Outreach Teams Ministry Season 1 in the Books
- rebeccavaller03
- Jun 22
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 26
Our first OTM season is over! Over the last six months we've hosted four teams, two from Montana Lakeside; one from Louisville, Kentucky; and one from Bangkok, Thailand.
It's honestly crazy how quickly time flies. The last two months have been our busiest yet as a base. We began on April 10th with another team from YWAM Montana Lakeside. Their team was pretty big with nine students and three staff. After only a few days of them being here, we became good friends. They were so intentional with their time, it was clear they came to DTS to know God, and then outreach to make God known. They reminded me that there are indeed young people who are about the things of God.
During their six weeks in Trang, we took them all around the province. Partnering with many of the small churches both within and without the city. The students did skits, led worship, and encouraged the believers. We also were able to partner in evangelism with all of those churches. We went door to door around those areas, or helped the churches put on kids events.
Additionally, we were able to do our "mini concerts" at the markets around town, and this team crushed it! We went to each market twice, and when we started to set up for the second night at each location, the local vendors were so excited. As I walked by they would ask if we were doing the music again. I am so thankful that we had such favor this time around. At the beginning of the time when we went to schedule some of the managers raised concerns about us bothering the patrons of the market. So as we went into this time we were praying that we would be able to share the gospel in it's fullness, but respect the managers request to not bother the market goers. God answered that prayer! Not only were we able to share the gospel through the Easter story, people approached us to ask more about who Jesus was. While the worship team was playing songs, the rest of the team split up throughout the market and prayed for people. Hearts were impacted, and seeds were planted, and I have no doubts that in time, a harvest will be reaped.
Four weeks into their time, a team of six students and six staff from YWAM Bangkok showed up to join in the ministry as well. It was so much fun to have the base absolutely packed with people. On two occasions we sent the teams out on a "faith day" throughout the city. This day was for the teams to be able to work together to discern God's voice and go wherever God would lead them. On those days, it was clear God has been growing a hunger in the people of Trang. When asked, "Have you heard about Jesus?" many said no. However, there were a good amount who said that they had; from a group of foreigners playing Christmas music at the markets. (Surprise, that was us with the first Montana team in December!)
But the best moment of those days was when a man gave his life to Jesus after hearing about it for the first time! God gave the students a picture of a man in a yellow and black top next to a white motorcycle, past the corner where a black truck was parked. As they walked from a coffee shop, they saw the black truck, rounded the corner, and there he was. Just as they had seen in their prayers. They began to share with him that Jesus had led them to find him. They told him the good news that they had been sent to share, and his heart burned within him. Right then and there, he decided to follow Jesus, the God who sent someone just for him. Please pray for him as he begins to follow Jesus!
I am in awe of what God has been doing in this city. The people in Trang are hungry and ready for the gospel. As we do more and more ministry, God has been giving us favor with school principals, pastors, market managers, coffee shop owners, neighbors, and more. The people are curious, hungry to know why we carry ourselves with such love and joy. Why we remain here and continue sharing what we believe. They are hungry for the reason why we are so different to all the other tourists and teachers: Jesus. I ask you, do not stop partnering with us in prayer for this city. I believe God is actively doing something miraculous here. For the sake of His name among all nations.
Even though our first OTM season is done, that doesn't mean we are done accepting teams. Shortly, we will be purchasing a vehicle to be transporting teams and students throughout the city. This will be an incredible aid for our DTS, but especially for OTM. With this truck, the amount of staff needed to host a team significantly decreases. Meaning we hope to be able to host teams during our DTS! Even if not, the next OTM season will come around in the winter. That being said, the ministry doesn't stop! In fact, I am absolutely thrilled for the next season of ministry coming up in July.
YWAM Trang's First DTS + DTS Prep Course: Coming in July!
In just about a month, we will be starting our DTS Prep course! This is a short two month season, with students online in July and in-person in August, which leads into the school's official start in September. I have been looking forward to this school for nearly three years now, since we've moved to Trang in 2022. My DTS was radically impactful to my walk with Jesus. Despite growing up in the church, I lacked a lot of discipleship. As a teenager I was living a double life, and no one called me out for it or taught me how to walk a righteous life. There were many broken and sinful areas of my life that I was convicted in, but I needed someone to disciple me through them. Thank God that he led me to DTS in North Idaho when he did!
I was fed up with living one way around my friends and another around church people. I wanted a life that was dedicated to the Lord, authentic and real. The kind of life that people would see and know that Jesus was my all and every. DTS set up a foundation for a life of dedicated obedience to Jesus among the nations. When I went, I was expecting to learn how to be a missionary, I didn't realize it would include learning the fundamentals of how to be a disciple. Which is not just head knowledge, but action and pursuit of Jesus through obedience. I am grateful everyday for the leading of the Lord in my life. I don't know where I would be without him. I don't know how I would be satisfied aside from this commission. To work with my whole being, alongside my Savior, seeing Him be actively glorified in the lives of students who come on base, people hearing good news for the first time, people encountering the goodness of a God who left it all and came down for us.
Join me in praying for the same radical encounters for our students. That they would come to know how loving our God is to call us on the narrow way. It is a joy, a privilege, to walk this way. Even the sufferings that it requires are a gift granted to us for our sanctification. (Philippians 1:29) We get to know Christ more as we lay down more of ourselves. Our lives are found when we lay them down. Pray that each and every student would not be led into temptation, but that they would be delivered from the evil one, and that God's kingdom would come and his will be done in their lives (Matthew 6:9-13).
Final Updates
Joy is here! She just arrived a week ago, and it has been a pretty smooth transition. Our girls house has gone from two to three. It has been such an answer to prayer! As you all know, I have been praying for more girl staff for years, and the time has finally come. I'm thankful for the faithfulness of God. If we aren't careful to keep our perspective on the character of God, we can get discouraged when prayers take a long time to be answered, or when the answer is no. The truth is, God hears our prayers. He is faithful to his people. He may not always answer how we want, or when we want, but when we pray he moves. This is one of many examples of consistent prayer being heard and answered by the Lord!
Jazlyn and I made it back from our visa trip to Malaysia! God provided what we needed to make it back into Thailand. I do ask that you would all continue praying for a long-term visa to open up for me. I do not have any long-term visa options available to me currently, so please pray that I would get what I need to remain in Thailand.
Next month I get to celebrate 4 years in YWAM and 3 years of YWAM Trang! I am so excited to take some time to reflect on all that God has done over the last four years. As well as pray for what God has planned to do in the future. Thank you to each and every one of my partners for being with me for three years! I pray God would bless you as much as he has blessed me in pursuit of seeing the unreached become reached.
Prayer Requests
Unity amongst our team as we prepare now for our first ever DTS!
Unity for our DTS students as well, as they are coming from different cultures and backgrounds.
Jazlyn and Joy's Language and Culture phase, as well as their adjustment to the Kingdom of God culture we strive for on base.
Finances for me with the upcoming DTS.
A long-term visa option to open up for me.
A prayer of thankfulness for all God has done over the last three years!
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