We have had many questions about what we’re up to and how we’re doing.  So we compiled some of those questions and did our best to give answers to each. If you have a question we left out, please don’t hesitate to let us know and we’ll get right back to you.  There is news out of Belize regarding YWAM Destination Paradise and we’ll fill you in on that soon.  Blessings to you and please read on!

What is the short version of your history in missions?

• In 1992, we both felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit during a Missions Emphasis” Sunday at church.
• In 1996, while Chris was working as a Mega Yacht Captain, we knew unmistakably that the timing for us in missions had come.
•  in early 1997, we gave e a lot of our possessions away and with what was left, had the “Toney Liquidation Sale”.  The 5 of us including our three kids ages 4, 2 and 1 piled into our station wagon and headed off to do our DTS with Mercy Ships in Texas and Trinidad in the Caribbean.
• In late 1997, Chris served as a deck officer on the Caribbean Mercy for a month as she was sailed through the Panama Canal.
• For all of 1998, the 5 of us served aboard the Island Mercy in the Pacific visiting and ministering in all but one of the island nations between Tonga and The Philippines including New Zealand.
• In 1999, we joined the Anastasis in South Africa and served throughout West Africa and Europe until March of 2003.
• In 2003/04, we began a season of transition between Mercy Ships and the founding of YWAM Destination Paradise.
• In 2004 we relocated to Whidbey Island, Washington to work full time on the new vision that YWAM DP would become
• Between 2006 and 2011 we sailed aboard one, then two sailing cats throughout the Caribbean as the amazing and highly adventurous platform for a very dynamic edition of YWAM’s Discipleship Training Schools (DTS).
• In 2010, while in Belize, Central America, we felt lead to lease a property ashore and begin running schools on land in addition to the sailing catamarans. We did this in Belize until we felt strongly lead to release the boats from the ministry in 2012 and move all schools ashore.
• In 2013, we moved to a larger facility.
• In 2016, we handed over the leadership of YWAM DP to a team we had been investing in for a number of years as we prepared to follow the call of the Lord to Kona, Hawaii and the largest YWAM – University of the Nations campus in the world.  And that brings us up to date – but there are more questions 🙂

How has the transition been, since leaving Belize? Is the transition now complete? 
The transition has been good, but harder than we expected it to be.  Leaving Belize was only difficult because of the relationships with amazing staff and with a number of friends in town, but we did not reluctantly leave Belize, it was the call of God after all!  Getting settled in Kona took much longer than we thought it would but it has has been good.  Yes, we would say that transition is complete!

Where are you serving now?
We are both serving in and from Kona, Hawaii – both on the University of the Nations Kona Campus and around the world.

When you say you travel globally for YWAM and the University of the Nations, what does that mean?
We both travel, teach and speak in various locations around the world.  Chris will have over 120,000 air miles in 2017 and Lynn is not far behind!

As full time missionaries what are your roles now that you are not leading a YWAM base any longer?
Lynn is a Biblical Counselor serving the staff and students of the University of the Nations Kona Campus. She also teaches on a variety of topics in YWAM schools here in Kona and abroad.  She is also quite involved in leadership training and coaching for leaders in various locations.

Chris is part of the Bible Innovation Team and very active in Biblical research related to the SourceView Bible App (Apple App Store and Google Play).  His knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is being put to use in significant ways to End Bible Poverty Now.  He is also part of the International DNA Infusion team with Loren and Darlene Cunningham (YWAM’s founders) and David Hamilton (UofN VP of Strategic Innovation) traveling to gatherings of leaders in various locations around the world.

What does End Bible Poverty mean? 
There are just about 7,100 living languages on Earth.  There are still just over 1,600 of them with no Biblical witness at all: no bibles, no bible stories, no recordings of Gospels of John or any other books, no missionaries to act out bible stories for those in purely oral cultures.  In addition to the millions of people who have never seen or heard the word of God, there are many who have the Bible in their heart languages but either don’t know what it means.  Ending Bible Poverty means to put at least portions of the Bible in every language on earth in a way that the people can understand (written and/or oral) and do all we can to help everyone comprehends the message of Jesus.

Where do you live? 
We sold our home on Whidbey Island and were blessed to be able to purchase our home here in Kona.  The guest room is available for you!

How is your support with all of the moving and in working more globally for YWAM?
When we think of missionary support, we always take that term very broadly, not just financially.  We are very blessed to have many people supporting us through their prayers, encouragement, and cheering us on.   The  level of our financial support has not dropped in over 20 years in missions.  However, the places and situations we have lived and served have required a lower level of financial support than living and serving from the USA.  We are praying that more people will find themselves lead to begin or increase financial support for us.

How can we pray for you two?

We consider prayer the backbone of our missions support and are very grateful for all who pray!  We’re doing very well but do feel the drain of working very hard and know we need to take more breaks and breathe more.  Please pray that our efforts may be multiplied.  For the workers the Lord has sent out into the harvest and are struggling, please pray that Lynn’s gifted council will aid in helping them bear much fruit. For the biblical language research and innovation that Chris is both teaching and working in, may it serve to help translations be accurate and the spiritual eyes of millions be opened to the Gospel.  Please do pray with us on in the area of financial support.  We praise God for you and thank you for joining us in missions.