To never be the same

September Update

2011-09-16T15:49:00.002-05:00

I could hardly believe it...

I'm sure you have had those moments in life where you just are not sure that what you're hearing is true. I've had a few of them in my short life with one of them happening a few years ago when I paid off my car loan. I can't describe the freedom I felt when I was told I didn't have to fork over $350 every month anymore, has I had been doing for close to 3 years. It was a shock to my system.

I would also say that I've experienced a much better "shock" , like when my friend said, "I think I just got healed!" This happened a few weeks ago during our YWAM Orlando staff training week. A teacher from another part of YWAM was leading us and he had us take some time to pray for each other; specifically for physical healing. Many staff had some kind of need and so we just prayed for whoever was closest to us. I was standing next to my friend Sarah who recently had a beautiful little girl. I asked Sarah what her need was and she explained, "Well, I've been having lots of problems with my sinuses and allergies lately and it has been hard to breathe clearly through my nose." Now I've prayed for a lot of people and I've only physically witnessed 2 or 3 people have their problem go away. Needless to say, I had kind of fallen into what I would call a classic case of "I'm doing this because it's what I'm supposed to do" and honestly, I didn't think anything would happen. And then she said it: "I think I just got healed!" My amazing, spiritual response: "Really?"

I won't pretend to know why God does or doesn't heal people when we pray for them, but I've definitely learned that He does and is willing to heal even the smallest things. I don't have any powerful insight on His timing either, but I want to encourage you to take every opportunity He gives you to pray and then maybe you can join me in having a "I could hardly believe it" moment too.

May Update

2011-05-10T16:21:00.002-05:00

May Update
Greetings from Orlando! Here's a quick update on my life:

What I’ve been doing -
I've just returned from participating in a 4-week long Supernatural Missions Training Seminar with YWAM Mendocino Coast in Mendocino, California and am right back in the thick of things here at YWAM Orlando. The seminar was very intense, challenging, and confirming. There were speakers from YWAM, Bethel Church in Redding, California, the International House of Prayer - Kansas City, and a few local pastors. The purpose of the seminar was to train us in how to more effectively reach people and the closed nations for Christ. I was really challenged! God specifically challenged me in making Him my only priority and truly loving Him as Jesus told us. Jesus highlighted that the greatest commandment was to love God which in turn included loving others as ourselves. God showed me that I keep my love for Him "comfortable" and am not really extravagant with showing my love to Him. I also realized that it was easy for me to love lots of people but not all and not how I love myself. God really rearranged some of my thinking which I really needed. I can't help but be blessed by the truth of Romans 12:2 which tells us to let God transform us into new people by allowing Him to change our thinking patterns! That has become a reality for me in this season.

The seminar also provided me with some practical experiences as well. I was a part of a healing room that happened every Saturday morning where people would come for prayer for anything in their life. It was a blast to see God move in people's hearts as we showered them with the Father's love and encouragement. I had a one cool testimony from a lady I prayed for. She needed prayer for an internal organ issue and while I was praying for her, God highlighted her heart to me. I prayed into that and after I finished, she told me that she had forgotten something that happened at her last doctor visit. She said that she had some kind of test and that the doctor found something that would indicate that she may have a small problem with her heart. The doctor wasn't overly concerned and had told her to not really worry about it and that it may have just been a testing blip. She heeded the doctor’s advice but remembered the incident as I was praying for her and she said that she felt some kind of activity in her heart while I was praying for her. She believed that God had healed her from whatever problem the test had detected about her heart! Unfortunately, she didn't receive a full healing the day I prayed for her but we both agreed that God had started something amazing in her and that He wasn't done working yet!

YWAM Orlando -
I've returned to a very different YWAM Orlando then the one I left. God is doing some very challenging, but amazing things with our community here. This is the first quarter that we are running all our training schools on our new property! It is a challenge still as we are relying on diesel generators for all our power and there is currently no running water or operational sewer system on the land. God is moving however as the power company is in the midst of installing new power poles and lines. Those are expected to be finished in 3 weeks and we can't wait to see them finished!

We have about 30 students total for the 5 schools that we are running (low numbers but it's working out) and we have 3 teams on outreach: one in the West Bank, one in Jordan, and one in China. I haven't heard any specific stories from them yet but I'm told that they are seeing God change hearts in those nations. YWAM Orlando has also sent out a long term team to a Middle-eastern nation recently and They reported that they have found apartments and are now working on finding a place to start a business that they have plans for. So there are many exciting things that God has been using us for in the nations!

What’s next-
I am planning on returning to Alexandria May 25-30 for the specific purpose of connecting and updating you on what I'm currently involved with and what's been happening the past year. I would love to make time to see you if you want and also look for an update from me on a potential night of some pictures and stories from my recent adventures. Please let me know if you are interested!

The next few months for me here in Orlando will consist of me preparing to take a team to Israel in late July and helping to renovate our "old" campus houses so that we can start renting them and getting some cash flow to help us continue to function as a ministry.

Prayer-
• YWAM Orlando is in financial crisis right now. We need to see $30,00 come in by this Friday in order to pay our bills. God has never let us down yet but we are praying. If you feel led to give financially towards our need, you can visit http://www.ywamorlando.com to give online and info on how to give through other avenues.
• Pray for the teams on outreach in the West Bank, Jordan, and China
• Pray for our power and water situation on the campus. People are getting tired of having to go to the gym to shower!
• Pray for more students to come to our upcoming schools this summer. We are equipping people to go to the hard nations of the world and the devil is doing all he can to stop us. I believe God is about to powerfully break out across the Middle East and we need ambassadors of Christ to be bringing His truth and love to the people in those nations!

Thanks so much for your prayers. I love you all!

A run-in with the heart of the Father

2011-02-06T13:47:00.004-06:00

The other day I was driving to work by myself and I had a car that passed me with a bumper sticker on the back of it that said "NOBAMA" over an American flag. Now I've seen that phrase hundreds of times over the past few years but this time I felt the Lord telling me to pray for our president. I started with some generic, "righteous" phrases but then I thought of how Mr. Obama would have to answer his little girls when they would see that phrase and ask their beloved father what it meant. Suddenly, I was overcome with God's heart for the Obama's and I couldn't help but cry as I thought of how this man, regardless of his political or personal views, had to overcome so much hatred from the very people he was currently serving. I don't agree with many views of our President, but I do know I wouldn't want his job and it's hard enough to be president of the most influential country in the world without having to also face the ridicule of someone who judges you based on your skin color, choice of faith, and not to mention, who only knows you by what someone, who is not trustworthy, else tells them (the media). No one deserves that kind of treatment.

In reality, we as humans deserve the worst kind of treatment because of our sin, but God has made a way for us to live in freedom through Jesus and He asks us to love others as He loves us. As I continued praying, I thought of the treatment Daniel received in the Bible (God has been teaching me lots through Daniel's life this past year). Daniel experienced the reality of evil. When the Babylonians overran Daniels homeland, they probably destroyed his home, killed his parents, enslaved him and then made him walk to Babylon. After surviving that journey, Daniel was then forced to forget all that he was and learn a new culture, language, and religion, only to then have to serve the very king who completely ruined his life. But Daniel learned God's heart and learned to love his captor, Nebuchadnezzar. In fact, Daniel loved Nebuchadnezzar so much that when God began to humble the king, he wept and was grieved (Daniel 4:19). I would have been celebrating the fall of the man who made my life miserable.

I heard Dean Sherman speak recently and he said something that has challenged me everyday. Dean said that when Christians gather together for worship that before doing anything else, we are commanded (1 Timothy 2:1-5) to pray for everyone, especially our authorities. God loves to work in the opposite spirit and I can't imagine how transformed our President would be if every follower of Jesus in America would pray for Him everyday before doing anything else and then refuse to bad-mouth him and instead, honor him whenever possible.

President Barak Obama is a real person, with real feelings, a real wife, real children, and real dreams and aspirations. He also has a really hard job that God has prepared and appointed him for in this time. President Obama wants to bring change to our nation for the better, but I would have a hard time listening to those who say that the plan for change must come from the Bible when those same people are preaching that I'm the Anti-Christ.

