Summer ministry highlights: Youth Work

Well it’s been a while since I’ve sent out an update, and for that I’m very sorry. I’m hoping to send out a series of emails, each one detailing a different area of ministry while I’m here in Spain. My time here is simply flying by, and I’ve been staying busy with work in my father and grandfather’s separate ministries.


In this email I want to highlight the ministry the Lord has given me with the young people here. It’s been exciting to see what the Lord has done since I was last here in Spain. Between the two churches here (my dad’s and grandfather’s), we have quite a large group of young people. This summer, I’ve been bringing the two groups together every Saturday for a combined “youth activity.”

One thing the Lord has been teaching me lately is the importance of quality time in His Word. Not simply time spent with the Bible open before you, but a time of actual learning and growth. So using that as kind of theme with the young people, I gave each one a simple Bible reading schedule, and during the time when we come together, I’ve encouraged them to share what the Lord has been teaching them throughout the week. It’s been a neat thing so far, and it’s encouraging to see them respond to the program. Please pray that the Lord will use this summer in each of the young peoples’ lives.


But here’s a few pictures of what’s been going on.

Each time we get together, begin by spending a while singing choruses. People get to share a favorite, and we’ll sing 10-15 songs or so. We’ve been going to different parks in the area each time we meet, and it’s always fun to see people’s reactions to a happy group of people singing enthusiastically…

DSC02184

After singing, we have the time of sharing from the Bible. I give the young people a chance to talk about something they’ve read from the reading schedule. Afterwards, I share a longer thought as well. This is one of my favorite times, because I get to see a little of what the Lord is doing in their lives as well.

100_2104

When we’re through, we’ll go ahead and eat sandwiches or whatever people brought with them, and then divide up into groups and spread out into whatever town we’re meeting in. We bring tracts, so we all spend a while passing out tracts to those in the park and out in town. Between all of us, we can usually hand out quite a few tracts!

After everything is done, we’ll usually come back together and goof off doing something. We’ll play soccer or volleyball, or throw a frisbee around. Everyone ends up having a great time together.

100_2107

I’ve been very happy with the time we’ve had together so far. My prayer is that God will use this summer to help each one grow closer to Him. I trust the lord will use the time we spend passing out tracts as well.


As always, thank you for your prayers. God bless,

David
Ps. 34:3

Home again!

Praise the Lord, I’m back in Spain. I thank the Lord for the great time I’ve spent in the US the past 9 months, but I feel like I’ve just made it home again. I flew into the Madrid airport Friday last week after a pretty much uneventful flight across the Atlantic.

I’m really looking forward to this upcoming summer. I’ve already been busy here, and had a great time with my family. My brother Mark is back here from college for the summer, so I’ve been spending a lot of great time with him.

In the next few weeks I’m hoping to detail more specifically a few of the ministries I will be involved in this summer. My biggest goal this summer is to help serve my grandfather Al Bonikowsky’s church in Irun. I will be spending a lot of time there, Lord willing.

For now though, I’ll just share a few pictures.


20110517 borda work (2)One thing keeping me busy this summer will be the ongoing work at the Aierdi Farmhouse. Whether it’s construction, renovation, or work on the grounds, there is always more to be done than time to do it.

Here my brother Mark and I are preparing the roof of an old barn for a cement cap. One project this summer will be to replace the leaky, several-hundred-year-old roof with a modern one. Of course, our goal is to get it done without having the whole structure cave in as we do it!


20110515 IBEV (1)

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach from one of my favorite passages in the Bible, Psalm 34. It was also the first time I’d spoken Spanish in a while :).

This is the church I grew up in, and it’s always such an encouragement to be with the believers there. They’ve always grown stronger every time I come back to see them.


Please pray for me this summer. I am really looking forward to what the Lord has planned. I think it will be a stretching time for me in many ways.

God bless,

David Bonikowsky
Ps. 34:3