Sunday, April 5, 2015

Pictures with friends Winter 2015

Pictures of Family visits Winter 2015


Easter 2015 Update

Dear  Family and Friends,

Happy Easter!  He is Risen Indeed!  In Kona we started the day with a 4.4 earthquake! Then we had a beautiful community sunrise service at 6 a.m.  

I returned to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii a week ago.  I had a wonderful time visiting family and friends on the mainland with stops in Eugene OR, Portland OR, Olympia WA, Seattle WA, Reno NV, and Redding CA,  followed by 9 days on Oahu.  God provided elements of physical, emotional and spiritual healing at every stop.  I truly feel refreshed and restored.  One breakthrough came at Bethel Church in Redding.  During worship we sang You’re a Good Good Father.  One of the lines is “You are perfect in all of your ways.”  I struggled with that line saying to God:  “Really God, that experience I went through loosing Aaron and the Hawaii Aloha, as well as the physical injuries I received, did not seem very perfect.”  God showed me the good things that have come out of that loss and He continues to bring blessings every day.  Two ships have been donated and two PartnerShips are preparing to depart for missions next week.  You can read about those vessels at www.ywamships.net.

I am running Fleet Support for now.  This is a big job providing shore support and administration for the two new ships and the two partnerships. 

I’m still praying and waiting on the Lord for my long term ministry plans with YWAM Ships.  My short term plans include returning to Washington State to help with the West Coast Tour in June, spending time with my daughter Sabeth for the birth of her third daughter, and meeting my son Remy’s daughter.   Remy was able to see his daughter for the first time in ten years on Good Friday.   Take a look at their picture posted on my blog.  They look so much alike.  I hope to get to Townsville Australia for Fleet Support training in August and the YWAM Global gathering in September.  I will be leading the School of Navigation and Seamanship (SONS) again Fall Quarter.

As I enter this new season in my life I am grateful for the many lessons I have learned.  I have a whole new understanding of the depth and breadth of God’s love for me.  God has poured out his love through so many people.  My prayer is that you will experience God’s love for yourself.  When we lost the Hawaii Aloha, I lost all of my personal belongings as well.  Now, I understand it was “just stuff” and most of it does not need to be replaced.  Most importantly, LIFE IS SHORT!  Way to short to hold on to un-forgiveness in any area of life.  I pray that God will bring restoration and renewal to your relationships.

I am also excited for all that God has for me in this new season.  Although I will not be returning to Micronesia in the near future, I am able to provide support for even more outreach teams to the most remote Islands in Micronesia.  All of us in Youth With a Mission (YWAM) raise our own support.  If you would like to partner with me to bring God’s Love to these remote Islands, please to go the “How to Give” tab on my Blog  www.sailorann.blogspot.com
Thank you for all of your prayers and support.
Aloha,
Captain Ann










First 2015 Update

March 1 2015

Dear Friends and Family,

I have a lot of catching up to do.  I have had a very challenging season.  On January 3, 2015 while underway near the West Coast of Hawaii Island, the Hawaii Aloha was hit by a rogue wave and capsized.  Four of us were able to get into the life raft and were later rescued.   Our dear friend and crewmember Aaron Bremner was never found.  The ship rolled over completely two times before we were able to get into the life raft.  We think it rolled at least one more time before it washed up on a beach near the Four Seasons Resort.  It was a total loss.

I was seriously banged up and bruised, but no broken bones.  I had one big laceration on the side of my knee, which became infected and landed me back in the hospital for four days after my initial discharge from the Emergency Room. 

I am so thankful for all of the prayers and words of encouragement I received.  I have never experienced anything like that, both in the tragic loss and the outpouring of love and support.  Recovery has been slow, but steady.  When I was in the life raft, I kept thinking,  “I want to see my family.  I want to be with my kids.”   I spent ten days in Eugene Oregon with my daughter and her family.  My granddaughters bring so much joy!  I am on my way now to visit my brother, my son and more friends.

 YWAM Ships Kona truly gave me the love and protection of a family.  You can read more about what happened and see many of the wonderful tributes to Aaron at www.ywamships.net .  We are moving forward and I believe we will have even more ships.  We had an amazing year in 2014 bringing hope to some of the remote islands in Micronesia.  There are so many more people to reach. For the short term I will be working with Fleet Support, helping to put more systems in place to be prepared for our new ships. 

I will get more photos and stories from the School of Navigation and Seamanship posted on my blog www.sailorann.blogspot.com.  Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for the crew and YWAM Ships.  I would love to hear from you.
Aloha,
Captain Ann