2011-02-02T12:44:00.003-06:00

Hello!
I missed sending out an update last month so I'll do my best to update you on what's happening in my life. I'm still in Orlando working mostly on the renovation of our new campus; it definitely is progressing! We are in the middle of a volunteer boom with over 40 people coming to do construction work since the beginning of the year and are looking forward to another 60+ coming until the end of March. Many have been Amish or conservative Mennonite in their beliefs so it has really been fun to talk to them about their lives. Some wear very different clothes and they usually all have the same hair cuts, while some, surprisingly, even have a cell-phone or enjoy wake-boarding. It has been a learning experience to say the least. Well, now for some details:

YWAM Orlando Schools -
It has been a good start this year as two schools are now running on the new campus: the School of Missions (SOM) & the School of Ministry Development. The SOM is planning on leaving Orlando in April and going to Turkey to start a work there, with many of the students having committed to spending one or more years to get up and running. I have some close friends who are a part of that team so it will be sad to see them go but it's also the point of our work so it's awesome to see them talk their faith to the field. The SOMD is our staff training school and it has been fun getting to know the new people who plan on joining our staff family for the next few years. The Fall Discipleship Training School's are well and still on outreach in India, Jordan, and South Africa. If you want to see pictures of their adventures visit http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=57588427474
On a personally sad note, in my last update I told you that my girlfriend Danielle was helping to lead the DTS team in Jordan, but before she left she ended our relationship for personal reasons. I was surprised but I know God is in control and has both of our best interests in mind. We still are friends so please pray for both of us as we move forward with our lives.

What's exciting & new -
The new year has brought me some different roles here at YWAM Orlando. Along with my campus work, I am now leading worship on Monday mornings for the schools at our new campus. I love it! I find it very funny that God has equipped me to lead worship but there is no better place then in His presence. It has been a great time for me personally to help people draw closer in intimacy with Jesus. Something else that I'm excited about is that I have been asked to lead another short trip overseas, this time to Israel. I was in Israel last May and it was very eye-opening! The trip will be this summer sometime and the admissions department told me that people are calling all the time to find out how they can come on this trip. If you or someone you know would be interested in going, check out our web page: http://www.ywamorlando.com/short_term_go_teams.aspx
I also have applied to attend a Missions seminar with YWAM Mendocino Coast in northern California that starts at the end of this March. It is primarily focused on using the power of God in your personal life to share the Gospel with others. It also focuses on 24 hour prayer and worship as a tool to evangelize. For a better explanation, here's their website: http://ywammendocino.org/ignite And lastly, my birthday is February 27 so this is my favorite month. Send cookies if you would like!

Pray for...

The DTS teams in India, Jordan, and South Africa for good health and divine moments from the Lord to share the Gospel.
Planning this trip to Israel. I will need to determine where we visit, ministry opportunities, and the dates for the trip very soon.
Our new campus and the safety of all our volunteers and that God would provide materials and money for us to keep moving forward.
The SOM team preparing to go to Turkey long-term this April.
God's wisdom as I pursue training with YWAM Mendocino Coast
My faith and trust in the Lord to grow as He takes me new places.

Thanks so much for reading!
Be blessed,
SAM BLOMMEL

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-18T14:59:00.006-06:00

September Update

2010-09-11T10:54:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone!

Wow! It's all I can say after the past two weeks and all that God has and is still doing for us here at YWAM Orlando. Has you know, we've been following the Lord in pursuit of a former bible camp as our new campus and I'm happy to say God has moved mountains for us. This camp only a few years ago was going to be sold for over 18 million dollars. God made it possible for us to negotiate for a price of a little over 3 million. We have spent the last 4 years and 4 months raising about $550,000 and needed over 1 million to close on August 31. Well, the owners of the land were so moved by what God was doing through us that they agreed to reduce to closing downpayment to $375,000!!!! We obviousley still need to raise a lot more money but God was so faithful to make a way for us to get on the land and begin lots of hard work in order to be transfering locations by the next year. Thank you God! So this means lots of hard work for me as I'm helping organize our work crews doing demolition, clearing brush, repairing roofs, and cleaning up accumulated garbage from the past 6 years. But I'm excited to be a part of building a launchpad to reach the hardest to reach nations of the earth for Jesus. For more info on the progress of the property and for pictures, add YWAM Orlando as a friend on Facebook or go here

One thing I wanted to share with you was a conversation I had with the Lord after finding out we had closed on the new property. I was thanking Him for being faithful but I wanted to know something. I knew He is was capable of anything and the amount of money we needed was no problem for Him, but I was intrigued that He didn't just provide the money that we would need to make the payment instead of having the amount reduced. I mean, we still have to pay for it. This is what He told me: "Sam, if you would have an opportunity to bless someone by giving to them and meeting a need, wouldn't you be upset if I took that from you because time had run out? What if I wanted to use you? What if I wanted to bless you so much that you could afford to pay the land off? Wouldn't you love to do that?" I was stunned. I was reminded of the disconnect I have in my head. So many times I hear of God using the little unknown person to do mighty things for the Kingdom of God that I forget He wants to use me too. So if you feel that God is not planning to use you for something big, let me say that you are very mistaken. Look for the small opportunity that presents itself for God to use you to change a life, a church, a community, a nation, or the world. Be obedient to what He asks of you and He won't fail you!

Thank you for your love and support and be blessed!

August YWAM Update

2010-08-19T15:40:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone!!

This summer is nearly over and its hard to believe that fall is around the corner. The past month has been a whirlwind of activity for me as I have been in Morocco, leading one of our short-term missions trip called a GO Team. We traveled to three major cities in Morocco: Agadir, Casablanca, and Marrakesh. It was quite an intense time of experiencing a completely Muslim influenced society and learning to love a people group in deep spiritual darkness.

Morocco -

As Morocco is a "closed country" (we could have been arrested for any type of public preaching or handing out Christian materials), we had to ask the Lord for some creative ideas to reach people with the truth of Jesus. We spent lots of time in prayer, walking around mosques and businesses, fighting against the spiritual strongholds that enslaved the people. We also handed out bottles of water to the homeless and thirsty in heat that sometimes reached 120 degrees. One of our team members felt that she was supposed to buy roses and give them to people passing by on the streets, especially women. If anyone asked why we were giving things away, we told them that "Isa" (Jesus' name in Arabic) told us to and that we wanted to bless them and show them that we loved them. People's reactions varied; many were surprised but gladly received our gifts, while some thought we were trying to trick them into buying something, others wanted to hear more of why we were doing this.

There were also some sad reactions. When passing out flowers, almost everytime we would offer one to a married women with her husband, the husband would refuse to let his wife have a flower. It became quite obvious to us that though Islam claims to be a religion of peace, it clearly has no value for love. The thing that saddened me the most in Morocco was how the women were oppressed. God created Eve as the most beautiful being on earth but Satan has deceived Muslims into believing that a women is only an object to be manipulated and concealed. A good Muslim women who is obedient to her husband and family will wear clothing in public that covers her entire body, even at the risk of heat exhaustion. What a culture to live in!

Satan also did his best to discourage us from doing what the Lord had asked us to do. For our last day in the city of Marrakesh, we had planned to split into 3 groups and do a "community picnic" where we go to a public area and invite anyone who wanted to join us for a meal of sandwiches, chips, and water. The idea was that it would be a way for us to meet people and bless people in the name of Jesus. Unfortunately, the day didn't go quite as planned. Early that morning, my co-leader, Kristen, asked me to walk with her so she could take pictures of the sunrise. I agreed and we headed toward the large mosque in the area where she could get some good photos. We were walking down a main road and noticed 2 men following us. We sped up our pace but before we knew it, they attacked us and grabbed Kristen's camera bag. Thankfully, we were not hurt and they managed only to take her bag. This presented a huge problem however as the bag contained her wallet, most of her camera equipment, and most importantly, her passport. Amazingly though, Kristen's reaction was that we could not cancel our plans for the day and regardless of what would happen with her things our group had to walk in obedience to what God asked us to do with the picnic.

So after a visit to the police station and then sending Kristen and 2 other staff to the American embassy in Casablanca, the remainder of us proceeded to buy lunch supplies and headed out to bless the community. One of our groups actually went to a park area near the mosque that Kristen and I had been attacked and started passing out food to people, literally only a few feet from the spot of the robbery earlier that day. They were able to feed about 60 people and speak with several about the love of "Isa". What Satan meant for evil, God turned for good, not only for those who loved Him but also for many who didn't. As for Kristen, she ended up getting a replacement passport and was able to leave the country, but we were unable to recover anything else. We all returned to Orlando safe and sound with a great testimony of God's protection.

What's next -

I now turn my focus to working with YWAM Orlando as we pursue our new property. Our closing date is August 31 so please pray that God will provide $500,000 for us by then. I will be staying in Florida for the next several months and hopefully will be helping with construction projects for the new base. Thanks for all your support and prayers and know that I appreciate your partnership so much.

Be blessed,
SAM BLOMMEL

2010-07-13T09:19:00.001-05:00

Hello friends and family!

Here is what's been happening for the past month:

As I mentioned in my last update we are in the process of raising money for a new campus property before the closing date of August 31. The property is 198 acres and has existing framework of 28 buildings that we hope to renovate. A big concern for us has been that since it is rainy season here in Florida, the poor conditions of many of the roofs would be damaged further. But the owners have given us permission to enclose and repair them! So, to the envy of some of our staff, I've been one of the workers going out to the property and working on the buildings. It's been exhausting but it also has been exciting to be on the land and work toward fulfilling the dream that God has given us to make this our new home.

