Außer der Schule gibt es in der Stadt kaum etwas für Kinder und Jugendliche zu tun. Keine Sportangebote, kein Musikunterricht – einfach nichts. Die zehnjährige Tamila kann höchstens mit ihren Freunden manchmal schwimmen gehen, sonst hängen sie einfach herum und tun nichts. Viele der Kinder wohnen in Gebäuden, die eher Ruinen als Häuser sind. Die Väter sind oft durch den Krieg traumatisiert, die Mütter haben meistens nur im Sommer eine Arbeitsstelle – und dann oft weit weg in Touristengebieten am Schwarzen Meer. Die Kinder sind auf sich allein gestellt und fühlen sich vergessen. So ist es auch bei Tamila und ihren Schwestern.

Vor etwa zwei Jahren kam Arayk in die Stadt. Von den Behörden hatte er – obwohl es in der Stadt keine Gläubigen gab – ein Gebäude für eine christliche Gemeinde bekommen. Teil dieser Gemeinde ist auch die Arbeit mit Kindern und Jugendlichen. „Zunächst organisierten wir einen Filmklub mit biblischen Filmen, zu dem jede Woche viele Kinder und Teenager kamen. Wir merkten, dass dies jedoch nicht genug war,“ berichtet Arayk. OM unterstützt die junge Gemeinde und beschloss, vier Teilnehmer des MDTs (Missions- und Jüngerschaftstraining) in Russland nach Tqwartscheli zu schicken. So absolvieren die Teilnehmer in ihrem zweiten Jahr des Trainings ein einjähriges Praktikum mit dieser Gemeinde.

Dieses Jahr sind es vier junge Frauen, die für die Arbeit mit den Kindern und Jugendlichen verantwortlich sind. Zweimal pro Woche organisieren sie einen Kinder- sowie einen Jugendklub. Mehr als 15 Jugendliche und Kinder kommen regelmäßig zum Spielen, Tee trinken und Gesprächen. Außerdem sind die MDT-Teilnehmer ein Beispiel für ein Leben mit Jesus und die Liebe Gottes. Jeden Morgen verbringen die Studenten Zeit mit Gott und lesen die Bibel, was die Kinder sehen. Eines Tages wurde Tamila sehr neugierig auf dieses Buch, das sie lesen. Sie setzte sich dazu und suchte in diesem Buch ohne Bilder nach etwas, was für sie interessant ist.

Die vier MDT-Teilnehmerinnen organisierten für die Mädchen eine ganze Woche mit Übernachtung in der Gemeinde. Es war eine schöne Zeit voller Gemeinschaft. Sie spielten, zeichneten, bastelten und kochten zusammen. Am Abend lasen sie gemeinsam Geschichten aus der Bibel. Eines  Abends flüsterte Tamila plötzlich: „Ich will wirklich wie du sein, ein Christ sein. Was muss ich dafür tun?” Elena*, eine der jungen Frauen schlug vor zu beten, was Tamila tat. Nun ist sie sicher: „Ich weiß, dass Jesus mich so sehr liebt und für meine Sünden gestorben ist!“ Das Mädchen hat nun ihre eigene Bibel, die sie überall mit hinnimmt und will am liebsten immer darin lesen.

So verändert die Kinder- und Jugendarbeit der Gemeinde das Leben der Kinder in Tqwartscheli stark. Sie lernen, wie sie verschiedene Bastelarbeiten machen, können Lieder singen, haben Spaß und Abwechslung und hören, dass Jesus sie liebt. Dadurch bekommen sie neue Hoffnung. Tamila und andere Mädchen haben sich in der kurzen Zeit verändert. Sie kümmern sich um andere, sind gehorsamer, respektieren ihre Eltern und schauen nun hoffnungsvoll in ihre Zukunft

*Namen geändert

Danken Sie für die neue Hoffnung, die die Kinder in Tqwartscheli bekommen und beten Sie für Wachstum im Glauben und einen Pastor für die Gemeinde.

Working together in the kitchen, the ship team and the church volunteers prepared food. Later, they separated; with some finishing the prepation while others walked through 'the villas,’ which crew learnt was another term for a slum area. They invited the children living there to come to the church for a meal.

Dan Bryer (United Kingdom) was part of the expedition. “They really don’t live in great conditions,” he says. As they were waiting for children to get ready, he and other crewmembers played football with some of the local kids. After they had eaten, the children had lots of questions about the countries the ship's volunteers come from.

The church members who chatted with crew were impacted by their lives. “There was a spiritual connection,” says Pastor Gustavo. Dan was impressed by the church and the pastor’s involvement. “A lot of their money goes into helping those in need rather than making things nice for themselves. It is humbling and inspirational,” he explains. “We went to places where there is real poverty and we could see it first-hand.”

“Jesus would always go out and spend time with sinners and neglected people; humbling Himself and making other people feel valued. As Christians, we follow His example and seek out those who are hurting and have little, to be good examples of His love to them. That’s what this pastor is doing,” Dan adds.

The pastor was delighted by the time spent with different teams of crewmembers. “Despite the differences in language and culture, we established a strong relationship," he says. "God showed me once again that with the Holy Spirit in us, differences don’t exist.”

The churches’ vision is to be able to feed the children every day, but the ultimate hope is that donations will no longer be needed when the children are able to leave their current situations and live better lives. Pastor Gustavo aspires to afford the building beside the newest church he built, in order to start a school there and enable the young people to work towards their future.

Die Mannschaft berichtete der Gemeinde von Operation Mobilisation und der Leidenschaft der Organisation für die am wenigsten mit dem Evangelium Erreichten. Schiffsmitarbeiterin Yelena erklärte, dass viele unerreichte Volksgruppen im 10/40-Fenster leben, dem Abschnitt zwischen dem 10. und 40. Breitengrad nördlich des Äquators. In diesem Fenster befinden sich Teile Europas, Afrikas, des Nahen Ostens und Asiens. „Mir liegt am Herzen, dass ich in den Nahen Osten gehen möchte. Ich wusste auch nicht viel über Mission, aber hier auf dem Schiff hat Gott mir die Augen geöffnet. Deshalb möchte ich auch andere dazu ermutigen, dass sie beten, spenden oder gehen“, sagte Yelena.

In diesen Gegenden haben die Leute kaum oder gar keinen Zugang zum Evangelium, zu Informationen über Jesus, Christen in ihrer Umgebung oder Bibeln. „Ich betonte, dass diese Menschen unsere Hoffnung nicht haben und sterben können, ohne dass sie Gott kennen“, erklärte Yelena. „Es gibt nicht viele Leute, die in diese Länder gehen und ihnen von Christus erzählen.“

Der Pastor der Gemeinde, William Mureaja, war berührt von dieser Botschaft an seine Gemeinde. Er erklärte: „In unserer Gemeinde sind hauptsächlich Leute, die noch jung im Glauben sind. Die Berichte der Schiffsmitarbeiter haben sie herausgefordert. Manche möchten gerne auf dem Schiff oder in anderen Ländern mitarbeiten.“

„Die Gemeinde hat offensichtlich Interesse daran, sich durchs Gebet an Mission zu beteiligen“, merkte Yelena an. Als die Schiffsmitarbeiter fragten, wer sich durch Geben, Spenden oder Gehen an Mission beteiligen möchte, hoben die meisten in der Gemeinde ihre Hände. Alle, die sich gemeldet hatten, kamen nach vorne, und die Schiffsmitarbeiter beteten für sie und gaben ihnen Informationen darüber, wie sie sich beteiligen können.

Pastor Mureaja sagte: „Ich habe mich darüber gefreut, dass meine 12-jährige Tochter das Schiff besuchen möchte, und dass es meinen 9-jährigen Sohn so bewegt hat, dass viele Menschen in anderen Ländern Gott nicht kennen. Danke, dass ihr gekommen seid und danke an alle Mitarbeiter der Logos Hope dafür, dass ihr Liebe und Demut zum Ausdruck bringt und Gott bereitwillig dient.

*Name geändert

The crewmembers told the church about Operation Mobilisation and of their passion for reaching those who are considered least reached with the gospel. One member of crew, Yelena,* explained that the 10/40 window is a sector on the world map, between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator, into which many unreached people groups fall. The window captures parts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. “I have it in my heart to go to the Middle East. I didn’t know much about mission either but here on the ship, God opened my eyes. Because of this, I want to encourage other people to pray, give or go,” says Yelena.

In these areas, people have little or no access to the message of the gospel, information about Jesus, Christian believers around them or copies of the Bible. “I emphasised that these people don’t have our hope and may die without knowing God,” Yelena explains. “There aren’t many people who go to these countries to tell them about Christ.”

The church's pastor, William Mureaja, was touched by the message passed on to the congregation. He explains: “Our congregation is mainly composed of people who are young in their faith. Hearing the volunteers’ stories challenged them. Some felt challenged to serve on the ship and even in other nations.”

“We could see that the church was interested in being part of mission through prayer,” Yelena comments. When the volunteers asked who wanted to play a part in praying for, giving or going to mission, most members raised their hands. As those who raised their hands came forward, the crewmembers prayed for them and gave them information on ways they can be involved.

Pastor Mureaja says, “I felt joyful, seeing my 12-year-old daughter plan to visit the ship, and my 9-year-old son, who was touched that so many people don’t know God in other countries. Thank you for coming, and thanks to all Logos Hope's crewmembers for showing love, humility and for being disposed to serving God.”

*Name changed

El hecho de contar con un empleo en el mercado laboral hace que los obreros cristianos superen el desafío de dar cuenta de su presencia el país de acogida de manera creíble, al proporcionarles una razón legítima para estar en allí. El salario complementa (o suministra) los ingresos que los obreros necesitan, y trabajar con la población local les permite tener acceso a las comunidades menos alcanzadas.

Sin embargo, el hecho de recibir un salario de una empresa local no es suficiente.

"Podemos trabajar y ser útil en nuestro lugar de trabajo. Sin embargo, si nunca llegamos a contarles por qué somos diferentes, nunca llegarán a conocer. En esto radica la intencionalidad", nos explica Sasha. "La forma en que tomas tus decisiones, qué haces con tu tiempo, cómo oras, todo eso forma parte de ser intencional."

Los obreros deben estudiar su entorno de trabajo para saber cuán abiertamente pueden compartir el evangelio. Aun cuando algunos empleadores les exigen que se comprometan a no hablar de Cristo en el lugar de trabajo, a menudo hay formas sutiles de presentar las verdades bíblicas.

Craig, por ejemplo, publica un versículo bíblico de Proverbios en la pizarra de su oficina. "Él nunca hace comentarios al respecto, pero está ahí", dice Sasha. "Pero sus compañeros se acercan y hablan de ello, y se suelen dar conversaciones de carácter espiritual".

"Algunas de las preguntas que pueden ayudar a los musulmanes en su camino hacia Cristos son: '¿Por qué oras cinco veces al día? ¿Por qué sacrificas un cordero?'", dice Sasha. "Cuando logramos que la población local emprenda una búsqueda y cuestione sus creencias, ellos comenzarán a acercarse a la verdad."

Si bien los obreros aspiran a compartir el Evangelio completo con sus colegas locales, también vale la pena compartir con ellos historias breves o conceptos bíblicos. "Les he compartido I Corintios 13 como definición de amor", dice Sasha.

Al escuchar el pasaje, un estudiante universitario señaló: "Dada esa definición de amor, no creo que yo haya amado a nadie".

Más tarde, al hablar del matrimonio, el alumno le preguntó a Sasha cómo es que ella y Craig habían estado casados tanto tiempo. "Es porque seguimos el ejemplo de Cristo", respondió Sasha. "¿Esa definición de amor de la cual te hablé? En realidad es definición bíblica del amor ".

Hubo un tiempo en que Sasha y Craig no podían hablar de Jesús en su lugar de trabajo. Pero sí podrían entablar conversaciones sobre Él fuera de allí.

Por ejemplo, cuando una compañera de trabajo de Sasha debió ser operada, ella fue al hospital para visitar a la señora y orar por ella. Al cabo de unos días, Sasha regresó para ver cómo evolucionaba y la mujer le preguntó emocionada: "¿Recuerdas cuando oraste por mí en el hospital? No lo sabías, pero yo estaba orando contigo".

Le contó que cuando Sasha llegó, su familia no tenía dinero para pagar la cirugía. Pero luego de su visita, los problemas económicos se solucionaron. "Ella reconoció que era la respuesta a la oración que había hecho conmigo", señala Sasha.

"Puedo explicarte por qué tuviste una respuesta rápida a tu oración", le dijo Sasha. " Yo oré en el nombre de Jesús. La Biblia dice que se Él está a la diestra de Dios, e intercede por aquellos que piden. Tu oración fue junto con la mía directamente a Dios."

Recientemente,  un obrero de OM que lleva 11 años viviendo en el Golfo Pérsico llamado Denis* descubrió oportunidades interesantes para compartir el evangelio de forma intencional con sus colegas luego de cambiar de trabajo. Primero, comenzó un grupo de oración con otros creyentes que trabajan con él. Luego, le presentó principios bíblicos a su nuevo equipo.

Denis dijo a sus empleados: "Es importante decir la verdad con amor". Más adelante, uno de los hombres describió el efecto de esa verdad: "¡Lo puse en práctica y funcionó, así que ahora me lo he apropiado (a ese principio)!"

Denis también les habló de la idea de la integridad. ¿Creen que podemos ser un equipo íntegro?

"Estás poniendo la vara muy alta", respondieron sus colegas.

Al poco tiempo, uno de los empleados tuvo que hacerle una propuesta a un proveedor. Quería realzar la propuesta para hacerla más atractiva para el proveedor, pero Denis lo disuadió de mentir. Finalmente, el proveedor aceptó la propuesta y se mostró "muy agradecido por nuestra honestidad", nos cuenta Denis.

En el lugar de trabajo, " las personas guardan (en su corazón) las cosas pequeñas y éstas tienen un gran impacto", dice Denis. "Ves todas esas cosas que Dios está haciendo sin que nos demos cuenta."

*Los nombres han sido modificados por razones de seguridad

Nicole James viaja por el mundo y escribe para OM International. Le apasiona colaborar con los obreros en la comunicación de las formas en que Dios está obrando en todo el mundo.

“I had been resistant to the gospel for a long time,” he recalled. “My brother and my best friend from school had been sharing with me, but it took a promise from God to convince me to follow Him.”

“Growing up, I just wanted to be a loner and was always striving to do things on my own and in my own strength,” explained Tinashe. 

While Tinashe knew about the reality of God and the need to have a growing relationship with Him, he kept rejecting God because of bitterness caused by the pain of the relationship breakdown between his father and mother and their subsequent separation.  

After his brother who had been into drugs came to faith and started sharing the gospel with him, Tinashe took notice of the change and started to at least consider a personal relationship with Christ. The turning point came when his friend at school, who, like his own brother, had been sharing the gospel with him, explained a Bible passage that assured Tinashe that Christ was the light of life and whoever wanted to walk in light needed to follow His example.  

On hearing that—and having seen how his brother’s life had been transformed—Tinashe gained an assurance that God did care for him. From then on, Tinashe desired to share his own story with others. 

Working with the church

Tinashe is passionate about seeing the gospel spread not only in Zimbabwe but to the utmost parts of the world. He believes that strong stewardship and discipleship are important for the goal of effective churches and world evangelisation. He works closely with a team to maximize resource use in order to accomplish the goal of motivating, equipping and connecting others to join missions.

“Many people in Zimbabwe are inward-focused about themselves and their church,” Tinashe explained. “There has been a lack of discipleship within churches too. Therefore, I am motivating the church to look beyond itself and pray for nations, give and start discipleship groups.” 

Motivating the church to be involved in missions has not been an easy task for Tinashe and his team as they are serving against a background of economic hardship and a prevailing belief that Africans cannot be missionaries. “People think that missionaries are white people who come from Europe or America to build mission stations complete with a school and hospital,” said Tinashe. “So, without resources to accomplish the same, [Zimbabweans] think themselves unworthy of the calling.”

Tinashe has been working hard to disciple and show Zimbabweans that they, too, are called to serve, explaining that one does not need to have many resources or build properties to be a missionary but just needs to be faithful in sharing their own stories with others to show the love of Christ. 

“I also used to think missionaries came from Europe and the West,” Tinashe admitted. “However, one day, a missionary came to our church and explained the need for the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.”

From then on, Tinashe’s perspective about missions and missionaries changed, and he desired to correct this misconception by sharing the truth with others. 

Through their efforts and God’s grace, the team has seen God raise local people to go and share the gospel in North Africa and the Middle East and to serve onboard the OM ship Logos Hope. 

Exactly eight weeks ago, I hopped out of a Boeing jet, wide-eyed with excitement over this two-month opportunity to intern with OM as a journalist. Since that day, I’ve bounced over dirt roads in rural Indonesia, lost my way in a mall in Malaysia, tossed a frisbee with university students in Singapore, celebrated a baptism in an inflatable kiddy pool in Laos and drifted down the Mekong River at sunset in Cambodia. I’ve laughed, cried and gobbled down far too much banana Roti than I should have.  

But, as much as I cherish these experiences, they form only a sliver of the story of these past two months; ultimately, it’s not the food or the adventure but the people who I will remember most fondly: ordinary individuals whose hearts bubble over with the love of Jesus.

People like a young woman who helps at an after-school tutoring centre for Muslim children in the slums. Or a top finance graduate who gave up a life of privilege to care for the hurting and broken in the red-light district. A couple who teach impoverished migrant children the priceless lessons of dignity. A woman returning to serve the village that threatened to murder her father. These stories will remain with me as I return to the U.S.—and not just in the crinkled pages of my yellow reporter’s notebook.  

Listening to their testimonies, I’ve begun to envision their stories as a collection of clues, a series of scenes revealing the fingerprints of something—or Someone—beyond our deepest imagination. The people I talked with hail from a variety of backgrounds—atheist German to Cambodian Buddhist—but the tapestries of their lives reveal the same beautiful threads, pointing unmistakably to a Designer.  

The ordinariness of these OM workers surprised me. Most of them do not come from the high echelons of society, and the ones who do don’t really seem to care about society’s qualifications. These people showed me that God invites each of us, no matter how unassuming our background or abilities, to join Him in His grand purpose of bringing the world back to Himself. Dare I say, He even delights to use ordinary people, because it’s through our weaknesses, foibles and rawness that He shows His strength.  

Their stories remind me of the people God involved in His redemptive plan throughout the Bible—timid Moses, bereft Naomi and shepherd-boy David. Even the Son of God chose to come into the world, not in a Roman palace or a devout Pharisee’s household, but in the grimy manger of an overcrowded inn.  

And, when He eventually assembled the people who would continue His mission, He didn’t settle on a hotshot team of lawyers, politicians and businessmen—the people of influence I would have picked. Instead, He worked through a band of misfits to change the world.  

Besides their ordinariness, the people I interviewed this summer shared a willingness to say ‘yes’ to God’s call, a call not fundamentally to do but to be, not to earn but to embrace, not to become better versions of the old but to be born by the Spirit into new creations. Captivated by the love of Jesus, they are compelled to share that love to anyone and everyone around them, and they do so far from the spotlight, without seeking thanks or praise in return.  

