When one door closes, another opens...

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." 

-- Solomon, Proverbs 19:21

Wow, so much has happened since our last family update, it’s hard to know where to begin! In our last update (Feb 2013), we were less than two months away from our planned move to Florida to continue our missions training with YWAM Orlando. While in the final stages, we had some major details that needed to fall into place to make the move, including the sale of our house. As our departure date drew closer without an offer, it became clear that we needed a "Plan B".

Being fully convinced of our plan to work with YWAM, we hadn't really spent much developing a backup plan. Our assumption was that if things didn’t come together in April, we'd just head down there for the next semester. However, after that open door apparently closed, we decided to take time to reconsider some core questions: Were we really called to serve in missions long-term? If so, was our place overseas or here in the US? Was it best to continue working with YWAM or should we work thru our home church network?

As we wrestled with these questions, we realized that while our desire to continue working in missions was certain, the specifics on where, what and when, were still open to evaluation. For instance, our experience with YWAM was awesome and we would love to continue working with them, but our home church network (http://harvestnetinc.com) also has an expanding missions program where we could serve. YWAM has outstanding training programs, but there are other training programs that might actually be a better fit for our family. We’ve enjoyed working overseas, but we also see the great needs right here in the US.

Given these uncertainties, we decided it would be best to stay here in Lancaster, take advantage of the extra time to prepare and search things out further. Believing that selling our home was key to being free to follow whatever path opens, we decided to keep searching for a buyer, while also seeking out continued employment and opportunities to gain more training and experience in missions. In a very short time, several major items came together and our path for the next year or so is already clearly mapped out! Our house has sold, we found a nearby apartment, I have the opportunity to continue working at Refreshing Mountain (www.refreshingmountain.com) and Amy and I have been invited to join a nine-month missions apprenticeship program, called Immerge (http://www.immergecca.org), that will provide exactly the kind of practical training and mentoring we've been looking for and is based right here in Lancaster!

We are very excited to tell you more about Immerge, but we are going to save that for a future post. For now, we wanted to give everyone a long overdue update on our adventure. Before I close, here's a quick run down on what we are up to this summer, as well a some prayer requests.

• I will be working on several interesting projects at Refreshing Mountain. In my free time, I'll be hanging with the girls, honing my meat smoking skills and will be attending the upcoming Circuit Riders School in Lancaster.(http://thecircuitrider.com/school-of-the-circuit-rider/lancaster/)
• Amy just completed an intense training program at YWAM Lebanon (http://www.ywampa.org), earning a certificate to teach English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). After a short rest, she's busy organizing our new apartment, preparing for homeschooling in the fall and preparing for all the other things we are doing in the fall. In addition to Immerge, Amy will be volunteering at the Cavod Academy of the Arts (http://cavodacademy.com/), where the girls are taking dance classes.
• Bente recently served as a a youth counselor at Kids Camp with our church and is now working in the kitchen at Refreshing Mountain. She will be attending the Circuit Riders School with me in August and then will be take a full load of dance classes in the fall.
• Ascher is busy with all sorts of creations, from the plays she and her friends develop, to stop motion movies and short stories. She will be taking some acting classes and piano classes in the fall.
• Soren continues in her aspirations to be a veterinarian one day by absorbing herself in every episode of shows like "Dog Whisperer". She's been spending a lot of time at the pool and has been a great play mate to Mala. She'll also be taking some classes in the fall including Hip Hop and Piano.
• Our little Miss Mala just turned three and she's got all of the spunk and energy to prove it. She won't be taking any classes just yet, but she's busy learning more everyday and enjoys keeping us on our toes from morning to night!

Our journey has had some unexpected twists and turns, but it's a fulfilling adventure and we're learning more everyday! As you think about us, consider partnering with us in prayer in the following areas:

• Increased grace as we learn to walk on this next leg of our journey
• Clear direction over this next year as we seek out our future in missions
• Praise the Lord with us that we have already received about half of the monthly support we will need during our apprenticeship (I will be transitioning to part-time hours at work) and for continued wisdom and provision as we work out a strategy for additional fundraising.

