Overview since we have been here

The first opportunity we had as a team right away was the first Sunday we were here. We were blessed to be involved in the morning service at Horizon Honolulu. It was an amazing time of the women sharing their testimonies and the men giving teachings. Kelly and Angelique connected with a lot of the women through the power of their testimonies and Robbie, Jordan, and Derek were chosen to fill us with encouragement from the Word. Not only were we so blessed in the morning, but later that night we had sweet fellowship with one another. The guys went and had some alone time together, while the girls stayed at home and got deep with each other. Their were so many walls that had been built up that were broken down, trust was built and there was an abundance of love. One of the ladies was able to share her life testimony for the first time and afterwards was able to be loved on by the rest of the ladies.

All day Monday we had the pleasure of spending sweet fellowship with one another by traveling around the island of Oahu, and getting to experience the beauty of our creator. One of the members of our team had stated that this was the first time just being able to sit and enjoy the company of people. To say the least God continued to heal wounds in the hearts of each member and bind all of our hearts together.

Tuesday we were even more blessed to be able to connect with Calvary Chapel Honolulu and minister to the homeless in Waimanalo at their weekly outreach called "Loaves and Fishes". One of the leaders of our practicum, Jordan, was able to reconnect with a friend, whose name is Levina, from his previous practicum trip last semester. It was so amazing to see how joyful she was to see him. At the outreach, Lindsay and Kelly were able to give their testimonies, Robbie gave a short teaching, and we were able to reach the people through an amazing drama about Gods willingness to fight for us even in the depths of our despair. Afterwards we were able to serve the people of the beach a delicious dinner while fellowshiping with them and handing out care packages provided by dovetail ministries. One of the ladies, Dawn, sat and had an meaningful conversation with one of the girls at the beach. She was able to minister to her by just simply connecting with her and building a relationship founded on love and not judgement

On Wednesday afternoon we had the blessing to serve the pastors of Calvary Chapel Honolulu who we had served with previously at loaves and fishes. Once we were done many of us came back and commented on how we recognized that we weren’t just cleaning a building but the Lords house. Later that night Francis and Patti invited us over for dinner and prayer for the Jesus Loves You (Wainai). The Holy Spirit showed up and moved in a mighty way. God spoke through Francis and he was able to guide us into the throne room of God and lift our prayers up as a sweet aroma to the Lord for favor over the next couple of days as we went out and served the community and the up coming outreach of Jesus Loves You.

Thursday our team joined together with Surfing the Nations, which is a ministry that incorporates surfing as a way to open the door into places where the gospel is not accepted. We were able to serve along side of them at their weekly outreach where they supply spiritual and physical needs such as prayer and free food given by the food bank. We had the opportunity to interact with them in a one on one basis where Amanda had the privilege of leading one of the girls there to the Lord. She was also able to present the girl with a bible with some of her favorite verses highlighted. God is doing a great work which involve feeding the hungry, weekly bible studies and the numerous outreaches that we get the privilege of partaking in.

Friday we had the opportunity to pick up a missionary from the airport and be engaged while she shared about the ministry the Lord formed for her from scratch called "Rock Ministry" (http://www.rockministries.org/index.cfm). Lindsay, one of the girls on our team, was compassionately moved towards the ministry after talking with her about the hurts and the pains that the children were going through.

Monday night we traveled to Waikiki to do one on one evangelism. We had four groups throughout the city interacting with the diversity of people. One case was with Amanda, Sam, and Cayla in a local coffee shop

We went to Loaves and Fishes again Tuesday night was engaged in our relationships that we had formed the previous Tuesday. There were testimonies from the Montebello group and a teaching from the CCH pastor. Many of the people their that attend the loaves and fishes ministry commented that they feel very welcome that they don’t feel judged and that the bible is easy to understand because of the environment.

Wednesday we once again had the blessing to meet up with the those at the church at CCH and serve them to the best of our ability as unto the Lord. It was really a sweet time of sharing with each other about our testimonies of where the Lord has taken us and where we are now. Once we had finished we headed off to the prayer night with the Montebello team, and Francis for Jesus Loves You Wainai. While we were there we were encouraged to hear some testimonies from the Montebello team, that they had led three people to the Lord while in the bathroom, one while they were in Walmart, and then were able to hear from Francis that all the money that was needed for Jesus Loves You Wainne.

Getting to know the team!

"My name is Sam Jacobs and I have been a team member at the Horizon School of Evangelism since fall 2006. I have been involved with the school since the Fall of 2005. I came to the school after being in Grossmont College and before that I was in the Marine Corps for four years. I have had the call to be a pastor since my first year in the Marines and knew that when I had left the Corps this would be the direction that I would pursue. Throughout the time here God has blessed me with the opportunity to serve Him at a Festival of Life in Chiapas, Mexico, a similar festival called Loud and Clear in South Korea, and to go to several places in India where I was privileged to preach the gospel to unreached villages of which had never heard the gospel. The amazing opportunities that I have been honored with has come from the blessing of knowing Jesus Christ. He saved me when I was sixteen and alone in a military family, restored my relationship with my family while enlisted in the Marine Corps, and has guided me into marvelous opportunity after marvelous opportunity."