Big-hearted, costly, audacious—this is a love that demands a response from all who feel its touch, myself included. I resonate all too well with the lure of worldly success: to simply strive for popularity, a luxurious salary and a position of influence. I feel the urge to jam a pair of AirPods in my ears and always hold the brokenness of the world at arm’s length. But then I hear the voices and see the faces, beautiful faces, of those who have shared their vision with me this summer. They are, to borrow the words of the writer of Hebrews, a great cloud of witnesses encouraging me to continue running this race for Christ, a race that’s sacrificial, risky and foolishness to the world, but, at the end of the day, the only race truly worth running.  

As I return to the U.S. and begin four years of university, I know these voices will continue inspiring me to follow a pattern that grates against everything the world embodies—the pattern of Christ.

Lose your life to find it. Give of yourself in order to receive. Die so that you may truly live. Love in such a way that others will see and marvel, noting as the Pharisees did when they came away confounded by the apostles of old: “They had been with Jesus.”

Chris grew up in Asia as the son of American missionaries and now studies at Duke University in North Carolina. He loves climbing mountains, exploring new countries and diving into a good book. Writing helps him to see the beauty of God in the world and in the lives of other people.

Pero Dios no le permitió ir.

A pesar de haber pagado por el viaje, todos los documentos de Eduardo desaparecieron completamente. “Después de eso, dejé de lado las misiones. Pero el año pasado empecé a profundizar más mi caminar con Dios y Su Palabra. Él comenzó a llevarme nuevamente a las misiones. Ahí fue cuando decidí irme a un viaje misionero de corto plazo”, compartió.

Eduardo, ahora de 23 años de edad, tiene dos trabajos y está por finalizar la universidad donde estudia Diseño Industrial. Trabaja en una oficina de arquitectura y enseña diseño. Como profesor, solo dispone de algunos tiempos libres al año donde puede irse de viaje misionero. En un determinado momento, se enteró acerca de un viaje de discipulado de un mes, que brindaba Operación Movilización, y encajaba perfecto en el periodo de tiempo que necesitaba.

Esta vez, Dios fue claro al confirmarle que era el tiempo de ir. “Dudé al principio y me preguntaba: ¿Por qué irme tan lejos cuando podría ir al norte de Argentina y servir a Dios desde allí? ¿Por qué irse al otro lado del mundo?”. Nos cuenta que ocupó el día entero para orar específicamente por esto y Dios le dijo: “Tú quieres ir y yo quiero que tú vayas. Tu único problema es el dinero, solo ríndete”. Eduardo respondió: “Iré”.

Dos horas después, recibió una llamada en la cual le informaban que había sido admitido nuevamente en el plan de seguro médico de sus padres, lo que significaba que ahorraría dinero todos los meses.

La cantidad que ahorraría igualaba exactamente a la cantidad necesaria para afrontar los gastos de su viaje misionero a Namibia.

“No recibí una ofrenda de ninguna iglesia o de alguien más; Dios lo arregló de una forma diferente”. Compartió Eduardo. “Dios pudo haberme dado el dinero para este viaje de cualquier forma posible, pero decidió hacerlo utilizando el area en la cual yo estaba siendo egoísta”.

“¡Fue muy profundo para mi no solo lo que hizo Dios, sino cómo lo hizo!”.

Eduardo adquirió su boleto de avión al día siguiente y unos meses después, se unió a su equipo en Namibia donde pasaría todo el mes viajando por ese país. Fue un viaje misionero un tanto diferente, porque además de compartir el amor de Dios a la gente en Namibia, también el equipo aprendía a crecer y a desarrollarse espiritualmente.

“Éste fue un viaje de discipulado basado en Lucas 24, en el cual confiamos en Dios para que nos guie. Personalmente, trabajamos mucho en sanar nuestro interior, aprendiendo a su vez a escuchar la voz de Dios, así como tambien a ministrar a otras personas. Aprendimos una gran forma de ministrar sanidad en la vida de las personas a través de la oración,” continuó Eduardo.

“Es una herramienta maravillosa la cual utilizo a diario en mi vida en Argentina. Tambien aprendimos a como guiar personas a Dios, así como cosas básicas para enseñar, decir y hacer cuando guiamos a alguien a Cristo.”

Durante el viaje, Eduardo y su equipo escucharon a Dios hablar y lo vieron realizar cosas increíbles, tanto en su ministerio como a través de él.

“Una vez, estábamos en la costa y comenzamos a pedirle a Dios su guía para saber donde debíamos ir después. Yo estaba un poco escéptico porque todos orábamos y veíamos cosas diferentes que no parecían ir juntas. Una noche justo antes de dormir, oré: “Dios, si quieres mostrarme algo, por favor, hazlo”. Y escuché que Él me decía: “Lago O”. En ese mismo momento, vi en mi mente una imagen de una isla, pero no pensé que fuera importante”, manifestó Eduardo.

“Al día siguiente, le compartí a mi equipo: ´probablemente no sea nada, pero he visto esto anoche’. Resulta ser que alguien más vio esa imagen. Entonces, miramos el mapa y vimos que había un lago llamado Oanob junto a una isla que tenía la misma forma que la imagen que había visto la noche anterior.

“Esa experiencia (Dios hablando de maneras tan claras) fue algo a lo que no estaba acostumbrado antes de ir a ese viaje, pero ahora si lo estoy”.

“En otra oportunidad, estábamos ministrando a unos granjeros y a sus familias cuando uno de ellos, Tuli*, oró con mi compañero y dos horas después, recibió una respuesta que estaba esperando hacía dos meses”.

“Entonces Tuli fue a la granja y les dijo a todos que se acercaran para que oremos por ellos. Queríamos dividirnos en grupos pequeños y realizar un estudio bíblico, pero lo pusimos en las manos de Dios y le preguntamos sobre qué deberíamos hablar. En vez de llevar a cabo nuestro programa normalmente pensamos: “oremos y preguntémosle a Dios que quiere que ellos escuchen”.

“Después de orar, sentimos que debíamos compartir acerca de la parábola del sembrador. Fue increíble ver como ellos entendieron tanto de una simple parábola. Personalmente, aprendí mucho acerca de ella en esta experiencia. No entendía mucho antes, no me había dado cuenta lo significativa que es.”

Eduardo está actualmente viviendo su vida normal en Argentina. El continúa cumpliendo sus obligaciones en sus dos trabajos mientras termina sus estudios universitarios, los cuales piensa finalizar en Diciembre. Aunque ya haya regresado de Namibia, las cosas que aprendió allí son ahora parte de su vida diaria en su casa.

“En mi viaje, aprendí mucho acerca de como comunicarme con Dios, de como relacionarme con El de una manera mas profunda y a reconocer como suena Su voz. Aunque muchas veces en mi vida le he escuchado hablar, compartió Eduardo, “en Namibia, pude ver de manera más clara como El me había hablado en el pasado”.

“Ahora puedo ver momentos de mi vida en los que Dios ha hablado de forma clara, pero no me había dado cuenta. Hoy estoy viviendo de una manera mas profunda, ahora que puedo reconocer Su voz, es mucho más real”.

“En general, Dios me enseñó más acerca de Su corazón y de Su reino.”

“Aprendí mucho de cómo debe funcionar una familia, tanto la familia espiritual como la física. Dios nos ministró mucho acerca de esto y nos reveló Su corazón con respecto a las relaciones y las familias. El sanó muchos aspectos en mi vida y aprendí cómo Él trabaja de esta forma para que yo pueda ministrar a otras personas”.

“También aprendí más acerca de los dones espirituales, pero de una manera práctica, no solo teórica. Todos los días en nuestro viaje hemos vivido dones de Dios y adquirimos conocimiento espiritual acerca de éstos gracias a nuestro entrenamiento en discipulado”

“Ahora, utilizo lo que aprendí en mi viaje misionero, y lo aplico en mi vida y hogar.”

Mirando hacia el futuro, Eduardo planea seguir sirviendo a Dios en el exterior. “El objetivo de este año es terminar la universidad y, en un futuro cercano, me gustaría ir a otro viaje a corto plazo para recibir mas entrenamiento mientras sirvo en el campo. Finalmente, espero poder irme en un viaje a largo plazo en unos años”.

¿El viaje de discipulado basado en Lucas 24 con destino a Namibia parece ser algo a lo que Dios te esta llamando hacer? ¡Cliqueá aquí para más información: https://www.om.org/en/country-profile/namibia

*Nombre cambiado

A Kristen Torres-Toro le encanta contar historias sobre lo que Dios está haciendo en el mundo. Actualmente, ella sirve en el área de comunicaciones para OM en Argentina.

“An example of this was my driver, who moved to the United Nations because he earned three times as much there,” says Paul. “Later, when I met him again, he asked me: ‘Paul, can I come back to you? How you relate to each other is very different to how they do at my new job. The money is all well and good, but I want to go back to the team spirit that you lived.’ There we noticed how we are observed as a team and how the love for these people, which we cannot produce ourselves, bears fruit.”

Growing love for Muslims

Paul grew up in northern Germany in a traditional Christian family. Through his confirmation, he became part of a dedicated church community. He trained as a machine fitter and mechanical engineer and simultaneously became more involved in the church congregation. Paul wanted to understand the connections of the Bible better, so he attended the Beatenberg Bible School in Switzerland for three and a half years in 1985. “There I got to know and love Muslims through weekly assignments in the asylum home. I realised that this was God's place where I should invest my life,” he shares. To gain practical experience, Paul joined OM in January 1989 and went to Pakistan. The simple life there, dealing with culture and Persian language, working in a multicultural team and regularly spending time with God were formative experiences for him.

Empowering people with disabilities

During this time Paul got to know Soonok from South Korea. After he returned to Germany and his job in November 1990, he soon visited this young woman, who was attending a Bible school in England. They started a relationship, got married in 1991, and the following year, their son was born. Paul started working in a workshop for the disabled, where he was in charge of the metal workshop. In 1995, OM asked them to return to South Asia to work among people with disabilities.

“When I started, the traditional understanding in this country was that a person with disabilities should be locked up at home because it is a shame to be disabled,” Paul reports. They worked as a team to enable blind and visually impaired people to go to school, to establish an institute for deaf people from nursery to the end of high school and to create income opportunities for up to 1,500 people with physical disabilities every year. “Shortly before we left South Asia, the minister of disabled affairs came to us to honour 18 visually impaired children. This came into the media and changed the view that visually impaired children can also learn and achieve something,” rejoices Paul, now 56 years old. “In the meantime, the first ones have graduated from university and are now active in politics, rehabilitation for the disabled or other organisations. The work itself is continued by a blind local worker.”

No possibility to get to know Jesus

The family returned to Germany in 2010, and Paul completed his master’s degree in intercultural studies. He served in southern Germany on the leadership of OM’s Xenos team, which focuses on migrant work, and on the OM leadership team in Germany.

Since 2014, Paul has been leading the OM teams along the Silk Road—an ancient trade route that runs across Western and Central Asia—on an international level. “About 890 million people live there, 95 per cent of whom do not know Jesus as the Son of God,” explains Paul. “75 percent of these people live very remotely in village communities and have no opportunity to get to know Jesus, because no one tells them about Him or lives their faith by example.” These teams are looking for pioneers who can move there in small groups and learn the language. Furthermore, they need workers who serve and support the local leaders with their gifts, so that they become independent and the work becomes sustainable.

“We are also looking for innovative media workers to reach people in the virtual world with the gospel, such as through radio service or the Bible Correspondence Course that has over 50,000 fans on Facebook,” reports Paul. The advantage of media work is that it can be done from anywhere. For example, a young IT specialist in southern Germany is now working with them and has reduced his normal job to 80 percent.

For Paul, the dream is a church planting movement along the Silk Road, “which grows without end and which shows the whole world: This is not made by people but by God, and He gets the glory for it!”

Paul asks for prayer

‘Please pray that I will stay close to God and for His wisdom and strength for the leadership and challenges in the work along the Silk Road. Pray for more workers as we have many open doors in West and Central Asia.”

*name changed

“An example of this was my driver, who moved to the United Nations because he earned three times as much there,” says Paul. “Later, when I met him again, he asked me: ‘Paul, can I come back to you? How you relate to each other is very different to how they do at my new job. The money is all well and good, but I want to go back to the team spirit that you lived.’ There we noticed how we are observed as a team and how the love for these people, which we cannot produce ourselves, bears fruit.”

Growing love for Muslims

Paul grew up in northern Germany in a traditional Christian family. Through his confirmation, he became part of a dedicated church community. He trained as a machine fitter and mechanical engineer and simultaneously became more involved in the church congregation. Paul wanted to understand the connections of the Bible better, so he attended the Beatenberg Bible School in Switzerland for three and a half years in 1985. “There I got to know and love Muslims through weekly assignments in the asylum home. I realised that this was God's place where I should invest my life,” he shares. To gain practical experience, Paul joined OM in January 1989 and went to Pakistan. The simple life there, dealing with culture and Persian language, working in a multicultural team and regularly spending time with God were formative experiences for him.

Empowering people with disabilities

During this time Paul got to know Soonok from South Korea. After he returned to Germany and his job in November 1990, he soon visited this young woman, who was attending a Bible school in England. They started a relationship, got married in 1991, and the following year, their son was born. Paul started working in a workshop for the disabled, where he was in charge of the metal workshop. In 1995, OM asked them to return to South Asia to work among people with disabilities.

“When I started, the traditional understanding in this country was that a person with disabilities should be locked up at home because it is a shame to be disabled,” Paul reports. They worked as a team to enable blind and visually impaired people to go to school, to establish an institute for deaf people from nursery to the end of high school and to create income opportunities for up to 1,500 people with physical disabilities every year. “Shortly before we left South Asia, the minister of disabled affairs came to us to honour 18 visually impaired children. This came into the media and changed the view that visually impaired children can also learn and achieve something,” rejoices Paul, now 56 years old. “In the meantime, the first ones have graduated from university and are now active in politics, rehabilitation for the disabled or other organisations. The work itself is continued by a blind local worker.”

No possibility to get to know Jesus

The family returned to Germany in 2010, and Paul completed his master’s degree in intercultural studies. He served in southern Germany on the leadership of OM’s Xenos team, which focuses on migrant work, and on the OM leadership team in Germany.

Since 2014, Paul has been leading the OM teams along the Silk Road—an ancient trade route that runs across Western and Central Asia—on an international level. “About 890 million people live there, 95 per cent of whom do not know Jesus as the Son of God,” explains Paul. “75 percent of these people live very remotely in village communities and have no opportunity to get to know Jesus, because no one tells them about Him or lives their faith by example.” These teams are looking for pioneers who can move there in small groups and learn the language. Furthermore, they need workers who serve and support the local leaders with their gifts, so that they become independent and the work becomes sustainable.

“We are also looking for innovative media workers to reach people in the virtual world with the gospel, such as through radio service or the Bible Correspondence Course that has over 50,000 fans on Facebook,” reports Paul. The advantage of media work is that it can be done from anywhere. For example, a young IT specialist in southern Germany is now working with them and has reduced his normal job to 80 percent.

For Paul, the dream is a church planting movement along the Silk Road, “which grows without end and which shows the whole world: This is not made by people but by God, and He gets the glory for it!”

Paul asks for prayer

‘Please pray that I will stay close to God and for His wisdom and strength for the leadership and challenges in the work along the Silk Road. Pray for more workers as we have many open doors in West and Central Asia.”

*name changed

“An example of this was my driver, who moved to the United Nations because he earned three times as much there,” says Paul. “Later, when I met him again, he asked me: ‘Paul, can I come back to you? How you relate to each other is very different to how they do at my new job. The money is all well and good, but I want to go back to the team spirit that you lived.’ There we noticed how we are observed as a team and how the love for these people, which we cannot produce ourselves, bears fruit.”

Growing love for Muslims

Paul grew up in northern Germany in a traditional Christian family. Through his confirmation, he became part of a dedicated church community. He trained as a machine fitter and mechanical engineer and simultaneously became more involved in the church congregation. Paul wanted to understand the connections of the Bible better, so he attended the Beatenberg Bible School in Switzerland for three and a half years in 1985. “There I got to know and love Muslims through weekly assignments in the asylum home. I realised that this was God's place where I should invest my life,” he shares. To gain practical experience, Paul joined OM in January 1989 and went to Pakistan. The simple life there, dealing with culture and Persian language, working in a multicultural team and regularly spending time with God were formative experiences for him.

Empowering people with disabilities

During this time Paul got to know Soonok from South Korea. After he returned to Germany and his job in November 1990, he soon visited this young woman, who was attending a Bible school in England. They started a relationship, got married in 1991, and the following year, their son was born. Paul started working in a workshop for the disabled, where he was in charge of the metal workshop. In 1995, OM asked them to return to South Asia to work among people with disabilities.

“When I started, the traditional understanding in this country was that a person with disabilities should be locked up at home because it is a shame to be disabled,” Paul reports. They worked as a team to enable blind and visually impaired people to go to school, to establish an institute for deaf people from nursery to the end of high school and to create income opportunities for up to 1,500 people with physical disabilities every year. “Shortly before we left South Asia, the minister of disabled affairs came to us to honour 18 visually impaired children. This came into the media and changed the view that visually impaired children can also learn and achieve something,” rejoices Paul, now 56 years old. “In the meantime, the first ones have graduated from university and are now active in politics, rehabilitation for the disabled or other organisations. The work itself is continued by a blind local worker.”

No possibility to get to know Jesus

The family returned to Germany in 2010, and Paul completed his master’s degree in intercultural studies. He served in southern Germany on the leadership of OM’s Xenos team, which focuses on migrant work, and on the OM leadership team in Germany.

Since 2014, Paul has been leading the OM teams along the Silk Road—an ancient trade route that runs across Western and Central Asia—on an international level. “About 890 million people live there, 95 per cent of whom do not know Jesus as the Son of God,” explains Paul. “75 percent of these people live very remotely in village communities and have no opportunity to get to know Jesus, because no one tells them about Him or lives their faith by example.” These teams are looking for pioneers who can move there in small groups and learn the language. Furthermore, they need workers who serve and support the local leaders with their gifts, so that they become independent and the work becomes sustainable.

“We are also looking for innovative media workers to reach people in the virtual world with the gospel, such as through radio service or the Bible Correspondence Course that has over 50,000 fans on Facebook,” reports Paul. The advantage of media work is that it can be done from anywhere. For example, a young IT specialist in southern Germany is now working with them and has reduced his normal job to 80 percent.

For Paul, the dream is a church planting movement along the Silk Road, “which grows without end and which shows the whole world: This is not made by people but by God, and He gets the glory for it!”

Paul asks for prayer

‘Please pray that I will stay close to God and for His wisdom and strength for the leadership and challenges in the work along the Silk Road. Pray for more workers as we have many open doors in West and Central Asia.”

