a little bit of Tauranga life...

Here's a few photos of Tauranga so far. I got to teach Inductive Bible Study to a group of dts ers, and it was so much fun! I've never experienced a group of students before who caught on to the method so quickly...We were using the book of Philemon and they were pulling out all these amazing interpretations and application points...I was so impressed! The experience really re affirmed to me how much I love Bible teaching, and really pray that God will continue to use me in this area...I left that night so full of joy and was so blessed by the whole experience. It's amazing how when you give out, you totally get blessed in return so much...I feel like I got way more blessed than I ever could have blessed them! After I finished teaching, the whole group of students and staff gathered around me and prayed blessings over my life and my next step, going to Perth to study. Lately there've been some days when I've been a bit discouraged over a few things about being in missions, and I feel that God really used this experience to remind me how much I truly love YWAM and am so privileged to be a part of it...I really needed this this week and so it was really great timing.
In other news- Canada beat Tonga in the Rugby World Cup this week!!! Last month I didn't even know we had a Rugby team..ha ha, so it's pretty shocking how proud I am of our boys now that they've beaten Tonga! :)
Tonight I'm doing a 'spa night' fundraiser to raise funds for my next step...praying it goes well.
Other than that, it's my last weekend in Tauranga before heading off to Auckland to visit my friend Alana..and then... PERTH! I'm so excited!!!

teaching tomorroww.....

So tomorrow I teach Inductive Bible Study here in Tauranga at the Marine Reach base. Please pray for me, I'm very nervous! and pray for them....for open hearts and being receptive to learning this method of Bible study. I love that I get the privilege of teaching a method that i'm so passionate about...but I always hate getting up in front of people! Thankfully His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
Thanks for the prayers....much love

outreach = over.

So, its with mixed emotions that I inform you that our Pacific outreach is completed. We had a great time...many ups and downs but mostly ups :) I learned SO much as it was my first time leading a team, and was definetely thankful to have a great co-leader! We were sent off with such a warm farewell on the base, and it was pretty sad. Before I left for the airport, I finally got to see someone from my DTS 8 years ago! Kelly, my dts mama, met me in town and we got to catch up before I left...so nice to see her! We flew out of Samoa, and all went our seperate ways. 2 full years with SBS are now over. Can hardly believe it but am so ready for whats next...Foundations in Counseling school in Perth! But first- i'm here in NZ with my friends and it is SO nice. God obviously knew I'd need a rest and He is so good to let me have a whole month off. I will be doing some teaching in the Marine Reach DTS here on Inductive Bible Study, likely in 2 weeks, but I'm really looking forward to that too! Teaching doesn't feel like work anymore, it's so much fun to be able to give out this method that changed my life so much. Been getting extremely attached to Holly and Reuben, age 7 and 9. I miss my neices and nephews every day so it's been so nice to be around some kids, and they even call me "aunty Rachel" which warms my heart! and their little kiwi accents are about the cutest thing ever. Well, I'm off to the doctor- the staph is back. argggg. pray for me!

Update from Samoa :)

Talofa lava from Samoa!

Our team arrived here in Samoa about 2 weeks ago. I haven’t updated until know because, quite frankly, there wasn’t much to say that would’ve been positive and I didn’t want to be a downer. Our first week was pretty rough, as the students experienced some serious culture shock. The Samoan culture the most legalistic culture I’ve ever experienced, and it just sometimes seems like a lot of rules! I can relate to how they felt because I had a hard time back in 2003 when I first spent time here.  And, honestly, even having been here before, the culture shock definitely hit me too. However, we’ve all prayed through it a lot and God is definitely giving us a heart for this place and the people in it.  So, that was the first few days and then at that point I came down with an ugly/painful/nasty staph infection that spread rapidly, even to my face. I won’t go into more detail, because trust me, you’ll get grossed out…The good news is, I’m healing up and feeling much better (Praise the Lord), and I’ve now become the team joke as the boys are quite amused by the whole thing… it’s like having 2 little brothers I tell you!

