YWAM Thailand ~ National Office

November 2007 Update

Karen 2007 DTS

In October 2007 we started the 3rd DTS for Karens here in Way Te Loo. We are a bit fewer in number this year but God is not limited by numbers. He is still the same and He is truly working among His people. We have 7 students in this years’ DTS, 4 boys and 3 girls. Some of them have just recently gotten to know Jesus so it’s all new and really exciting for them to explore this new life in God. We have now finished the third week of lecture and we can see how the truth from Gods Word is impacting and changing hearts.

Primary Health Care

Practising

In April 2007 the second Primary Health Care seminar for Karens was held in Way Te Loo. The last two years ARMS (Australia Relief and Mercy Services), YWAM Australia, have been sending teams that have run a 4 weeks Primary Health Care seminary at our base. It has been really popular among Karens both from the refugee camps and the nearby villages. It gives them the very basics when it comes to both hygiene, prevential healthcare, clean water, first aid, basic treatment of wounds and common diseases etc. The students use what they’re learning both to improve the situations in their own household and also to help people in their villages with simple health. We really appreciate the heart of ARMS staff for Karens in this area and for our base.

DTS Workshop

This year in August we were blessed with a real handshake from the Lord. We had over 60 DTS workers coming together in our bamboo huts in Way Te Loo for a wonderful time of teaching about how to run DTS, times of seeking God together, be inspired and build friendship between bases and individuals working with DTS's in 5 nations in Indochina. We had people coming from the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam plus Thais and Karens from Thailand, so it means that 6 nationalities and languages was represented not including the westerners from several different nations. We had the IDTSC team teaching us and leading us through the 10 days of Workshop. They were Joel Bringas, Dustin Campbell, John and Jill Bills, Brooke and Corey with Patti Lee in the lead. They did and amazing job and offered a lot both of really important teaching and information, but also of inspiration, experience, care for the different DTS’es and a real passion for DTS. For us Karens the workshop was an amazing experience. Most of our staff are not Thai citizens which means they don’t have freedom to travel and are hindered from attending conferences both in Thailand and elsewhere. One of our girls expressed it this way: “This is like getting something I actually can’t have.” , meaning that we can’t get together with our extended YWAM family and feel that we are a part of a bigger picture. For us in Way Te Loo it was a real handshake from God and also from brothers and sisters working with DTS in the nations around us. Our staff realized that we are not the only ones going through the challenges and blessings in running DTS. We are a part of a greater family standing together with us.

Blessings,