Josh & Jen Levin

From the Woods to the World

2011-12-09T11:11:00.006-06:00

As we passed mile marker 49, delight and gloom swept over me simultaneously. We were more than halfway there, but still had five miles to hike, and night was fast approaching. Climbing up and over the ridge, the valley below us came into view, and the next ridge opposite us, thick with skeletal December trees. Somewhere beyond that lay our destination.

We descended the slope and came to a creek. Rather than removing our shoes and crossing in sandals, we opted to search upstream and down for a possible dry crossing. Ever so carefully, all fourteen of us managed to tiptoe from rock to slippery rock, reaching the opposite side with dry feet. By now, everyone had dug into their bags to retrieve headlamps. We still had at least an hour of hiking. Night had set in, and the already chill temperatures began to drop.

No longer could we enjoy the scenery, and instead, the landscape became a mystery. Where are those lights coming from? I can tell that the terrain drops down below this trail, but how steep is it and how far down does it go? Will I be able to recognize tonight's campsite, or will we hike past it, unnoticed in the dark?

When it was all said and done, we each burrowed down with sore feet and full stomachs, into our tents and sleeping bags, thankful for a dry place to sleep.

The next morning we sat around the fire, the campsite-turned-classroom, as our teacher spoke to us regarding God’s desire for all nations to know Him, and how it is the obligation of the children of faith to be a blessing to all nations – all going back to God’s promise to Abraham. In response, there beside the gently flowing Ozark creek, our group burst out into a time of spontaneous worship, declaring God’s greatness and singing our love to the Creator.

You Look Cold

2011-11-11T15:31:00.006-06:00

A warm place on a cold street; a light glowing in the darkness - are two very appropriate ways to describe the Freak Fest outreach from two weeks ago. In downtown Madison, Wisconsin, the Phos House (Phos is Greek for light), a ministry of YWAM Madison, stood as headquarters for the 100 volunteers who participated. Walking up and down the street to engage party-goers in conversation about God was attempted, but the greatest success was found in the proximity of the house.

Being a Halloween celebration, many sported costumes - costumes that did not seem to provide adequate warmth and insulation for their wearers, so the large heater on the porch was always surrounded, as were the tables where free hot chocolate and hot dogs were handed out. With people on hand to initiate and direct conversations toward faith and God, there were positive encounters, despite the intoxicated state of most.

Humankind is a rebellious and wicked species, but even before that, we were made in the image of God. And, in the midst of our evil, we are perfect candidates for grace and redemption. The kindness and love we displayed toward Freak Fest participants, we hope, signaled the beauty and life that our Savior makes available to all. We also felt it was important in order to demonstrate to them their inherent value as God's image bearers.

After the event ended at 2am, we piled in the van and began our 14-hour journey back to Ozark. Our fears and nervousness that marked the beginning of the outreach faded into an excitement that overpowered fatigue. Students compared tales from the night before drifting off to sleep, as I drove on, with heat blasting and headlights leading the way.

See Photos from the Event

Forgetting Something?

2011-04-19T10:48:00.006-05:00

We at YWAM Ozarks recently developed a new activity for the purpose of fun and education when youth groups and teams come here for a missions week. We simply call it the Missions Game, in which participants compete at a variety of stations with several objectives. Each station is designed to mimic an encountered on a foreign mission field. Examples of the stations include washing clothes by hand, using a "squatty potty," and picking lice (rice) from a scalp. (We own no copyrights, so feel free to use it yourself if you so desire!)

When students arrived at my station, instructions went something like this:

"You've just met me. I'm a Buddhist (or Muslim or atheist, etc). You are here to share the Gospel with me. Your group has one minute to prepare, and three minutes to present. Go."

I thoroughly enjoyed it. The students typically responded with nervousness, and the results varied widely. But one observation from the game stood out to me in particular, and I want to share it with you. Most groups told me about God sending His son, Jesus, to die for us, to cleanse us from our sins. Good. They often mentioned that He died on a cross. These are indeed critical components of the message. But something was frequently left out, something so vital, so important, that the message makes no sense, no attraction, and no power without it.

The tomb sat empty three days later.

This Easter, it is important to reflect on Christ's sufferings and death. But the Easter holiday doesn't end on Good Friday. The message of the Gospel is centered on the Resurrection. Allow me to close with two quotes on the subject:

"This, then, is the more or less universal witness of the early Christians: that they are who they are, they do what they do, they tell the stories they tell not because of a new religious expreience or insight but because of something that happened; something that happened to the crucified Jesus; something that they at once interpreted as meaning that he was after all the Messiah, that God's new age had after all broken into the present time, and that they were charged with a new commission..." (N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope)

"If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep... in Christ shall all be made alive." (The Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:19-20, 22)

Thinking Higher

2011-04-13T06:59:00.001-05:00

It all began with the house at the bottom of the hill, a small and run-down little cottage that we could have had for a dime. But as we walked home after looking at the house, we sensed God say to us “My thoughts are higher than yours!”

That was a year ago, and although the meaning was a bit obscure, it caused us to broaden our search. One thing was clear, however. Simply, that our family needed to move out of the dormitory, where we’ve lived for the past five years, and into a place of our own. We met with a realtor, a banker, and saw many different houses. Nothing really clicked, and when the DTS began last fall, we put our search on hold.

The search has now, we hope, come to an end. We have a found a house that we really like, would fit the needs of our family, and is located very close to the campus. This coming weekend we will meet with the owners, and hope that we can negotiate a price that works for us both. The Lord is faithful, and His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. This house sits at the top of the hill.

Given the right price, it appears we can move ahead with a mortgage, but over time, our current support will not sustain the monthly payments. This is a pretty big step of faith for us, and we keep Philippians 4:6 at the front of our minds, “Do not be anxious for anything…”

Please pray for us as we meet with the owners – that things will go smoothly, that we will be able to reach a favorable price, and that everything will be done quickly and honestly. Also, please consider contributing toward this. We want to be a healthy family in ministry, and believe that having our own house is critical in achieving that goal. But we can’t do it, financially, without your help. You can give two ways:

1. Write out a check to “YWAM,” and mail to:

YWAM Ozarks

7119 Mountain View Dr
Ozark, AR 72949

(Make sure to include a separate note with your check indicating that it is for “Josh and Jen.")

2. Online via credit card or Paypal. Visit our website, http://ywamozarks.com/donate.php, choose the “Donate Online” option, and follow the instructions.

Re-learning English

2011-03-30T16:07:00.004-05:00

When a word that ends in "y" is made plural, sometimes you replace the "y" with an "ie". When do you make the change, and when do you not?

fly/flies
toy/toys

Why do you add an "s" behind a present-tense verb when using it in combination with a third-person noun?

I drive the car.
You drive the car.
She drives the car.

Because, well, that's just what you do. Because!

English, the language we all know and love. But, if ever asked to explain it, we can't seem to find the words. Coincidentally, people the world over see English as the gateway to their success. Whether it be migrant workers living within our own cities, or university students in Asia or Africa, they know that opportunities and quality of life can dramatically increase for them if they are able to get a grasp on this language.

Evidence of this reality confronted us around every corner during our recent trip to Thailand and Cambodia. I am reminded of the private, American-run orphanage we volunteered at in Cambodia. The children living there received an education in their own native language, as well as an English education. Employment opportunities will be much broader for these children once they've completed their schooling.

Several times our team was thrown into classrooms in Thailand with the instructions to "teach English." The problem, however, was that we were not prepared for it, and at times felt useless. For the past three days I (Josh) have attended a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) workshop, where I have been learning, obviously, to teach English to non-English speaking individuals. It is a simple, yet very effective way in which to bless and serve people, build relationships, and share our faith.

Next time I'm thrown into a classroom and told to "teach English," I'll whip out my alphabet flash cards and play a fierce game of Alphabet Basketball!

2011-02-20T01:54:00.004-06:00

After a long day of ministry in the slum community, which culminated with a Valentine's Day party for the youth, we returned to our hotel room to find a puddle of water under the air conditioner. (I'm very grateful we have cold A/C!) It was late. It seemed that the best solution would be to ask for more towels and a bucket. As Jen bathed the girls, I went down to the front desk. The one english-speaking employee, unfortunately, was not on shift. I did the best I could to communicate my request, the clerk asked for my room number, and I left.

At 9:30pm, the doorbell rang. Well past bedtime, we were almost ready to put the girls to bed. I opened the door, and there stood a repairman. He proceeded to come in and tear apart the unit! Was it worth it to play the failure-to-communicate-game to tell him it could wait until morning? All we could do was wait, and pray that it wouldn't take long. Talk about an unromantic Valentine's Day!

So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

1 Peter 4:19

When the apostles wrote about suffering for the sake of Christ, what did they mean? Was "suffering" limited to beatings and imprisonments? Or does it also include theft, broken cameras, long days of travel, sickness due to eating food you are unaccustomed to, and A/C repairmen coming into your hotel room at night keeping your children up late?

