@ Youth Encounter

Thirty-four years ago, Youth Encounter sent out its first International Team. This month, we continued that tradition as our five International Teams departed for their various destinations around the globe. Cross Fire and Watermark/Denmark left on January 13. Cross Fire is returning to Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa. While there, they will be working with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana and the Lutheran Church of Nigeria. Cross Fire will also be joined by two young men from Ghana who will be members of Cross Fire while they travel in West Africa. Watermark/Denmark is continuing the annual partnership with Indre Missions, an independent Lutheran organization dedicated to the revival of Christian faith in the young people of Denmark. On January 14, Kindred and New Dawn departed. Kindred will travel in numerous locations throughout Peru and Bolivia, serving with Lutheran ministries in both countries, including the World Mission Prayer League in Bolivia. New Dawn will serve in Papua New Guinea with the both the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea and the Gutnuis Lutheran Church. In April, they will finish their overseas tour by ministering with the Lutheran Church of Australia in the state of New South Wales. The final team to leave was Watermark/Germany who, for the first time in Youth Encounter history, will visit the Czech Republic and Romania. The bulk of their tour, however, will be spent in Germany where they will visit several Lutheran congregations throughout the country.
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY]

New Countries in the New Year!
Youth Encounter Accepts Invitations to Romania and the Czech Republic
by Youth Encounter

In answer to last month’s Survey Question, “Which two countries do you think Youth Encounter will be visiting for the FIRST TIME in 2004?”, Youth Encounter is pleased to announce new partnerships in ministry with the countries of Romania and the Czech Republic! The Watermark team, which was originally scheduled to visit Germany, has also been invited to share their ministry in these two countries.

Survey participants guessed among six options to answer the question. The correct answer of Romania and Czech Republic tied for the top pick with Thailand and China (Asia), with 27.5 % of the votes. Chad and Morocco (Africa) tied with Luxembourg and Austria (also in Europe) with 17.5 % of the votes. El Salvador and the Dominican Republic (North America) held 7.5% of the votes, while Chile and Uruguay (South America) received 2.5%.

Youth Encounter is thankful for the invitation and this opportunity to serve the people of Romania and the Czech Republic, as well as for our contacts in Germany who are generously sharing their time with the Watermark team so that others may be blessed by their service.

Peder Eide Single Hits the Airways!
Explore "It's You Oh God"
www.pedereide.com

Youth Encounter is pleased to minister alongside Peder Eide at several Youth Encounter Events throughout the year, including the still-to-come Arizona Congress for Senior High youth and the New Jersey Quake for Junior High youth. We celebrate Peder’s good news and praise God for the ways He uses Peder to share the love of Christ…

From the Peder Eide website: Check it out! www.pedereide.com : “First things first...what an exciting time for fans of Peder Eide. Suddenly, after years of complaints from fans that they ‘can't ever find Peder's songs on the radio,’ they now can! ‘It's You Oh God’ continues to make its way onto song lists at Inspirational Music Station venues across the nation. With a debut at #19 on the Inspirational Chart, and more and more stations getting wind of this awesome song, we can only hope that it will become a household name across the nation. Be sure to find you local inspirational music station and call in your request for ‘It's You Oh God!’
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY]

Watermark to Germany, Romania, and the Czech Republic
Check Out an Excerpt from Watermark's Online Journal!
by Watermark

We've been traveling hundreds of miles each day to different churches, meeting different people, sleeping in different beds, and I haven't felt alone. This is strange to me, because it seems like there's no stability within team life other than our beautiful van and trailer, my six teammates, and Jesus Christ. But as I'm learning, Jesus is enough to make us feel completely at home wherever we are. As our schedule becomes a blur and I forget what city I'm in, Jesus Christ has become even clearer to me. As I meet tons of new people and share with them the love of God and what it means to follow Him our lives and to trust Him completely, I am overwhelmed by how many people there are on this earth and how much each of us needs Jesus, and in the midst of that mind boggling experience, Jesus Christ is becoming clearer to me. As we travel each day trusting that we will have a place to sleep and food to eat, and as I realize that traveling light is much less burdensome than having a lot of "stuff", my life is becoming quite the opposite of what many people consider a "good life" to be, and I'm realizing that Jesus is the only thing that I have that will never go away.
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY]

