On June 26th, we will fly out of Newark, NJ with a direct flight to Berlin, and we will fly home on July 6th.  We currently have a team of 9 people who are preparing and raising funds to go.

Our team has been meeting monthly since October to get to know one another, pray together, learn about German culture, and simply share meals and have fun together!  We want to not only be prepared as individuals but also as a unified team of people. As we prepare to go, we wanted to share some ways in which you can be praying with and for us:

• Praise: flights & lodging have been booked! We just have some final details to figure out.
• For God to stir up hunger in our hearts for more of Him and the discipline to set aside time to be with our Heavenly Father so that our "doing" on this trip may be coming from the overflow of being WITH Jesus.
• For Mike & Elyssa Picconatto and the team on the ground in Berlin, who is gearing up for a busy summer of hosting teams like us.
• That we might be soft hearted, humble and courageous, willing to step up and do whatever we are asked once our feet are on the ground in Berlin.
• Praise God with us that our trip is fully funded!

Day 2 - Thursday, June 27

The team traveling to Berlin landed safely at 7am local time (1 am EST!) and had a looong first day. All are well and are excited to be present, serve the team here, and engage with the people we encounter... and to sleep.

Today we started to get our bearings in the city and connect with the team here through sharing meals, and splitting into two teams for a photo s scavenger hunt in and around Alexanderplatz.

I'm struck by the Envision Berlin team's recognition of limits (theirs... ours...)  and our need to make space for God to speak.  They have events and projects planned for us, but more importantly there is intentional space.to connect and commune with God and one another. 

Pray that our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds would be open to receiving whatever Jesus wants to show, say, or reveal to us while we're here.

Day 4 - Saturday, June 29

Today we spent the morning in an intensive German Language class and then were sent out on our own to use our new skills to order lunch! 

After lunch ,Jenny from Envision Berlin taught on prayer walking, and just like the morning, we were sent out to practice what we learned, joining with the team here to help plowing the spiritually rocky soil of this place.

In the late afternoon we had Kaffee & Kuchen (Coffee & Cake), a tradition among many German families, with several members of the C&MA's aXcess team, to learn about how they are connecting with Germans and the immigrant Arabic population in Berlin.

After debriefing with the team over dinner at an Indian Restaurant, several of us stuck around for a worship jam night, welcoming the Spirit in the midst of a dark place.

Here's another update from the team:

From Emily - 

As we stepped off the plane and into Berlin several days ago, I realized that of all the countries I've visited, this was the first time in my adult years that I have gone to a country where I didn't have a decent grasp of the language. My German is minimal, and though not comfortable, I can appreciate this as an opportunity to put myself in the shoes of the many people who experience language challenges and discomforts in our country regularly. May we be compassionate to them, and approach them with the heart of Jesus.

As I sit here, trying to put to words my feelings and reflections, I realize that it will take a long time to fully process what we're learning about God, about Berlin, about ourselves, and about ministry in a different context. We are being stretched in good, beautiful, and hard ways - but not in the ways you might automatically assume when one goes on a "missions trip." We are definitely having opportunities to serve in obvious ways on this trip, and I pray God is able to use us mightily (most likely in ways that we may never fully understand). Just as importantly, He is also teaching us, stretching our minds, and expanding our experiences beyond our American church bubble, and I pray that by setting aside our presuppositions, quieting our hearts, and leaning in, that we might allow Him to transform us as we consider how God might move when we're willing to think out of the box.

Ways you can pray:

• Pray for several events that we will be helping with, including a 4th of July party
• Pray for rest and refreshment for our bodies. Several of the the team members are still really feeling the effects of the jet lag and heat combined with lots of activity/movement.
• Pray for the Envision and aXcess teams here in Berlin as there are several transitions happening now and in the coming months

Day 6 - Monday, July 1

Germany has welcomed refugees with open arms, beginning with workers from Turkey and Hungary to help rebuild after World War II.  Since then, due to a variety of factors, when a nearby country has been in crisis, Germany has said, "Come."  This has led to a substantial population in Berlin who come from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, and now Ukraine.  

Many of these cultures are vastly different from our individualistic culture that focuses on our individual guilt or innocence.  Saying that Jesus died for your individual sins may mean nothing to someone who comes from a culture based on shame and honor.   In a sense, there is a re-learning of the Gospel.

From Christie - 

This morning we gathered together for more learning. You've probably noticed a theme in the past few days' updates that we seem to spend a lot of time here studying the history and learning the culture. But as our Envision hosts have explained, our willingness to learn is a huge part of their ministry. As Mike, Steven, and the rest of the team seek to build relationships and trust with the East Germans, they are frequently asked what we (teams from the US) are doing here, and when the Germans are given the response that we are here to learn, it touches them deeply. 