I have been planning and preparing to take a group of 7 to Morocco for three weeks. We leave this week (Thursday, July 15) and are focusing on using photography as a way to meet people and share the Good news. We will be traveling around the country so pray that we will be protected and God will bring people that need to meet us. I'm very excited to see how God will use us to bring Living Water to this spiritually dry place. I'm also told the food is very good and so I will plan on giving you a special cuisine update and possibly even a recipe in my follow-up update.

I have also been busy being trained as a sound man for our Tuesday night community service called “Family Night”. It has been fun to expand my knowledge regarding music to the production aspect. I also have been occasionally playing drums as well. Something new that we've been trying out is doing a live, internet video stream of the service. If you would be interested in watching, it starts at 6pm central time (sorry, we are a hour before most of you) and you can go here to watch: http://www.ywamorlando.com/stream

I was blessed this past weekend to be able to come home to Alexandria and be a part of the wedding of my good friends Tucker and Merideth Reishus. It was a fun time and it was great to see some of you there as well. They are a great couple and I was happy to see them give God the glory for bringing them together. You both are awesome!

Thanks for all you wonderful prayers, support, and interest for what I'm doing! I will be back in the States on August 6 so if you need to contact me, I'm afraid you'll have to wait!

Be blessed!

2010-06-01T12:51:00.001-05:00

Hello friends!

I have just returned from Israel and Palestine this past week and was grateful that I came home to Memorial weekend so I could have an extra day to rest. I trust you all enjoyed yours. Our team had a great experience despite it not turning out quite like we thought. We had been planning to work in some Palestinian refugee camps but were not allowed to once we arrived. Instead, we were able to bless a orphanage for mentally disabled children for a day by playing games, singing fun songs and telling Bible stories. We also spent several days painting homes with a church planting team for some Muslims families in the West Bank. It was a great time to meet a need for them and they invited the team to come back again but not to work but to talk and build relationship. Simply helping someone softens the hardest of hearts and opens the door for Jesus to come in. I'm excited for what fruit will come out of God's work with the church-planting team and I'll pass on any updates I receive.

We also were able to do some maintenance work for another ministry in the West Bank that shelters battered, raped, and divorced women. In Muslim and Arab culture, these outcast women have done something to deserve the treatment they have received and are considered people with mental disablities. As a result, many are sent to mental hospitals and forgotten about. Obviously, this presents a great opportunity for the local church to minister and bring the love of Jesus to these hurting people. This home provides not only a refuge but also training in handiworks and crafts so that the women can earn money and provide an avenue for them to contribute to society.

I've been asked by many what the biggest thing I enjoyed/learned about being in the Holy Land and I have to say that by seeing a land composed of two very different cultures and religions (Judiasm and Islam) and the seemingly never-ending conflict they are locked in, that I've realized the precious gift that I have and that gift is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the answer for any and every problem including the conflict in the Middle East. The interesting thing is that these 2 peoples are surrounded by memorials of Jesus but yet ignore His greatest commandment: to love God and love others. As a Christian, I have the peace that passes all understanding and I can't ignore my responsibility to bring it to those who desperately need it.

I'm now back in Orlando for the next couple months and am preparing to take a team to Morocco at the end of August. I also will be busy with preperations for our new campus. We still need $520,000 by tomorrow to close on the land and are praying for God's provision. Please keep us in your prayers the next 48 hours!!

I hope you all have a great start to summer and are blessed by our great God!

January Update

2010-01-26T14:17:00.002-06:00

I hope the new year has been more refreshing then stressful for you so far and you are enjoying life admist all its difficulties. I've been learning a lot about faith amongst uncertain times since the beginning of the year but God has never failed me yet and I'm excited for what He has in store for His children this year.

For those of you wondering, I am still home and hope to be heading back to Orlando sometime before March 1st. I am going to a wedding reception in Florida for my newlymarried friend Aaron Fischer the first week of February, which I'm excited for, but I will be returning to MN. Of course, plans can change at any moment! I appreciate your prayers for God's provision for my work with YWAM and that I can be fully equipped for what He has asked me to do.

Obviously, many of you have been following the crisis in Haiti and have been praying for God to move in that situation. YWAM has been sending many aid teams there so please pray for safety and wisdom for them. YWAM Orlando is sending a team there and we currently have a DTS outreach in the Dominican Republic so I have many friends who in need of spiritual and physical protection. In the midst of all the tragedy there have also been some amazing stories of God's intervention. I've heard of some YWAMers who were involved with rescuing a person who had been trapped for 10 days. Our God truly is amazing!

Thanks again for you prayers and until next time, may you encounter God like never before!

I'm Still Alive...

2009-10-23T09:39:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone!

It has been a long time since you've heard from me so I thought I would update you. Not very much is new. I'm home in Alexandria doing some part-time PCA work and raising support to return to staffing in Orlando. I will be home for a few more months as I plan to be back in Orlando in January, but the time is already flying by. I've been making lots of phone calls and meeting with lots of people as well. It has been frustrating at times but has also proved to be very rewarding as I'm building relationships with people and learning how the Lord wants me to present myself to others. Thanks for your prayers and a big thank you to those that have met with me and listened to my stories. If you haven't heard from me yet and you want to, drop me an email or call me be cause I would love to see you. Thats all for now!

Be blessed!

Festival Tour Pictures

2009-08-21T10:50:00.002-05:00

If your interested in checking out some pictures from the EpicQuest Festival Tour, here is the link:
YWAM Orlando Festival Tour

August Update

2009-08-04T11:05:00.003-05:00

Hey folks!

I want to update you on my recent trip with our Epic Quest U.S. Festival Tour and also share a funny story. To explain the tour, it is a opportunity for high school kids to experience YWAM Orlando by receiving teaching and training to use dance, drama, and testimonies to evangelize and get people interested in missions. It's a great way to share with people about what God is doing around the world and also share the good news of why Jesus died for us.

I was asked to be the driver and sound man for the first part of the trip (no, I didn't dance) and we traveled to Richmond,Virginia, New Haven, Connecticut, and Easton, Maryland. We had opportunities to work with inner-city elementary kids in Richmond, perform at Foursquare, Vineyard and Episcopal churches, and entertain kids at an bible camp in Easton. The dramas and testimonies that the team shared were very powerful and touched many, including myself. Even though I'm involved in missions full time, it was great to be reminded of what darkness Jesus has taken me out of and the great blessings he has given to me.

It was also a great time of pouring into the team and helping them understand God's character and seeing freedom come into areas of their lives. We were also very blessed by our hosts in each place but in Easton, Maryland, a blessing almost became a problem. During one of our free times, some of the students (one of them being the son of Michael Berg, my boss and director of YWAM Orlando) asked to go sailing in the Chesapeake Bay (sounds bigger than it is) using our hosts' small boat. They had gone several times before and promised they wouldn't go far and would be back soon. About a 1/2 hour later, they had not returned and we went down to the water to see if we could locate them.

Sure enough, the wind had taken them quite a distance in a very short time and they were now struggling to sail back against the wind to get home. We could see them and knew that it would simply take them a long time to get back, but it was quickly getting dark. We decided to call Tom (our host) so he could take out the big boat and tow our kids home. Before he arrived, our students were in shouting distance from the shore and we called Tom back to inform him that the students were nearly back and he no longer needed to come.

The kids returned safe and sound and we headed inside for some pie (yes, I bake) and ice cream. All of a sudden, our contact with the church frantically showed up with her husband and started asking "Are the kids safe? We heard they were lost at sea and the Coast Guard is on the way!" I wish you could have seen the student's jaws drop and the blood drain from their faces in embarrasment. It was quite the funny moment.embarrassment, the Coast Guard was quickly notified and the story has a happy ending.

Please keep the team in your prayers as they are still on the road. I left them in Baltimore as I was needed back in Orlando and they traveled on to New Hampshire, Buffalo, New York, and will finish in Michigan. This leg of the tour will be spent performing at Christian music festivals as well as sharing with some local churches. If you are interested on keeping up with them, you can check out their online blog. They have already endured through some leaky tents, bad food, and flat tires, but they are also enjoying the opportunity to share and pray for the people they are meeting.

I'm now in Orlando until the end of August, finishing up my leadership school and will be traveling back to MN the first week of September so if you have some time and would like to see me, let me know and I will make it happen. Thanks for your prayers and support and spending some of your time reading this. Love you all!

To Him be the glory,

SAM BLOMMEL

Love146.org

2009-08-04T10:59:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! Check out Love146 as they work toward the abolition of child sex slavery and exploitation through Prevention and Aftercare. I got to visit their office in Connecticut recently and help them out. They are great people with a great heart for a great need.

