Interesting Outreach

      So yesterday we went out to do outreach in Unterliederbach and Hoechst (Two "suburbs" of Frankfurt). I went out with our Instructor for the week: Daniel Pel. We went to the main street or Strasse, and then proceeded to the main shopping district in the town. When we got there we walked down the street, which was filled with people, and passed out Glow tracts in German to whoever would receive them. We would say "Bitte," as we handed out the tracts.

                       -Side note: In Germany you say "Bitte," to say "Please," and "Your Welcome." (German is a  strange language)

After we ran out of German Glows we started to ask people if they would do a short health survey and we would give them a flier for a cooking school we will be having next week. Daniel speaks some German, so usually he started with asking if people wanted to do the survey, and if they spoke English we would do it in English. So we did this for a while, and met some very interesting people who spoke English. One man seemed to be a bit into Spiritual healing, and we were able to give him a Great Controversy, and it sounded like he would read it!

     Then we met an older lady who spoke good english (This is a rare thing among older people here in Germany) and she enjoyed talking with us quite a bit. You know, people really enjoy it when you listen to them, and really show an interest in what they are saying. But we were able to give her a book, and invite here to the cooking school.

     Then we ran out of Cooking School fliers, but we still had some books in my backpack. So Daniel decided that we would just go up to people and ask if they would want to read this book, and if so they could have it. First we gave away 2 Ivor Myer's books, on the War in Heaven in German, to some people who were really seemed interested in the covers and the information about the books. Then we gave away a German "Steps to Christ," to someone. Finally we were left with 2 English "Steps to Christ." If any books would be hard to give away it would be these, because they were in English, they had a title that makes it very obvious that it is a Christian book, and there is a picture of Jesus on the front. But we decide to try anyways, cause why not? The book wasn't going to do any good going back to the AFCOE Center.

     So we start walking down the street, asking people if they spoke English. Most people said they didn't. But finally we came upon a man who said, "I only speak English." Then we asked if he would be interested in reading the book and told him a bit about it. He said, "That looks interesting, I would like to read it," and so we gave it to him. It was actually quite amazing!
 
     We ended up giving away all the books that we had, and even talked with a Christian Bulgarian (When I say "talked" I mean we tried to talk with him with the little bit of German and English that he knew) and invited him to the cooking classes. We told him that we had some Students from Bulgaria and it sounded like he wanted to meet them.

      Among all of us AFCOE-Europe students we have had quite a few prospective Bible Study Contacts in just a week and a half. We have had good talks with many people and we have given away Christian books. Whoever says that you cannot do outreach in secular Europe is wrong. People are the same wherever you go in this world. Sure they may speak a different language, and yeah, maybe they have different cultures, but at the root of it, all people just want someone who will listen to them and someone who will smile at them. And everyone wants to have meaning in their life, whether they admit it or not.

       So, in summary, pray for us AFCOE Students here in Germany. Pray for the people that we will be meeting on the streets. Pray that we will find those who are seriously seeking for the truth.

      "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then the end shall come." -Matthew 24:14