 We're streaming live from our studios of Fintech Honolulu in downtown Honolulu and from my home office in Makiki. Today, I would like to introduce you to a young man and his name is Austin Kaplan. Austin is a faithful volunteer with YWAM and I have a secret to share with all of you. This is my first time to meet Austin. I have a talk story with him. I had his mother on my last show and I was so impressed with what she was sharing with me off-screen that I said, I gotta have this young man on my show. So we asked and this guy said, okay, Auntie, I'd love to come on. So welcome aboard Austin Kaplan. Thank you so much for having me in this time and very much appreciate it. Yeah, and we're going to learn a lot from you and we're going to hear your heart. We're going to shine that light bright for everyone to see that they can do exactly what you do and more if they want to. Exactly, exactly. I'm super excited to share with you guys today. Thank you. So when we get started, I want you to tell us about yourself and a little bit about your family. Yeah, for sure. So my dad was in the military. I grew up in California, San Diego. And then after that, we moved to Guam. For three years, we lived in Guam. And then after that, we moved to Hawaii. My father retired out here. He created his own company called Trident Adventures, like a diving company. And he retired out here. They bought a house. And yeah, we've been living here probably 12, 13 years now. It's been a long time. So yeah. Wow. And I take it you kind of like it here. Oh, I love it. I love it. Yeah. That's what I wanted to hear from you. I want you to love it, especially being a young, and I think you guys are water people. Oh, we are. Yeah, we definitely are. Excellent. So, you know, Austin, what are you striving for to do in your life currently? Yeah, for sure. So right now I'm working for Trident and I'm also in college to be a firefighter. Through the fire science program at HCC on Kalihi. So I'm really excited to be starting that here very soon. Hopefully get picked up by the federal fire department. So that's my goal right now to be doing that. So yeah. Well, that would be excellent. So, you know, you sit on the in your ivory or in the orange tower. Yeah, exactly. You know, you watch with eagle eyes all the safety and precautions of all the people in the water. You know, I surf every week. So I friends with the guy in the orange tower. Whether he knows it or not, I'm talking to him. I'm waving at him all the time. So he knows I'm there. And I also tell him about, you know, I have a like a pacemaker, a slight issue. So I want to make sure I know they're watching out for everybody, but they want to make sure that they're watching out for this anti right. Exactly. No, yeah. And I know the golden rule I never go out alone. I agree with you. Excellent. So I know that you're very actively involved with why I am. Yes. So I would like you to tell us how long have you been involved with this organization. Yeah, for sure. So I've been involved with the organization for under a year now. So it hasn't been very too long. Yeah, why was basically like a community of missionaries and they have every all over the world they have bases in Uganda. They have bases in Kenya they have bases in Australia, everywhere you name it they have bases all over all over the world. It's one of the biggest organizations of missionaries to this day, and they provide schooling, they provide everything it's a really great organization for missionaries. And I really enjoy the people there. We've been to a couple bases. I'm so seeing how different bases work. All the people are so amazing and so uplifting it's awesome. Why is an acronym and what does that stand for. Yeah, so it's a youth with a mission. So they take youth all around the world, non denominational, whatever the nomination you put yourself to say. And they take all these people around the world and they train you up in theology, and then they send you out to go do the work of the God, and wherever they need help at. So yeah. So they have a YWAM campus. Is there one in Kona? There is one in Kona. It's actually one of the biggest bases they have. One of the biggest ones. And I, when I go to Kona, I often see a lot of these like minded really nice kids. And they're, you know, they're being ushered around in bands and they have a group leader, and you know I sit down and they talk story with everybody so I know that they must be do something right and something good there because I can see their glow, the glow in their Yeah, exactly. Yeah, the Holy Spirit is definitely with them all the time. So it takes special minds and hearts to say I want to commit to get involved with this program. And I know the light goes in, you go in with a light and you come out like a shining star because of what you're experiencing there. Exactly. It really is. And these people that live here, they work off like donations from the church, donations from people. So when you volunteer at these bases, they have you a house, they make food for you, but they don't pay you. So they're all doing it by voluntarily because of the work for the work of the Lord. Yeah, it's great. It's amazing what kind of faith these people have. Of all the YWAM programs around the world. Yeah. Why did you choose to go to the one that you go to and you tell us about that. We're excited and why. For sure, for sure. Yeah, so I was actually in Argentina, Mendoza. Not in Kona, I could have just gotten 20 minute flights to Kona, but no all the way around the world. So yeah, the reason for that is because, you know, if you're born in America, born in the United States, really great to get out of the country to be cultured, to see different kind of cultures to see how different people live. That really gives you, you know, a better insight of how everyone does things, you know, it's like there's different foods, there's different way people act, how their