Hey! Welcome to my latest life update.
It's been a while (like...four months??) since I've written an update, so I hope I'll remember all the important things. In this update, I'll share about the end of October DTS Outreach, completed in Tasmania, Australia. I'll go over the end of the October school as a whole. I'll also share my involvement in the January DTS, including DTS staffing, cooking, hospitality, and leading another outreach. I hope you enjoy this little snippet into my life!
Tasmania Outreach - February 4th - March 1st
On February 3rd, my team headed from Port Vila, Vanuatu, to Tasmania, Australia, for our remaining four weeks of outreach. We arrived at Hobart Airport and headed to Blue Lagoon (where we planned to stay for the next few days). We jumped into some practical serving for a wonderful lady who runs an equine program for kids with learning difficulties. We served practically for a few days, and also got the chance to go riding! I couldn't have been happier about getting to ride after almost two years.
Unfortunately, at the end of our second full day in Tasmania, we realized that almost everyone on the team felt sick. It was a combination of fever/flu, respiratory, and digestive symptoms. We could never nail down quite what it was, but we think it might have been a bug or something we picked up in Vanuatu during our time in the village. On top of the sickness, a student and I were battling pretty gross wound infections (we sought medical help and got prescribed antibiotics). One of my students was unlucky enough to not only get sick but also contract a kidney infection. The sickness and infection took our team out of commission for almost 2 weeks.
We stayed a few days at our first lodging and then moved to YWAM Tasmania to finish recovering. Due to the sickness and infection, we missed almost all of our ministry opportunities in Tasmania. Around the 20th of February, we were finally all back on our feet. We ended our outreach in Tasmania by serving some remote churches, and doing lots of painting, weeding, and cleaning! I was so blessed to return to some of the churches I had visited a year ago on my own DTS Outreach. I got to see the continued dedication, faithfulness, and patience of those who are serving the church of Tasmania full-time.
Our time in Tasmania felt brief, but I still saw God show up in each of the student's life, and in my own. Even though sickness changed almost half of our outreach, we saw God's power move in our weakness, and grow us together as a team.
[girls' night @ the end of outreach] [repairing an arena] [team picture]
End of October School
The team got back to New Zealand at the beginning of March and the school graduated on the 7th. It was a busy week, full of debriefing, unpacking, and saying goodbyes. Here are some pictures from graduation.
[me and Jacob] [the outreach team] [the staff team]
January DTS
In the week after the October school graduation, I took time off of base to rest and recover. I spent time seeking the Lord and allowing Him to move and speak to me about the most recent season. I had the space to grieve and let go of the October school, and prepare my heart for the next school I would be staffing. The Lord did a huge work in my heart surrounding leadership and what it looks like to rely on Him in my weakness. It's something that I've heard and know I need to do, but it takes quite a bit of practice. There were so many unexpected turns and times when I had to decide to do something out of my comfort zone. I saw that it took a step into the unknown to realize that God was in control. Most often, as humans, we want strength and knowledge before we step into something new. It took deciding to step out in weakness to realize that it was God who was sustaining me.
The month of March was spent in a few different roles around the base. I took on cooking a couple of dinners per week for the DTS and the DBS. I also hopped in a helped my darling friend Shali with a few hospitality roles so that she could take a much-needed break. I joined the January DTS staff team and began building relationships with the students as they walked through the crazy season of DTS! My biggest role was planning another 7-week outreach to Vanuatu and New Zealand. March was such a blur of business, but standout themes were moments of rest with Jacob, connecting with the students on my outreach team, and watching God do His thing in people's lives.
[picnic date] [team pictures] [a time of ministry around the cross]
That brings us to the end of this update. Thank you so much for partnering with me in prayer, financial support, and community. I love you all, and you are all in my prayers.
Fundraising Report
Thanks to the consistent generosity of my supporters and the faithfulness of God's word to provide for me, I was able to pay off ALL of the costs that surround going on outreach (which includes flights, accommodation, and food).
I have a few upcoming costs that I believe God will provide for. These include:
Staff Fees for June and July - $750 USD
Staff fees include room and board, laundry, wifi, and fuel.
Funding for US Trip - $1,000 USD
Jacob and I are coming to the US in August for around 5 weeks. We plan to be with family for around 3 weeks in Oregon and then head over to the East Coast for a few weddings, visiting family, and seeing friends. This time is our time to rest and recharge as we prepare for another season at Pacific Reach (formerly Marine Reach). We are trusting that God will provide for this trip, even though it's not officially a "missions trip". We are excited to share His love with all we encounter.
If you feel led to support me in any of these areas, you can choose the option that works best for you.
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Paypal
Sierra Adams
sc08adams@gmail.com
Check or Cash
Sierra Adams
1 Muddy Rd
Antelope OR, 97001
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