*name changed

“An example of this was my driver, who moved to the United Nations because he earned three times as much there,” says Paul. “Later, when I met him again, he asked me: ‘Paul, can I come back to you? How you relate to each other is very different to how they do at my new job. The money is all well and good, but I want to go back to the team spirit that you lived.’ There we noticed how we are observed as a team and how the love for these people, which we cannot produce ourselves, bears fruit.”

Growing love for Muslims

Paul grew up in northern Germany in a traditional Christian family. Through his confirmation, he became part of a dedicated church community. He trained as a machine fitter and mechanical engineer and simultaneously became more involved in the church congregation. Paul wanted to understand the connections of the Bible better, so he attended the Beatenberg Bible School in Switzerland for three and a half years in 1985. “There I got to know and love Muslims through weekly assignments in the asylum home. I realised that this was God's place where I should invest my life,” he shares. To gain practical experience, Paul joined OM in January 1989 and went to Pakistan. The simple life there, dealing with culture and Persian language, working in a multicultural team and regularly spending time with God were formative experiences for him.

Empowering people with disabilities

During this time Paul got to know Soonok from South Korea. After he returned to Germany and his job in November 1990, he soon visited this young woman, who was attending a Bible school in England. They started a relationship, got married in 1991, and the following year, their son was born. Paul started working in a workshop for the disabled, where he was in charge of the metal workshop. In 1995, OM asked them to return to South Asia to work among people with disabilities.

“When I started, the traditional understanding in this country was that a person with disabilities should be locked up at home because it is a shame to be disabled,” Paul reports. They worked as a team to enable blind and visually impaired people to go to school, to establish an institute for deaf people from nursery to the end of high school and to create income opportunities for up to 1,500 people with physical disabilities every year. “Shortly before we left South Asia, the minister of disabled affairs came to us to honour 18 visually impaired children. This came into the media and changed the view that visually impaired children can also learn and achieve something,” rejoices Paul, now 56 years old. “In the meantime, the first ones have graduated from university and are now active in politics, rehabilitation for the disabled or other organisations. The work itself is continued by a blind local worker.”

No possibility to get to know Jesus

The family returned to Germany in 2010, and Paul completed his master’s degree in intercultural studies. He served in southern Germany on the leadership of OM’s Xenos team, which focuses on migrant work, and on the OM leadership team in Germany.

Since 2014, Paul has been leading the OM teams along the Silk Road—an ancient trade route that runs across Western and Central Asia—on an international level. “About 890 million people live there, 95 per cent of whom do not know Jesus as the Son of God,” explains Paul. “75 percent of these people live very remotely in village communities and have no opportunity to get to know Jesus, because no one tells them about Him or lives their faith by example.” These teams are looking for pioneers who can move there in small groups and learn the language. Furthermore, they need workers who serve and support the local leaders with their gifts, so that they become independent and the work becomes sustainable.

“We are also looking for innovative media workers to reach people in the virtual world with the gospel, such as through radio service or the Bible Correspondence Course that has over 50,000 fans on Facebook,” reports Paul. The advantage of media work is that it can be done from anywhere. For example, a young IT specialist in southern Germany is now working with them and has reduced his normal job to 80 percent.

For Paul, the dream is a church planting movement along the Silk Road, “which grows without end and which shows the whole world: This is not made by people but by God, and He gets the glory for it!”

Paul asks for prayer

‘Please pray that I will stay close to God and for His wisdom and strength for the leadership and challenges in the work along the Silk Road. Pray for more workers as we have many open doors in West and Central Asia.”

*name changed

“An example of this was my driver, who moved to the United Nations because he earned three times as much there,” says Paul. “Later, when I met him again, he asked me: ‘Paul, can I come back to you? How you relate to each other is very different to how they do at my new job. The money is all well and good, but I want to go back to the team spirit that you lived.’ There we noticed how we are observed as a team and how the love for these people, which we cannot produce ourselves, bears fruit.”

Growing love for Muslims

Paul grew up in northern Germany in a traditional Christian family. Through his confirmation, he became part of a dedicated church community. He trained as a machine fitter and mechanical engineer and simultaneously became more involved in the church congregation. Paul wanted to understand the connections of the Bible better, so he attended the Beatenberg Bible School in Switzerland for three and a half years in 1985. “There I got to know and love Muslims through weekly assignments in the asylum home. I realised that this was God's place where I should invest my life,” he shares. To gain practical experience, Paul joined OM in January 1989 and went to Pakistan. The simple life there, dealing with culture and Persian language, working in a multicultural team and regularly spending time with God were formative experiences for him.

Empowering people with disabilities

During this time Paul got to know Soonok from South Korea. After he returned to Germany and his job in November 1990, he soon visited this young woman, who was attending a Bible school in England. They started a relationship, got married in 1991, and the following year, their son was born. Paul started working in a workshop for the disabled, where he was in charge of the metal workshop. In 1995, OM asked them to return to South Asia to work among people with disabilities.

“When I started, the traditional understanding in this country was that a person with disabilities should be locked up at home because it is a shame to be disabled,” Paul reports. They worked as a team to enable blind and visually impaired people to go to school, to establish an institute for deaf people from nursery to the end of high school and to create income opportunities for up to 1,500 people with physical disabilities every year. “Shortly before we left South Asia, the minister of disabled affairs came to us to honour 18 visually impaired children. This came into the media and changed the view that visually impaired children can also learn and achieve something,” rejoices Paul, now 56 years old. “In the meantime, the first ones have graduated from university and are now active in politics, rehabilitation for the disabled or other organisations. The work itself is continued by a blind local worker.”

No possibility to get to know Jesus

The family returned to Germany in 2010, and Paul completed his master’s degree in intercultural studies. He served in southern Germany on the leadership of OM’s Xenos team, which focuses on migrant work, and on the OM leadership team in Germany.

Since 2014, Paul has been leading the OM teams along the Silk Road—an ancient trade route that runs across Western and Central Asia—on an international level. “About 890 million people live there, 95 per cent of whom do not know Jesus as the Son of God,” explains Paul. “75 percent of these people live very remotely in village communities and have no opportunity to get to know Jesus, because no one tells them about Him or lives their faith by example.” These teams are looking for pioneers who can move there in small groups and learn the language. Furthermore, they need workers who serve and support the local leaders with their gifts, so that they become independent and the work becomes sustainable.

“We are also looking for innovative media workers to reach people in the virtual world with the gospel, such as through radio service or the Bible Correspondence Course that has over 50,000 fans on Facebook,” reports Paul. The advantage of media work is that it can be done from anywhere. For example, a young IT specialist in southern Germany is now working with them and has reduced his normal job to 80 percent.

For Paul, the dream is a church planting movement along the Silk Road, “which grows without end and which shows the whole world: This is not made by people but by God, and He gets the glory for it!”

Paul asks for prayer

‘Please pray that I will stay close to God and for His wisdom and strength for the leadership and challenges in the work along the Silk Road. Pray for more workers as we have many open doors in West and Central Asia.”

*name changed

“An example of this was my driver, who moved to the United Nations because he earned three times as much there,” says Paul. “Later, when I met him again, he asked me: ‘Paul, can I come back to you? How you relate to each other is very different to how they do at my new job. The money is all well and good, but I want to go back to the team spirit that you lived.’ There we noticed how we are observed as a team and how the love for these people, which we cannot produce ourselves, bears fruit.”

Growing love for Muslims

Paul grew up in northern Germany in a traditional Christian family. Through his confirmation, he became part of a dedicated church community. He trained as a machine fitter and mechanical engineer and simultaneously became more involved in the church congregation. Paul wanted to understand the connections of the Bible better, so he attended the Beatenberg Bible School in Switzerland for three and a half years in 1985. “There I got to know and love Muslims through weekly assignments in the asylum home. I realised that this was God's place where I should invest my life,” he shares. To gain practical experience, Paul joined OM in January 1989 and went to Pakistan. The simple life there, dealing with culture and Persian language, working in a multicultural team and regularly spending time with God were formative experiences for him.

Empowering people with disabilities

During this time Paul got to know Soonok from South Korea. After he returned to Germany and his job in November 1990, he soon visited this young woman, who was attending a Bible school in England. They started a relationship, got married in 1991, and the following year, their son was born. Paul started working in a workshop for the disabled, where he was in charge of the metal workshop. In 1995, OM asked them to return to South Asia to work among people with disabilities.

“When I started, the traditional understanding in this country was that a person with disabilities should be locked up at home because it is a shame to be disabled,” Paul reports. They worked as a team to enable blind and visually impaired people to go to school, to establish an institute for deaf people from nursery to the end of high school and to create income opportunities for up to 1,500 people with physical disabilities every year. “Shortly before we left South Asia, the minister of disabled affairs came to us to honour 18 visually impaired children. This came into the media and changed the view that visually impaired children can also learn and achieve something,” rejoices Paul, now 56 years old. “In the meantime, the first ones have graduated from university and are now active in politics, rehabilitation for the disabled or other organisations. The work itself is continued by a blind local worker.”

No possibility to get to know Jesus

The family returned to Germany in 2010, and Paul completed his master’s degree in intercultural studies. He served in southern Germany on the leadership of OM’s Xenos team, which focuses on migrant work, and on the OM leadership team in Germany.

Since 2014, Paul has been leading the OM teams along the Silk Road—an ancient trade route that runs across Western and Central Asia—on an international level. “About 890 million people live there, 95 per cent of whom do not know Jesus as the Son of God,” explains Paul. “75 percent of these people live very remotely in village communities and have no opportunity to get to know Jesus, because no one tells them about Him or lives their faith by example.” These teams are looking for pioneers who can move there in small groups and learn the language. Furthermore, they need workers who serve and support the local leaders with their gifts, so that they become independent and the work becomes sustainable.

“We are also looking for innovative media workers to reach people in the virtual world with the gospel, such as through radio service or the Bible Correspondence Course that has over 50,000 fans on Facebook,” reports Paul. The advantage of media work is that it can be done from anywhere. For example, a young IT specialist in southern Germany is now working with them and has reduced his normal job to 80 percent.

For Paul, the dream is a church planting movement along the Silk Road, “which grows without end and which shows the whole world: This is not made by people but by God, and He gets the glory for it!”

Paul asks for prayer

‘Please pray that I will stay close to God and for His wisdom and strength for the leadership and challenges in the work along the Silk Road. Pray for more workers as we have many open doors in West and Central Asia.”

*name changed

A los 21, Roberto era un ingeniero industrial, un trabajo que había realizado por nueve años. Disfrutaba su trabajo, el cual le permitía gozar de una buena economía, y también se ofrecía como voluntario en los ministerios de su comunidad.

Era una buena vida, pero Dios tenía otros planes para él.

“Un día me pregunté: ‘¿Qué estoy haciendo?’ nos compartió Roberto. “Tenía una buena vida y otros beneficios, pero como dijo el Apóstol Pablo, nada de eso tiene un valor eterno”.

“Me dí cuenta de que había cosas más importantes que tener un buen trabajo y dinero, y Dios me estaba invitando a algo más grande: invertir mi tiempo en esta tierra en lugar de desperdiciarlo. El mundo está empeorando día a día. Como cristiano, necesito hacer algo al respecto. Necesito compartir el amor de Dios a los demás a través de mi vida”.

Roberto estaba trabajando en un empleo secular cuando Dios le dijo que cuando estuviera frente a Él en la eternidad, dirá: “Me pasé la vida invirtiendo mis esfuerzos en mi empleo, y ahora mi jefe tiene mucho dinero y empleados? ¿Qué dirás cuando te pregunte qué hiciste por Mi Reino?”

“Eso me voló la cabeza”, prosiguió Roberto. “Creo que como cristianos, pensamos que todo gira alrededor de nuestras vidas con Jesús, pero no es nuestra vida. Es Su vida. Hay una gran diferencia”.

La pasión de Roberto por las misiones y los menos alcanzados creció mucho, algo que fue notorio para otros. En ese momento, estaba sirviendo en un ministerio de jóvenes junto a su novia. “Un día, el líder del ministerio, que es un amigo, me preguntó porqué estaba sirviendo en este ministerio: “Cada vez que te veo estás hablando sobre la gente que está muriendo en Asia o África y no cuentan con una Biblia en su idioma”, me dijo.

“Le contesté que yo estaba sirviendo a Dios,  pero él me respondió: ‘¿Estás aquí porque te apasiona este ministerio o porque tu novia sirve aquí y es conveniente por tu trabajo? No dejaré que uses mi ministerio como una excusa para no completar el trabajo de Dios en tu vida’”.

“Estaba sorprendido”, dijo Roberto. “Pero unos meses después, ya no estaba en el ministerio”.

Un día, Roberto vio un anuncio en la iglesia, acerca de un viaje misionero de corto plazo hacia El Salvador, con Operación Movilización (OM). Se unió al equipo para compartir el evangelio allí, y luego asistió a reuniones de voluntarios y eventos de movilización misionera en Costa Rica. Además realizó viajes misioneros hacia África del Norte y Taiwan.

De todos modos, Roberto luchó con la idea de unirse de tiempo completo a misiones.

“Estaba preocupado, porque en ese momento estaba comprometido. Sabía que Dios me estaba llamando a misiones de tiempo completo, pero mi prometida no quería. Ella amaba servir a Dios, pero tenía otros planes no relacionados a misiones”.

Finalmente tomaron la dolorosa decisión de terminar su relación.

“Después de eso, le pedí a Dios: “Si dejo mi trabajo, no podré pagar las cuentas. Por favor, ház algo con mi trabajo”. Un mes después, supe que iba a ser despedido. Era mi respuesta de parte de Dios, porque iba a poder vivir un año con un seguro de desempleo luego de perder mi trabajo”.

“Me uní a OM en Costa Rica, de tiempo completo en abril de 2018, donde ahora trabajo en operaciones, recaudación de fondos, adminsitración, y con equipos de corto plazo que vienen a Costa Rica a servir. Nuestro foco está en levantar misioneros para ser enviados a los menos alcanzados.”

Después de un año trabajando como recaudador de sustento, Dios le ha provisto financieramente de muchas e inesperadas maneras. Roberto ya no está preocupado por el futuro. “Dios proveerá. Él es mi jefe. Tengo un gran trabajo porque tengo el mejor jefe. Él me está cuidando”.

A través de su proceso para unirse de tiempo completo a misiones, Roberto ha aprendido a confiar en Dios. “Dios me ha ayudado a entender que incluso cuando las cosas son difíciles, lo único que tenemos que hacer es obedecerlo. Él hará lo difícil o imposible. Él no está buscando superhéroes, nos está buscando a tí y a mí”.

¿De qué manera invertirás tu vida? ¿Te inspira la historia de Roberto a explorar cómo compartir el amor de Dios con otros? Clickea aquí para saber más sobre lo que Dios está haciendo en Costa Rica y cómo tú puedes ser parte: https://www.om.org/es/country-profile/costa-rica

A Kristen Torres-Toro le encanta contar historias sobre lo que Dios está haciendo en el mundo. Actualmente, ella sirve en el área de comunicaciones para OM en Argentina.

A modo de agradecimiento y para poder tener una mejor relación con los contratistas con los que trabajaron en Buenos Aires, el equipo de mantenimiento brindó un almuerzo especial y compartió la esperanza que los motiva a servir a Dios en el mar.

El equipo logró entablar una buena relación con los soldadores e instaladores argentinos que ayudaron con las reparaciones de acero en la embarcación. En el último día se hizo un asado para unas veinte personas en la cubierta exterior del barco, y mientras los presentes degustaban con ganas los distintos cortes de carne asados de forma tradicional, una comida que los miembros de la tripulación, en particular, disfrutaron al estar en contacto con la cultura argentina, el plomero del barco, Carlos Alarcón (Argentina), compartió un mensaje de la Biblia.

“Hablé de lo que Jesús dijo: Él es la vid y nosotros somos las ramas”, contó Carlos, quién también es de una zona aledaña a la capital. “Les expliqué que actuamos gracias a Su fortaleza y que Él es la única fuente de vida y crecimiento verdaderos, y alejados de Él, nada podemos hacer”.  

Además, se les entregó regalos del Logos Hope a cada uno de los trabajadores locales, que incluían una Biblia y un llavero. Uno de los soldadores contó que se había podido comprar un auto hace poco, lo que consideraba una gran bendición de Dios. También dijo que iba a poner las llaves del auto en el llavero nuevo para recordar todos los días su trabajo en el barco de Dios.

“Les encantó nuestro barco", comentó Harald Smit (Holanda), el supervisor técnico de la flota de OM. “Esta gente trabaja todos los días en distintas embarcaciones del puerto, pero nos dijeron que nuestro barco era diferente, ya que vieron una tripulación amable y nadie les dio órdenes a los gritos ni poniéndoles presión, como puede pasar en los barcos comerciales".

Todos estos días que esta gente estuvo haciendo arreglos en el Logos Hope les sirvieron para conocer cuál es la misión del barco. Vieron como la tripulación les agradecía a las miles de personas que hacían fila para ingresar al Logos Hope porque sus contribuciones permitían que el barco siga siendo una herramienta al servicio de Dios.

“Todo esto es parte de lo que hacemos: alcanzar a todos los que encontremos en nuestro camino”, explica Harald. "Los voluntarios del área de operaciones marítimas a veces creen que no tienen tantas oportunidades de charlar con el público que visita el Logos Hope, pero acá vimos cómo el Señor acerca al barco a gente que necesita conocer de Él y nosotros les predicamos en ese mismo momento, en lo que sea que estemos haciendo.”

Die Schiffsmitarbeiter unterhielten sich mit den Frauen, lernten sie kennen, und gemeinsam sangen sie von ganzem Herzen Lobpreislieder. Nach den Liedern berichteten die Schiffsmitarbeiter von der Logos Hope und erzählten den Frauen, womit sie persönlich Schwierigkeiten gehabt haben und wie sie darauf vertraut haben, dass Gott ihnen hilft.

Der Niederländer Francesco Antonacci hielt dann eine Andacht über Psalm 23 und erklärte darin, dass jeder den Schwierigkeiten begegnet, die hier als „finsteres Tal“ beschrieben werden. Gott begleitet seine Kinder und führt sie, selbst dann, wenn sie in die Irre gehen. In der Botschaft ging es um Vertrauen, Vergebung und die sichere Hoffnung, die wir haben können, wenn wir mit Jesus unterwegs sind. Während Francesco das erklärte, fing eine Frau an zu weinen. Die Britin Rujuni Bhakar bekam mit, wie sehr die Frau gerührt war. „Wir sahen, wie Gott die Herzen aller bewegte“, meinte sie.

„Die Andacht erinnerte uns daran, dass wir zuerst nach Gottes Reich trachten und Gott nachfolgen sollen, weil er das wahre Licht ist“, erinnert sich Rujuni. „Wir haben mit diesen Frauen etwas so viel Größeres gemeinsam, als nur, dass wir alle Menschen sind.“

Zu Beginn des Tages hatte sich Rujuni sehr müde gefühlt, aber als sie die Verbindung zu den Frauen spürte, gab ihr das neue Energie. Sie unterhielt sich mit Lucia und deren Schwester Estrella. „Sie erinnerten mich an Maria und Martha aus der Bibel, denn eine war in der Küche und die andere hatte sich zu uns gesetzt“, erzählt sie lachend. „Lucia wollte wissen, was die Schiffsmitarbeiter motiviert und daraufhin konnte Rujuni ihre eigene Geschichte erzählen.

