It’s all happening!!! The SPORTS DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING
SCHOOL has arrived and is in full swing. We have 21 students from Canada, the
USA, Turkey, Indonesia, Northern Ireland, England, Norway, and Holland. It’s
been an absolute blast getting to know all of these guys. I’ve been loving the
cultural differences… they definitely make for a laugh at times when there is
miscommunication. But it’s also been great to see the way that this group in
particular has been getting along and really becoming “mates” as they invest
themselves into this school.
So our school works like this:
-
6 am is exercising time – we use this time to
wake up for the day and to get a kick start into the morning ahead
-
8 am – all students and most staff clean the
base for 30 min in different areas- we call it morning chores
-
8:30 am – worship/prayer times/or a school meeting
-
9:30 am – we give the students a ‘morning tea’
break til 10
-
10 am – we start our class sessions for the day
-
From 10-12:30 we have a speaker that will talk
about a specific topic every day for one week. Tomorrow we will start learning
about spiritual warfare and how to take fight the plans of the devil. We have
thus far learned about –hearing the voice of God and spending time with the
Lord, the character of God, repentance and forgiveness, and prayer and worship…
It’s been sweet to see the students grow and really implement these things into
their lives as they each grow in their relationship with God.
-
1:30 the students have work duties til 3:30 this
is time for us as staff to be in staff class, staff meeting or catch up on work
-
3:30 – small groups, sport activity, class,
evangelism or free time depending on the day
-
5:30 dinner!
-
Monday nights we have class after dinner
-
Tuesday nights we play sport In the community
against other organized teams (I play soccer!)
-
Wednesday is our free night
-
Thursday is evangelism in the city
-
Friday night is where we have a meeting all
together for worship and a message and fellowship after.
The weeks have been flying by…
These students have been learning and growing so much, and
it’s been incredible to watch them take ahold of their relationship with God
and ask Him where to go and what to do. All of them have been taking this time
seriously to focus and apply themselves and they’ve been able to see God move
because of that. An example would be in the area of evangelism. Many of them
have never told anyone about Jesus before coming here.. (I was like that too)
But we have made very intentional efforts to go together into areas of the city
and sing songs and be unapologetic about our faith in God. Not in a “bible
bashing, I’m right and you’re wrong” kind of way, but in a way where we aren’t
afraid to actually claim that we are believers. And because of this, many of
the students have come to have great conversations with people. They have
gotten to connect and share a little bit about who God is for them and this has
made a real impact in the city of Perth, simply because they chose to step out
in faith and not be silent. It’s amazing.
Some topics we have covered as a school are:
1.
Hearing the voice of God
2.
The Character and Nature of God
3.
Forgiveness and Sins week
4.
Worship and prayer
5.
Spiritual warfare
6.
God’s father heart
7.
The fear of the Lord
8.
Making Jesus Lord
All of these have been great, and our class is a really good
group. I have seen God work in each one of their lives as we’ve had teachings
and application of these topics… I have been especially blown away by God’s way
of speaking to one of my students..He’s really been healing her past and
showing her that there is so much more ahead of her. Many of these
international students are feeling called to missions, which is so exciting! They
are very talented and gifted young people and I’m really pumped for the way
they will be used in the lives of others and in the nations!
Jesus has been taking me through a very close and detailed season.
I am being challenged in my identity and taking it on as I feel God shows me
new things about myself. I have recognized it necessary to lay down my
reputation and take up my identity in God in order to find real security… this
has been a huge thing for me as I have staffed this school. Accepting who I am
and accepting who I’m not and then taking on the call of God and drive forward
so that He can use me! It’s been a sweet freedom to experience. I have also
been challenged to give up things I want to see happen, in order to make Jesus
the king over my life. This, I am still learning how to do, but God has never once
left me alone, which I couldn’t be more thankful for. So I’m growing a lot!!
Lastly, I have been appointed as a Co-leader to take a team
of 11 to Cambodia, Thailand, and Southeast Asia. We will be working with
children and aim to use sports as a ministry tool to connect with the kids. We
will also be doing evangelism!
Financial update: God has been so good and faithful to
provide a whole heap of all that I am needing. I had an amount of $3,500 of
need to go on outreach and He has been really moving as I’ve prayed and obeyed and provided almost three quarters of that! I have a current need of $925 and I am putting
my faith in God to see that all come in about a week and a half. We have been
doing car washes and hot dog selling to raise finances on the weekends, and we
will be doing a run/leap-frog-a-thon in about a weeks’ time. If God is moving
on your heart to give towards this outreach, you can e-mail me at erikasimpkins@gmail.com and I’ll let
you know how you can do that!
Christmas….. it’s just around the corner! It’s hard to
imagine a Christmas where there’s no snow, but I’m adapting to the turnaround
in climates. We have been getting weather recently in the upper 70’s and 80’s
and will almost definitely have a really hot Christmas. I will miss the snow
and all my friends and family, but I can‘t say the beach doesn’t sound nice. J
Thank you again for all of your prayers and generosity. I
wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing without you, and because of your investing
into this mission and what God is doing on this side of the world, there is
much more fruit that is produced for His kingdom!
