Our 3W Summer Intern Gina Shaner did an exit-interview for us and discussed her feelings and experiences with Three Worlds. We would like to thank her for the fantastic job that she did.
3W: Gina, you had 3 very different settings that you worked in during your internship: on the streets of Berlin, at a German youth camp, and traveling to Italy and Spain with the RC’s. Let’s start with your Berlin experience. What were your impressions of the city of Berlin?
My first impression of Berlin was of the vast beauty of the diversity of persons, cultures and expressions of self that walked down the street. The city itself functioned in a very organized, German way and was very easy to get around on public transit. The variety of ethnic food was amazing. One could eat a different ethnic food for every meal and not have a repeat for a week! However walking down the street there was a definite awareness of persons looking for a place to belong, it seemed that people were very detached from others, very caught up in their own world, very in need of hope.
3W: What was your ministry in Berlin like this summer?
The ministry that I did in Berlin was serving daily as a part of the ministry of not only the XZ Berlin team but also working with abused women on the street. This was an every weekday ministry. It was incredibly difficult, but such a practical place to serve those who live in lives of chaos. Though it was difficult to see the women knowing the difficulty and the abuses they live with, it was interesting to hear the women talk of the peace they experienced when they were with us. The work was also an experience of learning to care for women where they are, not for where we hope for them to be, but to be a friend to them right where they are. Offering them love in spite of the life they find themselves in.
3W: You also worked in the Church of God youth camp in Germany. What were your impressions of German teens in comparison to young people in the U.S.A.?
German teenagers have experienced so much more of life and have a more difficult environment in which to live out their faith than do most teenagers in the USA. The family environments of German teenagers are similar to US teenagers, but the school and church environments, from talking to the teenagers, seem to be the more challenging for the Church of God teenagers that I met. Many attend churches where they struggle to understand what is preached on Sunday mornings, with much of what is preached being over there heads. Also the teenagers in Germany live out their faith in a much more secular environments with fewer of their peers and classmates sharing a similar faith expression. I was impressed with the maturity of the German teenagers in comparison to many American teens that I have worked with, their understanding of what it meant for them to live as a follower of Jesus Christ was very encouraging.
3W: You also worked in the Church of God youth camp in Germany. What were your impressions of German teens in comparison to young people in the U.S.A.?
German teenagers have experienced so much more of life and have a more difficult environment in which to live out their faith than do most teenagers in the USA. The family environments of German teenagers are similar to US teenagers, but the school and church environments, from talking to the teenagers, seem to be the more challenging for the Church of God teenagers that I met. The teenagers in Germany live out their faith in a much more secular environments with fewer of their peers and classmates sharing a similar faith expression. I was impressed with the maturity of the German teenagers in comparison to many American teens that I have worked with, their understanding of what it meant for them to live as a follower of Jesus Christ was very encouraging.
3W: Do you have any special memories of the 3W Team in Germany (the Philips and the Varners)?
There were many special memories with the 3W Team. I really enjoyed driving down the highway hearing the history of Ludwig II and the history of Taco Bell’s International presence with Patrick and Jamie. The memories with the Philips were the many conversations we had driving, riding the bus and over meals. I really enjoyed the times preparing meals with Rhonda and running errands with Kelley. I also really enjoyed spending time observing and participating with Rhonda working in ministry on the streets of Berlin. The memoires I hold dear with the Varners are eating breakfast at TFZ and the many conversations shared on the trip to and while in Spain. Especially all the time we spent laughing and the many hours (it seemed) we spent looking for dining establishments.
3W: You also traveled with the Regional Coordinators to Italy and Spain. What were your impressions of the organizational and strategic side of ministry?
From the very beginning of my time with the Regional Coordinators I was curious to see how the organization and strategy side of the ministry of Three Worlds would look. The region of Europe and the Middle East are vast and incorporate cultures that are vastly diverse in their operation and personalities, so to think how to strategically direct a ministry that reaches the vastness of it I knew would have to be creative, but extremely specific. As I first read over the (Three Worlds Strategy Paper) and then continued the conversations while driving, eating dinner and exploring, I was amazed at how specific and thorough the strategy is. At first there were a few aspects that I was unsure of, but after conversations, visiting with leaders on the field and hearing of the issues that were being dealt with, I understood the need for each dynamic, spelled out in a specific plan. While it was helpful to read about the strategy and organization, the dots were even more connected for me, as I observed first hand how it played out on the field.
3W: Do you feel that you got to experience the Three Worlds? And how will that affect you in the future?
After spending my summer in three very different ministry contexts in Europe, I feel as if I was able to see the textbook case studies of my courses come to life. The three worlds’ and the challenges at play for missions in Europe were such a present part of the every day of my experience, that my eyes were able to focus more clearly to see the realities at play. The moment where I saw the cultures displayed most starkly was in the church in Vera. To see a church of Bolivian’s, expressing their faith and community in a Non-Western way, but in Post-Christendom context, was incredible. I was especially intrigued how the kids responded when we pulled out cameras. It was as if we were in a Bolivian village and we were entertaining the kids. This first hand experience of seeing how the three worlds’ exist in one context has transformed my way of thinking about ministry not only in Europe but even observing how the three worlds also exist in the North American context. The creativity and diverse range, requires thinking ahead and a strategic vision, it is very challenging but also exciting to see how God chooses to use his servants in these contexts.