Bente, Carl, Mala, Soren & Ascher

Amy & her TESOL class

Mala & Ascher on Mala's Birthday

Family in Missions Spotlight: The Keller Family

Hi everyone! Just received an update from our dear friends the Keller family, who we first met in New Zealand. They were in our DTS class and also were one of the families on the outreach team to Australia. Matt and Heidi have three boys, Indiana, Trace and Perrin, and they are an amazing family with a burning heart for missions! Upon returning home, they moved from Minnesota to Idaho to serve on a YWAM base where they are staffing the Missions Adventures program (http://www.ywamidaho.org/cascade/Mission_Adventures.html). Here is their first outreach report:

His name was Tristen. We met him several times on the street in a miraculous sort of way...

Heidi and I and the rest of our YWAM Mission Adventures staff were praying with our students asking God to speak to us about who we were supposed to share the Gospel with today. We believe that God is speaking and wants to speak to us. As we prayed someone in one of the groups felt God telling him to look for a man sitting alone in a cafe. Some of the kids were given pictures, landscapes and even names. So we always write that down and just be aware of it as we're walking down the streets.

This is where Tristen comes in. He was sitting alone in a cafe. He was dejected and hopeless when someone from one of our groups sees him says, "that's the man God told us about". One of the men from our team went in to the cafe and told him the story...that God had sent him to talk a man sitting alone in a cafe. Instantly Tristen began to cry. He was broken. They had a time of prayer and time of sharing the Gospel but it didn't end there.

The next day our team was doing a PB&J ministry where we set up tables on the street corners and serve sandwiches and drinks to whoever needed it. After they picked up food they were greeted by our prayer teams waiting to share and pray with them. And guess who walks in to the group...That's right, Tristen. But the group that had ministered to him at the cafe were on a different street and so none of us knew the connection yet with this man that God had brought to us. He grabbed his food and again received prayer and his own Bible.

But now the story gets crazy...

The group of 3 adults who had prayed with Tristen on the PB&J ministry had a couple hours to "kill" while other groups were out doing ministry when they felt that God told them to get in their truck and drive. So they did. They came to a red light as the light rail train passed by. The train slowed down just enough so their eyes could meet with someone they recognized...Tristen! They knew that's why God had them drive at that moment. They followed the train until Tristen got off. They quickly hopped out of the truck and after many tears Tristen had told them he had given his life over to Jesus. He also shared a few of the answers to prayer from the previous day that were also truly amazing.

I'm sure you can imagine the excitement the groups had when they all realized they had been directed to meet Tristen and minister to him.

Most of this ministry was done by people who had never shared their faith like this before. They hadn't taken the time to ask God who He wanted them to talk to but because they were now willing on this day and because they sought the LORD, He spoke to them and gave them the great privilege of being a part of His ministry.

We are SO blessed to be a part of this ministry. We have been learning much and are excited to see what is coming up next. We have another group of students coming in on Monday so thank you in advance for praying :)

For God's glory!

Matt & Heidi
Indy, Trace & Perrin

ps...Our new ministry address is:

YWAM IDAHO
110 W Market St. PO BOX 70
Cascade, ID 83611

 

 

Family in Missions Spotlight: Arts & Missions, Melanie Weaver

Hi everyone! Since we're home right now, we thought we'd keep up our blog by introducing you to some of the other missionaries we are in contact with.  We met Melanie Weaver and her family through our church and have been following her missions adventures over the last few years.  She has served on missions bases through YWAM in Haiti, Jamaica, Hawaii and has also participated in short term outreaches in other countries around the world.  She is currently attending a School of Dance on YWAM base in Montana in preparation for serving as staff in future performing arts schools held overseas.  You might wonder dance has to do with missions, the fact is, the "arts", including dance, music, media, etc. have quite an impact in our society and often serve as a great vehicle for reaching the unreached, particularly in "closed" countries. Melanie and the team she is studying with are a great example -  their work is leading to open doors in Thailand! The following is her latest update.  I encourage you to pray about how you might contribute to their work. If you feel led to give, or just want to stay up to date with the teams progress so that you can join them in prayer, contact Melanie by email, dancer.for.Christ@gmail.com

