On May 6, 2024, just two days after Cedarville’s commencement ceremony, members of the Cedarville University Madrigal Choir and I embarked on our journey to Berlin, Germany. Ahead of us was a 28-hour travel day consisting of three flights, a 7-hour time change, and lots of stairs. By the time we reached Berlin, the exhaustion had kicked in, but we were excited about what the Lord would do.
Our team stayed at a youth hostel that exceeded our expectations. Each morning, we were provided with breakfast and coffee. Breakfast turned out to be a favorite time of fellowship for many of us, as it was a chance to slow down and get to know each other better.
Kids Camp Preparation
We spent our first day preparing for the Himmelfahrt (Ascension Day) Bible Camp at Crossway International Baptist Church. With the help of our leader and Crossway Church member, Kristi, we were able to transform the church into an exciting and engaging space for the campers. Our team worked together to hang streamers, blow up balloons, and create handmade decorations. Prior to the trip, we had discussed which areas of the camp we’d like to oversee, and we divided ourselves into teams accordingly. Several of us led the songs, others prepared origami crafts, led memory verses, or came up with games, and most of us participated in the skits written by our team members. In addition to decorating, we spent a good portion of time perfecting our areas of expertise.
After a fast-paced morning, we hopped on the bus and headed to Oskar-Helene-Heim train station to eat a popular German food called Döner.
Kids Camp — Crossway International Baptist Church
Thursday morning rolled around, and we were buzzing with excitement as the first few campers arrived at the church. There were about thirty campers ranging from 6 to 12 years old, half of whom were Crossway Church regulars while the other half were children from the community. It was amazing to see the campers participating, enjoying all aspects of the camp, and most importantly, receiving a clear presentation of the Gospel. We were blessed with beautiful weather, which allowed us to have game and snack time outside. Snack time was such a meaningful time for both campers and leaders. We were able to sit with the kids and, despite the language barrier between a few, we got to know a little more about each child and share the love of Christ with them.
After completing three mornings of camp, it was time to clean up the church and rehearse for Sunday’s worship service.
Sunday Afternoon Worship
Our team had the privilege of leading the congregation of Crossway International Baptist Church in worship on May 12, Mother’s Day. We prepared both English and German hymns that allowed us to present what we had worked on all semester but also gave the church the opportunity to sing along with us. Additionally, we led a few contemporary worship songs, including “Behold Our God,” which was a church favorite. Team members Nathan Duty and Yifan Chen shared their testimonies as well. Personally, worshiping and fellowshipping with this congregation was one of the best and most impactful parts of the trip.
Outreach Events
Although our first few mornings were spent leading the camp, we did not let our afternoons go to waste. Germany is known for some beautiful architecture, and we were lucky enough to sing in some pretty amazing places.
The Berliner Dom is a stunning cathedral built in 1894 and stands on the Museum Island in central Berlin. Inside is a gorgeous pipe organ and 267 steps which lead to a breathtaking view of the city. The surrounding courtyards are littered with tourists and German citizens looking for a relaxing day in the sun. Our choir found an empty patch of grass and began to sing. People of all ages stopped to listen and appreciate the music we made. However, it was difficult to reach people with the Gospel on a personal level in such a big and busy environment.
Gendarmenmarkt is a popular Berlin square which showcases three incredible buildings. After experiencing some discouragement with our first outreach event, we had a better system in mind this time. While we sang, Kristi and members of Crossway would approach those who were interested and spark conversations that would hopefully lead to some meaningful, Christ-centered topics. Thankfully, this strategy worked much better, and we left the event feeling good about the impact we made.
As we reached the end of our incredible walking tour of Berlin, we were met with the remnants of the Berlin Wall. After the tour ended, we decided to stop and sing a few hymns. A German man expressed his appreciation for what we were doing and said that our singing had touched his heart.
Sightseeing
Although our trip was primarily focused on missions and sharing the good news of Christ, we were blessed to see the sights of Berlin, Potsdam, Gendarmenmarkt, and Wittenberg.
Some memorable moments were seeing the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, visiting the All-Saints Church in Wittenberg, touring the beautiful grounds of Sanssouci Palace, eating authentic German food, touring Berlin, and seeing the Murdered Jews of Europe Memorial. Along the way, we stopped in a couple churches that allowed us to perform our music. We even sang in a small church where Martin Luther used to preach.
Impact
Our team was so positively impacted by this experience. Crossway International Baptist Church and Kristi gave us so many opportunities to spread the love of Christ to the people of Berlin. We pray that the seeds planted in the hearts of the young campers as well as anyone who stopped to hear us sing would take root and grow. The Cedarville Madrigal Choir is forever grateful to Global Outreach for making this mission trip possible.
Tags: #college, #experience, #globaloutreach, #missions
Posted in: College Life, Experience, Global Outreach