Outreach

Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to update everyone on my upcoming outreach to Brazil. Originally I had intended on going to Africa on outreach, but God has been speaking to me a lot lately about going to Brazil with a DTS team. I arrived in Denver four days before SSJ started and was staying with a friend of mine. One morning as I was having my quiet time, I got my iTouch out to listen to music. When I turned it on, there was a zoomed in map of Brazil on it. I had only used the map app one other time, and it was to look up a place in my hometown. The search bar even said, "Siloam Springs, Arkansas". That was the first time I considered going to Brazil, and God has confirmed it several times since then. Our team will be flying to southern Brazil to a large city called, Curitiba. We are partnering with YWAM Brazil to launch an evangelistic outreach in a city to the north. We will also have many opportunities to serve in other areas like street ministry, sports ministry and campus ministry. I am so excited to be able to serve in Latin America, and to use the Portuguese I learned while in Mozambique. God is so faithful, and I know that He will provide for all of my needs. The outreach is $3,700, this includes all airfare, food, lodging...everything. The payment plan is split in two, meaning that the first payment($1,850) is due on Tuesday, October 18. The second half is due three weeks later. I already have about $1,000 saved for the first payment, but I still need $850.00 by tomorrow. I have sent letters out already, and am prepared to do whatever God leads me to in order to go. I ask that you would prayerfully consider supporting me financially. Any amount that God lays on your heart helps. I am so thankful at what He has provided already, and I am excited to see Him continue to move. If you feel led to support me, you can call: 303-424-1144 and pay with a credit card, or you can send a check. Please make all checks payable to YWAM Denver. The address is: 12750 W. 63rd Ave
Arvada CO, 80004. If you have any questions please email me at katecouey@gmail.com. I love you all, and I hope you are blessed.

In Christ,
Kate Couey

School Of Social Justice

Hey Everyone!
I have officially been in Denver for about three and a half weeks now. So far it's been a pretty crazy ride. The first week was the ever fun "Bonding Week" which consists of testimonies, introductions and a lot of other basic information about the base and the schools. The second week, we dived head first into a week of teaching on God and Suffering. It was about God and His control, specifically related to issues of injustice. It was really interesting to hear about this, because I often hear people ask the question, "Why does God let bad things happen". I never know how to answer this, but our teacher Peter Warren(the leader of YWAM Denver) gave us a lot of Scripture and useful information to help answer these difficult questions. This past week our entire base went to Colorado Springs. We joined together with the four other YWAM bases in Colorado for a conference called Acts 1. The focus of this conference was revival. It was so amazing to see how God moved. The leaders of each base would get together each evening to pray and seek God on what He wanted to do each day. We did not follow a specific plan, but rather opened it up to allow the Holy Spirit to do exactly what He wanted to. God met us there, His Kingdom invaded that conference and lives were radically changed. God has been refining me in the fire of His love these past few weeks and He's been so faithful to show me His heart. I am excited to see what these next few months hold! I am praying for you all, and I hope you have a blessed day.

In Christ,
Kate Couey

This and That

So, Jesus has been blowing my mind lately and I thought I'd share it with you. These past few weeks have been the hardest that I have personally experienced in my life. There has just been so much going on. It has been like the domino effect. One thing happened after the other and the stress was piling on. I guess I just wanted to encourage you all with a testimony of God's faithfulness. Just when I thought I was at a breaking point, God intervened. God showed me through friends, the Word, His own beautiful voice, and even a cup of coffee that He is ALWAYS with me. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." Even when it seems like you are the exception to this verse, know that God is there. He is always faithful even when you cannot feel Him. I have come to learn that when I am going through the wilderness and I can't feel God's presence or hear His voice, I can still cling to His character.

God's character is steadfast. It never changes even when we do. I have found that speaking out and declaring God's goodness and faithfulness helps me keep my eyes on Him; even when I'm feeling apathetic. So take heart, friends! God IS good, and He IS faithful! God would never put you through a situation that He Himself has not already gone through. I know that blog's are not very personal, but I feel like I'm supposed to ask if anyone needs prayer. If you are going through a wilderness, or simply need some encouragement right now, I would love to partner with you in prayer! That is what the body of Christ is all about. :) Send me an email at: katecouey@gmail.com and I'll give you my phone number! I pray that everyone is blessed and encouraged!

Love in Christ,
Kate Couey

The Beginning of Another Adventure

Greetings Friends!

