How Summer Activities Enhance Year-Long Ministry
What comes to your mind when you think of summer? In SEND Europe, summer is a scrapbook of uplifting stories and core memories. A student from the Czech Republic helps teach English in Romania. A group of students from Croatia encourages a church in Poland. A multicultural team serves at a community center in Spain. A group of Romanians joins American missionaries in Croatia to evangelize in a tourist area. American missionaries help lead a college camp in Romania and serve on a mission trip to Moldova. Teams and interns from the United States serve at summer programs in Macedonia, Albania, and Poland. A group from Great Britain helps facilitate a teen camp in Romania. All these summer activities took place in Europe during the summer of 2024. In a variety of ways, these activities will have long-term effects on the year-long ministry happening in Europe.
They open doors for more recurring activities
Back in 2012, SEND facilitated a summer missions trip called LOVE Europe to encourage youth from America to consider serving as missionaries in Europe. In July 2024, LOVE Europe was reinvented, with European youth participating in a week-long mission trip in another country, serving on multicultural teams to strengthen their faith and consider God’s place for them in Kingdom work. Anastasia, a young lady from the Czech Republic, served alongside SEND missionaries in Craiova, Romania, to host a three-day English camp for kids. Her enthusiasm for cooking really inspired and enhanced the theme and activities for the week of English camp. Together, the team taught the children English words for a variety of foods and drinks, practiced how to ask for or order something, and learned fun English songs related to the theme. The children also heard how Jesus is the Vine, the Bread of Life, and the Living Water. Of the 20 children who attended the camp, several are not actively involved in a church community, so this was a wonderful opportunity to share the truth and love of Jesus with them.
This camp was the first time the SEND team in Romania has hosted an English outreach ministry and it seems to have opened the door for more opportunities.
For one family, it rekindled friendships with SEND missionaries, and more meetings are already planned.
For another unbelieving family, it built trust between them and a local church community. As neighbors of SEND missionaries, more conversations have already happened. In addition,
several parents have asked the SEND team to consider leading more English language events for kids and adults.
Our team in Craiova is actively seeking ways to engage the broader community using English as a second language.
Please pray for more European youth to serve cross-culturally. Ask God to give the team in Romania wisdom on how to engage the community with the gospel by teaching English
They sustain connections with the people we serve
Youth camps happen all around Europe during the summer months, most typically in July and August. I’ve heard of at least seven camps that SEND missionaries have been involved with this summer, and although this story comes from just one of them, I know it represents many others. One SEND missionary shared that at the college summer camp students had deeper discussions and asked more questions than typical of a usual college event night. During the school year, the college group meets at least once a month for a few hours, but the night is planned with activities, leaving little time for long conversations. While at camp though, students sit with one another and their leaders late into the evening, asking questions about the importance of attending church and the value of discipleship.
As with many young students, questions about religion are common during college years, and students in Europe are no different.
They are looking for people to sit with them, hear their stories, and answer their questions.
They sustain connections with the people we serve
Youth camps happen all around Europe during the summer months, most typically in July and August. I’ve heard of at least seven camps that SEND missionaries have been involved with this summer, and although this story comes from just one of them, I know it represents many others. One SEND missionary shared that at the college summer camp students had deeper discussions and asked more questions than typical of a usual college event night. During the school year, the college group meets at least once a month for a few hours, but the night is planned with activities, leaving little time for long conversations. While at camp though, students sit with one another and their leaders late into the evening, asking questions about the importance of attending church and the value of discipleship.
As with many young students, questions about religion are common during college years, and students in Europe are no different.
They are looking for people to sit with them, hear their stories, and answer their questions.
For many students, this is their first time at a Christian event; for others, they’ve been on the margins of the church for a while, and a few are actively looking to grow in their faith. While at summer camp with these students, SEND missionaries, along with their national partners, can just be present with the students, listening to where they are in life. Whether hiking or sitting around a campfire, conversations are typically more authentic and meaningful when people have a shared experience. At camp, students open up to their leaders and share more heartfelt stories and questions. After taking the time to really listen, the leaders can then respond as the Spirit leads with gospel encouragement.
The conversations started at camps across Europe have already led to continued discussions at coffee shops or in homes of SEND missionaries.
Pray with us for the students to understand the gospel for themselves, to become actively involved in a church, and to pursue discipleship in their home communities. Pray for the SEND missionaries involved in summer camps every year.
They energize the leaders
Although summer programs usually require extra planning and effort on the part of SEND missionaries and local church leaders, they are always worth the effort, especially as we hear stories of how the summer programs have impacted individual lives. One leader in the church reflected on his own story sharing how a summer English camp he attended for college students allowed him to spend countless hours with believers before he ever stepped foot into a church. He left that camp determined to read the Bible to prove the Christians wrong but instead found the truth of the gospel. His story like many others, energizes the church leaders and SEND missionaries to keep going even when the summers are hot, the planning takes months, and the camp days are exhausting. May God receive the glory for each individual who hears the gospel through these summer programs.Consider how you might serve in God’s kingdom using your English-speaking skills or serving through a summer opportunity. Connect with our SEND Europe team at https://portal.send.org/pq
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
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