„Es geht um unsere Einstellung. Ich wollte nicht in einer Ecke sitzen, nur weil ich kaum Spanisch spreche und müde bin. Ich sagte Gott, dass ich ihm dienen will und mich auf seine Kraft verlasse. Er gab mir Kraft und die Fähigkeit, etwas auf Spanisch zu erzählen“, ergänzte Rujuni. „Frühere Drogenabhängige sind auch Gottes Geschöpfe, sie sind Menschen, die Jesus liebt. Sie sind kein Klischee, sondern jemand, den Gott in seinem Reich gebrauchen will.“

Als die Pastoren, die den Einsatz organisiert hatten, die Schiffsmitarbeiter zurück zur Logos Hope brachten, sagte einer, wie sehr er sich über die Kontakte zwischen Mannschaft und Bewohnerinnen des Rehabilitationszentrums gefreut hatte. „Ihr habt die Vorurteile durchbrochen“, erklärte er.

Roberto, 31, was raised in a Christian family. But,” he said, “that didn’t automatically make me a Christian. When I was six years old, I met Jesus while in a children’s activity run by missionaries.”

By age 21, Roberto was an industrial engineer, a job he did for nine years. He enjoyed his job, which provided well financially, and also volunteered with ministries in his community.

It was a good life, but God had different plans for him.

“One day, I asked myself, ‘What am I doing?’” Roberto shared. “I had a good life and good things, but as the Apostle Paul said, these things don’t have eternal value.”

“I realised there was more than having a great job and wealth, and God was inviting me into something bigger: investing my time on this earth instead of wasting it. The world is getting worse every day. As a Christian, I need to do something about that. I need to share God’s love with others with my life.”

Roberto was working in a secular job when God spoke to him. “He said, ‘When you are in front of Me in eternity, will you say, ‘I spent my life investing my efforts in this job, and now my boss has a lot of money and employees’? What will you say when I ask you, ‘What did you do with My kingdom?’”

“That blew my mind,” Roberto continued. “I think that as Christians, we think it’s ‘our lives with Jesus’, but it isn’t my life. It’s His life. There’s a big difference.”

Roberto’s passion for missions and the least reached also grew, which others noticed. At the time, he was serving with a youth ministry alongside his girlfriend. “One day, the ministry leader, who is a friend, said to me, ‘Why are you serving in this ministry? Because every time I see you, you talk about people who are dying in Asia or Africa and don’t have the Bible in their language.’”

“I said, ‘I am serving God.’ But he replied, ‘Are you here because you are passionate about this ministry, or because your girlfriend serves here and it’s convenient with your job? You are not going to use my ministry as an excuse to not complete God’s work for your life.’”

“I was shocked,” Roberto shared. “But a few months later, I was no longer with the ministry.”

One day, Roberto saw a flyer on an announcement board at church about a short-term mission trip to El Salvador with Operation Mobilisation (OM). He joined the team sharing the gospel there, and later attended volunteer meetings and missions mobilisation events in Costa Rica. He also went on mission trips to North Africa and Taiwan.

However, Roberto struggled with the idea of joining missions full-time. “I was worried, because by then I was engaged. I knew God was calling me to missions full-time, but my fiancé didn’t want it. She loved to serve God, but she had different plans unrelated to missions.

Eventually they made the painful decision to break their engagement.

“After that, I asked God, ‘If I quit my job, I won’t be able to pay my bills. Please do something in my work.’ A month later, I learnt I was going to be laid off. It was my answer from God, because I could live for a year with unemployment insurance after losing my job.”

“I joined OM in Costa Rica full-time in April of 2018, where I now work in operations, fundraising, administration and with short-term teams who come to Costa Rica to serve. Our focus is raising up missionaries to send to the least reached.”

After over a year as a support-raised worker, God has provided financially in many different—and unexpected—ways. Roberto isn’t worried about the future. “God will provide. He’s my boss. I have a great job because I have the best boss. He is taking care of me.”

Through his journey to joining full-time missions, Roberto has learnt to trust God. “God helped me understand that even when things are hard, the only thing we need to do is obey Him.  He will do the hard, impossible things. He’s not looking for superheroes. He’s looking for you and me.”

How will you invest your life? Does Roberto’s story inspire you to explore how you can share God’s love with others? Click here for more on what God is doing in Costa Rica and how you can be part of it: https://www.om.org/en/country-profile/costa-rica

Crewmembers connected with the women, got to know them better and all sang worship songs together with passion. After the songs, the ship’s volunteers introduced Logos Hope and told the women their own personal stories of overcoming different kinds of struggles as they trusted in God for help.

Francesco Antonacci (Netherlands) shared a message based on Psalm 23, explaining that everyone endures hardships, described as the ‘darkest valley.’ God accompanies His children and guides them, even when they stray. The message was based on trust, forgiveness and the hope that is an assurance when walking with Christ. As Francesco explained his message, a woman wept. Rujuni Bhakar (United Kingdom) saw the women's emotion. “We saw God move in the hearts of everyone,” she observes.

“We were reminded to seek first the Kingdom of God, to follow His ways, because He is the true light,” Rujuni recalls. “We were united by something so much greater than just our humanity.”

Rujuni had been feeling very tired at the beginning of the day but once she started connecting with the women, she felt revitalised. She spoke to Lucia and her sister, Estrella. “They reminded me of Mary and Martha in the Bible, because one was in the kitchen and the other was sitting with us,” she chuckles. Lucia was eager to know what motivates the crewmembers, which gave Rujuni the opportunity to tell her story.

“It’s all about our heart. I didn’t want to sit in a corner just because I don’t speak much Spanish and I’m tired. I told God I want to serve Him and rely on His strength. And He gave me a lot of strength and the ability to share in Spanish.” Rujuni adds, “Ex-addicts are also God’s creation; they are each souls loved by Jesus. They aren’t a label – they're someone God wants to see in His kingdom.”

As the pastors who had organised the outreach took the crewmembers back to Logos Hope, one expressed his joy at the interaction with those at the rehab centre. “The mould was broken,” he declared.

"Nuestro contacto no nos dijo adónde íbamos", nos cuenta Cecilia. "Llegamos a una calle en particular y luego nos dieron indicaciones para que de a dos entrásemos por una puerta que estaba al otro lado de la calle. Luego que una pareja entraba, debíamos esperar algunos minutos antes de poder seguirlos al interior de la casa. Finalmente, todos terminamos en una cocina. Pensé que tal vez estábamos allí para cenar con alguna familia.

"Entonces nuestro anfitrión abrió otra puerta y entramos en una habitación grande y oscura, que excepto por unas 15 personas, estaba vacía. Era una iglesia subterránea".

Cecilia sabe tocar el violín y lo llevaba con ella, pero no supo por qué le habían pedido que lo trajera hasta que se dio cuenta de que iban a la iglesia. "Era la primera vez que tocaba el violín allí. Poder adorar de esa forma con los hermanos y hermanas de la iglesia subterránea fue una experiencia muy especial".

Sin embargo, debieron ser cautelosos. "No cantaban muy alto y hasta cierto punto se escondían. Había dos muchachos de pie junto a una ventana cubierta por una cortina en la parte posterior de la iglesia. Se pararon a ambos lados y cada tanto se asomaron, para ver si había alguien afuera y asegurarse de que aún estaban a salvo".

Esta fue una de dos oportunidades en que el equipo de Cecilia visitara una iglesia subterránea en Asia Central. "La segunda vez, fuimos a una iglesia subterránea china", prosigue Cecilia. "Era el primer día del Ramadán (el mes sagrado en el Islam, donde los musulmanes ayunan y oran todos los días hasta que oscurece), así que juntos ayunamos y oramos todo el día, y luego, en la noche, celebramos la cena del Señor".

"Fue muy impactante para mí. La mayoría de la personas en este país eran musulmanes y estaban ayunando y orando a Alá, pero nosotros adorábamos a Dios. Aun cuando no podía entender todo porque la adoración era en chino, podía sentir que adoraban con todo su corazón. Más allá que no comprendíamos las palabras, nos conectamos a través de la adoración. Y luego fuimos todos juntos a cenar a un restaurante chino.

"Fue increíble porque en mi país natal, Argentina, tenemos amplia libertad para adorar y hablar libremente de Dios. Pero allí, en las iglesias subterráneas, decían: `Necesitamos ser cautelosos, porque si alguien nos oye desde fuera, podría denuncianos a la policía'". No tenían miedo, pero eran cautelosos.

"La fe de la personas que conocí era increíble. Para mí son como héroes, incluso los adolescentes. Puede que fuesen los únicos cristianos de su familia; ellos se ven forzados a ocultarlo y también a asistir a la iglesia a escondidas, pero en medio de todo esto confían en Dios. 

"Anhelo tener esa clase de fe y que realmente pueda creer en el Señor a través de toda circunstancia."

A pesar de ser consciente de que era necesario ser prudente al hablar de Jesús y del cristianismo, Cecilia no tuvo temor durante su estadía en Asia Central. "Debíamos ser precavidos con lo que decíamos, pero incluso cuando estábamos en público, la gente era muy amable. Solo desean hacer amigos al igual que todos. En aquel momento, puedes ver a las personas y sus corazones, y puedes sentir un poco de lo mucho que Dios los ama.

"Mientras estaba en Asia Central, Dios me reveló su corazón de una manera poderosa. Yo dije: " Wow, estas personas son increíbles y realmente necesitan de Jesús, porque están tan desesperadas por algo que llene sus corazones". Hacer amigos allí fue maravilloso, así como también lo fue el poder compartir el amor de Dios con mujeres en distintas situaciones.

"Tengo tantas historias de encuentros inesperados con personas en la calle. Quizá fue porque hablábamos inglés. Los jóvenes de ese lugar quieren ir a otros países a estudiar, entonces cuando ven a un turista, dicen: 'Oh, vayamos y hablemos con ellos'. Fue así que nos conectamos con muchísimas personas".

Cecilia estaba sorprendida y encantada de descubrir similitudes entre las culturas de los países que la acogieron en Asia Central y la suya en Argentina. "También tienen culturas de honor y vergüenza, donde honran a los ancianos, líderes, pastores, etc. Cuando un pastor entra a un lugar, todos se ponen de pie. Entonces el pastor se detiene y se sienta, y todos los demás también lo hacen.

"Además, la conexión que se establece a partir de juntarse a comer, de vivir en comunidad y del compañerismo son muy importantes en ese lugar. Como latinos, nosotros hacemos lo mismo. En Argentina, tomamos mate y nos sentamos a la mesa para comer juntos y compartir la amistad.

"El respeto también es algo importante allí. También lo es para nosotros. Me sentí muy bien recibida allí, porque sentí que podía entender cómo tratar a las personas en su cultura; algunas de las chicas incluso se besaban en la mejilla, ¡igual que nosotros!

Ya de regreso en Logos Hope y como coordinadora de eventos en tierra, Cecilia, cuyo compromiso de dos años a bordo del barco concluirá en septiembre, tiene una apreciación aún mayor por la libertad que goza en Argentina para adorar a Dios abiertamente. Además, tiene una mejor comprensión de lo que verdaderamente implica ser parte de "los menos alcanzados" y en un país menos alcanzado. "Tienen muchísimas carencias, pero es por esta gran necesidad que la iglesia local está viendo tantos frutos allí. Sin embargo, no pueden hacer todo solos.

"Deseo seguir orando por ellos y estar dispuesta a volver allí a futuro, o incluso a otro lugar, si es la voluntad del Señor. Luego de ese viaje, entiendo que nada es imposible para Dios. Solo tienes que ir, y si Dios te está llamando, ¿por qué esperar? Si ese es el plan de Dios para ti, podrás hacer más cosas para Dios de las que puedes hacer en el lugar en el que vives.

Cualquiera que sea la carrera que elija, mi propósito no será hacer algo para mí, sino ver cómo puedo ayudar a otros. Ese es mi mayor deseo: servir al Señor a través del trabajo que hago".

Por favor oren por las iglesias locales de los países cerrados al evangelio, en particular por aquellas personas que quizás sean los únicos cristianos en su familia. Oren por fortaleza, esperanza y obediencia continua a la guía de Dios en sus sus vidas, y para que sus amigos y familiares se unan a ellos como seguidores de Jesús.

¿De qué modo la historia de Cecilia sobre los seguidores de Jesús en Asia Central te inspira? ¿Cómo puedes orar por ellos y animarlos, aun estando al otro lado del mundo? Haz clic aquí para obtener más información sobre los menos alcanzados en Asia Central: https://www.om.org/en/where-we-work

*los nombres han sido modificados

Each day, Rich, Ron, Rachel and Cecil took us through godly characteristics found in Proverbs. While many people may know Proverbs 3:5-6 by heart, the speakers broke down this verse into applicable concepts. One element incorporated into Main Hall was the ‘Inspired Café,’ a cozy place set up on the side of the main stage to allow various individuals to share their stories via an interview with one of the key speakers.

Thoughts from each day

Day 1: Wisdom—godly vs. human

“It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be old in order to be wise. It just means you know the Lord’s Word, and that you follow the Lord’s Word.” – Lois (17, Belgium)

“One thing that I learnt is that wisdom is also taking what you know and applying it to your daily life, with God in your mind always. That’s the thing I’m going to remember.” – Thyisha (17, Belgium)

Day 2: Trust—being aware that God loves us

“I learnt that love is the foundation for trusting someone. In order to trust someone, you need love too. I haven’t thought of that aspect before. I used to think that people have to prove to me that they can be trusted, but it’s not about that. It’s about love.” – Møyfrid (17, Sweden)

Day 3: Influence—guarding our hearts (boys and girls separate sessions)

"It was an encouraging message for young women. Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well. He simply brought out the facts, and ushered the woman toward who she really was." – Melissa (18, Finland)

"Rich told us that we need to guard our heart because your heart is your source of life. If you lose your heart, it's hard to come back to life. He also told us that if you have a bad heart then it isn't worth protecting; you need a relationship with God to protect that heart and to protect yourself." – Jan (15, Netherlands)

Day 4: Involve—we are being sent out to have an impact

“I definitely think I should look into the missions trips side of things more. There are some people I know who do homeless outreach, so maybe I can see if I can help them. There is kind of a boundary there because I’m not 18 yet, but I definitely want to do a missions trip.” – Victoria (16, Ireland)

“[The outreach] was very fun. Sometimes it was a bit hard because people were surprised and we had to explain why we were giving them the flowers. Sometimes people went away and ignored us because they thought the roses cost something. But we met a girl, and she was happy about the flowers.” – Sophie (13, Germany)

Day 5: Power—our words can have an impact

“We have to be careful and not underestimate the power of our words because not only can they bring joy and peace and encouragement, but they can hurt someone. That had the most impact on me this morning.” Ismini (16, Greece)

“If we didn’t have the positive power of words, I couldn’t keep going in my life. When I am with my family and we pray–it is big for me. Because when you pray, you feel like you are surrounded by God’s power. It gives me strength.” Angelina (17, Greece)

Day 6: Focus—seeing life situation from God’s perspective

"The Bible helps me keep focused. I use reading plans to study the Bible. People sharing their stories about their life during NET group has inspired me the most." – Yanniki (17, Germany)

Highlights

Participants spend time in small groups to process what they heard during the Main Hall. “The Big Adventure” portion is a time of personal reflection and application. Teens are encouraged to talk to God, read additional Bible passages and find a takeaway/application point. They discuss their thoughts with their group and learn from each other’s experiences.

Mid-week, the annual Raise and Give (RAG) race filled the afternoon with runners and supporters raising money for refugees in Greece, Italy and Serbia. On the day (thankfully cooler than previous years), over 1,200 runners, united by one goal, ran laps for two hours and raised 85,453 euros (approximately $95,674 USD)!

The Art Zone is also a popular place for people who worship in creative ways. In the Main Hall, the Art Zone includes instructions for what to do. Words were written on the outer walls, and pictures were drawn on the inner walls. The team leader of the Art Zone, Saskia, shared her story in the Inspired Café one morning.

Not alone

The hope is that everyone was inspired by our incredible God this week. TeenStreet is a safe environment full of messages, activities and discussions designed to help teens strengthen their personal relationship with God, or to lead them to salvation for the first time. Everyone experiences TS in their own way. They take home different memories, different lessons; but usually, everyone leaves with a renewed sense of knowledge of God.

"It's been great to see that I'm not alone with my faith but that there are other young Christians that I can share my faith with. And it's so neat that even though we come from so many different countries, we are all here for the same reason. We are not alone in our faith." – Jenny (16, Finland)

"We've had really good discussions in our NET group about how words really do matter and we also shared a lot about situations in our own lives. I've also been inspired by the presence of people from so many countries, all of whom I can speak with openly. In Finland, people are quieter. It's been nice to notice how different cultures have different attributes to them." – Johanna (16, Finland).

At a glance, TeenStreet Europe is a week-long camp that encourages and uplifts teens from around the world. By definition, TeenStreet is an international Christian congress for teenagers. We work with the Church to motivate, equip and walk alongside (Christian) teens from all across Europe to have a real friendship with Jesus and reflect Him daily in their world.

TeenStreet 2019 ended far too soon (we’re all sad that the time has gone so fast). Yet we all look forward to next year when we will gather again to worship our inspiring God. This is the Communications Department reminding you that God is always with you!

You called my name, then I ran out of that grave out of the darkness into Your glorious day. You called my name and I ran out of that grave out of the darkness into Your glorious day! – "Glorious Day" by Passion

Day 1: Wisdom (godly vs. human). Day 2: Trust (being aware that God loves us). Day 3: Influence (guarding our hearts). Day 4: Involve (we are being sent out to have an impact). Day 5: Power (our words have an impact). Today’s focus (Day 6) was Focus (seeing situations from God’s perspective).

Cecil was also back in the Inspire Café with Gabi (20, Brazil) from the TS band. While everyone sees Gabi’s energy and excitement on stage, very few people knew that she suffered a brain stroke that left her with brain trauma. While relearning basic things like walking, she found a way to focus on God.

“I started writing my own worship songs,” she shared. “Whatever I was doing, I was talking to God. I’d say things like: ‘Hey, God. I’m opening this closet. What will I wear today?’”

During her recovery, she found comfort and strength in Ephesians 4:6: "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (NIV)

“We know He is our Father, above all of us,” Gabi explained. “But sometimes we need to be reminded that He is inside us, and you can talk to Him even about the simple things.” No matter what is happening in your life, God is always with you.

Rachel told the story from 2 Kings 6 that gave a great example of seeing things from God’s perspective. Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the king’s army, yet Elisha saw that they were not alone in this otherwise desperate situation.

"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." – 2 Kings 6:16 (NIV)

Elisha prayed that his servant would see, and he did. He was able to see the spiritual reality of the situation. The invisible became visible.

