School Leader
Julie Anna // 30 // Tennessee, USA
I consider it such a priviledge to serve on this “Around the World” DTS! I’m passionate about discipleship and how following Jesus radically changes our lives. This verse is now a theme for my life: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
Before joining YWAM I graduated from Lee University with a degree in Communications. I then went on to do graphic design for a couple of years. That was long enough for me to realize that I didn’t want to spend my life in a cubical wondering if there was more out there for me! I did this DTS in 2006 and it had a major impact on my life. So much so, I decided to start living by faith, become a missionary, and staff these around the world schools. I enjoy discovering new places, partnering with non-profits around the world, coffee, hiking, traveling, photography, wake-boarding, skiing, and simply living this amazing adventure with Jesus.
I have staffed 4 AW80 DTSs and am excited to lead this one in 2011. I never dreamed God was this good – here comes my 6th time around the world!
This next group is going to be an awesome one – I can feel it! God’s got such great plans and revelations for us in this time. Identities will be restored, dreams will be ignited, and most importantly the name of Jesus will be glorified around the world. Please, come and join us!
School Staff
Nelson // 37 // Illinois, USA
In 1996, I did a DTS in Kona, Hawaii and worked with 3 Discipleship Training Schools immediately after that. I staffed my first Around the World DTS and lead a team through Africa in 2010.
I was born and raised in the Chicago area but have since lived in Nashville, TN and Hawaii. I graduated from Anderson University (Indiana) with a BA in Psychology. My passions are travel and working with people. There’s nothing like seeing God turn someone on to something new!
On a semi-side note, I love vehicles and machines…driving…cars, trucks, boats, airplanes, anything that moves.
At the moment, I am only fluent in English with a little Spanish, but I like to think I have a passion for culture and would love to be immersed in one long enough to learn the language.
I love the Word of God; reading it, writing it down, talking about it-everything. I have yet to take YWAM’s School of Biblical Studies, but would love to someday.
I consider it a privilege to work with such a great group of folks on such an engaging endeavor as a YWAM Discipleship Training School. I believe DTS IS the DNA of YWAM and I am proud to be a part of it!
I am writing this in Kona, Hawaii as we gather to celebrate YWAM’s 50th year together! Awesome!
School Staff
Kim // 23 // Indiana, USA
My name is Kim Golden (otherwise known as “the golden child”), and I am 23 years old from the great state of INDIANA in the USA. I grew up in the midwest but have traveled around a lot and have lived quite a few places. My outlook on life has become: wherever my feet are planted, that is my home (which helps make the long nights in the sweltering heat of Southeast Asia way more bearable. Kind of.)
The quick version of my story: At 19, my life and the future were a bit fuzzy. I spent a summer in the middle east doing archaeology with my university and a guy I was working with told me about a YWAM school he did in Italy. It resonated in me for some reason and six months later, I was DTS and New Zealand bound. I rocked up to New Zealand with no idea about who I was or what it meant to follow Jesus. I had faith but there was no depth to it. In being surrounded by a community of people who loved me and allowed me to be where I was at, I felt the freedom to really pursue the heart of Jesus, work through the hard questions, and thus have a passion ignited in my heart for the kingdom and for sharing the HOPE that is within me.
Some would say I’m a bit of a free spirit and I tend to think that my life has to be scripted because the most ridiculous (in the best way possible) things seem to happen to me. (It’s quite Truman Show-esque.) It’s awesome. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t thank God for the redemption and restoration he’s brought to my life and for the JOY that I now walk with. I feel like my life has been given back to me and I am so, so grateful to be chasing after the heart of a God who gives us life to the full.
My anthem for 2011 is this: “I want to be one who breathes fresh breath into starved lungs. I want to be defiantly hopeful.” And my fave scripture at the moment is: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul – firm and secure.” – Hebrews 6:19. Legit.
(One other thing – here’s a shout out to my lil 2nd grade BFF back in Indiana – Caroline! You are awesome!!!! Keep whoopin’ it in Mario.)
School Staff
Kari // 21 // British Columbia, CAN
My name is Kari. I was born an raised in the most beautiful place on earth, that is, Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. I graduated from the Around The World in 80 Days DTS in 2009 with the Outreach to Africa and Asia. God dramatically altered my life during my DTS and called me to the Nations, starting my journey with coming back here to YWAM Oxford and I have been with the base ever since. I have a huge passion to live life to the fullest with God in being his beloved daughter, seeking after Him, and letting nothing get in the way of my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I love reaching out the lost and telling them how important they are, giving them back their identity in Christ.
