Thursday, January 29, 2015

UNITED STATES - MEXICO 2015 - Bay Area International Ministry: Golden Gate Fields

Berkeley, California
Thursday, January 29, 2015
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Bay Area International Ministry - MEXICO
Jesse Reddoch, Ben Cuyler and I had the opportunity to support our dear brother Rob who faithfully ministers as the chaplain at the Golden Gate Fields Horse Racing Track where 300 people live and work, of which 95% are Hispanic. We were able to encourage an awesome brother named Juan fro Mexico who also works and ministers among the Latino community. Rob took us on a tour of Golden Gate Fields where he has worked for 30 years. In his office, we were able to pray for Rob and for those living and working at the race track. We asked if Rob could make a list of volunteer needs for us so that we can rally support for him from our local church so that others can come alongside of him to minister to the Hispanic community there. I hope that we will be able to go at times to pray for and minister to the Latino community living there as well. Please pray for Rob and for the international community at the Golden Gate Fields.
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Christian Young


 Trainers working with race horses in the morning


Stables for horses and housing for workers


Stables for horses and housing for workers


Mural painted by the workers in the recreation center


 Rob in the chaplain's office

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

UNITED STATES - SWEDEN 2015 - Bay Area International Ministry: Mount Diablo Summit

Concord, California
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
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Bay Area International Ministry - SWEDEN
Yesterday I decided to take a day to fast and pray and felt led to drive to to the top of Mt. Diablo (which we are renaming Mt.Zion) as it overlooks the entire Bay Area. On my way through the gate I met a man named *Tom from Sweden. He is a geologist who has traveled across the world for work. I was able to share with him that I also traveled around the world as a missionary, mainly working among indigenous populations and especially among the poor. We chatted for quite a while actually, even about the recent terrorist attack in France and how so many atrocities have been done in the name of religion. I then proceeded up the mountain to pray.
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While at the top of Mt. Diablo I prayed for a great outpouring over the Bay Area by city. I prayed that every home in the Bay Area, every man, woman and child would hear and respond to the gospel of Christ's love. I also spent time praying for our church in Richmond as we believe that a great revival marked by God's grace is taking place there. Inside the visitor's center there is all kinds of information about Mt. Diablo and about the first nations Miwok people along with 25 other Native American tribes, so I also prayed for all of the first nations people. The summit of Mt. Diablo is also located inside the visitor's center so I stood on it and declared Jesus as King and for His rule and reign to be ushered into the Bay Area.

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My thoughts also went to *Tom who I had met at the entry gate on my way up the mountain. I felt led by the Lord to tell him how much Jesus loves him and that He is communicating to him in this season of life. So I was faithful to what I had felt the Lord leading me to tell *Tom once I returned down the mountain. He listened to me as I told him. I am not sure what *Tom believes, but I felt thankful that the Lord would allow me to relay His message of love to him.
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Christian Young
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* Names have been modified in order to protect their privacy and anonymity





Saturday, January 10, 2015

UNITED STATES - POLAND 2015 - Bay Area International Ministry: Oak Grove Park

Concord, California
Saturday, January 10, 2015
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Bay Area International Ministry - POLAND
At Oak Grove Park we overheard a group of ladies speaking Polish as they were sitting on a bench and watching their children play. I asked them if they spoke Polish in their language. A bit shocked, they responded in their language that they were indeed speaking Polish. Come to find out they were all relatives originally from a border town in Poland near Germany. I was able to share with them that I had been a missionary in Poland, working with social orphans in Piotrkow-Trybunalski. They have a friend who lives in that city. We conversed for a while about many things such as family and religion. They are Catholic which is no surprise as most of Poland is Catholicity. I guess there is a Polish language class that is offered at the Catholic church in Pleasant Hill. It was neat to once again shine the light of Christ among the people of Poland. We hope that Papa God connects us with even more Poles locally.
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Christian Young

UNITED STATES - JAPAN 2015 - Bay Area International Ministry: Oak Grove Park

Concord, California
Saturday, January 10, 2015
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Bay Area International Ministry - JAPAN
We are being intentional in reaching out to the international community locally in the Bay Area. We decided to take a trip to Oak Grove Park together to look for opportunities to connect with those from other nations who have come to live here. We took our dog, Beemo with us so that he could run around at the park. As we were playing in the field with Beemo, a Japanese lady was walking her pet Chihuahua named Tashi. The dogs had fun playing with each other and we were able to talk to the lady a bit. She told us she was originally from Tokyo and had been living in America for a while. At the end of our conversation I was able to tell her that Jesus loves her in her language. Although that was all we were able to share with her, you never know what impact the truth of those words may have in someone's life.
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Christian Young

