Editorial : How Long Are You In For?

By Tamara Neely

When I first joined YWAM I would meet people who had been working full-time with the organisation for 10, or even 20 years, and I would think, as all teenagers do, “Wow! I can’t imagine being in your place – what a cool life you’ve had!” (I assumed, of course, that being over 30, they were nearing the end of their life). Now I’m on the other side of that conversation, and I can say, “Yeah, I have had a seriously cool life…but it’s not close to over!”

This issue of the International YWAMer is not about growing old – it’s about commitment. It’s about realising that sometimes God calls you on a journey that is going to take you the rest of your life. It’s about learning from, and paying tribute to YWAM teams who put their hand to the plough and never looked back in the effort to restore the Kingdom of God, not just among their generation, but the next and the one after that. (Luke 9:62)

YWAM is well known for its short-term opportunities, the opportunities that change lives and perspectives, and often kick-start or help maintain sustained ministry efforts. But as we grow older as a mission, we are also rightly developing a reputation as a long-term career agency, able to model the results of commitment and determination and experience. The beauty of the long-term view gives newcomers like I was even more inspiration to keep going.

I was so encouraged and inspired by the achievements described below from our teams in Uganda and Madagascar. Do you have similar experiences? Tell us at : iy@ywam.org. And I loved the story of Bill Lemke’s life – is he YWAM’s oldest staff member?

YWAM is celebrating its first 50 years in 2010! Let us know how you are marking the event – or how you think YWAM should be celebrating. Send us an email at : iy@ywam.org, or join the discussion on our Facebook page : www.facebook.com/youthwithamission

If I live to Bill’s age, I’ll see what happens in the next 50 years!

Grandparenting for YWAMers !

by Tim Heathcote

This year Sam Abuku will turn fifty. He can look back on over twenty-five years in full time ministry in Uganda, but knows that he must prepare carefully for his future. There are few grandparents in YWAM Africa, and Sam reflects on the reason – as people enter their forties the rising costs of children’s educations, weddings, and fears for the future forces many to leave the mission at this stage. “If we are to do all that God has put in our hearts we need to think and prepare. I have two hands and a head, I have to creatively think about how to sustain my family in the future, or I could become bitter at the Church if my support dries up. This is the biggest challenge facing us in YWAM Africa.”

Sam and his wife Agnes pastored churches in Soroti for twenty years. After years of partnering with YWAMers they did a CDTS in Harpenden in 2002. Upon their return to Uganda they spent six months in Soroti, processing with their church their desire to join YWAM. The church released them to help pioneer the YWAM Arua base, and has supported them financially ever since. With their years of experience, and having raised seven children, Sam and Agnes are now a backbone to the thriving Arua base. Their heart for leadership development and family ministries is seen in all that they do and teach.

The Abuku family have talked openly about the challenges of living long term in YWAM. Together they have come up with a family plan to build security for their future and influence other families. The financial support from the Soroti church covers the Abuku’s staff fees and children’s schooling. Any extra gifts have been used to slowly build the family home in Soroti town. “We have never been in a position to save money, but have chosen instead to invest in land and houses.” Now that the town house is nearing completion it can be rented out. The finances from this will start to fund the real family vision, which lies 40km out of town in the village.

Here Sam has bought over 60 acres of fertile land, and begun to build the family farm. They are calling it ‘Mairomu Kaga’ (Christ family concern program). Five acres of maize have recently been planted, and this year they hope to plant three acres of pineapples, an acre of orange trees, and develop some beehives. In the town house the Abukus will stockpile maize bought in the village, later in the year when prices have risen they plan to sell at a profit to the UN. If all goes to plan several huts will be completed on the land to house workers.

