Yabuki Breeze Blog

Here is the Final Tejas 2009 Summary Video

ISI Tejas 2009 Main Summary Video from Roy Yabuki on Vimeo

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Tags: Tejas, Video

(Check out our pictures and videos) There are times when it is difficult to get started on this blog. Sometimes the times make our minds busy. Other times, there isn’t really all that much to say. It’s been more than a week since Lisa, C-6, T-8 & I got back from the ISI Tejas Retreat for Texas international students.  Those of you on the prayer team, you all might remember this as the retreat we have been having you all pray for – its planning, its implementation, spiritual warfare surrounding it – for the last few months. Now it is over and the difficulty is that there is so much to share, I don’t know where to begin. It was an amazing exercise of spiritual warfare and there is so much we learned from its execution.

Let me begin some of the elements of spiritual warfare that happened (mostly physical things PTL):

• One week prior, on the official due date, were were about 40 people short of the required 125 (we ended up with over 133)
• It was not until the last week that had a verified music leader and then our international student guitar player got sick the night before we had to leave (the music leader, the son of one of our ISI partners did a great job and showed a real heart for the students)
• Only five seminary student who help with the logistical elements of the camp were signed up by the due day well short of the usual 10 needed. (we ended up with a few more and other key leaders who helped out with this… almost had too many American volunteers)
• We had some major relational and personnel blow ups among our staff right before camp. (Only slightly affected the camp)
• I sent out a prayer e-mail alert to pray against spiritual warfare… (We had already sent out a request for prayer earlier in the week but it seemed like we needed more prayer coverage… we also knew, based on past experience, that trips where many things go wrong are often the one where God most often shows himself in a special way.)
• We still didn’t have a line dance instructor for the line dance activity by early in the week. (We were able to find someone who so loved line dancing from the Tyler area that she just kept dancing and dancing clear until dinner during the free time… the students loved her)
• UTA Campus Director (and camp small group director who had a big role on Friday) Ron was getting ready to load up for camp 2 hours before we were supposed to leave for camp and he bumped the vehicle he was supposed to use to cart 10 international students to camp in, into his garage door, knocking it off its tracks (Looking really bad), making it stuck in the open position. He could not leave until it was fixed (a garage guy was able to fix it within the necessary time and Ron beat me to campus.
• The newly found music leader, Casey got into his car in Houston with his young son, preparing to leave for camp, his car wouldn’t start. When he tried to jump it with his wife’s car, her car wouldn’t start. (After 40 minutes of looking he finally found someone in the neighborhood to jump his car so he could go to Sears to get a new battery for both cars and he made it with time to spare)
• One of cars transporting students from Texas A&M University got a flat tire on the way. (It was fixed with the help of other students)
• Our sound system, data projector, video camera, and just about every other “tech” thing was having more problems that I can ever remember them having. (And I’m supposed to be one of the ISI tech guys…:-)
• Here is the biggest thing. It was pouring down rain on Friday night as we were driving up for this Retreat that features mostly outdoor activities with a 30 & 40% respectively chance of rain for Saturday and Sunday. (Ron boldly told the group that he prayed for it not to rain and that he believed God was going to stop the rain… It stopped right after that very gathering.  As we were in our cars leaving the retreat center, the droplets started falling again as if God wanted to remind us of his mastery over the elements… Wow! What a testimony! God is good!)

So how did it turn out?   I felt totally out of control… which with God is not a bad thing. He showed His control every step of the way. It was amazing. In addition to the above.

• The speaker, Chris Plekenpol, did a bang up job teaching from Joseph. I think he connected with the students at a heart level and his background as an Iraqi war veteran lent credibility and build his testimony of God’s grace as he showed himself to be a wise, fun and humble guy despite.
• The discussion and camaraderie around the small groups were exemplary, likely the best quality we’ve ever had. It was such a diverse group of leaders too. Developing this part of the retreat was the focus of our planning team and I believe we hit it right on with international students leading other students and volunteers. (the majority of students were not believers so it was awesome to see the spiritual discussion going on so strongly.) (see the resultant video when the groups had work together to tell a story using pictures)
• The students had a great time doing the activities (not hard given all the choices) without anyone getting hurt.
• The kids conference, led by one of the seminary couples, went without a hitch. First rate! My kids were with 5 others and were treated to stuff usually saved for VBS.
• Everything was done safely…
• From our response cards we learned the following…
  • 9 students indicated, “ I decided during this weekend to trust Jesus as my only hope and way to God… to follow him only as my God”
    
