HELP International

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Germany

At wirst glance some things seem impossible - for example hosting a missions-conference with 100 participants from seven different nations during a global pandemic. Just to get reminded by God, that to Him nothing, not anything, is impossible at all.

Nothing is impossible

Regarding our HELP International missions-conference this meant to believe, while we started organizing, that God would step in helping us overcome some impossibilities of international travels. In the weeks before the conference we saw a rising number of events occurring that displayed a handwriting of God‘: Just in time the Thai government implemented a program to enter its borders without quarantine, individual staff and whole teams of HELP International received donations for the journey, passports and visas were issued and a hotel reactivated several floors after they had been closed during the Covid pandemic. Such events, and many more, finally created an unusual sight in the center of Pattaya’s red-light district: Mongolians and Germany were hugging, missionaries from Austria welcomed Filipinos and Americans were enjoying the fellowship of Swiss - and that was only breakfast!

God’s heart for the nations

During the seven days of the conference our focus was on the heart of God for the nations. The Holy Spirit was moving powerfully amongst us! He was highlighting the lifestyle of evangelism and many participants got re-ignited with fire and passion to share about Jesus in the streets. In another moment God connected the hearts of nations to one another: Because the Kingdom of God is a kingdom of different peoples and tongues - united in the heart of the Father.

 

There were days of various inputs, an outreach filled with intercession and evangelism in the streets of Pattaya, teachings, times of worship and a powerful reminder of the German inheritance in world missions. Form the Moravians and their town of Herrnhut once there emerged a movement of missionaries filled with the power of God that shook the world of its time. God’s heart is beating for nations in need, for the orphans and widows, for the broken-hearted - and the Heavenly Father himself is preparing the nations to get to know and to worship Jesus Christ as the risen Son of God.
It is a miracle in itself for our different nations to meet and gather for this conference in Pattaya, but the heart of God has revealed: He will to do way greater miracles to save nations! After this conference it was very clear to our FCJG & HELP-family that we will strive to stay involved so that the Kingdom of God can expand more and that people will hear the good news: God is love and his heart is beating for … YOU!

HELP english »  

Germany

My name is Michael - but everybody calls me Mille. In the year 2008, I came to Lüdenscheid in Germany to attend the REVIVAL SCHOOL. After graduating, I went for three years to Nagaland and helped setting up a ministry among poor and needy people. Two years ago I came back to Germany and have since worked as a male nurse. However, I know that working here is only a short-term vision, for my heart is burning for the nations and I sense that God is literally wanting me to go.



Presently, I am in the Philippines doing a three-months-internship at the Father's House in Manila. The Father's House is a mission branch of HELP Philippines. We are having 12 children in the Father's house, who either have come straight from the street with no parents anywhere, or children that come from difficult family backgrounds whose parents are not able to take care of them.

When dreams come true

I enjoy and have fun spending time with the children. As for me, a dream has come true that I have had since I was a teenger. I have always wanted to live and work with children. These kids are desperate for family, however, we as staff are limited in our ability to provide family for them. Therefore it's so wonderful that we may pass on the Father's love to them. »God has poured his love into our hearts. He did it through the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us.« (Romans 5:5)

Out of Tondo

When I was little, I listened to a radio play entitled Out of Tondo. It's a true story of a streetboy from Tondo who had an encounter with Jesus which changed the whole course of his life to the best. Tondo is a part of Manila which is the poorest in this world. We went for a three-day-outreach. Suddenly, I found myself to be in the place that I heard about for the first time 30 years ago. We visited many places in this huge area and got to know so many wonderful people for whom we prayed and shared Jesus with.



However, may highlight in Tondo was meeting a group of kids from a small slum area at the harbour. I told them a story about God's love for them. When we prayed together, the kids asked Jesus to show them how precious they are in his eyes. I was deeply impacted and moved by that.

Next step

I have come to the Philippines to find out if God has a place for me in Manila. My greatest desire is that God shows me my place in life and that he uses me to share his love with people.