Whilst Sam and Agnes continue to live and minister in Arua, their eldest sons, who have diplomas in Development Studies and Business Administration, will work at establishing the family farm. In the future they dream of poultry, a large fruit orchard, and a family home. The farm should provide a secure income for the family, a solid investment for the future, and be a model for how the extended family can live and work. Sam and Agnes have already run Holy Trinity Brompton’s ‘Marriage Course’ in Arua, and plan to use it on the farm. They envision the farm as a place where families and couples can stay, be discipled in marriage and family life, and learn about sustainable development within the rural African context. Outreach teams from Community Development schools could teach and invest in the lives of local leaders and rural farmers.

This holistic vision for the extended family to disciple other families within the home environment has come after years of discussion and prayer within the Abuku family. With hard work and God’s favour it has the potential to provide a YWAM family with long term financial security, and be a rich source of blessing to others. Sam and Agnes will also have modelled how to wisely and intentionally grow into grandparents within YWAM Africa.

The Whole Gospel : A Holistic Approach to the Communities of Madagascar

by Martine Fritsch

I was finding out about my new country. After more than 20 years in sub-Saharan Africa, I was going to live on the east coast of Madagascar, one of the wettest areas in the world: an area where 90% of the population lives in rural areas and where no-one has access to clean drinking water. Use of latrines is just about non-existent. 80% of people are so isolated, living up in the mountains or deep in the bush, that they have no access to basic healthcare services.

The sadness in the villages was striking. It seemed as if the only times of feasting and celebration were the annual visits to the tombs to re-clothe the dead when ancestors’ remains are removed from the ground, washed, put back into shrouds and carried in a long procession amidst cheers and acclamations. Cows are sacrificed in order to gain the favour of the ancestors: one of the rare occasions in the year when meat is eaten. How could we bring about change, a lasting development and see the Kingdom of God being established in these villages?

That was March, 2004. We had just done a presentation to the Malagasy government of a community healthcare programme for the Tamatave region and were officially starting up an NGO called Mercy Ministries in the country, supported by the YWAM Mercy Ministries office in Switzerland. Along with my family, I was joining a small team of 3 Malagasy YWAMers in the area.

This is “Mission Impossible,” we were told again and again in the first two years! It will be impossible to see these simple rural folk taking the responsibility themselves and for their health and development! Impossible for them to work together! Impossible for them to change their way of thinking! …

But God is so passionate is about seeing these villagers getting to know Him, passionate about them having a better life; passionate about seeing His Kingdom manifest to the ends of the earth. So He made it possible.

5 years later, through the work of YWAM Tamatave/Mercy Ministries: 100 000 new people have access to primary healthcare service.

Where sick people used to have to walk for 2 days to receive care, often dying en route during the gruelling journey; today they are able to receive care in their own villages with some amazing results. 23 clinics have been set up in very remote areas with the active involvement of the indigenous community. Agricultural folk have been trained as primary healthcare workers by YWAM/Mercy Ministries. Others have been trained to educate the villagers on hygiene, development and good management.

The results in terms of health have been so obvious, that our project was the inspiration in 2008 for a new national policy, based on the principle of local communities taking charge of their healthcare.

In a culture where so much fear and suspicion exists, we have to work very carefully to create the right atmosphere for people to learn and to change their thinking and their hearts. We combine stories about health issues, games, and skits with times of sharing, Bible stories and praying… and barriers fall. The more the villagers realise that God is concerned about their health and development and that He has set out principles to follow in these areas, the more their hearts open up and then they ask us to come in and help them understand His Word.

Many of those who believed in the Lord and decided to obey Him have started meeting together in their villages and have started up churches. The first 25 churches which started in this way are in the process of forming other churches and thus a church-planting movement has begun. Leaders and churches which are concerned about global development, as much spiritual as physical, are bringing about visible changes in these villages.

We have realised how committed God is, working alongside His children, to the battle against poverty and disease. We cannot achieve the impossible on our own – we work in partnership with the Ministry of Health, other NGO’s and business people. When we started, malaria was the main cause of death in our area but it has now dropped down to third place. We are grateful for these partnerships and appreciate their input, as they allow fruitful change to occur and this allows the Kingdom of God to advance as well in other areas of society.

