If you think all missionaries wear safari hats and sunblock and walk around holding a king size bible - perfect for bashing – then this may come as a shocker.

Hold on to your wooden cross necklace when you read this next bit.

We’re having a concert. And safari hats are highly discouraged.

It occurred to Matt before we even left Switzerland that a key way to get people together, bring joy and capture attention is through music. And it just so happens that his brother is a professional musician. Coincidence? More like Christcidence. Wow that was terrible.

So Matt has been hard at work for the past weeks, meeting with the band, venues and sound people to organize three benefit shows to fund raise for those that lost their homes in the earthquake.

 The band is coming into town on Tuesday and we have our first concert on Wednesday in Poas. We could not be  more excited.

And not just cause they are extremely good looking. But that may be part of it.

The whole team really believes that this will be an amazing way to bring these people a message of  joy and hope as well as raise cash for some casas. We are all extremely blessed to be able to work with such amazing musicians and make a mark on the local music scene.

Besides planning for the upcoming week we’ve also been busy with several other ministries. We have been to a local homeless shelter for the last three weeks, helping distribute food as well as giving bible studies. We were able to bless just under 10o people with bibles using the money from the collection taken back in Switzerland.

The reaction was truly amazing. The people were eager to learn and hungry for some hope. I believe that God really used us to speak into hundreds of lives in the shelter, and the bibles distributed will have a lasting effect.

We also spent two days working with children in a local slum, as well as visiting a University to start promoting the concert.

I really appreciate your continued prayers and support as we enter into our last week of outreach. We will be extremely busy with the concert and all that is involved with it, but for us it will be a labor of love. And rock.

I never liked those missionary khakis anyways.

Andrea, myself, Steph and Mette putting the finishing touches on a house.

You know you’re on outreach when your sunburned, wearing clothes you cant remember the last time you washed and too busy to get online and write a blog saying that you’re too busy to get online and write a blog.

Welome to my outreach life.

I am currently soaked in my own sweat, typing this in a tiny café with the hopes that the power – which is out along the entire main street of Jaco, Costa Rica – will come back on at some point long enough for me to post. If you’re reading this than the afternoon was a success.

Our time in Costa Rica has thus far been a test of flexibility, with our ministries starting between one hour and two days late and ranging from construction work to children’s programs, and just about everything in between.

While in San Jose, we passed out food, coffee and a little old fashioned Jesus love at a homeless shelter and on the street. We volunteered at orphanages, creating programs geared towards teaching the children about their own value and the value of others. We spent many hours providing soccer, games, nail painting and music for an underprivileged neighborhood to offer positive alternatives to drugs and alcohol for youth, during their week off school.

It was a full, challenging and strengthening two weeks – and not just because of the trips to Taco Bell. We learned to work and live together as a team and became adjusted to the culture, climate and language.

Poas was a change of pace. The town located at the base of the Poas Volcano, was devasted by an earthquake in early January. The reconstruction work that still needs to be done there is overwhelming. We spent our time at working on two different homes, both for families still displaced. We also spent a few days working in both chili and strawberry fields that were damaged after the earthquake, which serve as the only source of income for several families there. During this time, we stayed in “containers” – trailers equipped with three tiny rooms and a bathroom, where we occasionally took showers when they weren’t already occupied by the bugs. Which was almost never.

Although our time in Poas was perhaps the most physically challenging, it was also extremely rewarding. Working alongside those that have lost everything, as we were able to work alongside those that have lost everything and really see that as we moved rocks and plastered cement we weren’t just building a home, but rather a hope. A hope that what is lost is nothing compared to what is found and life will always conquer death. Always.

Okay stop gagging I know that was cheesy. Sometimes even I can be heartfelt. Sometimes.

From Poas we piled everything we have into the typical missionary vehicle – a van without air conditioning and seatbelts that broke sometime in the 80s  – and took off for Jaco, a small town located right on the coast and the prostitute capital of the country.

