Author: Shawn

The Quester

New show coming from Reauseaux Brasser – The Quester!

Children’s program with an exciting host!

The Pilgrim’s Progress musical film

If you haven’t seen this yet, it is a great movie done on a very small budget. This was originally written as a play and was going to be done for our church’s VBS (vacation Bible school.) There were scenes that they decided to best film since it would have been almost impossible to get all the actors in each day for 4 days. As the filming progressed they decided best to film it entirely, which then turned into the movie we have now.

Go here to order a copy to show your church, your family, use for a VBS, or Sunday school class: Pilgrims Progress Film

Some of our children had parts in this film, but I am seriously not trying to be biased, it is a good movie!

The Heideggers and Niños de la Luz

Our time that we spent with Niños de la Luz was some of our greatest spent in the Dominican Republic, so when our friends the Heideggers were looking to go out on the mission field, we made sure they knew about Niños de la Luz and so they met up with Jon and Shannon to see what it was all about. Needless to say they loved what they saw and now have been there since 2017 serving.

Please pray for and support the Heideggers as they serve. They are a family committed to Christ and who love people. Here is their website: https://www.heideggerfamily.com/

 

Sending Samuel

With a heart to serve.

This young man never ceases to amaze us. Samuel decided to go visit friends and ministries that we worked with in the Dominican Republic this year. He put money aside for the trip and wasn’t there a week before he decided to change his plans from 4 weeks to about 7. Another week later and we received another message from him letting us know that it was clear God wanted him to stay longer. The Lord is calling Samuel to plunge into missions to prepare him for the future. He will be starting this journey with YWAM Santo Domingo. His DTS (discipleship training school) begins this September.

We are excited about this next chapter in his life and know he will be a light where ever he goes. He will need help with the funds for the DTS and we are asking those who know him to support him in this venture. Please read his attached letter and let us know if you want to be part of his support team. Above all please lift him up in prayer as he steps into missions on his own. Thank you!!

Click Here to see Samuel’s Letter

Letter 2016 YWAM

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sam-violin

Now learning the Violin

samuel-angelo

Samuel Visits Niños de la Luz in Caberate, D.R.

Update on the Van

I realized that we never gave the final update on the van that was purchased partially with donated funds. We put the van to good use while we were working in Villa Mella. Many trips to the capital and back (about 1/2 hour drive each direction.) This allowed us to also get away a couple of times as a family for short stays in Sosua and even a resort stay for some needed rest.

When the decision was made to move back we had to sell the van. We felt guilty at first knowing we had others help us get a vehicle and we felt it would be wrong to keep the money that was donated. God provided the perfect opportunity to not only relieve us of that guilt, but get the van sold. This also provided a way to bless a local missionary whom we have known since my first trip in 2003.

We sold the van to her for just our personal portion that was spent on the van. We passed on your generous gifts as a gift to support this missionary and those she works with. It was a huge blessing just to tell her that we would sell her the van for about half the price she was expecting and I explained to her why. That this was money sent to support us in Missions and how it was best to pass that on to her.

So thank you from us, the Oliveria family, and from our friend, a wonderful missionary in the Dominican Republic!

 

Heather and her Kona Outreach

Heather has been in Kona for over a month. She has been very excited with all that has been happening and what the Lord has been doing in her.  Here is what she wrote on here Facebook page:

This Performing Arts school is amazing. We are always busy dancing or singing or acting. In the mornings we have worship and teachings. It’s like living in a big singing, dancing, dramatic church.
And God has been changing me. No, I cannot say I am positive on what I am going to do in the future, but that doesn’t matter so much right now, I realize. This is a time in which I am being drawn closer to know and glorify God, and to know how to glorify God. Some updates: I feel called to stay here after this DTS is over, and also…Europe. Crazy, no? But in order to stay, I need to be able to pay, right? So, pray, and if possible, support and download my CD!
Thank you!

http://heatheroliveria.bandcamp.com/

We are very excited seeing what God is doing in our daughter and hope that if you think about her that you would pray for her.

