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As part of the 2011 YWAM Tokyo DTS Outreach phase, I went with 23 others up to the Tohoku, Japan area for ten days. I work with several teams doing various types of relief work. This video is a culmination of videos from my iPod and photos from my digital camera. I do not have many shots of the actual work we did because I wanted to make sure that when I was working I was not taking pictures. Songs used: "Þú Ert Sólin" by Ólafur Arnalds: olafurarnalds.com "Pieces" by RED: redmusiconline.com

Relief Trip | Day 9 Today is the last full day for us in Ishinomaki. We had one more work day and tonight we are having a feast and inviting several of the long term staff and volunteers here at the base to join us. It has been a fantastic two weeks and I am so grateful for all that God had done. I am also excited for what God has next when we return to Tokyo.

Relief Trip | Day 8 Today was a wonderful day. We worked at a location that was rather far away and got to ride bikes there! It was fantastic. A slight drizzle cooled us as we rode and we got to see tree covered mountains along the way. I was so happy that by the time work started I had extra energy. We spent the entire day cleaning out the cities drain system. We cleared out a massive portion of systems that had been overrun with mud from the flooding. We were joined by about 150 other workers and it was so much fun. Then tonight for dinner we had PANCAKES!!!!! : )

Relief Trip | Day 7 Today we did another full day of food prep teams and work teams. However this morning we all woke up early and spent time interceding for the area and for all of the people that we have met here in Ishinomaki. A burden for intercession came on the group and we prayed past the time that we had planned to leave and we actually ended up being slightly late for work. We felt really bad for that but were also encouraged and energized by the prayer time. I believe that corporately our eyes were openned a little more to God's heart for this area. That literally the eternal destinies of people are on the line. And that God so badly wants to bring people here into a relationship with Him. We only have two more full days here. And that reality is really hitting home for some of us. The encouraging news is that God doesn't leave when we do! And His spirit will continue to work here and the words He has spoken will continue until they have accomplished everything they were sent out to do. If you are reading this post please say a prayer for the people of this area. In other news I have recovered from my cold and am super greatful for all of your prayers! Please continue to pray for His provision as I finish my DTS here and then prepare to head home. I could use some financial provison and am trusting Him to take care of the details. I am so excited get to see everyone when I return to the states. : )

Relief Trip | Day 6 Today we worked more at the evacuation center. We swept and mopped all 4 floors as well as did detail cleaning on the first floor where there is still water damage. After lunch I was able to go to a festival near by. It was quite the contrast from last night. Today the air was filled with celebration. Then tonight our entire group got to go to a massive fireworks display. Everyone from the village came and it was quite wonderful. Today was a very fun day.

Relief Trip | Day 5 Today was our day off. We had breakfast and than a mini church service at the base. The rest of the day was spent mostly resting, fellowshipping, and prepping for next week. A few team members had some great praise reports in regards to relationships with the Japanese here at the evacuation center. There are several people our team have met who are interested in learning more about Christianity. It's so cool to see God opening doors as we simply work alongside and love on the Japanese people. It is so good to be able to serve and love and then watch God do the rest. As I am writing this post Sunday night here in Ishinomaki, large explosions are filling the air as fireworks go off nearby. Tonight is the opening of a yearly festival here in Japan. It is a traditional festival over 500 years old where Japanese people make floating lanterns and then set them down the river. Each lantern represents a family member who has died this year and the ceremony, which has strong Budist roots, is about leading te spirits of those people home. It was sobering to see the thousands of lanterns on the water; each representing someone who probably is now in hell. The night is a steong with very sobering reality. As we were walking accross the river bridge, a Japanese man broke down in front of us and started crying. (Japanese people do not show emotion in public so this was overwhelming in a way) he then proceeded to explain that the lantern he lit was for a family member who had been burried in the rubble during the earthquake and that the body still had not been found. Please be praying for Japan. Especially the areas hit hard by the disaster. What Japan needs more than anything is the hope, light and love of Jesus Christ.

