Tuesday, May 30, 2006
And Here It Is: A Summary Of DTS and Fiji
Hello and Greetings, Friends and Family! 
Wow, these past weeks of being home in Indiana have been filled with unpacking and finding things, meeting and catching up with people we haven’t seen in 6 months, in addition to just getting back into the routines of work and school and daily life. We’ve also spent more time seeking God’s face for the next steps in this journey. We have a lot of stories to share about what God has done with us, in us, and through us this past half year… First, we want to again express our deepest Thank You to all of you for supporting us in love, interest, prayers, and financial contributions. Simply said, it was God who put missions in our hearts and pointed us in the direction to go, but all would not have been possible without your love and willingness to partner with us in the Lord! Thank you.
When we moved our family to Chico, California to begin the Crossroads Discipleship Training School (CDTS) with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), we held an expectation of transformation for our lives. Well, God surprised us by taking us beyond ourselves and into areas of total trust in Him alone. He opened up a world of personal healing, better understanding of our gifts and the dynamics of Body Ministry and Evangelism, and fresh vision for helping others realize the plans He has for them. Through this season, God has drawn us closer to Him and to give us clearer direction for the calling He has for our family.
After the lecture phase of our Crossroads Discipleship Training School in Chico, our YWAM team of 14 adults and 10 children flew the 11 hours across the Pacific Ocean to the tiny island nation of Fiji, off the coast of New Zealand. There we partnered with three churches in the cities of Nadi (pronounced NAN-dee), and Lautoka (lah-TOH-kah). With each church, God had a specific purpose for our being there…a task for us to accomplish. A brief summary of each work follows here.
Partnering with Emmanuel Worship Center, an independent church in Nadi, we had the joy of Harvesting in the poor Indian community of Navakai, located on the outskirts of Nadi. Part of Emmanuel’s goal was to bring unity between Fijians and Indians. (Fiji is about 48% Indo-Fijians, who came as indentured servants to work the sugar cane fields for the British long ago. Though they are now free and many prosper, racial prejudice has prevailed.) A couple of months prior to our arrival, the Evangelism Team at Emmanuel had passed out copies of The Jesus Film* to all the families in Navakai. A response card had been included in the DVD package for them to fill out, indicating their interest in the movie or in knowing more about Jesus. Our job was to collect those response cards and build relationships with the families. This was an open door to discuss the Truth of the Gospel, as well as give testimony of what Jesus Christ had done in our own lives.
*The Jesus Film is a full-length movie based on the book of Luke, which has been used with enormous effect by missionaries around the world for the past 25 years. It has been translated into more than 800 languages (the most of any film in history) and has been shown in 236 different countries.
Fijians, whether of Indian or native Fijian decent, are very hospitable people, and quite enjoy spontaneous visitors. We were frequently invited to sit down for tea or juice and just talk. Having at least one of Emmanuel’s team members with us helped with any cultural or language barriers, however, most Indians also spoke English. If someone did seem closed to talking about Jesus, we just offered to pray for anyone in the house in need, before going on our way. I don’t think we were ever refused. Often that prayer time became the open door for further ministry.
In the end, several home Bible studies were started with new converts and also those still curious about this Jesus. As a result of the groundwork laid by Emmanuel Worship Center, the relationships we built, and the faithful prayers of many like you, over a hundred made a decision to follow Christ during our time there. These individuals’ and families’ lives are forever changed because they received the good news of Jesus Christ, making Him Lord and Savior. Praise God!
The other work in Navakai was Discipling. Benjamin and Bobbi Lal had been nominal Christians, struggling in their faith in the midst of the Hindu and Muslim community around them. Benjamin drove a taxi-van, earning a meager living for his wife and five kids. The hours of his job usually kept him from attending the church where they had first come to know Christ. The first time we visited them, Benjamin said he had actually been praying for a way to study and discuss the Word with someone. We became instant friends and spent many hours, talking and studying the Bible together. Hannah and Elijah got to play with their children, learning just how much fun one can have in a small dirt yard with just a little imagination. Each time we visited, it seemed as though they had a specific concern at hand, and we were able to agree with them in prayer and encourage them with truths of God’s Word. Everything that we prayed about with them, God answered in some way. Benjamin told me later that he could really see God’s hand in leading us to their home for visits. He said it was as if God had sent us as His personal agents to them…go figure. Praise God! Remember the Lal’s in prayer, as they are a family with a special calling in the development of a body of believers in Navakai.
