To for those of you who do not know, this past September I have had the great opportunity to take a Discipleship Training school through Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Lakeside, Montana. I have included my previous support letter below to bring you up to date. Through my DTS, I was able to explore the depths of God and what it means for me, and walked away from the twelve week Lecture Phase better understanding my identity in Christ. Through my DTS I have made the lifelong friends, I have made lifelong changes in how I view the world and myself, and have seen a lifelong calling to missions and to serve God in every aspect of life. If I have one request at all I would wish that every person my age would set aside 6 months of their life before college to do a DTS, just in hope that they too would find a zeal for life like I have.
However, the Lecture Phase was only half this Discipleship Training School experience. This course also included an 8 week outreach overseas in which I went to Indonesia. Our outreach began in Surabaya, Indonesia where we stayed for 4 weeks. In Surubaya, we performed several dramas at different churches, preached in several churches in nearby villages, and volunteered community events like cleaning the streets and selling fixing up houses. Here we also worked heavily in a slum ministry where were able to teach English, perform bible stories like Jonah and the Whale or Noah’s Ark, and often had time to play fun games. Having such a big heart for children, this was one of my most favorite times overseas. We were able to do all of this in the heart of the slums where all families would come to watch and participate. On Christmas
weekend, our team was able to throw a Christmas party for the children at the base where we stayed. More than 40 children and their families were able to celebrate Christmas, and even received gifts that we were able to provide with a portion of our team money. One boy in particular that we taught quickly became my favorite. His name was Joulee. He was the first to act up in class and I was the first to give him a hard time. At the very end of our time teaching the children, we said our goodbyes and Joulee was sad to see us leave. After running into my arms to say goodbye I noticed him looking at the various bracelets I had on my wrist, each one having very important significance to me making it hard to even take any of them off. Without any hesitation I untied one and wrapped it around little Joulee’s wrist to keep. With the largest of grins on his face, he departed with one last hug and ran quick to his family to share the gift. I learned how even the smallest of gifts can mean to the most to someone else and maybe even turn their day around. I will never forget Joulee.After our time in Surbaya, our team flew to Bali, Indonesia where we stayed for another 4 weeks. In Bali, our team stayed only 6 hours away from Kuta Beach, the surfing capital of the world. In this village, we were helped build many roads for the villagers to get to town and back, helped plant a rice field, among other things for the villagers. The most memorable of all the things we were able to do in Bali was build a water pump that was self-sufficient, meaning it would not need gas or electricity to run. After assembling and repairing old pumps in Bali, our team took a brand new pump system to West Timor in Indonesia to supply them with water as well. This meant that the villagers no longer would have to trek 2 miles to the nearest water supply, but could get it from the middle of their village any time the wish
ed. Our team worked side by side with the villagers to insert these pumps for 1 whole weak, laughing and singing songs as we worked. At the end of the week, we together were able to supply the village with 22 liters of water a minute. On our outreach team was a couple who had just finished film school who was able to film the entire event. Because these pumps are so revolutionary, the creator has asked them to create an instructional documentary that will be put up on the pumps website so more people can create and install these pumps. I am not sure to when this video will be completed, but I assure you, you will be the first to know. At our departure, the village presented us with long hand woven cloths which they called a “Janji” which took over 3 months to make each. In Indonesian, this word meant tie or bond, which culturally meant they welcomed us to come back whenever we wished, almost being grafted into their village family. I still have my Janji on the wall of my room here in Taiwan as a constant reminder of the friends I have made in Indonesia.I could spend countless hours describing my experiences overseas, but the reality is no word can describe how much of a blessing it has been and what I have learned. From spending Christmas on the lip of a volcano watching the sunrise, to meeting some of the most impacting people of my life, Indonesia had played a crucial role in shaping me to be who I am called to be in Christ. I have included a video of my outreach that was shot by the couple who had graduated from film school before there DTS to bring you further into my experiences overseas.
God has been doing some radical things in my life recently, and I thank all of you supporters for taking part in this experience through your contributions and prayers. While I would like to say the last 6 months have been an adventure of a lifetime, I have a feeling that this is only the beginning of a lifetime of adventure, and I owe it to you for being a part of it. Thanks you.
Indonesia Video from Josh Brooks on Vimeo.
Alive in Christ,
Brandon Miller
Brandon Miller
