Six countries, six cities, and 29 days later we’re home. Home with memories, stories and experiences that will never be forgotten. Was it worth it? Did you learn anything? Yes and Yes! There is no doubt in my mind that this trip was influential, both in our own lives and in the lives of those we came in contact with. It was certainly educational.

Each of us has been challenged to rethink our thoughts on evangelism. What is it? What does it look like? Is it a plan or a program? Or is it a part of who we are? We were each challenged to speak to people and not at them, to love them despite obvious differences, and to actually listen. We all had to take a hard look at ourselves and whether what we did on our trip was something we do at home in our everyday lives. Do we pray daily for opportunities to speak to people about what God has done in our lives? Do we look for ways to serve and encourage complete strangers and friends? We all gained an appreciation for our American heritage but simultaneously were convicted of our cultural self-centeredness and unawareness. How many languages do we actually speak? Do we know anything of other cultures beyond our own? Our view of the world has been broadened dramatically. As we stared at masterpieces and monuments, viewed the delicacies of tulip fields, and stood at the base of enormous snow covered mountains our view of the sovereignty and magnitude of God was deepened significantly. We each learned so much and it could never be summarized in one letter. In fact, much of what we learned will not dawn on us for several days and weeks.

During our travels I heard a quote that stuck with me and seemed to give encouragement each time I read it. The quote was, “Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world.” How fitting for our trip and our “small group.” We met people from 22 different U.S. states and over 20 countries around the world. We met students from USC, the University of Georgia, NYU, and Iowa St. to name a few. We talked with stonemasons, graphic artists, casting agents, ministers, and lawyers. We literally crossed paths with the world every day and had countless opportunities to share our faith and our stories of God’s grace with each one. There is no doubt in my mind that our small group of travelers influenced the world for the kingdom of God. Was it worth it? Did we learn something? Absolutely!      -Neal

It’s good to be back, but what an invaluable experience we had! First of all, I would not have traded this past month for anything! It was not at all what I expected, yet God managed to work in me in spite of the limitations I had initially placed on our trip in the back of my mind. It was so cool to see the same Lord I know move in different countries, different languages, and different people. I loved meeting people in each city who loved God and were following after Him, and I loved meeting others who were so far away from God and knowing that the Lord was pursuing them too. Traveling around among these different cultures really opened my eyes to see what God is doing around the world. I’ve said for so long that I feel God calling me to ministry/missions yet I know so little about “the nations.” I know God has a heart for “the nations” and therefore I want to as well. It was a good learning experience.

Every city we traveled to, hostel we stayed in, train we rode on, and conversation we had offered brand new opportunities to step away from comfort, apathy, and selfishness and into the boldness, confidence, and compassion that comes through Jesus Christ. We purposed to be constantly aware of the people around us, always looking for opportunities just to be Christians among them. Sometimes that meant not always pushing the Gospel presentation in outline form down their throat (as I think some expected us to do) and sometimes that meant listening to their stories, their hurts, and things they were interested in and not condemning them or gasping when they cursed or smelled bad or got drunk the night before.

Evangelism looks different in my head now. Before it was something you did, now I’m confident it’s the way you live – who you are. I found myself getting frustrated a lot with the fact that we weren’t making contact with more people and being able to share more with them. And now, back in the states, I find myself thinking the same thing – why am I not taking more of an initiative to reach out to more people? The trip definitely motivated me to bring what I learned there back home, and put this “new evangelism” into practice – to stop asking questions and get out there.     -Jenny

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”           1 Corinthians 15:58

Wow! Where do I start? This trip has opened my eyes in so many ways that it’s hard to describe. The first few days were difficult, I must admit, because so much adjustment on my part was required. I was forced to completely rethink the word evangelism and what it meant to me. I’ve learned that sometimes it doesn’t always mean laying out the plan of salvation by using a clever acrostic or the “Roman Road”. Sometimes, I have become convinced; it means simply living a life that is unmistakably saturated with the message of God’s love. It means immersing yourself in the lives of those who aren’t your typical “churchgoers.” It means weaving the importance of my faith into everyday conversations. It’s not based on judgment or condemnation, but instead on grace.

