I’m not actually sure when the spring officially ends and summer begins, but judging by an increase in the occurrence of sunlight, I’m going to assume that summer is about to start (or has started). The time between the start of my second term in February and now has slipped by suddenly, possibly because of some busy-ness at university and with my university Amnesty group. My other activities have not been entirely interesting (unless you think things like backing up a database and writing an email about pesky technical issues is interesting). However, I was happy to spend a little bit of time in the past couple weeks with some friends staffing with YWAM in Rostrevor, continuing to pass on whatever team-leadership advice and help they can desire. I went and talked to the staff who are taking teams to South Africa and Israel & Palestine next month about budgeting, finances and all that exciting stuff, as well as advice about planning and executing an outreach in South Africa. It’s good to put Renee and I’s years of previous experience into some use. We want to continue to be available for that.

The picture: Just after Easter, I drove down to Rostrevor and hung out with Nathanael (pictured), who is one of the South Africa outreach team leaders as well as current staff on their DTS. He was on the team we took to South Africa last year. I snapped this photo with an awful camera as we took a couple of their kayaks out on Carlingford Lough (the An Cuan centre is in the background on the right).

Here are a couple videos we made for YWAM Ireland these past few weeks.

Last week I had the opportunity to spend a few days with YWAM in Rostrevor training their staff team for the upcoming DTS. It was a great privilege and the first time I had done so since leaving YWAM last year. My contribution to YWAM in the last few months has mostly been limited to web maintenance stuff, so this was a welcome break. It was also nice to be able to give input instead of just receive it (like I do at university).

I covered a few foundational topics for the YWAM team, including:

• History and origins of the DTS programme (plus curricular requirements).
• Leadership.
• Roles of trainees, staff and the school leader.
• Confrontation.
• Strategic planning.

I will be returning in the next few weeks to continue with the training, especially to cover how to plan and lead overseas, cross-cultural outreach teams.

New Year is a time of reflection when we evaluate our lives and make decisions for the future. Not so many such decisions have happened with us, but in reflection it is hard to imagine that it has already been a year since the start of the last DTS (training school) we staffed, nearly seven months since we got back from South Africa. We are out of YWAM now for nearly 5 months, and time seems to move with increasing speed. Even embedded in YWAM, it was hard to know what was 12 months ahead. Now, we have our next 3 years largely mapped out. When we imagined it last year, 2011 seemed so distant because it would mean such a different kind of life. Now that life is here, and we are living it steadily and optimistically.

I have just finished my first semester’s exams, and Renee is in her third month of work as a senior care assistant in a residential facility. We are busy but not over-exerted. We miss friends and family but continue to find real friendship in our own marriage.

This week, I am at the YWAM centre in Rostrevor for a few days, training their staff for the upcoming DTS in March. It’s nice to be giving some input instead of receiving.