Three weeks in...

WOW!  Three weeks in to DTS and so much has happened so far!  I am so sorry I have not been able to keep up with this blog as often as I thought!  There is so much going on and very little time to make personal calls and such.  But here we go on the recap....

Saturday, January 7th, 2012 I left Saint Augustine on the Greyhound heading for Orlando, where I wasw met by two staff members, Roger and Marion, who completed their DTS last year and were worship leaders.  We headed to the airport where we picked up a very good new friend of mine, Nicolas, from France.   After about an hour and a half drive, we arrived at our house where we met my other two roommates and the rest of the guys: Jeremy, from Calgary, Canada, and Cameron from Oregon, USA.  We also met our house mom, Helen, her son, Blake (who is a 20 year old trapped inside a 14 year old's body, well, sometimes...) and Helen's dad, Jim, whom we affectionately call Grampa.

It's a great house and we all love each other and really try to go out of each other's way to help each other feel at home.

But, It seems that it's the way the entire school works!  All the staff and students are full of grace for each other.  We all have our quirks and differences, but we all understand where we come from.  We have one French student, two Canadians, two Brazilians, one Dutch, and a student from chile.  From the USA we have  Minnesota, Oregon, Virginia, Ohio, and Hawaii/California/Virginia/Florida (Take a guess on who that one is).  There are 13 students in all- nine girls and four guys.

The staff are incredible!  Art and Ellen Sanborn are the directors.  Art suffered an injury to his spinal chord back in 1999 and was made a quadriplegic because of it.  It's great to see him up and moving around, laying hands on people.  Yup, God healed him.  He's completely mobile.  He wrote a book about it called "Walking Miracle" which the class just finished reading.  It's absolutely amazing!

His wife, Ellen is a vocalist, writer and off broadway actress, not so much of a big deal.  She only opened for Ella Fitzgerald, wrote a few off-broadway musicals, mentored Paul Baloche and worked with Darlene Zschech.  Yeah, you're right.  It's absolutely incredible.

Their sons, David and Sean, are also on staff, and they are just as awesome!  David received raving reviews for his one man, off-broadway show, "King David," which he co-wrote with his mother.  Unfortunately he has fibromyalgia (a degenerative muscle disease which my dad also has).  This limits his mobility and ability to perform.  However, he is still bringing tons of joy and laughs to the group with all of his impersonations.  They are amazing!  Yet, he brings great wisdom, as well.

Sean is the "Indiana Jones" of the group.  He is all about spiritual warfare.  He actually takes joy in hunting demons and torturing them.  He likes to trap them and then sings worship songs when they can't go anywhere.  You might think it's weird.  But I think it's pretty awesome.  I'm pretty sure he's role model and inspiration...well David too.  And Art.  And Ellen.  Ok, they all are my role model's/ inspiration.  But anyway, now that we have dubbed Sean the "Indiana Jones" of DTS 2012, every time he walks in the room, we all have the Indiana Jones theme songs running through our minds.  Sometimes I get my iPhone out and play it for a real laugh.

His wife, Anne, is helping with administration.  She's from Australia and is such a hoot.  She says that Australians only like you if they pick on you.  We have grown to really appreciate each other if you know what I mean.

MeeGee is a Malaysian Chinese and is so much fun!  She, also helps with administration.  We have a good time being the only two asian ethnicities in the group.

Cynthia is our intercessory leader.  A few months ago she got run over by her car in the drive-way and pretty much died.  She felt the Lord literally "breathe" life back into her and now she only has a minor spinal injury.  She walks around in a shell to help keep her back straight.  But, she is no joke.  She has a direct communication line to God and is a powerful intercessor and communicator.  She's totally a spiritual ninja turtle.  We are learning from here every day.

Lisa is an awesome designer and plans all of our meals.  She has designed many sets and stages, but also has a real talent for cooking.  Her heat is for design, though.  And it shows in both her food and her stage sets.

Her husband, Kevin, taught Biblical Studies in YWAM Kona for five years and is also an actor and writer.

So, as you can see, I am in a very good place to help advance my dream of doing worldwide music ministry.  The staff here are incredibly talented and very qualified.  But, more importantly, they have a deep relationship with God and understand what Christ is really doing in the church and around the world.  But, I will have to tell you about what God is doing in my next post.  It's off to meet with the class again.

And, if any of you still would like to support me financially for my outreach phase, you can click on the link above.  I would be so grateful to you!  I need $4,000 for outreach.  And February bills are also approaching.  Thanks for your prayers and support!

In Christ's love,
Aaron