Ministry on this island has generally been awesome….well, with one exception ;) Yesterday we were all teaching at a church on the inductive Bible study method using the book of Philemon. The pastor of the church had already interrupted us once to tell us we were leaving things out, when meanwhile we were only on the first step and just hadn’t got to that part yet! So, I got up to teach my portion, and before I could start he announced to us all that most of the people in the church had already been through Bible training and so just go through it quickly and don’t let them ask questions, they know everything already….I was like, ok, so why am I about to teach?! ;) ha ha, but I put a smile on and kept going, and by the end the pastor was so thrilled with our inductive Bible study method, that he invited us back, and arranged for us to teach in another village. I don’t know why this experience was so hilarious to me, but it really was! Basically every church we’ve taught at, we’ve focused on teaching them the Bible study method. My friend Adam in SBS always talks about how teaching people the method is like teaching them to fish, not just feeding them once. So even though we have quite a few books of the Bible to teach, we really feel we are to focus on teaching them how to study the Bible for themselves, so they can continue to do it after we are gone. It’s been really exciting to see the responses of the crowds. God is really at work on this island, so even though we had a rough start, it’s turning out to be a really awesome learning experience.

            In other news, I’ve finally made a decision on my next step. For the last couple months I’ve been applying for and praying about taking a school called Foundations in Counseling Ministries (F.C.M), in Perth, Australia. God has layed counseling on my heart for years now, and I’m so excited to finally be able to begin my training. I know God has called me to some type of ministry, and I know that counseling is a part of in, along with the Bible teaching, but am still curious as to how He will place it all together! The school is very outreach focused, and very involved in the community, which I’m really excited about! So I’ll be doing 3 months of training in Perth, and then another 3 months of outreach, to practice our counseling training, in a location unknown as of now. It’s taken me quite a while to make the final decision about whether or not to do this school, and so I hadn’t sent off my visa application until 2 days ago. At this point, I thought it may have been too late to get my visa, as it often takes a while. But, the very next morning, I check my email, and there was my visa acceptance! It’s really unheard of for the visa to be processed and accepted in this short of time, so I was so excited, and really took this as a promise from God that He’s taking care of the details. Since He had put this school on my heart, I kept telling Him that I was very willing to do it, but He would have to provide and take care of the details because I can only do what I can humanly do. Last week, I was having second thoughts and considering pushing the school off until next year, which would give me some time to work and save up for it. However, God was really clear with me the He wants to show me how He can take care of it, how He always takes care of me and how He always will. I was really convicted and definitely had to repent of trying to do things my own way. So, even though I still have some fear and it’s hard to admit that I don’t have all the finances for this school, I know my God is a God who provides. And so, the worry has pretty much gone away, and I’m excited to see how He will do it.

So, here’s how it will look. Straight after outreach is over on August 27, I’ll be flying to Taraunga, New Zealand to meet up with my Kiwi (aka New Zealand) family, Jacqui and Lester and their 2 adorable kids, Holly and Reuben. I met them on my backpacking trip through NZ 3 years ago and it was one of those times in life where you just instantly bond and feel like family. Since then, they’ve always said I’m welcome to come stay with them and use their spare room. So I finally am getting a chance to take them up on this, although a month may have been more than they bargained for! J I’ll be with them for 4 weeks, just being part of their family life, and enjoying some time of rest. I’m also hoping to help out at Marine Reach (a ministry of YWAM) with whatever areas of need they may have, Bible teaching or otherwise. Taraunga is pretty much my favorite city in the world, and I’m so excited to be so blessed as to get to spend a whole month there! Then I’ll spend my 5^th and final week in NZ in Auckland, at my friend Alana’s, before I fly out to Perth on October 3 to start my school!

So that’s the latest on me. Thanks for reading and please continue to pray for team unity and open hearts. Outreach will be over before we know it.