Our time visiting in Navakai culminated with the first “Jesus Meeting,” a weekly Sunday
afternoon gathering in the settlement, orchestrated by Emmanuel Worship Center for new believers and those curious to learn more about this Jesus fellow. It continues as a church-plant in which new believers and area Christians meet, learn, and continue to reach out to their community with the freedom and deliverance of the Gospel.
At a nearby park, we met Rote (ROH-tay), a young woman who had come there with her infant son & niece to avoid her drunken husband. One of our team members had been married to a heavy drinker, and she was able to share much wisdom and compassion with Rote. We all talked with her for awhile, giving her promises from the Word and then prayed with her. While we encouraged her some more, her husband approached, a little surprised at the group of us foreigners sitting and talking with his wife. Being still drunk and out of sorts, he sat down and joined the conversation in a loud and raucous fashion. But as we all shared about the love and grace of God and His plan for our lives, this man’s demeanor changed. He softened and began to admit his own short-comings and faults. He eventually told us that he had been searching for his wife in order to beat her, because he was upset that she wasn’t home, but now his anger was gone “because of our love and kindness”. (We knew it was the Holy Spirit.) We were able to speak the Word over them, pray with them, and then invited them to the local church on Sunday.
On another day shortly before Christmas we returned to the village of Vinátu. We passed out toys to village children and our team kids shared the Christmas Play. Afterward a couple of our team members prayed for a baby with a bad cold and wheezing. As they prayed, the baby’s breathing cleared up immediately. All of us experienced a strengthening in our faith because of that! It was amazing to see God use us in this miracle of healing. Praise God!
We also got an opportunity to work with the youth of Full Gospel Tabernacle – an amazing bunch of young people! Their pastor has a vision for redeeming the city by reviving its youth and training them in discipleship through hands-on experiences – much like Jesus did with His twelve. They accompanied us as we went doing ministry in the prison and on the street.
For the last phase of our time in Fiji we worked with Nadi Brethren Assembly, a rather progressive body who gave us permission to “do as the Holy Spirit leads…” They have a heart to reach their more affluent community for Christ, and invited us to minister in whatever fashion we felt necessary. So, we planned Men’s and Women’s Meetings where members of the church came and invited others, and we were able to minister as we had experienced healing and discipleship in YWAM’s Discipleship Training School. We all had something to impart and share, because God had done a specific and powerful work in each us specifically. Some of our group led a Vacation Bible School for the children. For three days we sang, taught Bible stories, did skits, and loved on these community kids to see them come to know Jesus in a closer way.
We also had a Couple’s Night with our version of “The Newlywed Game.” It was not only loads of fun, but also encouraged some interaction and expression of emotions between spouses that is not always common in their culture. God even sparked some long-lost fire for several couples who needed it… Praise God!
Our last story really shows the power of God to change a life… I mean POWER! A man in the church had been saved for about a year from a homosexual lifestyle. After our Men’s Meeting with the topic of “Finding Personal Freedom in Christ,” this guy asked for prayer. As soon as the name of Jesus was prayed over him, this dear man had a demonic manifestation that none of us will soon forget. Apparently, there were some strongholds from his previous life that still needed to be cleared out. All said and done, he was minus a lot of spiritual oppression when we finished praying and leading him through deliverance. That night I saw first hand what God can do to free someone when we simply come to Him in faith. Jesus Christ IS freedom! By his own vibrant testimony before the church the next day, this man is truly free!
Now, for the many of you who have been wondering, “So what is this further vision and calling?” Here’s the answer… Yes, we are feeling led to continue serving with Youth With A Mission as full-time, state-side missionaries. We have been accepted to serve on YWAM’s Chico, California training base, where we started. Details of that service will follow in another newsletter soon. We are currently in the midst of preparations to leave late July to begin our two year term. We have prayed long and hard about this decision, and know this is where God wants us to be. We ask for your continued prayers and support as we move in this direction. We know this summer will be a busy one, but we would love to talk with you personally as you have questions about our continuing service as missionaries with Youth With A Mission. Please feel free to give us a call or email us at the address below. Thank you again for everything. We hold you each in our hearts and our prayers as well.
Much love and God’s blessings to you all!
In His Service,
Shawn & Ginger, Hannah & Elijah
Wow, these past weeks of being home in Indiana have been filled with unpacking and finding things, meeting and catching up with people we haven’t seen in 6 months, in addition to just getting back into the routines of work and school and daily life. We’ve also spent more time seeking God’s face for the next steps in this journey. We have a lot of stories to share about what God has done with us, in us, and through us this past half year… First, we want to again express our deepest Thank You to all of you for supporting us in love, interest, prayers, and financial contributions. Simply said, it was God who put missions in our hearts and pointed us in the direction to go, but all would not have been possible without your love and willingness to partner with us in the Lord! Thank you.
