YWAM yng Nghonwy
Mae’r ‘Island Reach’ yn hen long Naval Auxiliary 40 oed sydd wedi’i phrynu gan Youth With a Mission (YWAM), a’i hwylio i lawr o Greenock i Gonwy ym mis Rhagfyr gan grŵp o dan arweiniad Jeremy McWilliam.
Bydd Island Reach yn dod yn ‘long drugaredd’ i Fadagascar, gyda gwasanaethau meddygol a deintyddol. Ond yn gyntaf mae angen ei baratoi cyn ei drawsnewidiad mawr, felly mae'n 'ddechrau ymarferol'. Mae tîm ifanc o Wlad Belg, Ffrainc a’r Swistir wedi ymuno â’r ymdrech fel rhan o’u Hysgol Hyfforddi Disgyblaeth YWAM. Fe fyddan nhw yng Nghonwy tan ddiwedd mis Chwefror, dan arweiniad eu harweinydd tîm Caroline Bastenie.
Mae’r ‘Island Reach’ wedi’i hangori mewn rhan wirioneddol amlwg o Gei Conwy, ac yn cael ei defnyddio fel sylfaen ar gyfer efengylu gan fod y tîm yn ymgysylltu â llawer o bobl leol mewn sgwrs, eu gwaith a’u cenhadaeth. Mae wedi helpu i wneud dechrau hynod gadarnhaol i’r flwyddyn i Fro Celynnin, yn llawn perthnasoedd newydd, straeon ysbrydoledig a gweithredu ymarferol. Mae rhai o'r gynulleidfa yn helpu'r tîm gyda lletygarwch neu'n ymuno'n rheolaidd â thîm YWAM ar y bwrdd ar gyfer gweddïo boreol a gwaith cynnal a chadw. Mae’r tîm yn ymwneud â’n bywyd ni hefyd e.e. ym Mhrosiect Bwyd ‘Bagiau Cariad/Bags of Love’, gwaith ar dir y Santes Fair, Conwy, ymgysylltu â gwasanaethau ac ati. Gwyddom fod Duw byth yn bresennol, bob amser ac ym mhob man. Ond rhywsut, mae’r hyn a wnaed mor weladwy trwy ‘Island Reach’ – ei bresenoldeb corfforol, y ffordd y mae’n denu pobl o bell ac agos i rannu eu bywydau, eu gwaith a’u ffydd, yn teimlo fel anrheg anhygoel.
Ychydig misoedd 'nôl cyhoeddodd y Daily Post erthygl am Jeremy a'r Isalnd Reach.
YWAM in Conwy
The ‘Island Reach’ is a 40-year old ex Naval Auxiliary ship which has been bought by Youth With a Mission (YWAM), and sailed down from Greenock to Conwy in December by a group led by Jeremy McWilliam.
Island Reach will become a ‘mercy ship’ bound for Madagascar, with medical and dental services. But first it needs preparation before its major transformation, so it’s ‘all hands on deck’. A young team from Belgium, France and Switzerland have joined the effort as part of their YWAM Discipleship Training School. They will be in Conwy until the end of February, led by their team leader Caroline Bastenie.
The ‘Island Reach’ is moored in a really prominent part of Conwy Quay, and used as a base for evangelism as the team are engaging many local people in conversation, their work and mission. It has helped to make a hugely positive start to the year for Bro Celynnin, full of new relationships, inspiring stories and practical action. Some of the congregation are helping the team with hospitality or regularly joining the YWAM team on board for morning prayer and maintenance work. The team are involving themselves in our life too e.g. in the ‘Bagiau Cariad/Bags of Love’ Food Project, work in the grounds of St Mary’s Conwy, engagement in services and so on.
We know that God is ever present, at all times and in all places. But somehow, that made so visible through the ‘Island Reach’ – its physical presence, the way it’s drawing people from far and wide to share their lives, their work and their faith, feels like an incredible gift.
A few months ago the Daily Post published an article about Jeremy and the Island Reach.