Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - July/Aug. 87

Contributor - A.J. Brent Mulder

Title - Working Vacation

Topic - Missions

So, school's out. You've graduated and now you wonder, "What's next?". Or maybe you're planning a vacation, but you want to do something different and useful. Maybe it's time for a career change. Need some ideas? Let me tell you what I've been up to for the last five months.

You may have heard of the interdenominational Christian organization called 'Youth With A Mission'. I first heard of it a few years back while listening to the radio program 'Focus On the Family'. YWAM (why-wham), as is it affectionately known by its friends and worldwide family- members, has many bases in dozens of countries around the globe. The main focus at these bases is training youth in biblical studies. YWAM's slogan of 'To Know God and To Make Him Known' is put into practice through training and then through outreach, bringing the gospel to the nations.

I recently took a Discipleship Training School at one of the YWAM bases. A Discipleship Training School (DTS) is three months of intensive bible training followed by a two month outreach phase that puts into practice what has been learned. The base I went to was a bit more unusual than most. Most of the YWAM bases are at different places around the world. One division of Youth With a Mission is 'Mercy Ships International'. Mercy Ships, which is based in San Pedro, California, has two ships, one named the 'Good Samaritan' which works mainly in the Caribbean and eastern South America, and another named the 'Anastasis' which ministers throughout the world. The ministry of Mercy Ships is threefold. Firstly, is the mercy aspect of the ministry. The ships are able to fill their cargo holds with relief supplies to be delivered to the many needy port cities. The Anastasis, as well, has an on board hospital that can perform most delicate of surgeries. Secondly, the training of youth is to get a deeper understanding of the Word and the character of God. Youth is a relative term as the ages in my school ranged from 18 through 45 with the average age being about 27. Thirdly, is the proclamation of the gospel. There are a number of evangelism teams on board as well as the outreach done by the DTS. ship crew members also participate in street ministries while the ship is in port.

I arrived in Los Angeles on January 2 and was met at the airport by one of the DTS leaders and whisked off to the ship that was docked in San Pedro. The 522 foot long ship gleamed shining white in the afternoon sun. After a few days to settle in we began our lecture phase. We had many speakers from many places around the world and they covered a wide range of topics. Some of the more memorable topics included: Prayer and Intercession, Motivational Gifts, Relationships, The Character of God, Inner Healing and Spiritual Warfare. A special treat was the week of lectures on Worship lead by Christian singer-songwriter Chuck Girrard. Besides the lectures we were kept busy with much Bible reading which throughout the school included all of the New Testament and much of the Old Testament as well. There were memory verses to learn and we were given a great list of books to choose from for our monthly book reports. During the afternoons we had work duties throughout the ship with the students assigned to different areas. Most students were given jobs that related to their skills whenever possible, so my machinist skills were of good use down in the engine room.

After the first two weeks in San Pedro, we headed out to sea for an eight hour sail to San Diego. We stayed in San Diego for two weeks. While there, we were able to participate in street evangelism and the balance of the supplies were loaded aboard including a fire engine donated by the 'Los Angeles Firefighters for Christ'. Then at the beginning of February, we left for our five day sail to Mexico. Sailing has many pleasure including the salty air, warm days and cool nights. Also exciting was hanging out of the port holes watching the dolphins playing in the wake at the bow.

Soon we were in Lazaro-Cardenas, I a city of 150,000 situated about 300 km s north of Acapulco that was heavily damaged during the recent earthquakes. We docked and the work began. The first item to be offloaded was the fire engine that had been reconditioned during our trip by the firefighters who had sailed with us. It seems incredible that a city of this size previously had no community fire equipment. The rest of the supplies were then unloaded including food, shelter and clothing. The medical teams started their work too. On board, the hospital became busy with the doctors beginning eye surgeries that included cataract removals and lense implants. Medical teams also used the city hospital to perform cleft-lip and cleft-palate surgeries, and dental teams began to work in the villages around Lazaro. The construction teams, which began to set up shelters that would be used as schools, Red Cross Centers and housing for the areas with the greatest need.

The evangelism teams became active again,. visiting schools, prisons and orphanages. Each Wednesday was open house aboard with thousands touring the ship. The gospel was presented through dramas and singing with many hundreds learning of the accepting Christ as their personal Saviour. It was a real pleasure to see the joy on the faces of the people as their lives were transformed.

After about seven weeks, which seemed to fly by, it was time for the ship to sail back to the United States to collect more supplies. We were to stay though as our outreach phase had begun. We were kept busy in Lazaro for about three weeks visiting schools and churches performing puppet shows for the children and performing a drama. The drama, entitled 'The Tale of Two Kingdoms', told the story of creation, the fall of man and redemption through Christ. Our two drama teams would over the next two months perform this drama more than 80 times and each time the Spirit worked in the hearts of the spectators with many being moved to accept Christ as their personal Saviour. While in Lazaro we also set up four shelters that would be used as a school.

We then traveled south to Guatemala City where more dramas were performed and where soon our team would separate. One half of the team traveled into the Guatemalan mountains to run a medical clinic and the other half of the team headed to the Caribbean country of Belize for construction work and more dramas and Bible Studies.

Later we all met back in Guatemala City. We then went together to the city of Antigua to participate in Bible distribution. The people eagerly accepted the more than 8,000 Spanish New Testaments that were available. I'll not soon forget the joy expressed as the people accepted their new Bibles.

All to soon the two month outreach was over and we flew back to Los Angeles where our team members traveled back to their homes in Europe, the United States and Canada. Some I would never see again but some I would see again very soon. I have applied to join the Anastasia evangelism team and other members have applied to join the ship as well in many different capacities from nursing to teaching to work in the different trades on board. There are many work areas on the ship for any skill that one may have.

So maybe you can use your next vacation to do some volunteer work at one of the many YWAM bases around the world or even go to a Disciples Training School.

Maybe a working vacation can turn into a new career or that recent graduation can turn into exciting full time service for the Lord. My DTS was a life changer for me with much personal growth and now a desire to work full time for the Lord.

Interested? Why don't you contact one of the YWAM bases in your area or if you want to go sailing, contact Mercy Ships. You'll have the time of your life. See you aboard.

Mercy Ships International

San Pedro California

(213) 519-1936

YWAM Bases in Canada

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.