HELP english »  

Germany

Seriously … would we have ever started HELP International ZOOM if it wasn't for Corona to suddenly creep in? Well, probably not. So far we have hosted three of these ZOOMs and it's fantastic to be connected to our friends and donors as well as with people fully unknown to us by this tool. During January's ZOOM with Walter Heidenreich, Corbet from South Africa tuned in. She didn't know us, we didn't know her and then she shared the following story:

Journey into the Unknown

»I had no clue there was HELP International, however, in November 2020 someone gave me a prophetic word about going to Mongolia. I really didn't know what to do with it. So I did some research and came across this movie about one of HELP International's missionaries to Mongolia (Journey into the Unknown). I watched it and then started to look for your website. Once on the site, I saw the HELP International ZOOM announcement and here I am.« So far, so good - but there is far more to the story ...

Opportunities

Walter encouraged us to open up for God's opportunities and to take advantage of these. This encouragement found open doors – no, open gates – with our new South African friend. Normaly she is visiting a local South African hospital to pray for the staff and the sick. However, in times of Corona there is no access. Nevertheless, she had the impression to call the hospital and to ask whether she and her team may come and pray for the staff and bring something nice for the sick. Immediately, she was put through to the CEO (which normaly is impossible) and she encountered a deeply moved lady on the other end of the line. When the CEO listened to what the caller wanted, she wept and said, »You are answer to our prayers. This is the final day of our fasting and prayer week. We have done that, because we don't know what to do anymore. Our staff is exhausted and the number of sick coming to the hospital is excruciatingly high ... and now you are calling. Yes, please come.« On the phone, the two pray with each other and talk about further steps.



»I am so grateful for the HELP International ZOOM. Most probably I would have never considered to call the hospital, but after this encouragement I sensed the Holy Spirit urging me to immediately call. Thank you so very much.«
Corbet

By the way, Corbet is communicating back and forth with HELP Mongolia ...

HELP english »  

Germany

Actually the outreach to Manila was announced long ago, but no one signed up for it. However, this changed immedately after Burning Hearts 2018 in Lüdenscheid. Suddenly registrations flooded in - in the end we even had to put a »stop« to these. In the end we were an international team: nine people from four nations - plus the Filipinos.

How to get to the mission field?

»We do not need to pray any longer »Lord, send me!« - for he has sent us already. Rather our prayer should be, »Lord, where shall I go?« The nations are waiting for you! When are you going?« After Walter Heidenreich made this altar call at Burning Hearts, people ran to the cross willing to surrender their lives to God in order to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus: Go into all the world and make disciples in all the nations ... (Matthew 28:19)
Among the 2,000 participants in the conference were some 100% determined to immediately get the hang of it. »There was power. I couldn't but run to the cross. Back home from the conference, I asked myself of how I should into practice what I said Yes to«, shared Harry. Suddenly he came across the Manila outreach. He talked things over with his family and employer and then saw miracle after miracle happening.



Werner & Karin knew that God wanted them to go to the nations in 2018. »We talked to our emplayers and colleagues and slamed open doors.« Well, actually their annual vacation was already over ... but God ... doors opened wide for them. In Werner's case, his colleagues collected their overtime and put them in his favour.

Leos and Jana are from the Czech Republic and were deeply impacted by thw power of God and the work of the Holy Spirit at the venue. The alter call was like an initial ignition, for their hearts have been burning for missions for a long time ... only they didn't know what to do with this fire.



Janika was so captivated by Jesus' love for the Filipinos. Her original plan was to do the outreach and then stay on for a couple of months in order to do Mission live. But then everything changed ...

Click here and watch the review of Burning Hearts 2018 or click to this link and watch indivisual sessions on God TV on demand.

»God, what are you doing with us?«

We asked this question on several occasions. Outreach started the first night - we went to a college. So many young people:
»I talked to a girl who wasn't really open. However, God had given me something for her thus I continued to talk. A young man joined our little group, stood there and listened. When he heard me speak about the Holy Spirit, he burst out with the question, »Do you know the Holy Spirit?« He had a thousand questions. They just bubbled out of him. That night he had an encounter with the Holy Spirit and surrendered his life to Jesus. We were in awe ... such hunger for the Holy Spirit. It was so easy, so beautiful of how this young man as well as others gave their lives to Jesus.« (Ilona)



Two days later we set out for a mountain outreach. We went to a tribe that lives very primitively and disclosed. The people are poor, many are sick. It took us two hours by car, two hours of hiking up and down mountains, we walked through mud, climbed over trees and walked through troubled waters ... and then we finally arrived. What an adventure! When we entered the village, two little children came our way. Upon seeing us they started to cry and ran off. Never before have they seen white people ...

