Blog nr. 14 Teamweeks, youthgroups and confirmants

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks.

First we went to Fyresdal. This is a place in Norway that is located in a valley. So it is surrounded by mountains and oh so beautiful. It amazes me every time again and again how beautiful God created the world (and especially Norway). We went here to help with a youth camp.

At this youth camp it was so amazing to see how hungry the youth is for a meeting with God. Every evening the worship would last 1 – 2 hours longer just because the youth wanted to continue worshipping God and praying for each other. But there was also a lot of room for fun and good conversation. 😊

When I came back from the camp I had a throat infection and this meant that because of corona, I had to go into quarantine and take a test. Luckily it was negative and I could go outside again. To a new location called: Arendal.

In Arendal we visited a teenage choir. I was also here last year and it was so cool to see how the choir has grown and just to be there again. We shares something about forgiveness and the youth worker afterwards said that they actually never share these kind of things with the teenagers. So that was very cool to hear that we opened something up😊 After that they sang us a song and that became our theme song for the week.

On Thursday and Friday we had staff training in Arendal where we learned more about each other and about working in teams.

Friday night we went to a different church to take part in the youth group. Here I got to share something about the character and nature of God. Afterwards we hang around with some of the youth. They invited us to a youth service on Sunday evening in Kristiansand. We went there and it was awesome. There were about 80 youth together worshipping God. On Tuesday we went to a confirmation group and we all shared a part of our testimonies. The youth was impressed and had a lot of question.

Here in Arendal we build up a lot of new relations and we hope to return many more times. We hope and pray that what we shared here may bear fruit in the lives of the youth and that they may become enthusiastic about a life with Jesus.

Furthermore we are very busy with the preparation of the DTS that starts in January. In the meantime we have 8 students. We are super happy with these students, but we have a vision for more! Also me and two other staff members visit a confirmations group where we can share testimonies and connect with even more youth.

Our next team week sadly got cancelled because of corona and it is the question if our last two still will continue. But we are willing to go and are praying that it will create more possibilities.

Sadly I will not come home with Christmas and I also don’t know when the first opportunity will be. Luckily I can celebrate it here in Skien with some friends 😊

Thank you for all your support and comfort!

Blessings,

Leonieke

Prayer points:

- The preparations for DTS are going strong and a lot of youth is showing interest in our DTS. Only these are mostly international students which makes it difficult because of the Visa situation. We are super thankful for the students that already applied but we believe that more will come. So prayer for more European students and that the students that applied are able to come.

- I have been asked to become a school leader for the next 3-4 year. I have to make decision if I want to do this and if I want to commit to it. I especially ask for wisdom on this point.

- At this moment it is also very busy with meetings and everything that we have to plan and all the journeys we are taking. This makes it fun, but also very challenging and sometimes exhausting. So also wisdom on this part.

- We are involved with youth groups and Confirmation groups where we can be in contact with the youth. We pray that there will be nice connections and that what we share about testimonies and about the love of God that it may bear fruit in the hearts of the youth.

- Prayer for the team weeks that are coming up that they may continue and that God will prepare the hearts of the youth that we will meet. And that it will makes us stronger as a team.

Thanking points

- The corona situation in Norway has become a bit worse and the restrictions are getting more strict but, we can still come together as a base which is really nice 😊

- Thankful for the leadership team that they see leadership in me and that they asked me to lead the school

- Thankful for my family who are there for me when I need them and help me when necessary

- Thankful for the 8 students that we have (even one from the Netherlands)

- Thankful for all the staff that is around and that we have had a good training week.