Samuel. A work in progress February 26, 2015

Filed under: Family — GoWests! @ 9:51 pm

The other day my 12 year old said a surprising thing. We were having a family dinner before an evening community worship meeting. It was going to be an open forum where anyone there would be encouraged to share a “testimony of God’s goodness”: what He has done or, what is He doing in one’s life. So, at dinner before the meeting we asked the kids, “What is a [testimony] in your life?”

Samuel, my 12 year old replied, “I don’t have a testimony”.

“Why not?” was my reply.

“Well”, he said, “my testimony isn’t finished yet. I’m in the middle of it. It has been going for a while, but isn’t over yet.” I was stunned. Such simplicity, yet such uncommon depth of perspective.

Too many times we see God and what he is doing, with too narrow a perspective. Too short-sighted. Being the consumers we naturally are, we commonly only recognize God’s handiwork after it is done, or in a single moment in time. Unfortunately, if the process eludes us, so too does the recognition of an ever-present and involved God; lacking also is the day-to-day gratitude.

I encouraged my son to share this at the evening’s meeting; we adults need to hear his ‘testimony in action’.

He does not like attention; the thought of sharing publicly in a meeting, simply scares him! After several others shared pieces, including a couple of other kids, Samuel got up to share. I was facilitating the meeting, and in truth, I thought that what I had heard earlier would be all he would say. Instead he actually unpacked it!

20150225_183625 “Hi, my name is Samuel; that is my dad…” “When I was younger, in 4^th or 5^th grade, I didn’t really know who I was. I would try to “dress in other kids clothes”, and look like others. But God has been showing me who I am more lately. The testimony isn’t finished yet, I am still in the middle of it. Thanks”

That was humbling. So proud. So important. We are all trying so hard to arrive somewhere, we so easily miss the journey. I know that we all hear stuff like that all the time. But hearing it from a 12-year old did something. It encouraged us. We are all in the middle of our testimony; in the middle of His testimony is us.

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A Final Update for 2014 December 17, 2014

Filed under: Family,Photos,Uncategorized,Updates,Video — GoWests! @ 9:48 pm

Hello everyone!

For those of you in the USA, Molly and I hope you had a great thanksgiving, and for all of us, a great Christmas season ahead. We approach the end of 2014 with gratitude to God for all we have been allowed to partner with Him over this last year. At the close of 2014, we wanted to give an “overview-update” of the year.

As most of you know, 2014 has been busy for the Wests. I led two leadership training programs (“DTS Equip”) here in Montana (Spring and Summer), as well as overseeing and teaching in two others internationally (Ukraine and Cambodia). In addition to these schools, there is other work we do to move missions forward. This means that you are also part of many more initiatives and work which build the Kingdom of God locally and globally.

I also travel and train other students, staff, and leaders—both inside and outside—of YWAM. I have just returned from a week of teaching the 130+ staff and leaders of all the Discipleship Training Schools at our Kona campus. I have also taught in other locations in the USA, Asia and Europe. Equipping local church members and leaders is also a joy and passion, equipping and contributing to reaching the local community. In this vein I designed and ran a 9-session leadership development series over 18 weeks at our church here in Montana, called “CORE”. All of the church ministry leaders, small group leaders, and pastoral staff were involved in this. Our involvement continues to grow with our local church family, as we co-lead a small group, and I am also part of a preaching rotation.

While all of this work is valuable and meaningful, what really gives us satisfaction is sending students and staff out into the field. This happens at the end of each quarter, as it did a week ago; these are special nights. At our community worship meeting we had the opportunity to worship together, hear from the students and staff, and then prayerfully commission four teams for their outreach assignments. Over 50 people headed out on 4 teams to: Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, and India. For the next two months they are not only the hands, feet, heart and voice of Jesus, they are also our hands, feet, heart and voice. This is why we do what we do, and why YWAM exists: to obey the great commandment, and to perform the great commission.