We are in Cambodia, leading a mission trip with a group of students from our Discipleship Training School, doing this all for the sake of Christ. And it hasn't been a walk in the park. Last week, in the slum community, while our girls taught dance class to the young women and us guys ran soccer practice for the young men, a large sum of money was stolen from our team. And it was the second time it happened.

My intial response went something like this: if this is how the people of this community treat us after we have done nothing but serve them and give to them, then we will just stop coming altogether. See how they like that! And then those words from scripture came back to me - commit themselves to their faithful Creator - we serve a God who is both the great Creator and faithful to us, and we can entrust ourselves completely to him - and continue to do good.

We may suffer for it, but we will trust God and not stop doing good. My prayer is that the residents of this community will see that we will not quit serving and blessing them, despite how we've been treated, and that our response in this circumstance will bring glory to God the Father. With only a week left in Phnom Penh, we want to make the most of our remaining time here.

Don't move that mountain!!

2011-01-28T02:42:00.007-06:00

Nearly eight years ago, I celebrated a 21st birthday that I will never forget. Arriving by bus in an unfamiliar city, in a foreign country, at 2am. Our small team carried our luggage down the street, in the dark, to a hotel, and slept for a few hours. Up by 6am so we could eat and travel to the refugee camp, making it in time for the chapel service at the camp's Bible college. By 9am, I stood in front of a class of 30 students, most of whom were my age. I would be their teacher everyday for the next two weeks. It was sink or swim.

Now, 7 years and 7 months later, I walked into the same camp, passed by the same classroom, stood behind a microphone on the same stage, and addressed the 300-person student body of the same Bible college in the same refugee camp. Only this time, I brought with me a wife, two children, and seven students.

Members of the Karen ethnic tribe have fled their native country of Burma because of violence and oppression, and have lived in a state of limbo, some for twenty years. The camp, home to more than 50,000 people sits at the base of a mountain, and beyond the mountain, a river, and across the river, armies and landmines. "It is a very important mountain," our translator told us.

Our team visited the camp for only a day, gave a greeting to the Bible college students, visited schools, and prayed with handicapped men, who themselves were victims of landmines.

I wish that I had returned to find the camp a ghost town, and that all the residents had returned peacefully to their homes. Instead I find hope in the fact, that in the midst of the despair, exists an institution, and people dedicated to teaching and educating young people in Truth and Righteousness.

Bugs and Beginnings

2011-01-10T22:17:00.005-06:00

From the frosty temps of winter in Arkansas (okay, not THAT frosty) we've transitioned to the humid heat of the tropics. Thankfully this is the best time to visit Thailand as the temps are pretty mild throughout. At midnight on January 7th we arrived, weary after 32 hours of travel. We were picked up by YWAM staff from the Bangkok campus and transported in semi-enclosed truck beds to rooms set up for us by their hospitable staff. The smells and sights we encountered brought back memories to both Josh and I of previous time spent in this country. The damp odors of earth and plants, the acrid smoke of wood and trash burning, diesel, fried food. Ava fell fast asleep on my lap while Marin enthusiastically asked about every new thing she saw. (She had slept quite a bit on the plane trips, something we regretted later that night)

We spent our first couple days trying to overcome jet lag, tasting new foods, beginning our study of the Thai language and culture. Our teams' enthusiasms are high and we are so grateful for this humble, servant-hearted group of individuals. Already we see their particular gifts rising to the occasion.

As a way to begin interacting with Thai people and immersing ourselves in the culture we participated in a scavenger hunt near to the YWAM Bangkok office. Included are a couple pictures of some team members enjoying a local snack, fried grasshoppers. Bon Appetit!

3-2-1 Outreach!!!

2011-01-04T15:46:00.006-06:00

Departure is less than 48 hours away! We leave for Bangkok early Thursday morning. Together with our children and students, the team numbers 11 people. Another team of 6 from the school leaves for Peru at the same time. (With the thousands of birds falling out of the sky and fish floating belly-up in the River, it seems like a good time to be leaving Arkansas!)

There are two things you can do for us while we are gone these next two months: pray and give. Below you'll find our team goals and our trip itinerary to give you a start on how you can pray for us. After that I've included a link to our website where you can donate online and information for sending a check.

Team Goals:
1. Our response to hardships would bring glory to God.
2. Discovery of our individual gifts would contribute to team unity for the glory of God.
3. We would see a visible expansion of the Kingdom of Heaven for the glory of God.

Trip Itinerary:

Jan 7 - Arrive in Bangkok
Jan 8 - Cultural Orientation
Jan 9 - Depart for Chiang Mai
Jan 10-25 - Partnering with Full Life Development, a community development ministry working among the hilltribes of Northern Thailand.
Jan 26-Feb 12 - Partnering with Pastor Michael, a Thai pastor working among refugees near the Burmese border.
Feb 14-28 - Travel to Cambodia and partner with our friends, the Chans, in ministry to families among the slums of Phnom Penh
Mar 2 - Return to Ozark

We can receive donations at our website, via Paypal. Follow the link below:
http://www.ywamozarks.com/donate.php

To donate by check, make your check payable to YWAM Ozarks and indicate that it is for DTS Outreach. We will still be receiving donations even after we've departed. Mail it to...

YWAM Ozarks
7119 Mountain View Dr.
Ozark, AR 72949

And the Leader of the Day Is...

2010-11-12T15:33:00.007-06:00

What can happen on a wilderness trip? Why would I take our Discipleship Training School (DTS) students out to the forest for a backpacking trip? Why go rock climbing, canoeing? Is there a reason other than that it is fun, recreational?

Imagine you are nineteen years old. You don't have a lot of confidence in yourself. You have an interest in outdoor activities, but little actual experience. You grew up in a city. Now you find yourself with a group of people you don't know, in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable environment. You don't know what you'll be asked to do tomorrow, or where you'll sleep the next night. All you have to live on for a week is in a backpack you are carrying. Next you are asked to be the leader for the upcoming day. You are given a map and shown the route and final destination, with one other student to help you navigate. But imagine as well that a recurring theme of your life has been that no one ever trusted you with responsibility. After a long and strenuous day of hiking, marching uphill, crossing rivers, enduring blisters, and beholding breathtaking views, you successfully arrive, without incident, to set up camp in the dark. With everyone sitting together in a circle, you receive encouraging comments from your teammates on your performance as the leader. How would that make you feel?

This story describes a real-life scenario of one of the students, played out before our eyes, on the first day of our backpacking trip. The two weeks of rock-climbing, camping, backpacking, and canoeing are filled with such stories, of how God used the setting and events of our outdoor adventure to work and move in the lives of our twelve students. And that is why we do it!

Thank you Loren and Darlene

2010-09-22T07:46:00.009-05:00

It began with an God-given idea, the sight of young people, as waves, crashing on the shores of islands and distant nations. It was this idea that gave birth to Youth With a Mission. The ideas continued... a traveling hospital ship, which became the successful ministry of Mercy Ships... a modular university system, known now as the University of the Nations, with hundreds of training campuses around the world. And even today, the ideas continue to flow from Loren Cunningham's heart. Now it's things like a virtual hospital, so that a missionary in the Amazon can do surgery because he is linked up via satellite with a trained specialist on another continent.

We are back home, sane and sound, after spending more than thirty hours on the road in five days (in a van with three little children!), from a trip to Denver to attend YWAM's 50 year Anniversary Celebration. Our entire staff attended the event, and we received three days worth of teaching from Loren and Darlene Cunningham, the founders of YWAM. They reminded us of how God has worked in YWAM's past, what the Lord is doing, and vision for YWAM's future. Darlene left us with the challenge to have "a faith that does not quit!"

This year YWAM celebrates 50 years, and yesterday YWAM Ozarks celebrated 5 years from the day we purchased the Manitou Mountain property. This year has brought some extreme and difficult changes, but we step forward. Final preparations are being made for our fall DTS, which begins this weekend. Immediately after arriving we will bring our twelve students on a two week wilderness trip that includes backpacking, canoeing, and rock climbing.

Please pray for us as we continue to adjust to life at YWAM Ozarks without Jim Nizza, and as we anticipate what the Lord is going to do in the lives of our DTS students.

The Summer Slow-down

2010-08-23T11:35:00.007-05:00

Summer months here on the Ozark campus are more relaxed. With temps frequently passing 100 degrees we move a little more slowly, stay inside when we can, and have time to catch up on projects that get put off during busier seasons.

This year has had its busy-ness and challenge as well. As you probably are aware, our campus director Jim Nizza passed away August 11 after an 8 year battle with cancer. For us as a community this has been a hard couple of weeks. Please continue to lift up Jim's wife Barb and their kids Joel and Crystal as they adjust to life without their husband and father. Also please pray for our staff and ministry as we go through this transition. Jim's wife Barb is taking over as director of the campus. We feel the Lord has a great deal in store for us during this season, we're leaning on Him!

Things that I've (Jen) been keeping occupied with lately (other than one toddler and one crawler!) are my garden, cooking, and a small flock of chickens and turkeys we're raising for eggs and meat. We have 44 acres, many of which are unused, and I enjoy exploring ways for us to become more self-sufficient.