We learned to model our philosophy of evangelism from Jesus’ own example. Was he not often found eating at the homes of sinners, making friends with prostitutes, and associating Himself with the most unlikely people? His ministry was built on relationships and therefore, we sought to build ours on that too. We had the opportunity to come in contact with people from literally all over the world. Our goal at each of these encounters was to leave them with hopefully a better understanding of what the word Christian means. But not only that, we saw it as an opportunity to learn.

Another one of our objectives on this trip was to broaden our horizons by being able to experience other cultures. As a result, we definitely gained an appreciation for America, but also were brought to the realization that there is so much we take for granted. It was very interesting to observe other cultures and see the differences of what is important to them and what isn’t. From affirming that deodorant is not a high priority in France (as we suspected), to enjoying the simple life in Switzerland, to seeing the extreme devotion that the people of Rome gave to the pope; it never ceased to amaze me the diversity that exists just a plane ride away. And the most incredible part is that amidst all of that diversity God remains the same God. From the canals of Amsterdam to the Alps of Switzerland, He is unchangeable and we can never escape His love…no matter where or how far we go!     -Amanda

I have been home for a few days now and have found it pretty easy to readjust to the time difference. I must say it is odd waking up in my room without five other people in it. It is hard to believe that the trip has ended after preparing for it for so long. I am so glad I was able to go.

God definitely showed me, personally, some areas I need to continue to work on. The biggest area is definitely the way I minister to others. I have learned that sharing my passion with strangers is not that hard. I learned that while it is important for me to share how Christ's love has affected my life, it is equally important for me to listen to others and what their passion is... to show that I really do care, even if they don't agree with my beliefs. I realized that it isn't my job to try to convert people. It is my job to love people in the same way that Christ loves me.

I also learned to become more aware of the people around me. On this trip I would pray for God to have me cross paths with someone I could talk to about Him. I was searching for someone to talk WITH instead of talking TO. Before this trip I would just wait for those opportunities to come, I was not seeking them out. Midway into the trip I became frustrated because I did not feel like I was doing enough. This got me thinking about why I don't get that frustrated back home. And again it was because back home I was not seeking the opportunities. It is amazing how God can use our frustrations to teach us something valuable. Keep praying for me that I would stay faithful in talking with others and keep praying for those we did get to share with that God would continue to reveal Himself to them. Thank you    -Rebecca

The sights of Rome have been interesting. Maybe more so than the other sights in other cities we’ve visited, primarily because of the history and the connection to church history.

Today we went to the Coliseum. It was amazing. Great pictures, great history, great all around. At one point it held 73,000 people to watch gladiator games. It was a place where gladiators fought to the death and crowds cheered as man and animal were mutilated and killed. There were festivals, we were told, where some 9,000 gladiators died over a period of days. It was intriguing and amazing to hear, but the thing I found most interesting was the subtle object placed at the entrance to the arena floor. There at the entrance to the arena where so many died and so many cheered for more, where so much enthusiasm and passion was given to blood thirsty games…was a cross.

It turns out that the Coliseum was used for something more than gladiator games. We were told that Christians were never martyred in the Coliseum. Most certainly in other arenas like Nero’s Circus which is where the Vatican now stands, but never in the Coliseum. So the cross didn’t stand as a reminder of the many martyrs that died. That would certainly make for an interesting story. Rather it stood as a reminder of the subtle influence Christians had on a city and a building known for its pagan and barbaric practices.

We learned that the appeal of these bloody gladiator games diminished over a period of time and ultimately was lost all together. We were told by our archeological guide that it was the influence of Christianity that caused such a dramatic change in Rome’s history. That as Christians influenced Rome, the Coliseum’s main purpose diminished and soon a church began to meet in it for times of worship.

So the cross stands in the Coliseum today as a reminder of the influence of Christianity and as a reminder of the church that met there so long ago. Today people from all over the world enter the Coliseum hoping to see a little piece of history. And what they see and hear is the story of the Coliseum and the story of the Cross.