YWAM Lakeside Montana is training and sending out dozens of teams out each year. These teams are Bible teaching teams, discipleship teams, evangelism teams, community development teams, children’s ministry, human-trafficking ministry, English teaching, and more.

Finally, a word about our car situation. As many of you know (and have been communicating and praying with us) we were looking hard for a car. Well, the time of waiting came to an abrupt end with 4 degree Fahrenheit weather forecast for an upcoming weekend! We just bought a 2007 Toyota Highlander. It’s a great solution for us. Smaller than our van, but with 4wd and studded tires it tackles our icy hill nicely. Just as well, too: the night we got it we had 6” of snow and the low temperatures I mentioned. We took the money we had, and took out a loan for the remainder (that’s info for a lot of you who had been following our “car adventure”).

We have included a few photos also. Our Christmas tree adventure, teaching in Kona, and [for family members and those who walked with us through Samuel’s school transition] some video of Samuel’s Middle School choir. He is front row, center. Each are about 35-40 seconds (they were actually very good). (Forgive the quality – most were taken with my phone, in poor light)

Merry Christmas!

Jeremy, Molly, Samuel, Joel and Eden (oh ok, Boomer too)

Kona Staff Training

Molly the tree-hunter

16 ft of glory for $5: You gotta love Montana!

To hear Samuel’s Choir, click links below:

Samuel Choir 1: http://youtu.be/sbQp95lg1Vg

Samuel Choir 2: http://youtu.be/VOP5q7wlMCY

Samuel Choir 3: http://youtu.be/QxArNPErA0w

Samuel Choir 4: http://youtu.be/mkQaPB-P0QQ

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June on the Westside June 21, 2014

Filed under: DTS Equip,Family,Photos,Uncategorized,Updates — GoWests! @ 12:35 am

Dear Ministry Partners,

It’s time for an update of facts and photos.

Below you will find our current ministry and family happenings. Prepare to be encouraged!

Ministry:

May – Our Montana Leadership teams decided to include Cambodia as a “target nation” (a nation or people group that we strategically focus our resources and efforts toward), along with the 5 we already have (India, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine). We have personally served in all these nations and it is our JOY to have the whole campus taking on Cambodia!

khmer boy Text

June thru’ October – Jeremy has been asked to develop and run a leadership training series (called “CORE”) at our local church. Our Pastor is asking everyone serving in any leadership capacity to attend. This allows Jeremy to serve in the church in his area of gifting: discipleship and leadership training.

CORE Theology | CORE Identity | CORE Action

June Thru October – 3 EQUIP Programs in 3 regions

equip header

1. Another Equip (leadership training program) starts here in Lakeside in 10 days!
2. Equip in Ukraine, starts in July. Despite the civil unrest, training, evangelism and discipleship continue.
3. Equip in Cambodia, starts in September. This will be the third Equip run in Cambodia.

Family snippets:

Samuel just finished 6th grade and is into guitar and shooting hoops

Joel just finished 4th grade is an active cub scout, and loves his Wii games

Eden just finished Kindergarten, is doing so well at ballet, and loves her Lego

House Update:

Jeremy & I will celebrate our anniversary this Saturday the 21^st , so we decided to get a new house to celebrate 😉 Here is a house update.

2014-06-07 15.03.59

photo (1)

We are now in the “finishing” stage and should be moving in the week of July 14! The fighting for the toilet will soon come to an end! Thanks to all of you who have given in time, and sponsoring portions of the project. Your gifts are making it happen! Interestingly, when our family moves in, we will immediately have guests in the guest room too! Awesome.

CURRENT NEEDS: As the project finishes up…so does the funding…If God would lead you to give towards items not yet covered….we would be grateful!

