August

Mozambique

(August 30th - September 30th)

After a very tiring trip (with a 13-hour layover in Ethiopia), we arrived in Mozambique where we were welcomed by our dear friend Claire Weddel.

The first week was full of preparations for the TUSFY course. We printed and prepared 100 copies of the materials and held the first Facilitator training. Due to lack of resources, Claire and the team have to manually photocopy and prepare all course materials.

45 participants from a Christian Secondary School gathered for the first TUSFY in Portuguese in the world! We were amazed by how well everyone interacted with the materials. We got such a positive feedback and many young people showed great potential for leadership. The local facilitators team helped run the course, preparing lunch and ensuring that the students understood the activities.

One participant wrote: “This course has changed my life and given me a new perspective – a mission for my life, to complete the work of Christ here in the world.”

A week later, 46 young people from different churches joined the second course. Once again, it was very well received by the participants and the local team of facilitators lead more presentations and activities.

During our stay, Caleb also had the opportunity to preach in two churches. These were certainly very impactful and moving experiences! Another highlight were the devotional and trainings on Thursdays evenings, a day Claire reserves for the local team’s weekly meetings at her house. We were struck by the way they took what we taught seriously, always taking notes and asking for prayer after what was presented.

We even got to visit a Brazilian couple who has been serving as missionaries in MZ. Natalia is from our hometown and was mobilized for missions in a Kairos Course in Brazil 8 years ago.

All of these was only possible because God's kindness. It was a major step of faith to include this trip in our schedule. Secondly, the generosity of our supporters, and Claire.

Claire is one of the most faithful follower of Jesus we have ever met. From the UK, she has lived in the MZ for almost 20 years and her testimony is simply impactful. She works almost 24h a day in counseling, evangelizing, discipling, mobilizing and caring for the house and those in her team (even with health limitations). She is always in a good and servant spirit, constantly praying for everyone she meets. No one escapes her prayers. She hosted us like family. We are eternally grateful and will cherish her example forever! We invite you to pray for her as well.

UK

(October 1st - 30th)

In October we headed back to the UK for some more mobilizing opportunities. What originated in a conversation with Helen Tremenheere in Finland earlier this year, materialized into a month of opportunities in the region.

We arrived in Brighton where we engaged with the Salt&Light Mission Church pastored by one of the NCT’s member, Ted Consolacion. We had a full week of commitments in which we  run a TUSFY Procedural Training, the YM Workshop we developed this year, and Caleb preached on the Sunday service.

Then we went up north into Leeds where we met with Helen, Keith and the NCT. On the first Saturday, we run another YM Workshop with youth leaders from Bridge Community Church (BCC). We also attended a NCT meeting where we shared about mentoring young leaders and communication. We closed our time with a TUSFY Procedural training for the leaders at BCC and a meeting with David, the SM Youth Mobilizer in the NCT.

During our time in Leeds we were hosted by an amazing family, Claire and Andrew Gooud. We are so thankful for their hospitality and generosity. We had such a great time!

We are also so thankful for the opportunity to trial the YM Workshop twice and get such encouraging and supportive feedback. We praise God for challenging us to develop it and taking what was originally written to empower SM Mobilizers a step further encouraging and challenging pastors and youth leaders in local churches.