Why are you going with YWAM instead of some of the other organizations out there?
Simply put, God was very specific as to who I was to go with (see 2nd blog entry in May). It would be much easier to go with an organization that helps pay a salary or a stipend, but God has been teaching me obedience and to have faith in Him, and that He will provide for all my needs wherever He calls me, so I am going to trust Him for that. Isn't that what faith is all about - trusting Him without knowing what the outcome will be?
Why did you resign from your job 2 ½ months before you will leave for Denver?
Since I work for a college, teaching schedules as well as classes taught are made several months in advance. So, in September 2007 I had to make the decision as to which months I was going to teach in the summer (’08), and since I usually took July off to spend with family before starting work again in August, I stuck with the same schedule (God hadn’t revealed His plan to me yet). Once I knew God’s plan for the future, I knew that I would have budgeted enough money to still take time off in July to spend with family and to get some business affairs in order, and that I could then find some part-time jobs or do babysitting, etc. from August – September, since I wouldn’t be teaching when classes started in August.
What do you plan on doing with your things?
I am only allowed to take 2 medium sized suitcases and a carry on with me to Denver, so for now I plan on leaving the rest of my things at my parents’ house in GA. Once I know where I will be going after Denver, then I will figure all of that out.
Where will you be going after Denver?
As of right now, I do not know where I will be going after Denver, but God has told me that I will start in Europe or Asia, and that eventually one day I will be in Africa (my heart’s passion). YWAM does not send you to a certain base after completing DTS, but rather you have the option of where you want to go based on job availability or where God is leading you to go.
What kind of job will you be doing with YWAM?
YWAM has the need for people with every kind of training imaginable – from IT specialists, to accountants, to nurses, to teachers, to coaches, etc. Each person uses their gifts and talents to not only minister to the people, but to also help run the YWAM bases. Some people are called to the “front lines” of ministry and others are called to “assist those on the front lines.” Each job is equally important. God may change His plan, but for now I know that I plan on using the gifts and talents that God has given me to help teach and put together recreation / physical education programs wherever He takes me.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask and I will do an additional blog of F.A.Q.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Support Letter
Dearest Family and Friends,
God is infinite in His wisdom and plans for our lives, so it is my honor to share with you the work that God has begun in me, and will continue, until its completion. For several years now I have had two passions in my life – teaching and doing mission work. While I was able to combine those two passions while working at Gainesville State College, I still felt a deeper desire to do them long-term, on an international level, and in some of the most desolate areas. In July of 2007, while taking part in a short-term mission trip to Kenya, God confirmed my calling to be a missionary.
After returning from Kenya, God immediately began to put things into motion that I still would not comprehend until months later. One of those things was the specific organization that He desired for my training and mission work – Youth With A Mission, also known as YWAM. YWAM has 200 mission bases around the world.
The first part of my journey will take me to Denver, Colorado on September 29, 2008 to take a Discipleship Training School (DTS) program. The first three months will be dedicated to classroom work, as well as plugging into mission opportunities with the YWAM staff in the Denver area. The last two months will consist of a seven week international mission trip (location unknown until the DTS begins), followed by a week of debriefing, with completion of DTS on February 13, 2009.
Once my training is complete I am then eligible to apply to be staff at any of the YWAM bases. Certain locations may require more training such as cultural training pertinent to a specific area, etc. At this point in my life I feel God is calling me to make a 3-5 year commitment to missions. I know He is calling me to go abroad after completion of DTS in Denver, but I do not know yet where He is leading. I trust that in His time, He will put all the pieces of the puzzle together and lead me once again to where He desires me to use the gifts and talents that He has given me.
In preparation for this next phase of my life, I have resigned my position at Gainesville State College, effective July 1, 2008…the end of the second summer session. I plan to take some time off to have a little vacation, spend some time with my family and get my business affairs in order. Since I will no longer need my car, I have it for sale. I can use my parents’ old car they have at our Georgia house if my car sells before I have completed my time at the college. Once I sell my car, I will use the proceeds left after I pay off my car loan towards my expenses for DTS in Denver. I also plan to do temporary jobs in August and September to make some money to fund this endeavor.
I am personally responsible for all the expenses involved with DTS and my future mission trips. In order to go and fulfill all that God has planned for me, I need to develop a prayer and financial support team. This team would be made up of churches and/or people willing to either pray regularly for my ministry, provide financially for my ministry, or a combination of the two. My church, Lakewood Baptist Church, in Gainesville, Georgia, has already pledged to provide some support, for which I am very grateful. The total cost for my training in Denver will be $6,000. The cost includes lodging, meals, and training in Denver, international airfare for the 7 week mission trip, visas, and lodging and food at the YWAM base where I do my mission trip. All my personal needs, including laundry, etc. will be my personal responsibility, as this is not included in my costs. Presently I am trying to secure short-term support for the first part of my journey, the DTS training in Denver. Because this is basically considered schooling, any financial contributions made will not be tax-deductible and will have to be made to me personally. Once I become staff with YWAM, as with many mission organizations, I will not be paid a salary, but will have to depend on continued support to fund my ministry. One of the things I liked about YWAM is that they do allow their staff to work part-time, if they can find employment, to help raise their funds. As a YWAM staffer and when I am on the mission field, any contributions made at that time can be made through YWAM, for my benefit, and can be used as a tax-deduction. If any of you feel that you can pledge any form of long-term support, I will provide you at a later time with more information about that.