Carpet (bonus room): We have $5560; still need $1260
Lighting: projected need of $1500
Closet hardware: This one caught us by surprise $1500
Bathroom accessories: $500
Grass, soil and seed: An unexpected need. We have $1200; still need $800 more to be sown 🙂

As you know, the whole project is a God story and we continue to put our trust in Him! As we are working hard on everything we can, we are confident He will provide the rest. We have so many stories already of people giving, donating materials or seriously discounting them for us. Others coming over and working, as well as completing major [specialized] construction jobs. Various tradesmen donating time, and good cheer! It seems that as long as Jeremy promises not to “help”, they are willing to do the professional job themselves 🙂

Thank you for your part in our ministry. Together, we are reaching the world for Jesus, and equipping others to do the same!

Love,

Jeremy, Molly, Samuel, Joel & Eden

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Jeremy in Vladivostok, Russia December 6, 2013

Filed under: DTS,Family,J's Journey,Updates — GoWests! @ 1:21 pm

Where is that exactly you may wonder?

It is on the Pacific Coast of Russia, just above

North Korea.

He has not traveled there, however he is spending a week with them on Skype…gotta love Skype.

Of course, being physically present is the best, but second best is video conferencing. He will be teaching on the Cost of Discipleship to a Discipleship Training School (DTS), translated over Skype into Russian. What a privilege and honor.

Please pray for wisdom on what content to keep in and what to leave out, as translation lengthens the time significantly.

Also please pray for connection in a meaningful way, despite the electronic medium.

Speaking of Russia…it’s cold here too

It is SIX degrees Fahrenheit today, and we can’t be outside for more than a few minutes with temperatures like these. (Eden built that snowman a couple weeks ago when it was around 30; I just included it because it’s cute.)

I mention this because it is actually affecting the speed of our internet, and we need it to be running at full capacity for the Skype connection to be strong – so that is a prayer point too.

Additionally, we want to cut down our Christmas tree tomorrow (family tradition is to go up the mountain with friends, cocoa, and treats and cut one down) but there is no way we can do it in these temperatures!

We love all you readers =) and are grateful for your encouragement and friendship.

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Mission Accomplished October 29, 2012

Filed under: DTS Equip,Family,Photos,Updates — GoWests! @ 11:28 pm

We are home now and sitting near our fire trying to keep warm, as there was a carpet of white snow to welcome us home! Samuel put it well when he declared, “It’s weird Mom, yesterday we were soooo hot, and today we are soooo cold!”

Our time in Cambodia ended on such a high note! So much was accomplished in the lives of the Equip group (42 people serving throughout Southeast Asia). Our work there was incredibly rewarding- seeing fruit daily in lives of leaders and staff that we know are already multiplying into others. But it was terribly sad leaving our close friends and co-workers. Certainly our hardest departure, as God has knitted our hearts with so many in the region.

There are piles of things to be thankful for, and one is our prayer and financial support team. Thank you. We have made a big impact together! We were told by Cambodians, Vietnamese, and Thais, that the fruit of the last 2 months of training will be seen for years to come. We have done well.

One highlight came through our mode of transportation – the TukTuk. A young man called Borat was our TukTuk driver….and he became a Christian! After he had been driving our family around Battambang for several weeks, Jeremy stayed up late one night talking with him and then a couple days later, Jeremy and some friends met with him and he committed his life to Christ! People have been witnessing to him for a while already and Jeremy got to be involved in the harvest! Borat shared with his Buddhist Mom, and she is accepting his decision. This is so rare, and so we know she is coming to Jesus next!

Here we are with Borat, our brother in Christ!

Another highlight was the outreach we did in a nearby slum. People came to know Jesus and felt the love of God for the first time. One woman in her 70’s has decided to follow Jesus…because when some Equip participants prayed for her, she was healed of blindness!

Following are some photos from this slum which convey more than words!

Samuel making balloon animals for the kids in the slum.

Playing Games

We handed out plates of food to all who came to the gospel presentation. It was sweet bbq corn, sweet pineapple, and sweet coconut jelly. I loved it because they were hearing sweet news about a Savior who loves them!

Jeremy chatting with some Cambodian Soldiers across the alley from the gospel presentation

And now a couple family shots….

