UPDATE

February 2012

Tim Derrington:
Tim is working with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) at Island Breeze Sydney where he is currently a staff member

OPEN THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN....

I nd myself here in the area of Burns Creek, nicknamed no mercy and rumored to be the largest and cruelest breeding ground of criminals in Honiara, Solomon Islands capital city. I am in our temporary home, a simple 2 story hut, with holes in the walls, holes in the roof and a friendly rat named Bruce, that shares our shelter, food and even beds. The rain is pouring down on the corrugated iron; the sound that is normally pleasant is becoming almost irritating after 6 days of incessant rain; rain like nothing I have ever seen. The land has turned into swamps and in some places large lakes. Traveling is slow as we trek through knee-deep mud and water, slipping and sliding at a snails pace, just to go to the canteen (local store) to get a loaf of bread, bag of rice and a tin of tuna for our days rations. The sound of the generator, our only source of power is a simple relief from the falling rain, as the motor drowns out all other sounds, but its time is short and its power is little. Add to So as I have said I am in the Solomon Islands. It is currently the 4th February and we have just under a month left here. By Firstly, and most importantly, how much of an amazing privilege it is to be a part of Christ, to be going into the world to proclaim his mighty name, preaching the gospel for the glory of God! Secondly, I am reminded of you, family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. How long has it been since I last wrote? I nd now a very tting time to write and update you all on the amazing work our heavenly Father has been doing in both my life and the nations. So thats what I have been a part of since September last year. We had a 3 month lecture phase is Sydney with guest speakers from around the world, all teaching on a wide variety of subjects from Nature, Character and Father Heart of God, to the Holy Spirit and Spiritual warfare. Once the lecture phase was complete, we headed off to other parts of Australia and overseas for a 3 month outreach. In the midst of all this, trying to sleep on the wooden oor under my mosquito net, I am reminded of 2 things. the moment the sudden and continuous coughing from my mouth as I gradually get worse and worse welcome to outreach we I mean the DTS (discipleship training school) I am helping lead. A DTS (for those of you who dont know) is a school that Youth With A Mission (YWAM) run. YWAMs motto is to know God and to make Him known. The purpose of the DTS is two fold; rstly to disciple young people (so they can grow in God and know Him) and then to take them out to the nations to make God known

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GOD INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE

From the outback to the islands

Our team split in to two groups, the rst heading off to Tahiti and the second, which I was privileged to be a part of, went to the Aussie outback. I would love to tell you all of the amazing stories of what God did, but there simply would not be enough space on the page, but in summary, we used performing arts ministry (music, dance and drama) to reach a lot of people, from church services to living rooms, we worshiped our great God and lead people into worship and were able to minister to sick and needy people. The blind and the captives all heard the message of Hope through Jesus Christ. Gods name was exalted all over NSW from Brewarrina to Brisbanes Gold Coast. On the 6th January our team ew to the Solomon Islands and we were rejoined by the other team who went to Tahiti. Since then we have been stretched to our physical, emotional and spiritual extremes. The time here has been a struggle, but one that I wouldnt change for the world. Ministering in churches 6 days a week. Running night services in every size and denomination church. Dramas, worship, prayer, teaching, preaching and prophetic words, we have been doing it all. Much of the ministry is continued after these services, in building relationships with the kids and familys, mothers and fathers and many pastors. Many have been encouraged, prayed for and some even felt called by God to commit their life to Christ and others a call into a life of missions. The ooded grounds make it challenging to walk to the churches (walking being our main method of transport) but our spirits are higher than the waters and the gospel must be spread and the people encouraged, so we continue on. Again I would love to tell specic stories but it would take to long. The next day, the school leader began asking me about why I was in YWAM, what I saw ahead I shared honestly, I dont really know, something in me sees me preaching the gospel, but I cant see me getting there oh how I love how God works! Like my favorite scripture Rev 12:11 says: they overcame by the blood of the lamb and the words of their testimony, something happened as I testied to her, I cant see me getting there. We were staying at Calvary Temple, an amazing church with amazing people, but as I lay on the oor trying to sleep one night I found myself in, what I will call, a YWAM mid-life crisis. To explain; I have a two-year commitment to YWAM Island Breeze Sydney (IBS), of which I am currently halfway through. I began asking God, why? Why am I here in YWAM? What is the point? I had joined IBS knowing that God wanted to develop my character and I had some dream of me preaching the gospel in the nations. I was questioning this because I didnt see that happening. I mean I am slowly growing, I know that, but am I just wasting my time? These questions began to lead to me doubting altogether why I joined YWAM. Am I wasting my life? Should I be building up a life, a job a home, and one day God willing a family? These deep questions settled and I nally got to sleep. It has been a time of spiritual growth and development for all our team. However, being my update, I really want to share part of my experience and hope that you will be encouraged and challenged by it.