government works. And you really see people for how they are in different countries and it's such truly a blessing to see these people in Argentina because they really have a good heart out there and they work hard. And their government's not the great, really, really terrible out there, the government that they have. So the people that are there, they just take it day by day and they're really nice people. It's a very warm culture. So they're very warming just like Hawaii, very warm culture, like, hey, come on, how are you guys, we'd love to have you. But yeah, and of course it's all in Spanish. So English is very minimal there. So yeah, that's one of the reasons. You know, like of all the countries, I mean, how come you went to Argentina and not Uganda? Yeah, for sure. So I was looking just at a couple of places and I was praying a lot of where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do. And Lord just put on my heart, Argentina, I really didn't know what I was getting into. I really didn't know what it was going to be like, you know, I just trusted and I just went with it. And when I went, you know, everything fell into place, you know, I felt a little bit uncomfortable at first because I didn't know what I was going to get into. But once I got there, I knew it was the right place. I know this is where the Lord wanted me to be and to be a tool for him. Wow. And so when you got there, you know, you're in a South American continent country. Yeah, what was the diet like? I mean, what kind of food? Yeah, for sure. So on the base, actually, they actually have all people around the world. So they're in the kitchen, they actually cook whatever you want. So if, say, if you're from the United States, like, oh, you like hamburgers, of course, they would say that. I'm like, yeah, I would like a hamburger. So they would cut and cook foods for you like that. But depending where you're from, you know, they always make sure that everyone likes to eat what they like pretty much. But like when we went to, let's say, in town somewhere, they have, you would think it's really spicy foods because it's kind of like a Latina culture, right? But it's not. It's the really flavorable, like chicken they have. Countessence is actually a huge thing there. A very life-full tree and everything. It's great food. Wow. So you could actually go there and still get burgers and hot dogs because that's the thing you want to eat. And pizza. And pizza, of course. So if you went to the one in Kona, they wouldn't just feed you poi and la, la, la, and they would give you burgers as well. They would. They would. They really would, yeah. I guess they got to keep you young folks happy so you can continue to learn and be healthy. I know. So the quality of the food, was it really healthy food or? No, yeah. It was a little bit of a mixture. You know, you have your non-healthy foods and of course your healthy foods. So, you know, kind of mix and match what you want to take in that day. Did they have a lot of beans? No. In Brazil, they had a lot of beans. Wow. In Brazil, rice and beans is huge there. But in Argentina, not so much. Not so much. Yeah. Okay. So what happens when you commit to six months of missionary work to YWAM? Yeah, for sure. So in the six months, you go through this program called a DTS. This DTS stands for Disciple Training School. So in the six months, you're at this base, you're with people that you've never met before. You're sharing a community with them, sharing a house with them. And you go for the first three months, you're in classes. So every day, you're in class in the morning and you go to lunch. Then after that, you go do service work for two hours. And then after service work, you go back to class. And then after class, there's dinner. And then you just repeat that every day, every day. And you're learning about the Bible. We have guest speakers coming online through different WAN bases through everywhere. So when you're committing to this for six months, it's schooling for the first three months. And then the last two months is when we go for outreach. So yeah. Wow. And so what community? I mean, what communities are you going to be surrounded in? I mean, how do they know where to take you and what's the community like? Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So the community is very uplifting. The people that you're there are so nice. They welcome you in like family. The head of the base there, her name was NIDA. She's from Puerto Rico. She's fluent in English and in Spanish. So I had a bunch of translators there for me because I didn't know any Spanish at all. So everybody was so nice to me. Everybody translated for me. The people there are always going to, you know, we have leaders. So these leaders always help you with your personal struggles that you have. I'm never going to find probably anyone that's really going to put you down. I mean, of course, there's always those couple of people, but these people here are just so nice. They're like family when you meet them. Yeah. That's a perfect environment. It really is. Like if you're really looking for like another breakthrough or needing something new, you know, these people you're getting surrounded with are just all loving all the time. So is there a fee for all this? Or you just go to volunteer and how does this happen? Yeah. So there is a fee for the school. And of course for travel as well. If you're coming from a different state or country. But if you volunteer there, there's no fees. They don't pay. They don't charge you for living. So they give you a living for free and the houses that they have, they're actually quite nice depending on the base. Water's free. Gas is free. But for your own personal finances to go out to town one day, or if you need a car, of course you need to find your own finances for that. Well, and would you say that someone would have to be spirit filled to even say yes, I'm looking at this