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

LATIN AMERICA 2015 - ??? - Revelation - Our New 1995 Toyota 4Runner

Central and South America
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
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ADDITION TO THE MISSIONARY VEHICLE FLEET: 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER "REVELATION"
I'm so thankful for all that God has done, and continues to do! God has recently blessed me in a huge way with my first vehicle that I have purchased myself: a 1995 Toyota 4Runner. I have been working a full-time job and have been avidly saving my paychecks for this particular vehicle for the past 6 months. When figuring out what I wanted for my first vehicle, I knew for sure I wanted a few different things: a small-midsize SUV, with 4x4 ability, and a V6 motor that had plenty of power, but also more economical than a V8. I also wanted something that was both safe and reliable, and preferably had somewhere close to 150,000 miles on it. The Toyota 4Runner fit the bill. My budget was also within the $3500-$4000 range. So when I nearly had the maximum amount of money I wanted to spend on the vehicle saved up, my dad and I began searching on Craigslist for a 4Runner, the same website where he found a great deal on his Chevy Suburban that he purchased nearly a year ago.



As we were searching, there were many ads we had to weed through. There were many 4Runners for sale within my price range, all with 250,000, sometimes even over 300,000 miles on them (which although I didn't want that many miles, goes to show their reliability)! It was beginning to look like I might have to consider another vehicle, when finally we came across an ad for a 1995 model with only 169,000 miles on it for $2000. It had a few dents in the rear, but everything was listed as being mechanically solid. It also was for sale locally, in the Concord area. So my dad and I called the seller up (his name was on the ad as Eddy) and met him the very same day. My dad and I both test drove it, to make sure everything was mechanically in good shape, and sure enough it was. We walked away only paying $2000 for the vehicle, which is amazing!! The only small hangup with the vehicle is that it has a salvaged title because of the slight rear end damage to the tailgate. Apparently the insurance company of the previous owner deemed that replacing the tailgate (even though it's fully functional) cost more than the trucks overall value. This is the reason I only paid $2000, as I had to pay extra to make sure it passed a brake and light inspection before getting it registered with the state. Eddy was very helpful, and while he was helping us take care of all the DMV paperwork my Dad and I were able to share with him that we're missionaries, taking care of the needy people all over the world and bringing them the Gospel. Not only was I purchasing a great vehicle, we were also able to minister the love of Jesus to the guy selling it to me! After replacing the front brake pads, and replacing the lenses for the front blinkers, as well as all the DMV fees, etc., all together I paid only $2800 for this vehicle, which is well under what I was expecting to spend. God is so good, and often blesses us far beyond our wildest imaginations!

I've named the vehicle Revelation for a few reasons. My dad purchased a 1997 Chevy Suburban nearly a year ago, and when he purchased it, he named it Genesis, as a symbol of the fresh beginning in his life back in the States for this season (although we will be making trips overseas), and also that we'll be able to bring people all over this country, Mexico and abroad the fresh life in Jesus that they've never known before. When I purchased my vehicle, I wanted to name my vehicle Revelation because together with my dad and his family, we want to bring the full Word of the Lord, from Genesis to Revelation, everywhere we go, especially into Mexico and Latin America. I also named it as a symbol, android a reminder to me, that everywhere I go in that vehicle, I want people to come to a revelation of Jesus through my life. As there is no other life to live, than to have Christ live in you, and to shine brightly for the world to see, so that they may come to a relationship with Him. I am planning with my dad, to caravan with our vehicles together into Mexico to bring one of the last remaining unreached tribes in Mexico (the Tepehuan people) the good news of Jesus' love! We also plan on hopefully taking the Gospel further into Central and even South America with these two vehicles.

And while I am where God has me at the moment, working a full time job at the local Chick-Fil-A, being involved in the worship ministry at our church, and going to community college this fall, this new (to me) 4Runner is a great vehicle to get myself from point A-B. Again, God has been so good to me and my family, and I can't wait for all the adventures that God is going to take me on in my calling to be a missionary to the nations, including the ones that He will be having me take in this 4Runner! Stay tuned to this blog, as there will be more blog posts with exciting stories about our missionary journeys to wherever the Holy Spirit takes us!

Jonas Young

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

UNITED STATES - I-RAN 2015 - Bay Area International Ministry: Buying a Car

Concord, California
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
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Bay Area International Ministry - I-RAN
It seems as though the Lord is bringing us into the lives of many Per-sians from I-ran here in the Bay Area. Today Cho Nas and I were able to share about the love of Jesus with *Ed who sold my son his first vehicle. *Ed is a Mus-lim and spoke to us about his faith in Al-lah as we were able to share with him that we are Christians and that we help people all around the world as missionaries and tell them about God. He was very open with us and actually admired what we are doing, and even chose to sell the vehicle to us over others who were also interested. We believe that a seed has been planted. Pray for us as we have exchanged numbers and will see him again this week to finish the paperwork for the vehicle that Cho Nas bought. We would like to share more about our faith with him.
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Christian Young
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* Names have been modified in order to protect their privacy and anonymity