P.S. you can follow the link and download her music for free as well.

Thank you!

The Journey Session

The Journey Session

Sending Heather

Heather

Heather

Now it is that time. We are sending Heather off to see the world!! (or something like that.) She has been accepted to a YWAM Performing Arts DTS which starts April 4th. We are very excited about her decision to go this direction and at the same time sad to see her leave already. I know God has plans for her and this is just another part of her training. Please keep her in your prayers.

She has been asking for support and since we no longer need support as missionaries, we are asking you to support her financially if you feel led. Since this is a school any support sent direct is not tax-deductible. There are two phases to the DTS, the first being 3 months of a lecture period and then followed by 3 months of outreach. The plan is to go to Israel and South Africa on the outreach phase. She has raised about half of the support needed for the lecture phase and still has a ways to go to completely raise the funds needed.

We also would like to say thanks to all who supported us either by finances or by prayer the last couple of years and we hope to share what God has done with each of you.

 

Our Next Chapter

Missionaries SosuaWow, we have hit 2013 running! We currently have 37 people from Kona-YWAM doing their outreach at the center. They arrived the third week of December and leave in a couple of weeks. It has been great to meet this “all generations” group. Each came to do their DTS (Discipleship Training School) for a variety of reasons. Many of the group will return back to regular living in their countries, some will head to new territories, others will go back to Kona and work with YWAM there, a few will feel that quiet nudge (or loud push) to head into missions full time, and all will have a new perspective on life and deeper understanding of who the Lord is, wherever they may go. Watching this group has opened up our eyes and hearts to see some new things. For starters, YWAM has always been a part of us here. It would’ve made sense for us to go into YWAM and do a DTS from the very start of our mission journey. Yet, as much as we thought about it, and prayed about it, we never felt like that was what we were supposed to do. Even along the way, during our many transitions, we never had a peace about taking this step. Many of our friends here have suggested it and questioned us about it and each time we have taken note but still we were not convinced the time was right. Now as we sit back and watch this group and others that have come and gone our hearts are feeling pulled, a fire is beginning.

Secondly, we are learning through our adventures what our passions are in ministry. We love watching young people come alive in the Lord. Our desire is to help them and encourage them on that journey. As well as, share with them our hearts to live a life of serving wherever the Lord leads them. We have so much yet to learn in these areas and fail in so many ways, but by God’s grace He can use even the most broken to bring glory to His name.

This journey has been a rough one with its windy roads. Yet, God has been so incredibly faithful to meet us in all circumstances. It has been a desert experience in many ways. But then again, the living water has always flooded the dry ground. All the above is to say, that we have made the decision to go back to the states for a year. Primarily to regroup, refresh, and reconnect with family and friends. Also, Heather will be turning 18 this May (absolutely unbelievable how time flies) and our desire is to help launch her into the next phase of her life well. Many of you know and have been praying about Heather’s back, her scoliosis, during the last year. This too is one of the many side reasons for choosing this time to come back. We are not finding the help she needs here and want to help her find relief and to get her back stabilized. Unfortunately, it seems to have gotten worse in the last few months, with the pain increasing and back/ribs twisting more. God has given us our children as a treasure and a blessing, our job is to take care of them and give them all the tools we can as they step into adulthood, including good health.

After this next year of rest (yeah right), the thought is to do a DTS with YWAM either in Mexico or Kona or……… At this time, that is what is on our hearts.   We consider this the first of many missionary journeys. We have just tasted and it has forever changed us. There is so much more to do.

We cannot begin to express how blessed we have been with the many people that have stepped into our lives. There are so many that we hope to cross paths with again. If not here, in heaven we will have quite the reunion. Others have supported us in prayers, encouragement and financially. We couldn’t have made it this far without you. We know our journey has looked a little odd at times, we have changed our status from missionaries to gypssionaries (it fits right?), but we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for sticking with us. It has meant more than any words could possibly say.

