More Pictures from my Western Pacific Visits

From the top:  S/V Ruach view from the bow,  Bell on S/V Ruach, New YWAM Base just outside Port Moresby,  Woodworking container Built and shipped by YWAM Ships Norway loaded on the deck of the M/V YWAM Liberty in Port Moresby, girl receiving gift from Operation Christmas Child at Local Church in Port Moresby,  Team Spaghetti on the YWAM Liberty, YWAM Liberty crew, S/V Beatnik, Great Mercury Island, New Zealand,  Beatnik under sail rounding the Coromandel Peninsula, NZ,   Lauren and me at the waterfall on the Marine Reach base, Tauranga, NZ.

What do I do?

I sat down with my long time friend Nancy the other day while she was visiting extended family in Kona.

She had been with me since the beginning of my faith journey.  I clearly remember the day in 2005 when the small group from my local church prayed for me.  They gave me a picture of angels in the place of a figurehead on the bow of a sailboat.  Boy have I kept my angels busy.

Nancy asked “What do you do?”

My role with YWAM Ships has changed over the past 5 years.  It is all about “Transformation”

I am being transformed from a “git er done” taskmaster, to understanding that God brings about transformation through relationships.  Relationships are the main thing. That is why I travel- to build relationships.  In my travels this year I met a missionary from Wycliff.  His title is “Director for Strategic Relationships”.  I think that’s a good description of the Holy Spirit and how he works in my life.

In New Zealand, I was filling the role of Designated Person Ashore (DPA) for our medical ship the YWAM Liberty in Papua New Guinea. (and developing strategic relationships).

In Port Moresby while onboard the YWAM Liberty I served as Ship Manager, during  that time I had to face some of my own unresolved issues as I helped to resolve many conflicts in relationships.  I also built relationships with key people on board which helps me trouble shoot situations on board while in my current role of Fleet Support in Kona.

In Newcastle, Australia  I was able to catch up with the staff of YWAM Newcastle, debrief Katie, a student from the September 2018 SONS who was earning credit for field experience on the S/V Ruach, as well as make new friends who will surely fit into the YWAM Ships story in the future.

All the while developing, improving and expanding our School of Navigation and Seamanship, which you guessed it requires good communications and teamwork in relationships.

Theology of Vocation Sept 2017

 Theology of Vocation Sept 2017
U of N Workshop  San Jose, Costa Rica

A friend asked me to explain the Theology of Vocation in a “nutshell”.   In simplest terms: with God there is no separation between sacred and secular.  The Highest Calling for all Christians is our personal relationship with God.  

Maureen Menard summarizes Skye Jethani’s teaching like this:

The Highest Calling is communion with God the Father, through Jesus, by the Holy Spirit.  It is from this relationship alone we are to dray our value and significance.

The Common Calling is to live out the commands of Scripture.  All Christians are called to share the Gospel, to love our neighbor, to be generous, to show Compassion, and so on.

The Specific Calling is to respond to the particular leading of the Holy Spirit in each area of life.

This teaching has given me language to express the journey I have been on since “the Accident” on January 3, 2015, when we lost a crew member Aaron Bremner and the sailing vessel Hawaii Aloha.

That event was a restart for me.  Recovery was and still is a process.  The most important lesson I have learned is how much God loves me.  I often feel compelled by Holy Spirit to share my story, especially how if God loves me that much he loves you that much too.  No matter what you have done. 

My Specific Calling is to train Mariners.  While the skills are important, the most important thing I can do is encourage others to pursue their Highest Calling.

Costa Rica

David Hamilton teaching on The Story of God.

Below:

Costa Rican family

YWAM Founder Loren Cunningham blessing the Nations

Flag of Costa Rica

Dancers in the Welcoming ceremony

Grandkids

The grand kids came to visit our training vessel in Kona.

Zoe age 5

Althea  age 2

left to right:  Sophia age 31/2, Aletheia, Grandma Ann,  Zoe





Pictures from my visit to the family in Hilo.  I am so blessed that they live on the same Island!
My daughter Sabeth with Luke age 3 months.

Family moving my daughters family from Eugene Oregon to Hilo Hawaii.

These pictures are not in order.  I spent two weeks in Eugene taking care of the girls while Sabeth and Will packed.  Then we had a two day road trip to Los Angeles with one over night in Sacramento.  Will drove the family van with all of kids (four car seats).  I drove a rental car with all of the luggage.

We had one full day in Disneyland, shipped the van from Long Beach to Hilo, then the seven of us flew non stop from LAX to Hilo.

Blueberry picking in Oregon.  Yum!




This picture was taken at 3:45 a.m. on departure day from Oregon, just before we loaded the girls into the van.  They were great travelers!


Playing with Bobbles in Hilo.