“What’s going on in your life that you cannot see?” Rachel asked. “If God allowed you to see the spiritual reality of a situation, what would you see?”

In considering how we can have a godly perspective, Rich gave a four-step process to help us. 

1. Ask God to open our eyes (seeing from God’s perspective can change everything). 

2. Trust (we are part of a bigger picture that God is putting in place). 

3. Know that it’s about God, not you (this helps our perspective about life; our purpose is to glorify God). 

4. Focus on Jesus (not the distractions in life).

Living in Paris, Rich and Rachel have visited the Louvre several times. They've seen many people crowding around a small painting of the Mona Lisa while very few observed a massive painting of Jesus at the last supper on the opposite wall. How easily we can get distracted by the Mona Lisas of life. We need to turn around and look at Jesus.

In Game Time, Albania and Romania faced off in a relay race. Each runner had to wear a pair of silly goggles that distorted their vision and required them to focus more.

Ron closed Main Hall by reminding us of the theme verse for TS 2019. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

And just like dancers ‘spot’ when they’re spinning, we need to remain focused on a point (Jesus) while spinning through life.

What the teens said

"When the band members say something about the songs or about Jesus between the songs, it really touches my heart. Two of my friends actually ended up inviting Jesus into their hearts because of what they said." – Tirza (13, Netherlands)

"We need to put our trust and focus on Jesus to have a better life. The people on stage have inspired me during this week, especially Ron and Rich and the coach stories." – Benjamin (17, Germany)

"The Bible helps me keep focused. I use reading plans to study the Bible." – Yanniki, (17, Germany)

This was the question that played on Saskia’s mind as a teenager. She would look around during worship at TeenStreet (TS) and see the gifts of the spirit displayed so obviously in other people. But where was the Spirit in her if she didn’t speak in tongues or worship with wild abandon? Was God still speaking?

Then in a quiet corner, with a paintbrush in hand, Saskia found that her mind would go quiet. As her brush explored the page she experienced a slowing down; space for God to speak; stillness for the spirit to move in her. God’s love was etched on her heart with every stroke.

“Oftentimes it’s more what happens in me than what I create,” Saskia reflects. “When I create something, I experience God’s peace.” There is now a quiet confidence to Saskia; an assurance that the Spirit is in her, moving and working through her art.

Inspired, Saskia now seeks to encourage teenagers at TS to express themselves and encounter the love of God through art. “Sometimes we shut doors, thinking that we’re not good enough,” she says, speaking metaphorically. “I want to help teenagers to open these doors.”    

Saskia looks around the same quiet corner now and sees teenagers picking up brushes, pushing open new doors, enjoying themselves and discovering God. The Art Zone is heavy with God’s peace; “It’s like a hospital for the soul.” Saskia notices that there are teenagers who have a lot to say–in self-expression and in worship–but struggle to speak up. Here, there is a safe space and freedom to say all that needs to be said. “It’s a beautiful thing,” Saskia whispers.

Naomi, 15, sits crossed-legged on the floor, her paintbrush gently forming a mountain scene. Most evenings at TS during the Throne Room worship sessions, she takes herself away to the Art Zone. “It doesn’t matter what other people are doing,” she says. “In these moments I feel like I’m alone with God.” For Naomi, this is the main way that she connects with God: “It’s wonderful to have the opportunity at TS to worship in this way.” She echoes something that Saskia shared: “It doesn’t matter how good my painting is.”

For Naomi and Saskia, it is about the process. The process of what God’s Spirit is doing in them as they worship in this way; providing space for His love to speak to their hearts.

“The words of God have power. He would speak, and people would be healed.”

In the book of Revelation, John met Jesus in a vision. John records that His voice was like a trumpet and rushing waters. For those who have stood beside a waterfall, you know what kind of roar the rushing waters make. It’s a powerful sound, and that’s an apt description of the power of God’s words.

Of all the words God has spoken, Ron shared, there are three which are the most powerful. “It is finished.”

“The words we speak to each other are powerful,” Ron continued, switching from God's words to our own.

Rich warned the teens that our words carry a lot of weight. They have the power to hurt and destroy, or encourage and build up. In the Bible, James 3 talks about controlling the tongue. As Rich paraphrased it: “An uncontrolled tongue can set your whole life on fire.”

We’ve all been damaged by words at some point in our lives, but our words to each other can also bring life, truth and grace. We need to admit that we are weak and ask God to help us control our tongue.

When was the last time you were encouraged by something someone said to you? How have you been blessed by words?

Cecil interviewed Saskia in the Inspired Café on stage. A few years ago, someone at TS told her that they saw leadership potential in her. It didn’t mean anything at the time, but this year she’s in charge of the Art Zone. “I’ve had a huge heart for the Art Zone,” Sasika said, “and I had no idea that God would use me in this way.”

For Saskia, Hebrews 3:4 greatly encouraged her. “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.” (ESV) Saskia recognised that God is the builder of everything and that she should give all the glory to God for all that He does through her.

Rachel gave these powerful words of encouragement: Jesus’ words give life, and we have His words available to us every day. We also have an enemy who tells us lies that he wants us to believe. The dance team gave a powerful performance for what that looks like.

“What words are you believing about yourself?” Rachel asked the group. “Are there words you’ve believed so much that they’ve become part of your identity? God’s words give joy, life, peace, hope and purpose.”

We need to believe HIS words for our life. He wants to take the lies we’re believing and replace them with truth.

What the teens heard

“If we didn’t have the positive power of words, I couldn’t keep going in my life. When I am with my family and we pray–it is big for me. Because when you pray, you feel like you are surrounded by God’s power. It gives me strength.” – Angelina (17, Greece)

“Sometimes when you say a small thing and you didn’t think you hurt anyone it might really hurt that person inside.” – David (13, UK)

“The dance was inspiring. No matter how strong your demons, God is stronger.” – Valeri (17, Bulgaria)

“I’m inspired that God can use someone’s art to help lead other people.” – Stefan (14, Bulgaria)

Five...four...three...two...one...GOOO! To the soundtrack of hundreds of people clapping their hands, singing and cheering, over 1,200 runners were free to set off, and the DJ added some extra value to the atmosphere as he started to pump music in encouragement.

The runners–and walkers–had two hours to finish as many laps as possible. A surprising number of runners persevered the entire two hours. One of them was Miranda (15, Sweden), who ran 24 laps, raising six euros per lap. She pushed herself to the limit: “I got stressed out and tried to go faster in order to run as many laps as possible. My legs started to hurt,” she reported. Another teen who just kept running was Peter (13, Germany). Thanks to the cheering, he managed to run: “something like 20 laps.”

Three Belgian girls dressed like bananas walked for two hours. “God pulled us through!” Lonit (17) exclaimed with a smile. “Here I am in a banana suit running in circles and raising money.” Lonit and her friends Joske (17) and Sarah-Beth (17) were amazed by the support from the crowd: “There were little kids hugging us and supporting us.” 

Many teams were involved in organising RAG day. Apart from the RAG team, the sports team, medical team and security team played important roles to make sure that everything worked out well. According to the sports team, everything went smoothly–although it was stressful in the beginning, with many runners being eager to get their badges scanned to register their first lap.

One new requirement was to make sure that the runners were wearing proper shoes in order to reduce the risk of injuries and blisters. This clearly paid off, according to the medical team. The entire team–10 nurses, 11 paramedics and two doctors–were on duty during the race and they had prepared carefully, both practically and prayerfully. After the race, they reported that only 20 patients needed medical care during the two hours, and none of these suffered from any severe injuries.

This year, the money raised goes to refugee teenagers and children in Greece, Italy and Serbia, providing them with backpacks, stationery and books, besides sports and art equipment. What is new is that 20 per cent of the money goes to support new TeenStreets in other parts of the world. That way, anyone raising money or giving money themselves is involved in helping young people in the name of Christ.

The amount raised was €85,453 (approximately $95,674 USD) and will change the lives of numerous teens.

Cecil started by explaining that the word ‘destitute’ means 'repressed, marginalised or forgotten', and asked: “Why should we care?”

“The world is full of injustice, and we all contribute to it whether it’s actively or passively. We are all guilty.”

What is Jesus’ response to this guilt?

“We can all be declared righteous. Therefore, the only answer to that love is to care about other people, to seek justice for others,” Cecil said. “This is what ‘Love your neighbour like yourself’ really means. He wants us to honour and respect the people He created.”

When Ron asked: “Who of you guys is a Jesus-follower?” he received cheering and clapping. There’s a few of us in the house.

Ron began talking about injustice and getting involved by looking at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.”

In Matthew 4, Jesus called His first disciples, saying: ‘Come, follow me and I will send you out to fish for people.’

”So right from the beginning,” Ron explained, “Jesus challenged His followers to make an impact. And very interestingly, at the very end of the book of Matthew, when His disciples ask about His second coming, Jesus tells them again to get involved by saying: ‘Whatever you [do] for the least of these, you [do] for me.’”

We are meant to get involved–not because we have to earn God’s love; that’s already given to us–but because other people need to know about His love, too.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the 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.” – Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Ron made a point about Jesus’ first and final words to His disciples having to do with getting involved, explaining that this is a task that Jesus has given us.

Rich told the story of the good Samaritan–the least likely person–who took pity on the man that had been robbed. He had compassion, and it was the compassion that prompted him to act.

“I struggle with this story,” Rich admitted, “because a lot of times I see myself as the priest or the Levite who didn’t want to get involved.”

Rich then shared about an old painting in Paris that he has found particularly helpful in understanding the story of the good Samaritan. The painting portrays two men and a donkey: one man is sitting on the donkey, while the other one is holding him up.

“The painting helps me to see that the good Samaritan may not have been wealthy," Rich explained. “He may not have been prepared to take care of someone who was almost dead. He probably didn’t have that much himself, but he gave whatever he had.”

Rich then told a story about a cute, lone duckling he saw in a fountain. When Rich realised that the duckling had no mom and would probably die, he and all the other people around felt terrible; so they started talking about trying to help the poor duckling.

“That was for a duck,” Rich said, stunned. “Yet every day we walk by people who have needs [and don’t do anything].”

Rich then talked about how compassion can move us to get involved, encouraging everyone to keep their eyes open so they can have compassion on the people around them.

Finally, Rich talked about how he had recently seen a group worshipping together on the TS Boulevard. He noticed that one of them was using a garbage can as a drum. “He didn’t have a drum, but he wanted to get involved anyway,” Rich pointed out. “God has given you everything you need. Grab the garbage can, play alongside Jesus. Get involved.”

What the teens had to say

Sophie (17) from Ireland really liked Rich’s duck story. “[It illustrated] the way that we care so much about things instead of people. I didn’t see it that way before. I feel like my eyes have been opened.”

“I definitely think I should look into missions more,” Victoria (16), also from Ireland said. “There are some people I know who do homeless outreach, so maybe I can see if I can help them.”

Sophie, Julie, Leila (all 13) and Elsa (12) from Germany already participated in an outreach this week handing out flowers with notes.

“[The outreach] was a lot of fun. Sometimes it was a bit hard, because people were surprised, and we had to explain why we were giving them the flowers. Sometimes people went away and ignored us because they thought the roses cost something. But we met a girl, and she was happy about the flowers,” Sophie continued.

“… and she was interested in TeenStreet,” Elsa added.

“My church gives homeless people clothes and so on,” Sophie said. “I was afraid to talk with them before. Now that I’ve done this outreach, I think it will be easier.”

Who influences us?

In the girls’ session, Rachel introduced the theme of the day, asking three questions: “Who influences us? How can we influence others? and who is the greatest influence in our lives?”

Cecil explained the key verse (Proverbs 4:23): “What’s your most valuable possession? Of all the things you value, you have to guard your heart more than all these things.”

She continued: “The heart is the centre of who you are–your personality, your will, your thoughts and your emotions. All these things are going to dictate how you live your life... We want these aspects of life to be influenced by God: the music I listen to, the people I spend time with, the things I watch or the truth that I let into my heart–all these things are going to have an influence on me”.

Rachel then told the story in John 4:1-26 about the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well–a lonely woman who looked for love in the wrong places–and described how Jesus wanted to meet the woman’s needs. Rachel pointed out that Jesus didn’t judge the woman; He just stated the facts about her life, and then offered her abundant life. After that moment, the Samaritan woman became a great influence to the people around her.

“What are the things that you long for?” Rachel then asked the crowd. “To be accepted? Loved? To be seen as beautiful? Where are you going to see these needs met?” She encouraged the girls to go to Jesus and let Him meet their needs and desires. “Let your relationship with Jesus be the greatest influence in your life.”

Three young women from the team shared how God had moved in their lives and met their needs in a way that they didn’t think was possible; He completely changed their lives.

At the end of the session, Rachel read a key verse from John 4:13: “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal." (NIV)

“When we are being filled up by Him, we are going to be a beautiful influence to those around us.”

Together for God’s glory

In the boys’ session, Ron defined the heart as: “the home of your personality.” He pointed out that: “it’s not just about guarding your heart; it’s about what’s in your heart. If someone has a bad heart, it’s not worth guarding.”

Referring to Ephesians 6, Rich started to describe a very practical way to guard one’s heart: by putting on the armour of God. “The enemy wants us to stumble and fall,” he explained and then let Ron put on all the pieces of armour to illustrate their protecting effect.

“There are at least 100,000 opinions in the world today. We need to go somewhere that we know there is truth. God is always true... Who makes us righteous? Christ. Christ needs to be in the centre of our lives.”

“Is Christ the centre of your life?” he asked the boys. “When Christ is in the centre, we are fully protected,” he continued. “It’s way easier to fight with Christ.”

“You need God’s Word buried [in your heart]. When temptation comes, you have it with you.”

By putting on the armour of God, and with the help of that armour, we can also guard each other, Rich continued. Therefore, at the end of the session, he asked the boys to put their arms around each other. “Together we are an incredible force for God, for His glory”, he said.

The session ended with the entire crowd chanting: “Together for God’s glory.”

What the teens thought

“It was an encouraging message for young women. Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well. He simply brought out the facts and ushered the woman toward who she really was.” – Melissa (18, Finland)

“[I learnt that] Jesus influences us and makes us influence others through Him as well.” – Lilja (17, Finland)

“I need to protect my heart.” – Gianluca (15, Romania)

“Rich told us that we need to guard our heart because your heart is your source of life. If you lose your heart, it's hard to come back to life.” – Jan (15, the Netherlands)

"Ron told us that if you have a bad heart then it isn't worth protecting. You need a relationship with God to protect that heart and to protect yourself." – Jop (15, Netherlands)

Sixteen years ago, there was a teenage girl sitting in Throne Room, feeling confused and a bit heavyhearted. Unlike her friends, she felt like she had no special gifts or a special calling. Questions like: ‘Why am I here?’ or ‘What am I good at?’ weere on her heart.

That girl was Agnes and what happened next had a direct impact on her life.

“I was sitting there in Throne Room,” Agnes explains, “and I can remember how Chris, the translator back then, came on stage and started translating. As soon as he started, something inside me went: ‘Wow, this is what I want to do.’ It was in that moment that I became fascinated with the whole process of translating, how two people communicate the same message in two languages."

Agnes enjoyed listening (and watching!) the translation on stage and something clicked in her heart. "From that moment on it became something that I carried around with me, this dream of becoming a translator.”

After graduating from high school, Agnes went to Bible school in England where she improved her English and encountered God in a whole new way.

“During my time in England, I got to know God as a loving Father who loves me no matter what I do or don't do. He is proud of me and not disappointed in me,” Agnes says, explaining that it was also during this time that English became her ‘heart language.’ “I still read the Bible in English and I often pray in English.”

Some years later, when Agnes graduated from university–she’s a pharmacist–and moved to Munich, she noticed that the local church she had started attending had a translation ministry. “I asked the leader if it would be possible to try translating,” Agnes says. “It was simultaneous translation from German to English and so I got to try it out. I quickly realised that it was quite easy for me and that God had given me this gift of translating. It’s just a lot of fun for me.”

Agnes started working in the translation ministry regularly and later took over the leadership of the ministry.

Returning to TeenStreet

2019 was Agnes’ 14th TS. She came three times as a teen and later served in: “almost every team.”

"TeenStreet was such a special time for me as a teen that I came back year after year wanting other teens to have the same experience. But somehow I couldn't seem to find my place. Never would I have dared to imagine to one day become the German translator. Now in hindsight, I can see how God prepared me to do what I do now by letting me get familiar with so many areas of TS.”

As she became more experienced with both simultaneous translation and consecutive translation (outside of TS), the idea of translating at TS kept coming back to her.

“I just wasn't sure if I should wait for God to open doors for me or if I should go and knock on them saying this is what I would like to do. In the end, it was a mixture of the two."

For the past three years, Agnes has served as the Main Hall translator.

But that is not all. There is much more to Agnes than her ability to translate effectively.

“I am very passionate about experiencing God in everyday life,” she shares. “That’s also my wish for the teens: that they would experience that God is with them wherever they go; that faith is relevant to their everyday life. I hope that they will be equipped here at TS and that they will learn how to live out their faith, trusting God with their lives.”

“If someone has the same dream of becoming a translator, they can approach me,” Agnes encourages. “If you are interested in something, I want to encourage you to keep reaching out for it, asking God for the next steps to take. If it’s translation, come talk to me. Let’s have a chat.”

After many years of being a translator and experiencing what it’s like to use your God-given gifts, what would Agnes say to her younger self, sitting in Throne Room worried about what the future holds?

“There’s a great verse in Isaiah 43:1: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’ I would say to myself: ‘It is not about what you do, it is about who you are in your identity as a child of God.’ Life on this earth is mainly about being in a relationship with God, enjoying His love and sharing it with others.”

Much like Rachel gave a simple definition for wisdom yesterday, Ron gave an applicable definition of trust for everyone. “Trust is a firm belief in someone’s truth or ability.” Keeping this definition in mind, we looked at Proverbs 3:5: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart…" (NIV)

Ron explained that the ‘heart’ is the centre of your being, so ‘trusting in the Lord with all your heart’ means to trust God with everything.

Game Time required blind trust. Literally. One member of each of the three teams (Greece, Denmark and Korean-American) was blindfolded yet had to make their way to the finish line without knocking over any of the cups of water scattered across the floor. Their teammates had to give the blindfolded person directions to manoeuvre the path to victory. This time, Korea-America was the first team to finish.

“Love is the foundation of trust,” Rich told the group. “In John 3:16, it says: ‘For God so loved the world…’ His love for us is the reason He sent Jesus to us.” Rich used the example of a valuable lesson he learnt from ‘Coach,’ his childhood best friend’s dad.

“Coach told me that you will never fall in love with someone as quickly as you do with your first child. It’s an instant, ready-to-die-for-you kind of love. That’s the kind of love that God has for us. When we begin to understand what love means, we can begin to trust.”

Doran, leader of OM in Germany, made a special guest appearance for an interview as well. He shared his personal story of attending TeenStreet 16 years ago and having his life changed. In response to learning that God gave everything for him, he decided to give everything back to God. This included spending three years serving on the Logos Hope.

