This year's Lifeforce Team mission was very successful and very impacting here in Tobago as well as Trinidad. There was such ‘favor’ on the team this year as they ministered here. Cancellations were few and many new opportunities arose. Co-Leaders, Ashley and Nathan, did a wonderful job as first time leaders to lead the team. Over 70 known commitments were made by teens to live for Christ during this 4 ½ month time frame , which is so exciting. Many deep relationships were made which were an encouragement to the youth here. God is so good as He lead the team through new challenges and open doors. We praise God for what He has done!

Here in Tobago, they led over 35 young people to Christ. God just gave them amazing opportunities to share about Him. They visited several schools repeatedly and were not always able to fit in all the requests they had! Weekly, they shared at the Program for Adolescent Mothers and also served them there by cleaning the facilities each week. They have left a lasting impact of encouragement on these girls’ lives. They had a special week where they worked with one church, Buccoo Jesus Life Worship Centre. They paired up with church members and did daily door to door ministry for a whole week. They would meet for prayer and debriefing each day. The team was challenged in their own evangelism, connected deeply with that church and had amazing times sharing the gospel of Christ in the community. They weekly shared in churches and youth groups and also a Carnival Youth Camp Service. Lindsay Hodges, the Director of Lifeforce, visited the team for 1 week during their time in Tobago.

For 10 days, a couple, Cher and Steve Dombowsky, joined the team. They enjoyed ministering along with the team in schools, sharing about purity and waiting until marriage. During this time, the team and Cher and Steve did a lot Pre-Carnival Classes in schools and the community which addressed abstinence, AIDS education and awareness. It was an important time to share very challenging positive messages and to also share, that with Gods strength it is attainable.

In Trinidad, they had over 40 commitments to Christ. This year they are tried a new approach. They visited communities/churches for 1 week periods and being billeted in church family homes. They ministered in New Grant, Valencia, Arima, Laventille and Diego Martin. This was a definite time of stretching for them to share in the family lives of the local people. God used them in their host homes to share His light of love. In Valencia, while ministering in the local high school, 30 teens came to know Christ! What great news! They were able to also include the youth group in all the ministry they did in Valencia. They learned flexibility as well, as schedules changed quickly and expectations for outreaches. They were involved nightly in crusade outreaches which were different for the team, to experience.

The team returned to Tobago a few days early on May 1st. In their last 10 days in Tobago, each team member pursued various ministry opportunities as they felt God lead them, which was a unique experience. They applied their creative talents and natural giftings to be obedient to what God wanted them to do. Each has their own personal story. They attended the island wide Jesus Rally, which is a caravan around the island declaring God’s praises and a large prayer/worship gathering.

As we debriefed and reflected on their time here, we encouraged them that they had made an impact even if all ‘their expectations’ may not have been realized. Many on the team had had other things they wished had happened. Yet, every step they made here was ordered by God and meant to be. The team overall had felt they had been stretched, learned to minister even when they didn’t feel like it, learned to be flexible, had a new heart for the gospel, felt their own lives had been changed, that the people of T&T had impacted them the most, their idea of the gospel had changed and that in sharing Christ - you can share in actions but you have to tell people too! It was a challenge for the team to work alongside churches that often had very different ideas of evangelism. Yet, God showed them many things through this, honored them and truly blessed their ministry.

To Ashley, Nathan, Arielle, Jane, Julie, Cameron, Aaron - We have enjoyed getting to know you all, your friendships, sharing with you as a family and ministering alongside you all. You have strengthened our ministry here and been a light to so many. May you be blessed in all you do as you pursue God’s will for your lives.

Meet the team.
Hear from them how God challenged their hearts!

Ashley Lynn Neustaeter (Team Co Leader)
Age: 22 yrs
Favorite T&T Town/Place
Favorite T&T Snack: Schweppes Bitter Lemon and Frunas

Spiritual Giftings: Encouragement, Public Speaking, Intercession, Prophetic Worship

