Holsby Outreach Week 2015
Near the end of our winter term each year we do a week of outreach. The students are split up into different teams and sent out to churches and ministries in Sweden and Denmark. Although most students don’t really know what to expect going into the week, it turns out to be a real highlight for many of them as they are given the opportunity to reach out and minister to others. Here are a few reports from this year’s students:
“Being part of a group of students from 8 different countries who organized a kids week with an another international team was such a great experience for me. We worked in different interest groups with about 25 kids and shared the Gospel and stories from our own lives as well as songs. This outreach was such a big blessing for my life. Even though my expectations for this week were not that big, God showed me during this time how important the work with kids is. It was such a blessing for the kids and people we invested in, but also for ourselves as we invested time for God and served Him. It showed me again God’s grace and love for me and how He is interested in my life in working for Him. I want to give God the glory for an amazing week with so many wonderful kids in such a great church.”
– Dani
“As a group of 8 people from 6 different countries, we were serving at another Bible school, called Shalom in Oskarshamn. Our tasks differed a lot. Besides cleaning the boat, where we stayed at night, painting furniture and helping to set up a Second Hand shop, we led Bible studies, devotions and worship times and also shared our testimonies. On Friday evening, we were part of a group that served coffee to the people in downtown Oskarshamn and shared Christ’s love with them. We had some really good encounters with people who didn’t know Christ yet. The most encouraging thing for us was to spend time and have great fellowship with the Bible students in Oskarshamn. We had deep conversations with them, but also fun times. It was great to see their passion for Jesus and to know that we all have the same foundation in Jesus. It was a pleasure to serve with the bible school in Oskarshamn!”
– Anna
“During our week in Copenhagen, there were so many events and encounters that were so evidently arranged by God. One of the events that most impacted me was our time at Tre Huse, a disability home. It was amazing to see the joy of the people there, both residents and staff. It was so encouraging to see that no matter which country or culture you come from or what language you speak, or if you speak any language at all, the love of Christ unifies us as children of God. One of the residents at Tre Huse, a young woman, didn’t speak any language, but when we started singing worship songs, the biggest smile came across her face. She saw God in the little things. My team and I went to Tre Huse and even throughout Copenhagen in hopes of encouraging and blessing the people there, but they blessed us. I came back encouraged, not only to continue sharing the love and hope we have in Jesus, and to see the beauty in the diversity of His beautiful creation, but also to trust in His provision and guiding if we are open to receive it.”
– Robin
“I was on the Outreach Team that went to the small city of Habo. When interacting with the youth there, we found that it was hard at first, but eventually they opened up to us and we had some good talks. We were encouraged by the different churches of different denominations working together while we were there, and we definitely felt like the church we were working with served us more than we served them by their generosity and hospitality. God also used the different strengths of the people on the team to work together well.”
– Brittany
“We were all really excited when the pastor from a little church in Forsheda came to visit us in Holsby. A couple of weeks later, our little outreach group was finally visiting the church and the community in southern Sweden. Meeting so many people from different countries of the world was a really special experience for all of us. Friday morning was a highlight for us when we went skiing and snowboarding together with the church youth. After skiing, a youth service Friday night and a Gospel concert in Värnamo, we were really happy to sleep in on Saturday morning. After lunch, we started the missions day in church with different mission organizations presenting themselves, worship time and a lot of fika. We really grew closer to the community during that week, and it was really hard leaving again, since some of us felt like we had been there forever. We could really see Jesus working in that church and especially blessing the youth. We are still in touch with the church and we will keep praying. It was definitely a week that we will remember for a long time.”
– Christian
“I can speak for everyone on the team when I say we thoroughly enjoyed our time during outreach week. Our team led English and basketball classes at a school in Landsbro, Sweden. It was so good to get out into the Swedish community and just hang out with the kids at the school. Much of our time was spent hanging out in the halls or sitting in the lunchrooms getting to know the kids at the school. From what we saw, there weren’t any students who came to know the Lord that week, but I believe we were faithful in planting seeds and trusting God to grow them. At the school, we weren’t allowed to talk about our faith in the classroom, but some awesome conversations were held outside of the class. The kids genuinely wanted to know why we would leave our home just to come to Sweden. So that opened up conversations about God and how His love has transformed our lives. Just in conversation in the halls we were able to present the Gospel to these kids who really don’t know much about the Bible. We prayed that God would give us opportunities to share Him, and we praise Him for answering those requests! I hope and pray the kids we came in contact with are touched by the love of God and decide to follow Him.”
– Ryan
It was wonderful and inspiring to read the accounts of the outreaches and how it encouraged the students as they encouraged and loved those they were serving. When we reach out and bless others we receive a huge blessing ourselves. I loved reading the experiences as it brought back very fond memories of my time in outreach. Thank you, Sandy Decker