Friday, December 16, 2011 at 3:35PMA few stories from Verano de Fuego 2011
“It was almost as if the holy spirit was just waiting at the door for the teacher to stop talking so he could work.” Explained Micheal Vandevort, leader of this years Verano De Fugeo. Lecture phase for the students was marked by intense experiences with the Holy spirit that left staff and students in awe of the healing hand of God. During the day of teaching on the Father Heart of God as soon as an opportunity was given for prayer students started receiving Gods unconditional love tears to start flowing from the deep places of these young hearts.
The night before they left on outreach their evening class ran almost three hours over. The staff felt lead to pray for each student individually so every student was prayed for at least four times. But it wasn’t just the staff. The students saw that they could lift each other up with prophetic words and prayer as well. So teenagers who had never prayed for another person or had never spoken out a prophetic word started stepping out to give these gifts to one another. And God showed up in breathtaking ways for each of them.
That experience really seemed to set the tone for outreach because the very first night that they were in Durango they all went to a church service. Three of the students asked if they could prophecy over the church. When they were given permission from the pastor they stepped up front and spoke to the whole congregation. Afterwards members from the congregation came up and asked to receive prayer from all of the summer of fire students which they gave without hesitation. The pastor reported back that everything they said was right on for their church in that time. He even took it one step further and invited them to come and speak again at the next weeks service.
Where lecture phase was more directed on the students learning about their relationship with God, outreach was very focused on personal relationships with each other. The first time the team visited a youth prison in Durango there was a lot of tension between the two groups of kids, who were practically the same age, but living very different lives. The students presented their dramas and a message on the father heart of God. But there wasn’t really a lot of break through. Even so they were invited back for a second visit.
This time one the boys in the prison asked the Summer of Fire students. “What did you think of us the first time you came?”
One Verano De Fuego student bravely stepped forward and said, “Well, we were scared of you at first. But now we see that you guys are really just like us.”
“After that,” Michel shared, “The doors were wide open.”
Sixteen year old student Jacob, from Colorado, shared his testimony with the inmates and his fellow students reported back that it was very powerful even just for the team. Then Alejandro, a staff member on Verano de Fuego from Mexico City, shared a message and at the end offered a chance for them to accept Christ into their hearts. Almost every inmate raised their hand. The students asked if they could come back one more time before they came home. The Prison management was more than happy to have them come again.
For their third visit they didn’t worry about presenting dramas or a message. The students just brought some cake and served it to their new friends. A soccer field was opened up and they played games and just hung out with all of them for a few hours. “The (inmates) were really very, very cool guys.” Agreed Michel.
While on outreach the students worked with three different Vacation Bible Schools. Two the first week and one the second week. Over all they had the chance to help teach, perform dramas, and work with over 550 youth. Over all they learned and presented six different dramas. They were able to do some street evangelism and work with an orphanage that served as a home for some handicapped children. Several students gave their testimony. And sometimes a little more. Jorge, who is the 17 year old son of a pastor here in Mazatlan, started to give his testimony and ended up giving a full on sermon about keeping Jesus the center of your life’s focus.
“I was so proud of my kids.” Michel beamed as he shared the stories of outreach after returning to the base. Graduation from this amazing Verano De Fuego is Friday night. We know that as a base we are sending out teenagers who have truly seen the heart of God. And are now equipped to share it with the world.
Verano de fuego gaduation tonight at 7PM!
Every year YWAM Mazatlan hosts what we call Verano de Fuego, or Summer of Fire. This is a 4 week program where highschoolers from Mexico as well as the USA and Canada come to the base in Mazatlan and dive into what it is to know God in deeper ways. The students eat and sleep at the base, go to classes every day, and have work duties for 2 weeks. The last 2 weeks of the program the students venture out for an "outreach" where they take all they've learned and been equipped with in the classes and prepartaion time and put it into practical use.
Tonight the 18 students of this year's Summer of Fire graduate. We will be hosting this graduation live streaming through the internet for those of you who can't be here to join in. These kids have been molded and transformed more into who God is calling them to be over this past month. They've allowed God to press into more areas of their lives' and through that fallen deeper in love with Him. And they've all agreed, they'll never forget this Summer of Fire.
Calvary Chapel Melbourne Youth Missions Trip
Calvary Chapel Melbourne’s Julio Marin has faithfully been bringing a team of Jr. Highers to Mazatlan every summer for a missions trip since 2005. Every year he brings about 25 kids down to Mexico to work with us and have their lives transformed within a busy 10 days. From feeding shelters to soccer games, children’s ministry to hitting the streets for evangelism, Julio keeps these kids working a tight ship. With ministry starting at 6am and ending around 10 at night, there’s not much room to complain or get bored.
When Ellen Jorgenson was asked what she was going to go home with from her time in Mazatlan, she responded, “Seeing how much we take for granted. How much stuff we think is necessary and it really isn’t necessary. I guess I just think about all the stuff we have in the states and how much we could give away to other people who don’t have as much and how easily we could help them--and why we aren’t doing that.” This was a common response from most of the Jr. Highers. The realization that there are kids in other countries who aren’t nearly as fortunate as they are, and with that, a window of opportunity opens for them to play a part in helping others. And that’s exactly what these kids want. At this age, 12-15, they’re starving for purpose and meaning. And with the time to serve people and give their energy to others, that’s exactly what they find.