New News

2009-07-21T14:15:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone,

So it's now day 3 of an unexpected trip for me and I haven't had the time to update you about it yet. YWAM Orlando has sent out an Epic Quest dance/drama team to tour some of the music festivals happening on the east coast for the next 4 weeks. They will sharing the gospel through dramas and dances explaining what Jesus has done for us and also working with some churches and non-profit organizations along the way. They were in need of a driver for the first 10 days and that is how I've gotten involved with this trip.
We are in Richmond, VA today and will be leaving for Connecticut early tomorrow morning. After that we will heading down to Washington D.C. and then I will return to Orlando as the rest of the team heads back up north to New Hampshire, Buffalo NY, and over into Michigan with a new driver.
Please pray for travel safety and for those who see the performances will have open hearts to receive what God is speaking. We have already seen some fruit as one man told us he has rededicated his life to Jesus because of being touched by our message. It is amazing to see people touched by unique methods!

Thank you for your prayers and God bless the end of your summer!

SAM BLOMMEL

July Update

2009-07-21T14:10:00.001-05:00

Many of you know what it is like to anticipate something exciting like a wedding or big concert or even going to a new restaurant. You think about it your whole day, wondering what it will really look like or smell like. You ask yourself questions like "What should I wear?", "How much money do I need to bring?" or (if you're a parent or a girl) "Where will the bathroom be?" Finally, the big day comes where you finally get to experience what you've been daydreaming about and many times it is completely different than what you thought it would be like. Many times the experience is better than what you expected, but it also can be equally disappointing.

Right now, I'm traveling on a path completely different from the path I thought I would be on and I'm discovering how much Satan is trying to pull me off this path through disappointment or the "death of a daydream". Like any other person, many of my goals and dreams throughout my life haven't come true and thankfully, God has had a better dream for me than I have. I've come to find one thing that is true: God is more committed to me than I am to Him.

In the last half of Genesis, we find the life of Jacob is filled with his dreams "dying". He loved a girl with all his heart and was so committed to her that he worked seven years to marry her, only to be deceived into marrying her "not-as-appealing" sister. He then discovers the girl of his dreams can't have children and when God miraculously intervenes enabling her to have children, she dies giving birth to her second son. Later, Jacob's most precious son, Joseph, is thought to be killed by wild beasts at a young age. Jacob was hurt so much that he said he would die grieving for his son. Jacob endured through dream after dream failing and dying, but God's dream for him never died.

Many years later, God's dream for Jacob's life had a storybook ending. Joseph, the precious son thought to be dead, is discovered not only alive but as the ruler of Egypt of all places. Jacob receives high favor from Pharaoh through Joseph and is given the land of Goshen in Egypt and has all his and his families needs met in the middle of a massive famine! And if that's not enough, God tells Jacob the future of his remaining years, the future of his descendants, and how his heritage will be remembered forever. Despite all that happened and all the mistakes that Jacob made, God was committed to the best dream for Jacob and made it happen.

I write this as an encouragement for you and hope that God blesses you through his personal revelation to you. As for whats happening with me, not much has changed. I'm very busy at the base, wearing many different hats with many responsibilities as most of the staff are on outreach until the middle of August. I graduate then and will be returning to MN for several months to rest and prepare for life upcoming. I am applying for a staff position at the base and need your prayers for God's provision as I am completely supported by not only Him but your generosity and partnership.

These are uncertain times for many and probably you as well, but if you are willing to invest in me and what God has called me to, send a check to:

Sam Blommel
PO BOX 620487
Orlando, FL, 32862

Make the check out to "YWAM" or "Sam Blommel".

I deeply appreciate your love, prayers, and support! Let me know how I can pray for you and if this was a blessing for you.

June Update

2009-06-22T13:18:00.002-05:00

Hello from the land of 100 degree weather!!

I'm excited to be in A/C as I write this e-mail and will gladly send some heat to whoever would like some. But on to the update...

Bad News- For the past 2 months I have been preparing to lead a trip to Ukraine in July to work with a school for special-needs children. As of last Wednesday, that has been canceled and I will be staying here at the YWAM base. It has been difficult to see all my hard work go for nothing but I am now learning how God can work through failure. He is still faithful.

Good News- I will now be one of the worship leaders here at the base and overseeing the worship department. I also will continue with my job as Transportation Coordinator and working with the Maintenance Department. I'm so blessed to see how God has made a way for me to use my talents and also fulfill some needs here at the base.

Prayer needs:

- My Grandpa recently had heart surgery. Please pray for his quick recovery and for there to be no complications.

- YWAM Orlando is starting 2 new training schools (Discipleship Training School & School Of Missions Development) today. Pray for our new students to feel welcomed and press in to what God has for them to learn in the next 6 months.

- Finances for me are very tight and I need a miracle for my needs to be met. Pray that God will give me wisdom on how to raise further support.

- I am here in Orlando until September and then will be returning home to MN. I have several options for the future and I am excited for what God has next for me. Pray for clarity and wisdom in my decision for what to pursue.

God bless you and as always I love hearing from you!!

May He refresh you toady!

World Vision

2009-05-28T13:47:00.007-05:00

Check out World Vision and if you hear of their exhibit coming near you, go. I helped with one recently in Orlando and it portrays the reality of Africa well.

Check it out.

2009-05-12T13:30:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone!!

Thanks for being a part of my extended family and I'm excited to (finally) share quickly with you what's happening with me.

I'm a part of a Basic Leadership School (BLS) here in Orlando and staying busy with:

- Transportation: I coordinate all the YWAM vehicles and make sure the students get back and forth from the base to the dorms as well as any ministry transportation. I also oversee all the legal aspects of YWAM Orlando's ownership of the vehicles. It's not as easy as it sounds!

- Dorm Supervisor: I live with our 3 male Disciple Training School students and make sure we all live together responsibly. Their names are Adam (Lousianna, age 26), Matt (Pennsylvania, age 25), and Sung-Woo (South Korea, age 21) and are a lot of fun to be around. Please keep them in your prayers, that they will continue to grow in the Lord and will be prepared for their outreach to China!

- Recreation Coordinator: Every Monday afternoon my job is to organize activites for our students to get some exercise and build relationships with each other. We have a blast playing sports (even when its really hot) and enjoying God's creation.

- Outreach to Ukraine: I've been asked to help lead a mission trip to Ukraine this July. A local church here in Orlando supports a special-needs school in Simferopol, Ukraine and are sending some of their youth to help with some light construction and preperation for the school's opening later this year. Please pray for financial provision, more people to come with us, and wisdom as this is a new challenge for me.

So, there is a small sampling of what I'm involved in. I've been learning much about servant leadership and putting it into practice all the time. It's been great to experience a new aspect of God's heart for His children and I appreciate more and more all that Jesus sacrificed for us so that we could have a good example to follow.

Bless you all and thanks for caring for me!!

YWAM BLS Update

2009-03-17T15:51:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!!

I want you to know that I've made it safely to Orlando and have been able to jump right into the leadership school and get acquainted with people and the area. Thanks so much for your prayers and it was great to be able to get together with many of you while I was home. I enjoyed it very much!

Awesome praise report -

I left last Friday (13th) from MN to head down to Orlando, but as I was about to leave, the school directors called me to let me know that I needed $1200 by Monday (16th). Well, I did not have that amount, but I also did not feel that I should not go. The directors agreed to step in faith with me that I would still come down to Florida and pray that God would provide. I obviously had a long trip and I kept praying and asking God if this was what I was to do. He never told me to turn back and reminded me to simply trust Him. I stopped in Atlanta, GA for the night on Saturday (14th) and the next morning I decided to do my taxes on-line before leaving for Orlando. Well, God showed up and my tax return was $1,500!!! He is AWESOME and He definitely was faithful!!

Please keep praying for me that the rest of my finances will be provided ($2,400, plus $500 in monthly expenses) and that I will be able to adjust to a new place quickly. God does not leave us or forsake us and believe that He will provide in more exciting ways. I can't wait to see what He does next.

If you would like to help me financially, send a check to:
Sam Blommel
YWAM Orlando
P.O. Box 620487
Orlando, FL 32862

Make the check out to "YWAM" if you would like a tax-deduction receipt or you can simply put my name on it if that doesn't matter to you.

Another way you can help me is if you want to help me in a more tangible way is by sending me gift cards for Wal-mart, gas stations, etc. I rely solely on your support as I can't have a job, and I know you may be more comfortable in helping me if you know what you are contributing to.

I hope you are encouraged and I can't wait to share all the exciting things God is planning and doing upcoming. God Bless!!

Kenya Outreach Pictures

2009-03-04T13:10:00.004-06:00

Here are some photos of my trip to Kenya. I hope you like them!

A Kenyan named Titus. He was a walking miracle. In this picture, he hadn't eaten in 2 days. Ask me more about him if your interested.

Children with AIDS at an orphanage we worked with.

The Lord told us to pray for rain and He answered.

