Aarrrgh!

This has been a busy week at YWAM Idaho with students and staff from 3 schools all here at the same time.  The Backpackers DTS returned from Mongolia and N India for a week of debrief.  It was the last week of the lecture phase for both the Pioneering school (SOAP) and the Frontiers DTS.  Graduation for the Backpackers and SOAP was last night.  Now almost everyone (including us) is leaving town for the Thanksgiving holiday.  The Frontiers DTS will reconvene a week from now and fly out to India on Tuesday, Nov. 30th.

On Wednesday night Steve and I hosted a going away party for three of our staff.  Becky Davis is leaving Dec 14th.   She is transferring to the Colorado Springs NSI (Network for Strategic Initiatives) YWAM base.  Thomas and Lacey Gray are leaving sometime in January.  They plan to get some formal education to further their missions preparation.  Even though they aren't leaving yet, a good chunk of students and staff won't be here when they do, so we thought we'd better celebrate them now.

Becky is our resident hippie, complete with dreads that she acquired in Costa Rica last winter while she was attending YWAM's Children At Risk school.  She and boyfriend, Duane, enjoyed dressing up as pirates for Halloween, so she thought it would be fun if we all came as pirates, hippies or gypsies to the party.

Those who dressed up.

 Becky and I have shared the administrative duties in the office.  I will dearly miss her.  She will be an asset to whatever YWAM base she is a part of. 

 Thomas and Becky with their original cards from Steve.

 Thomas, Lacey and Becky.

 Big Isaac Meyer (center) with the twins, Wesley and Isaac.

 Some of the DTS students chillin.

 Steve making his presentation to Thomas and Lacey.

 Some of the gang at the Depot.

Steve gave Duane official permission to take one staff person away to CO Springs.  That is his home base.  He was here in Idaho to help staff the SOAP.  Becky was a student in the SOAP and love blossomed.  Turns out Duane leads the N India Iniative (strategizing and networking to reach N India with the gospel).  Becky will be a perfect partner.  She has always wanted to end up in India eventually anyway.