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How YWAM BETHLEHEM was born
YWAM South Africa gave birth to a base in the little town of Bethlehem. Suddenly Miguel, Marlien, Damaris and Genevive Godoy found themselves in the middle of an extraordinary story about God's provision.
Since the beginning of being Missionaries we wanted to pioneer a new work. God called Miguel originally to South Africa. We saw many young people with a desire and interest to serve God with varying talents to get involved in Missions. Many with lots of Biblical knowledge, but the need to put it into practice. Also many people in the community with a heart to support Missions and many more to be prayer supporters. We also noticed that this part of the country has no YWAM base. God started opening all the doors here.
The first DTS started April 1 2001, after God provided all the needs. First He gave us the house and 8 hectars of land, then furniture, curtains, fridges, plates, pots, finances. Then the DTS-students arrived! Leaders, a Venture minibus, and a tent for 250 people. Food offerings and wonderful teachers. God's provision has been awesome! Miguel says this new base adventure is 'agridulce', meaning 'sour and sweet'. This is with the South African- Argentine mixture.
For Miguel, coming from Argentina, settling in South Africa was more difficult than for Marlien, who was born and grew up in Bethlehem. They got to know each other in Buenos Aires, when Marlien did her DTS in 1994 and Miguel was one of the leaders. Their SOFM outreaches were on the Amazon in Bolivia, up towards the border of Brazil and South Argentina.
In 1995 both of them went separately to Equatorial Guinea (the only Spanish speaking country in Africa) in Central West Africa, where they directed the DTS for several years and helped with the building of the YWAM base in Bata. They got married in June 1996 in Bata, with a typical African wedding. Both daughters, Damaris Ayecaba and Genevive Ynimbing were born in Equatorial Guinea. In 1999 they also started a new DTS and established well the new YWAM Base in Malabo, Bioko Island - Equatorial Guinea.
With this background the Bethlehem base, as the first Afro/Latin base in Africa, brings a special flavor to this YWAM base.
Miguel and Marlien desire to train people from Africa, as well as from South and Central America.
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