TeenStreetGermany06Metamorphosis

1) Introduction

Over 3,800 people took part in the TeenStreet Germany congress in Offenburg at the beginning of August. Teenagers, leaders and volunteers from more than 25 different nations gathered to explore the theme of Metamorphosis - the heart of change.

Excited teens packed into the main hall in Offenburg's Messehalle exhibition centre for the opening night. With a countdown from ten to one, the youngsters cheered and clapped the start of the long-anticipated congress.

"Everyone has a chance to be changed by God but it's your own decision to make that step," explained Dan and Suzie Potter as they introduced the theme with Josh and Debs Walker.

"We want you to know that change comes from being in Jesus, not from trying to become better," they shared. "Metamorphosis is about embracing change and living it out. Our desire is to see you recognize who you really are in Jesus, to live passionately and to see Him use you to change the world."

2) Expectations and first impressions

Teens from across Europe and as far afield as South Korea, Japan and the USA arrived expecting God to work in their lives.

A group of girls from the north of Germany shared their thoughts on the first evening. "It's very interesting to see so many people from different nations and cultures - sometimes, I admit, it's a little overwhelming," they said.

"We are really looking forward to the coming week. You don't always experience living together with so many Christians. It's not normal but very special! We have even met friends again that we haven't seen for a while.

"You should see our accommodation. We sleep there with "only" hundreds of other girls. We had to squeeze together a little bit or maybe you can also say nestle :-) But it's OK!

"This evening there was the launch of TeenStreet Germany 2006. That was definitely cool. The spirit in the main hall was awesome. Everybody just waited for the starting signal. Everybody was cheering. Then Dan & Suzie and Josh & Debs Walker explained the theme of the week. It's about Metamorphosis. It really hit us what they said and we desire that change for ourselves."

3) The Flood

by Annegret Reichel
Final preparations were underway for the start of TeenStreet Germany 2006 when the hard working preparation team faced another challenge.

Corinna is leader of CleanStreet - TeenStreet Germany's cleaning team. At 4.30 a.m. on Saturday her cell phone rang. Outside it was raining cats and dogs. The message: "Flooding in the service team tent!"

"Wonderful weather!" she thought ironically, as she put on her raincoat and headed out.

This wasn't the first time that such a message had demanded an immediate response from the cleaning team. On Thursday evening the tent where the service team sleeps was flooded ankle-deep at the back because one of the drains was blocked. Water flooded into the tent and poured down from the roof like a waterfall while the drenched cleaning team tried to use buckets to bail out the tent.

On Friday the meteorological station had issued a thunderstorm warning for the Offenburg area. Nobody expected it to be as bad as the previous day. But when the Service Team tent flooded for a second time, Corinna and her team sprang into action and were soon mopping up the water.

Afterwards, in spite her fatigue, Corinna could still say with a laugh: "The flooding wasn't the worst; the worst was no breakfast before going to work. I love to eat!"

4) Raising money, losing hair

by Lesley Perez

Timmy Austin from Northern Ireland volunteered to come early and help out at TeenStreet Germany this year. He also volunteered to lose approximately 24 cm of his hair.

After seeing a video about the Ukraine, this year's Teens Need Teens (TNT) project, Timmy wanted to help raise money for the cause. Most of the staff and teenagers at TeenStreet do this by participating in a race.

"I thought I'd really like to do something for that, but I don't like running," Timmy said. "They [some TS staff] thought it was a great idea [to cut my hair] but I didn't think they'd do it."

But word of the idea spread among the TeenStreet service team until Timmy finally agreed to cut his curls if 210 was raised for TNT. So at dinner one night a few buckets were passed around as Timmy sat with scissors to his head.

As the final count of 240 came in, Timmy's hair began to hit the ground.

"My hair's not that important. It wasn't a lot to give up," Timmy said. "It's only hair. It'll grow back."

And although Timmy says he's now a little colder without his hair, he's happy knowing the money is going towards a good cause.

And in addition to the funds, Timmy has also inspired others. "He stepped out of his comfort zone and cut his hair completely," commented one of Timmy's friends. "Sometimes you have to do radical things to get radical results."

5) TS:PRAY

by Tobias Hampe

At TeenStreet participants are encouraged to pray and praise God in creative ways. On Tuesday morning (August 8) all of the teens gathered in the open air to spend time praying together.

Like Moses in Exodus 3:4-6, they were asked to take off their shoes as they recognised that they were in the presence of our holy God.

Taking a nail in their hands, they stopped to think about how much Jesus had to suffer for us to set us free from sin.

Praying for friends or family members who are not Christians was a moving experience for many. Each participant wrote down the name of one person who is on their heart. These names, each written on a small piece of paper, were collected in a large bowl.

One participant said: "I prayed for my best friend. He is just about to become Christian."

Seeing the overflowing bowl another participant said: "It's very moving to imagine that all of the people whose names are in the bowl could become Christians!"