We're gearing up for our DTS, beginning the end of September. We have 10 students accepted (2 are South Koreans!) thus far and have two available spots left. We're pretty excited about the school this year and have seen more interest in it than any other program we've run at our campus yet!

Marin and her friend Ella-Jean holding a couple of our hens.

Roadtrips and Round-ups

2010-05-18T13:34:00.007-05:00

The bellowing cow roused me from my state of early-morning drowsiness. I rolled over, noticed the clock, and said out loud, "Those cows sound awfully close." Deeming that is was an appropriate time to get out of bed, I looked out the window, and sure enough, the cows were meandering on the driveway, in front of the garage. I threw my clothes on as I pounded down the stairs, looking to see if I could join Dad and Boomer (Dad's cattle dog) in the round-up.

An unexpected but exciting start to the day. Without much fanfare, we managed to get the cows back in. After a pretty intense year of being on the go - school in California, leading DTS in Ozark, and the trip to Morocco, we are taking a few weeks to reconnect with family and friends. Our time at Grandma and Grandpa's (Josh's parents) farm is at an end, so tomorrow we leave Minnesota and drive to Michigan. We'll return to Arkansas before Memorial weekend, in time to lead a YWAM Ozarks rock climbing outing!

Marin loves her time on the farm...feeding the cats, dropping rocks in the dogs' water bucket, mooing at the cows, and watching "Pop" drive tractor. Even Ava gets in on the fun, as she coos with delight every time she sees one of the dogs.

Here's a conversation that took place with Marin earlier this week:
"Marin, did you go to the barn?"
"Yeah."
"What did you see out there?"
"Meow!"
"What else did you see?"
"Moo!"
"What else did you see?"
"Woof woof woof!"

How unusual would life be if we all referred to objects based on the noises they made?

Toddler, Travels, & Tinsel

2009-12-09T16:31:00.010-06:00

"Well, it doesn't sound like you'll need us within the hour" After 20 hours of labor with Marin I was inclined to agree with my midwife, Shelley. With an hour to drive from her house to the campus, that's what we hoped anyway! However, Ava had other plans. Shelley arrived at five minutes to one in the morning and Ava arrived 20 minutes later! We were all very relieved: for myself that Ava came in only 3 hours and for Josh that Shelley arrived just in time to deliver her!

Ava Pearl arrived at 1:15am on November 6. She was 7lb and 12oz, 19 1/2" long. She's gained 3lb already, smiles at mommy, only gets up once at night, and has charmed everyone here at the YWAM campus. Marin is adjusting well to being a big sister and likes to give Ava kisses and thumps on the head.

We are so grateful this year for our two beautiful little girls, a successful DTS lecture phase completed, and the opportunity to travel to North Africa as a family for our DTS outreach. We depart on the 29th of December and will be gone until the end of February. We're both excited and nervous, traveling will be a bit different with two babies in tow!

We would appreciate your prayers as we continue to raise money for our trip as well as your prayers throughout our outreach, that we would be a blessing to all those we come across in the country where we will be ministering.

Merry Christmas!!!

This may be the hardest thing you've done. Ever.

2009-10-15T15:48:00.007-05:00

The near-full moon shone down, giving a faint silver glimmer to the trees, the rocks, and the pool of water on the Buffalo River. I stood knee-deep in the current, linked arm in arm with one of our DTS students. Born with a heart defect (which was corrected by surgery at age 15), he never fully developed his muscles and coordination like all the other boys. The water level on this untamed waterway was a little high for this time of year, although it was nowhere near the level it reaches with the springtime rains. So we slowly made our way across the water, arm in arm, one careful step after another by the light of the moon and our headlamps.

Had we reached the point of exhaustion? Yes...hours ago. By now it was 11pm, and we had been on the trail since 6:30am. I had anticipated that our eight DTS students, my two dedicated staff and I would be in for a long day, but nothing quite like this. Seven and a half miles of some of the most treacherous terrain in Arkansas, a short but heavy thunderstorm, a fifty foot rappel through "The Eye of the Needle," four river crossings, and seventeen hours later, we finally returned to camp.

And why, what was the point? Our students, who had only known each other for five days, were forced to support and encourage one another, trust their teammates, and look out for each other. They discovered a strength and endurance within themselves that they did not know existed. And, they marvelled at areas of God's creation that few people ever experience.

This was only one day of our two week backpacking/climbing/camping/canoeing trip that we recently finished. Amongst the challenges and difficulties, we had a successful trip and watched the students grow while positive team dynamics developed.

We are thankful to our Father for allowing us to lead this Outdoor Adventure Discipleship Training School, as well as giving us safety and protection thus far.

By age 18...

2009-07-10T01:10:00.005-05:00

What are the statistics of four Mexican-American adolescent boys raised in broken families in Southern California? (Please understand, I am in no way intending to stereotype or be racist with these comments!) I don't know where to go to look up stats like this, but based on things I've heard, been taught, observed, etc, here is what I would guess, by the time they turn 18:

1 in 4 winds up in prison.
1 in 4 joins the military.
1 in 4 dies either from gang-related violence or suicide.
1 in 4 lives in poverty and alcoholism.

I now have four faces to place on those four boys. With today's media, and all the news of corrupt politicians and dead celebrities and natural disasters and terrorist attacks and...well, you get the picture - it is good to witness positive things. And throughout the course of my time in YWAM, I have been fortunate enough to meet and serve many people around the world who are doing good in the name of Jesus Christ.

A woman in the Philippines pastoring a number of small churches and growing young leaders.
A young man in New York City that befriends and mentors young immigrant men.
An old man in inner city Atlanta that fights constant soreness from his time playing professional football in order to feed and serve the homeless.
Two young ladies teaching in a school of child refugees in Thailand.
A doctor living in West Africa who offers free medical care.
Crowds of people offering assistance to those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

I could extend this list to a long length, but allow me to tell you of just one more - Jimmy, from Modesto, California. He extends a kind heart and embracing arms to the down-and-outs of his city, and particularly, to the children of the down and out. I met him last week in Sequoia National Park, where he brought four Hispanic adolescent boys on a backpacking trip that I helped prepare for and staff. It is a trip that has tremendous potential to have a lasting and positive impact on their lives. I admire Jimmy and how he has intentionally intervened in the lives of these boys, offered to love them, teach them, and, hopefully, through his intervention, those four boys will not become just another statistic.

Avulsions, Eviscerations, and Sucking Chest Wounds

2009-05-31T16:19:00.009-05:00

She had been attacked by a cougar, and then fallen into a cleft in the rock. When our group arrived at the scene, others were already there treating her injuries. Intestines protruded from the deep cut on her abdomen, scrapes and bruises covered her face and limbs, and she potentially had injuries to her neck and spine. We needed to act fast. The nearest road was about a half mile away, and there was no telling how quickly an ambulance could make it.

We moved quickly, constructing a make-shift litter out of the limited material we had with us: a couple of backpacks, a sleeping pad, tent poles, a few sticks, and rope all held together with duct tape (of course). Then, we had to lift the victim up and over the four foot high rock ledge and bring her to the "stretcher," all without changing the position of her spinal column.

It had been a long day. Our search for the missing students began at about 4am. We had already found, treated, and carried two campers who had been struck by lightning, and another young man impaled on a tree branch.

This was all a part of the Final Scenario, a final exam, if you will, for the Wilderness First Responder course we just completed. No, the cougar attack, impalement, and lightning strike were not real incidents, but part of our training. The course was very intense. We received 96 hours of training in 9 days - you do the math! We learned how to set and splint broken bones, deliver babies, and everything in between.

The instructors told us that when we lead groups into the wilderness, the skill we will probably use more than anything is how to bandage blisters. Hopefully we will never have to deal with broken necks and cougar attacks, but now at least we're prepared!

Thanks to Jen's mom coming and watching Marin, Jen was able to attend and complete the course as well. The long days, physical exertion, and being away from Marin was difficult, but she did it, and I'm proud of her.

2009-05-13T10:45:00.007-05:00

Where's Waldo, er, um, I mean, Josh? Look for the tiny blue dot on the upper right side of the rock wall.

Marin gets thirsty from all that hiking.

They don't call these the world's biggest trees for nothing!

Does the Abominable Snow Man live here?

2009-04-06T18:13:00.007-05:00

With a shovel in my hands and the warm sun on my bare back, I went to work with the others in my group. I knew I would have to put my t-shirt back on pretty soon, unless I wanted a nasty sunburn. There were a lot of us working, but I knew it would still take us awhile to finish our snow caves.

Wait, did I just use the words "sunburn" and "snow cave" in the same sentence? If you're familiar with the mountains, then this may not be a strange concept for you, but for someone who grew up accustomed to the frigid temps and low altitudes of Minnesota, it felt a bit bizarre.

The Winter Mountaineering trip of the school was designed as an eleven day outing, in which we would learn how to travel, camp, and climb in snow and ice. I understand it may not be the most applicable for our setting in Arkansas, but I was still excited about building and sleeping in a snow cave.