Most Unique Experience:
In Trinidad, I was standing on the street waiting for a phone call when I saw this girl standing off to the side of the road. I started conversation and ended up finding out that she had never heard about Jesus. I shared the Gospel, answered questions and share my testimony with her. At the end of a long conversation, I asked if she wanted to accept Jesus and she enthusiastically said ‘YES!’. Seeing how Jesus revealed himself to her and seeing even the immediate change in her face was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Story: As I sit and think about Tobago, my heart is flooded with amazing stories of lives I had opportunity to see changed. When I came to Tobago on the first LifeForce team to the island, we led a young man named Steven to accept Christ. That was four years ago and now the young man is president of the Christian group that meets at his school. It was phenomenal to talk to him and hear how accepting Jesus four years ago has radically changed his life. During these last two months, I was able to lead quite a few more young people to Christ. At one school I prayed with five girls to accept Jesus and to see how excited they were to start living with Christ was amazing. During one week of evangelism in a town called Bethel, I coincidentally visited the home of a student who had seen us at her school a few times. She had heard our message before but I was able to share with her in greater detail what it meant to live for Jesus and when I asked her if she wanted to accept Jesus she enthusiastically said yes. It was so exciting to see how Jesus was moving on her right there on her porch. We frequented a school for adolescent mothers and there I made a friend named Kameel. She shared with me the story of her life and my heart was just overwhelmed for her. We have become really great friends and I love encouraging her in her relationship with Jesus and just being a friend that she can lean on. There are so many stories of salvation, recommitments, and Christian youth being encouraged. Being one of the team leaders I was able to build relationships with many of the teachers and directors of programs on the island. Jesus just gave me opportunity after opportunity to love on the people of Tobago. Running into old friends and making new friends, Jesus really opened my heart to see how passionately he loves Tobago. Even now my heart is burdened for them and I ask that if in any way you touch Tobago with Jesus love—whether through supporting missionaries that are already present there, going there yourselves, or praying—that you would not miss an opportunity of being a light in a place so very dark. The spiritually dark atmosphere of Tobago is beginning to turn to light and you need to be involved. Thanks.

Nathan Joseph Densley (Team Co Leader)
Age: 20-21 yrs
Favorite T&T Town/Place: Chaguanas
Favorite T&T Snack: Cheese Pies at Signal Hill Comprehensive School

Spiritual Giftings: Intercession, Faith, Prophetic Worship, Healing

Most Unique Experience:
1. Going to work at a school that had planned on preaching the gospel at and then as we drove up to the school we realized that it was a Muslim school. I spoke to the principal and told him that we are, how shall we say, Christian. They told us not to talk about God, so we did what we could and changed our program to fit their requests. Strong experience. But we were able to bring the presence of God into that school.
2. I was at Tim and Michelle’s and they had a nail file and I looked at it. Word.

Aaron J Tysdal (Tallest Man in Canada)
Age: 20yrs
Favorite T&T Town/Place: Tim and Michelle’s House. They are da-domb (seriously) (seriously da-domb)
Favorite T&T Snack: Mauby Fizz and Cheese Pies at Signal Hill Comprehensive School

Spiritual Giftings: Servanthood, Ministry of Helps, Hospitality

Most unique Experience:

I am the tallest man in Canada.

Skateboarding in Valencia. It was wicked. People loved watching and it was so easy to talk to people. I got totally haggard skating in Valencia for the kids there.

Working on Roger and Simone’s house. Hard work but it was good.

I got a rad tan because I went to the beach all the time.

Story: One week we were doing door to door ministry in Buccoo. I was kind of scared to do it at first but found the people to be quite hospitable and willing to talk or invite you in. I realized a lot about evangelism that week. That people need something more in life and that a lot of people really want to accept Jesus Christ, and all you have to do is tell them about him. That week changed the way I thought about ministry and telling people about Jesus. It was a good week.

Julie Ann Heindle
Age: 20yrs
Favorite T&T Town/Place: Arima
Favorite T&T Snack: Pringles

Spiritual Giftings: Worship, Children’s Ministry

Most unique Experience:
Being given the opportunity to sing in churches and schools. The feedback I got was always a blessing and from that I k now God used my voice to bless others. I never imagined that I would sing so much here. It’s been really stretching for me at times.

Story: This is my second trip to Trinidad and Tobago in as many years, something I thought would never happen…but we serve a God of surprises at times, I think. So here I am back in Trinidad doing the things God has called me to. And it’s been crazy. During my time here last year I met a girl named Kandace and spent only minimal time getting to know her. After finding out that I was coming back here I was excited to see her again and really spend some time getting to know her. And that I did. We spent much time in her school doing assemblies and just hanging out with the students and she would come and talk with us. I remember one day we just talked about life and what she felt God has planned for her life. It was so inspiring to hear how she wanted to honor God and her parents as hard as that can be at times. I’m so thankful to God for allowing us to try this friendship thing all over again. And one thing that God has been giving to me is a love for children in spite of myself. I’ve had many people tell me that God wanted to use me in children’s ministry and I was very opposed to it whenever they did. But as we’ve been here we’ve spent much time with children. We worked in a place for young mothers and I found myself falling in love with their children. I remember one day in particular where I was holding one of the women’s daughters and she fell asleep on me and I just lay on the chair with her. It just reminded me of how precious children are and I fell in love with this little girl. God has certainly been changing my heart towards children and to my chagrin, I’m okay with it.

