Pismo Beach, California
Monday, August 22, 2011
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Iris Reunion and Conference
After Jonas and I returned from Japan, we hit the ground running once we got back to the U.S. as we packed into our little Honda Civic and drove down to Pismo Beach, California to attend the "i61 Mandate" Iris reunion and the "Compelled By Love" conference.
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At the Iris reunion we were able to connect with alumni who have graduated from the Iris Harvest School for Missions in Pemba, Mozambique. We were in HS11 and were able to reunite with our fellow classmates, most of whom we haven't seen for almost two years, which was so much fun! I believe that there were alumni represented from every Holy Given or Harvest School, from HG1 to HS14. We all worshipped together, and heard from Heidi and Rolland Baker, Mel Tari, Supresa Sithole and from Juanita Vinson, who is Heidi's spiritual mom. It is truly amazing how God has honored us to be numbered with so many amazing world-shaking history-makers. One morning Heidi asked me to join a panel up front along with Steve and Cassandra Soars, Lyle Phillips, Cassandra Bassnet, Yonnie Cheng, Mark Perry, Juanita Vinson and Jake Hamilton. Heidi said that each of us had been given keys as world changers and proceeded to ask us questions based on Isaiah 61. I felt a bit unworthy to be counted among such greats, but honored at the same time. We also had a time where these same Iris missionaries shared about what god is doing in their midst around the world, from Pismo Beach, to Democratic Republic of Congo. Yonnie, Naomi and I, along with our other team mates who have been running with us shared on Iris Thailand and Iris Relief. One of the purposes of sharing was to let the Harvest School alumni know that there are opportunities for them worldwide to become engaged in. What a great time! I think there were at least 130 Iris alumni in attendance.
Iris alumni getting wrecked in God's presence at the i61 Mandate reunion
Heidi asks Christian to join a panel of other Iris missionaries
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The conference was amazing as well. there were always extended times of worship and ministry as we heard from Heidi Baker, Mel tari and the others. On the first evening of the conference, I fond myself laid out on the floor, a little distance away from the huge crowd up front during the worship time. God took me up into visions of the throne room in heaven and for the first time in my life I experienced what felt as rain drops from heaven upon my hands and my face as I laid on my back. i can't even begin to describe in words the sense of God's tangible presence that I experienced that evening. I was so recklessly abandoned before Him, confessing my struggles and weaknesses. It was as though His latter rain was bringing me a time of refreshing after running so hard lately, and in preparation for the running that will take place as our teams leave for Latin America. It was also at the conference that I prayed the daring prayer of the remaining unreached 6,916 unreached people groups would become reached with the gospel in my lifetime. Let it be so, Lord! Our little mission team is small, but growing, and I truly believe that this dream will become reality as we stand in faith!
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Christian Young
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