4 men that chose to become Christians

David, a YWAM staff member in Kenya, eating our usual side dish.

Kenya Outreach Pictures

2009-03-04T12:46:00.002-06:00

Leading worship for a church service.

Helping with "King's Kids", a ministry for local kids

The team out on a safari.

Chopping wood for the stove.

Beautiful sunsets every evening.

Going to Kenya

2009-01-07T09:14:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone!!

It's been a crazy week for me as we get ready to go to Kenya. We originally were supposed to leave Monday the 12th but now we are leaving Friday the 9th (in 2 days) because we got a better deal on tickets, so that is a huge blessing. From what is planned so far, we will be spening the majority of the time working with a YWAM base in Mombasa, Kenya and will have opportunities to lead church services, do street evangelism, and speak in the local schools, so those are some things you can pray for. We will get back to the States February 19.

Some more quick notes on our team:

We are now a 10 person team as 6 students and 2 staff are no longer coming with us because of personal reasons and that has made it difficult for our planning process. It has been especially hard for me as key people in my life are no longer coming. I have also been asked to be a student leader and to help out the staff with greater responsibilities. I desperately need your prayers for me to have gentleness, patience, and do my best to unify the team. Fortunately, God is bigger than any of my problems and it will be fun to see God use us.

My plans after School of Worship:

I'm excited for what is ahead as I believe the Lord is opening some doors already for me when I finish outreach. I have applied to a Basic Leadership School at the YWAM base in Orlando, FL. It is a school designed to raise leaders up with the necessary tools to organize and direct mission outreaches and ministries. I'm really excited for this opportunity and ask that you would continue to pray for me so that God would continue to be faitiful and provide for me to go.

Thanks so much and enjoy the rest of winter for me as I have to now suffer through 90 degree weather for the next 6 weeks.

God's blessings to you,

SAM BLOMMEL

New Year YWAM Update

2008-12-30T18:20:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm back in Nashville after a great Christmas break and it was wonderful to see many friends and family. Thanks to those who were able to see and encourage me.

A big update on what the new year is going to bring for me -

My school outreach has been finalized to Kenya and we are planning to leave Jan. 12 and will be gone until Feb. 20. We are still trying to go to Tanzania as well, but currently do not have enough funds for that portion. God has been faithful so far and we believe that He will provide in His timing. Thank you so much for your prayers for me.

Praise report -
Yesterday, I received a huge blessing! The remainder of my tuition has been miraculously paid for by an anonymous donor. I can't explain what a huge blessing it has been. Thank you all so much for giving and making this school a reality for me.
If you still you like to donate, we still need about $10,000 as a group to cover the remainder of our trip, you can send a check to:

YWAM Nashville - SOW
Sam Blommel
PO Box 78219
Nashville, TN, 37207

Make the check out to YWAM and don't put my name anywhere on the check.

We will be preparing for outreach the next several days as well as working in the Nashville community to spread the love of Jesus. We are excited to finally have a plan in place and to be working towards spreading the Gospel in our world.

I would love to hear from you and what is happening in your life, so drop me a line at any time.

Have a great start to the new year!!

Change of Plans

2008-12-06T09:46:00.002-06:00

Happy beginning of the busy holiday season!! May the Lord refresh you!!

I have recently learned that the Lord is changing the direction for our school. Originally, we were going on outreach to India and Nepal for two months, but that has now changed. Due to many factors, we are going now instead to Kenya and Tanzania and working with the local YWAM bases there. Please pray that everything would fall into place quickly as we only have 4 weeks to prepare. Be encouraged that your prayers for me going to India have not gone unanswered, but have helped open doors for many other YWAM teams that are going there over the next few months.

If you would like to help me go to Kenya and Tanzania, you can send a check to:

YWAM Nashville - SOW
Sam Blommel
PO Box 78219
Nashville, TN, 37207

Please don't put my name on the check but make it out to YWAM. I am currently in need of about $1500 for lecture phase and $4000 for outreach, so you are helping me immensely. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

More great news!! - I'm able to come home for Christmas week and am being allowed to come home three days sooner than orginally planned (Thanks God!), so if you would like to see me, which I would love, call me or email me and we will get together. I would love to share with you what God is changing in me!

Many blessings upon you as you endeavor through the holiday mayhem. Remember that Jesus loves you so much that He would have come to the earth if it was only for you!!

Thanksgiving Outreach

2008-11-26T13:42:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

A quick update on whats going on with me. My school is leaving for Birmingham, AL for for some evangelism over the weekend and I'm excited about our opportunities there. Here are some things I will be involved with:

1) On Thanksgiving day, we will be painting the interior of a house that has been built for a homeless family. We were going to be serving a meal for homeless people, but that fell through.

2) Both Friday & Saturday we will be helping inaugurate a 24-hour house of prayer in the Five Points area of Birmingham. That will consist of leading prayer and worship, evangelism to the community, assisting with an established homeless ministry, and whatever else that God decides for us to do!

Please pray for our safety and boldness to share the love of Jesus. Our contacts there are very excited for our group to come and have already been encouraged by God's planning for our stay.

Praise report!!
Thanks for praying for my neck. I was able to go to the chiropractor and found out I had a dislocated rib in my chest. My neck had been compensating for the dislocation since I had been in India in July. My pain has reduced tremendously. Thank you Lord!!

May you have a great Thanksgiving holiday and I encourage you to tell someone you normally wouldn't tell how much you appreciate them. It may change their outlook on life.

Thank you so much for supporting me over the past several months. I'm blown away by all that I have received from you in order to follow what the Lord has been leading me into. I could not do it without you!

Streams of Mercy

2008-11-24T19:48:00.002-06:00

Hey everyone!!

I wanted to let you know about a new organization that I recently found out about called "Streams of Mercy". They are a non-profit group that raises funds for 17 orphanages in 10 nations of the world. Their goal is to support 100 orphanages at $750 a month per orphanage. You can check out their website here. Check it out and be blessed!!

First month of SOW (School of Worship)

2008-11-02T22:30:00.002-06:00

Hello from the beautiful land of northern Tennessee!!

The leaves are finally colorful here and it's made the craziness of YWAM a bit more bearable. I'm excited to finally be able to update you on what's going on in my life. God has been moving in fantastic ways the past couple weeks. We've been having teaching on the Holy Spirit in worship and God is opening our eyes to new aspects of His love. Many in my class have been delivered from various struggles such as pornography, homosexuality, suicidal thoughts, and anger. Some also were blessed with physical healing (one girl had a lump in her back disappear!!) as well as emotional healing and forgiveness for those who have wounded us. God is amazing!!

Of course, I have been playing and writing lots of music the past few weeks. I have to write a song every week and it is stretching me beyond belief, but God is giving me perseverance. We recently had a "24 hours of prayer and worship" gathering here at the base. As I'm the only full-time drummer, I was involved quite a bit. I also play drums a couple times a month for Epiphany Baptist Church, a local church in Springfield, Tennessee, and God is showing up as several people gave their lives to Christ last week!

Another big praise report is that our outreach plans have been finalized! Our school will be traveling to Northern India in January and Nepal in February. We will be spending time helping local missionaries in coffee shops and house churches in India and doing lots of village ministry in Nepal. More information on that soon!

Please pray....

1) Endurance for me - I'm busy with class, playing worship 2 to 5 times a week, writing songs, work duties, and bible study. I can only go so far on my own strength.

2) Healing - Many here are dealing with the seasonal cold and flu and I have tooth and back pain I am dealing with.

3) Direction and acceptance - For the new believers I mentioned before, has they step into a new life.

4) Finances - Our school needs to raise about $52,000 for outreach and with the economy not looking good, it's hard time for everyone.

5) Thanksgiving outreach - We will be traveling to Birmingham, Alabama over Thanksgiving week to work with some local mission groups to reach their communities for Christ.

Thank you so much for your support! I encourage you to tell someone this week about what God is doing in your life. Our words have great influence in peoples lives and now, more than ever, do those around us need to hear about God's everyday faithfulness. I would also love to hear from you, so drop me a line anytime.

A big "thank-you" to those who have sent me goodies. I have been super blessed by your generosity.

May you feel God's love in great ways

YWAM Nashville

2008-10-31T15:59:00.002-05:00

The entrance....duh...

DTS class in the Worship Center

The Worship Center

The guys room
The Glory Barn (guys dorm). It doesn't smell glorious....

YWAM Nashville

2008-10-31T15:50:00.003-05:00

The Big House: guys eat, girls sleep, and we all learn

I've Arrived

2008-10-01T18:47:00.003-05:00

Hello all!!

I have finally arrived at the School of Worship here in Nashville, TN after short break in Chicago and I am settling in quite nicely. I'm very excited about this opportunity to worship God with the very talented people in the school and so far everyone has been very friendly and accepting. We are going through some orientation this week as well as some teaching and will kick off our full schedule next week. The staff here are great and have a ton of worship opportunities prepared for us on the base, as well in the community, so God will be using and stretching us a lot.

