.in thanksgiving.

Hello all! Thanksgiving is coming up here in the States on Thursday and so along with that we receive such a fantastic opportunity to think of the countless ways we have been blessed and provided for. It is such a wonderful time of reflection and even remembrance of how the Lord has given to us so abundantly. He has given us great families, friends, communities, dreams and vision for the future, finances to make it through to the next day, the list goes on. The God we serve truly is a God of provision. With that, we can never forget that the God who created the whole entire Earth, the whole universe, our provinces and states, created us. Yes, us. God created us in His own image! Think about that for a second. That a God who is greater than all things, even the universe, an eternal God that we as humans can only understand a fraction of, would create us in His own image. That is crazy in itself. But then to hear and know that this God would come to Earth as a humble man and die such an excruciating death on the cross, taking all sin and death that ever was and ever will be on Himself, thus providing us the opportunity to have relationship with Him.. that's crazy. I think we have a lot to be thankful for. I sure know I do. Because that is some good, good news. With all this, I really am thankful for all of you who take the time out of your day to read this blog, to pray for me and what is going on here in the Pacific and in Asia, and for those who have provided for me financially so I can continue to do the work God has called me to do. You are such a blessing to me in so many different ways!

Now as the snow begins to fly more often over there, things around here begin to change. We have four outreach teams getting ready to head to Asia in a few weeks, going to Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and then a great big Asian country. You know what it is. Right after they head out, we go right into DTS staff training to get ready for the winter school that starts at the beginning of January. There are six of us DTS staff for this winter quarter which means there'll be three outreach teams going out. It is certainly shaping up to be a busy month or two coming up. 

As far as local outreach goes, we have been able to invest more and more into a local community called Happy Valley with our community outreach times. It is a very poor neighbourhood here on Maui but the Lord has provided so many doors and opportunities for us to bring His light into the darkness there. At least twice a week there are people in Happy Valley helping them do homework, hanging out and playing with them, and then actually being able to go into some homes of the children and talking with parents about Christ. It's amazing how some of these doors are being opened and the transformation that is beginning to happen. God is good, I'd say. 

With all this, we need prayer out here. There is a lot going on but we certainly can't do it without people like you who are in intercession for what is on God's heart for this ministry. A few prayer points include...

• personal finances for me. I am starting to raise money for Asia in the spring so I certainly need the Lords' provision in that.
• doors to be continually opened in the community, specifically Happy Valley.
• that the right students will come for the winter school (we still have lots of room for you!)
• staff - we need more staff! we're at many of our limits with the staff we have so if we want to grow, the Lord has to provide in this
• finances/housing/property for the base so we even have the ability to expand

Thank you so much for reading this post. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your prayer and support that you continue to provide me with. It is such a privilege to be able to do what I get to do. That I am in a position to help disciple and equip young people to go out and change the world in so many different ways. What an honour. And it is an honour to have all of you impacting the world alongside me. So thank you! I'll never stop saying it! Hopefully I'll get a new post up around Christmas time so be looking for that. 

In Christ, 

Dave