Now before some of you start getting too excited, please realize the title of my post may be misleading :) I am, indeed, headed to Indiana but I'm going with a crew here from Teen Missions to Evansville (about as far southwest as you can go in Indiana)to TTT (triple t) Ministries to set up a traveling life-size version of our Old Testament Tabernacle. We'll be leaving early (but not so bright hehe) around 5 am on Monday morning and will be gone for about two weeks. I'm really looking forward to going and being available to help out in this ministry. There will be lots of promotions going on for the different ministries of Triple T, Teen Missions, and Aids Orphans. All donations will go towards the Aids Orphans ministry and many are given the opportunity to "adopt" orphans of their own through the ministry, or pay to provide something like a goat, chickens, or medicine for these orphans which are administered at our numerous Rescue Units throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Please be praying for safety as we travel (as we are going by 15 passenger van with a trailer for a straight shot 13.5 hours) and also that many people would come learn more about the Tabernacle, a perfect representation of Christ, and support the ministries doing such great work around the world.
Another note: it's almost Saturday! That means big top 1 day (our largest big top) is going up and it's an all-day event. We have numerous people volunteering to help and all of the staff will be out to help get it up. It's actually a brand new tent so this is the first time this literal one will be going up but it's all the same in principle. Please be praying for safety as it goes up and also for good fun and fellowship as it is a very unifying time in preparation for Bootcamp as a staff. Please continue also praying for all the team members and leaders who are raising their funds to be able to go on the trips and also for good health and missionary burdens.
Addendum: If any of you would like a prayercard for my trip to Ecuador, you can contact my parents (if you know them) as I've mailed the majority to them to pass out at church and relatives. I didn't ask for a lot because I wasn't sure how many I'd use. So if you want one you can ask me too and I'll do my best to get you one although again, I'll be in Indiana for the next two weeks!
God bless!
-Danny
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wait, 39 days til Bootcamp already!?
Wow, the time certainly is flying by for me here. It's hard to believe I've been down here in Florida for over a month already! I just have a few updates, some exciting and some not so exciting but rather hopeful.
First I want to give the update on the church I was attending for the two years I was down here with Teen Missions as a student. This past Sunday the Pastor who has been causing a lot of problems within the church verbally resigned, admitted to some of his wrongdoing and agreed to move on. The other elder involved with it has also resigned and so the church (as the body of believers) is going to be going through a really rough time. There was a small group attending who are/were very devoted to Glenn and were upset to see him go, although I can honestly a lot of that can be attributed to some ignorance of what was going on behind closed doors. Please keep praying for this church that healing would come and that the two "sides" would come together in unison and be loving as Christians ought to be. We're having a car show this Saturday there and I'm asking for prayer that it would be a time of unification and a time for focusing on God and not ourselves.
Now, on to more exciting things, as I mentioned last time I am going to be the head leader of the Ecuador preteen team. There's 21 kids in total with five leaders, one of which whom I led with last year. I'm really looking forward to the summer and what it will hold. God did some amazing things last summer, even in just allowing me to be able to go on the team, as well as throughout the summer. It was such a blessing to see the team grow together and grow as individuals in the Lord. These teams really have a tremendous impact on the kids and it's a constant reminder of how God began to change me through my team experiences.
-My specific requests in prayer for this summer would be that all the kids and leaders would be able to raise the funds necessary to come on the team.
-For health and safety of all involved in teams this summer
-For a missionary burden for all the team members with a desire to work and serve
-For unity, team growth, and spiritual growth
-For the new government system and leaders who are openly anti-christian. The staff at the base there are working hard to do a lot more paperwork to be able to be legal, the government is coming down hard on NGO status and other religious organizations there.
My personal prayer requests not really relating to this summer are:
- Please continue to pray for my wisdom teeth, that they would not bother me, especially during the summer, until I can figure out what I want to do about getting them out versus extreme costs because of not having insurance.
-I have the ability to get a free car (an oldy, I believe it's an '88 Bonneville but she still runs and would make a good Point A/ Point B car. I'm just praying about wisdom on that decision, the only thing I have to take into consideration is affording insurance. I've been doing some research on that. Please pray that God would give me the wisdom on that decision and that if I do get the car, that I would be able to have the support needed to afford it.
