United with Dan on a Mission

It is about time that I write another update. A lot of time has passed since my return from the Philippines and much has happened since then, yet I have procrastinated writing, reluctant to share anticipated plans, or things that “might” happen before they actually did, as I wanted to be true in what I wrote. 

Time with the Family (Dec 2019 / Early 2020)

Upon my return from the Philippines I was happy to celebrate Christmas at home with my family. I was convinced that I had been called to missions and was prepared to spend many such celebrations in foreign countries, away from my family and friends. Either way, I had found my calling and felt passionate about it. I knew what I wanted to do. I was enthusiastic about working with God in the New Year, and was certain it would be an amazing adventure. I had found my passion and with a heart burning to go to the nations to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, I just couldn’t wait! There were two things burning in me for the year ahead: FCM and Japan. And my anticipation for both was great.

Firstly, I wanted to build on my Psychology degree by doing a University of the Nation’s course called: Foundations for Counselling Ministry (FCM). I wanted to better equip myself to contribute to the mental health of communities and mission fields that I might find myself in; help missionaries who have had traumatic experiences or who are facing burnout; or be able to serve others in the form of mercy ministries. I have often expressed the belief that most people who need mental help, are in fact often unable to afford the help they need, making this a very valuable service. Needless to say, I was somewhat keen to join the FCM school starting at the Worcester base in January 2020. Many of my DTS trainees and other friends would be either taking it themselves, or involved with it in some way. This was an added bonus; it would be so much more fun. But, God did not grant me peace about it, and so I began looking at other options and venues. One that piqued my interest (because of past visions) was a base in Champagne in France; it was also offering a FCM school, due to begin in April. I really wanted to do it, but was intimidated by the price. 

Whilst praying about it, my passion / heart for Japan was reignited. I had pushed it to the back of my mind since I felt I first needed more tools to be able to serve there effectively, but with the potential of joining up with, and learning from Ryan Denlinger’s Empowerment Ministry in Japan, I believed it would be an excellent opportunity for me to develop some of these ‘tools’. So, Japan quickly became the main focus. My plan was to arrive in Japan and meet with some of my friends that I had made via conversation exchange back in 2012. It was going to be absolutely epic as we had become great friends over the years but had never yet met in person. After a few days with them, I would meet up with Ryan and join him in doing supernatural ministry conferences at two locations. Following that, I was going to head up to the city of Sendai, which God has pointed out to me many times before. I had arranged to meet some YWAM pioneers in the city who (although still pretty small) had started a community and ministry there. I wanted to make connections with the hope of bringing outreach teams in the future, or perhaps God would show me ministry opportunities to get involved in while there. 

Everything went extremely well, my visa was surprisingly hassle free and bookings and communications between all interested parties seemed ideal. I was due to leave around the 20th of March 2020… a few days before the president’s state of the nation address in response to a little known virus called COVID-19. Whether it was right of me or not, I remained determined to go, rejecting everyone’s concerns about me going… but eventually I decided to honour the pleas of almost everyone around me, and thus did not board the plane for Japan.  It was in no way an easy decision, and I was not sure if I was doing the right thing. Should I have stood my ground and gone to Japan, believing that God had something for me there? I was distraught, and the fact that not doing so meant losing a large portion of the money spent on the trip, just made it so much harder.  

Soon after the lockdown happened, it became obvious that C-19 was a big deal! I was in a bad place and really didn’t know what to do. It was too late to apply for an Honours program with the University… How would I fill my time? How could I make the most of it? Then I started to have bad bouts of ‘post – accident related’ headaches which knocked me even lower. I was at an all time low! Unbeknown to me then, a wilderness experience lay before me. My faith would be tested and my hilltop became dry and barren wilderness.

On another note I will begin writing more frequent, more to the point newsletters and if you would like to receive them please comment with your email address.