Many people here have been taught that Americans and American missionaries in particular come because "they think they know everything and are going to 'fix' us." So they begin to trust when they see our humility and willingness to learn from them. Many of us come with presuppositions about how to do ministry and how to share the gospel. 

Today's learning opportunity was how to see the gospel in 3D, instead of just from our usual perspective. We talked of how different cultures hold different values in priority. We learned how our words may have certain connotations that they don't have at home. For example, "Christian" here is more associated with being part of the American political system; it's a very different thing to say, "I am a Christian," compared to, "I believe in Jesus." It has taken quite a bit of humility to sit and think about how I may be able to  do or say things differently, even back at home in PA.

This afternoon, we had an incredible opportunity to tour an Arab neighborhood and learn about the many cultures represented there. Axcess staff member Uri led us through and shared how he reaches out as an Arab-American. He describes his job as building bridges between Arabs and Germans that will hold up the truth in love. We capped off the evening when Uri treated us to chicken shawarma and baklava!

Prayer Requests

• Uri runs conversation groups to connect with Arabic speakers. He's looking for partnerships  with new businesses who will host new conversation groups.   Please pray that Jesus provides these connections in the right parts of town.
• Pray for Uri and his family as he and his wife settle back into life here in Berlin after being on home assignment for a year. And praise God as they celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary!
• Pray for God to continue to draw the refugees  from the middle east who have resettled in Berlin to Himself. 
• Tomorrow's a Sabbath day for the team here. Pray for us as we take a day of rest.

With the  sabbath in mind, we won't be sharing updates tomorrow, July 2.

Day 8 - Wednesday, July 3

Today we spent time in the morning to process the trip so far together.  We talked about our experience of sabbath in a foreign city.  We shared God sightings and themes that are surfacing.  We processed emotions and the variety of things we've been feeling.

After lunch we went to a place that has become home for about 300 "Neue Deutsche" (or who we might call refugees) to help re-finish some benches, put together some raised garden beds, transplant some plants, and help to paint some decorations for a summer party they're hosting in a few weeks.

After three years of bringing groups to this place, the volunteer coordinator swapped phone numbers with the Berlin team to coordinate more frequent connections.  This is a relationship that has slowly been fostered by the presence of multiple teams. 

After a quick dinner, we helped to host an event called Art 'O Clock

From Mike - 

I’m struck by the unique identity and flavor that each of us bring to our world. Tonight we participated in an art showcase held by the Envision team dubbed ‘Art O Clock’ in which they provide a space for artists to share pieces they have been working on. Several of their team and a couple of ours had the opportunity to share works among one another. 

As an artist, I loved having the opportunity to present a piece of music I’d written, and receive feedback and engagement from a supportive audience, as well as seeing others showcase their talent. It was an evening of sharing and blessing others with who God has created me to be, as well as being blessed by who he has made others to be. 

I’m reminded of the beauty of the body of Christ and the people he has created. I’m also reminded of the beauty of Jesus himself in that we are in his image and reflect our creator!

Day 10 - Friday, July 5

Our final day here.

Today we walked the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall that is still standing.  We took time to reflect on the themes from from the week. 

We spent time together with the Envision Berlin team to talk through what it would look like to practice the ministries of prayer, learning, and presence at home.

One thing we haven't mentioned yet is that we started and ended every day with liturgy.  This liturgy was based on the Celtic Daily Prayer Daily Office, and included scriptures, daily readings, and meditations curated by the Envision team.  Not only did these readings help to frame our days through focusing our hearts and minds on scripture and different themes, but they also were another way that we lived out the church's mission in Berlin.  

Reading scriptures communally and praying for others is another way that we fought "against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6;12). 

There's a real tension between what many of us expect a "Mission Trip" to look like, and what it looks like to live on mission in a city that is not open to the gospel.  The soil is hard here and it can take years to build trust with someone from East Berlin to the point where they would feel comfortable meeting up for coffee or inviting you over for dinner.  Situations like this test our faith.  Do we really believe that prayer is our primary work?  Or do we think we have to "do" something more for a trip to be a success? 

To have gone and learned and prayed and been present was exactly what God was calling us to "do."  In faith, we  believe and know that God used our presence and our prayers to soften the spiritual soil of that community in a way that would not have happened if we had not gone.

We are all so grateful for this opportunity, and I'm sure that the team will be processing all that God did within us for quite some time.  Thank you to all who prayed for us and all who gave to send us. 

Blessings,

Aden