Serving the DTS with Friends

It’s taken me a while to update a new blog post, but today I just felt like writing about something.

Honestly, the thought of staffing a DTS was a bit nerve-wrecking a couple of months ago. I know there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and it’s not an easy role. Dedicating your life to walk with DTS students for half year is a BIG commitment. It’s not a 9 to 6 job, it’s much more than that.

Looking back, it’s crazy to see how God was already preparing the team that would lead this DTS.

As I joined YWAM Harbour City in 2019, I wasn’t really sure of what I was getting into. My heart was willing to obey God’s calling for me as a full-time missionary, but I entrusted Him with everything: a good community, friendships, my family, finances, housing, literally everything.

Building friendships with the staff at the base community was actually easier than I thought it would be. Knowing myself, back then I would really put many walls until I could fully trust people, and it would take many years for me to build strong friendships. God had been working in that area of my life and the transition to Hong Kong was actually pretty smooth. I just wanted to be myself. It didn’t take much for me to open up to the community: with my different cultural backgrounds, interests, thoughts, jokes, and pursing God together.

I had heard of many stories of how leading DTS came with many challenges and struggles, and I usually get very nervous when I know something like that is coming. I had heard that major challenges would be the relationship between staff! Haha… I’m naturally inclined to avoid conflict at all cost (still growing through that haha!), and if I had to serve so closely with people I wouldn’t be able to get along with, well, that would be a hard thing to face.

In reality, it’s not that I can be around people I really like “all the time”, but for something so intense like DTS, I was praying for God to put together a team that would put each other first and have a strong foundation and friendship.

In March 2021, Carson, Cheryl, Mark and I were part of a crazy team building activity called NIKO that required overcoming challenges together. Haha looking back to this, I’m thankful we were able to learn from one another, seeing our best side and our worst. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much if it weren’t for this group.

August 2021: We’ve been part of School of Worship and learning to play as a band at the base. It’s fun to learn instruments and worship leading with staff at the community as we are all growing in our musical skills. We are able to share our passion for music and other creative expressions. Being part of School of Worship helped me build confidence with leadership, openness, vulnerability, and learning to do new things even though at times it was outside my comfort zone.

Through different ministry opportunities, outreaches, base activities, office work, and just hanging out, I had been able to build a good friendship with each one of the staff that are currently serving the DTS. :)

January came along, and it was time to start praying about the start of the school, as our students were preparing to travel and do their 21-day quarantine in Hong Kong. We had to push back the starting date for one month to adjust with logistics.

We did a video call with the students and had good times, knowing that 21-days alone in a room can really be challenging for many!

The students finally arrived, and we were so excited to meet them in person! It’s been three weeks since then, and it’s been a roller coaster of experiencing God in so many, tangible ways.

I’m very thankful, and I think I write it every week… “God, I’m thankful you knew exactly who I needed to serve together with, in such an intense season like DTS.” It’s been great to serve with people who I can genuinely say, they are my good friends.