Jaco is a quiet community based around the surf culture and tourism. The streets are lined with slightly sun burned gringos looking through shops of cheap coconut jewelry, amazing coffee and every water sport you could imagine.

Until nightfall.

After the sun sets Jaco becomes one big party, where crack heads and coke addicts fill the countless bars and rich men come to buy some of the most sought-after prostitutes in the whole world.

Walking the main street at night, we saw countless women selling themselves and heard about countless more using the local brothels and bars as their places of business. Oh and if it’s children you’re after all you have to do is ask the manager and for a special price he will take you to the ones in the back.

And you thought the beetles in the shower thing was gross.

Some of the women are here by choice, while others have been trafficked.  They make up about 5 percent of the population.

So the question is, what are we doing about it?

To be honest, right now we don’t know. But we refuse to ignore it. We have been volunteering at a health fair in the area as well as with the Christian Surfers here, and have been meeting with locals to see how we can help with efforts already started to fight prostitution, and empower locals to do the same thing after we have leave.

This weekend will be Alejandro’s and Andrea’s last with the team, as they need to return to Switzerland to start preparing for the school’s graduation. I will be leading the team on my own for the remaining two and a half weeks, and have nothing but high expectations for the team and our ministry.

But we’re all sure to miss Alejandro’s tacos.

As if we needed another excuse to go to Taco Bell.

Looking back at the date of my last blog, I am ashamed to call myself a journalist.

Between preparing for Costa Rica, learning Spanish, continuing to attend daily class and lead small group and one-ones, I have discovered that staffing a DTS is much more full time than I originally anticipated.

With  late night prayer and early morning meetings, sleep has become a luxury.

But the business is not without reason.

Last week we had our 24/7 prayer week, where between students and staff we has at least three people at all times praying continuously all week long, on topics as wide as the global economy and as close to home as our own families. We had amazing times of seeking the Lord, praying for each other and worshiping together at all hours. We saw several students healed, including Dan from a stomach problem that he has suffered with for years. It was an awe-inspiring week where God really proved to us the power of prayer.

One of the highlights for me was going back to the hospital for an x-ray. The doctor told me she was amazed with how fast my back had healed and told me that I no longer had to wear my brace. To make it even better, she told me I could get back on my board for our final trip to the mountain next Sunday.

Considering my original treatment included another whole month in the brace and absolutely no riding, I consider this my own personal miracle.

And I bet you have one, too.

Now we find ourselves recuperating from sleep deprivation and two days on the slopes and starting to look towards departure day, coming up at the end of March.

While planning ministries and learning to work together, the team I will be leading to Costa Rica is also busy learning Spanish, researching the rich history of the country and various other preparations.

Which may or may not have included eating kabobs. Hey, whatever it takes for team building.

Besides building homes, restoring farmland to get the economy back on it’s feet and providing childcare, our main goal with this outreach is to restore the joy that the earthquake has robbed them.

But luckily, joy is a renewable resource here in YWAM, and we can’t seem to get enough.

Matt is currently working to organize a benefit concert. His brother, a musician from New York, will be headlining, should everything come through. The proceeds will all go to the cause – rebuilding 1000 homes by August.

But let’s not jump ahead too much. We still have two weeks here, where we will be learning about transcultural communication and soaking up all the Swiss chocolate we can.

Which should keep us busy, trust me.

The China, Costa Rica and Africa teams. We will all leave at the end of March and be serving for two months.

Just one image of the tragic devastation from the volcanoes in Costa Rica, leaving many homeless and stranded in refugee tents.

A Christian is never broke.

We either “have the opportunity to receive financial blessing” or not.

And in this case, I have a big opportunity. Which can only mean one thing: a big blessing.

The other leaders and I just announced outreach locations yesterday, and I couldn’t be more excited with how it came out.

My team will be headed to Costa Rica, where we will be helping earthquake refugees in several different ways, from working on houses to passing out food to watching children and wherever else there is need.

And eating a lot of bananas. At least that’s what I hear.

