our trip to berlin We have returned from Berlin, having had the privilege of leading a small team from our church (as you well know). We first met our teammates in our City Group. They have become dear friends and this trip has only knit our hearts closer together. The Lord grew each of us and used us to change lives. It was a joy serving alongside them!

It’s pretty cool to be along for the ride when God is at work building His Kingdom. Berlin is one of the most strategic and influential cities in Europe. Reach Berlin and you reach the EU! It was once the headquarters of such evil in WWII and has been described, by one missionary friend, as the atheist

capitol of Europe. Would you believe that in the midst of the darkness of Berlin, light is beginning to shine again? Ancient church buildings are used as museums, but little evangelical church plants are springing up through the ash. Many of the kids we worked with at camp were from some of those local churches. The others were non-believing friends from all over the city. By the end of our time together, every one of them was able to hear the message of Christ. But lets start at the beginning…

Upon arriving, we joined 4 others from Pennsylvania to help with a kids summer camp. We all meshed quite well. We genuinely enjoyed our time with everyone

and consider it an honor to have served alongside them.

training & prep We kicked off with a couple days of training and planning, all led by our fearless leaders Jay Eastman, Christina Klukow, and Sarah Smith.

This time enabled us to adjust to our new surroundings, get to know our other teammates, prepare for the camp crafts and games, and dig a bit deeper into our hearts and minds. We talked about our expectations, culture, goals, obstacles, roles, risks, leadership, and prayer. There were so many good truths packed into those little words. Things many of us will always remember.

The Stewart ClanSeptember 2015

From left to right: Stewart Tidwell, Caitlin Tidwell, Jen Stewart, Craig Stewart, and Diane Ashburn.

camp, germany style After training we headed to camp! Now, we want you to picture a summer camp for kids in America. Okay, remove that from your mind and replace it with this: 160 kids, many dressed like Indians to one degree or another, in huge white tents on acres of land surrounded by big beautiful trees. Picture nearly everything at the campsites crafted, quite skillfully, by the campers- chairs, benches, tables, shelves, games like Twister and bowling… all made from trees and string. Seriously. All of that to say, we have since reconsidered our thoughts on kids and hatchets. It was truly amazing to see the creativity and ingenuity of the campers!

a typical day at camp We had a wonderful time meeting the campers each morning for crafts. Despite the language barrier, we managed to communicate. We even got to know some of them. Since the theme was Indians, we were busy making headdresses, vests, jewelry, and… homemade lacrosse sticks from, you guessed it, trees and string (a story for another time).

Canoeing was another great activity we got to do for the kids. They spent the morning in search of the duck decoys we put out on the lake after our breakfast. Oh the stories we could tell…

All of that to say, a fun time was had by all!

prayer Each night we were given the privilege of praying while the kids

met in a big tent for worship and teaching. Every night looked different for us. One night we walked through the camp praying over each tent. Another night we circled the meeting tent over and over again praying that the Lord would open up ears and hearts to hear the Good News. Some nights we prayed for the kitchen staff, illnesses, weather… you name it and we prayed! It was incredible. We even had camp staffers coming up asking for prayer!

Most of us had never prayed so intensely for so long before, but it was beautiful. When we prayed for the rain to stop, it did. When we prayed for people to know Jesus, they met Him. When we asked for illness to stop spreading, it ceased. It was God who granted those prayers and God who made things happen.

The most impacting part for us was the fact that so many people who knew nothing about each other were united because of the bond they had in following Jesus. Because of that bond we were able to sincerely labor in prayer for one another. It really enhanced our understanding of the meaning of community and what it looks like to really intercede on behalf of someone else.

baptisms & a feast The last night of camp was so wonderful. After the campers were picked up by family, the staff went out to the lake to sing, read Scripture, pray, and celebrate the baptisms of 4 people. During that time, our dear friends Stewart and Caitlin Tidwell, were asked to share their story (with Jay as the

interpreter). Stewart was recently diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. He and his wife were able to share that story and how they are able to trust the Lord and hope in His good plan. It was a tear jerker for sure! Very moving and so beautiful.

We ended the time at the lake with communion. After that, a feast began! We aren’t sure we’ve ever had such a grand feast before! Wild boar was served with food as far as the eye could see. The stuff of heaven perhaps.

thank you We had a very special time in Berlin. It’s a trip we will never forget. It was an honor to be able to serve at the camp the way we did. How impossible it all is to put into words. Hopefully though you’ve gotten a peek into what our time looked like.

This opportunity would not have been possible without your prayers and financial generosity. Once again, we would like to extend our warm appreciation for your kindness and support. Thank you for partnering with us! May the Lord bless you for all you have done. We are sincerely grateful.

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For photos (of the camp and more) as well as even more details on our trip, join our Germany Mission Team 2015 Facebook Group.