When we moved our family to Chico, California to begin the Crossroads Discipleship Training School (CDTS) with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), we held an expectation of transformation for our lives. Well, God surprised us by taking us beyond ourselves and into areas of total trust in Him alone. He opened up a world of personal healing, better understanding of our gifts and the dynamics of Body Ministry and Evangelism, and fresh vision for helping others realize the plans He has for them. Through this season, God has drawn us closer to Him and to give us clearer direction for the calling He has for our family.
After the lecture phase of our Crossroads Discipleship Training School in Chico, our YWAM team of 14 adults and 10 children flew the 11 hours across the Pacific Ocean to the tiny island nation of Fiji, off the coast of New Zealand. There we partnered with three churches in the cities of Nadi (pronounced NAN-dee), and Lautoka (lah-TOH-kah). With each church, God had a specific purpose for our being there…a task for us to accomplish. A brief summary of each work follows here.
Emmanuel Worship Center and Navakai Settlement
Partnering with Emmanuel Worship Center, an independent church in Nadi, we had the joy of Harvesting in the poor Indian community of Navakai, located on the outskirts of Nadi. Part of Emmanuel’s goal was to bring unity between Fijians and Indians. (Fiji is about 48% Indo-Fijians, who came as indentured servants to work the sugar cane fields for the British long ago. Though they are now free and many prosper, racial prejudice has prevailed.) A couple of months prior to our arrival, the Evangelism Team at Emmanuel had passed out copies of The Jesus Film* to all the families in Navakai. A response card had been included in the DVD package for them to fill out, indicating their interest in the movie or in knowing more about Jesus. Our job was to collect those response cards and build relationships with the families. This was an open door to discuss the Truth of the Gospel, as well as give testimony of what Jesus Christ had done in our own lives.*The Jesus Film is a full-length movie based on the book of Luke, which has been used with enormous effect by missionaries around the world for the past 25 years. It has been translated into more than 800 languages (the most of any film in history) and has been shown in 236 different countries.
Fijians, whether of Indian or native Fijian decent, are very hospitable people, and quite enjoy spontaneous visitors. We were frequently invited to sit down for tea or juice and just talk. Having at least one of Emmanuel’s team members with us helped with any cultural or language barriers, however, most Indians also spoke English. If someone did seem closed to talking about Jesus, we just offered to pray for anyone in the house in need, before going on our way. I don’t think we were ever refused. Often that prayer time became the open door for further ministry.
In the end, several home Bible studies were started with new converts and also those still curious about this Jesus. As a result of the groundwork laid by Emmanuel Worship Center, the relationships we built, and the faithful prayers of many like you, over a hundred made a decision to follow Christ during our time there. These individuals’ and families’ lives are forever changed because they received the good news of Jesus Christ, making Him Lord and Savior. Praise God!
The other work in Navakai was Discipling. Benjamin and Bobbi Lal had been nominal Christians, struggling in their faith in the midst of the Hindu and Muslim community around them. Benjamin drove a taxi-van, earning a meager living for his wife and five kids. The hours of his job usually kept him from attending the church where they had first come to know Christ. The first time we visited them, Benjamin said he had actually been praying for a way to study and discuss the Word with someone. We became instant friends and spent many hours, talking and studying the Bible together. Hannah and Elijah got to play with their children, learning just how much fun one can have in a small dirt yard with just a little imagination. Each time we visited, it seemed as though they had a specific concern at hand, and we were able to agree with them in prayer and encourage them with truths of God’s Word. Everything that we prayed about with them, God answered in some way. Benjamin told me later that he could really see God’s hand in leading us to their home for visits. He said it was as if God had sent us as His personal agents to them…go figure. Praise God! Remember the Lal’s in prayer, as they are a family with a special calling in the development of a body of believers in Navakai.Our time visiting in Navakai culminated with the first “Jesus Meeting,” a weekly Sunday
afternoon gathering in the settlement, orchestrated by Emmanuel Worship Center for new believers and those curious to learn more about this Jesus fellow. It continues as a church-plant in which new believers and area Christians meet, learn, and continue to reach out to their community with the freedom and deliverance of the Gospel.Lautoka Full Gospel Tabernacle and Street Evangelism
Working with Lautoka Full Gospel Tabernacle involved seed-sowing, in the form of evangelism in the streets, parks, prison, hospital, and a small village called Vinátu on the edge of the town’s refuse area. We met a lot of people…people just like us, who have needs, hopes, and dreams like we do. They were people going about their lives not knowing Jesus… just looking for ‘life’ in other places. Some heard the truth and were changed, some were challenged, some were set free, and others simply were not ready to make a decision, but valuable seeds were sown.At a nearby park, we met Rote (ROH-tay), a young woman who had come there with her infant son & niece to avoid her drunken husband. One of our team members had been married to a heavy drinker, and she was able to share much wisdom and compassion with Rote. We all talked with her for awhile, giving her promises from the Word and then prayed with her. While we encouraged her some more, her husband approached, a little surprised at the group of us foreigners sitting and talking with his wife. Being still drunk and out of sorts, he sat down and joined the conversation in a loud and raucous fashion. But as we all shared about the love and grace of God and His plan for our lives, this man’s demeanor changed. He softened and began to admit his own short-comings and faults. He eventually told us that he had been searching for his wife in order to beat her, because he was upset that she wasn’t home, but now his anger was gone “because of our love and kindness”. (We knew it was the Holy Spirit.) We were able to speak the Word over them, pray with them, and then invited them to the local church on Sunday.