"We are now already almost halfway through the School of Dance Studies and are getting more excited by the day to be going to Thailand for our outreach! The last several weeks of the first quarter were packed full from having a guest artist, two dance concerts, and all our finals, presentations and individual presentations of dance pieces we have choreographed. As much as my fellow students, staff and I are here for dance we are also here to grow in character and our relationships with God and each other. It has been a journey and there is still much to learn.

Our guest artist was Freddie Moore. A christian who works within the Alvin Ailey company, a dance company that has been called artistic ambassadors to the world. It was an honor and a privilege to get to work with him in class and glean wisdom such a vast history and experience of dance and the dance world. The week following was full of multiple rehearsals and culminated with two concert nights. The base and community at large are invited to come and attend the concert.  The response from the audience and the base was that it was one of the most purposeful concerts in its message and the presence of the Holy Spirit was so evident. We felt it as well and it was really amazing. God is on the move and has a lot more in store for this quarter as well.

After a week of spring break and rest we are back at it again and are delving deep into the history of dance through the ages, how to teach dancing, and working with people and choreography. We are still a few months out from Thailand but will be getting our tickets soon.

This is a rather long update but check out Facebook for pictures and some videos.

Please be praying for us that we can soak up all that God wants us to while we are here, and favor as we start to work with each other in dance pieces that each of us will create ourselves and set on the others.

Please pray also for all the funds to come in for the team for Thailand. I am still in need of $1200 for the outreach and I know others are still gathering their funds as well. Thanks so much for reading and praying!

May God bless you in this season and give you a refreshing taste of His love and joy. He is our confidence and our source.

Melanie Weaver

Email: dancer.for.Christ@gmail.com"

Our Next Family Missions Adventure!

Hello everyone, we are so thankful for each of you that have been following our adventures and supporting us through your prayers and words of encouragement. We are writing today to let you know about our next adventure, which is a significant step in this amazing journey God is leading us on!

Our first missions adventure as a family was something of an "experiment" - a short term commitment to see if our desire to be involved in missions work was just a passing desire or a true path for our family to follow. What we found was that we enjoyed it more than we ever expected and in a way that's hard to describe, we feel like we have discovered our life purpose. Instead of being weary from the work and longing for the comforts of home, we found ourselves energized by giving to others.  And while we enjoy being home, we find ourselves missing living in community, serving in ministry to people in need and helping others learn about the goodness of God.  

In our travels we became aware of the great need for more workers in the mission field and we felt a growing desire to be a part of the solution.  Before making any major decisions, we wanted to return home and spend some time reflecting, praying and talking with trusted advisors. Through this process we realized that these desires were lasting and with the support of our family and church leaders we have have decided to begin on a path towards full time ministry.  Our goal is not to start a new ministry, instead our desire is to use the skills God has given us to come alongside ministry leaders and support them in achieving the vision God has given them reach to the lost, poor and needy. Specifically, we hope to get involved with supporting discipleship training programs and urban street ministry as part of YWAM. 

The next leg of our journey will take us to a YWAM base in Orlando, Florida, where we will receive the additional training we need to take on a staff position within YWAM.  The training will involve both classroom learning and practical application via local and overseas outreach work.  YWAM Orlando is a large missions base that is training hundreds of missionaries every year and sends out teams all over the world, so it's a perfect training ground for our family (http://www.ywamorlando.com/outreach). As part of our training, we will develop a longer term ministry plan, which will including identifying where and how we will serve for the next few years.  All YWAM workers are responsible for raising their own support, so we will be working out a plan for fundraising during this time as well.  

