Base History

From the Great Southland to South of the Border - Our teams' journey from Australia to Mexico

Many people have asked us [Brent and Heather - Ywam Maz Base Directors], What's your story? How'd a bunch of Australian Ywamers end up in Mexico?

Read on to find out...

• Q: When did you first get a 'heart' for Mexico?
• In 1993 we both ended up in Mazatlan, Mexico attending a Surfers for Missions DTS. It was here that we fell in love with the city and…each other!
• Q: What happened after your DTS?
• The obvious…we got married!
• Q: Of course, but you knew you'd go back to Mexico straight away?
• Not exactly. After getting married we lived in New Zealand for a while and tried opening different doors to get back into Missions. None of them opened. So we waited, still thinking about Mexico.
• Q: How did you end up in Australia if your heart was for Mexico?
• Out of the blue really. This crazy kiwi guy, Dave Stephenson, Ywam Newcastle base Director, called us and said "Mate, we heard about you guys…wanna come and staff our Surfers DTS's?" So after meeting him, flying over to Newcastle and checking out the base, we prayed and felt God was leading us there. Only for 2 years though!!
• Q: Why only 2 years?
• Because…we were moving on to Mexico after that! It's kind of joke now because our 2 years turned into 6!
• Q: So 2 years turns into 6, but the vision for Mexico is still there?
• Yah, the vision for Mexico was still there but it never consumed us. Its one of those things where you have to let your own vision die and serve someone else's. All good though. There were many things that Dave and the Newcastle base taught us…things which have helped us establish Ywam Mazatlan.
• Q: Let's talk about establishing Ywam Mazatlan…how did you do it?
• A lot of prayer and waiting on God for His releasing of us. Once we got the release from God and from our base in Newcastle, it was all GO! We started to cast the vision for Mazatlan and recruit staff to come with us.
• Q: Was it hard casting vision and recruiting a team?
• Not for Heather, she loves it! God gave us some incredible people with true pioneering spirits.
• Q: If you could capture, in one word, the last few years of your teams' journey; from the first casting of the vision to the running of your first DTS, what word would you use?
• FAVOR, as in God's favor. From the minute we were 'released' to start dreaming about Mazatlan we have felt His favor. It was His favor that brought together this incredible team who serve as staff. It was His favor that found us a house, with ocean views, large enough to hold the masses we want to come through this place. And it's His continued favor that we need to see this work established and do what He's called us to do, 'arm a dangerous generation'.