I am asking you to consider whether or not you can be a part of my team. My most urgent need is support for DTS, but I hope that some of you will feel you can also support me for the long-term. I need to have my team complete as soon as possible, hopefully no later than September 15, 2008. I have enclosed a Response Form and an envelope for your response.
If you would like to be part of my support team, please mark whichever area/areas are appropriate for you on the response form. If you decide to support me financially, please make your check payable to me, attach your completed response form, and either bring to me or my father, Andrew (Andy) Barnette, or mail it in the enclosed, addressed envelope I’ve provided.
I am very excited about this opportunity, and for getting to be a part of what God is going to do through me, and in the lives of all those that I will meet. I appreciate your love and friendship. Thanks for considering joining my team.
For those of you who are my friends in my home state of Florida, I will be home the second weekend in August, and I hope that I will get to see at least some of you while I am there.
Yours in Christ,
Andrea Barnette
If any of you do not have access to a computer, and prefer to receive periodic written updates from me, there is a place on your Response Form where you can request that.
Also, if you would like more information about YWAM Denver, feel free to visit their website at:
http://www.ywamdenver.com/
God is infinite in His wisdom and plans for our lives, so it is my honor to share with you the work that God has begun in me, and will continue, until its completion. For several years now I have had two passions in my life – teaching and doing mission work. While I was able to combine those two passions while working at Gainesville State College, I still felt a deeper desire to do them long-term, on an international level, and in some of the most desolate areas. In July of 2007, while taking part in a short-term mission trip to Kenya, God confirmed my calling to be a missionary.
After returning from Kenya, God immediately began to put things into motion that I still would not comprehend until months later. One of those things was the specific organization that He desired for my training and mission work – Youth With A Mission, also known as YWAM. YWAM has 200 mission bases around the world.
The first part of my journey will take me to Denver, Colorado on September 29, 2008 to take a Discipleship Training School (DTS) program. The first three months will be dedicated to classroom work, as well as plugging into mission opportunities with the YWAM staff in the Denver area. The last two months will consist of a seven week international mission trip (location unknown until the DTS begins), followed by a week of debriefing, with completion of DTS on February 13, 2009.
Once my training is complete I am then eligible to apply to be staff at any of the YWAM bases. Certain locations may require more training such as cultural training pertinent to a specific area, etc. At this point in my life I feel God is calling me to make a 3-5 year commitment to missions. I know He is calling me to go abroad after completion of DTS in Denver, but I do not know yet where He is leading. I trust that in His time, He will put all the pieces of the puzzle together and lead me once again to where He desires me to use the gifts and talents that He has given me.
In preparation for this next phase of my life, I have resigned my position at Gainesville State College, effective July 1, 2008…the end of the second summer session. I plan to take some time off to have a little vacation, spend some time with my family and get my business affairs in order. Since I will no longer need my car, I have it for sale. I can use my parents’ old car they have at our Georgia house if my car sells before I have completed my time at the college. Once I sell my car, I will use the proceeds left after I pay off my car loan towards my expenses for DTS in Denver. I also plan to do temporary jobs in August and September to make some money to fund this endeavor.
I am personally responsible for all the expenses involved with DTS and my future mission trips. In order to go and fulfill all that God has planned for me, I need to develop a prayer and financial support team. This team would be made up of churches and/or people willing to either pray regularly for my ministry, provide financially for my ministry, or a combination of the two. My church, Lakewood Baptist Church, in Gainesville, Georgia, has already pledged to provide some support, for which I am very grateful. The total cost for my training in Denver will be $6,000. The cost includes lodging, meals, and training in Denver, international airfare for the 7 week mission trip, visas, and lodging and food at the YWAM base where I do my mission trip. All my personal needs, including laundry, etc. will be my personal responsibility, as this is not included in my costs. Presently I am trying to secure short-term support for the first part of my journey, the DTS training in Denver. Because this is basically considered schooling, any financial contributions made will not be tax-deductible and will have to be made to me personally. Once I become staff with YWAM, as with many mission organizations, I will not be paid a salary, but will have to depend on continued support to fund my ministry. One of the things I liked about YWAM is that they do allow their staff to work part-time, if they can find employment, to help raise their funds. As a YWAM staffer and when I am on the mission field, any contributions made at that time can be made through YWAM, for my benefit, and can be used as a tax-deduction. If any of you feel that you can pledge any form of long-term support, I will provide you at a later time with more information about that.
I am asking you to consider whether or not you can be a part of my team. My most urgent need is support for DTS, but I hope that some of you will feel you can also support me for the long-term. I need to have my team complete as soon as possible, hopefully no later than September 15, 2008. I have enclosed a Response Form and an envelope for your response.
If you would like to be part of my support team, please mark whichever area/areas are appropriate for you on the response form. If you decide to support me financially, please make your check payable to me, attach your completed response form, and either bring to me or my father, Andrew (Andy) Barnette, or mail it in the enclosed, addressed envelope I’ve provided.
I am very excited about this opportunity, and for getting to be a part of what God is going to do through me, and in the lives of all those that I will meet. I appreciate your love and friendship. Thanks for considering joining my team.
For those of you who are my friends in my home state of Florida, I will be home the second weekend in August, and I hope that I will get to see at least some of you while I am there.
Yours in Christ,
Andrea Barnette
If any of you do not have access to a computer, and prefer to receive periodic written updates from me, there is a place on your Response Form where you can request that.
Also, if you would like more information about YWAM Denver, feel free to visit their website at:
http://www.ywamdenver.com/
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