This season of serving at the University of the Nations is coming to a close. We board our plane from Kona to Fayetteville, Arkansas tonight at 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian time (3:59 a.m. CST). We have been so blessed not just by great sunsets while here, but also by incredible relationships with people like Chong Ho and Kris Won, Nick and Jen Greener, Ben and Angie Wicks, Holger and Jillie Schein, Loren Cunningham, John and Sonja Randerson, Paul and Lynette Randerson, Josh Harmsworth, Tyler Johnson, Andy Huddleston and so many others. Our children have been discipled through our time together and by excellent schools, dedicated to teaching them to follow Jesus. We have worked on a number of projects and hope that our time here hasn't just been a blessing to us, but that we have blessed the University of the Nations. Most of all, God has renewed our faith and restored in us the joy of our salvation. We pray it becomes more and more manifest in our daily lives.

We know not yet where we will be come Spring of 2007, but we are praying about that earnestly and fervently. We have always wondered if God would release us to do our training in our home state, and that is still possible, but there are other opportunities of which we are becoming aware.

YWAM has an incredible mission and ministry. In our time here we have seen people truly seeking God's direction for their lives. The teaching is sound and the desire to see people hear and know the gospel of Jesus Christ is strong. Pray for YWAM. Pray for the gospel to be carried throughout the world. And please pray that we will not forget the lessons God has taught us here as we prepare to carry out our ministry.

KONA I.T.

Missions. What is it? Can you be a missionary even though your career, drive, giftings, passions, etc. aren't for preaching, singing, and teaching the bible? Check out this website: Kona I.T.

The Kona I.T. department is all about serving missions globally with information systems and technology. As you might imagine, every organization in the 21st Century has a huge need for people gifted with computer skills, whether programming or otherwise. As a result, one family came to the University of the Nations over 3 years ago to build an IT department that could support the campus. Chong Ho and Kris Won (and their three young children) left their 8000 square foot home in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., and began volunteering (making no money) for the University of the Nations. In the past 3 years he has built a department of 12 people, implemented several new systems, all of which communicate together, and developed a global vision that is amazing and God glorifying!

The picture above is of a computer lab that one of his team put together in South Africa. Now, the IT Department is looking to build additional labs all around the world. Why? Because they can put these labs into impoverished communities, teaching computer and job skills to the people, and help the local people develop skills that will bring prosperity to their communities. Meanwhile, they will be sharing Christ with the people and giving them an ability to improve the quality of their lives while teaching them about eternal life, joy, and hope.

Now, most of the year, the people who serve as IT professionals at the University of the Nations in Kona will be working on the big Island of Hawaii doing exactly what they may be doing now, developing and maintaining software and systems for businesses, but, as God directs, they will also take those skills to places like South Africa, Fiji, other African nations, China, and other places around the globe. This is an amazing vision that we can all get excited about. (John and Jeff Parker, what do you think???!!!)

Please pray for Chong Ho and his team. As you look at their website, consider whether you could support them. Remember that many of these professionals could make in one hour of consulting in the states their staff fees for one month of food here in Kona ($250.00). Yet, they have given up that kind of income to come and support the work of the Great Commission here and are now working solely as volunteers. Also, if you have computer skills at all, consider coming to Kona and participate in the IT Discipleship Training School that will begin in January. When it may be 30 degrees or lower wherever you are, it will be 80 here.

Earthquake cleanup in Makapala

Here I go again, living vicariously through the amazing work of God in the lives of others and reporting on the miraculous hand of God here at the University of the Nations. I received the below email about 2 minutes ago and immediately felt led by the Lord to share it with you. Please pray for Jonathan Stoner and the Compassion DTS. We were so moved by Jonathan's work that we have supported him in the past and I would challenge all my readers to pray about whether they can support his ministry or the ministry of the Compassion DTS. (He is the one standing in the back in the picture above, second from the right.) I would be glad to facilitate such giving (and yes, we rely solely on the support of others for our ministry, too, but God is plenty big enough to take care of us all). Read more about the Compassion DTS here.