We leave for Orlando at the end of March, which is less than two months away! In preparation for our departure, we have been focusing on practical things like selling our house, downsizing our possessions and getting ready for the move. We've also been spending time with family, meeting with people to share what we are doing and trying to squeeze some fun with friends in too!  Please keep us in your prayers: chief concerns at the moment are that our house would sell before we leave at the end of March, that our family would have grace for the preparations and the move and that we would have the faith to trust God for his provision and favor as we step out into a whole new way of living and working as a family!

Please feel free to share these links with anyone you think would be interested in following our journey, we'd love to share our experiences with everyone.  If you want to receive our updates automatically, like our page on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LefeverFamilyMissionsAdventures) or subscribe to our blog (http://lefeverfamilymissionsadventures.blogspot.com).  

Street Ministry

One of our favorite memories of our time in Australia is of the various people we met and the things we witnessed God doing in their lives during street ministry in the city of Adelaide.  Our approach to street ministry was a little different from the stereotypical idea of people standing on street corners, handing out tracts and confronting random strangers, which often results in pushing people away from the kingdom.  Instead, we "adopted" a small area of the city called Rundle Mall and Hindley Street and visited there many different times each week, frequenting the shops, walking the streets, hanging out meeting people as God led.  Sometimes we just walked and prayed and other times we found ways to connect with people by giving out water, sodas, flowers. etc.  Our main focus was simply to be available to join in with whatever God was already doing.  Some nights it seemed very small and weak, but every time we found opportunities and through these simple acts, God moved in amazing ways!

Rundle street has a open mall with many different shops.  During the day the mall is full of shoppers, vendors and street performers ("buskers").  At night the streets are much quieter, but there is still quite a bit of foot traffic, made of a mix of business people, lingering shoppers, street performers, homeless and revelers.  There are many benches throughout the mall area and free wi-fi, so there were always opportunities to meet interesting people who were just hanging around.  We ran into Michael and Rod almost every night on the mall and were able to develop a connection, praying with them about their struggles and having some very deep discussions.

Hindley Street is known as the entertainment district of Adelaide.  This is also the area of Adelaide where many of the underground brothels operate out of the back of nightclubs, karaoke bars and massage parlors. Many nights we simply walked and prayed in this area, as many people were not really open to talking, but over time things really opened up.  This was the place where we met Richard, the man whose testimony we featured in a prior blog post.  God was really after Richard and he used our encounter with him to bring about a total transformation in a very short time.

No matter what we did or where we went, we found that if we would just be willing to look around and really see what was going on, it was actually very easy to find people that needed some help, a little bit of encouragement or just a kind word.  It was amazing to see the reactions when they asked why we would come from all over the world just to walk the streets and talk to people.  It gave us a great opening to talk about what God has done in our lives and in many cases led to opportunities to speak into their lives and prayer for issues or speak into opportunities that He was highlighting in their lives.


Our approach to street ministry was inspired by a movie we had watched as a team called "Father of Lights".  There was one story in particular that impressed us all, which followed a man named Todd White (who happens to be from PA!)  as he simply prayed for people he met on the streets.  I don't have a direct clip from the movie, but here is one of his videos on YouTube, which is a great example of the amazing things God does to demonstrate his love and interest in his children!

Kids on Outreach

Hello everyone!  We are finally over jet lag and are settling back into "normal" life for at least few months before our next adventure!  Now that we are sleeping at normal hours, we have been able to get around a visit with friends and family and get back to our home church in Ephrata.  As we meet old and new friends, we get to share a lot about what we did with YWAM during our school in New Zealand and outreach in Australia. One of the most common questions we get is about what all of the children did while the parents were in school or involved in ministry.  In this post we'll highlight their involvement and provide some pictures and videos to so that you can share in the experience.

