Monday the 30th!

What is special about today? I don't know.... maybe it's MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!???? Woohooo!!! I am 21 years old now!

So yeah, the DTS is very soon finished now. Wednesday is graduation. I leave late thursday night to stay in the airport because my flight to the States is early on Friday morning. It will be nice to see people again, but I am really not looking forward to the traveling... I am a bit sick of traveling to say it like that.... oh well... it will be over before I know it... hopefully...

Also, if any of you know of any good opportunities for me to make some money this summer, please let me know. I have tried to contact my old work, but have had no responses... I don't know if God is trying to do something else, but I still think I should make the attempt to find a job... I just have to trust that He is in control. He knows I need money for next year... and I know He will provide.

Also, I have good news about next year! We have almost 10 more students coming that we had this year! That is great, but we want more! Pray for that. Which reminds me, I know I haven't been very good at updating my prayer request page, but I am going to update it now, so check it out. And please feel free to keep checking it out regularly.

Be blessed everyone!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Go Check out the pictures!

Just click on the link on the right side....

Back in Norway!!!!!!!

It is soooo good to be back in Norway!!! I had such a good time in Ecuador, but it is also sooo good to be back home again..... Thank God that I am back safe and sound. This last week and a half that I am here, the students will be going on one final trip around Norway to tell about outreach and then they graduate. I will be quite busy probably.... It has been a blessed year for DTS. It had plenty of hard times, but God really used it for good in the end. Thank you, Jesus.

As most of you know, I have financial needs. As a missionary with YWAM, I am 100 percent responsible for raising my own support, and I truly feel that God has called me to Norway for a time. Being in Norway is not cheap. That is the easiest way to put it. Hopefully I will be able to get enough work this summer to make some money for next year, but I only have a month of summer to work before I am back here to Norway. I want to ask that you pray and ask God if you are to support me either regularly or with a one time gift. Either way, it is a blessing to me and those I work with. So far, I am only one of three guy DTS staff for next year, and there will be at least 10 more students than there were this year... That means there aren't so many guy staff.... My point is, I am one more guy.... That is a large percentage.... Anyway, please just ask God and be obedient. I am blessed by you all. Be blessed back!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Back from the beach...

It was a very nice time at the coast here in Ecuador! Very relaxing! I really needed it.... Today, it is Saturday, and early tomorrow morning I fly back to Norway!! I am very ready to get back.... It has been a great time here, but it is very good that it is over... I am literally exhausted.... God has used me and the team so much here, and He has taught us all very much. I thank God for this outreach. It was a success.

On a not so happy note, I have some really disappointing news.... On my way to the coast both of my cameras were stolen... yeah... it really sucks... I was so disappointed and frustrated... but I have given it to God... He will provide... Hopefully it can be covered by my travel insurance.... Pray that it does!

See you all soon! Please don´t forget to keep me in your prayers! Financially, I am still needing... Be blessed!
-Jordan K. Ernst

The last week....

Today is the start of our last real week of outreach! The team will be working some more with kids, and I believe it will be in a similar focus and age group. I won´t be able to join today as I didn´t sleep almost at all last night due to an annoying and painful cough that kept me awake. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired..... Tomorrow, I really want to try to join.. Please pray with me that I can.

Another thing that I ask you to be in prayer about is my finances. I still owe money for my outreach, and I will need to pay it as soon as I get back to Norway. Including my rent and the remainder of the outreach fee, it will be right around 750 USD. I only ask that you ask God if you have a part in this. Thank you so much for all your previous support! May God bless you! I will also be continuing to raise support through the summer for next year as well. Thanks to everyone who has been a support to me both financially and in their prayers. Both are equally important and appreciated. Until next time!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Sunday....

The team has today off. The last few days they have been working a lot with kids. I believe they have worked with over 500 kids now in the last 3 days.... I am very proud of the team. They are doing very well, and are also in very good spirits considering 2 of their leaders are sick and out of ministry and one of the students is sick... God is using this team and it is awesome. The team is going to go out for dinner tonight, so that will be good for everyone. I have now taken some aspirin so I am feeling a little better. I am not getting as light headed and dizzy as earlier... I still have a bad cough and sore throat, but I think I will be better soon. There are 3 more days of ministry this week, so please pray that the team is healthy and that it all goes well. God bless you all!
-Jordan

En solskinnsdag......liksom

Javel.... idag er det en solskinnsdag......igjen.... og jeg har ingenting aa gjoere...igjen... jeg hater aa vaere syk og svak.... kjedelig... jeg tror at jeg gjerne vil ha mye tid med Gud... har du noen tanker? Karin? Hvorfor er det saa inni haeljeroa kjedelig aa vaere syk?! Jeg vet at du vet... javel, jeg maa gaa naa.... snakkes!

Well, wasn´t expecting this...