Travel by snow shoes, tents pitched on snow, water sources found by chopping holes through ice on alpine lakes, practicing avalanche rescue scenarios, climbing steep slopes by kicking steps into the snow, and descending steep slopes by sliding on my butt, all with a 75 pound backpack, adequately describes the activities that took place up until we started building snow caves. Unfortunately, it was such a time consuming process that we didn't finish in time. The sun went down and it got dark, so we had to pitch tents instead.

After having breakfast the next morning, we were told that our leader had come down with altitude sickness - "Pack up, we're going home," they told us. Our trip was cut short by a week. On the one hand, I was disappointed that we didn't get to finish the trip - no snow caves, no summitting Mt. Humphreys (just under 14,000 ft), and no traveling across a glacier. But on the other hand, I was very excited to know that I would get to see Jen and Marin soon, sleep in my bed that night, and not wake up to put on frozen boots the following morning!

So for now, we have a couple days off, and then I leave later this week for four days in Death Valley, to learn the skills of Desert Canyoneering!

2009-03-11T12:38:00.008-05:00

I stopped in my tracks, realizing that the pine cone was no longer in my hands. With a diameter equal to that of my neck, and the length of my forearm, this was no small pine cone. I picked it up along the way, thinking it would make a good gift for Jen. Nestled in the crook of my arm like a football, I carried this cone down steep descents, across boulder fields, and even while picking my way across a vine-covered cliff. Now, with the sun settled below the desert horizon and the full moon high above, I couldn't believe my hands were empty.

It was dark, and our team still searched for the desert spring - our campsite for the night. As part of the learning experience, our leaders left us to find it on our own . Thankfully, my fellow students empathized, and waited while I backtracked to find the cone. No way was I going to just leave it after carrying all that way, I determined. And we were no longer in the alpine forest, so it wasn't like I could just pick up another. I raced on, headlamp glowing and eyes stuck to the ground.

In six days and five nights we traversed southern Sierra desert and ascended Mt. Owens, an 8,500 ft. peak. Rock climbing, team building games, nights spent with the wind howling and frost creeping into my bivy sack, and filtering our drinking water through a bandanna were only a few of the adventures our team experienced on our intro trip. We learned to work together as a team, to trust one another, and appreciate each other's individual strengths.

In the end, I found the pine cone, we found the campsite, and we returned to Bishop safe and sound, albeit somewhat more odorous than when we left.

Making a Contribution

2009-02-25T06:28:00.003-06:00

Every individual that works on staff with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is responsible for raising his own funds. YWAM Ozarks is a non-profit organization, meaning any donations received are considered charitable giving and donors receive tax-deductible receipts.

If you would like to make a donation, you have a couple options.

1. Writing a check... Make it out to "YWAM Ozarks;" do not put our names on the check anywhere. In the envelope, include a note saying it is for Josh and Jen Levin. Mail to:
YWAM Ozarks Accounting
7119 Mountain View Dr.
Ozark, AR 72949

2. Online donation using a credit card... click on the following link,
https://www.ywam.org/secure/donations/donate.asp?Type=SY, and fill in this information about us...
First and Last Name: Josh Levin
Ministry Name: YWAM Ozarks
YWAM Address: 7119 Mountain View Dr; Ozark, AR 72949

Thank you so much, we are so grateful for your generosity. Let us know if you have any questions.

Ice storm 09

2009-02-02T14:39:00.006-06:00

Winter Wonderland Turned Combat Zone

2009-01-27T16:20:00.004-06:00

Darkness and thick mists enveloped me. The sun had not yet risen. Fog swallowed the rays of my light, stopping it in its tracks. Complete silence was unexpectedly interrupted by a loud crack followed by a crashing sound far away. Then silence. Another crash, this one closer. All around me. Everything was wet and cold.

My surreal experience today does not describe some adventure scene out of Lord of the Rings, but rather, a day on Manitou Mountain at YWAM Ozarks during an ice storm. At the time, I was out placing buckets under gutters to collect rainwater. We were without electricity for 6 hours in the morning, and are currently going on 18 hours with no water. It has been raining all day, but the air is cold enough to make popsicles out of all our trees, bending their branches to the ground.

Pulling monstrous branches off the driveway with the tractor, heating water over a propane camping stove, cutting up a tree that went through the roof of our neighbor's house, and driving to my church to fill containers for drinking water - only to find out there was no power at the church! In the process, I went through 4 jackets, 2 sets of long underwear, 3 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of gloves, but I am thankful for my one pair of very waterproof boots!

And now, night approaches, it's still raining, and temperatures are expected to drop. We'll pile the blankets, bring the baby into bed with us, and wonder what tomorrow will hold!

Faithfulness in Little Things

2009-01-07T16:30:00.006-06:00

"Lord, you either have to start providing for us, or tell us to do something else." This was my prayer just a couple weeks ago, as we find ourselves facing our biggest financial challenge yet. Following God's lead to participate in the School of Outdoor Adventure and Recreation in Bishop, California this spring, we must come up with funds for tuition, housing, transportation, and expensive outdoor gear. God's provision has begun, and here are a couple recent examples.

I have a small LL Bean backpack. Great little pack, comes with a rain cover. Rain cover broke first time I tried to use it. LL Bean confidently stands behind their workmanship. So I mailed in the rain cover to have it repaired. Instead of repairing it, they sent a different, aftermarket rain cover (for free). This one, however, not only covers my small backpack, but my large one as well. I needed a rain cover for my big pack, an item that usually runs $30 or $40!

Mountaineering Boots. On average, they run about $300. Yeah, that's a fancy pair of shoes! The other day, I'm cruising the net, and visit a website I tend to frequent: steepandcheap. Great site, sells one piece of outdoor gear/clothing at a time, at a very discounted rate, until it is gone. Rarely, however, do I ever see anything I actually need, let alone something I need and that is in my size. Lo and behold, there before my eyes, is a pair of mountaineering boots, in my size, for under $100!

And I can't forgot those that gave me wool socks and wool underwear for Christmas. Thank you! (I know it doesn't sound very exciting, but these were things on my gear list, and I was excited.)

Are you interested in helping us with gear? Go to http://www.campmor.com/. At the top right of the page, there is a gift registry link. Type in either of our names, and you'll find the items we need for the school.

The Day Batman was Defeated

2008-12-11T21:43:00.005-06:00

I stood staring, pen in hand, behind the counter of the Post Office. "Please describe contents of package." How do I briefly describe, without making an entire list, the contents of this care package I intended to mail?

The irony in it struck me as I remember back just two days prior, as I walked around Walmart, DVD in hand, debating whether or not I should purchase the new Batman release. Cheapskate may be one way to describe me, over-analyst possibly another, but I just couldn't help thinking that my money could be spent more productively than on mindless entertainment.

The package, put together by the teen Sunday School class that I teach at church, contained items like vitamins, clothing, combs and fingernail clippers for infants and mothers, refugees and displaced people on the run in the jungles of an Asian nation, hiding from an oppressive regime. It cost just a few dollars more to pay postage on this package (full of items that we take for granted) than it would have to purchase that movie. Yes, my money can be used in a more meaningful pursuit.

I would end by adding this disclaimer: this is not posted for you to read and think, "Wow, look at Josh, he is so holy, maybe someday if I'm really lucky I can be like him," but rather, hopefully you will think, "Wow, he's an average person just like me, and maybe I can find a better use for my resources too!"

Discounts to Kill For

2008-11-28T11:34:00.004-06:00

I ate a lot of food yesterday. And it was good food. Turkey, dressing, potatoes, green bean casserole, some pie... mmmm, yum. I love Thanksgiving.

But today is a day that has always perplexed me, irritated me, and sometimes downright angered me. Allow me to voice my outrage today. I just read a news article describing a tragedy, and a tragedy that, in my opinion, is the a consequence of something that represents a much larger problem than this individual circumstance.

A 34 year old man, Walmart employee, was trampled to death when unruly customers broke down the store doors, stampeding to beat everybody else to the best deals on items they obviously desperately need. What was this man's name? Did he have a family, a wife? How many kids did he have, and what were there ages. How do you explain this to a kid?

"I'm sorry to tell you this little Susie, but your Daddy was trampled to death but your selfish neighbors, and because they all were thinking of nobody else but themselves, you will never see your daddy again. He won't be there to comfort you when you cry. He won't be there to congradulate you at your high school and college graduations. He won't be there to walk you down the aisle and give you away to your groom. Your children will never know their Grandfather." All because keeping an extra $50 dollars in their pockets was more important to a mob of surburban shoppers than a man's life.

Can you see where greed is leading our nation?

Give a Guy a break

2008-11-19T10:07:00.005-06:00

An old man nearly brought to tears. A gang of teenagers laughing, excited, and enjoying themselves. It may not be quite what you think.

Last weekend we hosted youth groups from two different churches and two different communities. Everything they did while they were here exposed them to some facet of God's heart for the nations and our call to missions. Meals eaten reflected the need of world hunger. Games were played in which students tried their hand at Bible smuggling. It was a great weekend, the students were wonderful to work with, and they learned a lot about missions and gained a fresh perspective and passion for it.