On another day shortly before Christmas we returned to the village of Vinátu. We passed out toys to village children and our team kids shared the Christmas Play. Afterward a couple of our team members prayed for a baby with a bad cold and wheezing. As they prayed, the baby’s breathing cleared up immediately. All of us experienced a strengthening in our faith because of that! It was amazing to see God use us in this miracle of healing. Praise God!
We also got an opportunity to work with the youth of Full Gospel Tabernacle – an amazing bunch of young people! Their pastor has a vision for redeeming the city by reviving its youth and training them in discipleship through hands-on experiences – much like Jesus did with His twelve. They accompanied us as we went doing ministry in the prison and on the street.
Nadi Brethren Assembly and Freedom in Christ
For the last phase of our time in Fiji we worked with Nadi Brethren Assembly, a rather progressive body who gave us permission to “do as the Holy Spirit leads…” They have a heart to reach their more affluent community for Christ, and invited us to minister in whatever fashion we felt necessary. So, we planned Men’s and Women’s Meetings where members of the church came and invited others, and we were able to minister as we had experienced healing and discipleship in YWAM’s Discipleship Training School. We all had something to impart and share, because God had done a specific and powerful work in each us specifically. Some of our group led a Vacation Bible School for the children. For three days we sang, taught Bible stories, did skits, and loved on these community kids to see them come to know Jesus in a closer way.We also had a Couple’s Night with our version of “The Newlywed Game.” It was not only loads of fun, but also encouraged some interaction and expression of emotions between spouses that is not always common in their culture. God even sparked some long-lost fire for several couples who needed it… Praise God!
Our last story really shows the power of God to change a life… I mean POWER! A man in the church had been saved for about a year from a homosexual lifestyle. After our Men’s Meeting with the topic of “Finding Personal Freedom in Christ,” this guy asked for prayer. As soon as the name of Jesus was prayed over him, this dear man had a demonic manifestation that none of us will soon forget. Apparently, there were some strongholds from his previous life that still needed to be cleared out. All said and done, he was minus a lot of spiritual oppression when we finished praying and leading him through deliverance. That night I saw first hand what God can do to free someone when we simply come to Him in faith. Jesus Christ IS freedom! By his own vibrant testimony before the church the next day, this man is truly free!
In Closing:
God used our missions experience in Fiji in order to reach people with the Gospel, set them free from spiritual strongholds, and help to plant a church in a spiritually dark place. In us personally, God used it to stretch us, train us, further disciple us and give us a clearer vision for the calling that He has placed on Ginger and I. Thank you again for the vital parts you played in this mission! Because of your prayers and support, there will be many more souls in Heaven on that Day. 
Now, for the many of you who have been wondering, “So what is this further vision and calling?” Here’s the answer… Yes, we are feeling led to continue serving with Youth With A Mission as full-time, state-side missionaries. We have been accepted to serve on YWAM’s Chico, California training base, where we started. Details of that service will follow in another newsletter soon. We are currently in the midst of preparations to leave late July to begin our two year term. We have prayed long and hard about this decision, and know this is where God wants us to be. We ask for your continued prayers and support as we move in this direction. We know this summer will be a busy one, but we would love to talk with you personally as you have questions about our continuing service as missionaries with Youth With A Mission. Please feel free to give us a call or email us at the address below. Thank you again for everything. We hold you each in our hearts and our prayers as well.
Much love and God’s blessings to you all!
In His Service,
Shawn & Ginger, Hannah & Elijah
