YWAM Kona

In the fall of 2024, I attended YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Kona, Hawaii, where I completed a DTS (Discipleship Training School). Those were some of the best months of my life, and I will never, ever forget my time there.

I had just graduated high school and spent the entire summer working to save money for this opportunity. There was something so exciting about knowing I was about to step into an experience that would completely change my life. YWAM is an organization centered around missions, with the motto, “To Know God and Make Him Known.” That truly was the heartbeat of everything they did.

I was moving across the world to live in Hawaii, knowing absolutely no one. But I quickly realized I wasn't the only one stepping into the unknown.

As I boarded my first flight, I prayed that God would give me amazing friendships—godly friendships that would last long after DTS ended. During my first layover in Arizona, I noticed several people who were headed to the same DTS and on the same flight as me. It felt like such a blessing and a gift from God. The people I met on that flight became some of my closest friends. We bonded from the very beginning, knowing we were all about to embark on the same journey together. We had no idea what to expect, but we knew we had each other. Suddenly, I didn't feel so alone anymore.

When we arrived in Kona, YWAM staff picked us up and brought us to campus. Seeing hundreds of people arriving for the same purpose—to know God in a deeper way—was incredible. I met my roommates without realizing they would eventually feel like family.

Living with ten girls was definitely an adjustment. To be honest, I had never really had a large group of girlfriends before. Not only was I sharing a room with ten girls, but we also shared a kitchen with ten more. At first, it was overwhelming. Having to open up and connect with so many girls when I was used to being surrounded by guys was a big change for me.

But over time, I absolutely loved it.

I truly believe I had the best roommates ever. We came from all over the world, represented different cultures, and ranged in age, yet none of those differences mattered. We became family.

One of the greatest parts of my DTS experience was the friendships I built. I found people who loved me, encouraged me, and challenged me to grow closer to Jesus. Getting to experience Hawaii alongside them was a huge highlight. We crossed things off our bucket lists, explored beautiful places, and created memories I'll cherish forever.

One of my favorite parts of DTS, though, was actually my work duty.

Everyone at YWAM was assigned a work duty to help serve the campus. It was a practical way to honor the Lord through service, whether that meant landscaping, cleaning, or helping with meals. My assignment was working in the cafeteria.

I both loved it and hated it at times.

Most of my job was spent in the dish pit. It sounds gross—and honestly, sometimes it was—but it was also so much fun. I had the best team. We brought joy and laughter into everything we did. Even when we had to wake up before sunrise to help prepare meals for the campus, we chose to keep good attitudes and serve with joy.

What made it even better was that many of my closest friends were on my work-duty team. Having them there made the long days fly by.

My DTS had around 350 students, which is a large number for a YWAM DTS. Our school was called Fire and Fragrance and was divided into two main tracks: Youth Movement and Least Reached.

I was part of the Least Reached track, which focused on people groups and nations that have little or no access to the Gospel. Many of these communities follow other religions or have never heard the name of Jesus.

For the first three months of DTS, we spent our time in lectures, discipleship, and training. We learned how to share the Gospel, navigate culture shock, minister cross-culturally, and respect and honor other cultures. That last lesson was especially important.

After our first month, we finally learned where we would spend our outreach phase. We were about to spend the next three months reaching the lost, and the anticipation was overwhelming.

When I found out I was going to the Middle East, I was shocked.

It wasn't what I expected at all.

But it was exactly what I had been praying for.