“Trust means being in relationship, so it’s most important that I live in a way that pleases Him. Trusting isn’t about the big decisions. It’s about the small decisions each of us makes every day. Trust in His ways for your life, for in them you will find the meaning you were made for,” said Doran.

We should be able to trust Him with every corner of our lives because the foundation is love.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1 (KJV)

What the teens thought

“I learnt that love is the foundation for trusting someone. In order to trust someone, you need love too. I haven’t thought of that aspect before. I used to think that people have to prove to me that they can be trusted, but it’s not about that. It’s about love.” – Møyfrid (17, Sweden)

“The teaching was amazing because we learnt a lot about God. We can go deeper in our relationship with God. I liked the interview with [Doran, the leader of OM in Germany] in particular.” – Ellie (16, Sweden)

“The teaching was really great. It was simple but great. I really liked that Rich said the same things over and over again and made it simple to understand.” – Anton (16, Finland)

Climbing into their seven-passenger Sedan, the Harjus (sans their oldest son, Lari) left Finland on July 7th and took a ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, Estonia. They then drove through the three Baltic states–Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania–arriving in Poland for their first night on the road. From Poland they continued on to Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, spending one night in each country. Looking at the map, one might ask: ‘why?' since the three countries aren’t even remotely on the way to Germany.

“They were new countries to us, so we drove through them,” Netta (15) says.

“They are interesting countries,” her father, Mika-Petri adds. “Eastern Europe is different, and the nature is wonderful there.”

“We had dreamt of going to Ukraine for a long time because we had hoped to do children’s ministry there before the war broke out,” Marita, his wife, says.

From Romania, the Harjus drove to Hungary where Lari joined the rest of the family after having spent two weeks in Sweden studying the language and playing the violin. Once together again, the family slowed down a bit, spending a little over a week at a friend’s place in Hungary. But just so things didn’t get too settled, the Harjus did a day trip to Croatia and Serbia.

“We were really close to the border, so it was easy to check those two countries off of our list,” Mika-Petri explains.

After Hungary, the family travelled through Austria before finally crossing over to Germany and arriving at TeenStreet. According to the odometer, they had driven approximately 4,000 kilometres.

One month in a car

This was not a once-in-a-lifetime trip for the Harjus. They have done it every summer for the past four years; each time they have come to TeenStreet.

“We get some new idea every year, and that’s what we do,” Mika-Petri says. “Two years ago, we swapped houses with a family in Spain and spent a little over a week there before coming to TeenStreet.”

“I think these trips bring us closer together as a family,” Marita says. “At home, our life is all about going to work and school and hobbies. We might see each other in the morning and at night we make sure everyone’s at home, but we are rarely all together. So every summer we put everyone in the car for a month, and we spend all this time together. It’s wonderful to listen to the kids talk non-stop in the back seat, telling us to turn down the music so we can all talk. There’s no internet, and when the mobile data has been used up, we just talk.”

Marita and Mika-Petri Harju are the family team coordinators at TeenStreet, leading the children’s programmes that take place during the week. Before TeenStreet, they served with Love for Kids in Russia, working at children’s camps every summer for twenty years. There are 116 children (0-12 years old) at TeenStreet this year.

“Wisdom is not a word we use every day, but Proverbs talks about it a lot,” she said. “Wisdom is knowledge that God helps us know that we apply for our own good, for the good of others and for the glory of God.”

The truth is that God gives us wisdom. He invites us to desire and search for it. In conflict or when you need help, how do you walk in wisdom? What Bible verse do you cling to?

Cecil used Noah as an example of someone walking faithfully with God. When given all of the instructions for building the ark—which took 100 years!—Noah remained faithful and persistent. He didn’t quit or try to get out of it, even if he may not have seen the end goal or purpose.

“God has the big picture,” she encouraged the group. “He loves us. Let’s live for God’s glory, not being distracted by things in His plan for us.”

GAME TIME brought Sweden and Portugal head-to-head. In just one minute, they had to balance as many random items as possible on a teeter-totter. Happily, the game ended in a tie!

Rich shared with the group that he likes to see Bible truths practically. A family from Germany followed God’s calling to Peru to work in a hospital, even though their life was currently secure. “It’s wiser to be where God wants you,” Rich said later. “If the Lord and God of wisdom is in your boat, you can be in any storm.”

When it’s not applied, knowledge does no good. What glory does it give to God? Sometimes wisdom doesn’t seem logical. But when we listen to God, it makes sense. How do you apply the wisdom you find in the Bible?

Rachel finished by challenging the teens to be seeking for wisdom as they would seek for a treasure. In fact, their giveaway from the session was at the end of a treasure hunt with four tasks to be completed during their Net Group time later in the day.

Thoughts from the teens

“I really liked the part about the family being sent out to Peru, because wisdom is also about following God’s plan, the purpose that He has for your life, and what He wants to do in your life. Not many people think that it is wisdom to follow God’s plan, but it actually is.” – Tabea (16, Germany)

“Wisdom is a gift from God to be used for the work of God and to help you in your personal relationship with God.” – Chris (16, Holland)

“You don’t necessarily have to be old in order to be wise. It just means you know and follow the Lord’s Word.” – Lois (17, Belgium)

“[Wisdom] is like when we apply the armour of God, and when we read the Bible. We get the armour of God so that we can apply our wisdom.” – Helena (16, Faroe Islands)

Bianca (16), Nuno (16), and Rebeca Daniela (17) came from Portugal by bus with 55 other people. Travelling the 2,250km from Lisbon took them two days and a night on the bus, stopping only to eat and use the bathroom.

“I talked with my parents about coming to TS after someone asked me to come,” Bianca says. “We all thought it would be a good opportunity to practise my English and to make new friends. So I decided to come, and I’m enjoying myself.”

“I’m most looking forward to the workshops and seminars,” Nuno said. “I’m most interested in the dance ones.”

“I want to learn more about God,” Rebeca Daniela said.

The Faroe Islands are notably one of the largest country groups represented at TS. This year, 400 Faroese will be onsite. Some come by a chartered plane, and some come by ferry. Bárdur and Petra (both 15) left the Faroe Islands at 05:00 on Friday and arrived in Offenburg before noon. Both are attending for the first time and got a day’s head start of everyone else.

“We’ve just been hanging out since we arrived,” Petra said, “exploring and taking in the atmosphere. [During this week,] I am hoping to grow closer to God.”

“It’s amazing here,” Bárdur shared. “Everything is wonderful, and the people are great. Everyone is together; there is no judging anyone. Everyone is the same.”

“So far it feels great. It’s huge, and it’s so nice being around so many people,” Joshua (15) from South Korea-USA said. “Once it’s really started, I’m excited for the worship and going to seminars. It’s my first year. My church introduced TS to church this year. It was brand new, and I thought: ‘I’ll go do a missions trip in Amsterdam and come over to TS in a week.’ My church is trying it out for the first time, so I joined them.”

Filip (14) is attending for the first time with the first Romanian team to come to TS. “Today, we have played the Cajun and guitar, and many people came to sing with us. I really want to meet new people from different cultures, make new friends, and also learn more about God and find some answers to life questions. Oh! And have fun.”

Teens kept arriving all throughout the day, slowly adding to the numbers on campus. As more and more came, the excitement of Arrival Day continued to build. Amid all the greetings to friends and the discovery of new elements around the site, everyone looked forward to the first Throne Room session mere hours away.

This is when TS truly begins.

Many recognised the key speakers from last year: Rich, Rachel, Ron and Cecil (Special bravo to our fabulous translator, Agnes!). On stage for the first time, Rich and Cecil shared inspiring stories from around the globe over the past year (50 years since mankind first walked on the moon; the USA women’s soccer team won the World Cup; France awarded citizenship to a foreigner who scaled several floors via balcony to rescue a child who was about to fall). In addition, each speaker had a heartfelt message for the teens as a welcome, an encouragement and a challenge for the week ahead.

“The definition of our theme ‘inspired’ is ‘to fill someone with the urge to feel or do something,’” Ron told the group. “The original Latin is two words that translates into: ‘breathe into,’ which is what it says in Genesis 2. He breathed His Spirit into us, so we should be inspired to act out and love others as He does.”

Cecil shared a story of one of her schoolteachers who inspired her. During a minute of silence for a student who had died, the teacher had prayed. “He told us that God listens to us and cares about what we’re going through. That teacher really inspired me to stand up for my faith.”

Rich had a personal story from his childhood. At his friend’s house for dinner, the family still held their regular devotions time. “They didn’t change anything because someone new was there. They read the Word when they were alone and when they had guests. That really inspired me, so I now do the same with my own family. Inspiration can come from simple things.”

Rachel encouraged the teens from this year’s theme verse, Proverbs 3:5-6. “Ask God to have Him help you trust more. We’ll look deeper at this verse on Monday.”

The 'Inspired' session ended with a few final songs from the band, and then the teens were released for their first Interaction Time.

 “I had goosebumps the whole time,” Myrto (16, Greece) shared. “What I loved is that sometimes everything was blocked out around me, and it was all about my relationship with God. The words were just flowing into my heart.”

“It is my first time at TS,” Linus (18, Germany) said afterwards. “The worship, the feeling of all being together in this big, Christian group… It’s good to know that there were so many others. [It’s a] big group, but still personal.”

“I felt grateful in that place because I had the opportunity to talk with God.” Nikoleta (15, Greece) “And the fact that God wants to talk with me—I’m a sinner—is so beautiful. I can’t describe how grateful we should be, because God wants to hear us; and that’s what I felt in this place when we worshipped and prayed.”

Janet decided to follow Jesus at age eight and from then on, she had two passions in life: to know Jesus more and to make Him known. “When you know the love, the grace, the forgiveness, the kindness, the gentleness—when you know those virtues in your own life—you want to share that with others.”

Still, Janet might have been content to share God’s love in her own small British village forever if a group of servicemen from the Arabian Peninsula (AP) hadn’t shown up to test some equipment they had purchased. At that time, she’d never heard the words ‘Islam’ or ‘Muslim’.

Several of the men rented her sister’s guesthouse, and many came to Janet, a hairdresser, for regular trims. Those encounters were a turning point in her life. “The Lord gave me a real love for and interest in the Muslim world,” she said.

The connections continued for years after the men left—through long-distance conversations and visits when they returned to Janet’s village for vacation with their families. Janet began to wonder whether God wanted her to do more with the Muslim world.

A couple of ladies from her church happened to watch a programme featuring OM founder George Verwer on television. When they contacted him, they found out he would be visiting their area a couple weeks later. The women arranged for Janet to meet with him. As she listened to George talk about the work OM was doing, “I just thought my heart was going to burst,” she shared. “I was so excited listening to his story.”

When George left, he told Janet to contact him if she needed anything. But she didn’t plan to follow up. “I knew if I got in touch with him, he would have me in Saudi Arabia the next day,” she said, laughing.

For the next three weeks, Janet prayed that God would take away her urge to get involved in missions if it wasn’t from Him. Instead, it got stronger.

Beginning the journey

Janet’s first visit to the AP on a short-term missions trip was a challenging experience for her. “I just felt unusable, and it was a really difficult time,” she shared. “Yet the other leaders knew my story; they knew what was going on…I remember the man in charge at the time saying to me: ‘Janet, you will be surprised on this trip… I think you will find that you fit in very well.’”

The team visited a local neighbour with nine friends. “When they found out I was a hairdresser, they weren’t letting me leave until I was going to cut their hair,” Janet said. As she engaged with the ladies, she remembered the leader’s words. “God showed me that it doesn’t matter who we are; as long as we’re open and available, He can use it.”

After a few more short-term trips, Janet learnt about an opportunity to serve long-term in the AP by working part-time in a bookshop. “As soon as I came here, I felt like I’d come home,” she said.

As Janet interacted with people—women, students, migrant workers, professionals, retirees—through the bookshop, she realised that God was bringing her those He was already drawing to Himself. In the first six months, three migrant workers who spent time talking to her at the bookshop came to faith and were baptised.

During the beginning of Ramadan this year, Janet sold four Bibles to individuals whom she estimated to be in their late twenties, all “searching for truth and feeling that Islam was not giving them what they’re wanting, what they’re looking for.”

Another young woman who had been talking to Janet for a year and a half finally asked: “Janet, when you’ve been brought up [in Islam] and you know nothing different, how do you know the truth?”

“Ask God,” Janet replied. “If you really are seeking to know the truth, ask God, and He will show you.”

The one-on-one interactions at the bookshop suited Janet, who described herself as an introvert. “I was never brave; I was never adventurous, in fact, quite the opposite. I would say I was very fearful, I felt very inadequate and very weak,” she shared. “I’m amazed that God can even use someone like me.”

“It’s His love that compels me; it’s His compassion that drives me. Just the fact that many here are going to be lost for eternity, having never heard, that’s what propels me,” she summarised. "Even at 52, it’s worth it, just to embark on this journey with Him.”

*name changed

Los voluntarios de JUCUM conocían otro hogar y sugirieron que, aunque solo tendrían media hora, a los ancianos les iba a gustar recibir visitas. Al final, los dejaron quedarse más, y todos disfrutaron un buen tiempo de calidad.

“Este día fue muy desafiante,” dijo David van Rietschoten (Canadá). “Me sentía un poco inquieto e incómodo al principio, pero resultó todo muy bien.” Juntos, voluntarios de JUCUM y tripulantes del Logos Hope les pintaron las uñas a las ancianas, les hicieron masajes en las manos, tocaron la guitarra y cantaron algunas canciones cristianas. “Había lágrimas en algunos rostros y las personas se alegraron al escuchar canciones con las que crecieron o que conocían del pasado,” dijo David.

David y los otros tripulantes pudieron animar a los cristianos para poder servir a Dios incluso en la vejez, contando sus historias y testimonios a sus compañeros de hogar que no conocen a Cristo.

Una señora, de quien se decía era muy nerviosa, terminó cantando las canciones de adoración. Un tripulante vio que otro de los ancianos, que al principio no parecía muy contento, también terminó uniéndose al canto. Una de las ancianas le dijo al equipo: “¡Tienen que venir otra vez!”

“Tenemos que ser flexibles porque en el ministerio, nunca sabemos qué va a pasar”, dijo David. Una cosa que nos llevamos de esta actividad, es no olvidarnos de los ancianos y los que viven en hogares, lejos de sus familias. Nos deja como reflexión que el mensaje que tenemos es para todos.

The worship band started Equip Day with a few songs, hundreds of voices lifting in praise. From the main stage, Rich shared an important message from Luke 24:15-17, 31-32. “God is walking with us this whole week, and far beyond that. Knowing that God is here now will change this week. Be inspired every day, knowing God is with us every step of the way.”

Rachel encouraged the group with a valuable lesson she learnt through her own struggle from the morning: “What we do this week, we do not do alone. What is on your heart? Share it with God, remembering that He is already with you.”

After the main hall session, Service Team members could choose from a variety of seminars to attend. For the musically inclined, the TS Band held a session in worship leading. Coaches and M&Ms could attend a session on ‘Building a Discipleship Culture in Your Small Group.’ As an encouragement to continue the values of TS, there was also a session about ‘Going into All the World: Missions with OM.’

“My favourite part of Equip Day was probably the seminars,” Silka (Netherlands) on the photography team shared. “You’re going deep into a topic, which you don’t get the rest of the week. It’s specifically for us.”

“They prepared it specifically for us,” Yara (Portugal) from the worship team agreed, “because they are calling us to be part of God’s mission. That’s why they put all the publicity about Missions Discipleship Training (MDT), OM, Open Doors… so we can feel encouraged to go and be part of God’s plan. That’s why they have the seminars to prepare us and equip us for that.”

“Equipping us for after TS,” Silka added.

The afternoon was set aside for team building, giving each team a chance to get to know each other before the teens arrived and all jobs started with full schedule and responsibilities. Then at the end of the day, everyone gathered again for a special Service Team Throne Room complete with communion. By the end of the day, the Service Team had been heartily equipped for the week ahead (and beyond).

Yara lit up as she looked back on the day: “If this is just a little part of what TS is, then TS is going to be huge! I’m so excited!”

From boundary fences to the massive refrigeration units in the dining hall, from the rigging above the stage to the pink tape marking the wires on the floor in the communications office, there are thousands of individual pieces that go into making TS what it is. One large piece of the TS puzzle is the setup production of the Main Hall.

“It’s amazing to come here and learn all the skills that other people can teach you,” George (Canada) said amid the busyness of setting up Main Hall. “It’s humbling because you’re learning some new skills. It’s incredible to watch it all come together so quickly. It’s also that anticipation of the teens arriving on Saturday.”

“I like being at Setup Week because you get to know lots of new people,” Matthias (Germany) shared. “[By the time TS officially starts] you already know your way around. On Arrival Day, most people are all: ‘Oh, where do I go?’, but [those of us here for Setup Week] already know the site. This is my 7th year working on the Service Team, and I still like it.”

Aaron (International home office representative), simply said, “Where to begin…”

No matter when they arrive, each person has their moment when TS becomes a reality.

For George, “it’s unloading the trucks and seeing all the sheer volume of equipment that needs to be set up. We unload the trucks in an hour, but it takes a couple days to set it all up. That’s kind of the opening ceremonies [for our team], unloading trucks. It’s a big build-up because of all the travel to get here.”

“Sleeping in a tent with hundreds of people” Mattias said. “Or the country video opening night… I get goosebumps during that. It’s so awesome.”

Aaron said: “I think it’s when you walk through the gate for the first time. For a second, you don’t realise you’re there. Once you walk in, you see people setting things up and realise ‘this is how people prepare for an event that lots of people come to enjoy and get closer to God.’

“I like seeing how everything is placed out and set up,” he continued. “It’s seeing how everything is put together and how it’s done. Lots of people arrive when everything is ready, and they don’t see the long process. It’s interesting to see how much help they need…the Service Team around TeenStreet.”

Esther (Netherlands, security team) shared that “there are all these little things that come back/connect every year: getting the first dinner, walking the site, etc. It’s all the small things come together.”

What is something you are looking forward to?

George: “…the first Throne Room. For one thing, it’s a huge sigh of relief for us to know that everything is working properly. Secondly, you can really just relax and worship. Being from North America, we forget that God is growing His church in Europe, too. It’s nice to be reminded that we’re not alone on our island.”

Esther: “Hanging out with the friends that you met before. When you’re on the Service Team, you see TS from a different perspective, so that is fun. As a teen, everything is organised for you and you just have to follow the programme. Then Service Team, you see a lot of other things, too.”

The Service Team is prepared. The stage is set. Get ready to be ‘Inspired’ by our God.

One day, she opened her Bible for the first time in many years, and, flipping through the pages, she broke down in tears. She dialled her father, a pastor in her home village. 

“I have something to tell you,” she said. She had turned her back on God and lied to him about reading her Bible ever since moving away from the village at the age of 14. 

“I know,” he replied. 

Choked with emotion, Noy’s voice softens as she describes what followed: “He said he forgave me. And he said God still loved me and wanted me back.” 

Noy decided to commit her future to God. “I don’t know where and when,” she prayed, but “I promise that when I finish college I will serve [You].”   

