Australia and PNG outreach October DTS 2009 Mission Objectives G’day, family and friends of the October Discipleship Training School (DTS)! We are so excited that the school has finally begun and we are all here together. It has been awesome getting to know everyone and we are so grateful to all of you for being a part of the journey in getting us here. Fourty three people from 8 different nations have gathered together for a 5 1/2 month school designed to help us know God and make Him known, and in just a few weeks we will be setting off to Papua New Guinea (PNG). Not only is this DTS a time for each of us to develop in our own lives, but we are also passionate about making a difference in this world. This includes 9 weeks reaching out in practical ways to individuals and communities in Australia and the South Pacific region by helping them to discover identity, hope, and purpose. We have felt very strongly that the whole school should go to PNG and South Eastern Australia to help prepare the way for the YWAM Australia and PNG Ship Tour starting in February 2010. Papua New Guinea: The needs in PNG are vast, from the issues related to the poor and needy, to a lack of adequate healthcare, therefore we are wanting to join with Papua New Guineans to: • Share and celebrate the differences in our cultures. • Work in remote villages to strengthen communities and local churches through acts of service, teaching, and ministry. • Help prepare the way for the Australia & PNG Ship tour, particularly by analyzing health care needs and encouraging the Papua New Guinean church to be involved in missions. • Collect stories and media through hands on experience to educate and advocate on behalf of PNG to the youth of Australia. Australia: We want to champion young Australians to discover their identity and purpose. We will help them to engage their faith by showing them how they can make tangible changes to the world around them, with a particular focus on how they can be involved with the issues of injustice and the poor and needy. We have found that providing young people with the opportunity to address some of these needs can make such a lasting impression on them that their lives are drastically changed for the better. We will be partnering with the YWAM Australia and PNG Ship Tour to reach young people in cities along the South East coast of Australia. We will be speaking in church youth groups, schools, and open community events to call people to make a difference as well as educate them on the present needs in PNG.