A Day In DTS
October 19, 2020 - January 8, 2021
A Day In DTS
A Glimpse into the Day of a Marine Reach DTS Student
If you’ve ever wondered what life as a DTS student was actually like, you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ll go through a typical day for a typical DTS student so you can get a feel for what your days will look like when you get here. Enjoy!
- We have a productive morning routine where we prioritize quick and efficient cleaning, time set aside for Jesus, and if you’re up early enough, a tasty breakfast.
- Start the week off with Whanau time (family in Maori) which includes delicious baked goods, David Cowie’s (one of Marine Reach founders) cheesy jokes and fellowship. Other days at this time are substituted with prayer or worship.
- Every morning we have lectures where speakers from around the world teach on different topics. This time is more than simply sitting in a classroom; lectures are about engaging in discussion and ministry to help you personally grow in your relationship with Jesus.
- Living in community, there are always staff members around for prayer, support or even just hanging out. You will also be assigned a mentor to walk alongside you in the journey. This person will meet with you weekly to check in, help you meet your goals, answer any questions and pray with you.
- Beyond lectures, once a week all students break into their specific streams (whether it be Worship, Wild Heart, Go Pacific, etc.). In this time, you will learn more about your specific focus and the heartbeat behind the stream. For example, if you chose Medical Compassion, this would be a time to dive deeper into what medical missions look like.
- Twice a week students get the chance to serve and dedicate their afternoon to being a part of the base in what we call ministry placements. This includes helping out in the kitchen, hospitality, grounds, transport, registrar, or media.
- As well, biweekly, we have a time of evangelism where students get to grow and safely step out in their faith. It’s an opportunity to share outside in the community the love of Christ and the truth of the gospel. Good news is, no one is expected to be perfect, and leaders are there to help.
- Ministry Night. Wednesday nights are set aside to give the speaker extra time to teach, pray, worship and answer any questions we might have. It allows a space to reflect and process the things we’ve been learning throughout the week.
- There are places in the schedule to provide personal time with the Lord and free time in the afternoons to engage in sports, games, building relationships and explore the property (which could include swimming in our glorious waterfall). There is also time for town trips to get necessities, to visit the beach or to go to church on the weekends.
“The Medical Compassion DTS magnified my love for those in need. It stressed the importance of the power of prayer and how I can go to God in all the medical and daily situations in my life and the lives of those I minister to.”
Noah Armbruster, 20, Michigan, USA
“Coming into the medical compassion stream, I thought it would just be an addition to my medical experience. But after laying down my expectations I was able to grasp the essence of compassion through ministry, experiencing a new perspective on medicine. Choosing to serve in love, and taking the time to seek out and care for the one who need it most.”
Yekaterina Lukyanchina, 20, Russia/America
“We had been married for 5 years when we came to Marine Reach. As a married couple, we learned a lot about each other and ourselves and gained a lot for our marriage. What we enjoyed most during the GO PAC stream times was the mix between the depth we dove into God’s Word, getting to know His plan for us better, and the times thinking and learning about the interesting Pacific cultures. We think it is so important to get to know new cultures. At the base, there are many different cultures, but you really want to get to know the one culture where you live and where you’re going on outreach. We experienced that when spiritual basics are understood with the heart and not only with the mind, that is what brings change into your daily life, and that is what you can carry home after DTS.“
Tobias & Annika Dietrich, 26 & 26, Germany
“Throughout my time on the Pilgrimage DTS, God has worked in me in countless ways. Whether it was learning to see His beauty and love for us in creation, or learning to trust when I was soaking wet, and knowing it’s all for a purpose, a part of the adventure! But also a great part was having lectures about how to walk in the authority of Christ, and learning how to hear the voice of God and grow in relationship with Him! I must say, it’s been the adventure of a lifetime, which won’t end because God isn’t just staying with us for a season, He’s in it with us for eternity!”
Blaise Brunson, 17, Turkey
“In the worshipstream I learned why we worship God, because he loved us first and because he’s worthy to be praised!
Also I learned that If you lead worship you have to be filled first in order to lead others into worship because you lead others in the intimacy that you have for yourself.”
Jaspar Wandtke, 20, Germany
“Doing a DTS and being part of the worship stream was absolutely life changing for me. God took me from a luke-warm, passive, prideful faith, to an authentic passionate relationship with Him. As he revealed His worthiness to me, I learned to let go of everything in this world and cling to Him; to allow myself to be undone in His presence.”
Lauren Balzer, 18, BC Canada
“Coming into prayer and passion I had so much passion and desires but did not know how to bring them to the feet of the Lord in prayer. Going through the journey of growing in prayer and discipline I was able to walk out with a passion and desire to take all that was on my heart to the foot of the cross in prayer. I found a love for that intimate time of prayer with the Lord in a way I haven’t known before!”
Beza Sparkes, 22, Ethiopia/Alaska
“Being apart of Wild Heart has really helped me find out what it means to be wild for God. It has helped me break out of shells I didn’t even I know had. The stream transformed my way of thinking when it comes to being a disciple of Christ, teaching me to take action in faith. It has given me many things I will be able to take home and apply in my daily life, crazy awesome!”
Deylan Santy, 19, Idaho, USA
“Our outreach to the Cook Islands taught me how to enjoy the simplicity of life. I learned that God is always focusing on my heart first and then on the hearts of other people. God also showed me the importance and power of constantly being in prayer.”
Judith Evers, 20, Germany
“I have just finished my Worship DTS at Marine Reach NZ.
When I signed up for the worship DTS I thought it was just about praising God. It’s about the role we play as worship leaders, it about how you lead the worship session, when to pray, and when and how you end. I recommend the Worship DTS to everyone who is inspired by the worship at your home church.”
Adam Pelletier, 36, BC. Canada