmart to get some supplies the first Saturday. We spent a few hours in corporate prayer meeting for the upcoming quarter. We began with worship, then Darlene Cunningham shared an encouraging message, which was followed by small group prayer, one on one prayer, Korean-style prayer and prayer led from the front – lots of prayer!! We need it.

Wednesday was spent cleaning rooms for the students, really each room could have used more time but we gave it all we’ve got.

Like the last time we were here most of our exercise is working and walking. We are averaging 25 – 30 kms per week on foot which includes ascending the campus’ many stairs at least twice a day. We have had less rain this week as well, so maybe the torrential downpours are over.

The US Canadian exchange rate is harsh. Each dollar we spend here is now costing us around CAD 1.40, along with some un-budgeted charges for staff activity cards and meals, everything is costing much more than last year. Still very good value, we are so blessed!

I am thinking that I should start up the “Wildlife this Week” section again…

These guys were about 100mm (4″) long.

Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing, A&G

PS You can leave a reply by clicking on the “Leave a Reply” link at the top of this post, we enjoy your comments, thank you.

Week 4 – YWAM Kona, At the Crossroads – Family Week

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This week was Family Week, all the DTS students, over 620 of us, were in one class in Ohana Court. WOW! So much good content, supported with real life stories and experiences of Darlene and Loren Cunningham as they shared important Biblical principles that are threaded throughout the foundation of Youth With a Mission and the University of the Nations. The YWAM story is full of miracles, they work in more than 1,100 locations in over 180 countries, with a full-time staff of over 18,000 and not one is paid. They have birthed many ministries and sent Christian missionaries to every country and into many, many workplaces. This week’s takeaway is that washing dishes for God is just as important as raising the dead for God. We received a YWAM Study Bible this week. I really wasn’t aware how big a move of God we were joining. Nor was I expecting the quality and depth of teaching that we have been sitting under while here.

On Thursday afternoon the men of our DTS watched The Ragamuffin, it is the life story of Rich Mullins, the Christian singer/songwriter who wrote Awesome God. The movie is named for Brennan Manning‘s book The Ragamuffin Gospel . The movie illustrates through Rich’s story how much our relationship with our earthly father influences who we think we are. It is definitely worth a watch.

Friday was the Grand Opening of the Aloha Cafeteria, part of the Defender Building, so named for it’s major donor. This is the new cafeteria that we have been blessed to enjoy since the first day we arrived, having seen the old one when we visited the base in February, we can only thank God for the faithfulness of his followers. What a great celebration day. It was divided into parts, the first session recognized the contributors, the owners of Defender, Scenic Ridge, KJ Walk and Design Team represented all the generous folks. The second part recognized the government workers, the tradesmen, and other local people many of whom volunteered many hours. According to an article seen here in West Hawaii Today newspaper this is the biggest building on the Big Island. To God be the Glory.

Aloha Lanai, the Defender Building

Donor List

We walked lots this weekend, on Saturday we walked to Target and back, about 9 kms round trip. Then on Sunday from Living Stones Church to Disappearing/Magic/White Sands Beach at La’aloa Bay Beach Park and back to University of the Nations, almost 10 kms. Glenda has volunteered to help out in the nursery for the 9am service so we went to the 7:30 service (they have 5 services on Sunday and so far I have been to three of them). The beach visit was my reward for hours of shopping on Saturday :-). I got to use my snorkel, mask and fins for the first time since arriving a month ago. It was not a good snorkelling venue, but I got some exercise and I did see a dozen or so fish and I was able to swim along with a turtle below me which was fun. Another first was wearing swim shorts to church. We stopped on the way back at Da Poke Shack for lunch, it is pronounced po-kay, it is Hawaiian sushi.Footwashing

Foot Washing Ministry

The reason for the trip to Target was to buy some foot washing supplies for a new ministry. Glenda and Lori from our Crossroads DTS decided to offer foot washing ministry to Jon and Joyce our suite-mates who have their 10 hours/week of Work Duty in the kitchen every Sunday. They were both blessed by the gift.

Hawaiian sunsets come with more variety than the weather :-), 30C everyday with rare showers that really don’t reduce the air temperature.

Finishing the landscaping and cleaning up around the Aloha Cafeteria was Andy’s Work Duty all week, along with having some fun…

A collage of shots from Andys – Work Duty

Four whole weeks at “youth camp” and finally, we got our first hot dog on Thursday!!! Then on Friday evening we had steak for dinner as part of the Grand Opening Celebration.

Someone asked me for more wildlife pictures, so here are a couple more. The spider was about 5 cms on the diagonal from toe to toe and the gecko was after our nuts and raisins.

Spider on web

Gecko on our nut cannister

Our contribution in preparation for our Outreach Project is to research and present to the team information on “Religions, churches, habits and not to dos” in Vietnam. More to come on this, but we also need to avoid jeopardizing not only our ministry but also that of those who are there for the long-term. I have heard from YWAM Turner Valley that they are sending three people to teach in VietNam in January and February so maybe we will get to meet them.