An update from Annalisa

The base & student housing!

September 2011

My life in Norway
This month has been full of many things
During the first week of September we continued to prepare for the students to come. On September 3rd-4th we went on a staff trip to the mountains where we stayed in a cabin. This was a great time of getting to know each other. All the staff were there including the leadership and their families. Our time away included games, teaching, a movie night, blueberry picking, a mountain hike and of course time to just relax before the students arrived. My favorite day of staff trip was the day of the mountain hike. I didnt participate in that because it was a bit wet. Instead, I spent time with some of the staff families and their children. We picked blueberries together and got to know each other better. It was so much fun! Also, as new staff we were officially welcomed to the team and were prayed over for the coming year.

Prayer Requests
1. Pray for the students that they would seek everything God has for them 2. Pray for me as a staff 3. Pray for the nation of Norway 4. Pray for safety & opportunities as we travel throughout Europe for RISK

The

The students arrive

Staff & students on the overnight camping trip!

1st week- DTS Foundations Sept 12- 16th On September 11th & 12th the students started to arrive. It was so exciting to finally meet the students and get to know them. The school officially started on September 12. That night we went to the art studio in town (where the fine art track does their art) and enjoyed worship, intros of the staff and desserts. During the next few days the students learned more of what the year would look like. At the end of the week we went on an overnight hiking trip.

Creative Week & Teaching week

From September 19th -23rd the students had their first creative week. They split up into their different tracks, which are fine art, music, acting, dance and film to learn and have fun creating together. As DTS staff, during creative weeks I will mainly be working in the office all week. I'm the DTS leader's assistant so I've been doing many things such as making lists, putting students in groups for various activities and booking plane tickets for the teachers coming to teach throughout the year. I have enjoyed learning new things but its been challenging at times. September 26th-29th was the first teaching week. Teaching happens Monday to Thursday and then Friday is creative day. This week we had Jan Huse (our base leader) teaching on to know God and make Him known The students had a great first week of teaching! During teaching weeks I attend teaching along with the students. I lead the day on Mondays which means I introduce the teacher for the week, pray for the day and make sure the students get their breaks. During teaching weeks I also lead an intercession group. I also have a small group of 5 girls. There are two students from the USA, one from Japan, one from Switzerland and one from Norway. Its definitely a fun group and I am excited to be their small group leader. I also have 4 girls for one on ones (this is a time for the students to talk, process and as staff we come alongside them to encourage and pray for them.) I have Friday mornings off and in the afternoon I have office hours, as its a creative day and the students are in their various tracks.

COMING UP NEXT RISK One God, five days, 46 nations

This is an exciting event that YWAM Norway has set up to travel to every country in Europe. All large and small countries are to be visited by a team that shares Jesus, prays and encourages the Christians. The idea around this is based on the board game Risk. To win the game you need to occupy every territory on the board. So if we sent teams to all the countries within Europe and make a stand for God at the same time we can see God move and start to make a difference in Europe. Our base is sending teams to Cyprus, Monaco, Greece, Iceland, Romania, Lithuania and two teams to Norway (Trondheim & Fredrikstad) I will be leading a team of 7 students along with the base leaders of YWAM Aalesund and their 4 children to Trondheim. We leave October 2nd and travel by car to Skien, Norway where we will receive training on evangelism and prayer. On October 6th & 7th we travel to our destinations within Europe. Then for 2-3 days we pray in the country & evangelize. There are set times where someone will be praying in every country in Europe at the same time. We return to Aalesund Oct 11th. Keep us in your prayers as we seek to be a blessing!

Please continue to keep me in your prayers! Thank you so much! Love Annalisa

My first impressions are this house may not have the biggest rooms, but it's filled with love and lots of lovely people and awesome personalities. After a long summer waiting for the DTS to start, it was nice to finally arrive at the base. I felt really welcomed by everyone right away. I am living the dream here together with these lovely people, and God of course. I feel like I have already gotten so much closer to God, and I can't wait to get even closer. I believe God is going to show me stuff I didn't know about myself, and by that He will also tell me where to go, one day at a time.

(Fine Art Track)

Check out m y blog for m ore details, pictures & regular updates: http://creatinginnorw ay.blogspot.com /