Like in the movies

»We had a powerful worship time in that village. The presence of the Holy Spirit settled in and we prayed for the people of Amipas that were around that afternoon. What God has done here, can only be seen in Christian documentaries. The Holy Spirit touched almost everyone. I prayed for a 40-year-old man who had a stroke and was since hemiplegic. Over the years, he has developed a technique to drag himself along by means of a cane or stick. Besides being hemiplegic, his hands and feet were bent inwards. Kuya F and I laid hands on him - we prayed for healing and a miracle ... And then we saw what seemed to be impossible: The man started to move his limbs. Strength flooded his body, he could lift his paralyzed arm and bring his inwardly bent hand and food into a normal position again. He walked without a stick, and was able to feely move his limbs ... and he said good-bye with a strong handshake. When I turned around on our way back, I saw him walking very fast - WITHOUT a stick.« (Harry)

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The deaf hear, the lame walk

One week later in the park: We worshiped and it seemed that the Holy Spirit was hovering over the place. People were so open. Suddenly, Harry ran after a man who was walking on a cane ...
»This man had a broken ellbow in a cast. He was in pain. When praying for him, the pain left and in addition his damaged hearing got healed, too. Another elderly man was in pain and had arthrosis in his knees, and he also had a damaged hearing. Again, when we prayed the pain left and he could hear again. However, then I had this one special encounter: Since she was little, this woman was sitting in a wheelchare. Her legs compared to the size of her body seemed to be too small, too thin and powerless. To this day she never stood on her legs. Why? She didn't know ... It seemed to me that Jesus wanted to touch her as a testimony for others. I prayed several times over her and all the time she sensed that something changed in her. »Get up from your wheelchair.« She looked at me with bewilderment, but then she took a bold step out of her wheelchair. For the first time in her life she stood for 10 seconds on her own legs ...«

Outreach with Consequences

God is good - God is simply good - God is always good! So what shall we say? We could tell you testimonies on end of what God has done throughout this outreach ... However, the best part of this outreach is that six of the nine participants are taking steps to go to missions alongside the Holy Spirit to bring in the harvest:



During the outreach, we also went for three days to Tondo - the most conjested area of this world. Poverty, sickness and crime prevail here. This is no place that Europeans would choose for a living. »When walking through Tondo and seeing the needs of the people, we strongly sensed that his is holy ground. God has graved this place into our hearts and we will go back there.« Werner & Karin are getting ready to go to Manila and share with everybody where they go, what they are about to do and why they are doing this.



»Right from the start of the outreach, someone in Manila said to me: Janika, you should attend the REVIVAL SCHOOL in Lüdenscheid. Well, that wasn't my plan. I wanted to do the outreach and then proceed with Mission live. I followed my plan, however, suddenly God clearly spoke to me about going to Lüdenscheid and doing the REVIVAL SCHOOL on the Move.« In the end of January, Janika packed her staff and departed from Manila at +25°C, arriving a couple of hours later in Germany at only -5°C. From the airport she went straight to the Wislade in Lüdenscheid ... and from here she will go to Mongolia, to the Philippines and to another nation in the beginning of May ...



Leos' and Jana's spouses and families are very good friends. They visit the same church, spend vacation and weekends together and they harbour the same passion to go to missions. Both families came for Burning Hearts 2018 to Lüdenscheid. Back in their homecountry, they quit their jobs and went on outreach. Unfortunately, they couldn't go as families, thus Leos and Jana were sent by them. In Manila, the mission fire was poked and their hearts were burning with love for the Philippines ... Now, they are looking for options to go to missions as families. Next steps are already in the making.

And Harry ... »I don't know which path God is leading me ... Since this outreach, God have become more alive for me. I experienced him as a loving, givin and real Father. I sense that he wants to make his kingdom visible here on earth. All glory and honour is unto Him. Thank you, Jesus.«

HELP english »  

Germany

"Are you still sticking to your plans?“, we were asked recently. "Of course, because what God said hasn't changed!" What plans? What did God say?
Well, here’s the story ...

Throwback

After years of drug addiction, violence, crime and jail, Eddi had an encounter with Jesus in his prison cell: "Give me your life, you should preach the gospel." Desiree met Jesus in the Wiedenhof and immediately realized: „It’s about for my WHOLE life, not just to get free of drugs!"