New Year! New Creation!
News from the Events Division
by Ted Rossing

“The speaker really made me see how much God is really in my life.” (Youth)

“Campfire was a time to truly connect with God.” (Youth)

“Our group spent some quality time together talking about our faith.” (Youth Leader)

These quotes are taken directly from some evaluation forms we’ve received back from several events this year. God is doing amazing things in the lives of both youth and adults as youth groups around the country gather to worship, celebrate, reflect and recharge at Youth Encounter Quakes and Congresses.
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY]

Captive Free North Central
Check Out North Central's Online Journal!
by Captive Free North Central

“Our stop in Savage, Minnesota was so much fun! After our family night program on Friday night, we broke up into small groups with the congregation for a Bible study. It was really neat to see the way people opened up and shared their thoughts on the passages. Ice cream followed, and the night ended with some acoustic worship. That was my favorite part because people of all ages and entire families were worshipping our God together in song."
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY]

Captive Free South West
Check Out South West's Online Journal!
by Captive Free South West

“It's amazing to me to think of all the places that we have been in just a little over a month. We have met so many great people, and have worshipped at so many different places. Our worships have ranged so much, and each have touched me in a different way. For instance, last night we had a Family Program that was absolutely packed with energetic teenagers. It was an upbeat program with lots of dancing and singing."
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY]

This Recruitment Gig is a Roller Coaster Ride!
News from the Recruitment Department
by Jeff Rowdon

Sarah Liggett and I have been recruiting for Youth Encounter’s Team Ministry for almost five months now, and let me tell you we are on an adventure!

In the short months since we began this year’s journey we have traveled in the states of Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. We’ve been in contact with people from the USA, Africa, Australia, and Germany. We’ve processed dozens of applications and sent out several letters of call (that’s what we call it when we’ve invited someone to go on one of our teams).
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY]

Side By Side: 2004 Global Work Crews
Is God Calling You?
by Emma Kasiga

“Strong cultural barriers that seemed impossible to overcome were broken by God’s faithfulness and love as we communicated SPIRITUALLY with our brothers and sisters of that land.”
~Molly McAllister, Side By Side Global Work Crew to Tanzania, 2003

So finally it is 2004, and summer will soon be here. Have you already made up your mind yet about what you are going to do this summer? Or are you still making up your mind about doing a mission trip overseas this year? Well, I would like to encourage you to consider serving on one of the Side By Side’s Global Work Crews from July 9^th until August 6^th of 2004. Youth and adults from age 15 and up are welcome. We do have spots available for several locations: Belize, India, Kenya and Tanzania (please note that Ecuador is not open for public registration). It is certainly an awesome opportunity, and there will never be as good time to travel overseas as today and now. Listen to God’s voice and His call for you to serve His people. It is an experience of a lifetime that will strengthen your faith in God, and positively impact someone else’s life overseas.

If you would like to know more about the ministry opportunities for this summer, please do not hesitate to call/write and ask for more information (1800-65YOUTH x250/sbs@youthencounter.org). I pray that God will use you this summer, and I hope to see you on one of the Side By Side Global Work Crews!

What's New?
News from Resouce Ministries
by Ryan Veil

Greetings in Christ! Youth Encounter’s Event season is now in full swing. Check to see if the Event you’re going to is eligible for the Pre-Event T-shirt Order Discount! Save lots of money on this year’s theme shirt so your whole group can have them at the Event.

Winter is upon us and so is the bitter cold. Check out our long sleeve T-shirts and beanie caps online or call 800-659-6884 to order hooded sweatshirts.

Our Captive Free and International Teams sound so great that we recorded them LIVE! Check out Youth Encounter LIVE! online at www.youthencounter.org .

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