Happy New Year and warm greetings from the YWAM Gateway team! We hope this short update finds you and your family well.
Our hearts are full of gratitude for the ways God sustained us during such a challenging year and for the doors He opened for us to bless many people in our city.
If there is anything we have learned this past year, is that nothing, not even COVID-19, can stop the advance of God’s Kingdom! Praise the Lord!
Rejoice with us as you read about the things God enabled us to do these past months.
Discipleship Training School (DTS)
DTS Lecture Phase
At the end of November 2020, our students successfully completed the lecture phase of DTS.
The last leg of the lecture phase included an outdoor training camp called “The Challenge” (while beaches were still opened). The program had a focus on Relationship with God, Missions, Teamwork and Leadership.
It also meant to serve as preparation for outreach for our DTS students. They all encountered God throughout the camp in a very tangible way.
DTS Outreach
It started at the beginning of December and concluded at the end of January. In normal conditions, DTS teams would travel overseas, but due to COVID-19 our students did their outreach in Hong Kong. It has been amazing how much they have been able to accomplish as they walked in complete dependency of God.
- Shared the Gospel with more than 150 local and International students through Zoom.
- Participated in Christmas Outreaches in partnership with several local churches.
- Distributed more than 1,200 face masks and 120 sanitisers to cardboard collectors, street cleaners, homeless and elderly people in different districts.
- Did prayer walks and street busking in key locations of Hong Kong. Prayed and shared with people as they stopped to hear the songs.
Reaching to Hong Kong Youth
For the past two years, our team has been praying for the youth and especially for schools. And the Lord is answering our prayers and many doors are being opened!
Deep sharing with Form 6 local students
Over 3 weeks our team was able to share with more than 120 students over Zoom. The school’s Principal approached our team expressing his heart and desire to provide an opportunity for the Form 6 students to hear the Gospel before they finish school. We had very deep sharing on topics such as identity, interpersonal relationships and hope. In all the calls we were able to share the amazing news that God loves them and has a purpose for them!
We have developed a good relationship with the Principal and met to pray together for the school and plan further events.
Reaching Students through Spanish Classes
We have recently submitted a project to an organisation that partners with several schools and seeks to empower students by helping them to develop a Transformative Mindset. Our project is about learning Spanish. These classes will give us opportunities to reach to Christian and non-Christian schools.
Our team attending the Transformative Mindset Facilitator Course
Living Room Sessions
We have recently released a newly translated Cantonese Song called: “Here Again”. The song is originally from Elevation Worship and YWAM Gateway translated it and recorded it to bless our local community.
“Here again” is a song we have sung a lot in our worship times this past year. It says we need Your touch again, Lord, we need You to meet us here again.
Especially during those times when our hearts are tired and we do not have the strength to go on, our hearts cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus, come.”
This is why we have picked this song for this project, translated it, and recorded it in Cantonese; as a prayer together for Hong Kong.
Prayer Points
- Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for our leadership team as we lead our ministry during COVID restrictions.
- Financial provision over our ministry and staff.
- For the birth of a new mercy ministry. In the past months we have been praying and planning the launching of a new ministry towards serving and providing for the poor in Chai Wan, especially the elderly. Pray with us for God’s leading and connections with partners and donors.
- For our ministry to schools and young people.
We are very grateful for your friendship, prayers, care, and support through the seasons.
What a privilege to be together in fulfilling the Great Commission!
On behalf of everybody at YWAM Gateway,
Ps. Diego and Andrea Servant
