December 2006

Youth With A Mission / Restenäs 239 / 459 93 Ljungskile / Sweden *Tel +46 522 210 20 *Fax +46 522 202 45 *http://www.ywamrestenas.se *info@ywamrestenas.se *Plusgiro 89 61 56-7 *Organisation 858500 5633

Himalaya RegionThe Himalayan region, according to our definition, is: Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet Autonomous Region and parts of northern India. This area covers a vast population of 283 million people. The Himalayan region is the home of Buddhism and Hinduism. Many Sikhs and Muslims

live there too. The Himalayas and some of it’s places are religiously significant. In Hinduism, the Himalayas have been personified as the god Himavat, ”father-in-law” of Shiva. A number of Tibetan Buddhist sites are also situated in this region, including the residence of the Dalai Lama. He lives in Dharamsala, a town of approximately 20,000 people. Several of our outreach teams have visited Dharamsala over the past few years.

More information of our focus areas will be coming to our website soon. (About and News pages)

Oskar & Madelene AgernäsWhen I interviewed Oskar and Madelene Agernäs, their clothes were marked with fresh paint. They had been busy decorating the classroom for the upcoming India Focus Discipleship Training School (IFDTS) which begins in January 2007. The young couple from Sweden have committed to staffing at least two IFDTS’s here at Restenäs. The new school will run like a typical DTS, but some of the staff plan to stay in north India, after the three-month outreach, in order to pioneer a new work there. Listening to Oskar and Madelene’s heart for God and for missions was like watching an exciting television action/drama. I hope you feel the same after reading this interview.

Q: What is it that attracts you to missions? Oskar: Living an exciting life of dependence on God and working for Him. That attracts me to missions. I can’t be an effective missionary on my own. I need to depend on God. Madelene: I like that God can do amazing things through a regular person like me. The fact that I don’t have to be a “Billy Graham” before I can begin; that excites me!

Q: How did you get involved in mission work? Oskar: We did a summer Mission Trip to Romania in 2001. Then, after we were married, we felt a desire to work with the DTS. We later discovered that Restenäs would be starting the India Focus DTS. So it all clearly fitted together for us.

Q: How would you respond to a person who said, “I could never be a missionary and do what you are doing.” Oskar: I would simply ask them “Why not?” Then I would tell them, “You should at least try it before you say no.” We can all be involved in missions, but it’s a choice we must make on our own. Madelene: I would encourage them to start with something small, like a summer mission trip. They just need to get a taste of missions before ‘throwing in the towel’. I read a quote recently. It said, “I believe every man is either a missionary or a mission field.” I think that’s true. >>>

Dear Friends,

As this year comes to a close and a New Year is begin-ning, I reflect on the events of the past couple of years and anticipate 2007.

November 2005, we chiseled out our purpose and goals for YWAM Restenäs, explored our history, discovered the successes of the past and the times of blessing. Two themes emerged, a focus on Sweden and a focus on the un-reached. A vision statement was born! To mobilize, train and send missionaries in order to build God’s kingdom among the un-reached. From the hearts of our staff came our 7 focus areas: Cambodia, Thailand, North Korea, Turkey, Cauca-sus, Himalayan Region and Ethiopia/Somalia. The vision and focus areas ignited an excitement in our hearts, and we have seen a growth in the number of staff from 65 to 93.

2006 has been a year of clarity, unity of purpose, focus, release and growth!

2007 will be a year of implementation of the vision. Our Mobile Teams, Equip, India Focus DTS and other new initiatives promise to make 2007 a year of accomplishment.

The dreams for YWAM Restenäs are larger than we can accomplish alone. With our combined efforts of prayer and support, and with God’s blessing, we can accomplish what He desires. Thank you for your prayers, gifts and for partnering with us.

Philip McCurley Base Leader

SPOTLIGHT

RESTENÄS FOCUS

Oskar and Madelene enjoy God, missions and life. Here they are in the IFDTS classroom having fun.

by Rob Darby

photo by Rob Darby

by Lisa Svensson

SEASON’S GREETINGS!

photo by DTS student

����� Prayer & Praise

”Praise God! We arrived safely in Pre Veng and even found a small internet cafe!” Our team is working with pastor Savanara, one of our regular contacts. The spiritual atmosphere is heavy here, but lots of good things are happening. We drive or walk to different villages every day visiting cell groups. In the evenings we teach English. It’s great fun and the children are wonderful. I’m learn-ing more and more Khmer every day.

Please pray that we’ll see more miracles and that we will stay close to God. Pray also for team unity and good communication. Pray also for the people of Cambodia that they will draw closer to God and seek God himself and not only the miracles.

I have to go now. Lots of customers are waiting for the computers. It’s great to have some contact with the outside world. Thank you for your prayers. They are needed!”

DTS 2006 Outreach Student

It’s Wednesday evening at a local church in Rome-landa, Sweden. Around 15 people

are gathered. The oldest is in his sixties and the youngest, around thirty. People are sharing a meal and enjoying conversation; soon there will be some teaching.

No, this isn’t an Alpha course. It’s Equip.

I had a chance to speak with Magnus Lindetun, who runs Equip. Magnus lives and works at Restenäs.

Q: So, what is Equip?”

Magnus: “Equip is a mini-DTS (Discipleship Training School), a cooperation between YWAM Restenäs and a local church, in this case the Church of Sweden in Romelanda. One evening per week, for 10 weeks, the participants receive teaching on topics like missions, evangelisation, relationships, prayer, the character of God, how to study the Bible and more. The speakers are both from Restenäs and around the world.”

Q: Why Equip?

Magnus: ”Restenäs vision is to inspire people for missions together with local churches, and I hope that we can serve and bless the local church through Equip.

I long to see the church in Sweden even more involved in the commis-

sion that Jesus gave us to ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’. I long to see the church in Sweden living passionately for Jesus and involved in missions in Sweden and in the rest of the world. That is what drives me to run Equip.

My hope is to see people equipped and deepen their relationship with God so

that they can function in their gifts in everyday life. That their heart for missions will grow and that they will have a greater understanding of the world

that needs Jesus. It is possible to be involved in missions from home, by for instance, prayer or supporting mission-aries financially.”

If you live on the west coast of Sweden and think Equip could be something for your church, contact us!

YWAM Dalarna is running a ”New Wings Discipleship School” together with local churches in Dalarna, Sweden.

Seminar on

INNER HEALINGwww.ywamrestenas.se, 0522-210 20

29 Jan - 2 Feb

Youth With A Mission, Restenäs, Ljungskile

What has EQUIP meant to you?

Claudia Vingren: I think I have received more and a deeper knowledge in the Bible. It’s been very rewarding to hear the speakers share things from their own lives; to hear how other

people see God.

Q: What do you imagine yourselves doing if you lived in another country? Both: We want to go to where the un-reached peoples live. But that could be anywhere: USA, Europe, India, anywhere. The important thing is that we go where God can use us most effectively. Oskar: In

Romania, we worked in an orphanage. One day I held the hand of a 16-year-old boy... the entire day! I saw how positively he responded to that simple act. Imagine if I could hold that boy’s hand for an entire year; what a change it would make in his life. You don’t need a Harvard degree to hold somebody’s hand. Anybody can do that!

BIG PICTURE

by Therese Wilhelmsson

Subscribe to Restenäs News via email and/or post:

email us at: info@ywamrestenas.se or visit our website: www.ywamrestenas.se

What Equip topic have you enjoyed the most?

Ove Bidås: Relationships – It concerns us every time we meet another person.

SPOTLIGHT cont..

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