As I think back on the Coliseum and the cross that stood there, I think it is a fitting picture for what our trip has been about. Like the cross in the Coliseum, we stand as subtle reminders of what God has done for us, of Christ’s death, and of God’s justification of our sins. We stand as these reminders in a broken and chaotic world that celebrates pain and worships depravity, much like the Coliseum did.

Yet, in the end….the cross remains.   -Neal

Our team has been breathing a sigh of relief since we arrived in Switzerland. It's so nice to breath in clean air and to see mountains towering above us instead of skyscrapers!

Let me tell you about an encounter we had while visiting Jungfraujoch, the highest point in Europe. We were able to take a train there for the day and see some amazing sights that left us in awe of the beauty and magnitude of God's creation. While there Neal and I got a chance to hike to a little cafe that was at the top of a ridge nestled among the Alps. As we were enjoying a plate of rosti (European hash browns) a guy wandered over to our table and asked if he could look out the window right behind our table. We struck up a conversation with him and found out that he (James) was a Jewish lawyer from New York City who was taking some time between jobs to travel Europe. The conversation lasted about an hour and a half and the topics ranged from politics, to the morals of current politicians, to the 9-11 tragedy, to the discussion of a few different religions of our day. This of course was a perfect opportunity for us to share about our faith and pretty much lay out for James exactly what we believe. There was no dramatic conversion experience that day; however, James (who was not a practicing Jew) made the comment that he hadn't thought about "all this stuff" in over 16 years.

Looking back we count that conversation as a success because there in the Swiss Alps, at the highest point in Europe, two people from Alabama got to cross paths with a lawyer from New York City and God used that encounter to turn James' thoughts towards Him. It is our prayer that this seed that was planted will be watered and will grow into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.       -Amanda

So, we have been in Paris for a couple of days now. We have seen a few amazing sites and talked to a few people. But, before I get into talking about our experiences in Paris, I would like to share a little more about London. One of our last nights there, a few of us decided to see the performance of Les Miserables. This is an incredible musical that does a wonderful job of portraying forgiveness and grace. I thought this was wonderful. These are the same topics our group has been reading about in some of the books we chose to read for this trip. I also think it is amazing because I was able to have a deep conversation with a girl in Amsterdam about forgiveness. It seems to a reoccurring topic.

Well, once we arrived in Paris it was back to trying to figure our way around with limited language accommodations. We have been able to talk to a few people here. Hopefully our words and actions have blessed them in some way.

In our group Bible study Thursday night we really were able to share with one another how we feel challenged on this trip and how we have noticed things that we need to change about ourselves when trying to minister to others. I found II Timothy 2:7 to be very encouraging, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power of love and of self-discipline." Wow, What a great gift

I can tell God is working in this group, it's just not always the way I would expect. However, God's ways are higher than mine and that in itself is encouraging.        -Rebecca

Well here we are in London and the cold weather continues. I think it must be following us from city to city, but we have heard from other travelers that we have met along the way that Rome is much warmer. This is encouraging since Rome is our final destination. London is much more expensive than the other cities we've visited. We've become very grateful for the ever cheap peanut butter and banana sandwiches!

Today we were able to visit 2 London churches. It was great to be surrounded once again by a body of believers! The churches however were completely opposite from each other in style but it was also interesting to see a bit of the variations of churches in the city. I think our team was really looking forward to attending the churches today because it has been really different for us not to be involved in our home churches since we've been gone. Please pray that God would bring us that "spiritual food" that we would normally get from our home churches. Our group is starting a Bible study through 2 Timothy in order to help keep each other in the Word and close to our Father.

