We were in Brazil in December at a large conference of Youth with a Mission, where mostly Brazilian workers gathered, as many as 600 (!), for a great week together.
Most of them work in Brazil, but there are also a lot of Brazilians who have gone as missionaries to African and Asian countries, where they are now working with children in need and their families, often in poor slums.
So, we had lots of good times during that conference, having breakfast or lunch with different Brazilian missionaries, and over and over again we were asked if we would please come and spend a few weeks or a few months helping, advising and teaching. Well, we would love to help them all, but to travel to all those countries to teach our classes would take a lot of time and money.
"Would you be helped by a two-week online seminar?", we asked.
"That's very short," was the disappointed answer. "Besides, it's kind of difficult to stop our work completely on site for two weeks with all our staff, (often working in orphanages, elementary school and community centers) to attend the classes..."
"What then if we only teach one day a month, online, but throughout the year, so that homework can be done in between, such as reading articles and books, but where there also be time to have online mentor calls in between, for questions and advice and prayer?"
"Yes, that would be great!!!"
Confirmation
We prayed about it for a few more weeks, and it actually seemed like a good plan, to start doing this in Portuguese for the Brazilian missionaries. But then we got a call from missionaries in Bulgaria....
"We have a group of 25 young people working with children in need, would you be open to give them an online course, one day a month, but throughout the year?" Was the question.
Johan and I looked at each other: this was quite a surprising confirmation, exactly the same plan we already had in Portuguese for the Brazilian missionaries! This could not be a coincidence.
Two courses
As a result, we are now working hard, preparing two online courses: one in Portuguese and the other in English. The latter with the possibility of choosing a Bulgarian simultaneous translation during the Zoom classes.
Meanwhile, we have a whole bunch of experienced facilitators, all over the world, who will help us, mentoring the students this year.
We are going to need them, because the course in Portuguese has just been announced and there are already over 60 registrations! I think that when 100 students have registered for both courses, we will have to stop enrolling, otherwise there will be too many students to give personal attention. But it does show that there is clearly a need for the classes we teach. Of course, this is quite a challenge for us, but also an encouragement!
Will you pray with us for these courses and the students? That it will really be quite an encouragement for them, and they will learn many new and practical tools for their work among children in need?
Thank you very much for your friendship, prayer and financial contribution to our expenses.
We pray God's rich blessing on you all!
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| Teaching in Curitiba, in the south of Brazil |
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| In January 2023 Johan taught at Heidebeek, YWAM Netherlands |