Here is the email I received from Jonathan:

Hello friends and family,

This last weekend our Compassion DTS worked at one of the Ironman Aid Stations on the coastal highway. Our job was to supply Gatorade, Cola, Water and food to the athletes as they rode by on their bikes. The difficult part is that the bikers are all going about 20 miles an hour or more so you have to start running before they reach you and then time the hand off of the food or drink properly so they don't drop it. I'm happy to report that I only had two Gatorade drops of the thousand plus athletes. I was so psyched up about the experience that I didn't stop running the entire 4 hours except for a 15 minute lunch break. My calves suffered and for the next couple of days I could only limp around our Makapala base.


This week the lectures have been focused on the cross and the Lordship of Christ in our lives. The whole school has been experiencing breakthroughs in better understanding God's character and nature but most of all in receiving His abundant love and discovering our identity as sons and daughters of the King. Our corporate times together as a school have been overwhelmingly good in every way. We are still building bridges into the Makapala community and helping our neighbors as they work on their houses, businesses and churches.


Then this morning at breakfast I felt compelled to gather a group together to pray before class. As we prayed the Holy Spirit gave the group Scriptures about sacrificial giving, the one he gave me was 2 Corinthians 9: 6-15: "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.' Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"


During class I shared this passage with the whole school and many others came forward confirming that God was asking us to give to others even as many of us are praying for the funds for Outreach. The rest of the morning resulted in a spontaneous time of giving clothing, electronics, cash, and other possessions that were hard to part with. God told me to give me my iPod to one of our students who had been praying for one for a long time. He just kept looking at me and smiling incredulously. After we gave what we felt we were supposed to give several people reported back to the group what God had done. A funny thing happened as the students and staff shared, I began laughing and weeping at the same time just overcome as I pictured Jesus smiling and laughing at the cheerful obedience of His kids. It was a morning that I hope never to forget. I am still trusting in the faithfulness of God for room and board for December and the 6-month AIDS Outreach to Uganda. Please keep me and the Compassion DTS in your prayers!


God is laughing,


Jonathan Stoner
University of the Nations
75-5851 Kuakini Hwy #5
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

SAHARAWI PEOPLE GROUP

The Saharawi people are one of the least reached people groups as determined by the Joshua Project (http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=108512&rog3=MO). Originally, the Saharawi were desert nomads who traveled by camel. Today, they can be found in the desert in southern Morocco, in the Western Sahara region, in the North of Mauritania, in Algerian refugee camps, and in the Canary Islands. A sub-group of the Moors, they are of mixed Berber, Arab, and black African descent. Some Saharawi are herdsmen, others are traders, and still others are warriors. However, all speak an Arabic dialect called Hassaniya and Spanish. In addition, their religion, way of life, and dress are Arabic in flavor and style.

They are Islamic in belief, but have more openness to other beliefs than many Islamic adherents. It is unknown how many, if any, evangelical Christians there are among the Saharawi. They live in a culture of war as there is a longstanding conflict between Morocco and the Saharawi people.

The map below will show you the area of Africa where most of the Saharawi live.

Now, why am I writing about the Saharawi? Well, one of the professors here at the University of the Nations, Robert Evans (not the Bob Evans of restaurant fame) has been asked to attend a conference of Saharawi Imams in Algeria. Imam means leader, and the religious Imams are the religious leaders of an Islamic people. Please understand the significance of this. Robert has been asked as a Christian Bible teacher (he teaches Greek and Hebrew here) to come and present the story of the Book (then entire OT and NT) as seen through a Christian's eyes, with Christ as the focus. They want to hear from a Christian about the God of their "Father, Abraham." Robert also speaks Spanish.

This is taking place November 11-13 in Algeria. Here's the deal. All missions here in YWAM are individually supported and support raised. Robert not only is having to raise the money to go to Algeria, but he also has to raise money to provide a substitute Greek teacher while he is gone. A substitute (who also is a missionary) has already agreed to come, but Robert needs money or frequent flier miles to buy a plane ticket for the substitute and money for his trip, as well. I am asking you to consider sending support for this incredible opportunity! I am trying to help him find his way there for this amazing opportunity.