We are grateful to Island Light Ministries, Niños de la Luz, and World Grace Mission for allowing us the opportunity to serve with them. We will take with us a little bit of each of these ministries as we move forward to what lies ahead.

The plan is to head back the end of March or early April. We ask for your prayers as we pull away from things here and get ready to reenter the states. Below are some of the specific requests listed. We love you all and thank you again for sharing in our lives. You are all awesome!

In His Love,

Shawn, Jessica, Heather, Samuel, Josiah, and Silas

 

Prayer Requests:

Transition here at the center, please pray for the right people to step up and take over where there might be gaps, specifically a facilitator of the property and/or an outreach coordinator, as well as a person who has an interest in the aquaponics system.

For the baseball ministry here – we have really connected with the guys and we will miss them. Pray that God would use us in their lives this next couple of months. Also, there are a couple of them that have the possibility to be signed very soon to pro-teams locally, in the states, or in Korea. It would be an awesome opportunity for them and we would love to see some of that take place before we leave.

Good price on airfare (why does flying into Medford have to cost sooo much?)

Transition for us reentering the states , we will need to find housing, some basic household items, car, etc…..(if anyone has a lead on any of the above for rent/sale, let us know by email or message us on facebook)

We would have wisdom for Heather’s back and what direction to go with her care

For reconnection with family and friends, especially for the kids

That God’s grace would be over all the planning (the comings and goings)

Unity in all things during the process

Future ministry

Thankful

Thanksgiving in the USA is coming quickly. Time moves at an accelerating pace.  This last few months have been somewhat overwhelming, with many new things on our plate.

As I am typing this, my lovely wife Jessica is teaching English to our 8 Dominican boys who are living with us at  The World Grace Mission Center. Samuel is helping, Josiah and Silas are probably lost in a world of legos, Heather is baking brownies, and our 2 Korean kids are doing their studies.

Oh, did I mention we have 14 kids here?

Our boys in English class

Our new boys learning English

So, as you can see our world has changed some. The Lord is stretching us in many different ways and in ways we didn’t expect at all coming to the Dominican Republic.  One thing I have learned living as a missionary is expect everything and in everything grow closer to the Lord.

We knew coming here we would be learning a new culture, we knew there were going to be things that may be hard to adjust to, but we didn’t know He was going to add a second culture for us to adapt to and learn. We are working with a Korean ministry with many other Koreans visiting. Whether they are on short term teams, part of YWAM, other missionaries or business people who live here, we are being surrounded by Koreans. God is teaching us how our culture causes us to think differently. I am learning that all of our cultures have good, bad and ugly in them but that we need to be adjusting our culture to that of one like Jesus.

Paul talks about being thankful in all things (I Thess 5:18.)  If we are thankful we can see better what the Lord might be doing in us. I am thankful for the time we have had in all the areas we have worked in this country. He has really opened up my mind to so much more that what I had experienced before. I am thankful for what little or how much I have had over the years realizing that so many are just trying to get enough food for the next meal.

Thanksgiving to me has a broader meaning to me than that of our country’s history. It is me giving thanks to GOD who loves us so much, thanks to friends and family who have supported us in so many ways, thanks to others for forgiving my shortcomings.

One last thank you – Thank you to all of our supports who have given financially or have prayed for us these last two years! May God pour out even more blessing on you.

 

 

The New Van

Many were probably wondering what ever happened with the vehicle fundraiser, whether we hit our goal, what we bought, etc… I will have to say it wasn’t easy. We searched and searched, called and test drove many SUV’s and vans. The problem was that so many I checked would have needed so many repairs that they weren’t spending the 2 times amount it would cost in the USA!

But now I am happy to report to you all that we finally bought a van. It is a low mile van the was brought over from the US 5 years ago. It is a 2002 Nissan Quest.

From everyone in my family to all those who had donated or helped – THANK YOU!!!!