But the climax of our time came Saturday night at dinner, when our neighbor, Guy, stood and shared his appreciation for what they had done for him. An elderly man in his 80s, living alone, and for 5 hours on Saturday we took his house by storm: raking, cleaning, and cutting down brush. And we had a blast doing it. Then we invited him to join us for dinner.

I will conclude with his own words, in a letter he wrote to us...
"I didn't know that I have ever believed in miracles before but I certainly do now... I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked out at nine and saw about twenty kids all ready to work and believe me, work they did.
"That was all truly a miracle from our Maker."

Extra Extra!

2008-11-04T10:15:00.002-06:00

All New! Read our latest newsletter from October 2008. Click here to download.

You Still Have Air in Your Tires

2008-10-28T17:14:00.009-05:00

"This road isn't really recommended for vehicles like yours," said the park ranger from his huge 4wd F350. I sat in my vehicle, staring like 10 stories up at him.

"But, you've made it this far, and if you're slow and careful, you might make it through without losing your tailpipe."

That's reassuring!

The map showed that this road would bring us to the trailhead. But this "road" began with gravel, and before long dwindled to little more than a rocky and rutted path through the remote forest. Our purpose in this trip was to scout a trail to see if it held potential for a backpacking trip with future DTS classes.

I'm all about off-roading, four wheel drive, etc. My first vehicle was a Jeep. Some of my best memories growing up involve mud pits, bumpy roads, and 4x4's. But this was different. Navigating deep ruts and fallen trees and large rocks just isn't the same when I'm driving a BUICK LESABRE! Yes, a Buick LeSabre, that's the kind of car my grandmother drives!

Despite the knot in my stomach and Jen's anxiety (Marin slept through it all), we arrived at the trailhead and hiked a beautiful trail that will be a great spot to bring our DTS students. On the way back we took a different and much more maintained route, although we still had two river fordings. I must say, I now have a much higher opinion of LeSabres than I had before.

Marin and Mommy

2008-09-17T11:00:00.004-05:00

A few pictures for your enjoyment! The picture of three of us is with my mom, Audrey. Marin is 11 weeks old today.

Oversized Outhouse

2008-09-13T18:22:00.008-05:00

He had never seen a system this big. "Really? You've never seen a system this big?" "Nope." I stood sweating, breathing hard, dirt under my boots and a spade in my gloved hands, speaking with the man in charge of the Ozark city water department.

After being forced to make the discouraging decision to cancel our fall Discipleship Training School, shovelling dirt, laying pipe, and operating equipment felt pretty good. Last week we installed the new septic system for the cafetorium. That's three new systems in three years on the campus. I only observed the first time, the second I helped with parts, but I didn't miss a minute of this third one.

Five thousand gallons of tank, 2,200 feet of pipe, six dump truck loads of gravel, a crew of five YWAM staff and two volunteers, and we had installed a septic system bigger than any seen by the head of the Ozark city water.

It encourages me to see progress made on the campus. Soon we'll reach the three year anniversary of purchasing this property, and we've made a lot of good improvements in that time.

Missed the Boat

2008-08-28T09:37:00.002-05:00

I only met Ashley* once. I communicated with her at least a dozen times, but I only saw her once at a worship service. Then she left, or so I thought…

When I left, I noticed she was in a car with her boyfriend, making out. Ashley had expressed interest in attending our Discipleship Training School (DTS). In the end, she didn't come. I met her 7 months ago. Last week, I learned that Ashley is now pregnant, not married.

What?! Why?! Here is a young woman, desiring to follow after God, but for whatever reason – maybe she lacks good spiritual foundations, or doesn't have friends to hold her accountable – she makes poor choices, and ends up experiencing harmful consequences. Last month I witnessed the students of our DTS, at their graduation ceremony, express how much they enjoyed the school, how they discovered God in new ways. I wonder, if she had attended, how different her life would be right now?

The DTS is a program with tremendous potential to positively impact a person’s life. We have another school beginning September 22nd, and so far, only one applicant. We've done more promotion for this school than any other, yet have nothing to show for it.

I know it’s not too late for God to bring in more students (We need at least four just to run the school). Will you please join me in praying that He will direct individuals to our DTS? I want to see young adults take the opportunity to grow and develop in their relationship with God, and not fall into the trap of poor decisions.

*For privacy purposes, Ashley may or may not be her real name.

More Marin...

2008-07-18T08:57:00.001-05:00

Bounce passes and fist fights

2008-07-18T08:43:00.002-05:00

"Coach, watch me!" the little girl exclaims as she proceeds to throw the basketball into the air and attempt unsuccessfully to catch it on the return.
"Coach, he punched me!" says one boy, referring to another. "Right here, and right here." He points to his shoulder and thigh.

A poster child for ADD. A girl that can't stop whining. Children who constantly squabble to be first in line. A four year old that can hardly lift a basketball over her head. One that actually has a grasp on what she is doing.

This has been my experience this week helping at my church's VBS program, themed as a basketball camp. I am coaching the kindergarten to 3rd grade group. I realized that although I may not teach a whole lot of actual basketball skills to this group, I have a lot of fun and often catch myself inwardly laughing at their antics. Maybe this is one of the Lord's ways of preparing me for parenthood.

For Uncle Jeff

2008-07-15T17:14:00.002-05:00

Helmets and Heroes

2008-07-15T16:54:00.005-05:00

Jen needed a shot within 72 hours of giving birth. Because we had a home birth, our options were limited. We had to get the shot from Fayetteville, a good 75 miles from home. Like the Heroic Husband I am, I strapped on my helmet, and off I went on the old Yamaha (45 mpg baby, yeah!). Like the Foolish Husband I am, I forgot to check the weather forecast. Halfway there, the sky took on an ominous and foreboding look. Hundreds of thousands of rain drops hit me like bullets, soaking me to the bone. No windshield, no rain gear. I was so cold my body shivered and convulsed. Explosions of lightning and thunder all around me. I passed cars that pulled over on the shoulder to wait it out. But I thought to myself, "If my wife could endure what she did to give birth (I was present for the whole thing), then I think I can handle a little rain!"

Welcome to the world

2008-07-04T18:36:00.004-05:00

Isn't she adorable? Marin Eliada Levin, born July 2nd, 2008, at 5:30pm, weighing 8 lbs. 4 oz., and 21 3/4 inches in length. Mother and baby are in great health, and after 18 hours of labor, both are presently content to rest and recover.

Who is your hero?

2008-06-30T10:13:00.008-05:00

You guys are...how do you say in English, valientes? Heroes? Yes, you guys are heroes. A young woman said this to us as we rode in the taxi. Our team had just arrived in Bogota, Colombia, and she met us at the airport to take us to the YWAM facilities, where we would spend the night before continuing our journey. When we told her of our plans to stay in Leticia, the capitol city of the Amazon province in Colombia, for two months, she called us heroes. She herself had spent a short time in Leticia.

The following morning, I stood in line at the airport, now for the flight to Leticia. A young Colombian man stood beside me, and asked where our group was traveling to. "Leticia," I responded. He laughed and said, "That's funny." What is it about this place where we are going?

Fast forward nine days. We sat on the concrete bleachers of a small neighborhood soccer field. We were discussing the outreach so far; every one's thoughts and feeling up to that point. Tomorrow would be my last day with the team, and the first of my four-day journey home.

"I think I came here with expectations that I would be the 'superhero-American-missionary,' but instead all I'm doing is washing dishes, serving food, and cleaning bathrooms," said one student. The past few days had been difficult, with rough living conditions and a big lack in communication. Often we wouldn't know what our day's activities would consist of until an hour or 30 minutes before it happened. It required much flexibility on our part. It helped to talk things through, and despite the difficulties, everyone maintained a positive attitude.

Now, today, I sit in air-conditioned comfort in Ozark, Arkansas, while the rest of the team finishes out the second month of their outreach in Colombia. They spent two weeks in difficult living conditions, cheerfully serving, in Caballo Cocha, Peru, and then another two weeks floating the Amazon, spending two days at a time in villages along the river. Here conditions were even rougher. No electricity, no plumbing. Bathing took place in the Amazon and the bathroom was "in the jungle". No relief ever came from the vicious and plentiful mosquitoes. Yet they continued to serve and share their faith.

They recently returned to Leticia, or, as they put it, civilization. In my opinion, they are heroes. They all sacrificed so much to be there, maintained great attitudes throughout it all, and offered themselves as servants. So Abby, Matt, Ryan, Tonya, Jerod, and Johannes, if you're reading this, you are my heroes; I'm so proud of y'all. You've got a month to go, keep it up!

2008-06-02T14:30:00.003-05:00

Our driver, Nelson, looks at me and points behind us. “Brazil,” he says. Then he points to our left. “Peru.” And to our right, “Colombia.” Wind in my face, I look around at the huts and shacks along the banks to which he referred, as we cruise up the Amazon in a boat.

The guys from our team were on our way to the boat dock, to clean and prepare the boats for our upcoming trip. We arrived at the boat dock, nothing more than a shack sitting on top of a wooden raft. Keep in mind, this dock sits out like an island in the river, off-shore, and what’s more, a young family lives here and calls it home. I assume keeping and guarding boats is the family business.

