So a lot of you have asked me what I actually spend my time doing during my lecture phase of DTS (Discipleship Training School). No, I don't sit in a classroom 8 hours a day (Praise Jesus!). And no, I don't sit on the beach all day long either ;) The flags above show the central part of campus and represent the different nations that our students come from. This quarter over 50 nations are represented and our DTS, Community Transformations (one of 12 schools going on) is the most diverse with 11 different countries represented.
Pretty much every weekday from 8am - 12 noon we're in our classroom (pictured above). I think there are about 40 students and 15 staff members. Every week we have a different speaker and a different topic they speak on. It's so amazing having different people coming to share with us each week. They all have different things they have on their hearts to share with us and it's great to hear from so many seasoned missionaries and people who are experts in their fields. We also have random nights where we gather in the classroom for extra seminars, movie nights and times together as a family.
Every Monday morning we join in the Ohana Court and worship corporately as a campus. And on Thursday nights the campus meets corporately with the community for a service. Which is fitting, I think, because 'ohana' means family!
On Monday nights and Friday afternoons we spend 2 hours in the Prayer Room (pictured above). Monday nights are Ministry Night where we are led in a time of worship and ministry/prayer. Friday afternoons are worship and intercession where we gather to pray for the nations, for our country and different people groups around the world.
Above is a picture from our Thanksgiving meal in the new Aloha Lanai Cafeteria which opened this fall. We eat all of our meals up here! And in the evenings for dinner we can eat and watch the beautiful sunset.
Since YWAM is a volunteer/support based organization, volunteers run the campus and keep it going. So we are each assigned a work duty around campus. My job is to clean at the Banyan Tree Cafe (the cafe on campus) every weekday morning. So from around 6:30-7:30am you'll find me and a couple other girls sweeping, wiping down tables tidying up the cafe. Did I mention I get a free drink when I work my shift every morning? Jesus is so good to me ;)
Now this is not a part of my daily schedule, but down the hill from the base is a place called Basik, which has the best Acai Bowls you will ever have. My mouth waters just describing them! This is a picture of "The Drifter" which includes acai, bananas, strawberries, cocoa bits, almonds, and honey. One of my favorites... but I've never had an acai bowl I didn't like!
And of course I had to show you a picture of my favorite coffee shop. This is Daylight Mind Coffee Co. The picture you see above is from the balcony upstairs where I often write my blogs to you. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Starbucks (which I'm at right now haha), because it feels like a piece of home and is the only place that actually feels like Christmas (with the music, the decorations, the holiday drinks, and of course the air conditioning!) But if I'm not at Starbucks I often frequent Daylight Mind to watch the waves crash on the rocks while sipping delicious coffee out of a cute mason jar.
And here we have the "Stairs of Glory." They lead up to the main campus and they don't look like much, but add the hot sun and a billion percent humidity and you'll want to die. Sometimes all you want is a McDonald's ice cream cone or a nice cold Shave Ice, but these babies will make you think twice ;)
Not pictured is Life Center, an elderly home that a group of us visit every week to spend time with the elderly men and women who live at the facility. We play games, do art projects, eat snacks, and sometimes sing. They're a bunch of fun people who enjoy the extra company and we love being with them! Playing Yahtzee on Wednesdays is something I look forward to every week :)
And on the weekends I spend as much time at the beach as possible! There's just a peace that I've always found being by the ocean. And with all of the speakers, seminars, and books we're reading I have really valued these weekends to rest and process all that I'm learning. Thankfully since my work duty is on the weekdays, I get my weekends free. Praise the Lamb!
I've changed a lot, guys. Juuuuust kidding. This is my friend Mika, but I wanted to show you my little bit of coziness. This is my bed in a room that I share with 7 other girls. It's my little safe haven which I love because of the lights and pictures and letters from people I love. I'm packing up my room this next week, but I will be taking my lights and stuff for my wall for my new apartment. Don't worry, you're all coming with me!
And there you have it. I feel like there's so much more I could tell you and show you, but this is just a glimpse into my life the last few months. I can't believe it's almost over! One more week of classes and we'll be packing up and heading into the nations!! How incredible to follow a God who wants to include us in bringing his people into his kingdom!