Everything starts with a dream. You perish if you do not have a vision for your dream. On January 25, 2010, I awoke from a dream: “a large Victorian home with several stories. I was getting the bride ready in her dress. Preparation was key to the event.”
Two years prior my husband Rich had a dream that we were preparing a large white house in Hawaii for visiting dignitaries, sort of as caretakers of the property.
In April 2010 I got a call from Darlene Cunningham, co-founder with her husband and founder Loren, of Youth With A Mission. She wanted me, an interior designer, to help furnish “King’s Mansion”. This is a property owned by YWAM near Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. I enthusiastically began visualizing the project. Working on something BIGGER than you presents challenges that only an INFINTE GOD can COMPLETE. I went to Kona in July, 2010 to review the scope of the project. When Rich saw King’s Mansion he knew immediately that this was the house in his dream. We had both been to Kona many times since our Crossroad DTS in 1985. This latest visit strengthened our vision.
During that visit Loren was giving a tour of the Mansion to a group of leaders from around the world. He turned to Cindy & Tom, who are currently on the property and key to the renovation. He asked Cindy to share the dream she had while a SOE student at YWAM on another Hawaiian Island in 1973. “This is the house I saw in the small group as we were praying for direction for YWAM in the Hawaiian islands”.
Let her words continue to give VISION. “Jill Dawson (now Jill Bills) saw a large white house on a hill with a veranda and green shutters. As she spoke this out, I had, as it were, a vivid picture of this house--even where it was located on the island. Of course none of us had ever been in Kona before.
Several years went by and Tom and I were in Kona for the first time. Loren picked us up from the airport and took us to the new property that YWAM had gotten not too long before. It was King's Mansion we saw that day in prayer. Exactly!” she exclaimed.
This property was purchased in 1977 from the old Greenwell Estate a home steeped in history dating to 1903. Shortly thereafter John Dawson, Jill’s brother and now President of YWAM, started sharing about the Mansion being a place of prayer as well as a gathering place for leaders. Confirming how key leaders with a heart for prayer that bring forth VISON would be coming together, he had recently met with Lou Engle and Mike Bickle on the property. This will be a special place, a place to CATCH DREAMS.
Loren Cunningham along with Bill Bright founder of Campus Crusade for Christ both got the vision for the 7 spheres of society in 1975. In this they knew YWAM was to be an “influencer” to every arena in life. Loren’s vision and insight has caused the YWAM organization to be a leader in missions with over 1300 world wide locations. The Manison will be such a place where leaders can mingle from all the spheres of society. (read vision following)
He shared with us a progressive principle that “ prayer leads to ideas, ideas to vision, vision to events, events to communities and individual impartation.” The vision of his life has come from this progression. See the following vision for KINGS MANSION and look at their web site for more information of the history for past 50 years.
I now know why there was so much preparation in my dream. I want to make this the most beautiful place to get the “BRIDE READY”. I remember preparing and serving lots of food to the guests. Will you be ready to come to the wedding? Your place is set. Dreams do come true. We will complete and furnish all the rooms that really matter in life. DREAM BIG.
KING’S MANSION
YWAM Kealakekua, Hawaii
The vision for King’s Mansion is to serve as a gathering place for global leaders to relate and network around kingdom purposes in an environment of scriptural enrichment and spiritual renewal.
These leaders will be convened at King’s Mansion in Kealakekua, Hawaii according to categories that influence society, such as church and mission, government, business (including science & technology), education, media, etc. King’s may host an event focused on one sphere at a time, or bring together a mixture of spheres for catalytic networking and multi-generational purposes. Though Youth With A Mission will serve as the host for these gatherings, the events will be multi-organizational, drawing individuals from a broad cross-section of Christendom and society.
King’s will also be a place committed to fast-track young leaders, providing a context where the young mix, mingle and discuss together with experienced, mature leaders in the various spheres of society, allowing for impartation and multiplication.
Kings will serve as a gathering place for senior YWAM leadership teams as well—a place to fellowship, pray and strategize around future initiatives.
The Heritage Center at King’s Mansion will house displays, photographs and artifacts of key significance to YWAM’s history, values and vision—the DNA of this missions movement. Resident and visiting researchers and writers will use King’s to connect the past with the future.
All of the gatherings and events outlined above will provide the opportunity to offer internships for those called to roles in hospitality, operations and administration. These six-month and one-year internships will equip people to multiply these practical ministries. The internships will be overlapped to provide in-house continuity for the running of King’s Mansion.
YOUTH WITH A MISSION / UNIVERSITY OF THE NATIONS
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is an ever-expanding global "family of ministries" born in 1960 which has reached into every nation. The work of YWAM encompasses evangelism, training and mercy ministries and is manned by nearly 20,000 full-time staff from more than 200 nationalities and a wide variety of denominations who serve at more than 1,300 ministry sites in 177 nations. More than four million students, short-term volunteers, part-time and full-time staff have served with YWAM since its inception.
The University of the Nations (UofN), is YWAM's global university. Since its inception in 1978, the UofN has grown
to offer more than 800 different kinds of courses and seminars (some of which are offered in 95 languages), held at more than 520 locations in more than 140 countries. Hundreds of thousands of students are registered within the global UofN system who have taken at least a Discipleship Training School (DTS), the entry course and pre-requisite for all other UofN courses and/or for becoming YWAM staff.
Anyone who has completed a DTS is qualified for "continued education" in UofN courses
anywhere they are offered worldwide, for the rest of his/her life. With appropriate course
credits he/she will receive UofN degrees through Masters level, when qualified. But more
importantly, he/she will be better equipped to serve the Lord in the role He has given
him/her to glorify Jesus and transform nations. For more information and course registration,
contact us at www.uofnkona.edu
Loren Cunningham
Founder, Youth With A Mission / President, University of the Nations
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