We are so thankful that we came to Jesus and the FCJG in the 90s. It was the time of the "Toronto Blessing", we experienced a lot of healing and liberation through the Holy Spirit. And it was also a time of mission. In the Wiedenhof we prayed for the outreaches in Mongolia, for the new HELP teams in Asia ... and we felt ready to go: "Lord, here I am, send me!" ... Yes, God is a God of Nations, and even then He put His heart into our hearts!

When dreams die ...

After doing the the Revival School it wasn't about Siberia, China or even just the Ruhr area, but ... Ludenscheid! "Eddi, I need you here as staff in the rehab Wiedenhof," said God. Desiree was able to discover and contribute her photographic, writing and design talents to the FCJG public relations.
We went through periods of character training, letting go of dreams, even letting them die, being founded deeper in God's love ... and suddenly, when we least expected it, God put Japan in our sight again.



Yes, we did a few outreaches there as Revival School staff. Every time we prayed that the students would form a long-term team for Japan. That didn't happen. And now: we?

Why Japan

Japan is not a country of obvious poverty like so many other Asian nations. But it is a country of heartbreaking loneliness, broken families, lack of prospects, horrendous suicide rates even among children and adolescents. In short: a country that needs the Savior.



In times of prayer and worship, often in the Prayer House for the Nations, God gives us share in his heartbeat of love and grace for that nation. And now we feel that it is time to start moving.

Learning by going

What does it look like? We recently moved from our 4-room apartment to two small attic rooms in the Prayer Mountain community house. A good step to prepare for Tokyo living conditions ;-) Living together is perhaps the best preparation for missions: we “grind each other”, grow and learn from each other.
For questions about visa, international health insurance, raising supporters, etc., we are extremely grateful for tips and help from the HELP Germany team here. None of this would be possible without them.



And finally: where better to prepare for missions than in a mission setting? Learning by going, so to speak ... Before we go to Japan in early 2022, we will be with the HELP team in Manila for one year from November. Yes, we did outreaches, but were never longer than 3 months in Asia. In one year you can simply learn more, deal with culture shock, be more deeply connected with our international family etc. Great that this is possible! We are looking forward to it!

Sure, no one knows exactly what will be in November. Are we throwing all these plans overboard? Nope!
“Stay focused!” Jesus said to us, because: “Unto ME has ben given all power in heaven and on earth. THEREFORE go to the ends of the earth and make disciples of all the nations…” That is the reason we stand and walk on and do not draw back.

Eddi & Desiree Fuhrmann

HELP english »  

Germany

I want to run with Jesus … crossing my personal limits and go beyond national borders ...
After my exam as a nurse I asked God for the next step in my life. For a long time, India has been on my heart, so I decided to do an outreach after my exam. However, before going to India I wanted to go for three months as volunteer to HELP in Manila and work among children, for my vision is to serve street kids in India. Thus, I planned to go for three months to the Father's House in Manila and after for three weeks to India.

Surprise

I learnt a lot about missions during my time in the Father's House, and I also asked God to lead me into the next season. To my surprise, God spoke to me about Manila becoming my new home. I was really surprised and asked God again and again if this means he wants me to serve him in Manila for a longer period of time. Whenever I asked him, I had peace in my heart. But I really wanted to know for sure. Therefore, I asked God to confirm this important step through words from people, but I didn't talk to anyone about this. Two days later, the leaders of the Father's House asked me if I want to become staff. To me this was the confirmation that I asked for.

India is still on my heart, but seemingly God's ways are different from mine ...

 

Walking on Water

Ich darf lernen, Dinge, Freundschaften, Familie loszulassen und mich ganz abhängig von ihm zu machen. Während eines Gottesdienstes schenkte Gott mir ein ganz neues Bild von Mission. Mission bedeutet, voll Sehnsucht ihm hinterherzulaufen in das Erntefeld der Nationen.

Back in Germany, I miss the Philippines very much and I know, that this is the nation that God calls me to in this coming season. Right now I am getting ready to go - I want to follow Jesus walking on water. I am privileged to learn to let go of things, friendships, family and to totally depend on God alone. During one worship service, God showed me a picture that broadened my view about missions. Missions is to love Jesus and to pursuit him, to run after him into the harvest field of the nations.

