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WHAT IS the University of the Nations (U of N) Conference

Every two years Youth With A Mission holds it’s global University of the Nations Conference (YWAM is part of University of the Nations). Since 1989, God has lead the UofN Leadership to call the YWAM family to this biennial workshop. Our purpose is to listen to what is on God’s heart for this time and season, to network and fellowship with each other, to sharpen our skills and to strategize for greater fruitfulness. Each conference has had its special flavor and emphasis. It is wonderful to see how God has worked through these gatherings to further develop our vision, join us together in deeper unity, bring fresh revelation and an ever-increasing commitment to express our calling. “For such a time as this” is an opportunity for our global YWAM family to meet. One event in four places, bringing us closer together.

The program “For such a time as this!” will give insight into what God is doing among the nations and how we can be even more fruitful in finishing the task. In the afternoons there will be a variety of attractive seminars to equip. There will be much celebration, ministry and prayer for one another. We will have the opportunity to network with people from our region (South Pacific), area of ministry and shared passion points. The gathering of the YWAM family to hear together what God is speaking to us concerning the time and season and is an event concurrently at four locations across the world.

YWAM Perth is coordinating the conference in South Africa. The director at YWAM Perth has asked Joshua to conduct a seminar/workshop on the topic of Biblical Education & Leadership Training at the conference. Meanwhile, Sarah has been preparing all the print materials and helping with videos that will be used during the conference. In addition, since the beginning of June, YWAM Perth has been sending outreach teams to Cape Town leading up to this conference as part of an initiative called Catalyst 9. Part of the seminar will have us out in the streets of Cape Town, reaching those in the community. You can read more about Catalyst 9 and what God is doing in Cape Town by visiting, http://www.ywamperth.org.au/life/?news-1803.

Having been in YWAM for just three years, this is the first time we are able to attend this conference, but it is not in our current budget to afford the expenses.

consider partnering in sending us to the conference mentioned above

You may have read in our newsletter last week, we are preparing to head out to South Africa for the YWAM U of N Conference from September 4 – 14, 2009 in Worcester.

We have been praying and seeking the Lord for strategy on raising the finances to do just that. We would like to invite you to join us in the initiative.

If you feel led to do this – thank you! Contact us on ways you can get involved, namely HOST OR ATTEND A BBQ!!!!!
We need to purchase tickets for our trip as soon as possible. The cost of the airfare for the family is approximately $3700 USD. The anticipate cost for the entire trip is about $4970. We can send you any information you may need, but we simply ask that this cookout take place as soon as possible (we realize it’s a bit last minute, but God can pull off miracles!).

We appreciate your faithful prayers and support. We hope you are as excited about this strategy as we are! Please see page two for more information on the purpose of the conference and let us know if you have any questions.

We look forward to hearing from you very soon. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