I have some not so fun news. Since I have been back from the jungle, I have not been feeling so super. Our contact person had her doctor come do a house visit to check me and the two other leaders out. As it turns out, he said my bloodpressure is higher than it should be and the symptoms I told him about tell him that my body is just totally worn out. He said it appears as if I am rather stressed out, so he told me that I can´t do any work for some days until I get a little better. On top of that, my left eye has started to swell a little bit shut for some reason. I am not having so much fun... I covet your prayers, and I hope all is going well with you. Over these last weeks, I have had a ton of things going through my mind, and it all came crashing down on me yesterday. I had a bit of a breakdown last night. I am grateful for my fellow leaders, because they were there for me. They really helped me last night. They are a blessing.
Since I have not been able to join the ministry since we have been back here, and I won´t be able to for some days, it might be a lack of detailed information on what God is doing through our team. I will do my best to keep you updated. I can really see God working with our team, and it is awesome. He is really working with me too. He is so good. Well, this could go on and on, but it would get too long to read then. Be blessed!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Sunday

Well, today is off. It is good to relax. I really need it as I am not feeling so good. I have a headache and my stomach hurts. I think I will pull through alright. I just hope it is soon. Now, I am going to go lay on the roof in the sun with two of the team. I need to just relax, so I am going to do just that. Also, I have a small prayer request. For some reason unkown to me, there has been some magazine that I haven´t signed up for taking money out of my account in the amount of about 100 dollars now. I have talked with my bank and they are working on it, but it is a little frustrating as I am not at all made of money. They said it can take some weeks to a couple months, but she seemed to think it would just take calling the magazine company. Pray that I am able to get my money back. Thank you so much!!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Back from the Jungle!!!!!

We are back safe and sound! It was an awesome 10 days! There were 21 saved!!! 3 Healed!! and 6 baptized!!!! Praise God!!! I was also able to aid in the saving of a little baby! I was able to buy some things it needed to survive. The father was soo thankful that he made me a necklace and two other decorative things. I was very touched... We were working with the Shuar indians. two tribes over from where Jim Elliot was killed. We worked with the same flying mission as was started by those missionaries. I saw Jim and Elizabeth´s old house and everything. It was soo cool to be able to be there. I would like to hear from you all! Until next time!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Back from Puerto Quito!

We got back yesterday from Puerto Quito! It was an awesome time! We really helped the DTS (discipleship training school) get on it's feet. It just started the day we got there, so we were able to help the students adjust a little bit. We also helped the base with lots of practical ministry. We worked on the appearance of the base, and set up a better rain water collection system, and I also had some of the teaching for the DTS!! Jordan, that DTS teacher!! =) haha... On Tuesady morning at 1 o'clock, we leave for the Amazon jungle for 10 days! We will be working with the same people group as Jim and Elizabeth Elliot worked with!!! I don't think it is the same village, but it is at least the same people group... I will let you all know more about the details when I find them out... Please keep us in your prayers! We have to take a bus for 5 hours towards the jungle, then take some small prop planes over the mountains to the small landing strip near the village... It should be really exciting, but also a bit challenging... I feel ready for it! It sounds like really good ministry opportunities in the jungle... I feel so blessed... Thank you, Jesus!

-Jordan K. Ernst

This will most likely be the last one for two weeks...

I leave for Puerto Quito tomorrow. Today, I am just packing my stuff, and also have been in a team gathering to work on our various ministry tools... I am looking forward to the challenges that I will face these next weeks. I appreciate challenges, because through them we grow. I haven´t always looked at them like that, but I am learning to.

This outreach, I feel, will fly by. It is separated into three parts, so I think that will help it to feel much quicker. I am anxious to see how God will use us here in Ecuador. It will be very interesting... =) I have been encouraged a lot by the team as a leader, so that is really cool. It is good to hear when you are respected and looked up to as a leader. My co-leader´s are also incredible. They compliment me very well. As a leader team of 3, I think we work well together. It isn´t always easy having that many leaders of one team, but we have decided to make it work. I don´t know if I have said it before, but I was originally supposed to be leading the team to India with one other leader, but they felt for some reason that God wanted me here. That is cool to see that God wanted me somewhere. I think I know why He wanted me here now, and I am thankful that I was put here. It is also cool, because God actually told me to go here anyway. God is cool how he works... It´s not always how you think. It is always better. =) I think that I will very likely go to Asia next year, and that will be an awesome opportunity. After that, I will only need to go to Oceania, then I will have made it to all the continents. That´s cool for a guy only 21! =) Ok, I will let you all go now... This is getting long... Talk to you later!
-Jordan K. Ernst

First sunburn....

Well, I got a little pink on the face and neck today during our team gathering on the roof.... I wasn´t thinking we would be out so long.... stupid me.... It´s not that bad though... It will tan over... We will be going to church in the morning and then will have the remainder of the day off. Today, we have just been working on team things like dramas and dances and such. We are trying to prepare for our time in Puerto Quito. I am looking forward to it. It looks like very promising program.

I will be out of reach of computer for about two weeks when in Puerto Quito, but I will write on Monday, and more when I get back. Miss you guys!