I can already see ways that God is stretching each of us to consider methods of evangelism that we may not have thought about before. I think we all are also being taught the meaning of God's grace for all people in all walks of life. From meeting girls from Ohio in the laundry mat to talking with the maintenance guy who works in our hostel, I am being constantly reminded that "God so loved THE WHOLE WORLD that He gave His one and only Son..."        -Amanda

Tuesday was most definitely my favorite day. We finally got out of the big city and to a nice clean town where you can fill your lungs with fresh air and not worry about getting run over by a train or bicycle. Oddly enough the town's name is Harlem. It is a thirty minute train ride from Amsterdam. First on our agenda was the Cory Ten Boom house. It is the house where her family helped hide the Jews during World War II. We walked in with a small group of about 12. An old lady sat us all down and told us the entire story. It was great. It probably might sound boring but I promise it was good. Then we went to one of the best things I've ever seen in my whole life. It was the tulips garden of Holland. It's a must see. I don't want to ruin it by trying to describe it. Maybe we can put some pictures up. They still won't do it justice. As for the hostel, it is great. I love the ministry they have here. It's the cheapest hostel in town so everybody wants to stay here. The name says its a Christian hostel but it definitely draws all kinds of people. We have been able to have hours of conversation with Christians, Hindus, Stoners, and Searchers. I think the whole group is really making an impact.            -Brent

Click here to view a video message from the group at the VanGogh Museum in Amsterdam

We are in Amsterdam this week and all I can say is wow! This city is very different than home. They are very tolerant and open about drugs and sex. It really makes New Orleans look like Sunday School. The first night we got here we were able to go and worship at an American Church plant that meets in the attic of a house. It was really cool to worship with people from literally all over the world in such as small place. We've been challenged to think differently about our approach to evangelism. We met a couple of people at the church who were really able to encourage us just to meet people and give them a word of encouragement and a smile. We have also been able to meet a lot of people at this hostel. It's a Christian hostel but most of the people that stay here are not Christians, and we have been able to stay and play cards or just talk about our travels and what we do. God is really challenging us to be carriers of light in such a dark, lost city. He has really shown Himself strong in the last few days and I know He will continue to be faithful for the rest of our journey. Please pray that God will continue to encourage us through people like Jason and Kelly that we met at the church. Please pray that we will continue to have the boldness to seek opportunities to share his love. Also, pray that the weather gets a little warmer. It's colder than we expected and some of us are getting the runny nose. Most of the room in my bag is being taken by shorts I cannot wear! Thanks for your prayers and support.                 -Josh

We got to Berlin Friday morning early after an eight hour flight from NY - really excited, very tired. I think as soon as we walked into the Berlin airport we were all overwhelmed and probably had the whole deer-in-the-headlights look going. I don't think we expected the language barrier to be so great. Nonetheless, we decided to dive right into the sightseeing and people-meeting. This first leg of the trip was mainly time for us to bond together as a group and recoup from the seven hour time difference and jet lag. We have had fun getting to know each other better!

Yesterday we visited the remains of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie (a WW2 monument and museum), the Brandenburg Gate (a significant historical sight) and today we spent some time at a really big mall! We've definitely had a lot of time to observe culture, however, we've had trouble finding opportunities to talk to people because of the language differences, so please pray that would not be a barrier. We know that the same God that we worship is the God we want to offer to them, so also pray for specific opportunity for us to do that clearly. Thanks so much for your prayers!            -Jenny

Still hasn't fully hit me the size of what we will be doing. Six countries, six cities, for 29 days. The cities are some of the most historically significant and amazing cities in the world... Berlin, Amsterdam, London, PARIS, Interlaken, and Rome. I get to share this trip with five UM students... Amanda Green, Jenny Green, Brent Brown, Rebecca Reeves, Josh Taylor, as we travel from city to city staying in youth hostels. Obviously, we are going to have fun but the goal is to share our stories of what God has done in our lives while learning what He is doing elsewhere in the world. We are tourists who are always mindful of our faith and what the Holy Spirit is up to.

We left Mobile at 10:30 am on Thursday, stopped in Atlanta and again in NY where we picked up Brent. We had a pretty significant crew of parents and friends to see us off and pray with us. We have so many people praying for us... for protection, security, safety, divine appointments, etc. It's very encouraging. We are now on the last leg of our eight hour flight to Berlin. My prayer right now is that we continue our trip in safety, that we each wrap our minds around why we're here and what we're about, that we enjoy ourselves, have fun, and see God do great and miraculous things.          -Neal