I would first like to say thank you all so much for the prayers and support you gave me throughout the course of DTS. I am so thankful that God has placed Christ-like people like you in my life. DTS completely changed me and none of it would have happened if my brothers and sisters in Christ wouldn't have been there! During DTS God really burdened my heart with a desire to help the helpless, feed the hungry, and love the unloved. As I was able to put these things into action on my outreach to Africa, that desire continued to grow. God has put it on my heart to continue my journey with YWAM by participating in a secondary training program called the School of Social Justice(SSJ).

This program is designed to confront issues of injustice in today's society including: human trafficking and modern-day slavery, HIV & AIDS, urban injustice and poverty. SSJ also focuses on relief aid and gives practical and possible ways to put an end to the injustice that is going on in the world. I have spent so much time talking about these issues and hearing about how horrible they are, and I am now ready to act on what I know. I am so excited to be able to hear teachers who live every day to see injustice end in the world! SSJ not only shows you how to apply these teachings, but also how to communicate the urgency and desperation of the need to rally others to the cause. The goal of this training is to give clear and accurate understanding of the facts of these issues, as well as going in-depth into what God's heart is for the world. SSJ starts on September 26, 2011 and ends in December. When I left Africa in early May of this year, I had a strong sense that God would bring me back there very shortly. I recently found out that SSJ is going to offer an outreach to Zimbabwe, Africa! I feel like this is a total God-thing. I have had a desire to go to Zimbabwe for years now and I am so excited about this possibility! The Africa outreach would end in late February. God has confirmed this next step time and time again and I am so thankful that He is guiding me in this new chapter of my life.

I have been home since the end of May and have been working at DaySpring all summer in order to save money to pay for SSJ. The twelve week lecture phase of SSJ costs $3,500 and the outreach will be around $2,000 (when the outreach is finalized I will keep you up-to-date with the details, including costs). As of now, I will have the $3,500 needed for the lecture phase, but I still need $2,000 for the outreach. I recognize that Jehovah Jireh will provide all that I need in order to follow His will. He has proved Himself to be so faithful over and over again. I ask that you would prayerfully consider being a part of what God is doing in my life, as I take this next step of obedience. 1 Corinthians 12:12;14 says, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ...Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” I am only one part of the body of Christ and in order to be whole, I need to have these other parts come along side me in this missions training.

SSJ is known for being one of the most intense mission programs that YWAM offers. I have heard many stories of intense emotional and spiritual battles that occur as God's heart is being revealed. I need as much prayer as I can get to help carry me through every situation I will face. Thank you for your consideration in partnering with me with your prayers and finances. If you feel led to support me, send me an email at: katecouey@gmail.com or leave me a comment and I will send you all of the information. I am very excited about what God is doing and is going to do! I will continue to update my blog(kccompassion.blogspot.com) with details of SSJ and the way that God is moving in my life. Thanks again for everything!

In Christ alone,
Kaitlyn Couey

Another Chapter

Hello Everyone!
I just wanted to update you and tell you that I have decided to continue on in my adventure with YWAM Denver! During the middle of DTS I started to seek God on what my next step would be. I had originally planned on going to college in the fall but God kept speaking to me about doing another school with YWAM. After you complete DTS there are a lot of other secondary schools that become open for you to do. As I looked at all of these fantastic schools, God began to put the School of Social Justice on my heart. SSJ focuses specifically on areas of injustice in the world. The school goes in depth into areas such as: human trafficking, poverty, relief aid, HIV and AIDS as well as variety of other topics. It is a three month school with an optional two month outreach. SSJ starts on September, 26, 2011. I am very exctied to learn more about all of these areas of injustice as well as practical ways to put what I learn into practice. God has given me such a passion to see captives set free and I can't wait to get more involved in stopping these issues! You can find more information about this school at: http://www.ywamdenver.com/training/school-of-social-justice/ As I am leaving in a little over two months, I would ask that you pray that God starts preparing my heart for all He has in store for me! Thanks for everything!

In Christ,
Kate

Africa: Overall Impression

As promised, here is the first of many memories I have from my adventures in Africa. While we were in Africa, I encounterd so many different experiences. In South Africa, we helped out at a local home for children called Footprints. We did a lot of work projects around the base, as well as had the joy of playing with all of our new little friends on a daily basis. Those beautiful children and staff at Footprints completely changed my view of family. Their love for each other was so contagious and beautiful. The staff at Footprints never ceased to amaze me with their servant attitudes. They serve with such joy and selflessness. I was so encouraged to see people truly living like Jesus! While in South Africa, we had the opportunity to do some door-to-door evangelism in a local squater camp(a slum). We ran several church services at traditional African churches, and we got to share Jesus' love with everyone we met!

