The YWAM Ship MV Pacific Link is now in Sydney at Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour. The ship will be staying there from March 2 – March 9 before heading down to Ulladulla where it will be berthed at the Harbour.
The ship spent a very successful week in Newcastle where it was open for tours of the ship, and opportunities for people to meet the volunteer crew. YWAM was donated supplies to take on to Papua New Guinea and is still collecting glasses to donate to PNG where over half a million people could have their sight restored simply by being provided with corrective spectacles.
On the trip from Newcastle to Sydney the ship hit some pretty rough seas. The rough seas were caused by the tsunami that occurred because of the earth quake in Chile and tested the sea legs of everyone on the ship, some of whom are still pretty new. Here is a photo of the ship hitting some pretty decent sized waves:
After a one week voyage from New Zealand the YWAM Australia Ship, Pacific Link, has arrived in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The ship is touring Australia collecting aid, finances and hopefully fresh volunteers before heading to Papua New Guinea (PNG) later this year.
Below is a video of the arrival of the ship in Newcastle:
The ship can be visited next week at Newcastle’s number 4 tug berth.
The Pacific Link is a part of YWAM Marine Reach, YWAM’s growing fleet of small vessels. The vessels include:
The Pacific Link (Australia and the Asia/Pacific Region)
In Papua New Guinea (PNG) over half a million people can have their eye sight restored simply by receiving glasses. While there is definitely need for surgery for some in PNG, most people suffering from impaired vision in the country can be helped by a donated pair of glasses.
Youth With A Mission will be touring Australia this year to raise finances and awareness of the new YWAM Australia Medical Ship, the Pacific Link, and the work that they will be doing in PNG. While on tour they will also be collecting donations of used spectacles for distribution in Papau New Guinea.
You can find out how to donate your used glasses at the YWAM Ship web-site here.
In January a new YWAM Biblical Core Course will be starting up at Reef to Outback, where I spent my first 11-years in YWAM and missions.
The Biblical Core Course (YWAM BCC) is a 5 1/2 month course that is broken up to be half lectures and half outreach. During lectures they’ll be covering topics like:
How to study the Word of God
Applying the what God says in the Bible to your life
Preaching and Teaching
Is the Bible still relevant today
After the lecture phase the Biblical Core Course will be heading over to Papua New Guinea again. The had a very successful outreach there last year when they ran the course and the staff are pretty excited to be heading back there again with the new school.
Jonathan Spainhour will be leading the school again this year. He just let me know this morning that another student signed up for it yesterday. He runs a great school full of practical and challenging teaching.
Like Spring break in the USA Schoolies Week in Australia is when year 12 graduates get together for about two week to party. This takes place around end of November and the beginning of December. I’ve been down to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland Australia on a Discipleship Training School outreach during schoolies week and it’s a pretty intense time. There is a lot of opportunity and need for outreach and love to be shown to these kids who are there.
Many churches and organizations in Australia get together during this time to try to make schoolies week a better time for the kids attending. YWAM regularly participates in schoolies week to help try to make a difference in these kid’s lives. Where I used to work at Reef to Outback the Discipleship Training School would run outreaches to Magnetic Island (off the coast of Townsville), quite often partnering with other church ministries and community organisations.
There are plenty of opportunities for people to participate on outreach during schoolies week. One of the busiest places in Australia for Schoolies week is the Gold Coast, in South East Queensland. About 60,000 17 and 18 year olds pack the area during this time.
You can find out more about the YWAM outreach to schoolies on the Gold Coast, and how you, your YWAM centre or church can participate, on their web-site here.
