“Not only 13 months had passed: Above all a time of intensive experiences, encounters, and personal growth lay behind us”. The six volunteers, who met for the evaluation course after their assignment in Elstal, shared this experience. A voluntary service is the chance to realign oneself and to experience formative moments.
We are at 4300 m above sea level in the small community Thusa in Peru. Here in the highlands of the Andes, around Cusco and near the Inca site Machu Picchu, which belongs to the new seven world wonders, we are visiting a total of 13 churches and a mission conference.
Doing missions abroad voluntarily for six to twelve months, living in a foreign culture, sometimes with many deprivations. That is what 21 people between the ages of 17 and 69 are getting into who took part in a two-week preparation class of EBM INTERNATIONAL in Elstal.
Officially, Turkey is a secular state. More than 99% of the population – which is about 80 million people – are Muslim. This was not always the case. Turkey is rich in Christian history. Nevertheless, growth is happening because the Turkish churches are living their faith joyously and with self-confidence.
This year’s EBM INTERNATIONAL conference was carried out by EBM in Bülach/Switzerland with the theme “Your plenty will supply what they need…the goal is equality” according to 2 Corinthians 8:14. Delegates and guests from 28 countries from Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America took part in this conference.
The first trip of Grenna Kaiya as project manager of EBM INTERNATIONAL to Cameroon started as a real adventure. Together with the General Secretary Christoph Haus they visited many projects and churches. Moreover, the main reason for this trip was the retreat of the missionaries from Central Africa.