Hi Everyone,

Will has limited wifi and reception so has sent me this message via messenger and asked that I forward on to you all. Thanks so much for your ongoing support. Sounds like he and the YWAM teams are needing it and so appreciating it as they are now out on their outreaches. Sarah Rattray

Wednesday 9th April
Talofa from Samoa family and friends,
Our team and I are two weeks into our outreach, and we have already seen God move in so many different ways that we haven’t seen before. The culture of serving in the Samoans has blown us away and we have definitely been well looked after.
We left for American Samoa two weeks ago today after a big send off from everyone on base and said some tough goodbyes, but it came with an excitement of what was waiting for us as well. It’s incredible the strength of connection you can create with people in such a short time when you spend every second of every day with them!!

Arriving in American Samoa (A.S), we were met by big boss Randall who was our main contact from YWAM Samoa and He is also one of the men in charge for the 50th year anniversary of YWAM in A.S and Samoa. Our week in Leone, the village we stayed in in A.S, looked like attending church every day and hosting youth rallies alongside a team from YWAM Samoa, YWAM Honolulu and Island Breeze Ministries which is a team whose ministry is focused around bringing the different cultures from different islands, mainly in the pacific, through the likes of dance and songs. On one of our last days, we split in half with everyone and half of us went and did wave ministry which is where we would line a busy road right beside McDonalds and take a bunch of signs that we had made all with encouragement and a bit of fun but sharing the message of Jesus Christ. Was a blast!!!

After this week, we headed to Savai’i which is the bigger of the two islands of Samoa. First part of the journey began with an eight-hour ferry from American Samoa to Apia. We then spent the night at the YWAM Samoa base and left the next day for another ferry to get to Savai’i. Since being in Savai’i we have been to three different High Schools so far this week (one each day), where I’ve never seen so much engagement from youth that age. Every day we have been going into classrooms and sharing testimonies and encouraging students who may not have an idea about what they would want to do after school. We have also been sharing with them the opportunities that YWAM, specifically University of the Nations, offers. After we share in the classes we get the whole school together and run through a program lead by Island Breeze which contains dances and songs (some which our team have learnt), testimonies, worship and a message. At the end of every message there has been an opportunity to respond and every day, we have seen around 30 students respond to wanting to know Jesus on a personal level.
Have been having such an incredible time but prayer for covering of protection over our team would be much appreciated. Sickness has hit almost everyone but myself and one of our leaders so to extend those prayers for our team like I said would be much appreciated!! Once again, thank you so much for the ongoing prayer and support.  God Bless you all!!!
 

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