Picture and Poem

Alongside the picture, I also wrote a poem:

Let us run
Over the waters, into the unknown,
until the ends of the earth,
she follows HIM.

Wherever HE goes, she will follow,
close to HIM,
to be with HIM.

HE runs from city to city,
from country to country,
from nation to nation - she follows.

For without HIM she dosen´t want to be,
without HIM she can not be,
So she runs faster and faster
to reach and get hold of HIM.

What HE wants, she wants
Bringing nations to the Father
is her heart cry

Therefore, she runs faster and faster
and leaves footprints of love,
because it's love that makes her run

She is longing for HIM,
and never stops running.
Anna Renner

HELP english »  

Germany

Hi there, today we are writing from Pattaya (Thailand). We have gathered as international HELP family in this place. It's not easy to live as community that is spread over three continents and seven nations, therefore such gatherings are vitally important and so precious to us. Unfortunately, some could join. The Corona virus stopped them from travelling, but everybody is doing fine.

Why Pattaya?

Maybe you are asking why we are holding the HELP staff conferences in Pattaya? This place of obvious darkness and sin? Well, exactly that's the reason why ... we want to be a light in the darkness. With every time we have come to Pattaya, more and more light has captured this city. So much has changed for the better. The light of God's love is piercing the darkness ... more and more and more. Besides gatherings, meetings, many talks and great fellowship, we are also going to the street.

Piercing the darkness

Beach Road is buzzing with people - locals and foreigners scrimmage. Within minutes a good crowd of people of all walks of life is surrounding us while we worship. Some are drunk or high on drugs. Others are curious to know what we are doing, they get their mobile phones and take videos - even the police does. Again others are deeply moved and watch with tears in their eyes. One of us spontaneously preaches the gospel of the kingdom of God. Three men give their lives to Jesus right there and then ... We split in small teams to pray with and talk to people while walking the road. A the end of this outreach 13 people have given their lives to Jesus.

What now? A new house!

We are thrilled and excited about these 13 people. However ... what comes next? We want to open a house in Pattaya where ...
– we live as community and do outreaches on a regular basis,
– we take in people to live with us and walk alongside them while starting a new life with Jesus,
– the REVIVAL SCHOOL on the Move (RSotM) finds a home.

Our team in Thailand is emphasizing these goals and wants to buy a house which costs 150,000 EUR. It has 12 rooms and six bathrooms - enough space to live as community and take people in. If you want to support us in purchasing this house, you are welcome to do so here - purpose: House in Pattaya

Wanna join us in Thailand?

However, most of all we continue to go to Pattaya for outreaches so that the light of the love and power God becomes brighter and brighter. You may join us this year - from Nov. 3 - 20, 2020, we are doing a HELP outreach to Thailand (Bangkok and Pattaya). Please note: We can only accept a limited number of participants.



In only a couple of days, everyone is travelling back home - each to the nation he lives. Thank you very much for standing with us and sharing in our mission in Germany and the nations. God bless you!

Much love from the HELP Team

HELP english »  

Germany

It was no other but Jesus who said to us, his disciples, »Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, so give freely.« (Matth. 10:8)

Because of those who went

Since 1994 we have a permanent ministry in Mongolia - HELP Mongolia - and to this day over 1,300 missionaries have gone with us to this beautiful country. They crisscrossed it from the north to the south and from the west to the east - by foot, on wild car rides, by bicycle. While walking the land they prayed and worshiped, preached the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and saw signs and miracles happening ... Acts live! People got saved, healed and delivered. They gave what they had received ... and there were quite some funny incidents, too. Some of them stayed long-term. Because of those who went, the Mongolians embraced the full Gospel and have become uncompromising disciples after whom the same signs and miracles follow ...

Oogii

... is one of these uncompromising disciples. Today he is on the national leadership of HELP Mongolia ... however, it was not always like that. Most of the time, his family saw him drunk and roaming about. He was at the fringe of being taking to the psychiatric clinic, because he had hallucinations and heard voiced that actually made him roam about. One day he came to an ordinary worship service and had this one encounter with Jesus - he got soaked in the love of God. Oogii came to live with us, and within a very short time he was set free from his addiction and bondange and is since following after Jesus ... Following Jesus makes an impact: signs, miracles, healing, raising of the dead ...