Relief Trip | Day 4 Today we worked at the relief center. The entire front area of land is an open field of dirt. And with all the rain and vehicles that have been here, there were many puddles of mud forming. We shoveled all the mud out and poured gravel. During this time a performance group came and played some songs for the evacuees. It was quite fun! I will try and post a video of it later. After lunch, we split into three groups. My group went and cleaned the foundation space of a house that did not survive the flooding. Please be praying for me and the rest of the team. I and several others have developed a cold.

Relief Trip | Day 3 Today we split up into work teams and did various tasks around town in the effected areas. My team spent the day cleaning a building that was entirely flooded in a foot of mud. We bagged all of the dirt and derby and swept and cleaned the floor. It took 10 people a little over 6 hours of work to clear the whole thing. What I walked away with is a sense of how much work goes into the restoration process. There is still much to be done. But what is needed even more than buildings being fixed is hope and light.

Relief Trip Ishinomaki, Japan We arrived in Ishinomaki last night. After cleaning the room we be staying in at the evacuation center, we had dinner and then went to bed. This morning we spent time worshiping and then drove around town into the disaster area. We drove all the way to the coast line and each spent an hour prayer walking around the area and asking the Lord what His heart is for the area and for our time here. We will be here for about two weeks and will mostly be doing physical work. However, our desire is to be ones who carry Gods hope and light into this area. I know that God has a plan for this time.

What is the GOSPEL

Hi-BA Camp 2011 This week has been amazing! I have had the great privilege of working with the Japanese organization Hi-BA International. This week, half of our YWAM team got to help staff the Hi-BA high school camp. Each night we have had a blast in worship, prayer and word. We have gone hard after God and seen each high schoolers massive passion and hunger. The theme of the camp this year is "Living with an eternal perspective" and there has also been a heavy emphasis on Holy Spirit and the supernatural. Last night was my favorite by far. One of the students had had a vision of all of us praying for one of the staff for physical healing in his knees and ankles. So last night after worship and the message we all gathered around him and prayed. It was an amazing time of going after healing and each student was impacted in a deep measure by the Lord's presence and love. The staff member received partial physical healing and we are believing for the rest. But what really was amazing from last night was all of the inner healing God brought him through as well as for the others in the room. Then we broke into intercession over Japan, broke into small groups to pray for each other, and also had an intense time of repentance. Best night ever! I am so excited and encouraged to see what God is doing in Japan with all of these high schoolers. They are burning hot and God is going to use them to flip cities for His Kingdom!!!

2 week outreach to Olongapo, Philippines as part of my YWAM DTS in Tokyo, Japan 2011.

Song: Will Reagan and United Pursuit Band "Set a Fire"

Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/26432991

#YWAM DTS #Tokyo #Japan #2011 #Outreach #Olongapo #Philippines

Philippines Day 12 Today was by far the most rewarding day our team has experienced since being in the Philippines. The day started with breakfast at the Olongapo YWAM base and then church at the Subic House of Prayer. This was the same church we went to last week where I got to speak and our whole team got to minister. Before we arrived at church I went to a convenience store to get a snack and met a Shiite Muslim man and got to talk with him for a bit. Then I headed to church. 3 girls came with us this morning; each from this weeks bar ministry. Also two guys that our leader Kyle had brought after meeting them earlier. Worship was amazing and in the middle of it we started interceding for passion for Jesus' name. Then DTS student Stacy gave the message. It was dead on and focused on the love that God has for us. It was the perfect message for the newcomers as well as great encouragement for everyone. After the message, we got to pray for people again. After praying for several members of the church, i got to pray with Garrett and Destiny for one of the girls that came from the bar ministry. She is a ladyboy and God started to give me several things to pray for him for. He started crying and God started doing some inner healing. Then I had Destiny pray for him and he accepted Christ! Also the too guys that came accepted Christ! Later we met back at the church to go on a treasure hunt (a type of street evangelism where you pray for pictures of people God wants you to talk to then go find them). The two new guys came with my group for the treasure hunt. On the way back, they met two girls they knew and all of us returned to the church together. During the treasure hunt, several people got healed and experienced God's love for them. A lady was at the church when we got there. I learned that one of the teams had met her earlier. She is known throughout the whole town for being 'crazy'. One of our team members said she needed deliverance. She left and the pastor talked with her a few mins and we continued talking about the treasure hunt. However, a little while later the lady came back and we let her in. This time she said we could pray for her. We all got around her and started to pray. She instantly fell over and started manifesting and yelling. Several of our guys began to pray over her and take authority over it. Later they took her to another room with a few others and they all prayed through deliverance for her. I wanted to be there but felt instead that I was supposed to intercede in the main room. Later I got a burden to start interceding for her. I got several things including things done against her. After a while the lady was delivered and the team continued to pray for her and share Christ with her. She gave her life to Christ! While this was happening I was worshiping in the main room with a few others and we were thanking God for all He had done and ministering to Him. When she came out into the main room later she was a totally different person. However we believe that there is still more freedom she needs so the pastor made sure to set up a way for her to keep coming to the church. Also Dave gave her his Bible. I learned that the stuff that I had been interceding over her for were accurate especially the things done to her. God really used the whole team today. And He did it in such a way where He got a lot of glory from it! We are believing that this lady will be able to share with the whole city of Olongapo what Jesus did for her. He is so good and so faithful to us. And He loves us first. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. He made the first move. It's all about Him. He is worthy of the reward for His sufferings.