One last thing! TMI has a few new bases and BMW (Bible Missionary Work Training Centers) opening up. I believe one is in Papua, another one in Indonesia (Kalimantan) and just a BMW opening up in a country I cannot name for safety reasons. They have 21 students lined up for this BMW and they are going at the risk of going to jail. Please be praying for their safety and that God would continue to uplift them and do a mighty work in that country.
Blessings!
Danny
First I want to give the update on the church I was attending for the two years I was down here with Teen Missions as a student. This past Sunday the Pastor who has been causing a lot of problems within the church verbally resigned, admitted to some of his wrongdoing and agreed to move on. The other elder involved with it has also resigned and so the church (as the body of believers) is going to be going through a really rough time. There was a small group attending who are/were very devoted to Glenn and were upset to see him go, although I can honestly a lot of that can be attributed to some ignorance of what was going on behind closed doors. Please keep praying for this church that healing would come and that the two "sides" would come together in unison and be loving as Christians ought to be. We're having a car show this Saturday there and I'm asking for prayer that it would be a time of unification and a time for focusing on God and not ourselves.
Now, on to more exciting things, as I mentioned last time I am going to be the head leader of the Ecuador preteen team. There's 21 kids in total with five leaders, one of which whom I led with last year. I'm really looking forward to the summer and what it will hold. God did some amazing things last summer, even in just allowing me to be able to go on the team, as well as throughout the summer. It was such a blessing to see the team grow together and grow as individuals in the Lord. These teams really have a tremendous impact on the kids and it's a constant reminder of how God began to change me through my team experiences.
-My specific requests in prayer for this summer would be that all the kids and leaders would be able to raise the funds necessary to come on the team.
-For health and safety of all involved in teams this summer
-For a missionary burden for all the team members with a desire to work and serve
-For unity, team growth, and spiritual growth
-For the new government system and leaders who are openly anti-christian. The staff at the base there are working hard to do a lot more paperwork to be able to be legal, the government is coming down hard on NGO status and other religious organizations there.
My personal prayer requests not really relating to this summer are:
- Please continue to pray for my wisdom teeth, that they would not bother me, especially during the summer, until I can figure out what I want to do about getting them out versus extreme costs because of not having insurance.
-I have the ability to get a free car (an oldy, I believe it's an '88 Bonneville but she still runs and would make a good Point A/ Point B car. I'm just praying about wisdom on that decision, the only thing I have to take into consideration is affording insurance. I've been doing some research on that. Please pray that God would give me the wisdom on that decision and that if I do get the car, that I would be able to have the support needed to afford it.
One last thing! TMI has a few new bases and BMW (Bible Missionary Work Training Centers) opening up. I believe one is in Papua, another one in Indonesia (Kalimantan) and just a BMW opening up in a country I cannot name for safety reasons. They have 21 students lined up for this BMW and they are going at the risk of going to jail. Please be praying for their safety and that God would continue to uplift them and do a mighty work in that country.
Blessings!
Danny
Friday, April 17, 2009
This week's update
Well it seems that I can't make it on here as much as I'd like and when I'm thinking about it, it's unavailable :) Not a whole lot more is different but I do have some exciting news that I got today. I and a few other guys were pulled into a meeting with Mr. Bland this afternoon and we had a discussion about summer teams and leader locations. After discussing options for a while I've finally been placed with a team, as promised. Betty (head of leader placement) was throwing several team options my way here and there where there was a need. I basically said to just place me wherever I was needed and she said she'd get back to me. So today I'm "officially" (nothing is really final until you hop on that plane to leave haha) the head male leader of the Ecuador Preteen Team. It's the second largest preteen team going out this summer, and I'm even going to be leading with the same head female leader I did last year to Australia (provided that doesn't change either) which is an awesome blessing. Heather, if you're reading this, you should totally sign up too :) Our whole leadership from last year would be reunited. Anyhow, it's in the mountains of Ecuador and I hear the temperatures are even more extreme on the cold factor than Australia last year! South America and Africa are the two continents I have not been too before so it's neat that I'll be able to go there. (Belize and Honduras are Central America which is technically still North America; the location in Siberian Russia was over the Ural mountains so was included in Asia)
Another important note: Thank you to all who have been praying for me, especially for my problems with my wisdom teeth. I have not had any pain in them for almost a week now and it stopped right after asking for prayer. Thank you again, the Lord is truly gracious.