Eden turned 5

A Khmer friend climbed a coconut palm and gave one to Joel…who loved it.

…He also ate a roasted cricket =(((

God was absolutely faithful to our family and to the people he loves in Southeast Asia.

Thanks for being our friends and for being committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It truly is transforming people and nations!

Love ~ Jeremy & Molly, Samuel, Joel and Eden

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Family Update, BTown 2012 September 30, 2012

Filed under: Family,Photos,Uncategorized,Updates — GoWests! @ 12:15 am

Family Update

We have been here in Cambodia 4 weeks, and are undoubtedly walking in the grace of God! Despite all the challenges in the areas of comfort and convenience, (oh, and injuries) we are having fun, laughing a lot, and growing together as a family as we minister in the third world.

A few days ago, Samuel realized we are half way through our time here, and he offered his opinion that we should probably stay longer! Wow!

Highlights as a family so far would certainly include the boys fishing adventures. They got a hold of some bamboo poles, fishing line, and hooks, and away they went! They love fishing in the pond here on base. Their first attempt yielded 6 fish, which they handed over to some Kmai staff to eat when the base kitchen is closed! Their second day was 10 fish, and we have stopped counting since. I love how their new hobby is supporting Kmai missionaries =))

Another family highlight would be eating at Café Eden. Our lovely friend Anna has established an amazing café – some of the best eats in Battambang! 40 % of the profits go to supporting Kmai staff, and 25% towards new ministries starting up, so it feels reasonable to eat delicious food and put our money towards that every now and then! Eden happens to like the name too…

Arriving by TukTuk to Café Eden. This is how Battambang rolls!

Getting back to basics has been a family highlight as well. The joy of playing games together and finding creative things to do is a good change from the usual go-to’s at home, ie..the Wii! Games like, “Don’t touch the ground” can last for hours!!

We got to visit one of the many crocodile farms in the city…they are farmed to sell to Thailand for leather, meat, etc. It was creepy and shocking really, to discover a person’s yard filled with hundreds, yes hundreds, of crocodiles! I certainly would not want to live next door!

Check out this short clip of the Crocodile Farm!

A river runs thru Battambang, which Eden has named the Chocolate Milk River=)

It is such a privilege to be here and be part of fulfilling God’s dreams for Cambodia and beyond. While we miss the comforts of home, God is faithful in reminding us that investing in His Kingdom guarantees the best return!!

Fun Fact #1: In about 10 days the DTS here leaves for India, Laos, and Tajikistan! God is raising up Cambodian missionaries! And sending them into all the world!!

Fun Fact #2: Izzy, a gal from Washington state, is co-leading the outreach to India. Izzy was in a DTS we led in MT 4 years ago! God called her back long term, and Jeremy and I couldn’t be more proud of her obedience and love for Cambodia. This is what we call in YWAM, a big paycheck!

Thank you for your prayers, here are a couple ideas, if you would like them…

– We have been to the hospital twice already (Eden’s sliced under her chin, and Joel his lower back) and we would prefer to avoid that in the last month!

– Joel has been struggling a bit with taking deep breaths. This may be asthma or an indicator or stress..

– Eyes for all 5 of us to see God’s beauty here and opportunities to show love to our Equip class, to folks on campus, and to those we encounter in the streets.

– Cambodia and Southeast Asia were designed to glorify God! Join us in prayer for this!

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Cambodia is Calling May 7, 2012

Filed under: DTS Equip,Family,Uncategorized — GoWests! @ 10:13 pm

Hello Friends!

Our Equip class 2010 (Vietnamese friends blocked for security purposes)

We are pleased to announce that it is almost time for our leadership school, DTS Equip, to run in Cambodia for the second time! In this letter we want to share these plans with you, and ask for both spiritual and practical help to make it happen. If you remember, we pioneered the first one in 2010. The base director has told us that the Equip was the beginning of the fulfillment of Cambodia being a resource to the entire region. This has been a huge encouragement to us!!