opportunity versus, you know, like, oh, I have a kid and he's like, not really into anything. Yeah. And I want to, you know, help him find the Lord. So I say, Hey, why don't you join up at YWAM and see what it does for you? Yeah. Is that sometimes what happens to the students there? Oh, a hundred percent. Like usually these people that are coming here for the DTS, they weren't doing the best. So when they come here, they really, they want to renew their lives. They want to find what they had when they lost, you know, maybe five, six years ago before they started going down these paths. And they kind of just refine themselves and the Lord and through these teachings and everything that they're giving you, you just get everything back and you're rejuvenated with the Lord and everything. So it's definitely both ways. You can either, you know, if you're lost and you need the Lord more, it's definitely a great program for that. Or if you want to keep learning about the Lord more, it's also a great program for that. Yeah. It'll take you from one level where you are and it just maps you out. Exactly. Yeah, I'll shoot you right through the roof. That is for sure. So you've got to come back, Dave, then let me know. And now you even have another goal is to be a lifeguard. And I mean, you're going to be that waterman. Yeah. Physical lives, but spiritual lives as well. Yeah. Right. Yeah. I might jump off my boogie board and say, I hope I need more spiritual living in my life to just inject this knowledge and there's no hope in that you have into the rest of the people that are looking for it. So what a great call for you, Austin. I'm so excited. Thank you so much. Great. So how was your outreach? And what did you do while you were there? Gotcha. Yeah. So that outreach was amazing. So after our three months of our school, we have to pass our classes and our tests and stuff to be able to go on this outreach. So they make sure, you know, because you have to live what you're being taught. So if they see that, okay, he's getting through these classes, but he's not expressing it outwardly. He's not changing in his character. They're not going to want that person that's teaching to someone else, you know, about the Lord. And they're not practicing it in their own lives, you know. So after that three months, we went to outreach. And the first time of the outreach was in a different province. So this province is like a different city or state almost in Chaco, Argentina. And these people were so broken. They come from really broken families, sexual abuse, emotional abuse. We helped out at churches. And these churches were all new Christians. So we were really helping these pastors out with their new planted church. And then when we were doing this, these people just kept flooding with us of these children. We were working with them through sports, through activities, making signs, making goody bags for them, going to houses, evangelizing to houses, inviting them to the church, you know, just to really, just inviting them. And then when that happened, these kids came so broken to us. And it was really sad to see that because, you know, one kid was struggling with abuse with his dad. He was always beaten up every day, every day. And his mom left and he was living with his friends. And I remember after we got done a teaching one day, he was just crying at the altar and I just gave him a hug. And he just kept crying and crying and just kept hugging him for like a good half hour because he's never felt loved before. You know, like a hug from my spiritual father or something. So. And especially from another man. Exactly. Yeah. That's what they need the most young boys. Yeah. So, you know, it's like not only touched him, but it really touched me, you know, and you know, what I saw and felt as well. This young man, could he speak English? Yes, he could speak a little bit of English. While I was there, I got conversation with fluent in Spanish. So, um, yeah. All the people I was there with, they didn't speak English. My buddies that I met there. So the whole house I was with, they didn't speak English at all. So I had to learn English. I had to learn Spanish. I'm sorry. Right. To these people, you know, and I could speak to my teammates. Yeah. And you know, Austin, what was, um, what was some of your goals during this time? Yeah, for sure. So one of my personal goals was just to find my identity again and who I was. Um, so like, I was really lost in my identity of who I was for a long time as a person. And I was really trying to get back. I was doing bad things. You know, I was getting in with the wrong crowd. You know, that just wasn't me personally. It really wasn't. And kind of going here was like, you know, a new step in my life with God again, you know, really just committing back to him and saying, you know, I've got, I'm going to do it this time, you know, but I'm going to do it right, you know, um, and I did it, you know. And when I did that, it felt good. It really did. Blessing. What a blessing to be with like-minded people that are, you know, in this direction to, you know, towards the light, especially at a time when, you know, young people need this. I wish more and more could find this opportunity that they can turn their darkness into this fight and, and continue to do more good for all. And of course, you know, you're going there to help others, but you yourself are being, are being helped. So that's the greatest. Exactly. Yeah. Coming back with a different goal and different. Desires and activities for you. And I'm so excited. I, I, I look forward to just giving you a hug. Well, what are some of the activities that you did with your team while you were there? Yeah. So we played soccer a lot. Soccer is huge in Latin culture. So I love, um, messy, of course, messy is a professional soccer player, um, and Argentina for the World Cup. There was a cup going on there for soccer. Um, so we played soccer