Thinking about the wider world, the teens wrote the words 'War' and 'Peace' on a sheet of paper and were encouraged to think what these words bring to mind. Many of them thought about the current political situation in the Middle East which naturally led to prayer.

Towards the end of the prayer time, people across the site stood up one after another holding a red paper to symbolise the spread of HIV / AIDS. The teens learned that every second one person is infected with the deadly virus.

The morning ended as each group shouted out in their own language, "God is good, His love endures forever" - a celebration of our unity as well as our diversity.

6) TNT Race

By Annegret Reichel

On Tuesday (August 8) around 1000 teens and their leaders took part in the Teens Need Teens (TNT) obstacle race at TeenStreet Germany. TNT provides opportunities for young people to reflect Jesus and make a difference in the world. The race is also one of the highlights of the TeenStreet Germany congress each year.

It took 100 volunteers to set up the obstacle course around the site in Offenburg. Runners had to overcome balance beams and money bars, a slalom course and a slope made slippery with soap and water!

Crazy costumes added to the fun and there were prizes to be won. Among the prize winners were a pair of alpine skiers and Asterix and Obelix!

A team of 40 people from Poland used the theme of Metamorphosis for their costume design, dressing up as a huge caterpillar. Just before passing the finish line each person emerged from under the caterpillar dressed as a beautiful butterfly; a real metamorphosis!

More serious runners raised sponsorship for the race with one runner completing 20 laps of the course. Already a total of €13,000 has been raised through donations and further gifts are expected to help gypsies in the Ukraine -this year's TNT project.

7) TNT Project 06
by Pam Griffin

Imagine being dirty all the time because you don't have any soap or water. Imagine being hated and despised by your neighbours. Imagine living in a house made out of mud, straw and rubbish in freezing temperatures with no toilets, no doctors and no money. This is the situation faced by thousands of gypsy teenagers in Ukraine every day.

Lisa Howard, the organiser of TeenStreet Germany's TNT race, has visited the gypsies. She says, "About 4,000 Hungarian gypsies live in Mucaceve. Almost all are illiterate, there are no jobs and children do not go to school.

"Many families have five or more children and often they have only one or two small rooms in a house. Streets are filled with rubbish and there seems to be a general feeling of hopelessness and despair."

The money raised by the TNT race in Germany supports two projects that started last summer in western Ukraine. A youth development project is helping gypsy teenagers to lean about God.

Last year, OM Ukraine used most of the TNT funds to host a free 10-day camp for 110 gypsy teenagers. Most gypsies are extremely poor and for many the camp was the first time they'd stayed outside their village! This year there will be another five-day camp for around 70 teenage gypsies, which will be paid for by the TNT race money.

The Building Project aims to provide a church and school in Uzhgorod on the Ukrainian / Hungarian border. The local Baptist church has started a primary school for children from three gypsy neighbourhoods in the same rented building they use for Sunday services.

With funds from last year's TNT race, OM Ukraine helped the church to sort out legal documents so that they could buy a piece of land. This year's TNT funds will go towards the actual construction of the building, which will serve as a church on Sundays and a school during the week!

8) TeenStreet Germany Fun Facts
Did you know?
* CleanStreet (TeenStreet cleaning team) buys one roll of toilet paper for every person - that's almost 4,000 rolls in one week.
* Participants eat 1,200 kilos of cereal during TeenStreet.
* World News worship band members Reni and Elisha fell in love when they were just nine and 11 years old!
* The kitchen prepares 11,700 meals per day - that's more than 90,000 meals during TS, which is enough to feed one person for their entire lifetime.
* The oldest coaches (small group leaders) these years were from the Faroe Islands. At 69 and 70, they were sleeping on the floor with their teens!
* Teens from Japan travelled the furthest distance to get to TS: 9,000 km
* The Polish Metamorphosis caterpillar that ran the TNT race had 80 legs.



9) Don't forget who you are:
As TeenStreet Germany 06 came to an end, leaders looked back on a week of change and transformation in the lives of the teenagers.
For some, the TeenStreet week was the first time they had realised the need to develop a real relationship with Jesus. Others came with serious issues in their life and had the chance to talk and pray about these things. Still more were making significant decisions about their future and hearing God's call on their lives.
As they prepared to go home, Dan and Suzie Potter, together with Josh and Debs Walker shared a final message of encouragement.
God doesn't want you to go home with fear, but filled with His Spirit and with truth. The biggest lie is that it can't be done. But God's Spirit in us will continue to help you grow and He will continue to speak to you at home.

You can't go in your own strength. He is not sending us home alone. It's a together thing. His Holy Spirit is within us allowing us the opportunity to be who we are and fly. If God is really speaking to you and you're seeking Him then He will bring you through the year and beyond.
"Be confident in who you are in Him so that during the year you do not try to meet your needs through others or things or even from yourselves. When our needs are fully met in Jesus we can enjoy the things He gives without them owning us.

"It's not about what you're going to do; it's about who you're going to be. It comes back again to really understanding who you are."