GOMEZ NEWS

Spring/Summer 2010

Pascall experiences
his first day of
Creche...Dutch Pre-
school. It may be
more challenging for
us to let go, then for
him to jump right in.
As I watch him line up
his cars, and spend
hours in fully
emmersed play, i am
fascinated. Learning
takes place in every
moment of life. It is a
continual process of
soaking up informa-
tion and relating to
the world and people
around us. He even
knows how to use an
iphone better than I
do now.Often we get
overwhelmed by all
the daily tasks or the
security of our fu-
tures, but a child is
just focused on
whatever captures his
or her attention in the
moment! I often long
for this same naivete
and innocence in my
relationship with God.
Faith like a child.
Hmmmmm. Food for
thought.
sTormFront...
I was in a leadership confer- wake him up, asking with a tone Christianity, but it is much more
ence where Ken McGreavey of frustration, v.38 “Teacher, difficult to live a life where He is
shared a profound yet simple mes- don’t you care if we drown.” Jesus actually leading.Who knows what
sage about the character of Jesus. goes on to show his authority over this Jesus is going to do next? Or
He highlighted the passage from nature quieting the storm in three what He might ask us to do?
Mark where the disciples are words: “Quiet, be still.” And then Ultimately the biblical writer
panicking because of a furious he rebukes the disciples: why are Mark, shows through the passion
storm that caused waves to you afraid and why are you still narrative that when we have a
swamp their boat. Since I took not practicing real faith? Our deep trust in the love of God the
on the new role of pioneering the question in the storm...or at least Father and the necessity of his
Lighthouse ministry, our YWAM mine, often sounds similar to the will in our lives, we can learn to
center in the Red Light District, I disciples...“Don’t you care, don’t be secure in both times when all is
can identify with the disciples you see my agony, are you really good and times when the winds
concerns! The disciples were on a sleeping right now?” Interestingly, and storms are hitting us from
mission for heart expansion, enough by the end of the story every angle. We start changing
without even knowing it. They the disciples are more terrified of our stance from “Don’t you
were on their way to the other Jesus then they even were of the care?” to recognizing that Jesus
side...a place where their world- storm: v. 41“Who is this? Even has the authority to silence the
view was about to be seriously the wind and the waves obey storms around us, and free us
challenged. On the other side of him!” from the power they can have in
the lake was a Gentile community Why were they astounded by our lives! By believing that He is
(not exactly who a proper Jew what he did? Ken suggests we with us, lives in us, and that His
should be consorting with), espe- never are too comfortable with purpose is greater in it all we get
cially not with a demon possessed being out of control, or following the opportunity to be free! And,
outcast. So back to the boat, Je- a Jesus that is outside of our box. maybe He just wants us to be
sus, ironically was asleep and they It is easy to follow a set of rules in prepared for the other side...

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 Our stories don’t have to end like
GOMEZ NEWS SPRING/SUMMER 2010

that...
By Melissa

I remember the silence. SILENCE... It rang “God please begin to write my story, I
through the big open room and settled like a thick, sad believe that you can make it beauti-
cloud on our throats. None of us knew what to say. ful...”
Delia had been coming to our bible study for a while
now, but it was the first time that she had ever opened up like that to anyone. It was raw, and came from
such a deep place in her heart. We all just stared back feeling the anguish she had unpacked, detail after
detail. We recognized that we were given the opportunity to see behind the curtain. Our translator was new
that night, and as we were introducing her, she spontaneously began to share the story of how she met Je-
sus. The girls were fascinated, so we threw our other plans out the window and went with it. Afterwards,
they asked me to share my testimony. Wow, on the spot, okay. So I did too, then one of the girls shared. Fi-
nally, we all looked at Delia and asked if she would like to share. She began with hesitation, “okay, but I just
want you to know ahead of time its’ sad...” then she began to explain how as a young woman she gave up
marrying the local boy that she had loved, because her mother wanted her to marry a Dutchman who was
more than three times her age. He had money and he could offer her a better life. He courted her in her
home country when she was 16, before he married her 2 years later. She described the party of the century,
her incredible dress, and how everyone else around her was filled with expectation. But inside she was terri-
fied and felt abandoned by the people who were supposed to protect her. Weeks after the wedding she be-
came pregnant with a son, and her husband moved her to the Netherlands where she gave birth. She de-
scribed the isolation, the sexual humiliation, and what it was like being married to a man who could have
been her grandfather. Life was terrible. She was depressed and had no one to turn to. It wasn’t at all what
her Mother had dreamed of. Eventually she learned to speak enough Dutch to get around and was di-
vorced some time later. She didn’t feel like she could return home, so she started a life here. She got a job at
the local grocery store and became friends with a colleague, who attends our bible-study. In the next few
weeks she began to attend faithfully with her friend. She abruptly came to an end exclaiming “and that’s
it...I told you it was sad.” After those piercing moments, I finally responded with what was in my heart, “do
you believe that your story doesn’t have to end there, that there can be more...” We talked about what it
meant to choose a life for God, and that He has the ability to take a person’s life and put them on a different
course. “Do you believe that God can do that in your life, do you believe it is real,” she said yes. So I asked
her if she would like to pray, without any hesitation she began to speak out such a profound prayer. “God,
please write my story, I believe that you can make it beautiful, I believe that there is more...”