all the time with them. Um, we played volleyball. We did plays and skits. So we had plays we set up beforehand while we were in a training part before we went to the crusade, which is the outreach. So we did plays for them about abuse. We did play like funny plays as well for the littler kids. Um, let's see what else did we do? Oh, we made a balloon animals. We did, um, we made signs for them, you know, about, um, let's say, um, um, let's see what's that word. Yeah. For like struggling in their home lives, basically, so whatever was going on in their home lives, we were basically making encouragement signs to take with them. So they can read that at home and be like, Oh, this is what they wrote for us. So if they're having a hard time, they can go back to that. And so that's what we're really doing with them. Yeah. Was there like a curriculum that you followed or did you guys say, let's try this or that's not working. Let's try this. Let's do signs. Let's do balloons. Well, yeah, for sure. Yeah. So there's a curriculum through wham that they like to do sometimes. Um, it's through their schooling, how they've done it for over years and years and years. We kind of followed that. Um, and they kind of give us ideas to implant once we go out there. So we can help the kids with what they need help with. Um, but, and then sometimes we have to be Johnny on the spot. We're like, okay, maybe this might not work for this group of people who kind of have to read the crowd and what's going on. Okay. As a team, let's try and do this. See what works, you know, and of course they love it. They love it. So. And, you know, of course I have to ask, when you went to the province, who did all the cooking for the team? So all the churches did the cooking. We were staying at churches. Yep. And then we also raised money if they didn't have food for us, that they would go out to like a local supermarket and we would cook our own food. So, yeah. So many lessons learned and achieved. I tell you, I, I want to, is there an age limit or. Yeah. Is there an age limit? No, there's no age limit. I mean, I'm assuming if you're three years old, you're not going to be able to travel by yourself, but. You're 63 years old. Can you still go? Heck yes. Definitely. Have a young heart. No, you could definitely go a hundred percent. Wow. Oh, okay. So what did you learn doing this whole time when you were in Argentina and I. I think you went to Brazil as well. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So Brazil was a great time as well. The people that are amazing. But yeah, basically learning about myself a lot. I learned a lot about myself again. What I'm doing in my life. What God really wants me to do in my life. That's the most important thing that basically what I want to do, but what he wants to do. And so I was really. Not struggling, but praying all the time while I was there, because, you know, that's basically the point of going on this DTS is for the mission work and also, you know, refining yourself through what you're doing and the good works and the Lord. So yeah, so I really focused on, you know, what am I going to do when my next steps in life? You know, Lord, what do you want me to do? And going throughout this process, you know, I learned that I love people. You know, I'm a really great people person. Yes, you are. People just, especially being white and having little eyes, they love you. So this is like a magnet. Wow. Yeah. So. What was the Lord speaking to you in these times? And what did he teach? Teach you personally. Definitely. So this next generation that's coming up of, let's say like 10 to 17 year olds. They have really, really strong hearts. You know, if we can really teach this newer generation, or this new generation that's going to become us one day, we really need to plant stages and it's going about the Lord because they have such strong hearts. They really want to know who he is. You know, I know this generation right now that we're in is not the greatest, but this new generation that's going to come up, you know, we can still save it. So that's why it's so important to be doing missionary work and, you know, taking back the, taking back the life of the Lord. That's so important to be doing missionary work and, you know, taking back the taking back the light, you know, and get rid of darkness that's out there. So that's. I'm sure after a lot of young people see this video. They see the health that you're in mentally, spiritually, emotionally, you know, the stability that you're sharing with all of us at your very young age. As I said, I didn't even meet you until now. And I knew that there was something special about you. And there probably is, I mean, while there is something special about everyone, but they just have to find it and discover it. And then share it with others. And then from that point, it continues to blossom. And so you're blossoming and you're going to blossom. And I know that's not a very masculine word, but you're blossoming, you're growing in faith. And in love with the Lord that created you. And so I'm so excited that we get to share this with more and more people. I agree with you. I really do. That's a great way to put it. I need to ask you, what are some of the highlight moments of your whole trip? Gotcha. Yeah. So there was a lot of highlight moments. One of my highlighted moments. Was seeing one of the seven wonders of the world. So, so that was actually an igua zoo, Argentina. And it was a humongous waterfall, humongous waterfall. And it was so amazing. It was, it was such a great experience to be there. I was definitely a highlight of my moment. And of course, being a Brazil, I've always wanted to go to Brazil. It was my first time in Brazil, eating a lot of rice and beans there. That is for sure. So, and it's beautiful there. It's really great. It's like, imagine Hawaii, like on the North Shore of Hawaii, but everywhere more green than that. Wow. Yeah. That is my goal. I've been trying to get to Brazil. I have many cousins. Did you know that my cousins live in, I think some Palo and they have, they boast that they have one of the largest Okinawan communities outside of Okinawa. Wow. Wow. So my cousin is Okinawan. She speaks Okinawan, but her first language is of course Portuguese. Okay. Portuguese and then Okinawan in Japanese and very little, very little English. