English Second Language?
October 19, 2020 - January 1, 2030
English Second Language?
Is English Your Second Language?
With so many people going to YWAM bases internationally, there is a high possibility that you’ll want to go to one that isn’t your home country. No need to fear; DTS is a beautiful opportunity to become stronger in speaking another language that isn’t your first.
Here at Marine Reach, we value internationals and LOVE learning from different cultures and languages. That definitely doesn’t discredit any worries that you may have to fully commit to stepping into an English speaking country. Are you worried about doing a DTS that isn’t in your native tongue? Here is one perspective who went through the same experience!
Andrea Wenger, 25, Switzerland
To be honest, the language wasn’t really a concern when I was choosing the location for my DTS. Growing up in Switzerland, I had learned English in school – not that I was really good at it – and after my apprenticeship, I went to a language course in London, England to
improve my knowledge or lack of it. That’s when I really started to love English. A couple of years later, I arrived in New Zealand. I realized pretty quickly that, while my understanding was decent, I often had a hard time finding the right words and would need to stop mid-
sentence. As a perfectionist, that was pretty annoying but since most of the people around me didn’t speak German, I didn’t have a choice but to try and make mistakes to learn and improve. The people were amazing, most of them were so willing helping to find the right words or were just really patient letting me work it out. A couple of friends I had asked to actually correct when I made grammatical mistakes, so while the Lord was working on my heart, healing wounds and redefining my identity, I also improved in my English.
Something else I realized as soon as lectures started was that my christian- / church English was lacking. I mean I never really needed those expressions and I sometimes didn’t get it. I needed to learn to ask for help for people to explain what these words meant or I had to look them up. Again, people were so willing to help and explain meanings, so it was not at all frightening or worrying, I think having to speak a different language, having to ask and learning to make mistakes was something that was part of my DTS experience. The patience people had towards me and the way they were willing to support revealed a part of God’s
heart for us. That he is patient for us to learn and to teach us…
Something that I really recommend that helped me getting into the language quicker was reading the Bible in English. It not only helped get the vocabulary faster, but I ultimately rediscovered the Bible. Because I had to read intently not skipping words or sentences as we
do when we know a language really well. The “new” way of saying something touched my heart in new ways. And I had to look up words again and again, the meaning of them. I questioned more why these words were used for that context, I was more aware of what I was reading. This is something that stuck with me, today I keep looking up the meaning of words – just in their original language. I keep asking myself why the author chose these words and what they wanted to emphasize with them. But I also keep trying to read the Bible as if it was
my first time, to not lose the wonder of it and to cherish the small discoveries.
It was a beautiful journey to do my DTS in another language, it had its challenges for sure, but I would do it this way all over again.
“Last year I decided to seek after God wholeheartedly and applied for the Pilgrimage DTS. Going on this journey (physically and spiritually) has been life-changing! Instead of wandering on my own, I am now following the Almighty God. I have rediscovered a personal and intimate relationship with my Creator!”
Tim Stallard, 26, Switzerland
“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
“Prayer and Passion completely changed my outlook on the true power that prayer has. It had always been something that I knew worked and I did, but it was boring. Being a part of this stream gave me new understanding of how prayer is worship and fuels the power of heaven connecting with earth. It will move you to a place of praying out of your relationship with the Lord rather than giving him a list of things you want. You will gain a newfound intimacy with God as your prayer life is propelled.”
Tilly Logan, 21, Australia
“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
“At the beginning of the DTS I did not believe in the power of prayer neither did I believe that God even heard my prayers. By the end of it I had no doubt in my mind at all that we have a Father in heaven who always bends His ear to us when we speak and that when we pray in the name of Jesus miracles will be birthed by our words and God’s power.”
Calvin Joubert, 20, South Africa
“The GoPac Stream challenged me to broaden my view for the people around me, to step out of my comfort zone, and to expand the love that God has put inside of my heart, to love Him and others more.”
Alex Ronsdorf, 24, Germany
“Through prayer and passion stream, I was able to see how prayer could be a place of so much intimacy with God. Finding my secret place with Him allowed me to fall in love again with His beauty and goodness. At the same time, God revealed to me the secrets of His heart- how He saw me and how He saw the world. It’s such a privilege to know that there’s a big God up there who trust us and partners with us to bring the kingdom of heaven down on to earth through our prayers!!! And never once did He let me down.”
Jesse Chua, 22, Singapore
“Before coming to DTS I had a fixed view on what it meant to be a follower of God. Being on the Wild Heart Stream completely demolished every box I put God in and taught me to have reverence for the Lord. I learned that God doesn’t want a slave, he wants a best friend, a daughter and a relationship.”
Jessica Bryant, 19, England
“Before DBS the Bible was a bit overwhelming to me and I wasn’t sure if I was capable of receiving understanding for myself; especially when it comes to the hard questions or more complex passages. After DBS, that questioning was stripped away and my relationship with my Heavenly Father has gone deeper than ever before.
DBS taught me how to see the Father heart of God. I learned to see God’s justice, faithfulness, and consistency from Genesis to Revelation. My life and relationship with Jesus will never be the same. When I read God’s Word it speaks loudly to me in full color. I cannot get enough of my Father’s words!! DBS equipped me to search out the scriptures for myself and empower me to share what I’ve learned with those around me. DBS was the sweetest time of my entire life.”
Amy Hulehan, 26, USA
“Before I attended my DTS, I believed that justice was an act of revenge. I had hate toward the perpetrators and love toward the victims. Being apart of the Justice Movement Stream has shown me the Father’s heart of justice, which actually demonstrates the endless love of the Father for both the victim and the perpetrator. Through this I learned that we should also carry that same love and forgiveness in our hearts.”
Savannah Mantel,18, California, USA