Greetings from Utah! It has been awhile since we last wrote and have realized that in such we have grossly neglected keeping you informed into the exciting things God has been doing in this desert of His and how you can be involved both prayerfully and financially!

A New Season
We have walked into a new season in Moab. Not only as a couple but as a community of believers. God is calling us to “Rise up!” and claim the youth of this community for Him. This community has prayed and sought His voice for the direction in which we should be taking this interdenominational youth group. In all this, God has been consistent in opening doors to begin Young Life in the Moab area. After a month of seeking His face on the direction in which we were to go, God’s message is and has been clear…(Seek to reach every teen in the Moab region!) In obedience to this clear call the Moab Youth Board made a decision to step out and become Young Life Moab. Because Young Life is entirely focused on reaching every teen….especially, those who are most often passed by: the pre-christian, unchurched and disinterested.
Within this decision comes steady changes, but we have continued having guys and girls groups meet on Monday evenings. It is amazing seeing God show up and move in the lives of kids. This has been especially evident in our continued relationship building with these kids. As we embrace Young Life principles and methods, we find ourselves working on and praying through providing deeper discipleship with 2-4 kids per leader and attempting greater outreach with teens through attending their sports and community events.
An additional answer to prayer is the support that we have been receiving from the local churches. Unity of the body of Christ has been heavy on our hearts and God continues to move in this area.
Some of the biggest news we have to share is that we are going to have a baby!! The little munchkin is due February 5th and we are so very excited to be bringing a new life into the world. Still unsure of how this will play into ministry and jobs, we are taking it one day at a time.
Silas is continuing to work at Dave’s Corner Market and Pagan Mountaineering, while Sarah’s job at the Jailhouse Café ended October 31st. We are praying that the necessary funding for Young Life will arrive very soon, thereby enabling both of us to focus fully on the youth here in Moab and the vision that God has for Young Life Moab.

What’s next….?
We feel that God has called us to Moab “for such a time as this”. God continues to remind us that we are not here to “just live”, but that He has called us here as missionaries to declare Him!
With that comes the need for further equipping. Not only of ourselves but the other adults that are involved in leadership roles. We desire to see more adults living out their call to reach kids. The leaders of Young Life Moab will soon begin more intensive weekly training. We are excited to see what God will be doing through this time.
In addition to Monday night groups we will begin adding more “Club” times. This is an awesome opportunity to reach youth that would never set foot into a church. Up to this point we have held a club night once a month and are praying for God to bring additional leadership and resources enabling us to hold club every week.

Your Involvement
In order for us to continue moving forward in our pursuit of youth in this area we need you with us. This first year is the building of our foundation as a ministry. With this comes many areas of need.
First and foremost we need you to be standing with us spiritually. To know that when we send out an e-mail for prayer that we will have people from all over stepping out and claiming it in Christ, knowing that God is mighty to move and loves when His children seek His face together.
Secondly, we need the resources raised to continue what we are doing. Silas and I would love to very soon be focused on our direct ministry with leaders and kids and not have to worry about working other jobs in addition. Not only that but we need the funds to run Young Life Moab. As the Area Director for Moab, Silas and I need to raise funds on our own in addition to raising funds within the Moab region. We have committed to raising $ 1,000 a month.
For more specifics here is our 2011-12 budget… Raise $1,000 in monthly support, to go with our YL committee’s efforts to raise a total of $5,420 in monthly support.

All of this is to extend the kingdom of God within the youth of this community! We are so thankful for your support and want you to be in the center of God’s will, so please pray in how He wants you to be involved in partnering in this new ministry.


Specific prayer requests

- That this ministry would always be founded on Christ, and that we would have wisdom in its growth.
- A new place for us to live (in town where we can be more available for the kids).
- For a good birth and a healthy baby!
- Continued and growing support from the Moab community.
- New Timing Belt for Subie (our 2000 Outback with 208,000 miles on it)
- Or a new(er) vehicle for our growing family
- Operating System updates for our computers (we are a mac family)
- PA or sound system (hoping for a Fender Passport 300 PRO)


Thank you so much for all your prayers and support!


Blessings in Christ,
Silas, Sarah & baby Rappe

therappes@gmail.com
moabyouthministries@gmail.com
435-260-0285 (Silas)
435-260-0249 (Sarah)
Young Life Moab
PO Box 247
Moab, Utah 84532

Make out support checks to Young Life Moab, with UT-23 in the memo.

*Please contact us to be added to our e-mail list.



“God created the world out of nothing, and so long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us.”
-Martin Luther

Outreach in Guatemala.....