In 2010 we trained staff from Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the U.S., including every DTS staff from Vietnam. Our fantastic leadership team was made up of Vietnamese, Khmer, Americans, and 2 Aussies. It was a privilege to work with these outstanding people who have truly forsaken all for the sake of the Gospel.

Our goal is to release the program to local leaders, but we are not quite there yet. So, late this August, we are heading back for 2 months to work with more amazing young leaders from the region of Asia! It is our privilege to return and run DTS Equip-Cambodia, again.

Sharing the love of Jesus and good food in a nearby slum

As we prepare to go, our most important consideration is the family. Our last trip out there was amazing but it certainly had its challenges. We will be home-schooling again, which can be a stretch at times! The food is another big adjustment for the kids, among a few other things. Please pray for a good adjustment to school hours, culture, climate, food – and especially for health and safety. (Remember Samuel’s stitches in his head at the Cambodian Amputee Hospital…?) Aside from the parental-worry 😉 the kids are all VERY excited. They keep asking “When can we go? Can we go now?” We are truly blessed with children who love to travel, even into third world Asia!

Our practical needs are …daunting. This trip is costing us $6000 in airfare alone, and that’s a fantastic deal! Until this week, airfare was looking more like $10,000, so the fare reduction we saw this week is God’s provision already! Visas will be about $200. Then there’s the usual… accommodation, food, transportation, etc. bringing the total to about $7500. The total seems frightening, but divided by say, 75 friends and supporters, it’s only $100 each!

The boys got dirty building a toilet for a blind family

If you know anyone who may like to get behind this ministry, please either forward this to them, or give us their contact info. We are at a place where we need to see our support base expand, and it may be through a connection you have! Perhaps a cell group or Bible study you attend that would like to get involved in missions?

Click HERE! to see a short video of the place we will be working (it’s their website – scroll down to see the video) Jeremy has been going to Cambodia since around 2000, and as a family, this will be our third trip. (Don’t miss the clip, and see if you can spot Jeremy in there, too!)

Remember, stay up to date with this blog, click the Email Subscription button on the home page.

Thanks for reading, and for working with us.

Jeremy, Molly, Samuel, Joel & Eden.

PS. Join us! Come and visit… I guarantee it will blow you away.

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Cub Scouts, Birthdays, Buckingham Palace and more! April 1, 2012

Filed under: Family,Uncategorized,Updates — GoWests! @ 10:56 pm

It sure has been an exciting first quarter of 2012 for our family!

Our boys are Cub Scouts! In their uniforms, they are hands-down the cutest! They have been busy earning badges which has involved charting nutrition (wake up call to mom to provide more produce!), talking with elders at church about faith, creating collages on being good citizens, speaking with an attorney (Papa Craig!), and much more. A highlight was the Pinewood Derby – taking a block of wood and making it into a race car, which they then raced against other Scouts in the valley. Jeremy and the boys even made the newspaper! Samuel’s car was named Qantas, and Joel’s was named Slug Bug. (See a newspaper photo here)

In February, Samuel turned 10 and Joel turned 8. We took them up our local ski mountain for lessons – Joel in skiing, and Samuel in snowboarding. They were awesome! Joel says skiing was really fun and easy =), and Samuel persevered a tough but fun first time on a snowboard.

Last month Samuel placed 2nd in his school science fair!! His project was called, “Boiling up the Mountain”, and he researched the way elevation affects the boiling point of water. So we may have another budding scientist in the family! Samuel also loves learning music on the recorder. He is progressing so well and really loves to play…Ode to Joy, Oh when the Saints, America…, and we love to listen!! He is in the top two of 60 fourth graders. But what I love most about Samuel (this month) is the grateful heart I see naturally coming out of him. He is absolutely awesome at saying, “Thank you, thanks Dad, thanks Mom”, thanking people in stores, even thanking his brother and sister.