-Danny
Another important note: Thank you to all who have been praying for me, especially for my problems with my wisdom teeth. I have not had any pain in them for almost a week now and it stopped right after asking for prayer. Thank you again, the Lord is truly gracious.
-Danny
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tent Week Update
Well, it's Thursday and that means the last day of working before the three day Easter weekend. I'm really looking forward to this weekend...it'll be a good time of reflection and prayer. I won't be so busy this weekend so I'll have more time to get some things done that I've wanted to. Tonight I'm taking a couple of students to the airport after work as quite a few were able to get flights home to visit.
As for the Big Top tents I had mentioned in my previous postings, we've gotten up the Peanut tent, Big Top 2, Mustard Seed tent, and today we should be doing the layout tent and finishing up any final aspects of the others. We've also been getting out and moving around all the stage pieces, chairs and other things that belong at each tent for the different functions they'll serve. The visitor tent was in need of some more repair so that one will have to wait until next week sometime to go up. Plans for Big Top 1 (the huge one) is for an all day event at the beginning of May. A few outside volunteers are coming in for that as well, one being a friend of mine who just graduated from BMW, Worth Oliver, who's gonna stay at my house for a couple days.
The new carousel being built out at Alligator lake is presumed to be finished by today and we'll hold a dedication out there right before work ends at five. I'm looking forward to all the great things that are going to be happening and enjoying seeing now how God is working to prepare us all for the summer. Something of reminder though is that the work we do is not just in the summer with the kids, but all year round as we serve here doing all the behind the scenes processes that make Bootcamp happen. Of course, all credit on that goes to God every time because I'm positive a lot would go wrong without Him being the driving force behind TMI.
Happy Easter to you all! May God bless you as we remember specifically this weekend of the sacrifice that Christ made for us all.
-Danny
As for the Big Top tents I had mentioned in my previous postings, we've gotten up the Peanut tent, Big Top 2, Mustard Seed tent, and today we should be doing the layout tent and finishing up any final aspects of the others. We've also been getting out and moving around all the stage pieces, chairs and other things that belong at each tent for the different functions they'll serve. The visitor tent was in need of some more repair so that one will have to wait until next week sometime to go up. Plans for Big Top 1 (the huge one) is for an all day event at the beginning of May. A few outside volunteers are coming in for that as well, one being a friend of mine who just graduated from BMW, Worth Oliver, who's gonna stay at my house for a couple days.
The new carousel being built out at Alligator lake is presumed to be finished by today and we'll hold a dedication out there right before work ends at five. I'm looking forward to all the great things that are going to be happening and enjoying seeing now how God is working to prepare us all for the summer. Something of reminder though is that the work we do is not just in the summer with the kids, but all year round as we serve here doing all the behind the scenes processes that make Bootcamp happen. Of course, all credit on that goes to God every time because I'm positive a lot would go wrong without Him being the driving force behind TMI.
Happy Easter to you all! May God bless you as we remember specifically this weekend of the sacrifice that Christ made for us all.
-Danny
Monday, April 6, 2009
That Time of Year Again!
Well today's the day. The volunteer work group is in and all the staff are getting ready to start putting up all the big top circus tents that all the rallies take place in. It's such a wonderful reminder of what God does every year under those big tops and seeing Him move in the kids' lives. I will never forget the such intimate conversations with God under those big tops that I had, when I finally allowed God to have full control of my life and to follow the plan He wants for me. It is the reason I love this ministry so much, knowing that God used it to get ahold of me, and He has been for thousands others for the past 39 years that TMI has been running bootcamps and teams. Please pray that these tents would go up safely and also for all those who will be apart of the summer team ministry this year; that God would do a great work in their lives and many more would be won into His kingdom.
Just Another TMI Weekend
This past weekend was a good one for me. I was able to reconnect with some old student friends of mine that just came in when I was going into my second year. It's hard to believe that now as I've come back that they're entering their 6th and final term! It seems like not long ago I was just in my last term, not to mention joining the Bible School! A couple here on staff just got married and we threw a little staff wedding reception party for them too. It's really love how Teen Missions is like one big family, working together in ministry as well as enjoying each other's company in spare time.