Arielle Odessa Joy Siroto
Age: almost 19yrs
Favorite T&T Town/Place: Arima and Port of Spain
Favorite T&T Snack: Busta Drinks, Doubles and Cheese Pies at Signal Hill Comprehensive School

Spiritual Giftings: Teaching children, Spiritual Visions, Peacemaker, Mother to the Motherless.

Most unique Experience:

Going to schools and meeting kids

Shopping was unique, beaches were great

I loved T&T 2006

The music was great, all that soca!

There are all things that impacted me. I will miss it tons. Thank you God for these amazing 4 months here in T&T. Praise Him!

Story: Hey! My name is Arielle and I am 18 years old, this is my first year on Lifeforce. Having lived in Tobago for the nine weeks, God has given me a number of opportunities to pour into his peoples lives. Praise Him! There is this one specific incident that God really moved in me. If the arm of God has touched you, reach out and touch someone else, Amen! There was one night where I prayed for this young girl who went to one of the schools that we had been ministering at. Her name was Kayanne. She was weeping and we just hugged and I was just talking to God weeping myself. She told me she has sickle cell and some nights the pain would just be horrific. She asked me to pray for her healing. I believe with all my being that My God with place his healing hand upon her life. She rededicated her life that night to Christ. I was so encouraged.

Jane Galbreath
Age: 20yrs
Favorite T&T Town/Place: Arima/Tobago
Favorite T&T Snack: Coco Crisp and Pineapple

Spiritual Giftings: Drawn to help those who are broken, to Minister Emotional Healing

Most unique Experience:

Sitting in on a STD awareness class!

Also, meeting a group of girls at Carnival. I saw from a distance one of the girls in the group wining and holding her baby at the same time. It seemed so wrong but it made me want to talk with them. They were all around my age; one was an exotic dancer and another, the mother of the baby was a bar girl. They were barely dressed, holding a beer in one hand, and wining while I was talking with them but I was filled with an inexpressible love for them. All I wanted to do was spend time with them and love on them. Standing next to them humbled me. In Canada, I would never have been able to talk with girls in that kind of situation.

Story: During my time here in T+T, God has taught me a lot about sharing his Gospel. He has shown me a little glimpse of what evangelism is. I have found myself overwhelmed by the brokenness around me so much so that I don’t know what to do with myself. I have been unexplainably consumed with love for people that I have never met. Like a couple girls that I met at Signal Hill who I got to build relationship with during our visits there. When I would see them I would have to hold back tears because I was so overwhelmed with the knowledge of Gods love for them. On one occasion we went to a children’s ward at a local hospital. There I met a woman who had to leave her son there because she was homeless. I think he had been there for a significant time. Being there humbled me, the most impacting experience at that children’s ward was when I was leaving and I glanced back through the window and I saw a nurse walk up to a 2 year old boy and abruptly fix his IV and walk off. The little boy was screaming in pain looking around for someone to comfort him, but nobody came. He saw me looking through the window and reached for me wanting me to pick him up. I couldn’t as I had already left the ward. As I walked down the hallway I could still hear him cry and that crushed me to think that this little boy had no one to do the simplest thing; comfort him in sickness.

Cameron Edwin Sparks the Third
Age: 21yrs
Favorite T&T Town/Place: Port of Spain
Favorite T&T Snack: Chili Balls

Spiritual Giftings: Prophesy, Discernment

Most unique Experience:
I know for the past few years that I have an anointing on my preaching but I never wanted to be seen as a ‘preacher’. But this year I just surrendered it to God and through that He gave a heart to see people saved more that I had before.

Story: When I was in Tobago I had the opportunity to teach an ISCF class (Inter School Christian Fellowship). I spoke on a passage from Numbers 25 I was talking on Passion and then Nate got up and said some brief things. Then I shared the Gospel and some girls accepted the Lord. Some other girls who were already Christians came up and spoke to me and told me that they were encouraged by the message I spoke on. It blessed me to know we are having a repeated effect on this Island.

~ The 2006 LifeForce Team ~
View Slide Show

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Check Out Other Spotlights!

2005 T&T LifeForce Team
Cory Waldron, Youth Pastor
2004 Tobago LifeForce Team