Palau Outreach

In less than three weeks I will be on a plane headed to Palau!

That's right my friend, we will be leaving Kona around March 30th, headed to Palau for around 8 weeks and returning the end of May! 

Staffing this school and planning an outreach has been super time consuming but really fun!

I personally, alongside my amazing co-leader Max, have been preparing the budget, vaccinations, travel arrangements, contacts with Palau, running Outreach meetings, and spending heaps of time buried in paperwork and computer screens! :) If you're like me, and love research and having a task before you, then planning an outreach is great fun! We also have been busy with lectures, small groups, one-on-one's, staff meetings and much more! 

The team and I have been preparing skits, dramas, testimonies and heaps more! 

I'd love to keep you in the loop so here is what I know so far about what we will be doing and where we will be going!

Our contact has told us during their intercession times for us, the word 'evangelism' has come up repeatedly! They requested we bring tracts so we can go out to the streets, highways, anywhere and invite people to our home! To be hospitable, welcoming and relational. They feel our team will be speaking to many people and be blessed in our conversations; pretty awesome.

We will prepare for concerts, preaching and hosting Bible studies. 

We will be putting on concerts/worship and preaching to the youth!

Our Bible classes will tentatively be taught at night to both children and adults.

They have requested we bring films depicting God and His greatness!

There are a few YWAM'ers living in Palau, however, they work full time jobs, live in separate houses and don't have a base/campus! They requested that we bring machetes, saws and work materials to help build their YWAM home! We are honored to be with them in the very beginning phases of building their YWAM base! This will be a beautiful beginning and we are blessed to be a part of this story!

We also will be visiting other states/islands and helping with repairs/damages cause by a typhoon.

We will be visiting the islands of Kayangel, Anguar and Peleliu for sure.

I am under the impression we will be going other places as well, however, these three specifically have been communicated to us! 

Anguar is the southernmost island in the Palau Islands group, with around 200 people populating the small island. It's known as monkey island, cause there are wild monkeys runnin' around! It was a battle site in WWII, many American and Japanese battle relics remain scattered throughout the island.

Kayangel is the northernmost state of Palau! The land area is about .54 square miles! Around 140 people live here. The only power on this island come from solar panels and personal generators. There is one small library and one small school teaching from K-9.

Peleliu is located north east of Anguar with a total area of 5 miles. It is the third most populous state in Palau. This island was a site of battle in World War II. Many of the installations of the WWII era are still intact (i.e. airstrip, etc.) and shipwrecks from the battle remain visible underwater just off the coast. I have a very strong feeling something major is going to happen when we visit this state.

We will most likely be using their community center for our housing. However, when we visit other islands we are hoping to put our hammocks to good use! 

There is a hospital nearby our first location upon arrival, so we will be able to visit with people there, pray for healing, be an ear for someone to talk to and show compassion and love in any way needed.

We have to bring our own coffee and coffee maker if we want any! So if anyone wants to donate Via to me, I am accepting! ;) I may just search for a little thermos/french press, but we shall see!

We will be cooking with little gas grills, enjoying rice, fish and anything else the locals eat :)

We are in charge of our own food, grocery shopping, cooking, etc. This shall be fun!

That is what has been communicated with us thus far! We are very, very open though to anything the Lord leads us to. We are going into this outreach with a 'faith journey' attitude and are wanting to be completely dependent on the Lord.

This morning I was reading my devotional, and it was talking about leaning (having full reliance) so much on the Lord that if He were to remove Himself we would fall flat on our faces, because He will be holding us up. (Yes, I compacted my devo., so hopefully you get the point). And that is exactly what I want. I want to be trusting God in absolutely every situation; thru our evangelism, agendas, meals, finances, conversations, relations, etc. I am so stoked for this faith journey because I know for a fact God is going to shine again, and again, and again. 

Hallelujah.

Our team is coming together so well! Everyone is very outgoing, outspoken, full of energy! Our skits are hilarious because each person is willing to step out, have no fear of man and just be silly. It's such a blessing having a talkative group, that is on fire and ready to just go for it! I'm blessed to be leading this group for my first outreach.

Palau was put on YWAM Ship's heart many months ago, I'd say around October 2012. We are hoping to build relationship with the islanders and be able to serve them time and time again. We, as Ships, feel very called to the Pacific Islands. Micronesia is where we are building relations right now, with hopes to sail El Encuentro and our Caribbean Reach to in time! 

Through out 2013 we will have 4 DTS's running (1 per quarter), I believe tentatively 2 BCC's (Bible Core Course) 2 IPHC (Intro. to Primary Health Care), and 2 SONS (School of Navigation and Seamanship) running and will eventually be able to incorporate all of them together on our outreaches! Therefore, entering these islands with practical help in various areas! We also, as I have said before, are working alongside Justice Water (to build practical clean water projects and help people with basic sanitation) as well as Steps of Justice. 

This fall, we are hopeful that our first sail on El Encuentro for outreach will be stocked with medical assistance, a dentist, Bible Core Course students and much more! We're aiming to have our first medical outreach! Keep that in your prayers! :)

El Encuentro

Caribbean Reach

Caribbean Reach

El Encuentro

Look forward to sharing more with you and seeing things unfold, friends! 

P.S. check out my next post for what I'm doing after outreach :)

PEACE!

OH! I almost forgot! I have been living as a volunteer for 6 months now, still have $0 income and am in need of supporters!
 I still need finances for my outreach, as well as constant support to continue my commitment with YWAM Ships.
If you feel in anyway called to be a part of this amazing journey with me, please let me know.
Even if you can only commit to $20/month, it's better than nothing.
I do need a little over $1,000/month in support.
I have complete faith my finances will come in!
Please, contact me with any questions.
I also have a "Support Tay Tab" on the top of this page.
If you are confused about YWAM, what I do, or how the funds reach me, anything, I would love to chat with you!
Mahalo dear friends :)