This is why you’re here

“This is why you’re here.”

-Beka Kopenski

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It can be easy to ask yourself while on a short term mission trip, “Why am I here?” 

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Language barriers

Cultural differences

Fear

Change in ministry plans

Bad weather

Travel Delays

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These can be hindrances our students face when trying to share the gospel while on Royal Servants.

Discouragement is quick to sow seeds of doubt. 

2 Corinthians 4:5 “For we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus our Lord, and ourselves your servants, for Jesus’ sake.”

Rain or shine, English or not, the plan or not, we are here for Christ.

We are here WITH Christ. We do none of this alone. 

Yet still we may leave a summer with this question unanswered. What was the point, Lord?

A handful of times in the last couple weeks, students on the Europe team were blessed with that answer. 

We had some significant gospel conversations while doing outreach in Tirana, the capital of Albania. Through those conversations, 2, maybe even 4, people were walked through Join the Story and chose to follow Jesus! 

One woman verbally told our students, “This is why you are here! To talk to me!”

Wow! 

To say these conversations lit a fire under out students is an understatement. The energy and zeal they had for sharing Jesus exploded and wow was it fun to watch. I stood amazed, proud of our students, and humbled by Jesus to watch Him move and work in people’s lives. I loved having a front row seat to that.

Ministry in Tirana looked very different than the week before in Vlashaj. We laid low during the day as temps hit high 90’s. The sun was brutal. We left our hostel after dinner and went to a few different locations around the city over the few days we were there. In open squares we did our dramas and dances and then split off into small groups to have conversations. One night we partnered with the church we were working with last week and tried a different approach to starting conversations. They made signs that said, “What was the greatest gift you received?” If people answered they would get a free water or coke. It was a great Segway for our students to then share about the greatest gift they received, Jesus!

Our students finished strong with the ministry part of Royal Servants - many were sad to see it come to and end. But we are reminded, that though we begin our time of debriefing, ministry never ends ;) 

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