Chapters all across the country have been busy throughout this winter season praying, sharing community with each other and with those they meet on the ski hills as well as praying into the future of SFC Canada as a whole. We are ever thankful for the prayers and support you give our chapters all across this nation!!!!
As Canada continues to have a few huge snowfalls here and there but many people are longing for spring, we’d like to share a missions story from our friend Chris Harder who is currently in Vancouver with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) who recently had great new opportunity!!! The YWAM school in Vancouver is aiming to start a new Snowboard Discipleship School (DTS) next winter (2019) where folk can go and learn the heart of God for themselves, and God’s heart towards others for a few months on the school; then go on a mission trip to share the skills and heart of God with others.
We at SFC Canada are so happy to have partner ministries such as YWAM that raise up Godly leaders and help us with Chapter recruits thereafter, we hope to do more of this in the future across Canada, go, learn, experience, then send people back to our Nation as missionaries to their local ski hills.
Here is a little of Chris’ story from the recent trip to Japan as a scouting mission to see where the school in Vancouver can send their students for outreach opportunities:
Exploring the Land of the Rising Sun
For most of my life I have heard stories about this faraway land. My mom was a short term missionary in Japan in 1977 and I have been trying to visit, snowboard and see what Jesus wants to do there since 2010.
In December last year I joined the team at YWAM Vancouver to help pioneer a brand new Snowboarders’ & Skiers DTS with the intent to take a team to Japan on outreach when the school starts next year. So after eight years of trying, I finally made it to Japan to scout out the land to see what God wants to do there when we bring a team there next year.
What did our team of two do while we were there? We made connections with YWAM Tokyo, taught snowboarding and served at Northstar and encouraged long-term missionaries in Myoko-kogen. More than that, we declared the goodness of the Lord and interceded for Japan from the highest ski resort in the country and worshipped with joy of the Lord at the oldest ski resort in Japan. Going into the trip I didn’t have too many concrete plans but was ready for any adventures that Jesus had for us. He did not disappoint!
At this point, less than 1% of Japan is Christian but we couldn’t help but feeling that the balloon that has been filling with prayers from around the world is getting ready to burst spilling the Presence of God over the nation.
It was an honor to serve alongside the missionaries that are currently in Japan, a pleasure to ride the fabled Japanese Alps and a joy to finally visit this amazing country I’ve heard so much about for so long!
Our new Snowboarders & Skiers DTS will be launching January 3, 2019 and if you’d like some more info head to www.ywamvancouver.org/sdts/
SFC Canada would like to ask you to join us in prayer towards this partnership that YWAM Vancouver is making with a long-term SFC partner Northstar in Japan as well as YWAM Japan. Please pray for continued connection, for students for the new school and for the leaders who are trying to get the school up and running.
Also please continue to pray for the current Chapter leaders across Canada who are wrapping up their winter seasons and living it for Jesus on the ski hills. We are so proud of all they have done and can’t wait to share more stories with you in the months to come of what they have been up to as well as where SFC Canada is headed.
We love you guys, thanks for reading.
(Mission Story by Chris Harder. Photos by Chris Harder and Phil Yarborough. All copyrights are theirs and theirs alone).