GRADUATION (a guest entry by Anna Van Rootselaar)

Congratulations to the Justice DTS graduating class of YWAM Blantyre 2011/12. After a busy Friday and even Saturday morning of preparation (cooking, cleaning, cooking, arranging furniture, cooking, and cooking), the grads started receiving their guests. We all had lunch together out on the kondi (back porch). Daniel (the base leader) informed the guests they had some choices for their meal: there was chicken or chicken, rice or rice, cabbage or cabbage. So we all ate chicken, rice and cabbage for lunch and then moved inside for the actual ceremonies.
Grad started with a time of Praise and Worship. The Malawians we have met are all quiet, unassuming, gentle, kind people...but then they start to worship. In worship they become dynamic, animated, exuberant, full-body, full-voiced worshippers. The drums start, the voices are vibrant and harmonic, the bodies move, the whole place starts to shake. And I can’t help but realize that worship is a cultural expression of our faith and God accepts it all, no matter the expression as long as the faith is real.
The graduates followed worship with 10 minutes of 30 second testimonies, which at first I thought was an indication of African time but which turned out to be the students taking half a minute to speak of one highlight of their time here.
The Identity Drama followed. Drama is a tool used for outreach and, since it is set to music with no speaking parts, it requires no translation. In this drama four characters depict the despair of the blind, the hungry, the lame and those who mourn. Then Jesus comes and takes their burdens on himself. They are set free; He is stronger than the chains of their burdens so He is able to cast off those burdens. It’s very powerful.
Patric C and Shona then shared their testimonies, speaking of the powerful things God has been teaching them and doing through them while they were here. Interestingly, a Malawian missionary spoke at Shona’s home church in Switzerland and through him, Shona felt called to come to YWAM Blantyre.
The Everything Drama followed. In this piece, the basic creation-fall-redemption story is told. A young woman is formed by the Creator. They share a warm, loving relationship until she is tempted by the other. Soon she is looking to money, alcohol, drugs, witchcraft, impossible standards of beauty for her salvation, her identity. These things only drive her to despair and she is soon on the brink of suicide. But the Creator steps in, taking on the evils that tempt and freeing her from them so that she can again be in relationship with Him. This drama is so moving, and when it was presented in church on Sunday (today) it moved many to tears and led one woman to speak. She said the drama was her story: she had run away from home into a life of drinking, drugs and prostitution and as she was considering suicide she met Jesus and she is now, more than 20 years later, free to live with Him, in Him, for Him.
The graduates finished their presentation with a time of prophecy. I think the most intense part was when Ali stepped forward and indicated he had a word from God for one particular man. Ali told this man God wanted him to be hopeful, to know that he was a source of hope to those around him and to never lose hope because God was with him always. The man sat in tears receiving this word and could only bow in prayer when Ali finished. Our friend Patrick M (he calls me Momma as a sign of respect and affection) finished by calling forward the sick who were prayed for and prayed over—just as these students have been praying over and for the sick in dozens of other times and places throughout their outreach.
The Vice-chair of the board of YWAM Blantyre addressed the graduates, challenging them in the calling that lies ahead of them. And then the graduates received their certificates. As each one came forward, a staff member told us something unique about the student and his/her contribution to DTS. We prayed over the graduating class to close out our celebration. What an incredible gift from God to be able to participate in this day.
At dinner late Saturday evening, the staff presented their students with special awards—all inside jokes relating to the unique experiences of each student: Ali got a bra, Patrick a toy pig, Anna and Andy a toy car.... Each award involved a story, and invoked enormous amounts of laughter and good-natured kidding. It was a privilege to share their stories.

A note from Travis:
It has been such a blessing to have my parents here for this short amount of time, I'm astonished that they are already going to be leaving on Wednesday of this week. Though I feel like I haven't done enough with them outside of the base (the DTS has been very busy with coming to a close) but I know that it has been a good time of rest and relaxing for them and also encourages them in seeing some of the work that I've been doing in Malawi and the way of life here as well. We did get to do one Jesus movie showing last Sunday so please remember to ask them about it as I'm sure they have some stories to tell from that evening as well.

Thanks again for all the love and support
Blessings in what ever this season of life is bringing you through.

Peace and love
Travis, Anna and Ron Van Rootselaar