Berlin Summer Mission

This summer, eleven college students and two campus ministers were sent to Berlin, Germany for seven weeks by IMS. Students raised money, trained, and embarked on a seven week mission trip to the Technical University. Students stayed with families in the church, cultivating strong relationships that were inspirational and faith building for both the members of the church and the members of the team. On the mission field, students spent each day from 9am to 4pm involved in evangelistic activities ranging from cold-contact sharing, Bible discussion, Bible studies, evangelistic training, team building, and conversations with Berliners about God, faith, religion, purpose, and eternity. Thousands of students were reached out over the 7 week period and seeds of faith were planted in thousands of hearts that God can help to grow. God blessed the efforts of the team as more than 40 Berlin students came to the bi-weekly discussions throughout the trip and over 30 students studied the Bible during the seven week mission! At the time of the team's leaving, 15 students were still studying actively studying the Bible and continued to do so with members of the church.

The students were also able to bond with and inspire the church while they were living in Berlin. Countless dinners, conversations, and hang out times created strong relationships between the Berliners and Americans. The church demonstrated its love and affection for the group at the final going away dinner, as more than 20 people from the church came to eat with the team, share about how they were impacted and inspired, and send the Americans away with love. While in Berlin, the team was able to play volleyball every week with members of the church, eat in their homes, attend house churches, midweeks, and devotionals with different groups in the church, and even participate in its annual community triathlon and attend the 20th anniversary service for the church, helping and serving the church to make the celebration great. The team was invited to sing "Men Who Dream" at the 20th anniversary service, and was received with thunderous applause as the song moved the hearts of the Berlins to dream again and think about the next 20 years.

In summary, the overall purposes of the mission were achieved in great ways! God worked powerfully through the team to reach many students, and move their hearts toward a knowledge and love of Him. God also moved to bring unity and faith to the church through the students that came. Many brothers and sisters shared about how inspired, challenged, and edified they were by the Americans that came. A true family bond was created, as many tears were shed during the goodbyes at the final church service and dinner following. By faith, this team of thirteen Americans went to Berlin to go about God's mission, and God worked powerfully through it.

Jon Buchholz, Boston Campus Intern