Four years later, Noy now works at a café run by OM that provides discipleship training and Bible lessons to people from villages who have come to find work. But her long-term plan has evolved beyond preparing fruit smoothies and iced lattes: She hopes to establish a preschool in the same poor, drug-and-alcohol-ridden village that is home to the people who once threatened to kill her father. Her full-circle journey points to a Father who never gave up on His daughter–a God whose peace banishes fear and whose love triumphs over hate. 

“He loved us and He died for us,” she says. “I want them to understand that.” 

Fear and hate

Animist worship–and fear of the spiritual world–dominated the small village where Noy grew up, in one of the provinces least exposed to the gospel. She remembers watching the yearly sacrifices of pigs and cows to appease the spirits and listening with angst to the screams of the witch doctors. 

Her dad served as a Christian pastor, and the villagers hated him for it. Backed by the police, they tracked his every movement, taunted him for his poverty and threatened to shoot him. Held at gunpoint, her father told the villagers he would die willingly. Instead of responding with fear or anger, he continued to serve the community, offering good news and free rice to the poor.

“I didn’t understand why my dad didn’t hate them back,” she says. “I didn’t know [at the time] why he still loved them.” 

As for herself, the fear and hate felt all too real. Though she learnt about God in Sunday school, Noy avoided telling others about her Christian background, terrified that they would come for her life, too. At school, the classmates who did know about her faith mocked and hit her. 

These early experiences left Noy with a sour view of God, and, by the age of 13, she had grown to hate the villagers who wanted her father’s blood, the father who refused to retaliate and the God who seemed to watch with ambivalence as her family suffered for His cause. 

When Noy turned 14, she asked to move into her uncle’s house in a village with a more secular atmosphere. There, under the loose reins of her non-Christian uncle, she indulged in teenage pleasures and reassured her father with lies. 

This lifestyle continued throughout high school and into her years at technical college, where she finally discovered forgiveness. After committing her life to Christ and graduating from college, she began working at the OM cafe as an intern, eventually deciding to stay long-term. 

During this time, her parents asked her to visit them in their village. She reluctantly consented. She recalls seeing two children in the village, a boy and a girl, both crying. When she asked them why, the girl said she had no money to buy books or pens for school. “I will buy it for you,” Noy told her.  The boy explained that he could not pass his classes. “Just go. You’re still small,” she admonished him. “If you grow up and you don’t study, you won’t have work to do. Then what will you do?” Both children returned to their studies. 

Through this encounter, Noy felt God tugging at her heart to help the many other children in her village, who often grow up malnourished, with parents addicted to drugs and alcohol, and roam without supervision while their caretakers toil in the fields.

But the old fears and hatred remained, threatening to engulf her newfound calling. So Noy prayed to God: “If you want me to go back, make me want to go.”  

'...to love them like God loves us'

Since that day, Noy has returned to her village multiple times and soon will begin basic educational activities with the children. OM has purchased land and is currently processing paperwork to begin building a preschool, which will include outdoor activities, English and art classes and a nutritious lunch. 

God has answered Noy’s request–she says she feels “happy” and “excited” about her work, though the fears have not entirely disappeared, and she has no naivety about what the villagers might do to her. But, when she feels scared, she prays and remembers that “God is with me,” she says. “If something happens, it’s part of God’s plan.” Her attitude towards danger echoes that of her father’s: Life on earth is inherently temporary, she says, so “if I die, it’s OK.”

Thinking back to her childhood in the village, Noy now understands that it was God who filled her father with love for his persecutors. “If God didn’t work in him, of course my dad would hate them also,” she says. Her own hatred towards the villagers has dissolved into compassion as she realises the real reason why they hated her father: “They don’t understand what love is.”

Through caring for the children and conversing with the parents, by her actions and, if possible, by her words, Noy wants to help her village embrace the reality of God’s love, the same love that gave her father boldness, that pursued her wayward heart and that sustains her even now. 

“[I want] to show them that God loves them,” she says. “[I want] to love them like God loves us.” 

*name changed

Ihre Wertschätzung für die Handwerkern, die in Buenos Aires mit Arbeiten am Schiff beauftragt worden waren, drückte das technische Team bei einem besonderen Mittagessen aus, bei dem es ihnen auch von der Hoffnung erzählte, die sie zu ihrer Arbeit auf See motiviert.

Das Team verstand sich gut mit den argentinischen Schweißern und Installateuren, die bei den Stahlreparaturen am Schiff halfen. An deren letztem Tag bereiteten sie auf dem Außendeck des Schiffs „Asado“ für etwa zwanzig Personen vor, auf traditionelle Weise zubereitetes Grillfleisch. Während sie die verschiedenen Fleischspezialitäten genossen, die sie bei ihrem Kontakt zur argentinischen Kultur besonders schätzen gelernt hatten, gab der Argentinier Carlos Alarcon, der auf dem Schiff als Installateur arbeitet, einen Botschaft aus der Bibel weiter.

„Ich redete darüber, dass Jesus uns sagt, dass er der Weinstock ist und wir die Reben“, sagte Carlos, der selbst aus dem Umland der Hauptstadt kommt. „Ich erklärte ihnen, dass wir aus seiner Kraft handeln und dass er die einzige Quelle des wahren Lebens und des Wachstums ist. Ohne ihn können wir nichts tun.“

Die Arbeiter bekamen Geschenke von der Logos Hope. Jeder erhielt eine Bibel und einen Schlüsselanhänger. Ein Schweißer erzählte dem Team, dass er sich vor Kurzem ein Auto kaufen konnte und das als einen großen Segen von Gott betrachtet. Er wollte seinen Autoschlüssel an dem neuen Schlüsselanhänger befestigen als tägliche Erinnerung an Gottes Schiff, an dem er gearbeitet hatte.

„Sie mochten unser Schiff wirklich gerne“, sagte der Niederländer Harald Smit, der technische Leiter von OM Ships. „Diese Leute arbeiten im Hafen die ganze Zeit an unterschiedlichen Schiffen, aber sie sagten uns, dass es bei uns anders zugeht. Unsere Mannschaft war freundlich und hat sie willkommen geheißen, niemand hat ihnen gestresst und unwirsch Befehle gegeben, wie das auf Handelsschiffen manchmal vorkommt.“

Die Tage, an denen sie die Logos Hope reparierten, gaben den Männern Einblick in den Auftrag des Schiffes. Sie bekamen mit, wie Tausende von Menschen vor dem Schiff Schlange standen und erlebten die Wertschätzung der Mannschaft, weil sie durch ihre Arbeit dazu beitrugen, dass Gott das Schiff weiter als sein Werkzeug gebrauchen kann.

„Das ist alles ein Teil dessen, was wir tun. Wir wollen jeden erreichen, dem wir begegnen“, sagt Harald. „Manchmal meinen wir, dass wir als Mitarbeiter in den technischen Abteilungen nicht so viele Möglichkeiten zu Kontakten zur Bevölkerung haben, aber hier haben wir wieder erlebt, dass Gott Menschen an Bord bringt, die von ihm hören sollen, und wir ihm genau hier dienen können, wo wir stehen, mit dem, was wir gerade tun.“

It’s why they’re on board with their skills, to keep the ship functioning. While on duty they’re also alert to the opportunities this form of service for the Lord can yield.

To show appreciation for and better connect with local contractors they worked alongside in Buenos Aires, the maintenance team held a special lunch and shared the hope that motivates them to serve God at sea.

The team had built a good rapport with the Argentinian welders and fitters who helped with steel repairs to the vessel. On their final day, on the ship’s outer deck, an ‘asado’ barbecue was grilled up for around twenty people. As they tucked into various meats cooked in the traditional way – a feast crewmembers have particularly enjoyed as part of their exposure to Argentine culture – the ship’s plumber, Carlos Alarcon (Argentina), shared a message from the Bible.

“I spoke about Jesus telling us that He is the vine and we are the branches,” says Carlos, who also comes from near to the capital city. “I explained that we operate in His strength and He is the only source of true life and growth – apart from Him we can do nothing.”  

The local workmen were presented with gifts from Logos Hope, including a Bible and keychain each. One welder told the team he had recently been able to buy a car, which he considered a great blessing from God. He said he would hang his car key on the new keychain, as a daily reminder of God’s ship, that he had worked on.

“They really liked our ship,” says Harald Smit (Netherlands), OM Ships’ technical manager. “These people work on different vessels in port all the time, but they told us this was different: our crew was friendly and welcoming; nobody barked orders at them in a pressured way, as can happen on commercial vessels.”

The days they spent repairing Logos Hope gave the workmen an insight into the ship’s mission. They noticed thousands of people queuing to visit and were appreciated by the crew, since their input was enabling the vessel to continue as a tool for God.

“It’s all part of what we do; reaching out to whomever we encounter,” says Harald. “Sometimes volunteers in our marine operations roles may not think they have as many opportunities to connect with the public visiting Logos Hope, but here we saw again that the Lord brings people on board who need to hear about Him and we minister right where we are, in whatever we are doing.”

However, this lifestyle of being afraid of missing out could not continue when I joined missions. I have had to learn how to let go when I miss out on opportunities to create precious memories with family and friends in my home country. 

I missed out on one of my best friend’s wedding. In fact, I met his wife for the first time almost two years after they were married—they even had a baby girl already. Countless weddings have I missed out on. I was not even able to make it to some of those weddings on Facebook Live due to poor internet connection or time differences. Some weddings, I managed to do a quick video chat and have my face on the screen for the group photos. 

I missed out on my godmother’s funeral. She got cancer when I was not in the country. During a short home visit once, I managed to meet her in her house. Before I entered, my friend told me that this was probably my last time to see her on this earth. I refused to agree, but that was the case. Later, I could only mourn through Facebook. As I watched the choir sing in a video, I imagined where I would stand if I was home as I glanced at all the familiar faces.     

I missed out on the presidential elections. I missed out on the biggest Christian youth camp in Taiwan where I was highly involved before. I missed so many Chinese holidays that I forgot how to count the lunar calendar. For most of the family gatherings and the school reunions, I was not there. I lost track of the names of the newborn babies among my relatives in the past years. I missed out the mountain highs and the valley lows of people I love dearly.    

Even now when I am on furlough, I am still missing out. I will miss out on the opportunity to host some great friends at the Lake. I will miss out on the birthday parties of my new family. I will miss out on saying “goodbye” to some of my team members. I will miss out on the prayer outreach I always wanted to go on. I am still missing out. 

It’s sad but I’ve learnt to let go. I am no longer anxious about missing out. I no longer wish to have a ‘super door’ to take me anywhere I want so that I can be there for everyone. 

God has given me this sense of security: Even though it would be great to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn in person, I can stand with them in prayer. God is there with them. He knows how to make the party more fun and heal all the pains much better than me. And when I feel like I’m missing out, He is also there to comfort me. He will never miss out.

Ivy, previously a city girl rushing into the Taipei metro every day, now enjoys walking around beautiful villages at Lake Tanganyika, Zambia. She likes to listen to people's stories and write newsletters (really a rare species). Her dream is to become the shortest giant in the world.    

Like many others influenced by Buddhism, Ailani’s village believes in the active spiritual realm, using the offerings of simple meals on a daily occasion and the sacrifice of poultry or other larger animals for more critical incidents like illnesses to keep the evil spirits appeased. Even as a young teenager, Ailani wondered how they could believe that the evil spirit had brought healing, but be the source of the sickness at the same time. Her mother had no answer to offer.

In many rural villages, girls marry by the age of 14 and the only work available is basic subsistent rice farming–where farmers only make enough to eat. About growing up in that environment Ailani said: “I just did whatever made me happy. I never thought about what the purpose of life was. I didn’t study well, but I did finish high school because I didn’t want to work in the fields. So I studied enough, but I never had a dream to leave the country or become a doctor or anything like that.”

It wasn’t until Ailani followed her older sister to the capital city for employment opportunities that she was introduced to people who did life very differently: Christians. Initially, Ailani’s response to the people who approached her about Jesus was: “How can I believe if I don’t know Him?”

It took time to observe the lives of the Jesus followers she met to see that they indeed had something of unique value. “I saw how the Christians were different and I wanted to be like them. In my village we also had a lot of unity and community as well–but when you give in the village you expect something in return; whereas the Christians just gave,” she recalled. “And I felt like they all had so much wisdom.”

Everything has changed

Ailani has been serving with OM in her home country for more than two years. At first she was discipled as part of her employment at an OM-owned café. Now, she uses her artistic skills to reach out to people in her community and serves in a leadership role discipling others and is preparing to go elsewhere in Asia with OM for two years to grow even more in her ministry skills and experience.

“If you don’t live as an example, then you can say 10,000 things, but [those you lead] will never do it. So you have to model it for them,” Ailani shared about her experience as a leader and what she has learnt from her own leaders. “Since I moved here, to work with [OM], everything [has] changed. I think more about other people. I think more about looking at what God wants us to do, not just in theory, but in practical ways–how to obey Him.”

During the last few years, Ailani has experienced God doing a work in her and she is eager for others to know Jesus like that too. “God has taught me step by step. He has shown me that He can do many things, but one step at a time. The more I love Him, the more I want to give Him,” she said. And looking ahead to the future, she allows these recent lessons of God’s faithfulness to calm her fears. “If I think of myself only, or what I can do, I would be afraid. But God will prepare the way for me,” Ailani said. “Of course there will be many hard things, but God says everything is possible if you do it with me.”

*name changed

Mom grew up in a Buddhist household and suffered early on from depression and a lack of purpose, twice attempting to take her own life. But, after hearing the gospel at a Christian youth programme, she committed her life to follow Christ and to help others come to know Him. Events like the VCJF training help teach and remind her of this purpose, she says—“to go and share the gospel and make disciples.” 

Before the VCJF training, she says, Mom focused only on sharing the gospel, without following up and discipling new believers. “[I] didn’t care about whether [the new believers] grew up [in their faith] or shared” with others, she admits. A reality for many Christians who never learn that they have a role to play in discipling others.

Lessons from the training have helped Mom realise the importance of multiplication—training disciples so that “they go and share the gospel, too.” She wants to help new believers mature in their faith, growing beyond the infant stages of their Christian walk. She draws an analogy from her own experience as a mother: We expect physical babies to eventually grow physically and intellectually, so shouldn’t we expect similar spiritual growth from new born Christians? 

Since spiritual growth requires spiritual discipline, the VCJF training focuses heavily on Bible study and prayer, practices that Mom sees as vital to effective ministry. Referencing John 15, she says, “If we want to bear fruit, we must connect with God.” The training has taught her to incorporate prayer and study of the Word both in her own life and in her ministry. 

The VCJF training has also equipped her with a clear plan for her outreaches, she says. 
She and her fellow OM workers make monthly visits to eight different villages where they have established contact, bouncing along rutted roads and bringing Bible lessons, praise songs and English classes. She also organises a Bible study in a nearby slum area, where she prays and fellowships with the women who attend.  Her goal: that they would ultimately “share the gospel to other people” and “train the people like we train them.” 

This vision has found fulfilment in at least two people she has discipled: a mother, Sangmao, and her son, Dorn, a former high-ranking Buddhist monk. During one of the village outreaches, Mom met Sangmao and began studying the Bible with her, paving the way for her to become a believer. Sangmao’s son also eventually made the decision to follow Christ after he saw the transformation in his mother’s life. Today, both Sangmao and Dorn participate alongside Mom in the VCJF training and engage in outreach to communities near their village.  

Mom knows there are many others who still need to hear about Christ and who need further discipleship. She wants to help people—in her family, community and nation—discover the truth that has so radically transformed her own life: “God called you, and God has a plan for you.”

“I was never taught by my parents about love. They woke up, went into the [rice] fields to work and came home at night to eat and go to sleep. They never hugged me or said: ‘I love you.'”

“My parents are raising my son in the village because I cannot earn enough money there to support them. So I live in Phnom Penh and work and send money home. But my parents are Buddhist and I want my son to know Jesus. But he cannot go to church and my parents will teach him the traditional Buddhist things.”

These are just some of the challenges that Jesus followers in South East Asia face. In a region of 240 million people, predominantly influenced by Buddhism–where 60 per cent remain unreached with the gospel*, and with a lack of contextualised Christian resources, good biblical teaching or a presence of mature Jesus followers in many places–the local church struggles to equip their members to have an impact on their communities.

“I see many churches that just evangelise,” shares one Cambodian pastor, Vantha, “but they don’t look after people or train them in their faith.” OM believes that through equipping local believers, who already know the language and culture, and through seeking out where God is already at work and where he is extending an invitation to join Him, that we can see multiplying fellowships of Jesus followers share a message of the Creator’s love for all across a part of the world where many people have never even heard of Christ.

OM teams in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam have developed a strategy to collaborate together to work towards equipping disciple makers, who can make disciples, who in turn can also become disciple makers. Working in partnership under the ‘Mekong Reach’ initiative, these ministries aim to sow the good news about Jesus widely, disciple the faith of Jesus followers and see these local believers sent out within their home countries or neighbouring countries to demonstrate Christ’s love in a holistic way where Jesus is not known.

The teams in these five countries are equipping their staff to have a firm biblical foundation and to have the tools necessary to start small culturally-appropriate fellowships of like-minded people who want to learn more about Jesus. An area trainer with 40 years of ministry experience is developing curriculum that helps participants to study God’s word for themselves, looking at topics like what the full gospel is and how Jesus did ministry, and discussing how to contextualise God’s invitation for people to come to Him.

Already several teams have formed new fellowship groups who are studying God’s word together, praying with and for each other and enjoying good meals and conversation times. Some groups meet once a month in rural villages, some meet on a weekly basis, some meet in the homes of a team member, some meet on wooden platforms under traditional two-story farming houses on stilts. In some places, the group is made up of Jesus followers and those interested to learn more, in others the believers and seekers are led through different material separately. Each group is unique, working with the natural resources and culture around them, to create an atmosphere that is easily reproducible and doesn’t rely on fancy electrical equipment or other gear.

“There are many different kinds of discipleship, once a week bible study or bible school or training programs,” Jose*, an OM leader in Laos shares. “OM wants to do Integral discipleship–which is what is needed in this area. Not just teaching [students] the Bible but teaching them how to study God’s word, apply it to life and make decisions.  Across South Asia we need people who have a good understanding of God’s Word and know the purpose that God has for them–the will of God.”

OM is training young national leaders to think for themselves–something they are often not taught in school systems that primarily use rote memorisation–to make decisions for what is good and how to live according to God’s plan: which includes obeying His commands, demonstrating His love and speaking words of hope to those who have none.

*statistic from Joshua Project

It is into this gap that an OM-run carpentry business is stepping: to create quality beautiful pieces of furniture that are affordable to the many expats and the growing number of locals with more modern tastes. The business is set up in a rented warehouse, which includes both a workshop with machinery and tools to make a variety of tables, chairs, beds, closets and more, a teaching space, as well as living quarters. Good job opportunities are scarce in many developing countries, and this business will also serve as an opportunity to train up young men interested in learning the skill.

Currently, four men are living on-site, and learning the carpentry trade, while also being discipled by Jose in their faith; with the hope that they will use the business in the future to replicate the discipleship aspect and start new churches.

