YS: YWAM Salem
P: Parent
YS: Before your daughter came to YWAM Salem… had you heard of YWAM before? Did you know what a DTS was?
P: No, I've never had any kind of exposure to it at all.
YS: How did you come to know about us?
P: So after my daughter graduated from high school, she was really determined to figure out what she wanted to do after- she needed a plan she wanted to know what the next step was, and… we told her to just pray about it and God will let her know what she's supposed to do and not to stress about it. Shortly after we conversed about that, she came and said she found a program called YWAM and I had no idea what it was and so she had made a phone call and I was in the room and we were able to ask questions and hear about the program and what it was about. The fact that it was God-based was an answered prayer and so for me getting to hear all of the details of what it entailed, it made me feel a hundred percent comfortable… but it was out of nowhere.
YS: So when she started doing her DTS, how was it like for you, do you miss them being around? What were you feeling?
P: Well, what helped me was being able to come with her, and being able to see the campus, see what the grounds look like here, the orientation, and then once I left… it was really- it was very different. I was so used to having her around, and you could definitely tell there was a void in the household, her not being here. But to be honest what helped me get through it was knowing that what she was doing was a mission for God, that this program was going to give her that navigational beacon that she needed to figure out her spiritual path and so that's what made it easier to help fill that void that was very very noticeable.
YS: What are some of the highlights that you can see from your kid doing a DTS?
P: Okay, so there’s actually a lot of highlights. The fact that she has been able to be out of the house. She was very dependent and this is giving her an opportunity to learn independency, being able to be around a new group of people is giving her the social availability to connect with people on a godly basis, and… with her being able to prepare for the Outreach, its given her a goal… it's giving her an opportunity to focus on something, that she's going to be able to reach other people and spread the word of God, so there’s been a lot of growth, spiritual and emotional growth that I’ve seen and noticed in her.
YS: In regards to the Outreach… are you excited for their Outreach experience and the coming trip?
P: I'm extremely excited for her. I am- I'm praying over her and the team and I know that this is going to be an amazing opportunity for her, and… knowing that she is giving her all to be able to spread the word of God to people that would not have been able to be touched its amazing, so yes, I’m excited for her. I know this is going to be something that’s really gonna help her spiritual path and nervous as well. I've got a lot of mixed emotions. It’s one thing to know that you’re right there, or a plane ride away- going to another country is one hundred percent leaning on faith and God… so, it's kind of uncharted territory, but I know she’s going to be doing something amazing for God, so it kinda counsels or counteracts all the fear.
YS: Would you recommend DTS?
P: Absolutely. Absolutely, on every aspect, every level, as frightening as it might be or as unsettling as it might be, there’s no better gift to the world than allowing your child to do God’s work. It makes me very proud.