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Transformation starts with your pants....

The only way I can describe this next part is divine intervention, and many of you who know me well will believe that this alone is evidence of God. I pulled my pants up! Something in me said, I dont want anything to limit the work that God wants and is able to do through me It wasnt my own idea; it was something that came from deep inside me. From there, the facade of an image I had created was broken, something I never knew that even existed, or could be holding me back from God. I couldnt allow myself to hinder anything that God was willing to use me for. As the days continued I realized that I had, over the last few years, been building up my own identity, a mask, outside of the identity that God was giving me, and now it was being pulled down. I began to spend so much more time in the word of God. The bible has never been so alive to me! The words I read on paper I was seeing being reected in my life and in the way I was thinking. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body 1 Cor 6:19b-20

was amazed to see the entire congregation stand up. How great is our God! Young men came forward saying they had been called by God for missions. I thank God, that he can use sinners, people like me, who are caught up in our own world, our own problems and our own ideas to reach out into the nations and share God to people. Now I know, now I have a re burning inside me to share this amazing hope of the glory of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ. With this new found passion and ever increasing love for Christ, I am excited about what the rest of this year holds, and what God can do, even in the remaining few weeks of our time here in the Solomon Islands. I want to leave you with one nal scripture, Romans 12:1-2 , and I pray that it challenges and encourages you as much as it challenges me to be a living sacrice so that in all situations whether in ooded Solomon Islands, in a difcult job or a comfortable living room, we can be living sacrices all for Gods glory, for the name above all names.

OTHER PROJECTS
Homes&of&Hope:&
The$build$in$September$was$very$successful;$it$was$ the$second$home$we$have$built$in$Vanuatu.$The$ family$were$very$blessed$by$their$new$home$and$the$ team$from$Townsville$did$an$amazing$job,$building$ this$house$at$record$speed,$even$having$time$leftover$ to$build$a$large$verandah$as$well.$The$future$of$the$ ministry$looks$good,$as$more$people$express$interest$ in$future$projects.$$At$the$moment,$I$believe$there$is$ at$least$2$or$3$potential$builds$scheduled$for$this$ year.$$

So with this newly charged spirit, with this seless ambition to let Jesus reign, I found myself volunteer to give a message We rejoice in the hope of the glory at a youth group. It turned out to be a of God Rm 5:2-3 church of about 200 youth; I was introduced as the speaker for the night and was seated up on the stage behind the extravagant pulpit. Here, less than a week after I had been ready to go home, I was, actually better put God was, about to preach the gospel through me. Truthfully I barely remember a word I said, I remember speaking about each verse of John 4 and the living water. Looking out into the packed church and seeing tears falling down the cheeks of 2 ladies, I do remember thanking God that he was working through me. After a few tears from myself as God broke my heart for all that were there, and a sort of altar call, calling for people to allow God to work through their lives to share the gospel, I

What$2012$looks$like:
After$the$graduation$of$this$school$I$will$be$arriving$ back$in$Sydney$on$the$29th$of$February.$$I$will$be$having$ a$3Kmonth$period$of$serving$at$the$base,$doing$normal$ ministries$that$I$have$explained$before$in$previous$ newsletter.$$In$July$I$plan$on$stafMing$another$school,$a$ BCC$(Biblical$Core$Course)$which$is$the$school$I$did$ last$year.$$BCC$will$run$for$3$months$and$will$involve$ students$reading$the$bible$from$front$to$back$and$ studying$12$of$the$books$in$detail.$$Attached$to$this$ school$is$a$potential$for$an$outreach$to$Tahiti$to$begin$ to$plant$a$YWAM$base$there,$as$at$the$moment$Tahiti$ has$no$base.$$$So$the$year$ahead$is$looking$really$ exciting$for$me,$but$for$all$the$plans$and$ideas$I$will$ simply$just$follow$Gods$voice$and$go$wherever$and$to$ whomever$he$chooses.

Tim Derrington

Things you can pray for

Homes of hope - that teams would continue to come, and that local staff would be trained with the skills to run the ministry Island Breeze Sydney ministries, the base and staff involved Me for rest, as DTS can be quite physically, spiritually and emotionally exhausting. Also pray that I continue to go deeper with God, grow in Him and walk in the plans He has for me.

CONTACT ME
PO BOX 492, Mt Druitt NSW, 2770 timderrington@hotmail.com 0451058627

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