Have decided that it is due time for an update.  We have been on outreach since the end of March! The last few weeks have just flown by. It seems odd that we fly back to the states in less than three weeks. We are finishing up our time here in Guatemala by staying in a Hostel in Antigua.  The base, where we spent the last week and a half, didn’t have enough room for us as well as another team coming in.   Our schedule over the last month has varied so much in relation to where we are staying.

Guatemala City, our first leg, was very busy. Every day we had different ministry than the day before. The unanimous favorite would probably be prostitution ministry and street kid ministry. I would have loved to have gone back to speak to the women in prostitution, especially since a few women came to the Lord and others were definitely interested.  Seeing the lack of hope in their eyes and words was so difficult. 

We were split up into two different teams. Each team had 3-4 women who were actually talking to the women, with 3-4 guys standing back, keeping watch and praying. One of the things we tried to emphasize the most was that we are bringing light into darkness and where light is, darkness flees. 

As you walk into La Linea (the line) there is a road with rooms running down the sides. In the doorway of each of these rooms is a woman, waiting. Walking or biking up and down the road is 100’s of men. Every lady we met and talked with, we gave a rose.  At first their defenses were up, but it is amazing how with prayer, a rose, kind words and a hug, those defenses fall.  Most women would open their doors to allow us to come in and pray with them. Right when we would begin to pray, the tears would start to fall.  Most had families who did not know their profession. Many, we believe, had been trafficked and their papers had been taken away. All did not want to be there. One woman, Angelica, wanted to open a bakery but did not know how to escape the life she was entangled in. So many sweet, incredible, women who, when you looked in their eyes, did not know hope.

That was one of our ministry days.  Since then we have gone to San Miguel Chica; a small mountain town about 4 hours outside of Guatemala City. We were there about one week with the YWAM base. From there we headed to the YWAM Antigua base. There the schedule was more structured. Each morning we visited physically and mentally disabled kids at a non profit called San Herman Pedro. 60% of these kids have been abandoned. Some in garbage dumps, others in holes in the ground. This culture looks down upon them and sees them as taboo. They are the “unlovely” of the world, but after a few days of spending time with them you realize just how lovely they are.  For our team, this was challenging. Most of these kids have severe disabilities and our team had no idea how to act. They were far out of their comfort zone.  God is truly full of grace though, for He gave each one of the students a love for these kids.  Most of the time we just sat and held them one at a time.  For the majority of their lives are spent in cribs or a wheel chair, unloved.  I could write a whole page on these kids, but that must wait till I see you in person J

Ultimately, this DTS has been one of seeing Gods love in a whole new way. That Jesus came to love the unlovely. How often do we not fulfill this mandate? I am learning so much about Christ’s love for others, including my team.

Well, this has gotten long. We will be back in Seattle on May 17^th, then are driving down to Moab, Utah about 2 weeks after that. We look forward to seeing you all! Silas and I send our love. 

What a week... or two... or three:)

Phew, where do I begin?  We haven’t written for about three weeks, we have had good intentions to but have been going non-stop.  Let’s see March 7^th-11^th we worked daily prepping for the Legacy Conference, an amazing youth gathering on the base where we live. We helped get everything ready, as well as we were super busy making baked goods and getting things ready to sell to the kids in order for us to raise funds for our Outreach.  During Legacy (march 12^th and 13^th) we made sure things went smoothly, ran small groups and had fun with the kids… as well as running of the snack shack were we sold goodies for our fundraising.  The 14^th of March we packed up and left the base for San Pedro, Belize.  There we stayed on the base of Destination Paradise where we had class with their DTS listening to Dean Sherman speaking on Spiritual Warfare (one of the best lectures series we had).  Sarah and I stayed a couple extra days in San Pedro to try and wind down. Monday the 22^nd we traveled back to Belmopan and began preparations for our upcoming Outreach (six weeks on the road in Guatemala and El Salvador), we also had another fundraiser to prep for and an event to help with.  March 26^th and 27^th was the YC 2010, a huge nation wide youth event.  We again sold stuff like baked goods, hot dogs, chips and dip, etc.  Sunday the 28^th we finished up last minute packing stuff as well as a good thorough house cleaning.  I worked on the house while Sarah finalized finances for the team.  We found a little rest time, but before we knew it the day was over and Monday was upon us.  Monday we ran around finishing up all the little details, had a send off lunch, and then loaded the bus and began our 12-15 hour journey to Guatemala City.  The trip was long and left us pretty drained, but we arrived here this morning at 5:30 and have had a bit of time to get settled.  I am on the lookout for a place we might be able to get wifi for skype and so I will keep everyone posted but in the meantime keep an eye out for us on skype and hopefully we will be able to chat soon.  We love you all and send our blessings to everyone.  I will hopefully have a bit more time to let you all know what we will be doing here through the 9^th of April.  And then from here we are heading to San Miguel, Antigua and San Salvador.  Good times!!!  Our thoughts are with you all, and before you know it we will be back stateside with many wonderful stories on to share.  Until then… Hasta Luego!