DTS Lecture Phase (located on the YWAM base in Matamata, New Zealand)

While in New Zealand, our main focus was attending daily lectures, participating in corporate worship and prayer and other community events and serving in practical ways around the base.  While we were in lectures, Bente, Ascher and Soren were homeschooling with the other kids on the base in a classroom that was monitored by one of the full time missionaries on the base. Mala spent her school time in the "creche" which is the term for nursery school in New Zealand, where she made quick friends with the teacher there, Niede.


There were lots of other kids in the homeschool, so everyone made lots of friends and had a lot of fun running around the playground and fields around the base.  On some weekends they had games or other events for the base, like one week we all participated in the Family Olympics! The kids had a lot of opportunities to express their creativity. They developed a passion for Risk and have always liked the Chronicles of Narnia, so why not make a Narnia version of Risk? Some of the older girls got together and organized a drama class that they ran on the weekends and performed one of their dramas at our graduation dinner.  

The kids also received some formal training while they were on the base.  From time to time the speakers that were teaching our lectures would spend time with the children.  For instance, we had a entire week on "hearing God" and our speaker, Cheyne, spent time with the children teaching them the principles of how to listen to God's voice and even had some practical application in praying blessings over each other!  On the last week of school we had a special treat in that a YWAM team from the Kings Kids base on the South Island came and taught the children a series of dramas that they could perform on outreach.  They were taught to pray before every performance and use their talents to bless others and open doors for the gospel.  Here is a link to one of their practice performances that they did on the base, this one features all of the children that participated.

In addition to learning and community life on the base, the girls had lots of opportunities to experience the culture and sights of New Zealand.  Each week we had trips into town and several sight seeing tours in nearby areas, including visiting Tauranga, a city with great beaches and mountain views, Hamilton Gardens and Hobbiton, where Amy and Ascher toured the movie set of the Shire, a scene used in the Lord of the Rings series and most recently The Hobbit.

DTS Outreach Phase (located on the YWAM base in Adelaide, Australia)
Our girls were very excited to visit Australia.  They had made a lot of friends in New Zealand, but they were looking forward to warmer weather and the chance to meet some koalas and kangaroos!  Some of their friends came along too, as we traveled with five families, made up of 9 adults and 14 children.  We stayed in a large house that was once used as an orphanage and then a governors mansion.  The kids loved being able to run around the large house and play together, which at first caused quite a stir in the base!

As part of our outreach, we tried to share God's love with the people in Adelaide through simple acts of kindness.  These proved to be great opportunities to involve the kids in things like handing out free waters, giving out flowers, picking up rubbish at local parks and sharing free ice pops to the kids after school.  In each case, the kids had a lot of excitement and showed a genuine interest in helping people.  Many times they displayed unusual boldness in approaching strangers, offering a free gift and even praying with many.


In addition to serving on the streets, we did a lot of practical service on the YWAM base, at churches and in the community.  The children all participated in various ways to help maintain the base property and jumped in to help with several of the projects we did in the local community and at a local church.  They also had the opportunity to perform their dramas at one of the local churches we served.

One of the highlights of our time in Australia was the performance that the children put on for the service that we did for the crowd at the Salvation Army one Saturday night.  Our girls were part of the team that did two different drama performances and Ascher even gave a personal testimony in front of the crowd!  There was a lot of interest in the performance as they don't usually have any live entertainment at the shelter - there over 50 guests in attendance and the the staff said it was the best service they had!

We did a bit of sightseeing in Adelaide as well.  The girls visited the Adelaide Zoo and a Wildlife Reserve, where they got to see lots of animals and even petted kangaroos!  We visited the oldest German settlement in Australia, called Hahndorf, which ended with an full course German meal.  We frequented several beautiful beaches and spent lots of time in the city of Adelaide, where one of our favorite stops was the local "Hungry Jacks" which had soft serve ice cream for just 50 cents!   On the last week we had a community outing at a wonderful (and free) play park where they had amazing rides and activities.