If you would like to be a part of my ministry, I’d love to have you partner with me. If you feel in your heart to give towards my next step, here’s where to go:

To make a donation:

Rachel Hennan HR10

YWAM Project Funding PO Box 51700

Vancouver, BC

V5K 1ZO

Phone # 604-436-4433

Fax # 604-436-4406

Email-donorservices@shaw.ca

Much Love <3

1 week left in Fiji!

thanks for all the prayers, things are going good here in fiji. we moved to Suva which is a bigger city. we have been so blessed by the people here (and fed very well :) lots of teaching, and thats been really fun. I got to teach a Bible study on 2 Peter 2 nights ago to a bunch of Fijian people and we had such a great time. They have us booked solid here with preaching/teaching/visiting etc. I can't believe we leave for Samoa in 1 week, finally returning to the homeland after 8 years! im soooo excited. I'll put up a more detailed update tomorrow hopefully! missing home and the fam so much these days, you're all in my prayers. thank you for ALL the support and love to all reading, a lot of you have made this experience possible for me. Much love

Team Pacifica Update!!

We arrived in Fiji last Monday and were welcomed by the current leaders of YWAM Vunayasi which is about 10 to 15 minutes away from the city of Nadi. We had a warm welcome from the Vunayasi staff, who waited for our arrival dressed in traditional Fijian attire and welcomed us with a traditional song. It was quite a welcome as it continued into our dinner and they performed several mekes (dances) for us.

Our first week staying at YWAM Vunayasi we spent our time getting to know the staff and preparing our teachings for the following week. However we also engaged in the base activities during our preparation times. We attended the weekly bible study, where Catherine (who is from Fiji) spoke the word of the Lord to the staff and several visitors from the Fijian bible college. We also attended the base intercession time, which was fruitful for both our team and the staff and visitors. Later the same day we also joined the base staff in their Kid’s Club where local children from the surrounding farms and houses come to the base to sing songs, learn about the Lord, and play games. Jillian, the team leader led the kids in numerous songs and taught them the story of the Lost sheep using “Inductive Storying.” The following day our team led a time of worship for the base and later joined the staff at Babakula, a piece of land given to Loren Cunningham. The men on our team went along with the staff men and learned how to plant cassava while the women on the team went with the staff women to pray in the building they hope to turn into a prayer house for Fiji. On our first Sunday we attended two church services. The first of which was a small house church where Catherine lead the pre-service bible study. Later we attended an evening service at a large church where we would be teaching the women’s ministry the following week.

                Our first week at YWAM Vunayasi has been very relational. The team has connected with the staff and their visitors in some pretty incredible ways. Cultural barriers were non-existent thanks to God and the kind, generous, and compassionate hearts of those at the Vunayasi base.

                This Monday thru Wednesday the C-SBS team were given the privilege of teaching the women’s ministry at a local church a bible overview. We were able to reveal the Lord’s character to them on a broader scale and also build relationship with them as well. We were truly blessed by their hospitality and love. We were also given an opportunity to share our personal testimonies to a group of AOG Bible College Graduates who are staying on the YWAM base, telling them of how the Lord brought us from our DTSs to SBS to Fiji. We have also been given an opportunity to teach Jonah, James, and Colossians to the staff and another local church. It is a real blessing to teach these Christians as well as learning from them.

                So far Fiji has been ministering to our team indirectly in amazing ways. It has been an encouraging and inspiring thing to see the faith of the natives as well as their joy even in the midst of struggles for provision, which is biblically inspiring as well. In the week to come we will be leaving Vunayasi and going to a church in Suva about three hours away. This is the home church of Catherine Chander, who was born and raised in Fiji and was living in Reiwaqa, Suva prior to her schooling in DTS and C-SBS. We will be teaching Inductive Bible Study Seminars as well as a few books from the Old and New testament. After we have spent a week there we will be heading off to Samoa to teach the word there.

                Thank you all for prayers and support. This has been an amazing experience and we have the faith that the Lord will use this experience to strengthen and disciple us even more than he already has.

Personally- amazed at all God is doing, but homesick for both Kona and Manitoba at the moment...

Thanks for reading guys and God bless you

let the teaching begin...

So today i taught 'Bible Overview' for the first time to the most precious group of Fijian women at a church on the top of the most beautiful mountain. God's presense was so strong and that made the teaching so incredible.  It s been really hard to get internet out here so i haven't been able to upload any photos but I'll try to as soon as i can. Getting adjusted to life here, its had ups and downs but in general learning a lot. please pray for team unity!! thanks for all your prayers and support, will write more soon!