Can you imagine?? A Christian teaching the Bible to 150 "priests/pastors" of the Islamic faith in a people group considered to be one of the least reached people groups in the world? In addition, this is a people group burdened with war and political unrest, ripe for finding the one true Mediator and Reconciliation that Jesus Christ alone can bring!

If you would like to give to this cause, buying a plane ticket, buying part of a plane ticket or any such gift, please contact me and I will provide details as to how you can do so.

Every Thursday night at the U of N we have a worship celebration, complete with teaching. Last night Paul and Susi Childers spoke about their ministry to be voices for the voiceless. Our hearts were touched by God's Spirit as they spoke of the horrors faced by women and children around the world.

Because of their work as missionaries they have learned of many travesties and injustices around the globe and God led them to produce a prayer booklet as well as other media to help raise the consciousness of the Church about these issues. The prayer booklet starts with a forward from Loren Cunningham, a part of which says:

"A few years ago, I was asked the question, “What will be the greatest global challenge as we enter the 21st Century?” You may think of war, terrorism, famine, AIDS and a number of other colossal needs, which all surely qualify. But among the most serious issues is gender injustice – the abuse and suppression of women. Why? Because it is the biggest, most far reaching, and most hidden.The Church needs to take a stand, the Church needs to raise its voice, the Church needs to pray and act, because God’s heart breaks over gender injustice.”

The Childers write further: The global abuse and suppression of women must stop. We must pray and act! The booklet is a tool that will enable you to begin to engage in helping solve this colossal challenge that the world faces in the 21st century. Our goal is to mobilize 100,000 people to pray for 5 minutes each day for 30 days for these issues. If successful we will have raised 28.5 years worth of prayer! In addition this book will enable you to hit the streets and become a voice for the voiceless.

I began praying this morning with Day 1 of the Booklet. It was on child prostitution.

Can you imagine being so poor and being unable to feed your family so that you consider selling your daughters into prostitution to raise money? Not only do you then have one less mouth to feed, but you also are given money to help with the remaining family members. There are many communities where such a choice is faced often.

To learn more about this incredible ministry, to order booklets, and to send donations to this please click here: http://www.photogenx.net/index.htm

Ahhh, you are standing in line at the mess hall of the University of the Nations, gazing upon the delicacies offered daily for breakfast...oatmeal, bulk yogurt, toppings for the oatmeal and hard- and soft-boiled eggs. The joys of community living.

I thought the view of the yogurt being poured out was especially appetizing this morning at 6:30 a.m. If you stop and listen closely you can hear the plopping noises, taking you back to that time you had a stomach virus...

A strength of YWAM is community living. It is efficient and cost effective. Buying and preparing food for large numbers of people makes things more affordable, particularly in a place like Hawaii or Hong Kong. It also means that your palate cannot be picky. Monday through Friday the breakfasts here are always the same and look like what you see above.

There are other really wonderful aspects to community living. You may have just today, in your secluded home, raised your voice loudly at your children in anger. Given the size of your home and the separation from other homes, it goes unnoticed by the rest of the world. If, however, you can imagine living in a 600 square foot un-air conditioned "apartment" or "dorm room," with 100 people living in rooms beside, below and all around you, you quickly realize that bellowing at your family will go noticed because everyone's windows are open wide. It provides terrific accountability. In fact, as you walk by others' rooms, you can hear normal conversations in full.

Imagine as well people from 40 different countries, with just as many languages, from as many different denominations living in a forty-acre campus. It is amazing how God brings unity to this place. We truly experience "[h]ow good and pleasant it is when brothers [and sisters] live together in unity!" Psalm 133:1. And, we must constantly check our pride at our doorstep and seek His strength and grace.

So, although my palate sometimes goes unpleased, I rejoice in this place as God gives us grace to grow and become more like Jesus Christ.

This is us with the Wicks family, Ben, Angie, Sam and Katie. The lovely beach you see is Hapuna. We went there with them back in early August, while we were praying over whether to come back to Kona or not. They also are the family that are letting us use their car during our stay here while they minister in Fiji. Please pray for them as they are seeing fruit to their ministry as you will see below!!!

