Week One

Where to begin? Well, I just experienced my first rain in Hawaii since I've been here. I love it! I struggle to find words - unrelated to weather - to describe what I'm feeling and going through right now.

God is so good. That I can say for certain. I am so unbelievably grateful to be here with greatly minimized distractions, able to focus on what the Lord is saying. He has been saying a lot. Here is where I will start...

Typically, upon arrival, DTS students are settled in, celebrate a fun Aloha Day at the beach, and then, the following day, are introduced to the curriculum, calendar, and base/house rules. But, not our team. Instead, we went on a camping trip. Given a minimal packing list - with such items as deodorant and toothbrush absent - we began to mentally prepare for our departure the following morning.

All I can say is, thank you God for this experience. Timing is everything, and this camping trip is exactly what I needed. We were taken to Kualoa Ranch (www.kualoa.com), and allowed to camp two nights in exchange for some small labor projects. It is an incredible privilege to be able to do this. Kualoa Ranch is not open for public camping. It is only by special relationship with YWAM Honolulu that we were able to do this.

During our trip, we were able to go on an eight-mile hike around the mountain, sleep on a tarp from a beautiful vantage point of the valley, and grow closer as a team. Having been stripped of so many comforts (cell phone, watches, knowledge of the time, what was being planned, when we would be coming home, toothbrush, deodorant, changes of clothes, etc) we were forced to rely solely on the strength of the Lord and encouragement from each other. What a blessing!

One of the things I felt God speaking to me during this time is simply the riches we get to enjoy as His children. Here we were, camping in a beautiful valley, rich with history and experiencing something that most people will never get the opportunity to experience. This is our inheritance in the Lord. The extraordinary! He offers the invitation to ALL but it is only those who accept His invitation for relationship with Him that are welcomed into the experience of the extraordinary.

In just a short week, I have been unbelievably challenged. I am blessed with a dedicated and mature team of DTS staff who are dedicated to our spiritual and emotional growth during the next five months. I am being stretched and know that it will only continue in deeper ways.

The people are wonderful and diverse. We are a small team; just ten of us. Young adults coming from Canada, Australia, Catalina Island, Kentucky, Chicago, Norway, and Seattle. There is a Korean DTS team here, as well. Their program is entirely separate from ours, but we get together for all-base worship on Monday mornings. And, let me just say that being a part of worshiping the Lord in different languages is so beautiful.

There is so much more I could say, but I am still processing. Please continue to pray for me as we are studying the character and nature of God this week during lectures. Pray that I gain everything from this experience that He is desiring me to grasp.

I love you friends!

~Megan