Ask Rach #5: My YWAM Experience

#5 What was your YWAM experience like?!

Alright friends, if you didn’t know, I did a DTS with Youth With A Mission. A DTS is a 6 month discipleship training school. There’s bases everywhere around the world, but I chose to do mine in Kona, Hawaii. How it works is that you go through 3 months of lecture and learning how to be a disciple of God and then for the other 3 months you go on outreach to put into practice what you learned. 

I had an amazing experience. I of course loved Hawaii, and then I went to Nepal for my outreach. What is crazy is that Nepal was the one place I DID NOT WANT TO GO TO. I really didn’t wanna go whatsoever before going. But the Lord completely changed my heart. 

Anyways, my experience was great and the Lord completely changed my life during those 6 months. Before going, I really didn’t understand His love. Once I did, everything changed. Because the truth is that when you try to do things for God with no knowledge of His love, you’re striving for His love and acceptance when He already loves you and accepts you. 

I remember one of the first nights we were there, I was worshipping and I was like, “God, I have been preparing to come here for 9 months and that’s what I have always talked to you about during worship. What do I talk about now? What do I need to give up? What do I need to apologize for from my past that was bad?” 

And clear as day, I felt like I heard Him kindly say, “Rachael, stop trying to dig up things from your past that you have already been forgiven for.” 

OOF. 

This was the start of the journey of knowing His love and forgiveness for me. 

My outreach was a whole other story. While during lecture phase, I was focused on my intimate relationship with God and who He is to me. During outreach, I was constantly out of control and constantly relying on Jesus to be my comfort. 

We spent half of our time in the city of Kathmandu and the other half handing out bibles in the villages. This is where my love for coffee shops TRULY started. I spent my time mostly at the same coffee shop just getting to know all the baristas, sharing the gospel, and loving them. This was also where I really felt like the Lord told me that I would be pursuing Coffeewithrach full time when I got home! 

When we trekked bibles into the himalayas, it was the most growing experience of my life. I was constantly uncomfortable. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It was during this time that I learned that I TRULY cannot do anything out of my own power, but NEEDED Him to give me strength. I also learned that nothing and nobody can fulfill me other than Him.  Man, did I learn that. 

I honestly am who I am today because of what God did in my heart in those 6 months. It was such a foundational time of my life. And I would recommend everyone to do it! I will say that you need to pray and discern if it’s something God is leading you to do. I would also advice you to use discernment the whole time you are there. Their theology can throw people off if they’re not used to it and being aware of that is important. If God is calling you to do it, do it. Don’t let finances get in the way. When He calls, He provides.