Video

HELP english »  

Germany

End of last year, I was planning this year's vacation and decided not to go on a normal holiday cruise but rather do an outreach. Yeah, an adventure trip to some place in this world. On HELP’s website, I found an outreach to Mongolia, however, there was a problem: the outreach should take four weeks. Just recently, a memo was going around in our company saying that we could take a maximum of three weeks of vacation at one time. The first week of the outreach was the Burning Hearts conference in Ulaanbaatar followed by a three-week-tour including a 38-hour-bus-ride to Ulgi, which is 1,600 km into the west. I sent an eMail to HELP Mongolia asking whether it was possible for me to only participate for three weeks in the outreach and thought to myself: It’s not going to work … Then the answer came: »… in case there are other outreach participants who cannot stay for four weeks either, we are considering to fly the team to Ulgi. Great that you want to go on outreach with us.«



Wow, this answer reflected Joshua 1:9 so well – a verse that has come my way for quite a while: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
The same day I found a newspaper in the dining room of our company in which one of the headlines read: Should I stay or shoud l grow? I took a closer look and then found out it actually said: Should I stay or should I go NOW? To me, this was another confirmation.

Vision for Mission

In the end of January, I attended the Vision for Mission weekend in Lüdenscheid. An awesome weekend in the presence of the Holy Spirit that unveiled more details about the outreach. What I learnt tore me out of my comfort zone …
Flying from Germany to Ulaanbaatar alone, staying at the hotel alone, exploring the 1.5-million-metropolis alone without speaking a word of Mongolian or being able to read words, having to go from village to village by bus in Ulgi, sleeping on an air mattress in a ger (Mongolian tent) without running water. Honestly, I was done and wanted to cancel the outreach.



Right before that weekend, I asked Jesus where he was going, for I wanted to follow him. I saw a picture of Jesus in my mind’s eye. He was going from Germany to Ulaanbaatar and from there to Ulgi. Everywhere he went small yellow dots sprang up which formed a huge yellow patch in Ulgi. Well, was was about to do something in Mongolia.
When checking on HELP Germany’s website, I came across Anna Renner’s painting that matched my picture – well, hers was beautifully painted and had a poem - »Let us run«.

Let us run

How exciting, I thought. That was exactly the picture I had and again I asked Jesus what I should do. I opened my English bible and came across Jeremiah 2:2, I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
On top of this, there was this incident at the library ...

At the Library

My husband Ralf has gone to the library and looked for travel guides on Mongolia for me. We stood in front of some magazines and he said to me, »I have never ever seen a travel magazine on Mongolia.« The very moment, I opened one of the boxes, and looked at the front page of a magazine, which read Mongolia. »Look here … what did you just say? The table of contents says Mongolia’s West. Look, the west – Ulgi is in the west of Mongolia.« I opened the magazine, found the report and looked at a map of Bayan Ulgi with Ulgi right in the center. Goodness me … if that’s not God, then what should it be ...

Upps

The shock went right through my body. Back home, I opened my mail and found a message from HELP:

»Dear Anja, the team in Mongolia has considered the outreach once more and thought about shorten its duration hoping and believing for more people to join who would also prefer to come for a shorter period of time. However, it hasn’t happened. Furthermore, while planning the outreach they found that it would be too difficult for individuals to shorten the outreach as the team is going to very remote areas. Therefore, the team has decided that it’s impossible to take someone along who cannot stay for the full period of time.«

Uih, how can this be? Now, that I am certain to go to Ulgi. This completely overthrows everything of how I know God speaks to me. I called my sister Martina after listening in the evening to a sermon on obedience.

Martina is so cool and simply said, »Well, quit your job if your boss doesn’t grant your four weeks of vacation.« Okay, I didn’t actually wanted to quit, however, after explaining my situation my supervisor said, »Good – I am going to make an exception.«

Mongolia - here I come!

I went to book my flight. Goodness – only three seats left. My passport has expired, however, to book my flight I need a new one. With only three seats left, I simply couldn’t wait for four weeks until I finally got my new passport. I was panicking, however, in the end booking my flight was simple as that. When I am stressed, God says to me, »You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.« (Isaiah 26:3) That’s it … I don’t want to panic and get stressed out. I want to fix my thoughts on HIM and trust in HIM, thus resting in his PERFECT PEACE – no matter the situation and circumstances.

