"The conference helped me appreciate that Agape is so much bigger and more varied than our national movements: I just loved sharing with people from all over Europe how they do go about their ministry. I also loved the diversity of what we did: receiving training, helping in the kitchen, serving the pilgrims and talking about the gospel, becoming pilgrims ourselves for a few days - not to forget eating great food, taking icy showers and having an awful lot of fun." (Andrea Wegener, Germany)
« But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. » Galatians 5:22-23
For two weeks, I attended training for new staff members of Agapé Europe, which remains the most significant experience of my summer. God really met me there, and I can say that I left very tired but profoundly renewed. We had a time of biblical and theological training and practical ministry centered on service. For the latter, we ran an inn, which daily welcomed pilgrims walking on the Way of St. James who were often searching spiritually. The goal of this training was not to make us acquire new skills that could serve us well for a time but instead to place us in conditions of daily life that were sometimes difficult in order to test and develop our character according to that of Christ. This will be useful to us in our ministry, certainly, but even more so in our life as a whole. After several weeks, I still see the impact of this concrete teaching in my everyday life and pray that the changes that God made in me will last throughout the months and years to come.
During this camp we spent three days hiking on the Way of St. James “to put ourselves in the shoes of a pilgrim” and discover what they experience in order to be more sensitive and to better welcome and serve them when they arrived at the inn. These three days were also set aside for a heart-to-heart with the Lord, notably during the first day when we had to walk 22 kms alone “in the desert” and seize the opportunity to listen attentively for the voice of God. The Lord profoundly touched my heart and I was able to experience moments of solitude and trials, but also see that God provides refreshing oases. This was quality time spent in His presence in the heart of His creation, during which I took many notes on what God was teaching me and on how much He was encouraging me to grow in the fullness of the Holy Spirit in order to bear good fruit and see the difference that makes in me and the blessing that can flow into the lives of others around me. God used the context of these two weeks to test and teach me about the trust that I place in Him and that I show toward those people God has placed in authority over me. (Natacha Zakine, France)
"The ENSTC 2007 was just great! Looking back it is one of the best experiences I was blessed with since I joined staff with Agape. Being with other young staff from all over Europe, living and learning with them about the character of God just opened my heart, gave me a greater view for our home continent and made me feel much more like an European that I ever thought I would. All in all - an experience you don't want to miss!" (Anselm Strehlke, Germany)
ENSTC is a great experience for individuals as well as families! My husband, Rick and I brought our 4 kids in tow ages 8 to15. I was reluctant at first thinking that the kids and I would be on the outside a bit of what was going on and thinking I would just be out in the countryside somewhere trying to entertain them all day. But that wasn't the case. We ALL fully participated in the camp and were with the new staff each day. We participated in the work teams, prayer times, sharing, cleaning, cooking, etc. It was a rich time for our family to experience ministry together and for our kids to know they are missionaries too! It was also great to expose them to top notch fun Christians. The strength of the camp is living in community with people from other cultures, personalities and points of view. It's not always easy, but is very rich. It is an excellent training ground for one and all to live out the Spirit filled life moment by moment and reap the rewards of walking side by side. I would highly recommend it! (Lisa Kellum, France)
I believe that God cares the most about our relationship with Him and our relationship with people. 2 weeks in Spain gave me an opportunity to go deeper in both of these areas. The walk through that path of piligrims in the mountains let us see His awesomness, bigness through the nature and shared stories in the evening, how this big God, creator is so personal and close in our lives. everyday work ( preparation of food, cleaning, listening of piligrims) let us to be touched by their lives, talk with them about Jesus, to die for our selves through sacrifice, and show love practicually. (Jolita Jankeliunaite, Lithuania)
Definitely, the ENSTC left tracks especially the pilgrimage. The tracks on my feet wither day by day. But there are also tracks in my life. I learned a lot: how to deal with an order that I considered senseless. How to deal with anger. For me, the NSTC was a hard time. Because God pointed to a part of my character, which I didn’t want to work on. When I went home, it took me a while to go through my experiences.
At the ENSTC my wife and I met a lot of agape staff from different countries. We had fun together and we served the pilgrims. The seminars were important to understand our ministry and our goals better. I’m really thankful for the ENSTC, even if a part had been a hard learning time for me. I know this sounds a little bit frightening. But God used this time to speak to me. He told me that there is a certain point where I can grow and that he will help me to grow into the person he wants me to be. (Ingmar Bartsch, Germany)
At ENTSC I met two kinds of people, those who need the Lord and don’t have Him (yet) in their lives, and those who do already have the Lord but need Him (unaware or not) to chisel out of their lives what was not necessary.
Watching and observing the pilgrims passing by or serving them, listening to their stories - gave me a deeper insight into God’s stubborn love for men. He is constantly reaching out for men to come to Him. And we at the camp had the privilege to be God’s hands and lips to the pilgrims. The ‘We’ were Agape workers, mostly new ones and a few long time staff who were organizing the camp. It did not matter though how short or long we had been with Agape, God had for each of us a personalized training plan during our two weeks there. The mentoring times I had everyday with the women allowed me to hear each of their individual stories, marvel at how God had been working in their lives and catch their passion for Him. But it also allowed me to see the changes that took place in some area of their character in the span of 14 days. And that is awesome. (Jing de Vries, Holland)
We can live Christianity as a religion or instead it can be a real life style and God can manifest himself through our way of living and doing. Ligonde and the ENSTC becomes a place and time in our lives in which God helps you to understand which one is the real meaning of Christian ministry. When we can help people to experience restoration in their lives and can be used by God to satisfied their need and help them to come closer to God. (Dr. Josep Cabedo, university professor, Spain)
The European New staff training was great! Lisa and I enjoyed accompanying our French new staff as well as interacting with the others. It was wonderful to be able to experience this project/camp as a family. We told our kids in advance that there’d be no children’s program, but that they’d be involved like everyone else cooking, cleaning, serving, learning, talking to pilgrims, etc.. They jumped right in and integrated well! A lot of emphasis during the project was on character building, not just on ministry skills. This played out well as we lived as a Christian community for 2 weeks with believers whom we didn’t know who were from 7 different cultures! It was a rich experience for us all! We learned so much during these 2 weeks: we learned about serving others, being humble, being content with what we have, accepting others just the way they are, about seeking His kingdom first, a bit about physical pain – just to name a few. (Rick Kellum, new staff training coordinator - Agapé France)
Our European New Staff Training aims to give new staff a balanced diet of training. To my pleasant surprise, when I actually participated in it I found that there was indeed time for formal and informal training, for reflection, evangelism and service. It's a heady mix which I won't ever forget. I have favourite parts:
* Service. Within two days I was able to identify staff whom I would love to have on any team I was in - by seeing how they served others. I have never thought of this way of selecting staff before!
* Mentoring. Appointments are arranged between each new staff member and senior staff who have been with Agape for a long time. This gave me a window into the soul of a number of some bright new staff who are coming into Agape at this stage. How encouraging!
* Evangelism. There aren't many places in Europe where you have a couple of hundred spiritually seeking people passing your front door (and often stopping) every day! The first pilgrim I met was an Egyptian working for a German radio station who was ready to talk for an hour and a half about spiritual issues in his heart.
* Facebook. I now have a lot more European friends than I thought I had!
(David Wilson, European Associated Director)
(David Wilson, European Associated Director)