"My name is Amanda Selman and I moved out to San Diego from a small town in Texas for the sole purpose of attending the Horizon School of Evangelism. I accepted the Lord at age 11, but through being a Young Life leader in college my relationship with the Lord truly came ALIVE. I have a double major in Spanish and Speech and I was a high school teacher and coach for one year before I decided to commit my entire life and career to full time ministry – that is when I moved out to San Diego to go to HSE. Through the school God has radically transformed my life, and my priorities. Upon graduation in spring 2006, I was invited onto the Leadership Team at HSE, and am serving here still as a leader for the HSE2 students. Through my time at here I have had the opportunities of leading teams to Mexico, Poland, South Korea for a Loud and Clear Festival, and Chiapas, Mexico for a Festival of Life. I have seen lives changed, hearts healed, and students experience God like never before. I desire to see people reach their full potential, and it is such a blessing to be a part of the great work God is doing here."


"Hi, my name is Jordan Valverde & I am a second semester student at the School of Evangelism. God has opened up such an incredible opportunity to go to Hawaii and serve the people of Oahu and Molokai. This will be my second time going to these islands. As a prat of the curriculum for the School of Evangelism. One thing I know is that God is always gracious and so faithful. I am looking forward to sharing the love of Christ to the lost and encountering God in a life changing way coporately as a team. My prayer for our trip is to simply glorify God in all that He has opened up to us. I am absolutly thankful to be apart of the Lord's work in Hawaii."


"Hi my name is Lindsay and I am in the second semester of the horizon school of evangelism. God has used the Horizon School of evangelism to completely revolutionlized my life. I had the privileged to grow up in a Christian home, go to Christian schools, and went to church on a regular basis. So I thought I had a pretty complete and sure picture of what God thought of me. I had always been told that God sent his one and only son to die on the cross to die for you sins, so that we wouldn't have to spend eternity in hell but in heaven. But somewhere down the road it began to be something that I heard daily without much power behind it. Ever since the Lord has brought me to the Horizon School of Evangelism, He has complete captivated me in a way that I didn't think was possible. I have begun to experience an all loving compassionate God, that I had no Idea existed. He has given me a whole new picture of what love is. One that truly does lay down his life for his friends, and reaches out to the brokenhearted. And God has given me a deep passion to love those who haven't experienced this extravagant love of God. And am eager to share this with the people of Hawaii"


"Hi, my name is Robbie Lester and I am currently a student at HSE1. God is good. He has been putting up with me for quite some time now, and continues to pour out His grace. I'm on this trip because of His grace and His promise to complete in me the good work which He has begun. I didn't think I was going to HSE this semester until the call came on the first day of vision week. My intention was to drop my wife, Kelly, off at school and head on to work, but I was drawn into staying by the promise of His presence and an opportunity to worship Him-Icouldn't resist. Two hours into the day I attempted to leave, but as Isat at the stop light leaving the school I was gently drawn back by His Spirit. Through the school, He is teaching Kelly and me many things, but mostly, to trust and be absolutely dependent on Him. It's a hard lesson, but my prayer is that in this vulnerable state He will mold us into something that brings people into His kingdom and glory to His name. Please pray for us as we attempt to carry out His heavenly mission in Hawaii."


"Hello, My name is Brittney Grimes and I am also a student in HSE1. I came to HSE, after talking to a couple of people I know who went there. I went to Calvary Chapel Bible College, straight out of highschool. After I graduated I decided I wanted to further my knowledge, and put all of the things I learned into practical use, which is why I decided that coming to HSE was definitely the place where God wanted me to be at. God has been so faithful and loving to me, He has showed himself faithful time and time again, and He has never let me down. He is doing so much in my life, He is growing me closer and closer to Him by just loving on me, and in return I cant help but love back on him by loving others. I have a heart for children's ministry. Coming to HSE, and really getting into all of the practical ministering opportunities has helped me get more comfortable, and feel a ease talking to anyone. Iam a real talkative person already, but having that knowledge and using that all together, and telling others about God, Is what I love to do, and here at this school, I have been able to really do that."


"Hello, my name is Angelique and I am currently a student at the Horizon School of Evangelism, semester 2. It is amazing to see God's hand at work in the deliberate selection of "Team Hawaii". While the team leaders prayed for direction on which students would be on what teams, they were ingnorant to the fact that I was born in Hawaii and lived in Waianae for the majority of my childhood. I am excited to be part of the Jesus Loves You Festival -- Waianae festival and look forward to bringing the hope of Jesus Christ to the homeless of Waianae through the testamony God has blessed me with!"


"Hi everyone! My name is Cayla Riedel and I am currently a student in HSE1. God is teaching me so much in this time of my life. I have come so far in my perspective of God. It was about 3 years ago, when my brother was killed over in Iraq. I remember being so numb to everyone and everything. I had to be strong for my family because in my mind they needed me and if I wasn't strong everyone would fall apart. This was such an extreme event in my life and really the final straw that drew me to embrace God in all His goodness. He has been my sorce of ultimate comfort and peace throughout these trying years since then. He has blessed me with the ministry of families and siblings who have also lost someone to the war, and just a deeper understanding of His heart for this world. I am totally pumped to be going over to Hawaii because it has so many military bases and I am anxious to see where God leads me and the divine apointments He has in store for me. God is so good, so gracious, but above all, so B-E-A-utiful; and what better place to see all His glory than in Hawaii!!!"