The area we live in

is, (picture to the far
right is the view
from our window), is
surrounded by
women who are
daily selling their
bodies for money or
being sold for profit
by others. Please
pray for all women
who suffer sexual
injustice, or eco-
nomic uncertainty-
for those who are
vulnerable to traf-
ficking and exploita-
tion. Pray for their
families, for their
chidren and that
God will do the
miraculous to bring
healing for those
who are victim to a
cycle of abuse.

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GOMEZNEWZ SPRING/SUMMER 2010
Take a Tour of the
Lighthouse:
Mark 4
21 He said to them, "Do
you bring in a lamp to put
it under a bowl or a bed?
Instead, don't you put it
on its stand? 22For what-
ever is hidden is meant to
be disclosed, and what-
ever is concealed is
meant to be brought out
into the open.
In 1979 YWAM bought this three story building in the
Red Light District. It is directly across from the Oude
Kerk, the oldest church in Amsterdam, and in the
neighborhood of 200 prostitution windows, coffee
houses and live sex shows. We believe it is an incredi-
bly influential location for both meeting the needs of
victims, challenging the world views of clients/tourists
of the sex industry & a launching point for future work-
ers. The building is made up of three floors of staff
apartments, adjoining the main hall: which can fit up to
about 70/80 people and a kitchen. This will be used for
training, conferences and awareness events. The
basement has three rooms which will be our staff office,
a community educational resource center and a meet-
ing room. An upstairs office is attached to our apart-
ment. Our dream is to see this building full of life: a
place of healing for victims, a center for YWAM stu-
dents to receive training, and a partnership hub for in-
dividuals and organizations to gather in Europe.

Awareness
=Action
Thanks to a recent
donation we have
started up our sexual
injustice library . We
hope to provide as
many resources as
possiible for those
who want to learn
how they can make a
difference.

Gomez
Flat.

Oudezijds Voorburgwal 63 The Lighthouse

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GOMEZ NEWS SPRING/SUMMER 2010
ONLINE MISSIONS
and the new wave
By Moses
Ethnos, the art focused team that I was
working with has been put on hold and I
along with it’s other members have since
moved on to join other teams. In these
past few months I have transitioned into
the Communications department which op-
erates under Support Services of the base.
Pascal is going to preschool Mon/Tue/Thur
morning which frees me up to work for 9
hours. He is growing so fast and it is such
a privilege to raise him while Melissa works
full time.
My electronic music projects are still very
much alive and I am scraping up as much
time as I can to work on them. I do con-
sider my self an electronic musician and I
have career goals in mind that are getting
more detailed by the day. It is very much
in my heart to produce indoor/outdoor elec-
tronic music and art festivals that operate
out of the expression of a vibrant artist
community. If you know of anyone who
has a similar or complimenting vision please
let me know because I am always open for
networking.
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As we all know technology has changed life,
causing some things to be better and some
worse. The pictures posted describe a bit of
this change relating to a Christian lifestyle.
You can see my avatar there attending Cal-
vary Chapel’s virtual church which is oper-
ating out of a real CC in Scotland. People
who attend THIS church are from all over
the world. The territory of this church has
definitely been expanded and the “ropes” of
this “tent” have been lengthened in a way
that God knew but we have just now come
to understand.
Sometimes I feel like this bird on the bike in
the picture. In these special times we are
sitting on technology with potential that we
cannot even imagine. God has put in my
heart to discover the potential of Second
Life and to invest in the nations of the world
who are gathering there.
GOMEZNEWZ SPRING/SUMMER 2010
Thanks Family and Friends! Contact Information
If you are interested in getting
involved...start with prayer! Snailmail:
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 63
Pray for more staff to join Melissa in her efforts Amsterdam 1012 EK
to set up a community here in the Red Light District. The Netherlands
Pray for connections with other organizations
and individuals in Amsterdam that can work to- moses:
gether to provide more resources for women gomezelectronic@
Pray for future students, & interns. . gmail.com
Pray for the women and men involved and or
trapped in the sex industry. melissa:
Pray for Moses’ and his online projects. lighthouse@jmeo.nl
Pray for online missions to reach more people melissajillene@hotmail.com
searching for a real faith in God.
Pray for Pascal as he adjusts to going to school skype:
three half days a week. melissa2669
Please pray for us as a family as we juggle min- mosesgomez
istry and family life!

Check us out on the web: www.ywamamsterdam.org

To support us with a tax deductible donation: mail a check written

out to NEW HOPE CHURCH, moses/melissa in the memo & mail to:
Joe Duran
1189 Spring Creek Drive
Ripon, Ca 95336

GOMEZNEWZ
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 63
Amsterdam, 1012EK
The Netherlands