There is one last doubt: I have never gone on outreach. His immediate response, »Until now you haven’t done any of this. As in my name and you will receive and your joy will be perfect.« (John 16:24)
And Acts 1:8, »When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power. And you will be my witnesses – in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, even unto the ends of the earth.«

Anja Lange

HELP english »  

Germany

»I know the plans I have for you,« announces the Lord. »I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.« (Jeremiah 29:11)

A future and hope?! These words sounded strange to me when I came to Lüdenscheid four years ago.
My name is Christiana, I am 26 years of age and was brought up in a normal Christian home. I never questioned the existance of God, for it seemed to me very clear that God was everywhere. I loved reading stories of missionaries, especially the story of Jim Elliot, and at the age of 10 year, I was determined: »One day I will go to the nations for God.«

Looking for freedom?

However, school and everyday routine pushed this desire aside. At age 16, our youth group went through some dramatic changes, for we had a new leader who was convinced that women don't speak up in church and should only concentrage to become good wifes. I felt cramped in my personal freedom which led to a good deal of rebellion mounting up in my heart. I rebelled against anything in church!
Furthermore, my rebellion started to also rise up in school. In all this I didn't realize that I locked up my heart for Jesus and went away from him further and further.

Major Shock

In 2011 (I had turned 19), I learnt from my father that my mother had a celebral tumor. The doctors only gave her five more months to live. This message came totally unexpected, it hit me to the core and I still remember that this was the moment when I said to God: »God, I don't need you anymore. You don't help me and now you are even taken away the people I love!« That moment I decided to live life my way. It didn't take long and I started to expose all my frustration and disappointment at parties thinking: »Finally I am free!«

On my way to the dogs

After a couple of months, parties became boring to me - I looked for more. I came across Marihuana, Extasy and other chemical drugs. From a once-a-week fun to pimp parties, they became indispensable remedies which became vital for me to cope with everyday life. I lost my job, because I just didn't turn up anymore. On top of this my parents chucked me out on my ear after they found out that I had stolen money from them. Bit by bit I lost everything that used to be important to me.
I didn't realize what happened and that I was trapped in a vicious circle where I couldn't get out by myself. Being trapped in my world, I believed that I was in control! I headed more and more for the drug scene and met more people who moved about this scene. I constantly had to be with people, for I couldn't be with myself and my thoughts for one minute. Every time I was by myself, I realized that I had thrown away all my good intents and goals in only three years and now I had nothing!

The Decision

As usual, I met with my girlfriend to buy the amount of drugs we would need to make it through the day. On our way to the dealer, a thought crossed my mind that revealed to me where I was at: »If you don't stop abusing drugs and change your life, you will still sit here at the age of 30 with the same people and do the same.«
Today I know that in that moment the Holy Spirit spoke to me. However, back then I was so shocked by the idea that at age 30 I might still be in this condition. I knew that I had to do something ... now, because at age 30 I wanted to stand with both feet strong in life and not in this drug swamp.

Everything new

I decided to go for a Christian rehab. That's how I came to House Wiedenhof in Lüdenscheid. Everything in my life became brand new! That's where God gave me a new life and revealed to me that he truly has hope and a good future for everyone.
I experienced forgiveness in ways as never before. However, the greatest was this: I got to know the Holy Spirit and he gave me a vision for my life. Over a period of time a new love for the nations came into my being, and this love made me go to the Revival School one year later.

The nations are waiting!

God provided me with everything I needed. Not only in Lüdenscheid - I could even do an outreach to Manila which was one of the biggest miracles for me. Two years before that my life was one big mess and I didn't have anything ... and now I experienced that nothing is impossible with God!
On this outreach God spoke to me that he wanted to send me to missions that it wasn't the last time that I had gone to the nations. I experienced his guidance in every single situation and everything that I have ever dreamt of as a child suddenly became real. The year after I moved on. God sent me to the Revival School on the move where I spent six months in the nations (Mongolia, China, Philippines) and he gave me an even greater vision for my life.



God's love overwhelms me over and over again and he shows me that he has made EVERYTHING new. He showed me that his ways and plans are so much better than mine! He has called me to go to the nations ... and I will go.
Christina