Also, finances are better but still not all worked out... Thanks to all of you for your support!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Now in Quito, Ecuador!

Well, I have to be quick, but I wanted to let you all know that I have arrived safe and sound in Ecuador! It is really cool here, and we are soon heading out to a place called Puerto Quito for our first weeks of ministry! It will be so cool! Please keep the team in your prayers. Be blessed everyone! Write more later!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Praise be to God!

Guess what! Today we had the team sending out, and right before we took up an offering for those who didn't have all the money they needed to go. Now, I only need about 700 USD more! That is pretty cool I think. I am thankful at least...

It is extremely close now. I leave on Monday morning at 6 am from Skien now. We have to be a little earlier than previously planned. That is so soon. I am still not completely realizing that it is so close. I can't wait though. It will be soo good.

Today we had a team day where we took our team out on a bit of a hike. It was such a gorgeous day. Not a cloud in the sky, and it as so good to breathe fresh air. There was a layer of snow on the ground still, and the lake we hiked to was frozen over. We walked across it until we found a place on the shore that looked nice to make a fire. We found an unbeatable spot. It was such a good time of fellowship and fun. The weather was absolutely perfect for such a trip. Thank You, Jesus! Well, I should start finishing my last few tasks before I leave on outreach, so I will leave you with this. Be blessed beyond imagination!
-Jordan K. Ernst

Clock keeps ticking...

It is Tuesday. Tomorrow is our last day of actual teaching, and after that the students have off for the weekend..... My team leaves on Monday at noon from the base, and flies out at 7:30 in the evening. Please keep us in your prayers this week. Also, my financial situation is still the same, and I need about 1,500 USD. Be blessed!

Still hasn't hit me....

It is now Monday. We have begun our last week before we leave for our separate countries, and I still haven't really come to realize what is happening... =) In exactly one week, I will be on my way to Ecuador. First, I have a 25 hour layover in New York, where I will be staying with my cousin for one night, then we are off to Quito, Ecuador. I guess I won't really realize what is happening until I get there... I can't believe it is here already... I almost feel as if I just got to Norway. I know it probably feels like longer for you, since you have missed me so much =), but it doesn't feel like so long since I left the States... And now I will fly through the States and see my cousin! I'm sorry, but that is the last thing I expected to be doing in a week... I am really looking forward to this next week and the next, but I am still a little anxious... I am still needing to figure out the financial side of this trip, so that plays a role, but I am still doing rather well considering. God is good, and I am not worrying.

I have just come back from an encouraging week with my team and I feel ready to leave for outreach with them. I think it is a really good team that is able to work well together. There is the chance of a few spats every now and then, but I am prepared to handle it. It is mostly with one person, but I am not worrying. I will be strict. But pray for me none the less.

I guess I will be able to update this while I am down there as well, but it is possible that it won't be as often. There will be one period of about two weeks where I am in the jungle, so I probably won't have access to a computer there... =) I will do the best I can! god bless!

Ja, HALLO!!! Hva for NÅ?!

So far, it has been a really good team week. We have been at two meetings with very very positive responses. We were in a youth club last night at a local Prayerhouse church, and today in a Christian gathering in a highschool. Both went really really well. Today, I spoke about the different masks people wear, and how Christians often where the most. We often have a different mask for every person we are around. It had such a good response from the students. I think we may have gained at least one student for next year's DTS. But that isn't for sure.... just hopeful... =) God is really helping me with my motivation and joy about the coming outreach to Ecuador. I am really looking forward to it, and not worrying at all. That is such a blessing. God is so good!

Man oh man....so soon....

I am now in Randaberg! It is a small place north of Stavanger on the west coast. It was a bit of a long day on the road again. I drove straight the whole time in a Mercedes mini-bus. The trip was about 7 hours long. I'm glad to be at our destination now..... This is our last team week in Norway! After this week, we just have one more week in Skien and then we are off to Ecuador! I am really looking forward to it! God is going to do awesome things! I can't believe that outreach is here already. In one way, it feels like I just got here. It is psycho crazy weird.... It's been good though. I have learned a lot. I have really seen growth in my own life....That is so cool. It is so cool when you can see it in yourself. Sometimes it is so hard to see change in your own life. I have seen that I have grown in many different areas. Including the practical sides of things as well. i.e. driving in snow, working on cars, getting out of crisis' when you are the leader in another country....and so on.... =) God is good all the time! That is so true. My spirits are high. Praise God for that!
-Jordan K. Ernst

What to say....

Well, I am still in the progress of fixing the rest of outreach. I am waiting for a response from Ecuador on the budget. There was a big problem with the budget that I am now having to fix, so that is a bit time consuming. I need to call Ecuador as soon as they e-mail me now. Waiting is the worst when you need to get things done.... Other than that, I am doing well in my heart. Feeling healthy and ready for outreach! I hope I can get everything in order before I leave! Pray for that!