At the end of our time in Johannesburg, we took a twenty eight hour bus ride up to Dondo, Mozambique. This is when I truly encountered culture shock. Johannesburg is a very westernized country; Mozambique is an entirely different story. For the first time in my adult life I was surrounded by a hot-climate culture that didn't know the meaning of personal space. This was a challenge at first, but I soon became accoustomed to the daily bubble invasions.:) The language barrier was also a new challenge. We crossed the boarder into Mozambique and suddenly we couldn't understand a thing. Portuguese is the primary language in Mozambique and though we had a few lessons in the language before we left, it was still very hard to communicate with the locals. Everything worked out though, because God's love breaks through ever barrier! Mozambique is where my comfort zone shattered. I did things there that I could never have imagined myself doing! The first week was a little rough. I couldn't understand how people live in those kinds of conditions on a daily basis. My heart broke for them and I couldn't do anything but love them. Mozambique was were we really dove in and had the oppoutuity to do a lot of ministry times. We stayed at an Iris Ministries base that was run by a family from Missouri. We were able to do many awesome things while there! On Easter Sunday we had the honor of Baptizing about thrity people in this little pond. It was AMAZING! After that, we ran an Easter service. It was so powerful! God was always so faithful to show up at the services we did.

One of my favorite experineces in Mozambique was when we led a service at a local pastor's church. We traveled about thirty minutes to a larger city outside of Dondo called Beira. We arrived at Pastor Mario's church to find this huge outdoor coliseum packed with about 5,000 people. We found our seats withought having any game plan or ministry schedule set up. During worship our leader passed a schedule around that contained who was speaking and what dramas we were going to do. To my horror, I saw that my name was on the list to speak and to close the ministry time. I about died, because I had never spoken in front of that many people, and I felt that I had nothing to say to them. Instead of fretting about it I continued to press in to God during the rest of worship. As I laid everything aside, He was faithful to put His words in my mouth. He reminded me of times in my life when He showed up and pulled me out of the mirey clay. I knew that I had something to say that they could actually relate to. Before it was my turn to speak someone gave me a Scripture verse that really hit home. It was Exodus 4:10-12 which reads, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” I then got up on the stage confident in the Lord. The words poured from my mouth and I knew that it was God who was speaking. God is so good! After that, the Pastor got up and spoke for a minute about what I had been talking about. Then it happened. I saw at that moment the thing that us Americans are lacking and that the Africans have in abundance: desperation. The Pastor said that if anyone was wearing a sign around their neck(going off of a drama we had performed for them) that was not from God such as: depression, lust, abuse..etc to run to the altars. And that's when I saw it. Hundreds of people leaped out of their seats and ran as fast as they could to the altars. That's what we need in America! We need to be so desperate for Jesus that we run to Him with all that we have. God meets us in a place of desperation. God met every single person at that altar. Lives were changed that night because the people weren't afraid to step out and show their need. After awhile Pastor Mario prayed over them and then dissmissed them to their seats. After the altar was cleared there were about a dozen people still up there on the ground manifesting demons. It was crazy! They asked if us visitors would come up and pray for them. I couldn't believe it! One of things that God had spoken to me prior to outreach was that I was going to see captives set free. I truly felt like that was a big moment in fulfilling that. Our team went to the front and laid hands on them. Every single one of them was delivered that night from the demonic and many were filled with the Holy Spirit. I always thought that casting out demons would be a scary and unnerving experience but it wasn't. It was the most natural thing in the world. It was also very peaceful. I had no fear and as soon as the name of Jesus was proclaimed there was a such a beautiful peace unlike anything I have ever experienced. God is SO faithful!

In the end of outreach, I fell in love with Jesus and the beautiful people of Africa. South Africa and Mozambique will forever hold a dear place in my heart. I went into outreach knowing that God was going to do crazy things, but He completely shattered all of my pre-concieved expectations and hopes. You could say that Africa changed my life, but the truth is that God changed me IN Africa. He took me to a place with Him that I had never dreamed I would go. He is my lover, my friend, my Father, Mother, and Lord. He is everything to me, because He is all I need. He is always enough.