Joel is quite the clever second grader. His teacher tells me that despite his dreamy nature, he is especially quick to grasp new concepts in math and he reads way above grade level. Joel is still in a shy season, but boy you should see him go crazy on the Wii! He bounces up and down in the air, squealing and shouting the WHOLE time! Joel picked up skiing so easily and was taking runs all over the mountain! And what I love most about Joel (this month) is how he hugs and cuddles us! He squeezes tightly and then does a little pat on our heads or our backs!! Precious. And when we say, “I love you Joel”. He sweetly says, “I know” =))

Then there is Eden, aka Bossy Boots, Dolly, Princess, the Pink Explosion, Peanut, and Missy Moo! In Preschool, she is perfecting her letters and enjoying story time and art the most. Eden loves coloring, playing house, bossing the dog around (since she is older than him!), playing with her Rapunzel doll while wearing her Rapunzel dress, and helping Mommy cook. If I grab the garlic, she grabs the garlic press. If I scoop out four, she brings the mixing spoon. I have an awesome assistant!! What I love most about Eden (this month), is how she reminds me daily through her actions that time spent together is time best spent!!

As we were in England last month for meetings, Jeremy and I got 2 days in London to enjoy the city!! We were able to float down the Thames, tour the Tower of London, appreciate the grandeur of Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, saw a show in the West End, chillax in a couple of British pubs, ride in red double decker buses, travel underground in the tube (pronounced “chewb”), pass through the Queen’s Galleria to see a most amazing exhibition on Sir Ernest Shalckelton and Scott, and race through the British Museum. We were blessed to stay with friends we worked with in Kona years ago. Love how our work gives us lifelong friends around the globe! And let’s us travel the globe!

And that a wrap!!

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Don’t Forget the Little Guys! September 13, 2011

Filed under: Family,Updates — GoWests! @ 11:32 am

The prettiest (albiet tired) soldier!

Every year at YWAM Montana we take 2 days to “retreat” as a staff. For the past few years we have gone to a campground about 20 miles away on a small lake. We bring in a speaker, eat good food, and play in the lake or horseshoes, etc. This year Danny Lehmann joined us as our guest speaker and it was wonderful. The sun was brilliantly hot, and THAT is always wonderful when you live up north =).

A few months ago God laid it on my heart to run a program for our kids during the adult sessions. We have….about 40 kids on base!! Normally we have babysitting, but many of us moms have wanted something more for them. Each year that has gone by, I say to myself, “I wish we had something fun and enriching for the kids during staff retreat”. So this was the year for me to quit wishing and get to work!

I am pleased to report that we pulled off “Bible Boot Camp” for our kids last month at staff retreat! There were songs, skits, crafts, snacks, games, lessons – basically a vbs crammed into 2 days! The feedback has been great. The kids were growing in the Lord and having fun while their parents were doing the same!

Some soldiers in God's army

It is so easy for me to pour into the lives of young women and co-workers around me. I can haul my family overseas and minister in a Buddhist nation for a few months. I take time to prepare and teach in discipleship programs. I love to do these things and will continue to do so. But I feel encouraged by the Lord to also take time for the children at THIS ministry location!

God has designed our kids to do great things with Him and for Him. What a privilege to partner with Him in their training and development! This school year in my family, we are working on scripture memory, as part of their homework. I trust the Word of God to bear good fruit both now and in the years to come!

Performing for the parents, "I may never march in the infantry.."

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In the Slums. Vid #2 October 22, 2010

Filed under: DTS Equip,Family,Updates,Video — GoWests! @ 2:24 am

Go to the link below to see another quick video (5:29).

Slum Ministry, BB Oct 2010

We’re sorry about the quality. But, if you want to come on-board with us as our personal videographer, see the world, and make great clips, just let us know!

This clip is a throw-together over a couple of days doing some ministry at a slum about 1/2 km from our training location. Many of our crew went there regularly, and actually, live about 100m from it.

Enjoy,

J & M

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Samuel. A work in progress February 26, 2015