Sonnet...

Longing for the great provider

Surrendering my all for the one I love

Soaring on His words, a gentle glider

Turning my eyes to my Father up above

Lifting my eyes to heaven hour after hour

Rejoicing, singing, and worshiping Him

Turning from the ways of a world gone sour

No longer giving in to every wreckless whim

Placing myself at the center of your will

Listening to the words you place upon my heart

Over and over reminding me to be still

Knowing that from me your love will never part

You are my god and your love knows no bounds

For you are my lord may your voice in my heart, forever resound…

San Benito Poite for me...

Poite for me was somewhat of an awakening... or I should say a letting go.  When Sarah and I felt the call to come to do our DTS in Belize I knew that I would be taking a HUGE step of faith.  We felt though that that was were God wanted us to be and after a lot of confirmation in so may ways we took the step and here we are.  In our DTS God has been constantly teaching me how to live, challenging me to transform and renew my mind.  So a week or so before Poite I was struggling with condemning feeling in regards to finances (mainly stemming from a change in washer and Dryer in our house in Fort Collins, not a huge thing but something the enemy tried to use to bring me into despair rather than hope).  I received a break through from those stresses (really learning to turn them over to faith and trust that God would provide) the Friday before we left, only to find out on Sunday, that my father had had a moderate heart attack.  Wow, does the enemy know how to get to me... financially, then with my family.  Being in Belize, where I knew I couldn't do anything, I had to turn my eyes to Christ and in prayer I turned it over to Him.  We left Monday morning and if you have read Sarah's blog before this you will see that what should have been a 5 hour trip turned into 12 hours.  Through the week in Poite we were challenged to push into God's will and to touch the lives of these people.  Myself I felt the need to step back and rest upon Him.  The days we were there I stepped up to help in any way I could, I spoke when I felt I needed to, however through out the time I felt like God wanted me to simply "be still and know that he is God."  Through out the whole time there I felt a sense of Peace that I have never felt.  There is soooo much more to share but i will trim it own for now:)  Needles to say when we returned I heard good things concerning my dad, he is eating better, trying to exercise, cutting out the cigarettes and has begun reading the Bible.  All of which is answered prayers.  We have been able to rest and I have been able to push further into studying the word and again how to transform my life.  Eagerly seeking a heart like David (I have been reading into the life of David a lot and suggest everyone do it).  His faith was impressive.  I continue to feel the peace that I found in Poite, constantly laying my worries and stresses at the foot of the cross and seeking Christ's will for my life... intense, I know:), however worth it all...

San Benito Poite

So.....here is a quick summary of the last few weeks. 
San Benito Poite....
A few weeks ago we went on our first week of outreach. It was to a remote village out in the bush called San Bentio Poite (we all pronounces "poite" more like "pointe"). The trip that was suppose to take 5 hours to get there, ended up taking 12. Mostly due to flat tires, random stops, then getting lost in the dark in the middle of the jungle, then losing a spare tire out the back door in the dark in the middle of the jungle. None-the-less, we got there the next day after staying at a village along the way.
No running water or electricity and cement floors to sleep on. To make up for that though, there was a beautiful waterfall and a wonderful community that we all fell in love with. We worked mostly with the kids and the women. Despite going to bless them, they blessed us. There were many issues with this village culturally and spiritually....for example, women being second class. But they were welcoming and the kids were a blast to play with.
We were invited in to share their food, which there was little of, learn how to make corn tortillas; taste dried, raw cocoa bean for the first time; pet a wild baby jaguar and many other experiences. What outweighed them all was just falling in love with a beautiful people.
For me (Sarah), it was wonderful sitting with these little girls who were slapped by boys and considered nothing by most of their culture and to speak words of encouragement to them. Just basic words like "you are beautiful" or "you are so loved by Jesus" brought their faces up with huge smiles! Or even to be able to talk with a mother who never looked anyone full in the face or who started to cry when I prayed words of value and love over her. Leaving was bittersweet. I felt so blessed, and full. Full to overflowing.
With all that came a weight. A weight heavy on my heart. That these people need love so desperately. These women and girls need to be shown love and their worth and value in Christ. These men need to be shown how to value all human life.
These are the kind of people I want to go to. Not the people who have got it figured out. But the people who need to simply be loved by an amazing Father. Who need healing emotionally and spiritually. How often do I let myself and my pride get in the way of speaking out a few words or love or encouragement when He tells me to?
My prayer is that I stop getting in the way. That I will live and speak the love that so many people need.

That was a bit of Poite for me.