*One nice thing about their house is that I’m sure they never have to call a plumber. I saw the toilet, and I’ll let you guess as to the plumbing engineering.

Our driver pulls around the other boat. These are not your average speed boats. The wooden tank is painted sky blue, with yellow planks for seats, and has re-bar arching overhead with a tarp stretched over it for protection from the elements (it rains here a lot, and when the sun comes out, it’s intense!). My guess is that it could seat about 30 – 35 people, uncomfortably. I don’t know that it would seat any number comfortably.

Standing inside the boat, ankle deep in the murky water, Nelson hands me a broom, and says something to me in Spanish. All I understand is “limpia,” and “bote,” which mean clean and boat, respectively. How exactly am I supposed to do this? We get it figured out, dipping the broom in the muddy water inside the boat, scrubbing the sides and the seats, rinsing the broom in the muddy water in the river, and scrubbing some more. Let me tell you, that boat sparkled when we were finished!

We loaded up and headed back to the YWAM facility in Leticia. That was Saturday. Tuesday we head upstream to a town in Peru for a pastor’s conference.

2008-05-14T11:39:00.005-05:00

After postponing three times because of the cantankerous Arkansas weather we decided either we hike and canoe the Buffalo River, no matter the amount of precipitation, or we just weren't going to be able to do it. So, despite 90% predictions of foul weather our DTS crew headed north to brave the elements. The first afternoon they hiked 3 miles, then 7 the next day.

On Wednesday Jen joined them along with Melani and baby Luka, having discerned that perhaps an eight months pregnant woman and a nine month old might not handle a whole week of sleeping in tents so well. At that point we loaded persons and belongings into canoes and racked up 28 miles over the next two days. Wednesday night was exciting as all 14 people huddled under a tarp propped up by bamboo branches to consume their MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) in the midst of a downpour. The DTS girls found out that night that their tent wasn't as waterproof as they thought and with much shrieking they shrouded their tent with the tarp...thereby cutting off any air circulation and causing them to wonder why it seemed so hot and stuffy for the rest of the night! Four of our seven canoes turned over at various junctures of the trip. Springtime in Arkansas had resulted in a river with a somewhat quicker flow than we anticipated!

Meanwhile our resupply crew, in a borrowed van, ended up with a dead battery in a remote wilderness camping area. One of our staff guys had to hike out of the campground, scaring up an elk on the way, before finding someone to take him to the nearest town to purchase a new battery.

208 Power Bars, 84 MRE's, 38 miles, 7 canoes, 1 soaked sleeping bag, and a raging case of poison oak later we deemed the journey a success and a good time had by all.

2008-04-01T16:52:00.003-05:00

My Sundays usually consist of teaching a Sunday school class to a handful of teenagers. Easter Sunday, however, was different. I went to jail, dragging the DTS students and staff along with me. The difference between us and those in the orange jumpsuits was that we were allowed to leave after a few hours.

After singing a few common hymns (keep in mind this is a group of inmates without any instrumental accompaniment), one of our guys, Brian, stood to share the story of how God became a reality to him. I followed him with a brief sermon about Christ's resurrection. I was shocked as I observed these convicts intently listening to Brian, and then to me as well. 30 or 40 of society's "worst" being quiet and paying attention? No joke, I don't get that kind of behavior from my Sunday school students! Does the irony strike anyone else when I say I wish my class would act more like criminals?

Off and running

2008-03-08T15:26:00.003-06:00

This last week was the kick off of the spring DTS here at YWAM Ozarks, the first which Josh and I are leading this year. Arrival days were the 1st and 2nd of March, this past Saturday and Sunday. Our five students arrived from North Carolina, Missouri, California, Arkansas, and Cambodia. We were in for a surprise though Saturday evening when Josh's cousin Ryan from Minnesota let us know that he'd be joining the school as well. So by Tuesday morning we had our full complement of six students from around the country and world!

It's been a whirlwind week for us. I have to admit I'm looking forward to getting settled into the schedule and over the first few weeks of craziness. With responsibilities in the kitchen, leading worship, graphic design projects, and running the DTS I find myself pulled in a hundred directions. I am learning in new ways what it means to rely on the Lord for the strength and grace to get through each day.

We are so encouraged by the students God has given to us. All arrived with eager anticipation for what God is going to do in and through them during the DTS. They are entering in to the activities and class times with enthusiasm, for which we're very grateful!

Pregnancy is progressing well for me. I have the energy I need for the days, and no nausea since before Christmas. I'm hoping to be involved in all of the outdoor activities planned for the DTS. Sometimes I almost forget I'm pregnant with everything going on here at YWAM Ozarks! Our anticipation for our child is growing though as the days progress. It's hard to believe we'll be parents so soon!!!

All in all I am feeling full and satisfied with the days at hand. We had our first Community Night get together in quite a while on Thursday evening. Jim and Barb shared with everyone the story of coming to Arkansas to begin YWAM Ozarks. Afterwards one of our students said to me how it amazed her to think how much work and time had gone into actually arriving at that evening, whether through prayer, physical labor, etc. I had to laugh and agree as I thought back over the years of prayer, hard work, challenge, tears, discouragement, joy, and coming to know the Lord in more intimate and varied ways than I had imagined when I first signed up to be a part of this crazy endeavor.

Convenient Grace

2008-02-01T11:35:00.000-06:00

Warning: not for the faint of heart or those who recently downed a Whopper.

So when was the last time you visited your local slaughterhouse to watch the butchering of a young steer? Not exactly your typical spectator sport.

I happened to be reading Leviticus today. I know...the only books of the Bible a Christian really needs to read are the Gospel of John, Romans, and maybe Revelation if you are concerned with the signs of the times, but I strayed beyond the norm.

Every time an Israelite broke a law (and their list of laws make the life of an ATI home-schooler look like cake), he had to show up at church with a steer, sheep, goat, or, if he was poor, a couple doves. Then, while placing his hand on his calf’s head, the priest would unsheathe his knife and slit its throat, right there in the doorway. Then it was a whole system of skinning, gutting, quartering, burning raw flesh, and sprinkling blood.

Now, if I had to go through that process every time I disobeyed God, I think I would be a much better behaved individual. I mean, that’s a lot of work and time to go through that whole process. Not to mention revolting! Thankfully, for you and me, we fold our hands, close our eyes, and mutter a few words of confession and ask for forgiveness. Done. Terminado. Move on with life.

Oh God, how I forget the pain, the suffering; the price that was paid on behalf of my sins!

Meet Ethan...

2008-01-10T13:46:00.000-06:00

So there's this little dude that goes to my church. He's nine. He sells eggs from his family's farm. What does he do with the money he earns? Buy baseball cards and bubble gum? Not exactly. In 2007, he gave over $1300 dollars to some missions programs in our church! Isn't that incredible? It blows me away. Don't get the wrong impression here, either. It's not like this kid has rich parents who give him an exorbitant allowance or anything. He simply works hard, and gives. This is one nine year old that I am proud to know, who has set an example worth following. Faith like a child, right?

Generosity and unselfishness like a child.

LA Times Article About YWAM

2008-01-10T13:31:00.000-06:00

The following article is from the LA Times, released after the shootings occurred in Denver. This is a wonderful article, and gives about as good a description about YWAM as there could be. It's long, but worth reading.

A religious movement with an edge

Youth With a Mission takes in just about anyone -- even an unstable young man who would later shoot and kill 4 in Colorado.

By Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer December 18, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Paul Filidis thought little of Christianity as he backpacked through Afghanistan in the early 1970s, searching for top-grade hashish and Eastern enlightenment.Then his passport was stolen and he took shelter with a group of missionaries who had moved to Kabul to help wanderers on the hippie trail. "They looked just like me," Filidis said.

The missionaries took Filidis in and helped him get a new passport. Filidis, who had believed Christianity was only for old people, eventually became a convert. He has spent the last three decades with that group, Youth With a Mission. His 20-year-old, tongue-pierced daughter, Noelle, just finished a YWAM mission to India, where she nursed sick villagers and was attacked by a mob of Hindu fundamentalists.The mission "gave an opportunity to kids to go out," Noelle said. "Like kids can impact the world."

Youth With a Mission is a nondenominational Christian network that takes in just about anyone -- punk rockers, misfits, retired engineers, schoolteachers, fresh-faced teens. After a little training, they are sent to preach the Gospel in some of the most dangerous parts of the globe.That nonconformist approach brought tragedy to the group last week when Matthew Murray, who had been expelled for apparent mental health problems, fatally shot four people -- two at the Arvada Youth With a Mission office near Denver and two at New Life Church in Colorado Springs -- before killing himself.

The attack exposed what Youth With a Mission members acknowledged was the group's greatest vulnerability and its greatest strength."YWAM has been known as a mission that believes in young people and gives them a chance," said Jarod Marshall, 32, a staffer in the Colorado Springs branch. "You believe in people, and there's a risk in that -- but it's a risk worth taking."