Thanks so much for praying for my travels!! My car made it, driving went by very fast, and the Lord is helping me transition to the people and environment quickly, which is a blessing as it's very difficult to say good-bye to family and friends after such a short time with them. Please keep praying for me in these areas:

1) Finances - I still need to pay for my outreach and most of the lecture tuition.

2) My car - The transmission is going out and I'm praying that God heals it instead of me having to dish out a lot of cash.

3) Schedule - YWAM days get very long and are very active, so pray that I will have strength to endure the grind.

4) Health - My neck is out of place and causes me a great deal of pain.

Please feel free to e-mail me or even send me a letter or cookies!! You can write to me at samblommel@yahoo.com or

Sam Blommel

Fall SOW

YWAM Nashville

P.O. Box 78219

Nashville, TN 37207

Thanks and God bless!!

Back in the States...

2008-08-14T08:05:00.001-05:00

I am back in Denver after a crazy trip encompassing the globe. We are finishing up here with some lectures designed to help us integrate the lessons we learned on outreach into our daily lives and how we can properly share our stories with others. It has been crazy to try and process everything I've seen and experienced, not to mention be around "normal" culture again. The time has been good though and God is still showing us new things as well as reminding us of His faithfullness on the trip. It's amazing how quickly you forget it!

I will be heading home this weekend so please pray for travel safety for me. Also, pray for my future as I try to figure out where God is leading me next in life and where He wants me to serve. I am excited to see and share my experiences (there are countless ones) with all of you, and also to hear what God has been doing in your life.

Have a great day and God bless

Final Week

2008-08-14T07:53:00.000-05:00

Final greetings from the ATW team,

Our time in Amsterdam has come to a close and by this time tomorrow we will be back in the United States. The last 12 days in Amsterdam have flown by. It has been a great last stop for our little trip around the world really preparing us for when we return back to our western lifestyles.

We have been working with a ywam ministry called Ethnos. Amsterdam is the most multicultural city in the world with over 180 nations represented. Ethnos seeks to reach these nations by being an impact on some of the different spheres of society here in the city. We have had alot of fun ministering and fellowshiping with their team. We have also been able to spend alot of time worshipping and praying over the city, a good amount of these times we spent with the Tabernacle of the Nations a ywam prayer house in the heart of the redlight district.

It has been great getting God's heart for the city and seeing His dreams and desires for this city to not be known for it's redlight district and what it allows, but as a place where the spirit of God dwells. We have enjoyed coming along side our ywam Amsterdam family and seeing all the amazing work they have been doing over the years, it is really easy to see that God has some big plans for this city.

Our team was able to really finish strong and make an impact in this city although it was our last stop after alot of ministry in many different parts of the world. These last 12 days have been the perfect exclamation point to this incredible adventure with God.

Thanks for your prayers, we will be seeing many of you very soon.
God Bless
The ATW team

Week 9

2008-08-14T07:51:00.000-05:00

Greetings family (or in my preferred manner of speaking, "Hey dudes"),

So we concluded our time in Nepal in a village down south. The village is home to around 9,000 people, with only about 50 Christians. We stayed with host families in the village, and were able to spend a lot of quality time with them despite the language barrier. Smiles and laughter made up the majority of our communication. A YWAM Frontier Missions team began planting the church about 4 years ago, and were able to build the actual church building around 3 months ago. Their most recent project focus has been building bathroom facilities for the church. We were able to cover the cost for all the supplies, and spent time digging and moving rocks for the foundation of the bathroom. One afternoon, we were able to share with a few different groups of villagers as well as visiting the home of a Christian family where the mother was sick with a heart condition. The father of the household had been paralized and became a Christian after being prayed forand healed. The whole family became believers after that, but it was heartbreaking as we looked into their faces when we first arrived. They were blank, almost hopeless. We spent time praying and really asking God to touch their lives and also to bring overwhelming joy. As we left, they were both smiling. It was incredible to see how God had already begun to work.

After 4 days, the church sent us off with prayers and a farewell party complete with leis and a time of sharing appreciation. It was a short time, but so well spent.Our bus trip back to Delhi went very smooth. It felt a lot quicker and safer than the last trip. We even had one of the same drivers from our first trip, and Jacob was able to hold hands with him (which is a normal part of their culture). It was cool how we were able to build relationships with the bus drivers and guides. We arrived in Amsterdam last night. We are staying at the YWAM base in the city center. We'll be working with a couple YWAM ministries, but the majority of our time will be unscheduled and open to God's leading. It will be a good opportunity for our students to practice hearing God's voice and being led by the spirit. Continue praying for us that we finish out strong. There is still a lot of excitement among our team for our remaining days. It's already been a blessing being able to share more openly in our own language. We are looking forward to lots of divine appointments and partnering with God to see His kingdom come here in Amsterdam.

Blessed be your name,
Hannah, the mexi-white, and the ATW kids

Week 8

2008-07-25T06:25:00.001-05:00

Greetings from Pokhara Nepal,

Well we all made it back from our 4 day trek in the Himalayas. It was quite the experience. A bit physically challenging we climbed over 7000 vertical feet from 3,000 to 10,000 and back totaling over 20+ hours of trekking with much of it in the rain. It was absolutely beautiful, we traversed from Jungle to Mountain tops through an immense gorge with numerous waterfalls to our final destination of Ghorepani. We were even able to get a glimpse of Annapurna and some of the other mountains in the range. Which was an answer to prayer since this is the raining season and there had not been clear skies in over 20 days. It was literally breathtaking, when they first appeared through the clouds I could not believe they were that high in the horizon when we were already at over 10,000 feet. Truly a testament to the greatness of God.

We were able to minister to a Christian family along the path spending time worshiping and fellowshipping with them. It was a blessed divinely appointed time as one of their sisters is having health problems and they can't be with her.
Another highlight was when we were able to spend and evening with the congregation of the only Christian church in the region. Many of the members hike up to 3 or 4 hours to meet. We were able to share testimonies and a teaching but the highlight was at the end of the night when we were able to sit and talk and pray with them for a couple hours drinking hot tea. We were able to lead two young men to the Lord that night, who were not even from that area but happened to be traveling through the village this particular evening. How cool is our God!

We are now spending a day recouping before we head out to a village farther south for a few days.
Being praying for the remaining time we have here in Nepal and also our travels back to India and our flight from there to Amsterdam for our final ministry location.
Thanks for praying for us as a team we recently had some doors open up for us for our housing in Amsterdam which was a huge answer to prayer.

Many Blessings: the ATW team

Week 7

2008-07-25T06:22:00.001-05:00

Hello to all,

We have been a very busy team since the last time you heard from us. Our time in Thailand concluded smoothly. We finished off the week teaching alot of english in schools and english camps, it went very well. After our time in the south we returned to Bangkok for a day of debrief. This was our mid-outreach debrief time. It came at a good time, and proved to be a great time for us as a team. It was awesome to take inventory of where we are all at and to unify us in our vision and purpose for the last four weeks of our outreach. We are at a good place as a team, we've been able to do some amazing things so far, but are very excited for what God still has in store. All of us were looking forward to India and Nepal realizing it would probably be the most stretching and hard core part of of our trip.

It has definitely lived up to the expectation so far as we started it off with a bang a 40 hour bus ride to Nepal from Delhi. It was quite the experience a miracle in itself that it all worked out smoothly. The trip started off with me catching my finger in an industrial fan (luckily it is still intact could have been bad) our taxi to the bus station had a flat before we left to be met with crazy Delhi traffic then one taxi running out of gas after being off to a late start. But we made it to our bus. The bus trip was not without some exciting highlights including one slight accident with an oil tanker followed by 2 police bribery sessions. One breakdown with a three hour wait as they replaced the water pump and many bumps in the road literally. It felt like we were in a rally car race for 40 hours on a bus, none of us were aware a bus could go that fast.
But we made at 2 am in Pokhara Nepal. Which happens to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Tomorrow we begin a 4 day trekking time heading into the Annapurna Himalayan range during monsoon season. It is going to be fun!
Be praying for our health and safety as we spend the next few days on the trail and in mountain villages.
Blessing the from the hard core ATW team
P.S. we love you all!

A long awaited greeting...

2008-07-02T01:21:00.001-05:00

Hello from Phang-nga, Thailand!! (pronounced "pong-na")

It's very hot here and I'm enjoying my first Internet cafe experience of the trip because it is air-conditioned. I apologize for not be able to update you more often about our trip but access to the Internet for extended periods of time has been very limited. But it also has been refreshing to not have it as a distraction as well.

