Our team of 22-people arrived in Germany on October 2 and we adjusted to urban life quickly. We walked an average of 6 miles a day and used public transportation frequently. I loved being in the city and enjoyed helping lead the team through the concrete German jungle.
Our assignment for the week was to reach out to refugees living in the area in an effort to hear their stories and share Christ's story.
The long term missionary families we worked with are rock stars. Their team is comprised of three families and all have hearts to share the hope of Jesus with refugees AND Germans. It was an honor to work with them.
While we were in the city, our days were made up of training in the mornings and in the afternoons, we would break into smaller teams and spread out around the city. Some of our sub teams went to refugees camps and helped by serving tea, folding laundry or helping with childcare. Other teams went directly to the homes or apartments of refugees to share a meal or have tea.
My sub team concentrated on visiting refugee camps in the middle of the city. We went and played soccer with families and ping pong with young men.
In the evenings, we would all come together for fellowship dinners. As we met people throughout the day, we invited them to dinner. Our goal was to create a safe place for refugees to come and enjoy a meal.
On the first night we had 5 people come to dinner. On the second night we had 20 people come to dinner and on the last night we had over 50 people come to dinner!
The numbers kept growing night after night as people heard about the American, German, Iranian, Iraqi and Afghani believers eating and welcoming people in love and friendship.
Sitting in the coffee shop/church in the middle of the city watching men and women from all over the world talk and fellowship was a holy moment. It felt like a little taste of heaven when all of the nations will come and worship the one true King.
My sub team concentrated on visiting refugee camps in the middle of the city. We went and played soccer with families and ping pong with young men.
In the evenings, we would all come together for fellowship dinners. As we met people throughout the day, we invited them to dinner. Our goal was to create a safe place for refugees to come and enjoy a meal.
On the first night we had 5 people come to dinner. On the second night we had 20 people come to dinner and on the last night we had over 50 people come to dinner!
The numbers kept growing night after night as people heard about the American, German, Iranian, Iraqi and Afghani believers eating and welcoming people in love and friendship.
Sitting in the coffee shop/church in the middle of the city watching men and women from all over the world talk and fellowship was a holy moment. It felt like a little taste of heaven when all of the nations will come and worship the one true King.
It was an honor to meet men and women from Iran who came to German not just because of war, but because they wanted to be free to worship "the Jesus" as they would say. I got to pray and talk with sisters from Iran who are now free to worship the God they love.
On the first night, I was honored to meet a young man named B. B lost his entire family because of the war. We talked through Google Translate (technology is amazing) for an hour about sports, family, and God. I asked him if he knew God. His response was, "Of course!" He laughed when I asked him, because who doesn't know about God right?
And then I asked him if he knew Jesus. His response was more subdued and he nodded, but then changed the subject quickly. Come to find out, B has heard about Jesus a lot. His new friend from his refugee camp has been telling him about Jesus.
B is so fully of hope and joy. For someone who's suffered so much, I was in awe of his tenacity for life; and now he has an eternal hope, because of Christ. At the fellowship dinner, he accepted Christ as the Lord of his life.
I was not at the dinner when this happened. I took a group back to the hotel early. But, when the second half of the team arrived at the hotel and told me my new friend was now my new brother I was overcome with excitement and joy.
This is just one story of hundreds and I suspect thousands. God is moving among refugees and among Muslims like we have never seen before.
He is close to the broken hearted and He is near to those who suffer. I saw this first hand in Germany. I am humbled and honored to have been a very small part of the movement that is happening in Germany and Europe.
God is on the move and I am excited to see what happens in the next few years. This window of opportunity will not stay open forever. Would you pray for more workers to go into the harvest? Would you pray for people to be open to the Gospel of hope? Would you be open to go with me?
We are all called to participate in the spreading of God's word and I hope you find joy in praying, going or giving to missions both locally and globally!
To God Be the Glory!
Caroline