Looking at the pictures of the devastation in the area where we will be serving, it’s hard to imagine a small team of young people can do.

Almost as hard as it is to imagine not doing anything.

As our location and ministry are becoming more set, so is the reality of my need financially to make this happen.

So I am asking you to stand in this with me. I will be praying every night this week for breakthrough and I ask that if you think of it, you send up a shout out for my bank account as well.

I believe in the power of prayer and truly feel like this mission is God’s will, and that the finances behind it are in His hands.

But I also believe that He can work through yours.

If you feel led to support myself or the Costa Rica team financially, you can e-mail me at margecan@gmail.com to find out more information.

We will continue to plan this mission in faith that the cost is not a burden we will have to carry on our own, but that many will stand with us on the platform that the world is in need, and to those that have been given much, much is expected.

And now you know what YWAM actually stands for: Youth Without Any Money.

But with a whole lot of heart.

The students and I outside Verbier, passing out cookies. Behind us is the base of the Swiss Alps.

 There is only one thing better than cookies:

Free cookies. With Swiss chocolate chunks.

Our first slope cookie and coffee ministry kicked off last weekend, and, considering I have never pioneered a ministry before, and definitely not  in a French speaking country, everything went surprisingly well.

Enough visitors ski at Verbier that it’s not hard finding English speakers. Especially when you have cookies in had. Plus we set up coffee and tea and six smiling faces, which in the cold culture of Switzerland attracted enough attention even without the blaring music.

Note: No one ever told me you can’t listen to Modest Mouse when you’re doing ministry. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Along with the cookies we passed out a couple of verses that Ben – a student from North Dakota - hand picked for the day. Most people were confused about why we would sacrifice our time and money to stand in the cold and when we told them it was to “bless people” we usually recieved polite but awkward smiles - a poor attempt to cover up the fact that they were probably skimming the parking lot for our mental institution probabtion officer.

Which, I’m the first to admit, many “evangelisers” may need. But I am a firm believer that Christians can be normal. Maybe even cool.  

Maybe.

The amazing thing about the Boarder’s DTS is the group of “alternative” style students that is attracts, not at all fitting into most people’s Christian missonary box. Which I think is a great thing.

They are able to talk to people who probably consider themselves too “cool” for Christianity, and make connections over things like snowboarding, music and art, proving that we aren’t all bible bashing, close minded, ultra conservative nut jobs trying to break out of our Christian bubble for the first time ever.

Not that that’s a bad thing…

But in this European, secular culture, it really is unfathomable to most that anyone would do anything for any other reason than themselves. And the very idea of it seemed to make them uncomfortable.

But our calling has never been to “make people comfortable,” has it?

Watching from the lodge as the students enjoy a beautiful day at Villars. At least the hot chocolate was good. Really good.

What happens in the bomb shelter stays in the bomb shelter.

Unless of course it involves working a 24 hour ski race in the Alps, dance party included.

Last weekend, promptly after finishing our lectures on the father heart of God with Mike Oman, the DTS and I headed to Villars to volunteer at the annual race to benefit handicapped children. We stayed for one night and two ski days, bunking in a military bomb shelter used to house skiers.

Which shows you the need for bomb shelters in a country almost always associated with neutrality.

Besides being able to start serving  and speaking locally, the trip was also a way to get to know each other outside of the classroom. It’s hard to ignore someone when every time you role over you’re breathing in their morning breath. Which in this case smelled like red bull and croissants.Yes, even at the bomb shelters in Switzerland they  have croissants.

Take notes America.

But the first couple weeks haven’t been all baked goods and slopes. The first full lecture week came complete with small groups, one-on-ones – which is YWAM jargon for student-leader talks – and a whole lot of meetings. The idea is to give the students as many outlets as possible to receive the growth, healing and preparation they need for outreach, and eventually, life after DTS.

And I can confidently say that we have a lot of work to do. But if I’d signed up for a five month vacation I would’ve looked somewhere a little more bikini-friendly.

Not that chocolate and snow aren’t.

