Update from the Philippines

Greetings from the Philippines!

It was a long journey here but we made it here safe and sound. We departed from LAX on December 13^th and flew twelve hours non-stop to Seoul, South Korea. After a quick refuel it was off to Bangkok for a long layover and then at long last, touchdown in Manila, Philippines. We’re staying outside of metro Manila in the sub-district of Tay Tay, Rizal. We settled in on Saturday and awoke the next morning to help run a church service. Members from our team shared testimonies from their lives, a brief message, and I got to lead the congregation in some musical worship. Sharing testimonies and messages in different churches and communities has been a fairly typical activity.

A few days after arriving we ventured off into the country for the village of Santa Niño. We raised funds before leaving to purchase 1,100 lemon trees to plant in the mountains there. The trees bare a small lemon much different from what we’re used to in the states, but their use is very common in Pilipino cooking. It was a steep hike and hot weather but in our three days there we were able to plant about 600 of the trees. One of the local pastors said it will be a year before they harvest. When they do they’ll help provide work for local farmers and the majority of the proceeds will help support Destiny’s Promise orphanage in Tay Tay, Rival.

We’ve been working at the orphanage for the last few days and will be till the end of our time in the Philippines (We leave for Thailand January 3^rd). There’s 26 kids here ranging from 1 to 13. Each day we’re assigned two or three kids to work with and tutor for a couple hours out of the day. It’s been amazing working with the kids. It can be a challenge to deal with all their energy and to keep everyone getting along, but it’s very rewarding. As a youngest child I’ve never had to look out for anyone or be much of a help, so I think this concentrated time spent with the kids is very valuable for me. I think kids must be part of the cure for selfishness. It really pulls you outside of yourself having a group of kids to look over. Many of them have been through sever abuse, neglect, and living on the streets. Despite these broken earthly families it’s comforting to know that they all share the same Heavenly Father. A Father who loves us perfectly as we are. A father who always chooses for our highest good and would never dream of leaving us. God is teaching me how to love and giving me a glimpse of His Father Heart. We can get so complicated in our thinking of God, but I think sometimes that more than anything He just wants to hold His children close, and let them know how much they’re loved. I hope He continues to move my heart for the things that move His.

Please continue to pray for good health, energy, a daily renewal and God’s love and strength and His supernatural guidance for each and every day. 

Excited to give y'all the next update!

- Trevor

Finance update

Well, I'm scheduled to leave for the Philippines tomorrow morning. As of right now, I'm still short on outreach funds upwards of $2,000. I'd be lying if I said I'm not a little anxious, but I have faith. God provided more than that within the last couple hours before my tuition deadline, He can do it again. Yesterday a couple on the Nepal/India outreach team received $4,300 an hour before leaving for the airport. Out of all the DTS schools the leaders here at YWAM L.A. have run in the past several years, no student has ever been unable to go because of finances. All this to say, God is good. Right now all I can do is trust Him and continue to try and get the word out as much as possible. If yourself or anyone you know wishes to send support you do it quick and easy at ywamla.org/donatepay

Beyond that, please continue to keep myself and all the other students waiting on funds in your prayers. Our prayers move the heart of God. He loves it when we intercede. Nothing is too difficult for Him. I already had a few hundred dollars come in yesterday. He sees my need.

The deadline for our team (two other students going to Philippines don't have all their money) is 7:30am tomorrow morning. I'm excited to see how God is gonna work.

Every Seed Is Designed

The teaching theme this week is our original design. What is original design? It's discovering who God has created us to be. The image He had in mind since before time. The dream He dreamed as He formed our hearts and destined our purpose. He spoke the universe into creation, and so also were each one of us spoken forth.

We've all heard it said in church that no two people are the same. God makes each one of us unique and special. While we accept this as common truth, I think it's hard to grasp that fully in our day to day thinking. Imagine, in the entire history of the world, from creation to now, and reaching on until the end of this Earth, never once has God churned out a replica. He doesn't copy and paste. His creativity is so vast, that were the world to stretch out for all eternity and the number of souls be endless, still He would make all things with new calling a purpose.

