Update from the Andersen’s
Hello friends!
We arrived back from Iraq/Kurdistan a week ago and all the unpacking, washing and getting back into routines are done!
We’ve been so blessed to have traveled more these past 2 months and to see God move in people’s hearts, to met incredible people serving in the nations and to have experienced His provision!
Ålesund DTS
Gøran was invited to teach on Discipling the Nations/Evangelism for this DTS’s last week of lectures. It was perfecting timing to equip them with tools and techniques for sharing the Gospel on their outreachs. We both got to share different stories with the class and minister to them individually.
Laura’s brother is a student on this school which was such a beautiful God moment to see him on his DTS chasing after God since we’ve been encouraging him to do one since he was 16 (he’s now 23)!!!
Turkey/Iraq/Kurdistan
Gøran was also invited to share on the first ever DTS to be run in Kurdistan by our previous leaders from Turkey. We have also been feeling that God has been moving our heart more towards Turkey these last few years so we were able to take a few days in Izmir before flying to Iraq to scout out potential opportunities and to be lead by Pappa. We really feel like He’s moving our hearts and speaking some direction but we need to pray into things more before we share anything…. da da da cliff hanger!
We then flew to Erbil, Iraq and drove 2hrs to where the team was in Duhok.
Gøran was sharing about evangelism this week as well.
We visited a refugee camp that our friends work with and got to meet some children and the people who work there – Emi had a great time, Middle Eastern cultures LOVE babies so he was definitely the star of the show!
Krussetreff
We arrived home and then the next day Gøran was out again sharing at Krussetreff (a big meeting/party for all the christian students who are doing their last year of school, it’s a safe place for them to have fun, dance, praise Jesus etc..)
He got to lead 150-200 students out to do evangelism in the city! Many of these youth had never done evangelism before but after having done it, left saying “why haven’t I done this before, I want to do it more!”
Some saw healings, other got to share the gospel but most importantly they stepped out in faith and out of fear of man and gave it a go!
TESTIMONY
It’s been so special for me (Laura) to be able to join these trips with Gøran. Yes, it probably would’ve been easier and cheaper for him to go alone. But we really feel God has called us to do missions as a family and we want to stay true to that. Throughout these past years with Chronic Fatigue I’ve held onto the hope that I would one day be able to do trips again and that it wouldn’t look like me just being stuck in a room the whole time.
These two trips I’ve joined have given me sooo much hope for the future and it showed me that even though I’m not 100% healthy it’s still possible for me to join and to be present in ministry and available for God to use me. I’ve seen it’s possible for me to do it with Emanuel and that God really gives grace for each moment.
Is it challenging? Yes. Am I more exhausted than if I stayed at home? Yes. But the way God has met my heart and encouraged me through the people we’ve met is 100 x worth it!
I just want to encourage you to remember the dreams God has given you. He is faithful to fulfill them, even if it looks different to how we thought it would. Don’t put boxes on God or yourself, He’s way more creative than us so lean into the scary/unknown and trust.
I’m working on it, so we can try together!
ARE YOU BETWEEN 15-27 YEARS OLD?
On August 5-9th Gøran and a team will be running a week long bootcamp called Catch the Wave!
If you desire more of Jesus, wanna be more equipped to share the gospel and love to spend time in worship with other hungry hearts then check out the link below!