The Wicks are, as I type this, in their third week of serving as missionaries to the island of Fiji. They and several others from their Discipleship Training School were called to serve for two months there. While I am here doing boring stuff like talking to attorneys and other administrative matters for the University, they are serving our Lord Jesus in Fiji. I just received this update from their team there.

Ni Sa Bula Vinaka from the CDTS Fiji outreach team!

We have just finished our second week of ministry here in Fiji. What follows is our first official update containing a general summary of what we have been up to and what God is doing in and through us on our outreach so far. The first week of our outreach was spent connecting with our contacts here, spending some time in orientation meetings with them, and beginning our outreach ministries.

Our main contacts here are Vini and Lomani Gaunavinaka (recently arrived from Kona), Tress Rokodovu (a YWAMer and local Fijian), and "Pastor Mike" (pastor of one of the local Assembly of God churches here and coined as the Loren Cunningham of Fiji).

Our ministry to this point has been focused in several different areas:

Lautoka Prison - We have been sending a small team of people each day with Pastor Mike to the men's prison here. They have basically been running a mini-DTS for a group of the inmates there. Last week, 18 of the 21 men either accepted Christ for the first time or recommited their lives to Him.

Lautoka Hospital - We have been sending a team of six people to the hospital about three days each week to talk to and pray for the patients there. On Friday, two of the men we prayed for recommited their lives to Christ. Today, we went into the children's ward to sing songs for the kids and pray for them and their parents. It was a very touching time.

After-School Program - On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, we run an after-school program at the home of Vini and Lomani for about 20 children between ages 8-12. We spend about 45 minutes helping them with their homework, another 45 minutes playing games down the street at a field, and another 30 minutes singing songs and learning Scripture verses.

Village Ministry - On Thursdays we send a large team to a nearby village which is situated next to the garbage dump. This is a time where we spend time with the adults and children...talking, playing, singing, etc.

Prostitute Ministry - On weekend nights, some of the women go out on the streets and witness to the prositutes and transvestites that hang out there.

Tomorrow we are sending a team of eight to one of the mountain villages for six days. Also, we are currently compiling more specific stories and testimonies and will send those in a later update.

Current prayer requests include: Health for several team members who are struggling physically, Protection and unity for the team travelling to the mountain village this week, Continued guidance from God on our ministry here.

God bless! Ben Wicks and the CDTS Fiji Team

I must start carrying my camera so that I will have pictures to go with these stories. Today at lunch I met Jack. In fact, I ate lunch with Jack from Thailand and Paul from Canada. Jack is the only student here from Thailand. He is a part of the Compassion DTS. He will be studying Discipleship and Missions for the next three months and then traveling for two months to Africa to work with children afflicted by the AIDS epidemic.

Jack is from a village in Northwest Thailand. His entire family is Buddhist. When he was in college in Bangkok, he met some Christians from Atlanta, Georgia who were a part of Campus Outreach. They came to the University when he was a freshman, but he avoided them when he learned they were there to tell people about Jesus. When they returned the next year, he saw their joy and he thought he could at least practice his English. So, he got to know them.

In the course of the time of getting to know them, they asked him if he thought he needed Jesus. He realized that he did. With their leadership, he asked Christ into his life. After college, he would travel two hours to Bangkok to go to church because there were no churches in his community. His dad still doesn't know he is a Christian. He now is continuing his growth and education here in Kona, preparing to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to Africa.

It is humbling to see a young man willing to forsake his family, his community and his country for the cause of Christ. He has given up much to follow Jesus, but to see his excitement and humility was inspiring. Pray for Jack as he continues to learn what it means to follow Jesus and for his ministry to the families he will be meeting in Africa. As I learn more about where all the Compassion DTS will be going I will write more.

This young lady is a student here at the University of the Nations from Mongolia. She is carrying her nation's flag during the opening night ceremony. We saw 33 young people carrying 33 different nations' flags representing the 33 nations from which the students hail. Additionally, there are staff members here from even more nations. Opening night to the fall quarter was an amazing night of praise and worship in song and dance, including many native Hawaiian numbers.

