We recently had the incredible opportunity to take the whole family on a memorable trip to Australia and New Zealand. It was a time to reconnect as a family of five and seek out new partnerships for ministry and outreach. With Titus heading off to college soon, this trip felt especially meaningful, knowing it could be one of our last big adventures together for a while. So, when we stumbled upon affordable tickets, we couldn’t resist—off we went!
With our bags packed for a winter adventure Down Under, we set off on a 10-11 hour flight from Hawaii to Sydney. Not too bad if you ask me! For Emily and me, Sydney and southeast Australia holds a special place in our hearts, as we spent time there on outreach almost 20 years ago. It was such a joy to show the kids around, pointing out all the things that had changed and marveling at what had stayed the same. One highlight was definitely the Blue Mountains, which quickly became a family favorite—such a stunning and peaceful place to explore together.
Our first connection was the YWAM campus in Newcastle, where we met David Stephenson, who’s been leading the base since 1996. It’s clear God has been doing some incredible work there, even though they’ve faced challenges—like so many others—due to COVID. Before the pandemic, they had a bustling staff of about 150 people, but now, their team is down to around 15. Despite the smaller numbers, their hearts are as big as ever, focusing on loving refugees in Newcastle, ministering to youth, and supporting Ukraine and the Pacific Islands. It was inspiring to connect with them, offer encouragement, and dream about how we might collaborate on Kingdom work. If you’ve ever thought about serving with YWAM, Newcastle is an amazing place to consider!
After Newcastle, we hopped on a short flight to New Zealand to reconnect with our Kiwi friends. Stepping onto the Matamata campus was like stepping back in time for us—it’s where Emily and I did our Discipleship Training School as a young married couple. Our dear friends Mas and Karlyn, who were dating back then, are now the base leaders, and it was such a blessing to see them with their beautiful family. The family ministry there played a huge role in our decision to leave the comforts of home a few years ago and embark on our own mission as a family. It was heartwarming to reconnect, and we’re excited to explore how we can partner together in the future. I’m actually working on a video about the amazing work happening at the Matamata campus—stay tuned!
One more incredible connection we made was with YWAM Furnace in Tauranga, on New Zealand’s coast. This campus is alive with energy and purpose, particularly in their ship ministry, which provides mercy missions to islands around Fiji. They’re focused on offering dental, vision, and basic healthcare to remote areas that desperately need medical attention. Right now, their biggest needs are for nurses, practitioners, and media people, so we immediately saw opportunities to partner. While we were there, we even got to help load up the ship with supplies for their next outreach in Fiji—it was such a cool experience! If you want a glimpse into what these outreaches look like, check out this video I made about it.