Over the past few months, Johan and I have spent long hours every day organizing the upcoming online seminars on our laptops. This involves communicating extensively on social media and then making direct contact with the students.
This time, however, there is also a lot of translation work involved: into French and Spanish, which we do ourselves with the help of AI, and into Korean, for which we are fortunate to have a few Korean colleagues. All the homework, articles, and information for the first seminar are now available in five languages. Wow!
It's
very international.
We've accepted 257 students who work with children in need in 58 countries. About two-thirds of them are missionaries from Youth with a Mission, and the rest are staff members from other missionary organizations or churches. The students represent 53 different nationalities and speak a total of 65 languages—mostly from Africa and Asia—that I’d never even heard of before. Fortunately, though, they can all participate in one of the five language groups: English, French, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.
To ensure
everything runs smoothly, we've recruited 60 staff members to provide
mentorship opportunities and 10 translators. They, too, are scattered all over
the world.
Children
in Need
How special it is to be able to do this! Zoom and Google Classroom offer wonderful opportunities to help children in need by training and encouraging students in their work and ministry.
Experience
We teach a number of classes ourselves, but there are also other instructors, many of whom have decades of experience. I think this is what makes the seminars so enriching—they are people who have worked directly in the mission field for years, just like us, and are eager to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
Why do
we do what we do?
This week,
I read Ephesians 3. Verse 8 says:
"It is only by God’s grace that we are able to point other nations to the unimaginable riches of Christ."
We strive to convey this message in our lessons, which focus primarily on working with children in need.
Our prayer
for the students can be found a little further on in the chapter (verses 16 and
17):
We ask Him to strengthen them by his Spirit—not
a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in them as
they open the door and invite him in, their feet will be planted firmly on love.
Will you
pray that for them as well? The result will then be (verses 18 and 19):
They’ll
be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of
Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the
depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
But
sometimes I ask myself: “How is that possible?” I downplay it in my mind,
thinking, "After all, they're just online seminars, right? Can they really
make such a difference?” But then, after the seminars, we often receive emails
and messages from students saying that the seminars have been life-changing. I
understand then that it’s not because of Johan’s or my "wisdom," but
because of God within us: (Ephesians 3:20).
God
can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or
request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by
working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
It's the
five loaves and two fish, the staff of Moses—the small things God has placed in
our hands—and it's not us, but Him who will multiply them. We also give thanks
to God, as in verse 21:
Glory
to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
(From the Message translation)
Dates
The first
module this year runs from April 13 to May 1. Modules 2 and 3 will follow
later.
Would
you join us in prayer?
• For the
257 students, that they may have open hearts and be well-equipped for their
work with children in need.
• For the
staff and translators, that they may have wisdom, unity, and strength in all
they do.
• For the
children being reached, that they may experience God’s love through the work of
these students.
• For the
technology: That internet connections will be stable everywhere, and that
nothing will hinder the teaching.
• For us
personally: health, clarity, and not overlooking anything important.
• The
launch on April 13: For peace, focus, and God’s presence in every moment.
Thank you
so much for your compassion, for praying for us, and for supporting us with
your gifts. Together, we reach children in need.
We wish you
God’s abundant blessings!