The students aren’t the only ones making progress. My back brace seems to be doing it’s job and I am in less and less pain as the days go by. But Jon has nicknamed me “broke-back” and is planning on writing and performing a song named after it at Cafe Night.

We’ll see how far he gets after I body slam him in my metal brace.

And at least I’ll have nice thighs from all the grandma squats I have to do to pick things up.

As we head into this week on the holy spirit, I am excited for what is to come, and how God wants to move in these young people’s lives in new ways. I am so happy to get to play a role in it, however small.

Even if I have to start answering to broke-back. Which I won’t. So don’t get ideas.

“Dang the alps are beautiful from this angle.”

And they were. But that didn’t change the fact that my fall from the A frame box at Villars cracked a vertebrae, ending my snowboarding season before it had even begun.

But I wish it were that simple.

The break put me alone in the hospital for three days, unable to stand, sit-up or communicate with the French-speaking nurses, with nothing to do but wait for the brace that would become a part of my life for the next three months.

Nothing like learning humility through a bed pan.

While I was lying in the hospital, I missed the last day of preparation and arrival day of the students. And I thought I would never be able to make it up. Especially since now I couldn’t snowboard. 

And what good am I without my athletic abilities?

But right there, in my moment of greatest weakness and vulnerability, God met me, and gave me an indescribable peace.

I know He didn’t break my back. But I know that He can take this bad situation and make it good. And I am worth so much more than my body. So take that Jane Fonda.

When I finally entered the chalet, on my feet for the first time in days, I was greeted by a house full of the hippest, most outgoing  new students I have ever met. I was immediately welcomed and made right at home, and it was barely hours before the back brace jokes started and everyone was comfortable with asking me about my new square accessory.

Yes, I can make even a back brace fashionable. Don’t be surprised if H&M comes out with a new line for spring.

Although I am stuck at the chalet tomorrow while they all leave to the mountains for the first time, I have a peace with it. I truly believe that God is God and God is good and therefore capable of making something good out of this not-so-good situation.  Which is great.

And my job for the next six months will be getting to know, disciple and lead a group of hungry youth from all over the world, and then taking them to places we’ve never been to serve the Lord, just in time for my brace to come off. So life is good.

Even from a sitting position.

But as soon as you tip your board forward, gravity does all the work.

When I first sensed that my time with YWAM wasn’t over when my DTS was, I was scared. I wanted to return to the comforts of home, to a normal paycheck, normal friends, normal classes. I was ready to stop living out of a suitcase, start showering regularly and yearned for the solitude of my own room. But once I got it, it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

I found that the paycheck didn’t seem to matter as much, my friends were busy with their own lives, I made my sister sleep in the same room as me to avoid being alone and I still didn’t shower regularly. But now I had no excuse.

I needed to get back to YWAM.

I had two weeks to raise enough money to make it back to the base in time to train to staff the boarders
DTS, and after looking at my bank account balance, things seemed pretty bleak. But I knew I was supposed to be there.

With just under a week to go, God provided through several people just enough to get me back to the chalet. And the airline provided the chocolate bar. Welcome to Switzerland.

But my work is just beginning.

Myself, along with 6 other talented young people, will be staffing a five month long Discipleship Training School, which includes three months of lecture and two of outreach. We will be shepherding and guiding the 26 youth arriving in just over a week to go through the same process that brought me to Brazil just one month ago.  And my excitement for them is currently through the roof. They have no idea what they’re getting into. And they’ll probably never want out.

If their DTS is anything like mine, they’ll spend the next half year learning more about themselves, the world, and God than they have in their entire lives. They’ll never be able to settle for “the normal life” again. Or Hershey chocolate.

So here I am now, about to ring in 2009 in the winter wonderland of Lausanne, Switzerland - you can call it Narnia  -  with no idea even of what continent I will be on in a matter of three months, or how I am going to get there. And somehow, I feel more secure than I ever have.

And that’s not just the sparkling cider talking.

Outside the chalet on New Year's Day.