The Shelter Youth Hostel Ministry

NEWSLETTER

Nr. 26 – June/July 2004       Editor: Auke Algera  Info: newsletter@shelter.nl

  NEW STAFF HOUSING

In previous newsletter issues we told you about the renovation of the Willemstraat building. This historic building in the centre of town will become the home of our staff teams as well as the Ministry Training Program.

The first and second floors (class rooms, kitchen and living room) are still being renovated. But the top floor with the staff accommodation has been completed. Half the staff of both hostels have already moved to their new rooms at the Willemstraat. 

 

RE-ENTRY

Coming to Amsterdam and joining the Shelter ministry sometimes is a culture shock. You have to get used to new people, a strange city, different kinds of food, for some even a change of climate. Compared to this, going back home should be easy. But often it is not.

We hear from ex-staff members that they find it difficult to make the transition from Shelter life to ordinary life at home. The re-entry is often harder than people anticipate, whether this relates to family life, employment, study, church life, or personal spirituality and devotion. Have you experienced something like this? Add your story to the web meeting point.

WEB MEETING POINT

Yes, this is new! The web meeting point gives you the opportunity to respond to a certain issue and read what other (ex/current/future) staff members have to say about it. We’ll start with your re-entry experience.
Tell us about your re-entry and read the stories from others. Please let us know what it was like what was most difficult, how did you deal with it, what tips and suggestions do you have for our current staff? E-mail your story to newsletter@shelter.nl You will be able to read about the experience of others on http://www.theshelter.nl/ministry/meetingpoint.html

VACANCIES

The Shelter YHM currently has the following (paid) job vacancies:

 

We are looking for a married couple to serve as Group Leader in the new living community for the staff. More info.

 

We are also looking for Ministry Supervisors (32 hrs/wk) for the hostels. More info.

IN OUR GARDEN

This spring, the tree in the garden of the Shelter Jordan was filled with beautiful pink flowers. We set the tables, so our guests could sit outside. A few guests helped us cleaning the garden and setting up everything. The guys who helped were some of the few non-typical tourists who are staying with us quite often. To them, the garden is the most important place in the hostel. They sit outside a lot, to think, to smoke or to drink coffee. These guests often stay for a few weeks and like to talk or play a game of chess with the staff.

Sometimes it is hard for us to know how to deal with them. When they are opening up to the staff and start to tell us about their lives, they struggle with life itself. They need a bed, a job, money, a bike, food and all the basics that everybody needs. Sometimes we can provide them with this, at other times we can’t. This is one of the most difficult parts of our ministry. We want to welcome people to develop friendships and talk about the Bible, but we also want to stick to the rules and boundaries that we set for all our guests.

 

Taka, our cleaning supervisor, reminded us this week that Jesus tells us that people are more important than rules. In Mark 2:23-28 Jesus tells us that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Of course we can’t be constantly changing our rules just to please different people. The point is whether we are doing things intentionally for the Kingdom of God. In order to provide shelter, we must learn to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty more and more. To ask Him to provide. To aks Him where he wants us to go and what he wants us to do.  

God has really blessed us in the last month. At the end of April and the beginning of May, God sent us three guys with a hunger for the truth. When we were sweeping the garden, to remove the flowers that had fallen from the tree, these guys were sitting outside and thinking about the things they had heard in the conversations and Bible studies with the staff. Two of them were American and one was Dutch. They stayed with us for a few weeks and all accepted Christ as their Saviour.

For me personally, it’s a great comfort to know that God sends hungry people and that the harvest is plenteous (Matthew 9:37-38) At the same time, I realize that the labourers are few and that they often struggle. It’s great to realize that the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath and the Lord of the harvest. He is in control and waiting for our prayers. Let’s pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth more labourers into his harvest, and that we, who are labouring where God has put us, always look up and expect everything from Him.

The poor and needy search for water, but there is none their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.

Freek Koster

PRAYER SUPPORT

·        Over the last month, three guests of the Shelter Jordan have come to faith. One of them is a Dutch guy who was seriously involved in the drugs scene. We praise God for changing these lives. Please pray for Maurice, Ace and Nick as try to step away from their old way of life and start their walk with Christ.

·        We are expecting some changes in the management teams of the hostels. See also the vacancies mentioned in this newsletter. Pray for the right persons to apply, and for wisdom and God’s guidance in the selection process.

·        In the first months of this year we had a smaller number of guests staying with us than in the same period last year. Will you pray that more tourists will choose the Shelter’s over other hostels?

·        We are thankful for our current staff teams and for the fact that we have already enough people signed up for the coming two months.

·        Please continue to pray for our staff and their ministry to the guests in the hostels: making contacts, building bridges, and communicating Christ in a relevant way.

WEDDINGS

Jaap Oudman and Johanna van Stapele are getting married on Sunday 6 June in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. (If you happen to be in the area, the service will be at  14.00 in Natuurvriendenhuis Banjaert, Burg. Rothestraat 53A). Contact: Johanna@city.shelter.nl

 

Dennis Leydecker and Jorien Vonk plan to get married on Wednesday 7 July in Amsterdam (14.30 service at Begijnhof, 16.30 reception at the Shelter City). Contact: dennis@city.shelter.nl

 

Ferdinand Ploegman hopes to marry Rianne Vuijk on Thursday 19 August in Amsterdam (14.15 civil ceremony at the Stopera, followed by a meal in the Oosterpark, and a party starting at 19.00 in the Oosterpark church). On Sunday 22 August there will be a special church service at the City Temple in London. Contact: fploegman@btopenworld.com

The Shelter Youth Hostel Ministry is a Christian evangelism ministry in the centre of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Our goal is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the 30,000 travellers who are staying each year in our two Christian youth hostels: The Shelter City and The Shelter Jordan. The ministry is part of the association Tot Heil des Volks, a non-denominational mission organisation registered in Amsterdam. Internet: www.theshelter.nl/ministry

Donations. The work of The Shelter Youth Hostel Ministry would not be able to continue without financial support. Help support this ministry! Read more at http://www.theshelter.nl/ministry/donations.html 

This Newsletter can also be found at www.theshelter.nl/news

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