GoWests!

“Mission Control, can you hear us”?

While perhaps a little hyperbole can be excused here, it sure feels like a long time in the shadows when it comes to communication. We apologize. Even if we aren’t the most prolific blog and newsletter writers out there, this stretch has been a record for us. So we wanted to break the silence with firstly an apology, but even more than that, an explanation of kinds.

Trust us when we say that it’s good to be approaching some sort of normalcy that allows us a more consistent schedule, and therefore communication. We have been through a rather “stretching” time over the last 4 months. Molly and I are now on the leadership team of our YWAM training campus (a.k.a. “The Council”). This has meant more responsibility and of course, meetings. But the stretching began a little while ago when one of our DTS students almost died on outreach in Calcutta India. He was freakishly hit by a train while moving through a “train station slum”. It was an absolute miracle that he survived. Unfortunately he lost a leg in the process. All Council members spent many hours and meetings following, dealing with the team’s needs on the ground, sending trauma debriefing and leadership teams, medical assistance, family issues, and more. Follow this link to see the “Pray For David” Facebook page his sister created at the time, and/or here for a news article written about the incident. (FYI, the team “finished strong” in India and saw some amazing miracles, salvations and ministry partnerships formed as a result of their faithfulness. David is currently in good shape at home, while continuing treatment.)

Shortly after this we entered perhaps the hardest season we have ever faced in leadership. I cannot give details here, but let me say that as a leader I have dealt with everything [or so I thought] from the death of a student to disciplinary issues, but this has been the hardest and most heart-breaking situation we have ever been part of dealing with.  We are only now beginning to emerge from the dust.

During all of this time I was running a leadership school, as well as trying our best to host family visitors from 2 countries!  (That was a highlight for us, though!). Oh, did I forget our new puppy…?

We want to thank you for your faithful emotional, prayer, verbal, and financial support. In the midst of all of these trials we have been running very successful leadership training, discipleship training, international outreaches, local evangelism, and various teaching opportunities in other locations.  People are being developed, workers are being sent out, people are being physically healed, and the lost ARE getting saved!  Thank you team. Even if you are simply reading this, it is an encouragement to us to know that you are following what we are doing, and more importantly hearing about how a loving God is turning the tide in a pretty messed-up world.

Over the next  couple of weeks you will see some posts about the specifics of the last several months: DTS Equip, leadership training, DTS teaching, a new family member, family visiting, the Montana summer, future gigs and events, and more. In the meantime, I’ll start writing, and then pack for Cambodia. I leave in a week, to train Bible teachers in foundations of discipling and leadership skills.

Thanks for following!

J & M