Please pray that all the people from all these many cultures will come together as one in Christ as we learn to live together on campus. Because the rooms are not air conditioned, we live with windows open at all times, thus all noises, conversations, etc. (including the jumping of our two year old) are very shared. Praise God for His amazing power to bring together His children for His purposes!!!!!

GOD IS MOVING IN FIJI

You can read about some exciting happenings in the Island Nation of Fiji here: http://http://www.uofnkona.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=control.main&sectionID=94

The above picture shows a "high chief" in Fiji with Mark Anderson and Loren Cunningham of YWAM and two pastors in Fiji. Mark is one of the YWAM leaders involved in another strategic partnership between missions organizations. I will write more about that later.

MORE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE NATIONS

Check out this link: http://onestory.org/Partners. This is a strategic mission partnership between the IMB, YWAM, Wycliffe, Campus Crusade, and TransWorld Radio. David Hamilton, the U of N Provost, is the liaison for YWAM to One Story, and he is based here in Kona. Dr. Grant Lovejoy and Avery Willis, both with the IMB, are orality experts who are helping drive the partnership as well, and they have been to the U of N multiple times this year. You can read more about it at the attached pdf, which contains the quarterly magazine of the U of N: http://www.uofnkona.edu/Transformations/pdfs/Summer2006.pdf

This post's picture is taken at the entry way to the University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii. The U of N is absolutely an amazing place. Please allow me to explain.

First, there are hundreds of people here year round all seeking to know God better and to learn how to make Him known more. Every quarter, like what is happening this week, hundreds leave campus to go on outreaches and hundreds of new students show up to prepare for other outreaches. I know people who are leaving this week to go to Fiji, the Solomon Islands (where there is no electricity or running water), Guatemala, France, Japan, and I am sure there are other locations of which I am unaware.

Because some are leaving this week, we were blessed to move on campus at the same time. We did not know what all that would entail. Our room is beautiful. It is designed for air flow from the ocean and the mountains behind us and looks something like you might see on the side of a Colorado mountain. We have a small loft and plenty of space for the five of us. It is probably 600 or more square feet. What we didn't know is that all that is provided in the rooms are beds and chest of drawers. But, here's what happens when Christians live Christ-like and in community. Today a guy shows up in a truck with a refrigerator and a sofa in the back of his truck. What does he charge for supplying it, bringing it, and helping me move it into our place? Nothing. Just a thank you and a smile. He's been here before. He told us that his home and his truck were gifts from God and he simply wants to pass all he can on to others.

In addition, there is this incredible little place on campus called the "Boutique." It's not a hair salon or anything like that. Instead, it is a place where people in the community of the University of the Nations leave anything they no longer need behind. If there is something in there you need, you can simply take it, for FREE. So, we ventured in today and found towels, dishes, linens, shoes, uniforms for Keaton and Regan (at their preschool they wear uniforms), insect repellant, and so on and so on. I seem to recall that the early churches did similar things. And, please, understand that this isn't junk. There are perfectly good computer printers, coffee makers, clothing, etc. in the boutique. People simply leave anything behind they can't take with them on outreaches or back to the mainland or they leave such things behind simply as a gift for someone in more need than they are.

The U of N truly is a remarkable place. Not only are thousands of men, women, and children being trained to share the gospel of Christ, they are also living it out here, sharing with those in need all that they are and have. I'm looking out on the campus from our new home. All is quiet. It's about 9:45 p.m. Hawaiian time. My kids have finally knocked off and all I hear are the sounds of our box fans increasing our air flow for comfort. We have a beautiful "new" used refrigerator (seriously, the man who gave it to us completely cleaned it up and even repainted it--it looks new) in which we can put milk and ice cream and other "necessities" (smile). We do have some annoying lights right outside our bedside windows, but otherwise we are incredibly blessed.

We are still praying for a vehicle and now hope to obtain a few rugs, a few more towels and sheets, and other odds and ends to make our new home a little more "homey." Thank you for all of your prayers and love from afar. Know that in this neck of the woods people are genuinely trying to follow the example of Christ, sharing all that they are and have with other brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a lot to learn...