We are in the south of Thailand and are enjoying it very much. We had a second day of prison ministry this morning. The inmates were all women and they enjoyed our dramas, songs, and teaching of English very much. It was very encouraging to see many of them begin to understand who Christ was and what He means to us. We are praying that God will be reminding them of our words, especially one of the guards who was very kind to us and seemed interested in hearing what we had to say.

Thailand has been a very trying time for our team as it has been frustrating to not witness any "results" from our ministry efforts and Andrew, the talkative Canadian, had to spend about 2 days in the hospital for dehydration and stomach pains. Thankfully, God has restored him, but it was difficult to present our dramas without him and we are very thankful that he was sick for only a short time. God is faithful!!

I'm not sure what we will be doing in the upcoming days as we usually have been finding out our activities the day they happen, but we have an upcoming day off. I am looking forward to maybe visiting an area here where they filmed a James Bond film as it is supposed to be very scenic. I have enjoyed experiencing new things in the countries we have visited (I ate a cockroach about the size of my finger a few days ago...I don't recommend it).

I have posted some updates about our previous weeks below if you're interested. I am so grateful for your support and prayers. It has been pretty cool to see where your prayers have encouraged us and even paved a path for us in some dark places. I hope to keep you better updated, but I can't promise I will be able to. Well, my time is up so I must go.

Have a great day and may God reveal Himself to you in a tangible way,

Sam Blommel

Week 5

2008-07-02T01:16:00.002-05:00

Hello friends and family,

We arrived safely into Bangkok on Tuesday morning after layovers in Sydney and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. When we arrived to the base in Bangkok our team was thrilled to find out they would be sharing dorm rooms with the YWAM Denver Thailand team. It was a blessing and a treat to see them after being on the road for over a month.

The majority of our time in Bangkok was spent working with Ban Jai Diaow a ywam college ministry. We were able to do some practical things for their building like painting as well as help clean up a bocce ball court for a local church they partner with. After a few hours of hard labor we ended the workday with a competitive session of Thai Bocce ball. On one of the days the girls were able to go into a local slum, the ministry has been building relationship with and love on people.

One of the highlights of the week without a doubt was the time we were able to spend in the redlight districts of Bangkok partnering with the MST project. A ministry ywam has started focusing on the male sex tourist. We had a couple of pretty powerful nights down in an area known as Nana. It was amazing to see the Lord reach down His hand to these men in the midst of all the darkness that was around us.

Yesterday evening we ended our time in Bangkok. We took a 12 hour bus ride to the south of Thailand towards Phuket to a beautiful town called Phang Nga. We will spend the next week here working with a church plant. We will be helping them reach out to their community through evangelism, English teaching, work projects and even spending some time in a Muslim village they have been reaching out to.

Tomorrow morning we head to a prison, continue to be praying for us to press in and not let up. Also for continued health and safety we have a couple people having some "common" stomach issues (a.k.a. diarrhea).

Blessings,
the ATW team

Week 4

2008-07-02T01:14:00.000-05:00

Hello to all,

I am quickly writing to you from Sydney before we head out to the airport. Our time in PNG concluded amazingly! It was very hard for us to leave. We have made many lifetime friends there. The people, the contacts everything it was such a great time. The last day before we left we were blessed with a helicopter ride over the valley by our contacts, they wanted us to be able to do a "prayerride". Our travels all went smooth from PNG back to Australia where we had the priviledge of a day layover before we head off to Bangkok, Thailand. We are very excited for the next portion of our trip.

Thanks for all your prayers.

God Bless,
The ATW team

Week 3

2008-07-02T01:13:00.000-05:00

Greetings from the land of pidgeon talk where the pig is king! (Papua New Guinea)

This has by far been the busiest week of our outreach so far. We started the week off with an overnight stay in a village in the Highlands, where we showed the Jesus film along with some AIDS awareness videos in their native tongue. We also were able to go into a few schools and share openly. We were able to do some ministry in nearby villages, along with some work projects as well. One highlight for the week was an afternoon spent in a newly formed "Drop in Centre" where we were able to teach dramas to the local youth. It was an awesome time where the different groups presented the dramas they had learned to each other. Cultural barriers were brought down especially through the women standing unashamed in front of the crowd. This is not normal since sometimes the women here can be suppressed.

We closed our week with a bang tonight when we were able to minister to the missionary kids here on the SIL center. The missionary base we are staying at is a community in it's own right with at any given time between 1,000 and 1,500 people living here. There are a lot of ex-pat youth who grow up here, and sometimes struggle with not being able to live the so called "normal" life. So it was quite an awesome opportunity that we got to encourage them. Both Hannah and I were able to share our testimonies with them, and it ended up being a very powerful time, followed up with a late night concert put on by the youth band (including Derrick Nissley's brother). It was refreshing to be involved in a YWAM style worship with so many young people.

We have one week left in PNG before we head off to Thailand. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Until next time,
Jacob, Hannah, Danielle, Heather, Shay, Barbara, Olive, Sam, AJ, and Andrew aka The ATW Team

Week 2

2008-07-02T01:10:00.002-05:00

Hey Everybody!

So last week we finished out our time camping in the Outback. And I'm happy to say we saw many kangaroos!! Our time with Reef to Outback turned out to be quite God ordained. The teaching topic for the week was Unity and Common Purpose and Vision. It was quite powerful for both our team and the Reef to Outback team. A perfect segway into our next adventure, Papua New Guinea. We arrived in the capitol, Port Moresby to find out our connecting flight to the highlands was cancelled due to an absent pilot. To our surprise, the airline put us up in the nicest hotel in the city. It was quite a treat after camping for over a week. We each enjoyed our own rooms and A LOT OF FREE FOOD!

The next day we arrived in Goroka and were greeted by our incredible contacts, and were quickly introduced to driving in PNG. General rule of thumb...you never stop for anything, even if you hit a human being. You have to drive quickly and always be on the lookout for highway hold ups by the local "rascals". We safely arrived to Ukurampa, the home of the SIL (Wycliff) base, which happens to be the largest missionary base in the world tucked in the middle of nowhere in a very remote mountain valley. In this valley is where we will be focusing the majority of our ministry efforts. Even though the valley is home to the largest missionary base inthe world, it is still a place of much need. Only in the last couple years have the missionaries really begun to reach out to their neighbors due to the incredible amount of work the challenge of translating the Bible into over 800 languages creates.

We had our first ministy time this morning. The guys went to a prison camp and the girls visited a high school boarding school and participated in a church service for them. It was a very powerful time for both the boys and girls. I feel we are here at a crucial time for the valley which is home to different warring tribes. Right now for the first time the different churches in the valley have begun working together in a never before seen show of unity. The different groups have expressed their excitement for having out team with them. Please be praying for us as we seek to encourage and be a blessing during our time here in the beautiful, mountainous, and diverse nation they call PNG.

Salutations from Jacob, Hannah, and the amazing ATW team.

Sorry I'm behind...

2008-07-02T01:02:00.002-05:00

Week 1

Greetings from Townseville Australia,
3 flights down and 11 more to go. We are nearing the end of our first week and have already had the opportunity to swim in the ocean on 2 different continents. Our first stop was California for 4 1/2 days. We had the priviledge of staying at my parents house and encouraging my home church as well as a day of ministry on the streets of SanFrancisco. It was a great start to our trip. We were able to build some relationships with the youth as well as get fattend up by my parents. Then on wed. we hopped on a couple of planes and after a van ride arrived in Townesville 24 hours later.

Sunday morning we head out to the outback for 5 days of camping with the reef to outback DTS, where we will be having class with them and hopefully seeing some kangaroos in the wild as well. So long for now and the next time you hear from us we will be in the island nation of Papua New Guinea.

Many blessings the ATW team!

Where we went for shots...

2008-05-10T14:48:00.004-05:00

I know...it's scary.

Thank you!

2008-05-10T14:41:00.004-05:00

Thanks to all of you who were a part of this gift. I can't express how I appreciated it. I miss all of you very much and I appreciate your creativeness. Everyone here was jealous and enjoyed reading your fantastic comments, especially the part about trading lumber for sheep as pretty much everyone can relate. You are a blessing!

Hakani

2008-05-10T14:34:00.003-05:00

This week we had the privilege to view an unreleased, upcoming film on infanticide in native tribes in Brazil. This documentary/drama is about a girl named "Hakani" who was buried alive as a small girl (as per usual practice) simply because she couldn't walk and was considered an "evil spirit". She was saved by her younger brother and is a bright, funny little girl today. She was able to be here and I got to meet her. It was amazing to see the fruit of God's love for her. This film was created to raise awareness about this tribal practice and if you wish to learn how you can help please visit http://www.hakani.org.

Better late than never...

