Meet Michael and Sonya:
They are a family from Germany who are a part of YWAM, Youth With A Mission. If you are not familiar with YWAM, they are a Christian organization that does Discipleship training and then sends people out to work alongside ministries. It is a six month program. Very cool.
The Wood family who invited us out to their property introduced us to this family. They have four children: 3 sons and a girl. Michael’s family was living with their family for a while until they could move in to their house that was on the other side of the island. The house is a part of YWAM. And the property needs a little help. Which is what teams could help out with if they came, or they could just work alongside the YWAM ministry that Michael and Sonya are a part of.
The day we met them, they were in the process of moving in to their new home on the island. So we helped them move their fridge and stove from the boat all the way up to their house. It was a good thirty minute trek with the heavy appliances, but it got done! And we were happy to help them out. (Sidenote: I remember thinking, one day maybe my family will be moving to another country to do the work of the Lord, and hopefully the Lord will bring some random people into our path to help us move!)
Michael’s family now lives on the Island of Bastimentos working with YWAM ships.
They have an interesting story as well. They started working with YWAM about two years ago. They were working with them in Hawaii, and YWAM sent them to a school in New Zealand to learn English for a year. After that, they assumed that they would be working with English speakers, but instead YWAM needed some people to help start YWAM ships in Panama. So they packed up and moved to Panama, having to learn a completely new language, Spanish, again. And that is where they are at now. From Germany, to the States, to New Zealand, and finally to Panama.
They are starting a new chapter of YWAM ships on the Island of Bastimentos in Panama. In case you’re not familiar with it, YWAM ships is a section of YWAM that reaches people and places that can only be reached by boat/ships, hence the name.
And that is Michael and Sonya from Germany! You can’t have a conversation or be around Michael for very long before you know that he is extremely patient, loving, and has a great sense of humor. His desire is for the Lord and for his family to follow the Lord’s calling on their life.
It was such a blessing to meet him and his family and help them with their move.