Saturday I and some other staff helped another staff family move into their new house which they were able to buy because of how the housing market is currently. It seems so many families are being able to move off of Heavenly Street (TMI trailer housing a few miles away in a trailer court) and into houses. It's been a neat blessing to see God provide for them in that way and open all the doors for it to happen. Sean Deegan (staffer, coworker, and friend) and I also went to their house before they started moving and we laid some carpet in what would be their daughter's room.
Sunday, I enjoyed once again going to the Sunday night house church. One of my former teachers at the Bible School is sort of acting as resident interim pastor for us while things are still trying to be worked out with Island Community. Please continue to pray for that situation. The business meeting that went on in the morning after the service went okay, in that they did count all the "excommunicated" church members votes which means they have disregarded the letters the pastor sent out (which wasn't even a legal way to dismiss a member.....it must be voted on by the congregation) Anyhow, I'm coming to the conclusion that this could be a longer process than would be healthy so I'm going to start attending either Calvary Chapel or First Baptist. I want to get involved in a good Sunday School class as well and I know both of those churches have several adult classes. I'm only committed so far here for the year and I'm not sure where God will take me next, so I need to be involved in a church that is spiritually healthy, and seeking to promote God and not self. Please pray for me that I would find a good church home for my time here.
Another final thought, God has been really blessing me in a few different ways, with different people in my life, encouraging me in my walk as well as financially. I've tried to not just be a receiver but a giver as well, knowing that my needs would be taken care of and God, as He promises, always comes through on our behalf. I'm living quite contentedly and it's nice not really owning anything and just being able to be mobile. Please keep praying for me to have a contented spirit and that I'll seek only what God wants and not let any personal wants interfere. Also I have some wisdom teeth that are reminding me they're there and they want out haha. I'm going to look into a dentist that TMI staff go to and perhaps get a recommendation of advice as to what I should do now. Maybe even get them out at a low cost. I'm not in the bad pain stage but just the discomfort and slight pain stage. Thank you for your prayers on that as well.
Saturday I and some other staff helped another staff family move into their new house which they were able to buy because of how the housing market is currently. It seems so many families are being able to move off of Heavenly Street (TMI trailer housing a few miles away in a trailer court) and into houses. It's been a neat blessing to see God provide for them in that way and open all the doors for it to happen. Sean Deegan (staffer, coworker, and friend) and I also went to their house before they started moving and we laid some carpet in what would be their daughter's room.
Sunday, I enjoyed once again going to the Sunday night house church. One of my former teachers at the Bible School is sort of acting as resident interim pastor for us while things are still trying to be worked out with Island Community. Please continue to pray for that situation. The business meeting that went on in the morning after the service went okay, in that they did count all the "excommunicated" church members votes which means they have disregarded the letters the pastor sent out (which wasn't even a legal way to dismiss a member.....it must be voted on by the congregation) Anyhow, I'm coming to the conclusion that this could be a longer process than would be healthy so I'm going to start attending either Calvary Chapel or First Baptist. I want to get involved in a good Sunday School class as well and I know both of those churches have several adult classes. I'm only committed so far here for the year and I'm not sure where God will take me next, so I need to be involved in a church that is spiritually healthy, and seeking to promote God and not self. Please pray for me that I would find a good church home for my time here.
Another final thought, God has been really blessing me in a few different ways, with different people in my life, encouraging me in my walk as well as financially. I've tried to not just be a receiver but a giver as well, knowing that my needs would be taken care of and God, as He promises, always comes through on our behalf. I'm living quite contentedly and it's nice not really owning anything and just being able to be mobile. Please keep praying for me to have a contented spirit and that I'll seek only what God wants and not let any personal wants interfere. Also I have some wisdom teeth that are reminding me they're there and they want out haha. I'm going to look into a dentist that TMI staff go to and perhaps get a recommendation of advice as to what I should do now. Maybe even get them out at a low cost. I'm not in the bad pain stage but just the discomfort and slight pain stage. Thank you for your prayers on that as well.
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