http://ywam.org/News-Stories/news/Warming-Hearts-at-the-Winter-Olympics

Sorry I've slacked so much on updating. This news post is a good concise description of what I was involved with organizing in February. More to come soon. Facebook will have to be the place to go for photos.

So much beauty and so much pain...

Here is the official YWAM "project 2010" blog. Its really cool with twitter feeds and all!

YWAMvancouver.com/prayer

Also Please sign up in a slot during the day to pray for us at

Ywamvancouver.com/signup

Its hard for me to know what to write? I've see so much, and so much has happened, in the last 11 days since I got back into Vancouver. I've realized that I really like it here. I've seen people fully open their homes to me because they believe in what we're doing to server all kinds of people in the city. I've seen, and now live with, the biggest dog I have ever seen (his name is Duke, and he’s a Great Pyrenees)! I've seen reminders of God's Father heart for me! I've seen the “Coast Mountains” peaking through the low mist off the sound, capped with snow, raped in rainforest, bathed in early morning golden light. I've see this beauty as I ride the sky train full of people from so many places! I've walked on green grass in the rain (yes Colorado "green" & "rain"). I've seen God bring a divers group of volunteers to the city for the purposes of serving other and making known God’s Love to everyone! Last week there was about twelve of us on the YWAM Vancouver team (and six of us had just arrived) buy this week there where about 120 more YWAM'er (another 50 are to come latter throughout the games). Then last night at the "More Than Gold" kickoff event we where around 500 people strong praising God together and praying for wisdom in our outreach. Please join us in prayer that Gods spirit of love would come and that it could cut through the darkness, that we wouldn't be pushing our own agendas but actually caring for people open and waiting for the spirit of Christ to direct our steps, also that we are bold enough to pray big prayers, and that the love of Jesus would be made known during the games!

I forgot to mention that along with all the said outreach's below (Union Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, Prayer Stations, and Buying Sex is Not a Sport) we will also be helping with "More Than Gold" art events around the city (Check: YourSource.org), also with "The Burn" which will be 27hours of continuous worship( http://burn24-7.com/ )… THIS IS GOING TO BE SWEET have fun checking these out! I'm pretty excited!

Along side of all the beauty of Vancouver, and the excitement around the Games, I have also seen many things that have broken my heart. I will only write about one example. The night before last a old women in a wheelchair approached me on the street. Her legs were so small and hung limp from years of being paralyze. She asked me for some change. I didn't have any change at all. I offered to buy her food... she said "no… I want money for a place to stay tonight." I was tired and just wanted to go home. I'm ashamed to say I excused myself and did just that... I went home. I didn't know what to do? I realized on the train, a few minutes latter, that I could have gone with her, possibly had a good conversation, and paid for a place for her to stay? It made me so sad, and I felt helpless, staring into her wrinkly desperate face… I wanted to know what Jesus would have done?

Please be praying for us to know what to do to show people God that loves them, and wants people to come back to Him. Stay in touch and stay updated and please respond!

JOnathan

sorry for all the typos! I will proof read more in the future :)

In Vancouver working with YWAM!

As many of you know, I got the unique opportunity to come back to Vancouver and start work with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) “project 2010” as a short term staff member. I am committed ...to be here at least February. Since I have started with the team, I have felt like there is no where else I’m meant to be right now. That’s a good feeling!
I am one of six people, that have come in from all over, to be short term staff during the Winter Game. We joined a full time staff that have been in the city doing outreach for years. If you are unfamiliar with YWAM please take a moment and check these out:
http://www.ywam.org/
http://www.ywamvancouver.com/index2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youth_with_a_Mission

YWAM gives people the freedom to follow dreams to serve people globally, and it is the network we where under when I went to Greenland the last two summers.

YWAM could be called a network of bible school’s (or discipleship training schools [DTS's]), or a global missions training organization, but dew to lack of time, and energy, all I will say now is that YWAM is really much much much more! I feel privileged to join their staff, even short term.

Specifically I’m working with the “project 2010” team: check it out!
http://www.ywamvancouver.com/2010.html

In partnership with:
http://www.morethangold.ca/

My easy job description is, primarily, is organizing close to 200 volunteers that are coming into the city during the games.

What will the volunteers be doing you ask? SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS... many outreaches are in partnership with other groups (we are joining the efforts of the salvation army, the more than gold network, the Union Gospel Mission, buying sex is not a sport (http://embracedignity.org/?page=buyingsexisnotasport), and several church's. We are partnering with them to be able to send our volunteers to work with the homeless in soap kitchens/ drop in centers, hand out hot drinks to people at transit stations, set up station on the street where people can come and just ask for prayer (we believe in the power of prayer!), to be a part of setting up creative arts instillation's, and also to be able to participate in silent peaceful marches to raise awareness of how the sex trade supports human trafficking into North America, etc.

Thanks for reading this there will be more to come... please be praying for us and our efforts in Vancouver!

Jonathan