June 2007

Youth With A Mission / Restenäs 239 / 459 93 Ljungskile / Sweden *Tel +46 522 210 20 *Fax +46 522 202 45 *http://www.ywamrestenas.se *info@ywamrestenas.se *Plusgiro 89 61 56-7 *Organisation 858500 5633

SPOTLIGHT

Dear Friends,

We’re so thankful for your continued prayers and support. We realize that we are not able to do what God

has called us to do without you. The calling God has for YWAM Restenäs can only be accomplished through a combined effort.

To mobilise, train and send mission-aries in order to build God’s kingdom among the unreached

In Isaiah 48:3 it says, “I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.”

As I read this scripture recently, it took hold of my attention, so I prayed for God’s understanding. Later that week, during a time of corporate intercession, someone shared a report that, in the mid 1990’s, YWAM Restenäs staff asked God to show them individually what geographical area Restenäs should focus upon. Unanimously, among the staff, God told them to focus on the Himalayan Region and Turkey. These are two of the seven focus areas that God spoke to us in 2005!! I suddenly realised that God has preserved our campus, and that He has a plan, and that we are a part of that plan for the un-reached! I realised that God is on the move. If we dare to believe Him and follow Him in that move, then He will act, perhaps suddenly, and we will see the fulfillment of what His intends to bring to pass.

In our seven focus areas there are many people who do not know Jesus; they experience a low standard of living, and the needs are great. If we continue to partner together, we can bring about His change.

Thank you for partnering with us in this great adventure.

Philip McCurley - Director

by Anders Carlsson - Ben Taylor is a 22-year-old guy from the Gold Coast in Australia. It s a sunny place; it hasn t rained for five years! Ben came to Restenäs in 2004 to do his Discipleship Training School (DTS) and then decided to stay and staff two schools. Since March, he has been coordinating the Solbacken Project at Restenäs.

What do you like to do for fun?Go fishing, sports, watch movies, hang out with friends.

Any hidden talents?Step dancing! Some girls at school claimed that boys can’t dance. So a friend and I decided to prove them wrong. The school put on a show, and there were 600 people there. Almost all of them came just to see us!

How did you end up at Restenäs?I met a YWAMer at a Christian conference. She told me about YWAM. I was at a point in my life when I wanted to travel, but I wanted to do something worthwhile at the same time. She told me about the DTS. Then, I talked to my brother in law, who had done his DTS at Restenäs. The next thing I knew an application turned up in my mail!

What was your first impression of Sweden?Well, on my second day here I wanted to go to town to buy some things. A guy here at Restenäs told me “It s just four miles away”, so I borrowed a bike and tried to get there. But he meant four Swedish miles which is about 40 kilometres. I got to see a quite big portion of Sweden that day! I think Sweden is a beautiful country. My first week here I wrote in my diary, “This is a country I could come back and live in” – and that also happened.

Tell us about the Solbacken ProjectSolbacken was built in the 1940’s as student dormitories for the boarding school that used to be here. The house has existed as student accommodation in various forms ever since. Today it houses students who come to do our YWAM schools.

After staying in Solbacken during my DTS, I realised that this place needed to be fixed up. A group of us began meeting last December to begin thinking of ways to help make Restenäs a better place. I saw the opportunity to get involved, so I joined.

Why is this project important?Our vision at Restenäs is to mobilise, train and send missionaries in order to build God’s Kingdom among the unreached. If mission- aries are falling through their beds in Solbacken, that vision will be hard to accomplish! Comfort is not the most important thing, but if we can offer a place where people can be healthy and comfortable, we can focus on what God has called us to.

Solbacken has 19 student rooms which have not been renovated for nearly 20 years. Our goal is to have all of those rooms renovated by August, before the autumn schools begin.

How can people get involved in the project?!They can be involved financially, by giving, of course. Also, we always welcome people who want to come and volunteer on our campus. Our

Ben Taylor - Mr. Project

Ben and Ingrid (DTS student) standing on a dirt road with residents of a small Ethiopian village.