3W: What did you learn about yourself this summer? Was the 3W internship helpful?
I discovered about myself this summer that I still have so much to learn. Living with the Philips and the Nachtigalls was an amazing opportunity, to learn what it looks like to be a missionary family in the day in and day out. How important it is for every member of the family to be willing to help and be flexible not only in ministry but also for each other, to whatever situations happen in that day. I learned from this that I am able to adjust more quickly in a culture when I can become a part of the family/team and serve in the ways that are presented.
Living as a missionary/missionary family, as I observed, means living on a sort of roller coaster. One day could be a quiet day with not much to do but rest, and the next three may be days that require you to literally fly at the speed of light. I learned that when there are quiet days it is a gift from God and to take that time to rest and rejuvenate for whatever may come next.
I also learned what it means for me to live and engage difficult people in the day to day. Difficult people can very easily turn ones attitude and journey into a negative attitude for the day or even week, but instead I had to learn to look at it as an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. It was an opportunity to offer love and grace when what was given was disrespect and disregard for any other opinion. Jesus handled these people with love and humility and at times strong words and I learned what this looked like fleshed out in more than one way this summer.
I learned that I work extremely well in a team environment. It was confirmed for me this summer working with the XZ team, working on the street ministry, and the Three Worlds team of the potential that a well-connected, and smoothly functioning team can have. The 3W’s internship was an incredible learning experience and a time of growth for me. I learned not only about living in the European context but what it means to live out of a suitcase and be flexible wherever I may be.
3W: What do you think about the situation of Christianity in Europe overall?
I think that Christianity in Europe is on the decline, as I was aware of before I came. However I think that the potential for God to do some amazing work through missionaries and leaders who are willing to think creatively and strategically is exciting. The field of Christianity is as diverse as the Three World’s but has the potential to be a place where the gospel explodes a new and afresh.
3W: After all of your hard work the first few weeks, you also got to do some sightseeing in Germany, Italy, Austria, and Spain. What were your favorite places or highlights?
Every place that we saw and visited in Germany, Austria and Italy was a top highlight. Neuschwanstein and Linderhof were incredible and the views were breathtaking. I enjoyed hearing the history of such an eccentric, interesting dude as Ludwig II. I loved Oberammergau, and looking at the various cemetery plots and the beautiful church. Also hearing the history of that part of Bavaria was very interesting especially in the context of some of their reasoning’s for hosting the passion play. The lake villages and cities that we visited, around Arco were stunning. One of my favorites parts of traveling was the meal times, when we set out to find a restaurant and ended up exploring quaint, charming little German, Austrian and Italian cities. To think that though these small streets reminded me of a walk through Walt’s Disney World, these were legit buildings that have seen decades of history. The day that we spent in Verona was a highlight, the opportunity to visit the famously depicted balcony of Juliette and the coliseum. To think of the events that have taken place within the walls of the coliseum and what connections and similarities it held to many of the narratives and places that Paul journeyed is incredible. The highlights of our time in Spain was to be able to visit the Sagrada Familia, to see the hundreds of hours and many years that have been spent working on the majesty of one building. Though its beauty is incredible it seemed almost as a picture into the heart of Europe; beautiful buildings that stand empty, except for the throngs of tourists that come to enjoy its museum like qualities. I also enjoyed the day that we spent at the beach. Though it was similar to other beaches around the globe, the time to relax and process was a special time.
It's been busy lately (it's always busy in case you haven't noticed), because we have been preparing for our annual 3W Staff Meeting. All of our Three Worlds team comes to Berlin in September to discuss our team strategy, ethos, and vision for our region. It's always a fun time. The Simpsons are here from Bulgaria, the Oldhams flew in from the USA (and will be going to Egypt for the first time with Jamie on Friday to see their future home), and The Philips and Varners are here too. We've also invited special guest stars-Zach and Audrey from America via Liverpool where they work with the church in Birkenhead. It's a full-house.
Please say a little prayer for Marco this week as he starts 3rd grade at a new school. This is his 5th school. Despite all of our efforts to create stability, for reasons out of our control, he has had to be moved in and out of schools far more than we had ever planned. We are MK's/TCK's and we know how hard it is to be moved around and have to change schools. Marco is particularly tired of it since he had to start school at an earlier age than most kids because we lived in Hong Kong in the Chinese school system.
He's tired of having to say "goodbye," and tired of having to be the new kid yet again. And we're tired of it too. It's been a hard first week. At first we thought it was going okay, but it turns out he was just trying to put on a brave face. It's been hard. So say a little prayer for Marco in the coming weeks as he tries to make friends and adjust to school being in German and English.