What’s next? After 25 years of field work in community health, I have realised that I can do this and therefore I have a responsibility to pass it on – to train up those who can, in turn, train up others and I am busy setting up curriculums which incorporate Biblical principles that others can use in the country. After our uncertain beginning, it gives me great joy to see other people using these tools, including many in the government itself.

It is our privilege to speak about Salvation in Jesus. When men and women are taught to live according to Kingdom of God principles in the different areas of society and to become disciples of Jesus, we will see nations transformed. “Biblical” community development and church-planting work hand-in-hand, complementing each other perfectly. That is our experience and our battle!

Dr. Martine Fritsch, director of Mercy Ministries, Madagascar, is married to Jean-Marc and has 2 children. They have been together in YWAM since 1984. Contact: fritsch@moov.mg

Youth is a state of mind!

by Christopher Coryell

Is Youth With A Mission a misnomer, or should be just remember the old adage “never judge a book by its cover”? Many people characterize YWAM by an abundance of zealous young people eager to stream into the nations, but that’s not the whole story! 90-year old William Lemke is a great example of the youthful spirit of Youth With A Mission!

Deep in the heart of Wisconsin, USA, lies the YWAM Northwoods campus. The campus here was founded in 1973, and became part of YWAM in 1985. Bill was here long before Northwoods was founded, however. He moved onto the property that is now our campus in 1973, in order to continue a Discipleship School that he had helped start two years earlier under Daystar Ministries. His original location ran out of room and when the Daystar facility transitioned to YWAM in 1985, Bill and his wife completed a DTS and became YWAM staff.

Bill was married twice to godly women: Lavonne and Lou Lemke who have both gone on to be with the Lord. When each wife died, Bill was able to be with her and have the opportunity to commit her into the Lord’s hands. He also has three sons who have served in missions.

Over the past 20 years in YWAM, Bill has served as campus director and taught in YWAM schools across the U.S. and Europe. He prays for and encourages the younger staff and students, who affectionately refer to him as “Grandpa Bill”. One of his most noteworthy traits is that he is constantly making it a point to encourage and uplift those around him.

A life well lived has many stories of God’s faithfulness. A favourite of Bills’ concerns the time when a tornado was heading for the campus and everyone prayed, asking God to change the course of the storm. They watched as it shifted north within a few blocks of the girl’s dormitory. 500 trees were damaged and one tree fell onto a small cottage, but other than that, no major damage or injuries occurred.

One of my most memorable moments with Bill was when I first joined YWAM staff in 2006. At that point he was 87 years old. I was 20 years old and walking by his house when I saw him outside painting his porch. This took me by surprise because I don’t know any other 87 year olds who paint their own porches. I asked if he needed any help (a little begrudgingly, if I’m being honest. I had a lot to do that day and didn’t want to spend my time working on a porch). Bill simply said something to the effect of, “Thanks for the offer, but I only have one brush.” At age 90 Bill still helps maintain the grounds here at YWAM Northwoods.

In April 2009, Bill celebrated his 90th birthday. More than 300 people swarmed the campus to celebrate the life of a man who has touched so many. People from Daystar ministry and YWAM alike were present. It was a chance for Bill to see many of the people that he had poured himself into over the past 3 decades and for them to thank and bless him for his years of faithful service.

Want to share an inspiring story about a serving YWAMer you know who is old in years but young at heart? Visit our YWAM Facebook page <www.facebook.com/youthwithamission> and join the discussion “YWAM – it’s not just for young people!”

A Moment in YWAM

Everyone loves baby pictures! This little missionary-in-training, David Forbes, belongs to a Canadian-Ukranian family working in England!

Special thanks also to three generations of the McAdams/Couper family (YWAM Solomon Islands and UK) for posing for the header photo!

Send your special “Moments in YWAM” to : iy@ywam.org