2008-05-10T14:28:00.002-05:00

It feels like forever since I've updated you about what's going on here. The Internet here was down for awhile and I have also been swamped with all kinds if activity. There is so much to tell! First, God has provided me with all the money I needed to pay for my tuition to YWAM!! It's an amazing story that I don't want to explain here as I would rather share it in person, but briefly, God used people in Calgary, Alberta, Canada who had no idea who I was, as well as all of you, to fulfill my need. I asked for a miracle and God showed up. I am so grateful and I no longer have any excuse to not trust God to provide.

My time lately as been spent on classwork, outreach to the Denver community on Monday nights, and preparing dramas and worship for our outreach. I leave for San Fransisco in two weeks, so I'm in crunch time. Please pray that our group will be diligent in our practice times. I'm extremely excited to be getting on the road and see what God will do through our group, especially in the 10/40 window.

This past week we had Fred Markert (pronounced "Market") teaching on "Evangelism & Missions". Fred is one of the top mission strategists in the world and it was a complete privilege to hear him speak. He has visited over 175 countries and is the most passionate and confident missionary I have ever heard. I could go on with countless stories of how God has worked miracles for and by Fred, but for security reasons, I cannot tell of them here. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak do not miss the opportunity. He shared many astounding statistics concerning world missions (you can find most of them at http://www.globalchristianity.com if you're interested) but what I enjoyed the most was that every hour spent sharing the Gospel in the 10/40 window yields 110 times more converts than in North America. Since 80% of our outreach is in the 10/40 window, I am excited to see a great impact for Christ.

Thank you all for your time and support. I love hearing from you, so please contact me if you would like to. I promise to respond as quickly as I can. Please pray for me as I am still in need of funds to purchase travel insurance and I need to have a tooth repaired before I leave the country, as well as many other small needs. I trust God will provide and the prayers of the saints will make it possible. I pray that the Lord encourages and blesses all that you do and that He will refresh you with His friendship.

God is always here

2008-04-25T12:10:00.002-05:00

Today during our regular worship time, we had the privilege of hearing from the parents of Matthew Murray and the parents of the Works girls who where shot and killed in Colorado Springs last December. If you are not familiar with what happened go here: http://ywam.org/articles/article.asp?AID=493&bhcp=1 They touched us with words of encouragement to rise up and be the people God has called us to be even in the hard times. What touched me the most personally was how they tried to hold their lives together but were unable to. In the midst of all that, God was still there for them and was desiring to bring them all to new places with Him and to call them forth as lights in the darkness. I would encourage you, that if your experiencing a mountain in your life, don't ask God where He is, but where does He want you to go with Him?

2008-04-22T17:54:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone!

Things have been a extremely busy lately as we now have full time class and work duties, but God is showing up and blessing us all in different ways. My blessing has been a humidifier! One of the guys here found one and those of us in the guys dorm who have not been well have seen a dramatic improvement. We have been able to sleep better and as a result have been able to recuperate. Praise God for his provision and thank you for your prayers.

The speaker this week has been Jeff Pratt, a long time YWAMer as they call him, and he has been speaking on God's heart for us as a father and how He uses trials and suffering to help us get a glimpse of how He feels about those who are lost and hurt. Many here have had emotional healing and been freed of past bondage. I have also been convicted and freed of bitterness in my heart towards God because of how I had to grow up and I'm rejoicing in that new found freedom.

Some of you may have heard that I have volunteered to help lead worship on our overseas outreach. This has been a huge step of faith for me as I will be playing guitar and I have very little experience doing that. I have already been blessed as Barbara (a girl in my DTS from Switzerland) has volunteered to also help lead by singing and helping with the organizing. Please pray that God's anointing will be on us as a worship team and that He will impart to me supernatural learning as I prepare.

Another praise report for me has been my finances as God as provided nearly all that I need for my costs. I have been blessed by a whirlwind of support in the past few days. Thank you ALL for your willingness and encouragement.

Found out why...

2008-04-13T12:55:00.002-05:00

Well, the reason for wearing the ball & chain was finally revealed to us and to be honest I was quite disappointed until I heard someone's story. The ball & chain represent "monsters in the dark" as our teacher reffered to them as, but better known as the sin or addictions in our live's that we are often ashamed to openly confess. I was expecting more of a spiritual explaination but I also can relate as I have dealt with secret sin. But what hit me the most was how the girl that I gave the ball & chain to reacted. She, as I mentioned before, was not happy with me about receiving the ball & chain during her work duties, and I came to find out she was actually furious with me. She hated how it inhibited her work and she couldn't understand why someone who was sitting around couldn't have received it. Her hour was finally over and she still had some work time left and thats when she realized what freedom she has normally. She also realized what freedom we have in Jesus and that even secret sin is defeated when we let Jesus free us from it. God is willing if you are willing.

New experience

2008-04-08T08:24:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I experienced something I never imagined would happen to me. As a DTS class we have been given a 14lb bowling ball and chain to wear for one hour and then we are to give it to another person in our class no matter where they at are until 11pm (bed time). I luckily was the 2nd person to have it and I had it during my free time. I however, was not so nice and gave it to a girl on work duty...she was not happy. I found out later that someone received it at Wal-Mart!! We don't know why we are wearing it and won't find out till Wednesday. I'll keep you updated.

First Week

2008-04-08T08:21:00.000-05:00

I have gotten through the first week of my DTS here without too much of a problem. There has been a lot of bonding time with everyone here through games, testimonies, worship, and a field trip to Boulder, Colorado. It has been quite an experience hearing how individuals have been delivered from strongholds such as drugs & alchohol, demon-possesion, sexual immorality, and even underground crime. God has worked in incredible ways in each of our lives, in order that we may serve Him together. It's been interesting to experience having lunch with a woman from Switzerland, going to church with a crazy Mexican, and enjoying Dairy Queen with a quiet man from Japan.

Good News and Prayer Requests:

To update on the DTS group that was uncertain where their outreach would end up being, it has worked out for them to still go to Thailand. It has been a relief for many students here who where excited about going there and for the staff as their plans can now go forward. Thank you Lord!! Please keep me and several others in prayer as we are battling ailments. I not only am dealing with a cold, but I also had part of my tooth break off while eating my roast beef sandwich last night. Others here have colds, shin splints, muscle cramping, and tiredness. Satan definintely does not want us to accomplish anything and has been increasing his attacks on us. We have been praying against these infirmities and I hope you will join us.

More new stuff:

Some news I am excited about is that 2 people from the DTS to Thailand, have decided to join the ATWDTS (my DTS) and will join us on our travels. I can't wait to see how they will enhance our group.
We are now starting our regular classes this week and we will be learning about the character of God this first week. There already have been some cool things spoken into our group about being difference makers in the world and laying down our rights to our lives so that God may choose what is best for us. Well, my time has run out and it's time to go have supper and then some outreach afterwards.

New stuff

2008-04-03T18:05:00.004-05:00

Well, things always change and we are learning that here at YWAM Denver quickly. One country I was to visit on my outreach was Cambodia and that no longer will happen and so instead we will be going to San Francisco, CA before heading to Australia. There we will be connecting with the YWAM base and hopefully doing some outreach with them to the youth of the community. Details on that will be coming in the next few weeks.

Some info on how things are running here. There is another DTS currently training here and their outreach was going to be to Thailand, but with the price of flights going up because of the Olympics, they may have to change their destination. Please pray for the leadership here has they have to decide where to go by Monday and that God will make known to them where they are needed.

Praise report:
Amsterdam, the city we are going to in The Netherlands, has a section known as the "Redlight District" where there is legalized prostitution and rampant immorality. We have been told that this district is now being closed down by the government. Many prayers have been poured into that district as it has been a burden for many here in YWAM, and it is great to hear that God has answered those prayers. Please pray that the doors that God has opened there will be used for his glory by those He has called.

Finally here....

2008-04-01T08:59:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone! I have arrived in Arvada, CO and so far it has been quite an adjustment. It is very dry here and I have to be careful not to get dehydrated. I also have to adjust to the Mountain time zone which is not going well as I have not been able to sleep productively. So there are many things already to pray for me!! Some good news is that I have been blessed by the giving of others as I currently only need $2,200 more to pay for the rest of my trip. Thank you all that have given and paved a way for me to be here. I pray that God will bless all of you ten-fold as I am not able to.

Update on my outreach:
For those of you who I have not been able to talk to before I left, my outreach countries consist of: Australia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Nepal, and the Netherlands. There are going to be 7-8 of us going as of now. One person actually joined last night and is currently driving here from California, so please pray for his safety. At the base here, there are currently 4 schools, including mine, going on at the same time which makes for lots of hustling and bustling, but also lots of new opportunities to meet many different people. 13 different nations are represented here and it's truly the work of God to bring us all together here.

We are going through sort-of a welcome week here and we'll get in to a regular routine next week, which I will keep you updated on. Please also pray for Heidi Aos as she prepares to leave for her DTS in the Netherlands this week, that God would be her provision.

Thank you for your prayers and interest in what God is doing in my life