Philippines Day 11 Today we went to a church called Seek God Ministries. It focuses on street kids. Honestly I was expecting to see a bunch of teens but when we got there I instead met about 100 kids elementary-middleschool age. Immediately I felt that the church was marked by freedom. There was a radical joy there and I was instantly encouraged. The youth lead worship and then gave some personal testimonies. Then one of our DTS students named Stacy spoke on God's love and the gifts of the spirit from 1 Chor 12-14. We then got to pray for anyone who wanted it. One lady accepted Christ, several received healing, one girl got deliverance and then was baptized in the Holy Spirit and everyone was prophesied over. It was so easy to minister there because of the hunger, freedom, and faith. After the ministry time we enjoyed a wonderful feast with everyone. The food was soooooo good!

Philippines Day 10 Today we left right after breakfast to visit a village area in the mountains. After an hour bus ride, we came to an elementary school. There were over 100 smiling faces that greeted us! We sang a few songs and then DTS student Austin gave a message. He ended by asking the kids to come up if they wanted prayer for healing. God healed several of the kids and one of the teachers eyes were healed so she could see without her glasses! Then we boarded a bus with the kids and went with them as they were dropped off at home. Finally we took the bus up to the village area and got to walk around. It was do interesting to meet the village people, see their homes and way of life. The area was so beautiful! Tonight we went to pizza and had some amazing team bonding. I was sitting with Dave and JP. I noticed that our waitress was not smiling and she seemed to be having a bad day. So I made sure to smile and we thanked her for everything repeatedly. Then we asked the Holy Spirit if there was anything we could do to bless her. As soon as we finished, she came over to our table smiling. She said that she wanted to thank us for saying thank you every time she did anything and that no one did that. That was an instant answer to prayer. As we were praying, I got this word that we should ask her about her son. I was afraid though because I didn't know if she had one or even if she was married. Well later I asked if we could pray for her. Then I asked if she had a son. Well it turns out that she has a three year old son with a cold! Also she works an eight hour day then has night classes. We got to pray for her and healing for her son. She had a massive smile by the time we left. I love how the Lord moves even when we are just eating pizza and hanging.

Philippines Day 9 Today we spent the morning worshipping and praying and then had a long time of team affirmation. Then after lunch we went to the orphanage again. This time I talked with two ladies at the orphanage. One was so happy to see each of us. She said that she doesn't have anyone and her children have never visited her. She said that today we were her children. After returning to the YWAM base, we had a ministry time with everyone there. I was with 3 other DTS members and we ministered to the single mothers. We got to pray and encourage each of them. The crazy thing was that one lady said that while we were praying, she heard the sound of wings enter the room, felt a sense of peace and believes that an angel joined the prayer time! While this was happening, there was another group praying for the youth down stairs. Two received the baptism of the Holy Spirit! Then we did bar ministry again and I was part of the intercession team.

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