Omar & Elizabeth Williams

Serving at The Dream Center Alaska

www.dreamcenterak.org

The mission statement of The Dream Center Alaska, the discipleship center where we work, is the Great

Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  This mission statement echoes our personal mission statement exactly, to make disciples through the love of God and relationship.

We minister at The Dream Center Alaska, located between Wasilla and Palmer, Alaska. The ministry here focuses on bringing men between the ages of 18 and 59 out of substance abuse lifestyles and teaches them how to deal with the root issues that brought them to that lifestyle through a personal relationship with Jesus. The Dream Center is designed for men to come live at the center for 12 months. Each day is scheduled with time for the men to go through our S.U.C.C.E.S.S. curriculum which is what we use to disciple the men through their addictions and their relationship with God. They are given work projects to keep up the building, and they do community service projects at times as well. The program is free to those who enter, including housing and food. In the two years the center has been open, we have seen many men enter the program.  Two of the graduates have gone on to study in the Wasilla Assembly of God’s Master’s Commission discipleship program, which trains young people for the ministry. This is a huge victory!

The ministry here has seen several huge financial miracles. One is how our food is provided for. Last winter we joined a food bank distribution group out of Anchorage. With this huge blessing we are able to feed the whole house, all the disciples (we have 5 to 10 disciples at one time), and all the staff and their families (six adults and five children) for $75 – $100 a week. We are able to get so much food that we bring enough back to feed 70 additional needy families in our area every week.

The past two summers have shown another financial miracle. The Assembly of God denomination sent several work teams from the lower 48 States to our 44 acre property, financing and beginning the work on two new buildings. One building, when finished is going to be the women’s center so that we can have the same discipleship program for women.  The second is going to be a vocational center where disciples will be taught trades like auto mechanics, electrical or wood working, so when they leave they will have a productive way to provide for their families.

Another miracle we saw several months ago was a healing. One of the older disciples had a very sore shoulder; he was going to physical therapy several times each week and taking pain medication, he had very limited movement as well. One evening during a study, Omar felt the Lord leading him to pray for the man’s shoulder and it began to heal. He regained movement and no longer had to take pain medication for it. The other disciples watched amazed and their faith began to grow. They began to speak words of life into each other’s lives and praying for each other as well. It was a great evening!

Omar spends his 12 hour shift each day building relationship with the disciples. He has found the best way for them to experience God is to show them His love. This can mean through the tough love of discipline, to showing God’s mercy and forgiveness towards them. He has the chance daily to share insight on their studies, helping them with character building, and counseling, all through relationship.

Elizabeth joined the worship team at the church they attend. She has been blessed to be one of the three worship leaders who rotate the Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services. God’s Spirit has been moving on the congregation as a whole to go deeper with Him during our times of worship. She supports Omar in his work at The Dream Center, spending some time supervising the disciples for short amounts of time when his work load is high.  She also helps in the office, assisting the accountant organize receipts and helping to write the Dream Center’s quarterly newsletter.

Omar’s life verse is Philippians 4:4-8, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

Elizabeth’s life verse is Ephesians 2: 8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

We are connected to Galloway through Elizabeth. She and her family began attending the church in the fall of 1997.  Elizabeth’s parents, Glenn and Peggy Hamm still attend the church.

May God bless,

Omar and Elizabeth Williams

Note from Galloway:

We can support these missionaries with our prayers, our encouragement, and our financial gifts.  If you would like to contribute to the work they are doing in Alaska, send checks to Images of His Glory, c/o Carmen Miller, 222 South Summit, el Dorado, KS 67042.

Also, the Dream Center would love to host a mission team (work team or discipleship).