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, yeah. Portuguese is definitely a very hard language to understand. Very hard. She is a radio talk show host. Wow. And so she has to be very articulate in Okinawan's Portuguese and then of course English, not so much because they get by without it. Okay. Wow, that's crazy that she knows through languages. That's impressive. Yeah. Well, I think a lot of the people in all those, you know, European or Latin American countries, they know more than one language. They do. They are like Americans that struggle even with the English. Yes. Exactly. Yeah. No, yeah. I agree with you. Everybody there that knows English is either fluent in some other language, which is amazing. It's crazy. And that's just the way it's taught. It's a given. It's not like, wow, you speak two languages. Like, I mean, here in Hawaii, I speak English and pigeon, right? Yeah. I'm more fluent in pigeon and I'm struggling with the English. No, yeah. We get by, right? And we do a lot of things, signals and stuff. So I need to ask you, what are some encouraging words that you want to share or say to the people about mission work and living your life for the Lord? Yeah, yeah. That's a great one. So any encourage words that can give to you guys today is just trust in the Lord, you know, really trust in him and what he's speaking to you, what he's saying to do in your life. I mean, if you're lost and you're struggling right now, you know, don't be afraid, you know, just ask the Lord, you know, just ask him for help because he will help you if you ask. If YYM is what you need, you know, I very encourage you to go do missionary work because it really brings out the heart, the true heart that's inside of you and the true character that's inside you. Because, you know, sometimes people can get caught up in two different lives. You know, you don't want to be saying one thing and doing the other, which can be, you know, really bad for people and your character as well. You know, so really putting yourself out there for the Lord and actually doing what he's calling you to do, you know, you won't regret it. You won't because once you do that, you know, it's just up from there. You can't keep, you can't keep going down from there. I mean, only you can stop yourself, you know, you're the, you're the biggest, you know. So, yeah, that's, that's one couple of words. And now that you visited Argentina and Brazil, where would your next stop be to do God's work? Yes. So my next stop, I want to go to Africa. Yay, we're going. Yes. Okay, let's go because I first, I need to go to Uganda, of course, and I'm saying it publicly now that in 2023, I will go to Uganda. We have an organization called King's Kids Africa. And I'll introduce that to you and whether we go with YWAM or you go there, but we'll meet there. And then we need to go to Kenya. Okay. I'll talk story about you and maybe one, we can do our show live from Kenya. That would be amazing. That would be really cool. That would be awesome. Yeah. In Africa, did you have a specific country that you wanted to visit or? To be honest, I don't know yet. I really don't, but I kind of want to go to the south part of Africa, probably. Africa is just a really, really poor country and they really need to see the people there. Yes, they do. Really broken country. Sad to see the people would they go through there. The hunger problems that they have with the water problems. You know, it breaks my heart. It really does. You know, and all I want to do is just be there with them and just, you know, just hug them. We're going, we're going. Yeah. I can tell you that whether we go together or I will make it happen where I'm going to see you there. Yes. As long as it's in the same timeframe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. As I said, my team right now is in Uganda. And so I think they like going in the summer for some reason. And I know I want to be there for a few weeks and then I want to go to Kenya for a few weeks. And then maybe we can save enough pennies and also stop it back in Israel. Yeah. Yeah. That would be great. Yeah. So save your pennies. Yeah. They know to all that other fun stuff because the fun is yet to come. Yep. I got my penny jar waiting. So I'll help you. I'll help you get there. No, yeah. It's been a true pleasure. I realize how much of an exciting life that you've already experienced, but you always know that saying the best is yet to come. Exactly. No, stay true to who you are and continue to max out who God created you to be. Yeah. Yeah. I tell you the journey is just beginning. Thank you. Thank you. Our time for now has just gone by. And we wanted to say hello to you, Austin for sharing your servant's part with all of us. Of course. And I'm sure that many of you who are watching this. Want to experience this life. This life changing experience. And so moms and dads, if you're watching this. Yes. Why is the way to go? Yeah. I hope they have a wait list that they can't, you know, have so long that people want this, this exciting way, a God's way of life to change them and to make the world even better. So thank you so much, Austin for sharing your heart with us. Thank you, Wendy. Thank you so much for having me here today. You're welcome. And we'll see everyone back here in two weeks on taking your health back with Wendy. So Mahalo, Austin. Thank you guys so much. Thank you so much for watching think tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and donate to us at thinktechhawaii.com. Mahalo.