“If I have the opportunity, I would like to go back to my village and start a carpentry business because there is no one in my village who does quality work,” Will* a 19-year-old apprentice says. Everyone in his community are farmers in the mountain rice fields, with very few other employment opportunities available. When Will came to the capital to live with family, someone told him about the work opportunity with OM. “I’ve learnt a lot about detail work, to pay attention to the small details of the project, or otherwise the whole thing won’t work out,” Will explains.

“My goal is to train the guys to learn how to make quality furniture, with the hope that they will learn how to run a business and can then expand and make their own businesses in other locations,” Jose explains. “I want to see them grow in their relationship with God, and then be able to disciple others and start a fellowship of Jesus followers together.” Often, the local church does not provide reliable teaching on the Bible and young people move between family members’ homes because of poverty–which leads many to live without a secure identity of who they are and who they are created to be.

Through this carpentry business OM is equipping young men to learn a skilled trade, grow in their knowledge, encounter God’s love and become a blessing to many around them.

*name changed

It was early evening in Central Asia. The sun was beginning to set, and dogs were barking in the distance as Cecilia, age 20, and her small team from Logos Hope were led into an underground church—a place where followers of Christ met together in secret to worship.

“Our contact didn’t tell us where we were going,” Cecilia remembered. “We arrived at a specific street, and then we were told to enter a door across the street in pairs. We had to wait several minutes after one pair entered before anyone else could follow them into the house. Eventually, we all ended up in a kitchen. I thought maybe we were there to eat with a family.”

“Then our host opened another door and we entered a large, dark room, empty except for maybe 15 people. It was an underground church.”

Cecilia, who plays the violin, had her instrument with her, but she didn’t know why she’d been told to bring it until she realized they were going to have a church service. “It was my first time playing my violin in Central Asia. Being able to worship like that with the brothers and sisters of the secret church was really special.”

Still, they had to be careful. “They weren’t singing very loud, and they were hiding a little bit. There were two guys standing by a window covered by a curtain at the back of the church. They stood on either side and randomly peeked out, looking to see if anyone was outside and making sure it was still safe.”

This was only one of two opportunities for Cecilia’s team to visit a secret church in Central Asia. “The other time, we went to a Chinese speaking underground church,” Cecilia continued. “It was the first day of Ramadan [a holy month in Islam, where Muslims fast and pray every day until dark], so we fasted and prayed all day together, and then, at dark, we took communion together.

“That was so impactful to me. The majority of the people throughout this country were Muslims and were fasting and praying to Allah, but we were worshipping God. Even though I couldn’t understand everything because the worship was in Chinese, I could feel that they were worshipping with all their hearts. It didn’t matter that we didn’t understand the words; we just connected through the worship. And then afterwards, we all went out together to eat at a Chinese restaurant.

“It was amazing because in my home country of Argentina, there is so much freedom to worship and talk freely about God. But there, in the underground churches, they were like, ‘We need to be careful, because if someone outside hears us, they could go to the police.’ They weren’t afraid, but they were careful.

“The faith of the people I met was so incredible. They are kind of heroes to me, even the teenagers. They might have been the only Christians in their families; they have to hide this fact and attend church also while in hiding, but through it all they are trusting God.

“I want that kind of faith, that I really can believe in the Lord through everything that happens.”

Despite being aware of the need for discretion when talking about Jesus and Christianity, Cecilia felt no fear while she was in Central Asia. “We had to be careful there with what we said, but even when we were out in public, people were so friendly. They just want to make friends like everyone else. In that moment, you can see the people, their hearts, and sense just a little bit of how much God loves them.”

“While in Central Asia, God revealed His heart to me in a powerful way,” she said. “The people there were amazing to me. They really need Jesus, because they are so desperate for something to fill their hearts. Making friends there was incredible, as well as being able to share God’s love with ladies in different situations.

“I have so many stories of meeting people randomly on the street. Maybe it was because we spoke English. The youth there want to go to other countries and study, so when they see tourists, they want to talk with them. We connected with so many people that way.”

Cecilia was surprised and delighted to discover similarities between the cultures of her host countries in Central Asia and hers in Argentina. “They also have honour/shame cultures, where they honour the elderly, leaders, pastors, etc. When a pastor enters a room, everyone stands. Then the pastor stops and sits, and everyone else does too.

“Also, connection over food, community and fellowship is very important there. As Latinos, we do the same thing. We have mate (tea) in Argentina and share food around a table as we fellowship together.

“Respect is a big thing there, just like in my own culture. I felt so welcomed there, because I could understand how to treat people—some of the girls even kissed each other on the cheek, just like the Latin beso (kiss)!”

Now back on Logos Hope serving as an events coordinator for onshore events, Cecilia, who will finish her two-year commitment on board in September, has an even greater appreciation for the freedom she has to worship God openly in Argentina. In addition, she has a better understanding about the reality of what it means to be 'least reached' and in a least reached country. “They have so many needs, but the local church is seeing so much fruit because there are so many people there who need help. However, they cannot do everything alone.”

“I want to keep praying for them and be open in the future to going back there—or even to another place—if it is what the Lord wants,” she said. “After that trip, I understand that nothing is impossible for God. Just go, and if God is calling you, why wait? If that is God’s plan for you, you’ll be able to do more things there for God than where you live.”

The visit to the underground churches in Central Asia made a deep impact on Cecilia. “I know now that whatever career I choose, my focus will be not on doing something for myself, but instead I want to see how I can help people. That is my main desire–to serve the Lord through the job I do.”

Please pray for the local churches of closed countries, especially for those who might be the only Christians in their families. Pray for strength, hope and continued obedience to God’s leading in their lives—and for their friends and family to join them in being Jesus followers!

How does Cecilia’s story of the Jesus followers Central Asia encourage you? How can you pray for and encourage them, even from the other side of the world? Click here to find out more about the least reached in Central Asia: https://www.om.org/en/where-we-work

*name changed

Los invitados se alegraron muchísimo al encontrar gente de su país de origen. El pastor Luis Yonamine, oriundo de Argentina e hijo de padres japoneses, comentó que, aunque los miembros del grupo a cargo de los bailes tradicionales no eran creyentes, se sintieron privilegiados de ser parte de una actividad en el barco y la consideraron una experiencia positiva

"Queríamos que visitaran el Logos Hope y que conocieran no solo sobre lo que los cristianos hablamos sino también sobre lo que hacemos, que es mostrar nuestra fe a través de nuestro trabajo", expresó el pastor Luis, quien ya había servido a bordo de una de las embarcaciones de la organización, el Doulos, desde 1981 hasta 1983. El anhelo del pastor Luis es que la comunidad vea que conocer de verdad a Dios no tiene nada que ver con la religión, sino con una relación personal.

“Creo que cuando una persona no creyente viene a un lugar como éste, donde se ora constantemente, el Espíritu Santo toca los corazones", comenta el pastor Luis. “Los cristianos y las iglesias deberían tomar la visita del barco como una oportunidad para traer a otras personas. Dios hace milagros. Además, es una oportunidad excepcional para viajar por el mundo durante una hora y para conocer a voluntarios de distintas partes del planeta"

Según Shinya, “Japón es uno de los países menos alcanzados, pero nos comentaron que en Argentina existen muchas oportunidades para escuchar el evangelio, aunque en español. La primera generación de inmigrantes japoneses necesita escucharlo en japonés y creo que el pastor Luis puede continuar con esta tarea cuando se vaya el barco".

“Mediante esta actividad, los visitantes vieron que hay cristianos no solo en Argentina sino en el mundo entero", afirmó el pastor Luis, quien recibió muchas llamadas telefónicas luego del evento en agradecimiento por la experiencia vivida. El pastor elogió al Logos Hope por haber venido a su país y haber puesto a disposición a su equipo multicultural para acercarse a otras personas.

Die Mitarbeiter von JUCUM kannten ein weiteres Pflegeheim und schlugen einen Besuch dort vor, weil die alten Menschen dort sich über einen Besuch freuen könnten, obwohl auch dort nur noch eine halbe Stunde Besuchszeit blieb. Dort erlaubte man dem Team, dass es etwas länger blieb und die Zeit mit den alten Menschen nutzte.

„Der Tag war eine Herausforderung“, sagte David von Rietschoten aus Kanada. „Ich fühlte mich angespannt und es war mir unangenehm, aber dann lief es doch wirklich gut.“ Gemeinsam lackierten Mitarbeiter von JUCUM und der Logos Hope alten Damen die Fingernägel, massierten ihnen die Hände, spielten Gitarre und sangen christliche Lieder. „Manche hatten Tränen in den Augen und die Leute wurden richtig lebendig, als sie Lieder hörten, mit denen sie aufgewachsen waren oder die sie aus der Vergangenheit kannten“, meinte David.

David und die anderen Schiffsmitarbeiter konnten die Christen unter den Senioren dazu ermutigen, dass sie Gott auch im Alter noch dienen und anderen Heimbewohnern, die Christus noch nicht kennen, aus ihrem Leben erzählen.

Eine Frau, die sonst wohl immer sehr ernst schaut, sang mit ihnen Lobpreislieder mit. Einem Schiffsmitarbeiter fiel eine andere Heimbewohnerin auf, die erst gar nicht glücklich wirkte und schließlich auch mitmachte. Eine der alten Damen sagte dem Team: „Ihr müsst unbedingt wiederkommen!“

„Wir sollten immer flexibel sein, weil wir nie wissen was geschieht, wenn wir etwas für Gott tun“, sagte David. Für sich persönlich nahm er aus diesem Einsatz mit, dass er alte Menschen nicht vergessen möchte und Leute, die getrennt von ihren Familien in Heimen leben. „Die Botschaft, die wir bringen, gilt allen“, meinte er.

The JUCUM volunteers knew another care home and suggested that, even though they would only have half an hour, the elderly people might like to receive a visit. As it turned out, the team was allowed to stay a little longer and enjoy some quality time.

“The day was challenging,” says David van Rietschoten (Canada). “I was feeling apprehensive and uncomfortable, but it actually went very well.” Together, volunteers from JUCUM and Logos Hope painted some of the elderly women’s fingernails, gave them hand massages, played the guitar and sang some Christian songs. “There were some tears and people came alive, listening to songs they grew up with or maybe knew from the past,” David says.

David and the other crewmembers were able to encourage those who were believers that they can still serve God even in old age; even by sharing their stories with their fellow residents who may not yet know Christ.

A woman, whom they were told always looks very serious, ended up singing along to the worship songs. A crewmember noticed another of the residents, who didn’t look happy at first, eventually joined in too. One of the elderly women told the team, “You have to come again!”

“We should always be flexible because in ministry, we never know what’ll happen,” says David. One thing he took away from the outreach is not to forget about older people and those who live in residential care, away from their family. “The message we have is for everyone,” he reflects.

From 2009 to 2012, Doron was on board OM’s ship, Logos Hope, as part of the line-up team preparing the ship visits on shore. He served in three line-up ports: a country in the Middle East, Singapore and India. “In all three ports I was in hopeless situations and at the end of my abilities. God had to do a miracle!” In the Middle East, there was no guest of honour to attend the ship's official opening; in India, pastors were arguing with each other; and in Singapore, 30,000 Euros (33,677 USD) was still missing. “In all three situations I went on my knees and told God that I had tried everything I could, but that He now had to work — and He answered my prayers unbelievably, powerfully and faithfully.”

What am I living for?

Doron was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1990, and grew up in a Christian home. When he became a teenager, he went through a difficult time in his family. It was a time when he personally had to ask himself the question: “What am I living for?”

“It was during this time that I went to TeenStreet [an OM summer youth congress] for the first time and experienced God personally for the first time," he shares. "For the first time, I really understood what He had done for me and my natural answer could only be that if He had given everything for me, I would give everything back to Him.”

Mission in the heart

After finishing school, Doron went to Logos Hope in 2009. There he met Lilian, from Chile. Lilian also grew up in a Christian family. “I gave my life to Jesus when I was 13 years old,” she says. “I served in the church, and although it didn't have much to do with mission, mission was in my heart.” Lilian graduated in public administration and went to Logos Hope in 2008 for two years.

Berlin - London

The two started a relationship in 2010, two weeks before Lilian left the ship. To learn German, she went to Germany as an au pair in 2011. Doron stayed on the ship. “I became familiar with leadership and realised that it was my passion to be close to people and to organise at the same time,” he says. He returned to Germany in 2012, married Lilian and started studying public and non-profit management in Berlin.

Their son, Natán, was born in January 2015, and the family moved to London that same summer, where Doron achieved a master’s degree and worked in a business consultancy. Their daughter, Sofía, was born in 2017. The family had loose contact with OM via friends from the ship. But it hit them totally unexpectedly when they were asked in the summer of 2018 to take part in the selection process for the position of director of OM in Germany.

Too soon?

“At first I couldn't imagine it at all,” Doron recalls.

Lilian adds: “I thought it was a brilliant opportunity that came four years too soon.” But God worked in both of their hearts, so that same evening they came to a conclusion: “If God wants to open a door, we don't want to shut it ourselves.” A few weeks later Lilian was sure: “God is calling us to OM in Germany!” On 1 April 2019, Doron was appointed OM’s new director in Germany.

The new task

Even though Doron holds the title of director, both he and Lilian feel called to this task and have set three priorities: that OM's work in Germany brings God’s love to those who have never heard of Him; that the team in Mosbach is living discipleship; and that this overflows and shapes churches in Germany.

No matter what challenges Doron and Lilian face in the future, they know one thing: They can rely on the God of the Middle East, India and Singapore!

*Exodus 3:16 and Hebrews 11

Please pray for wisdom and guidance from God for Doron and Lilian’s role at OM in Germany. Pray also for them to settle well as a family in Mosbach and to find a church and friends. Pray also for the children to feel at home.

Betet für die Entwicklung und Verbreitung der kurdischen Bibel-App und dafür, dass kurdische Gläubige die Verantwortung für die Schaffung weiterer relevanter Ressourcen übernehmen.

Betet, dass die neue kurdische Übersetzung Auswirkungen auf die kurdische Gemeinde hat und weitere Menschen sich für ein Leben mit Jesus entscheiden.

At times, language learning can be a slog. It takes commitment to put in the hours needed to master a language and, like everything else, it’s a task we do before God to glorify Him. 

Culture learning is just as tough. After we learnt the basics in Central Asia—like which hand to hold a teacup with or how much tea to pour into a guest’s cup (if you pour too much they will get the message that you want them to go home!)—something new would happen like a neighbour dying and then there was another whole set of cultural norms to learn.

It can be exhausting constantly trying to follow the cultural rules – some of which no one ever thought to teach you, because it’s the only way they know to do things and it has never occurred to them that others might do things differently.

And then finally a moment arrives! 

You’re not really sure how you ended up there, but everything falls into place and you instinctively know all the cultural cues and ways of doing things and you feel comfortable enough to speak into someone’s life in a real way. It doesn’t happen often but when it does it makes all the language and culture learning and stress worth it.

I experienced a day like this not too long ago...

Almas’ mom brought him to visit us at our disability office a few times. He had quite a severe disability, but the first time he visited we got him playing and standing with the help of a specialised standing frame. That first day Almas’ mom left with tears in her eyes.

“The doctors told me that Almas wasn’t even human and that I needed to get rid of him at the orphanage. But you have shown me that he can play and smile and stand. You have given me hope!” she said.

Six months later, during a particularly cold winter, Almas contracted pneumonia and passed away in the hospital. I had just returned from our second home assignment when I heard the news. In my jet-lagged fog I wept.

Once again I had to ask about the cultural practices and how to appropriately send our condolences. We went to visit Almas’ mom for what is called the ‘sitting in’ – a time where we take food to the family and simply sit with the mom in her grief.

And that was the moment when all my language and cultural learning fell into place. We cried together and shared God’s love with her. We told her how much God loved Almas and how his life had had meaning. Unfamiliar food and strange tea rituals when I first arrived in the country were now so familiar that it was comforting as we shared our sorrow. Before we left she gave us permission to pray for her.

If you are starting out on the language and culture learning journey or if you have been at it a while and are feeling tired and despondent, I encourage you to persevere. To stick with it and pray for strength to continue. Keep asking questions and keep learning about the culture. 

Maybe you’re not living in a different country, but you’re trying to reach a neighbour of a different culture–keep leaning in.

And perhaps you’ll find like I do, that it helps to pray and ask God to give you those moments which make it all worth it.

Beth is from the global South, and she loves the ocean and cold Christmas dinner on a hot day around the pool. She is married to an adventurer, and they have three wonderfully unique children.

However, due to the financial crisis in Argentina, it seemed impossible. “I prayed: ‘God, if you really want me to go, then let me go!’” Ana Maria shared. 

She kept waiting and praying for her opportunity to go, using her time of preparation to study fashion design and dance–eventually becoming a certified dance instructor. Two years later, God opened doors for her to go and even provided flights for Ana Maria through her Swiss friend’s church.

Then the time came for Ana Maria to take a huge step of faith: leaving Argentina to serve in a completely unknown country for one year. She didn’t speak English or German–only Spanish–and had no money of her own.

Upon arrival in Switzerland, Ana Maria became the au pair of a Christian family. It was not how she imagined herself being a missionary in Switzerland, but it was an opportunity to learn German, fall in love with the country and to see snow for the first time in her life.

A year later, Ana Maria returned to Argentina—but wanted deeply to go back to Switzerland. Again, her wish seemed impossible; however, God told her: “You will go back to Switzerland; take this time to prepare.”

And that is what Ana Maria did because she knew what seemed impossible for her, was possible for God.

Sharing God’s love and hope

One day, Ana Maria received a call from her Swiss friends saying they felt God telling them to purchase a flight for her to return to Switzerland. Little by little, Ana Maria received all the money she needed to return to Switzerland for one year, this time as part of a mission discipleship training with OM at the base in Switzerland.

There she learnt more about her relationship with God and how God can use her willingness to serve Him by sharing His love with whomever she meets. Ana Maria was able to work with refugees, children and in the OM café, but something that came as a surprise to her was using her training as a dance teacher.

Ana Maria was able to share God’s love and hope through her profession by giving dance classes to refugee women. Through teaching dance, she was also able to share how God can change lives.

'Everyone can serve God with their lives!'

Ana Maria never thought that one day she would be able to use her job as a dance instructor to serve God overseas. And that was just the beginning: Ana Maria returned to Argentina and began praying for her future, thinking that she would remain in Argentina, but “God changed my plans!” said Ana Maria. “A woman from my church told me she knew of some Christian workers in the Arabian Peninsula who were looking for help.”

Ana Maria kept praying about her future and after two job interviews it was set: Ana Maria would take her next step of faith—she would go to the Arabian Peninsula to serve God as a dance instructor for two years.

Ana Maria’s concluded: “Everyone can serve God with their lives!” The one thing that guided her through the whole time was, and is, God’s help and providence–He was with her every step of the way.

Please pray for Ana Maria as she continues to serve God through her skills and passion in the Arabian Peninsula.

*name changed for security