30.07.2024

Learning a Lot: About Churches, Countries and Yourself

The UEM North-South Volunteers 2024/2025 with the preparation team during their visit in Mission House. Photo by: Naomi Simanjuntak, currently South-North Volunteer at UEM in Wuppertal

The ten-day seminar at the YMCA training centre in Wuppertal, Germany, is about preparing the young adults for a year of voluntary service in a member church of the UEM. The 16 young adults will be going to Indonesia, Rwanda, Tanzania or, with the North German Mission, to Ghana and Togo. The exchange with the South-North volunteers from Asian and African UEM member churches who are currently doing their service in Germany is particularly important.

"From my point of view, the departure seminar was very successful. It was a lot of fun, it was very intense, and at the same time the young adults were fully involved. This is not to be taken for granted, especially in such a long seminar!" Chantal draws a positive conclusion after the departure seminar. She was a UEM Volunteer in 2017/2018 and is now part of the four people team, preparing the young adults for their voluntary service. The team members are there for the volunteers, share their own experience and open spaces for the questions of the volunteers themselves.

Departing well prepared

In addition to issues of cultural understanding and health care, the seminar also deals with issues such as homesickness, grief and racism. Chantal has noticed some changes in the volunteers: "I think you could tell in the seminar how much the volunteers really put into practice what they had learned and how much they are aware of speaking from a white position." Anti-racist education is a particular concern of hers, especially in the field of volunteer work.

The UEM communion of churches invites young adults to do a voluntary service in another country. Young people from the continents of Africa or Asia come to Germany ("South-North") or do their service in another country in Africa or Asia ("South-South"). Young Germans do their voluntary service in countries in Africa or Asia ("North-South").

Ten days with lots of input, little sleep and long conversations with fellow volunteers in the evenings: the seminar is challenging for the volunteers. But it also gives them a lot. Nadine, who is going from Germany to Indonesia, says: "The seminar was actually essential to create a community that accompanies you throughout the year despite the distance, and that gives you love, affection and security. I am sure that I can turn to anyone with any questions."

We wish the young adults all the best and God's blessing for their voluntary service.

The UEM Volunteer Program:

Would you like to know more about the program and how to join UEM as a volunteer?

Here you find more information on how to apply and whom to contact with any questions:

Link to the volunteer program page