Every year the NYI Zaanstad goes on a weekend camp! The pictures of this camp are online now. Please visit the |
Zaanstad and Carrickfergus youth groups transformed
Written by Dennis Mohn
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Recently we took part of our youth group from Zaanstad on a weekend trip to Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. Together with the local youth group we organized a couple of outreach activities. Friday night we had a youth service with the d-vote band, a drama dance from the d-sign dance group, and a message delivered by Dennis. On Saturday we cleaned the streets of the community around the church and in the evening we organized a family celebration with bouncing castles, barbeque, live music, face painting, and other fun things to do for the whole family. The whole day of serving the community was underlined with the slogan ‘The church has left the building’. A group of 60 young people went out in groups of four or five and spread throughout the whole community. They washed street signs, swept the sidewalks, cleaned playgrounds, and helped people remove bulky waste. In the end there was this big pile of filled trash bags, old furniture, broken fridges, mattresses, mirrors, old beds, etc. Next to that was stack of used working gloves, shuffles, brooms, and used cloths. The young people were exhausted but had many stories to tell how people were surprised that others would help them clean out their yard. People were happy that things finally were gone. Others applauded them because they cleaned the streets. And every time when the question was asked why the do what they do the answer was: ‘We like to help!’ In the evening many people from the community showed up for the family celebration. During the family celebration I spoke with a couple of our young people. One girl told me that she was so amazed and astonished by the impact they had on the local people by “only” cleaning up a little and having a barbeque. She couldn’t believe the fact that we reached so many by just serving them. Our young people mostly thought of evangelism as preaching That same evening something else took place. After the family celebration the youth groups gathered for a very spontaneous worship session. We were praising God for the amazing two days we experienced. During that worship session Dave raised the question if anyone would like to share a short testimony. Dutch and Northern Irish, one after another, stood up and shared how they saw people change but most of all how others impacted them personally. It was an amazing weekend and we won’t forget what God has done in us individually but also with us as a group. Both youth groups, from Zaanstad and Carrickfergus, experienced that we are one in Christ. Many new friendships were made, many new insights gained, and many people reached. Saying goodbye was really hard, but some people already booked tickets to visit each other. Furthermore, both youth groups, Zaanstad and Carrickfergus, plan on joining hands and doing it all over again just in another country in the summer of 2010. A new movement found its start. It was never about the event itself, it was all about God.
Related articles: ZAANSTAD - CARRICK AFFILIATION ZAANSTAD - CARRICK AFFILIATION (2) DUTCH YOUTH TEAM GOES TO CARRICKFERGUS, N. IRELAND
More pictures can be found in the MEDIA GALLERY
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He challenged the group to engage in real relationship with Jesus. Even though at first the enthusiasm of the Dutch youth seemed to be received with suspicion on the Northern Irish side, it proved to be contagious. As the worship service passed they were dancing and singing along as one group.
the gospel, altar call, visitor friendly services, asking people if they are saved and if not making them repent. This is what they thought was expected of them. But on that Saturday many of our young people experienced that “only” serving others reaches beyond all verbal communication.
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