July News Briefs
 All smiles for Graduation
The students were presented with certificates of completion and shared a wonderful night with guests from as far away as England! " The night, named "Celebration of the Nations" in honor of the diverse range of nationalities here at Reef to Outback, was a huge success. Combining band items, skits, personal testimonies and reflections on the past 6 months, the night saw 133 people gather to congratulate and honor the students. It was also a chance for the guests to hear more about what has been happening here at Reef to Outback. We had the chance to ask some of the students who have recently completed their DTS what their thoughts were. Here are just a few of the responses! Catie Ivey, 18 :"For me, DTS meant learning how to trust God's heart, and lay all my plans, fears, hopes and dreams in His hands." Cory Passehl, 23 : "DTS was a way to see a bigger vision of God and the vision He has for me." Luke Haythorpe, 18 : "From mediocrity to doing something exciting for God!"
Reef to Outback is now renting eight houses in Townsville to accommodate our rapidly expanding team here! Growing Needs From July this year, our numbers will bulge to an all time high of over 50 students, staff, and family members. As a result logistics (i.e. food, rent) become increasingly complicated, our growth is pushing us into detailed future planning as we work together to see people won to Christ. We are currently considering various options around the city, but continue to need wisdom and your prayers to ensure the next step we take is the right one. Will you continue to join with us in praying that God will release a suitable property to us to see more young people helped and trained? Growth - a word that for many of us triggers visions of newness, challenge and change. University of the NationsGrowth - a word that for many of us triggers visions of newness, challenge and change. As God continues to bless Reef to Outback with more staff and students, it seems He wants to broaden our vision in terms of the training courses we run here at RTO. It is through the director of the base, Ken Mulligan, that God has chosen to reveal a great deal of that vision. Ken has labored unceasingly, along with his wife Robin, to see foundations established here in Townsville that are now being built upon. We are believing God here at Reef to Outback to see one new and exciting training program released every year for the next five years. Courses like a School of Evangelism (SOE), School of Biblical Studies (SBS) and Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL) are amongst some that will, as God directs, be pioneered. It is with a desire to see these courses birthed that we have moved to become more closely affiliated with YWAM's international university, the University of the Nations (UofN). We will soon become a registered arm of the UofN, enabling us to provide excellent training for students wishing to make a difference in this world with Christ as the focus. The waves keep crashing
Currently there are 10 students enrolled on the Basic Leadership School that began on the 5th of July, and 25 enrolled on the Discipleship Training School. We now have seven nationalities represented by student and staff. It is incredible to watch as God draws people from across the world to join in fulfilling the Great Commission. Stay tuned for more updates on the challenges and achievements of these young people as they serve God.
YWAM World NewsLIBYA: As Missionary leader Loren Cunningham stepped onto Libyian soil he became one of only a handful of people ever to have visited all of the globe's 2453 countries, territories and independent states, personally fulfilling Christ's command to "go into all the world". USA: A young Thai boy's dreams of playing with his friends and growing up to become a preacher are now within reach thanks to a lifesaving surgery made possible by some determined friends. Handicapped by congestive heart failure and abandoned by his parents, Ta was spotted in the slums a year ago by American Youth With A Mission worker Lee Ann Sidebottom, who has worked among Bangkok's poor for the past five years. ISRAEL: The final steps in The Reconciliation Walk, a three-year effort to undo centuries of enmity between Christians and Muslims and Jews, are being taken over the next few weeks. GUINEA - AFRICA: Members of a forgotten handicapped community have a permanent reminder of the care shown during a 3 month visit of the Anastasis hospital ship. Touched by the cripples' plight when the ship's carpenter visited their village, old deck beams were fashioned to form the wooden block shoes strapped to their hands to help protect them from cuts and infection and keep them from shuffling about in the dust. Unable to walk because of birth defects or accidents, the handicapped live with their families in a separate community where 'nobody cares' for them. Upcoming Opportunities
Completed a DTS? - ask about our staff opportunities. Please Pray
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25 Students were all smiles as they graduated from their Discipleship
Training School last Friday night.
In 1960 God gave a young man a vision of waves of young people crashing
onto the shores of the world spreading the good news of salvation to all
they met. That man was Loren Cunningham, and YWAM now has a permanent
presence in over 128 nations and over 10,000 full-time staff. It seems
clear that God is continuing to fulfill the vision that He gave to Loren
over 40 years ago! Another wave of young people will hit the shores of
Australia to join Reef to Outback only days from now!