  • 27 students indicated, “this weekend I decided to learn more about who Jesus is and how I can know him personally.”
  • 9 students indicated, “This weekend I decided I want to meet with someone who can answer my questions about the things we learned and discussed.”
  • 7 students indicated, “ This weekend I decided I want to join a Bible study on my campus.“
  • 35 students indicated, “ Please email me about ISI meetings on my campus and future trips and events like this.”
  • 25 students indicated, “ Please contact me about opportunities to make a Christian student friend on my campus“
  • Some students indicated, “This weekend I decided…”

• • • continue with ISI/ICF to glorify God
    • fight more for life to be thankful and have faith
    • have faith in Jesus when we are in hard time
    • to apply Joseph’s life in mine
    • to enjoy with my small group
    • to face my fears with faith
    • to get close to God
    • to keep going strong with God
    • to pray more and be more patient
    • to recommit my life to Christ (already a Christian)
    • to reflect on the things I do and don’t do if I am confident that God is with me
    • to talk to my Bible study teachers to answer the questions I formed this weekend
    • to try to put myself in the shoes of others

All in all, it was a great trip and most of all… we could really see God present and how important the prayers of you are in what we do!

Tejas 2009 Small Group Slide Show from Roy Yabuki on Vimeo.

Video Slide show from Retreat

Tags: camping, Conference, Retreat, RockinC, Seminary, Tejas, Video, volunteers

I’m am waiting at the airport after an incredible 5 days in California. One of the special part of our ministry is our interaction with the people, churches and organizations that make what we do possible though their time, prayers and financial gifts. We can’t do it without them. One of many favorite supporters is Calvary Church of Santa Ana, one of the churches we consider home around the country.
While Calvary is one of our most faithful supporters in prayer and financially, it is how they take care of us personally that is most special. They have their children regularly correspond with our kids, we get birthday cards, they regularly send building and support teams to different fields.
This week underscores their care for us.

Every year the church has a 2 week missions conference. This is fairly common. What makes it special is that during that time all the missionaries are treated to a three day retreat with all the missionaries present.

From the general director of a mission agency to the young campus minister all are lavished with the same care and sense of special value by MOST of the staff and pastors. These are busy guys and yet they take the time to listen and care. It is incredibly fun and by the end we have gotten to know some incredible people, have prayed, cried, learned about the going on of the church, etc.

The missionaries there are truly incredible and have done amazing things with the Lord. Pioneering Christian presence in new countries, saving countless lives, helping headhunters adjust to a new world, leading missions organizations with thousands of ministers. Yikes! Still we all have many things in common and the same Lord who makes it all this possible.

And to know there are literally hundreds of people praying for you and caring for you. It’s hard to keep a dry eye.

Tags: calvary, church, Prayer

This last Saturday was one of the most frenetic that I think we have ever had as a family. I journaled the day using twitter and facebook just to get a sense of what it was like. Buckle up because here we go…

• attempting to journal our unusually crazy day… Lisa is going to be the champ on this one – 8:11 AM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• Excited, morning begins with lisa up early getting everyone ready with pancake bfast – 8:15 AM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• Next up, c-6’s hoops game with every one. – 8:35 AM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• We got snacks – 9:05 AM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• Home to change and back for T-8’s game. C-6 was in the postgame video interview. – 10:29 AM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• Getting ready to watch t-8’s game. Lisa’s off to j-12’s game and then taking c-6 to a bparty at same time. – 10:57 AM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• T8’s off to his friend parkers as lisa goes back to j12’s game. I’m off to Tejas planning meeting. – 1:23 PM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• Charged after a good planning meeting. Lisa already picked up kids from different places. Serving as pack treasurer at Cub Scout blue & gold banq. – 4:46 PM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• 

  Julie Ragland at 10:15pm February 28 – What a day – I’m exhausted just from reading your status updates.

• Is happy we made it. J12 also had a end of season party. T8 is now a bear scout. We made it. Esp. Lisa. God is good. – 10:33 PM Feb 28th from Ping.fm
• Roy Yabuki at 4:48pm February 28 – What an incredible woman Lisa is.

Tags: Family, Tejas