Practice hospitality

Our ministry starts with hospitality. Only when we meet the physical needs of the travelers, we will get the opportunity to serve their spiritual needs. So, pull up your sleeves and give us a hand! The first objective is to meet the physical needs of the travelers. Because they are looking for a place to stay, we provide them with clean dormitory style accommodation, hot showers, a free breakfast, and a smile. Although we are a Christian non-profit organization, we want to be a quality hostel that meets all of todays standards regarding hygiene, safety, comfort and hospitality. In other words, we want to be a great hostel to stay at!

Being a staff member, therefore, involves a lot of practical hostel work. The major tasks are reception and cafe. As the receptionist you will welcome the travelers, assign the beds, do administrative tasks, provide information, take care of the money, answer phone calls, keep an eye on the security, etc. In the cafe you will prepare and serve light meals, drinks and snacks, as well as taking care of cleanliness and the general atmosphere. We expect from our staff members that (after being trained) they can do these tasks rather independently and are able to make responsible decisions. Someone from the management team is usually present in the hostel, but he or she is primarily dealing with policies and long-term planning, leaving the daily activities to the staff.

It is important to realize that running the hostel is the basis for our ministry. As a staff member, you will spend about five and a half hours a day working at reception, cafe, or elsewhere in the hostel. You will see that, when our accommodation, service and hospitality are outstanding, travelers will open up to talk about spiritual things. Your practical service, given with kindness and joy, can be the starting point of a meaningful contact with a guest in the hostel.

Participate in community

Besides a place to rest and retreat, the staff accommodation is also a place for community and fellowship. There are small group meetings and times of prayer and worship. It provides the oppurtunity to encourage each other and to build up the team. It is a place where you can mature as a Christian and develop social and leadership skills. The staff house provides small dorms (for two or three persons), a big community room, library, internet and other facilities. The building is only a short bike ride away from the Shelter City hostel (ten minutes) and the Shelter Jordan hostel (five minutes). There are also class rooms for the Ministry Training Program. Our training program aims to equip you for practical hostel service, evangelism, spiritual growth and Christian living. Our desire is that the program will prepare you for your time of ministry in Amsterdam and beyond.

Pursue hearts for Jesus

As a staff member you will have many opportunities, therefore, to engage in personal conversations with guests and hopefully share the hope that is in you. We expect our staff members to have a heart for people, be outgoing, and to have a desire to communicate Christ.

Ways in which we communicate the Gospel:

• practical service and hospitality
• conversations with individual guests
• brochures and books with the Gospel message
• daily Bible study
• creative arts: music, drama, film, testimony
• special celebrations and meals