my housemates (Canadian, 3 Americans, Dutch, French, Malaysian, and English----missing)

My team and I on my outreach to China for my DTS

Hello all!!!  Well, it has definitely been a busy few months.  As I wrote 2 posts ago, I began helping with a DTS (Discipleship Training School) back in October.  WOW!  It's been quite a ride.  12 students came from all around the world to spend 3 months here on base training.  I have been looking after the 5 girl students plus another girl staff (she's never done this kind of thing before so I'm training her as well).  

Each week, we have a different teacher teaching on different topics.  So far, we have covered

Hearing the voice of God

Nature and Character of God

Repentance and Forgiveness

Worship and Intercession

Missions

Relationships

Pretty much, we dive into the Bible to see what God says about each of these topics.  The students came hungry for more of God and boy are they getting it! One girl in particular came as a fairly new Christian with a very colorful past (full of rejection, pain, manipulation, and unforgiveness).  I was worried about her at first because she always saw herself as the victim and was struggling to get along with anyone.  After the week of Repentance and Forgiveness, she found freedom to be who God made her and freedom from her past through forgiving those who abused her.  Wow! what a difference.  Another girl grew up with a father that always told her that she was ugly and stupid.  You can imagine what this did to her self image.  The enemy had quite the hold on her thinking.  Again, after Repentance and Forgiveness, I have seen quite the change.  She now, for the first time, can think of herself in a good way and no longer separates herself from the group.  It's amazing, as I walk the girls through issues, how many of them struggle with rejection.  They assume people are rejecting them mainly because they think so little of themselves.  What I have come to realize is that that we usually reject ourselves but blame other people.  

I am soooooo encouraged to see these girls and guys' relationship with God exploding!  They are seeing God as a loving, personal, and real God instead of some distant, storybook, unemotional God.  I love what I'm doing (though there are struggles too).  I love seeing these kids grow more in love with God. 

 This is why I do what I do!!!

Ok! as promised, a lot of pictures:

my car has gone to be with the Lord due to rust:
may she rest in peace

someone is letting me use her scooter while she is away......haha!!! it's amazing!

Our main board in our classroom....this is our school verse

the sand dune we sledded down

since the school is geared toward people who love the outdoors, we do things....well, outdoors.
2 weeks ago, we went on a 7 mile hike.  that's the school leader sticking out his tongue

Luckily, half way through the hike, we found the perfect resting and fun spot!!!

we not only learn topics in class, we apply them outside of class. this is the week of Worship and Intercession.
We are praying and worshiping over the city of Perth (we got a lot of stares :)

well! God opened a door for me to be on a hip-hop dance team at church.  we danced at a church event in front of about 3 thousand people.  wow! my amazing students came to watch!!!

yeah, i'm all gansta!

Ok, so I couldn't figure out how to edit the picture so you know which one i am.   but i'm in the middle of the pic.
 i'm right behind the short dude (you can't see my face)

Again, can't point to me so i'll try to tell you where i am.  i'm almost in the middle, with my right hand up
to my face and my left hand down in a weird-looking bent look.

for those who are interested in see the videos of the two dances we did, here you go:
If you want to try to find me, i'm the one in the middle of the group with a white bandana under my hat.  good luck :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYZJfGPxN6I&feature=share

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-iv28zWLNY&feature=youtu.be