Our seven focus areas: *The H

imalayan R

egion *Thailand *Cam

bodia *Turkey *North K

orea *Somalia/Ethiopia (The Som

ali people) *Northern C

aucasus

Thank You Kristian!

The entire staff at YWAM Restenäs would like to publicly express our gratitude to Kristian Westergård for his time, energy and resources he has invested into our campus. Kristian served as the Chairman of our board from 2003 to 2006. As the founder of YWAM Restenäs, Kristian was able to provide lots of insight into the history of YWAM in Sweden. This history has helped guide us as we chart our way into the future. In 2005, with Kristian as Chair-man, we established our purpose and vision for YWAM Restenäs, which is to mobilise, train and send missionaries in order to build God’s kingdom among the unreached. This one event has generated growth in our staff, effectiveness in our efforts and clarity for our future.

For all you have done for YWAM Restenäs, Kristian, THANK YOU!

YWAM Restenäs staff

By Rob Darby - A powerful thought hit me while read-ing about Cambodia in the Lonely Planet Travel Guide. Many people my parents’ age will no doubt remember the tragic events that occurred during the Khmer Rouge regime of the 70’s. Cambodia was shut off from the world and turned into a peasant work camp virtually overnight by the Khmer Rouge. Citizens who simply appeared to be educated, wore glasses or spoke two languages were most likely executed. Others were tortured almost to the point of death, but kept alive until they confessed to “something, anything” that could be used against them, to be accused as traitors of the regime. Only then were they taken to the killing fields and ex-ecuted with the over two million other victims.

It was while I pondered these facts that the thought hit me: While Cambodians were suffering on the other side of the planet, I was spending my summers playing hide-and-seek and complain-ing about having to eat all my spinach.

Now, 30 years later, as I pre-pare to lead a team of seven, for three weeks, in Phnom Phen, the

perspective is becoming so much clearer; our team will be sharing God’s love with young children, most of them orphans; fruits of the victims who survived the tragedy of Cambodia in the 70’s; children whose parents are drug addicts and can’t take care of them, or

perhaps physically or emotion-ally incapable of it; children who probably know less about hide-and-seek than about the sex slave-trade that dominates that country; children who don’t have the luxury of complaining about having to eat all their spinach.

Suddenly another power-ful thought hits me: Seven people who have never been to Cambodia will be given the opportunity to deliver faith, hope and love back into the hearts of Cambodia, one human being at a time.

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Growing up in the 70’s

Young Cambodian children at the Killing Fields memorial, located at the outskirts of Phnom Phen

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Photos of me growing up in America in the 70’s

desire is that many can be a part of the vision that God has given us; to build His kingdom among the unreached.

What is the project’s greatest challenge?It’s a challenge trying to raise 150,000

Swedish kronor for the project. The good thing is we’ve raised around 50,000 Swedish kronor already. Scheduling can be a nightmare. You never quite know if you will have a full team, so you need to be ready to adjust the work schedule at a minute’s notice.

What are your plans for the future?I return to Australia in August. My last visit was in 2004. After that, I am not sure. I would love to come back to Sweden. God has given me a passion to disciple young Swedes, but I

need to pray and hear what God has to say about it.

You´ll find more information on our Project ‘s webpage. If you have any questions, feel free to ask Ben at ben.taylor@ywamrestenas.se

One of Ben’s jobs during his DTS work duty was repairing windows.

Restenäs FocusKristian Westergård and his wife Margaretha

at Restenäs in 2005

Summer Events Solbacken Project - All summer!

Summer mission trips - 16 Jun - 7 Jul OAS Mission Trips - 29 Jul - 15 Aug

Renewal Gathering - 8-14 Jul

Autumn Courses Discipleship Training School

North Korea Study School School of Biblical Studies I

Introduction to Biblical Counseling School of Strategic Mission

Ben Taylor - Mr. Project continued