THINK ABOUT DOING A DTS? GOOD! NOW LET’S GET YOU EQUIPPED PROPERLY!
Moving across the state, country, or world can be a bit daunting for anyone! Doing that same move without knowing what the heck you need or don’t need to have is even worse! When I moved 9,095 miles away from my house in Crittenden, Kentucky I thought that I was under-packed and underprepared… I was wrong! I had brought my computer bag, and the recommended hiking backpack full of clothes and medical supplies for the IPHC (Introduction to primary health care) school that I was going to be taking. I also brought anything I thought I needed for the outreach part of our DTS or IPHC. Seems good right? Let me explain the issues here!
YOU DON’T NEED:
1. Your ENTIRE wardrobe…
For some reason, I thought that I was moving straight into a hut in the middle of the ocean and would have no access to anything, so I brought just about everything I owned to wear with me in my backpack! When I showed up, I was introduced to the very small amount of space that I was provided to unpack…and then the Salvation Army/Red Cross “thrift” stores that had just about any clothes that I needed for much cheaper than that shmancy suitcase full of rompers that I brought! – lol
2. A bunch of contacts!
Okay, don’t hear me saying, go anywhere and everywhere without knowing a single soul in those places… but DO hear me saying that the usual environment for DTS’s are really friendly towards building relation/friendships! Obviously, not everyone will have the same experiences, but in general practice, home and family is where you put it!
3. A “fixed-up” or “super spiritual” life!
Believe it or not… the people in the mission field are just as broken as the people back home! The only difference between back home and your DTS leaders are that the leaders know how to deal with, and have dealt with their brokenness and use it for testimonies! God will work a lot on you, and get your heart “in the right place”! 
I remember my stepdad telling me pretty regularly that my heart wasn’t “in the right place” (good enough) to be in this type of environment, but I can almost promise there won’t be any monks hitting their heads with bibles at your DTS… and if there is… call Loren.
4. A plan.
“What are your plans?”, “Are you going back to school?”, and “What are you going to do with your life?” are all too familiar questions that I think a lot of (us) younger people receive with the expectation to KNOW with 100% certainty what we want to do or what God wants to do with us. Well, to my delight, I haven’t heard any of those questions once since I’ve been here!
At least with our staff here on the Townsville base, the questions asked have always been more towards the present and what God is doing NOW. “What is going on in your life?”, “What has God been working on recently?”, and “What opportunities have been opened in your life?” are more of the usual questions! No expectation, only listening.
5. The skills and abilities to do EVERYTHING!
Listen, you aren’t God, you don’t have the knowledge and ability to do everything. But… we (they) don’t expect you to! A lot of YWAM’s focus especially in DTS is to find the abilities and talents that you have to do kingdom work! Even if you think your specialty, ability, talent, or interest is something really small, I guarantee that it can be used for God’s glory! So take some pressure off yourself and get ready for DTS, you’re in for an amazing ride!
Joshua Scalf
Josh is 18, Born and raised in Illinois but moved from Kentucky! He’s currently a student on our July Discipleship Training School. He enjoys photography, music, and just about every sport but mountain biking is his favourite. Josh is extremely passionate about talking and reaching out to people, especially youth that particularly come from troubled homes.
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