Preparatory Course for Volunteers held 03/06/22 to 03/07/06 at Elstal

Soon the time will have come for ten young people to go to Africa for a few weeks, and for some, even for a year. We’ll be staying in Mozambique, South Africa, Sierra Leone and Cameroon. During the past two weeks in Elstal we have been prepared for this trip.

We had a good look at the culture shock we will be faced with. Michael Kisskalt told us about his personal experiences as a missionary in Cameroon. Behaviour in African countries was the topic in talks with Regina Claas : Which social rules and ethical values must be heeded by all means, how shall we dress, and how do you behave in an African church ? All these questions were being addressed, and many more. Hans Guderian made us familiar with the history of EBM, and in small groups we prepared lectures on the relevant countries. We also very thoroughly thought about our personal talents and gifts. We produced two videos to answer the question “What is the ideal volunteer like?”

The programme was very interesting and varied, and the lecturers, Elimar Brandt and Moise Epoh from Cameroon among others, were very open and able to convey the topics always in an interesting manner, thanks to varying methods. Volker Bohle was responsible for this preparatory course and taught and accompanied us throughout these two weeks. Let me seize the opportunity of thanking you here, Volker.

As a group, too, we had lots of fun, and we could exchange our expectations, our fears and other thoughts as to the volunteer assignment. Whether the great amount of information we got will be useful and helpful – this, of course, we will be able to tell only after our volunteer period. But after this course I feel more secure and well prepared for my time in Sierra Leone.+

Annika Paasman

Orientation Course for Volunteers 2004/2005
December 12 – 14, 2003 at Elstal/Berlin
Further information and registration : EBM/MASA

Please pray for the assignments of our volunteers. You may also support the work by donating money earmarked “Volontariat”; Project Number 1800.

  YES, I will help!

<== back