Youth With a Mission is considered avant-garde, on the "bleeding edge" of the evangelical movement, said A. Scott Moreau, a professor at Wheaton College in Illinois who studies mission programs."They are passionate, they are a bit wild," Moreau said. "A lot of agencies are wondering how they're going to mobilize this generation. YWAM has figured it out."One veteran calls YWAM (the acronym is regularly pronounced Why-Wham and members are known as YWAMers) a Christian Peace Corps. Projects include working with prostitutes in Holland and orphans in Mexico, and providing clean drinking water or dental care in Third World countries. Youth With a Mission also launched the Reconciliation Walk, a 1,500-mile trek through Turkey and the Middle East to atone for violence perpetrated in the name of Christianity during the Crusades.

In places where Christian missionaries are typically not welcome, such as Afghanistan or the Middle East, Youth With a Mission operates under other names and does not publicly proselytize. The group believes that doing good works is the best way to save people's souls, members say.Youth With a Mission is non-hierarchical, allowing any of its 16,000 staffers or the 3 million people it estimates have gone through its training programs to develop their own mission and go anywhere to pursue it."There's this growing sense among younger people that they want to be part of something that's bigger than themselves," Marshall said. "YWAM's in a position to say, 'You want to do something? We can help you go abroad and make a difference in somebody's life.' "

Marshall joined the group when he was a teenager after taking one of its trips to the Caribbean. "I was smacked in the face by the huge distance between people in the world -- our affluence and their extreme poverty," he said. Marshall and his wife, Carly, also a missionary, are leaving for Thailand next month to work in refugee camps along the border with Myanmar, also known as Burma. Another YWAMer they know invited them -- a typically informal way for a mission to start.

The mission group was the brainchild of Loren Cunningham, who was a Pentecostal college student on summer break in the Bahamas when he had a vision of waves of young people crashing onto the shores of all continents. He founded Youth With a Mission after he graduated in 1960. He still works out of the group's main office in Hawaii."He wanted to reach young people, especially college-age people, before they got stuck with a job," said Filidis, 57, who works in the group's communications office.

Filidis took a break from the mission in the late 1970s to get his degree at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. He also worked at Christian ministries in Glendale and Seattle. But the experience drove him back to Youth With a Mission.It was "the attitude in YWAM that wants to serve, that wants to take the lower road rather than the higher road, that will do the dirty work," Filidis said. "I'd rather take those attitudes than those of organizations that want to be on power trips."

Filidis recounted one mission that he views as emblematic of YWAM's hands-on approach -- working in refugee camps in Southeast Asia after the fall of Saigon, since renamed Ho Chi Minh City. YWAMers volunteered to take care of the latrines and spent hours standing in human excrement. A U.N. report noted the group's commitment to doing practical work, no matter how unpleasant. "I hope we never lose that," he said.

Mark Lang dropped out of college in 1983 to join Youth With a Mission. Raised in a Lutheran household, he had longed for missionary work. "If I was going to become a Lutheran missionary, I would have had to go to four years of college and four years of seminary," said Lang, 43. "Would you like to do that or go to school for three months and go out and do something? You go make that choice when you're 18."Lang joined a theater troupe that performed allegorical religious plays. He moved to Europe, traveled with the company through Greece and Italy camping on beaches, then worked in the Youth With a Mission branch in Amsterdam, which ran a nightclub on a houseboat that featured a band called No Longer Music.

"YWAM kind of pioneers a lot of things in ministries that are later replicated or perfected by other groups," said Lang, who is based in Colorado Springs. He oversees health projects in a central Asian country he would not name for fear that the Muslim nation would shut down the operations if it realized they were directed by missionaries.The intention is not simply to rack up converts, he said. "We can't provide a spiritual solution" to poor people, Lang said, "unless we can come into their lives and provide practical solutions as well."

The group's 1,000 bases are linked solely by the three-month training course consisting of lectures and workshops on biblical principles, plus an official set of shared values. The bases independently stage missions."It's so decentralized that it's very difficult, even for them, to tell you everything they're doing," said Jonathan Bonk, executive director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven, Conn.

The bases are a cross between Christian crash pads and college dorms. The Colorado Springs branch is in a former hotel. The dining room has been converted into a coffee bar -- fixed up with worn couches, tables and board games -- that is the scene for all-night discussions. Many of the 120 staffers live in the hotel rooms, as do the few dozen students who cycle through every three months.Andrew Williams, 23, is the campus barista. He prides himself on mixing new blends of teas. He heard of Youth With a Mission at his church in Sonora, Calif., in 2005 and has stayed partly because of the sense of community. "Just the relationships I have with people here is amazing," Williams said.Gil Datz, the base's worship coordinator, said that the emphasis on communal learning and living means YWAMers learn a lot about their colleagues. "It means a guy like Matt cannot hide," he said.

Murray enrolled in 2002 at the base in Arvada, about 80 miles from here. Staffers there decided he should not finish the program because of unspecified health problems that would have made it "unsafe," so he left.He returned five years later, just after midnight on Sunday, Dec. 9, and asked to stay the night. Staffers said no. He opened fire, wounding two and killing Philip Crouse, 24, and Tiffany Johnson, 26. Twelve hours later he killed two teenage girls at New Life Church in Colorado Springs before being shot by an armed volunteer security guard. Murray then killed himself.

Crouse and Johnson embodied Youth With a Mission's edgy approach. Crouch was a former skinhead who hoped to reach angry teens; Johnson had started a skateboarding ministry to help alienated youths.Many YWAMers point out that Murray was the sort of person they would want to help. "That's what makes the issue with Matthew so painful," said Jeremy Pyhala, 33, a Colorado Springs staffer. "We look at him with potential."

Official Press release from YWAM concerning the YWAM Denver shooting December 9, 2007

2007-12-10T10:41:00.000-06:00

A lone gunman entered a Youth With A Mission training center in the Denver, Colorado suburb of Arvada early Sunday morning, opening fire and hitting four members of the staff. All were taken to local hospitals and two later died of their injuries.

The two wounded remain in serious condition. The gunman has not yet been apprehended, and police are continuing their search for him.

The deceased have been identified as Tiffany Johnson, 26, from Minnesota, and Philip Crouse, 24, from Alaska. Both served as staff members at the Youth With A Mission Arvada campus. The third victim, Dan Griebenow, 24, has a bullet in his neck and is listed in critical but stable condition. The fourth victim Charlie Blanch, 22, suffered gunshot wounds to his legs.

Peter Warren, the Director of Youth with a Mission Denver says they had just finished a Christmas banquet when the suspect arrived and asked a 22-year-old woman from Minnesota if he could be housed for the evening. When she told him they could not house him, that's when, Warren says, the suspect opened fired with an automatic handgun, hitting four people. Police say they do not know whether the shooting was random or if there was a motive.

Warren says, "The young man – I don't know who he is; I don't think [the victims] knew him – but he must be going through a lot personally in his own life to do something like this. Our belief is that only God is the judge and our place is to forgive and that's a difficult thing to do, but really, I think it's the right thing to do," said Warren.

There are about 80 people living on the Arvada campus and they have been transported to the group's mountain campus near Golden, Colorado where they will stay while the murder investigation is processed at their residence. Warren says they are trying to deal with this situation as best as they can.

"There's no blueprint for this," said Warren. "You know, we're just going to be honest, we're going to pray with one another and cry with one another. These kids were like our kids, you know. It's just such a tragedy, but who knows what's going on in this young man's life."

Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is an international and interdenominational Christian movement with operating locations in 171 nations. Launched in 1960 as a means for young people to get involved in short-term missionary service, it now has over 16 000 staff working in 1180 centers and trains over 25 000 people each year to be involved in the organization’s primary goal – to know God and make Him known. YWAM is hugely varied in its approach, operating such ministries as drop-in centers for street children in South America; hospice care for AIDs victims in Africa; literacy and job creation programs throughout Asia; and is well known for its quick response and long-term commitment to global disasters, such as the 2006 tsunami.

YWAM International Chairman Lynn Green released this statement: "We feel a deep sense of loss today and we grieve with the families and those who were very close friends of the victims. Our surviving students and staff are being well cared for and we have total confidence in those who are responsible for the training program in Arvada to care for those who have been subjected to this assault.

"Those who lost their lives had dedicated themselves to serve and we feel the sorrow of their absence. Yet we take comfort from the assurance of everlasting life for those who follow Christ in loving service to others.

"It is a great tragedy that our culture seems to produce so many deeply troubled people who express their frustration in violence. We forgive the assailant and we rededicate ourselves to serving young people in the hope that we might bring healing to other needy youth."

Au Naturel

2007-10-19T14:51:00.000-05:00

"Wait.....didn't the guide book say the trail becomes very steep here? Isn't that the truck over there? We're done? We're done!"

36.5 miles from our starting point in Boxley Valley we limped into Pruitt picnic area to heave our 40 lb packs into the truck bed, shed our muddy hiking boots, change into clean clothes, and drive to Russellville for our first "non-rehydrated" meal in four days.