Think of a human life as a seed. Some seeds are crushed before life ever comes to bear. Some seeds die the second they sprout life above soil. And some seeds grow into a mighty tree that bears fruit and lives a long life. So often I think we feel like a seed that never sprouts into it's full potential, never bears good fruit, and never stands tall in the glory of what it was designed to truly be. But how can we limit the potential impact of a human life given the scope of human history?

Martin Luther, Martin Luther King Jr, Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, The Beatles...
Examples of individuals who lived so vibrantly, thought so vividly, and created so uniquely that the impact extends into every generation that follows. You began as a seed, but God has a plan for a mighty tree that bears good fruit. It has deep roots and stands tall. All who see it gaze in wonder. They study the branches, examine the leaves, taste the fruit, and realize that there are forests full of trees but this one is special and beautiful.

I hope I break through the ground and sprout life for all to see. I hope people see the product of my growth and are delighted. I hope that what I blossom will be blown by the winds of time, thus carrying the seed of my life to distant lands and future generations. I sit today feeling like a beautiful seed, bursting with potential, designed to thrive and produce life.

I don't know how you feel about you, or about the masses of people you see all around you, but I hope you catch the revelation of how precious every life is. You wouldn't discount a seed because it wasn't planted in good soil or hadn't yet grown into a tree. In the same way I hope we can all embrace the fact that every life is unique, precious and important.

On the days you feel buried in the dirt, remind yourself that you've still got time. You will grow into something beautiful and tall. Focus on your roots. Let them grow deep and strong. The rest will come.


God didn't copy and paste you.
You have an original design.
You have a destiny.
Find it and embrace it with every breath.

The Story So Far

As some of you may know, I relocated to San Diego in March of this year. I had planned on attending San Diego City College this Fall but was unable to get into the classes I needed. It came as a great disappointment initially, but as it turns out God had something else in store for this season of my life.


For the past six weeks I've been in Los Angeles doing a Discipleship Training School (DTS) through Youth With A Mission (YWAM). YWAM is a Christian, volunteer organization that focuses on equipping people for international aid work and evangelism. God has been continually touching lives in our school, and the story of how I ended up here is an awesome testimony of His goodness in and of itself. I made the decision to come to YWAM L.A. less than a week before classes started on the recommendation of a friend who is here doing a leadership training school. I hadn't raised any of the necessary funds but I came anyways. The school leaders assured me that if this was where God wanted me to be that the money would come through, and sure enough it did. After three weeks my tuition was due for the first three months, and within the final hour before the deadline almost three thousand dollars was donated! What impressed me most was that almost all of it came from people I didn't even know. It was a huge blessing and confirmation. God clearly wanted to remove any doubts I had about the significance of my being here.


With my position secured for the three months of teaching here in L.A., I began looking forward to the outreach phase. Three days after my finance miracle I learned that myself and eleven others will be traveling to the Philippines and Thailand! The first month of outreach will be spent in the Philippines, YWAM is just beginning to develop contacts there and we are the very first team to go. All I know at this point is that we're going to be working at an orphanage. After that we'll be working in Thailand for two months. We'll begin in the city of Chiang Mai ministering to prostitutes in the red light district and sharing The Gospel on college campuses. After that we will travel to Mae Sot to work with children in local schools, hospitals, and a Burmese refugee camp. I'm incredibly excited and honored to be a part of this mission. It's an amazing opportunity to serve and I'm sure God will greatly build my character through this time. But I know I won't be able to take this step without support.


First and foremost, I could always use the support of prayer. Those who stay and pray play just as important a role as those who go. Of course you can always pray for our health and safety, and most importantly that we demonstrate His love in everything that we do. We could also prayer that everyone on our team raises enough money to go. I'm among the majority of students who still need to raise financial support. The cost of the trip is $3,800. I know that these are tight times and not everyone will be able be a financial supporter, but If God puts it on your heart to contribute, any amount is a huge blessing. Checks for toward this mission can be sent to the base -

11141 Osborne St. 
Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 


I'll be sending out letters when I get back in March to let y'all know how things went. If you'd like to receive one let me know. I'm sure there will be many great stories to share.

Humble Beginnings

Thank you so much to everyone who helped out! I'm still here and God is doing amazing things!