Blessings,

Joshua Seykora

Transform PNG

“The Gulf Province is the last frontier of Papua New Guinea. We need to clean house both spiritually and physically.” - Governor Havila, Gulf Province, PNG Papua New Guinea is a land of over 800 different languages, high lush green hills and deep thick steamy jungle. The Gulf Province located in the south central portion of PNG is considered both remote and strategic. The availability of consumer goods is scarce but the prevalence of natural gas and oil has made this province one of the most strategic in PNG in recent years. Although high in natural resources, there has been absolutely no financial income or return into this province in the last 17 years! Since PNG gained its independence, this province has experienced little in terms of development and growth. The people of Kerema and the Gulf Province are a peace loving, but are asking to be taught the ways of character, faithfulness, stewardship, and integrity in a nation that is polluted with corruption. The current leaders of this province are eager to provide relief to the people and the land. The governor called this seminar a “voice of relief to the people… [in which] the Gulf Province would breathe freely again…” The seminar they requested was on how transformation comes through God and His Word. The bible and the biblical worldview is the only worldview and religion that can provide solid answers and principles to any problem or circumstance. The world was created by God and God is a God of Truth. There is truth in every area of life – science, economics, government, family, education, media, etc. Life is created to operate according to truth and when a nation embraces truth, then the fruit of happiness and freedom is the result. When a nation abandons truth, then destruction, bondage and misery are its fruit. After a very honorable and festive welcome, we spent 11 days teaching on such foundational topics as the Nature & Character of God, Sin & Repentance, Forgiveness and The Cross. We continued the seminar with teaching on the Biblical Worldview, How Transformation Comes, and teaching on family, government, economics, leadership and women’s injustice issues. We were privileged to have Sam Kisolo with us. Sam is from YWAM Uganda and has played a huge role in seeing Uganda become the first nation to show a decrease in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He has been before the United Nations and spoke with great authority in the area of HIV/AIDS and Community Health. Each day of the seminar included a morning teaching and practical application response session, followed by an evening session. The morning sessions were mainly pastors, leaders, and other people from the city. The evening sessions were more or less a crusade that saw about 400 people each night. The pastors and leaders were challenged and thrilled with the teaching. In fact, they were already making plans to take these teachings to the villages in their provinces. Unity within the church was evident and strategic planning could result in a corporate effort to see Kerema and the Gulf Province transformed. Before leaving, I was able to assist Sam Kisolo as he documented his recommendations for the province – Teaching on HIV/AIDS, Teaching and addressing Women in Leadership and Injustice Issues, and combating idleness in the young men and women in the city. This seminar was a positive step in the right direction – as led by God – and will continue to be a work in progress. Already and Biblical Core Course team from YWAM Townsville, Australia is already up there conducting inductive bible seminars. Also, YWAM Perth will be considering further outreaches to this province. Thank you for your prayers! To God be all the glory. Testimony One night we showed the film End of the Spear to nearly 1400 people on the rugby field in the center of Kerema. At the end of the movie, one of our team members shared the Gospel and we saw about 150 people respond to the invitation of salvation. As we were counseling and praying for them in small groups, the heavens opened and a much needed down pour of rain followed. Not one of the 150 people left! They all stayed. We were able to connect with at least 90 of them in the following days in order to see them get connected with the local churches. One night Sam Kisolo spoke about biblical worldview. One of the many challenges in that teaching was how we view creation. Do we care for it as if the King were returning at any moment. Their practical response from this teaching was to mobilize the church to begin cleaning the town. They would start with the rugby field on their afternoon off before the community movie night. That afternoon, the pastors and leaders were out on the large field with rakes, wheel barrows and garbage bags cleaning the field. By the end of it, it was fit for the King!

See footage and hear testimonies from Tanzania

NEW! Click on the video for the Tanzania highlights. In the video, Alisha, a Bible School for the Nations student, shares her testimony from this past school and her outreach with us in Tanzania. See footage and photos from our time in Arusha and hear first hand from one of the participants.

Preparing for Tanzania!

Praise the Lord, he called us to go, and he has provided the finances! It was a battle trusting, praying and fundraising for finances for this outreach and we are pleased to say that we finally have breakthrough! Thank you for all of you who have faithfully taken the time out of your busy lives to pray for this financial breakthrough for the people of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC!

During the next 19 days before we leave we will be praying each day for the participants of the seminar and the logisticals of the trip and we encourage you to join with us. We will be posting updates and current prayer requests here, and will notify you of updates.

Just a reminder that the PURPOSE OF THIS TRIP is to see Tanzanian Pastors and YWAMer's empowered to go into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to see their nation transformed by the word of God. We believe that through teaching key leaders Biblical principles for all spheres of society that we can see communinities and their nations transformed.

Prayer Points for Tanzania Trip:
1. Pray for timely communication from the YWAM contact there. There has been miscommunication on when we are coming and where we are actually holding the seminar! Pray that this get's sorted asap so participants can plan.

2. Pray for Ivan, an amazing guy on our team from YWAM Perth, who has decided to come with us. He still needs his finances.

3. Pray for the Transformation Seminar 1 to simply 'come together'. There are many details that still need to be worked out. Pray for timliness as there is a lot to be done in very limited time before we leave on February 7th.

4. We are assigning teachings this week. Each participant is praying over which teachings topics they would like to teach. Please pray for wisdom and clarity in hearing God's voice over this decision.

Thank you for your continued partnership. We are blessed to be working with you 'by our side'. Please see the link to the left for current events in Tanzania and the Congo (DRC).

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year