This past Friday afternoon we drove from Ozark to Ponca, on the Buffalo National River two hours to the northeast. We began hiking Friday afternoon and finished Monday afternoon. We spent four days hiking the "hollers" and hills of the Buffalo River valley and wading the waters of the river itself. We passed monumental bluffs, scared up 3 bull elk (a somewhat frightening experience!), wondered if we could keep our backpacks out of the river as the crossings got deeper....and deeper, and ate more rehydrated eggs than we care to remember.

We've shared already our plans to incorporate the great outdoors into our upcoming DTS program. Well, we hadn't actually attempted any lengthly backpacking ventures ourselves so we thought it might be a good idea to do that before setting out with a team of people to guide! So, we were able to take the time to hike the BRT (Buffalo River Trail), both an educational and enjoyable experience for us.

2007-10-17T11:56:00.000-05:00

I just finished teaching the book of Hebrews in our School of Biblical Studies last week, and I loved it. I loved studying for it. Hebrews is a book of such rich depth and it exalts Christ in such a magnificent way.

Certain passages in this book, however, pose some difficult questions for believers, and require a lot of examination. Consider Chapter 6 verses 4 to 6:
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

That passage itself can be difficult to swallow, especially when you know someone, friend or family, who at one time followed the Lord but currently does not. Does this passage mean there is no hope for that friend? Add to this other passages such as 1 Peter 1:3-5 or Romans 8: 29-30, which seem to indicate that God protects, or guards believers until the day of inheriting eternal life.

Is our salvation guaranteed, or can we chose to walk away from the promise of eternal life? Libraries could be filled with the books written by brilliant scholars and theologians, all of whom love Jesus very much, arguing either one side or another. And after hundreds of years of study and debate, there is still no easy answer.

Setting the arguments aside, here is my simple take: Our New Testament authors were not intent on establishing some kind of theological doctrine. They intended to practically address life-issues that their readers struggled with. The affirmation that our salvation is guaranteed was given so that believers would not fall victim of fear, and the warning of falling from faith was given so that believers would not fall victim of complacency and sin. The two were given in different times and settings, and one does not negate the other.

2007-09-20T11:59:00.001-05:00

On Monday, September 10 we began our first 9 month School of Biblical Studies (SBS) here at YWAM Ozarks. We have four students: two from California, one from Maryland, and one from Brazil. Two new staff also joined to work with the SBS, Jacob Ainsworth from Wisconsin and Bekah Davis from Missouri. It's definitely added new life and energy to the campus having a bunch of new faces around!

Josh and I, however, are less involved in the SBS this year than the previous school. There has been a need to establish a Discipleship Training School (DTS) here at the campus for quite a while. Our director Jim has been putting out the word for DTS leaders and students for some time now without any response. About a month ago we felt the Lord challenging us to add the title of DTS directors to our ever increasing and diverse job descriptions here at YWAM Ozarks. Sometimes I feel the He will never let us become comfortable and established in any particular role here! Every once in a while I find myself overwhelmed by the never ending tasks ahead of us. Yet, step by step, each mountain is scaled, one day at a time. I suppose in hindsight I will trace God's hand more clearly as the memories of the "day-to-day" fade and lessons learned along the way reveal themselves. The walk now is one of faith not sight.

Our fall is unfolding as a whirlwind of promotion for our upcoming DTS's which begin in March and September of 2008. Both of us will also teach several books for the current SBS during their first quarter.

Meanwhile we continue to explore the beautiful area that God has planted us in. Here we are at Mt. Nebo, one of several state parks on top of mountains within an hour of our campus. The DTS's we will run next year will have an outdoor adventure focus. The 3 month lecture phase will include a backpacking trip, canoing, spelunking, and day hikes. We're really excited to make our passion for God's creation a part of discipling the students who will come through our DTS program.

Faces of Guarari

2007-08-01T12:33:00.000-05:00

Josh just shared some stories in words from our time here. I'll let some pictures do my talking. He mentioned the Guarari squatter camp and the children we have been ministering to. Here are a few of them....

Bus Drivers, Bums, and Balloons

2007-08-01T11:17:00.000-05:00

As we were taking the bus the other day (unlike the US, most other countries rely on public transportation, because few people own cars), I started thinking about the life of a bus driver. It must be pretty mundane - the same thing day after day, navigating an over-sized vehicle through crowded and under-sized streets. Then I think of the grand ideas of life-purpose and doing-what-you're-passionate-about that seem to be movements in our nation, what with the popularity of books like The Purpose Driven Life. Can a man be passionate about bus-driving? When the bus stopped, in stepped a little seven-year-old boy, who hands some food to the driver, and proceeds to sit beside him. I presume this must either be the son or grandson, and my mind forms even more questions. What does this boy think of his father's job? Does he admire it, or does it bore him? Does he one day dream of being a bus driver too? Or is bus driving simply a job, a means of putting food on the table? Then it hits me: people gotta ride the bus! The bus driver is meeting a need. The people need him to drive. And when we get stuck in the mundane and seemingly insignificant things of life, do we remember that what we do, in some way or other, is significant, because we serve the needs of others?

The Mission Adventures team from Canada has spent the past week working in an impoverished area of Heredia, called Guarari. The slum contains the lowest of society - refugees and immigrants, drug addicts, and prostitutes, living in government-built houses smaller than most American living rooms. We go every morning to a children's ministry and run VBS. One morning we arrived to find a woman passed out on a piece of cardboard in front of the door. Surprising? No. Who is she? Immigrant? Homeless? Prostitute? Drug Addict? Yeah, probably. And the Father must watch her with tears in His eyes, for the Son shed His blood that she might have a place at His table.

The way the children from Guarari respond to the team is unforgettable. They love us! I'm not a rock star or a superstar athlete, but I imagine I had a taste of how feel when people mob them for autographs. All I was doing was handing out balloon animals! Those kids, with outstretched arms, had me pinned against the wall, trying to tie little poodles as fast as I possibly could!

Pura Vida!

2007-07-19T12:04:00.000-05:00

Rugged mountainsides covered with coffee bushes, fruit trees, and brilliantly hued flowers. Birds and butterflies of astonishing luminence flit through the rain forest. An afternoon rain shower gives way in minutes to the sun. We love Costa Rica!

We've been here a week now. Evidence of God’s creative hand is everywhere. As Central America’s most stable nation, this democratic country has made a big commitment to its natural resources. We’ve been impressed by the overall cleanliness and obvious attention paid to the appearance of the countryside. Costa Rica is labeled as a 2nd world nation, not 3rd world as many of the other places we have been to for outreaches. The difference is very apparent. While areas of extreme poverty such as we “Westerners” tend to associate with the mission field definitely exist, there is also evidence of a desire to preserve and steward the resources that are present here.

This is the Costa Rican winter, and we wish we’d brought warmer clothes! We are, however, enjoying the cool rainy weather in contrast with the hot and humid Arkansas summer.

When we arrived last week, a team from Canada was finishing up their Mission Adventures program. On the 23rd of July another team of about 30, also from Canada, will come. We’re eagerly anticipating what God will do in their hearts and through their ministry during their 10 days here. Their week of outreach may include facilitating a VBS in Guarari, an impoverished area of San Jose, visiting a local orphanage, painting a house, serving YWAM Heredia, and times of intercession.

Until the team arrives we are helping out at YWAM Heredia, prepping for the team’s arrival, seeing a bit of Costa Rica, visiting YWAM San Jose, and who knows what else! We are trying to be flexible and allow the Lord to guide us while we’re here. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers!

June 2007 Newsletter

2007-07-05T12:07:00.000-05:00

Click on the pages to view our latest newsletter. Or you can also download the newsletter file from the link in the sidebar.

New mower!

2007-06-06T17:08:00.000-05:00

One of my (Josh's) responsibilities here at the campus is maintaining the grounds (fancy way to say mowing the lawn). A 40-acre property is a lot to maintain, and what makes it worse is when you have to fix your mower every time you want to use it. I mow until one breaks. Then I switch to the backup. Then that one breaks, and it's time to fix both. It's a repetitive pattern. With a combination of being gone most of the spring and broken machines, our campus could have been mistaken for a jungle.

One of the mowers is an old tractor with a pull-behind deck. The tractor has a loader on the front, and with the deck on the back, trying to maneuver around buildings and trees with it makes you feel like a semi-driver changing between lanes in heavy traffic. The other mower is made to handle maybe a 2-3 acre lawn. It doesn't handle a significantly bigger area!

Just in the last couple weeks, we were given 2 large donations to go toward a new mower. We were able to purchase a brand new, commercial quality, zero-turn mower. It will cut my mowing time nearly in half, and I don't have to worry about fixing something every time I cut the grass. This was a huge blessing.

I feel like this summer is a preparation time for us here at YWAM Ozarks, to take care of these facilities the Lord has given us, so that we are established and ready for running schools and programs in the future. Having a new lawnmower will make it much easier to do that!

Holy Matrimony Batman!

2007-05-25T17:08:00.000-05:00

On April 14th of 2007, Jennifer Anne McCormick and Joshua William Levin were joined together as husband and wife at First Baptist Church in Ozark, Arkansas. We would like to thank our families and all of our friends who rejoiced with us in this celebration of God's design.