I enjoy travelling and discovering new cultures, singing, cooking, painting, foreign clothes, and being completely spontaneous and silly! I am living the extraordinary life that God has planned for me and am looking forward to bringing others on the same adventure.
A few Life Verses: Psalm 139, Isaiah 41:9-10
School Staff
Joseph // 27 // Pennsylvania, USA
The best way to sum up my life is that I am a man with a big heart for God, traveling, adventure, and freedom in Christ. I love snowboarding, attempting to surf, driving anything with an engine, and photography. I love feeling how small I am compared to how epic God is, and meeting people around the world who can relate to home because it makes the world seem smaller and smaller each time. My heart and satisfaction in life is to see people set free and come to live in the full potential that God intended for them.
Born and raised just west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I grew up going to church most of my life but didn’t really know what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus.In 2005, I went to Mexico for two weeks with Mission Adventures and it is there that I can say God truly found me and I found my heart’s desire. I spent the next 5 years praying into the calling God had placed on my heart and in 2007, went on another mission trip, spending 2 weeks in Guatemala. Finally hearing Papa’s call to GO, I came to Oxford in 2010 and did the AW80 DTS, spreading the love through Africa and Asia.
My life verse for the last year has been John 10:10 which says, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” I am eagerly awaiting all the LIFE that God has for the upcoming Around the World DTS and everything He is going to do in this school!
School Staff
Grace // 31 // Texas, USA
Adventure is her middle name! When Grace is not working in the concrete jungles of the hospital or the clinic, she is outdoors. Her mission adventures began in Liberia, West Africa aboard the Mercy Ship as a recovery room nurse and she has had the heart for missions since. Medicine and missions are embedded in her DNA. Her passion is being God’s instrument of love, compassion, and care.
She completed the Around the World DTS in 2009 with outreach to the Middle East. Last year she co-led a team to Africa and boy oh boy God do amazing stuff through them! She is crazy about mangoes! She declares that when God made mangoes, He was thinking of her.
Grace lives in San Antonio, Texas but calls Baguio City, Philippines home. She’s psyched about the upcoming school and cannot wait to see God move and transform lives.
Her favorite quote is: “He isn’t safe, but He’s good.” - C.S. Lewis.
School Staff
Kadi // 23 // Arizona, USA
Hey all. My name is Kadi and I am passionate about life, and knowing The One who gave me that life.
I come from the hot and sunny land of Tucson, Arizona, and truly believe that I live in the most beautiful place in the world. I enjoy painting and the arts, coffee, laughing, old black and white movies, the strange beauty of the desert, traveling, bon fires with friends, and the smell of sugar cookies on Christmas morning…to name a few.
I did my DTS as a student back in 2009, and had the amazing opportunity to do outreach in South America. I had a most Awesome time, and decided to come back and commit two years to staffing the AW80. Last year I co-lead a team through Africa, and now I am back for another round. My heart is so for the students of this school, and I’m looking forward to the awesome plans God has for this year!
Fantastic verse: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1
School Staff
Dave // 23 // Alberta, CAN
I don’t think I could imagine a better way to be spending life at 23 years old. 3 years ago I was working a job with no vision, no plan, and no idea what my future looked like. Before that I had spent 3 years at bible college before dropping out and having no clue where I was headed. I had grown up in a christian home surrounded by a great family and solid church community,I knew that God was real and alive, and wanted to have a relationship with me, but I had no clue how to get there, or what that looked like. So during Christmas of 2008 God put it on my heart to get out of Calgary, my home city. So I decided it was time to leave and in the process find the relationship with God that I knew I had been missing.
I went online and found the very website that you are on right now, found the Around the World in 80 Days DTS, worked for over a year to save the money for the school, and in February of 2010 I flew to New Zealand to do the school. I went knowing that I needed drastic change in my life and that I was tired of living the way that I was. I knew that God would change me on the journey, but I could not have possibly imagined how significant that change would be.
Needless to say I’m back in New Zealand doing staff training and trying to get my head around the fact that the next two years of my life will be spent living as a missionary, pouring into the lives of the students that come to do the AW80 school, and have them pour back into mine. My journey has only begun, through the process of DTS God gave me everything that I was missing in my life before. A deep and alive relationship with him most importantly, but also a purpose and a plan for the next few years of my life.
I am blessed to have an amazing and supportive family behind me in all of this, I was lucky enough to be home when my niece was born and to see her grow for the first four months of her amazing life, I’m praying my growth is something like hers, beautiful and guided by God every step of the way.
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5
