Daniel spends most afternoons home alone, watching TV between 3pm and 9pm. He doesn’t have many friends, but the people he does hang out with are much older than him – around 16 or 17. They do not have a positive influence on Daniel. In fact, Daniel has no figure in his life providing a moral code. His situation, sadly, is typical for this area of East Berlin.
Formerly under the rule of communism, Berliners still feel the weight of their old life. A sense of hopelessness has been passed from one generation to the next. Though torn down, the physical wall that was erected during the Cold War remains standing in the hearts of many Berliners. Taught to be independent and self-sufficient, the people of Berlin have nowhere to turn when things fall apart. As the missionaries and congregation work to construct a church which will become the meeting place of the Evangelische Freikirche Berlin, it is their prayer that during this phase of building their presence will scatter seeds of hope in this city.
Daniel met the TREK team – a group of young adults from North America taking part in a 10 month discipleship and mission program with MBMSI – when the team spent a week teaching English at his school. Daniel came to visit the team at church, where they were helping with construction for 7 months. Throughout their stay in Berlin, the TREK team built a relationship with Daniel.
Loud and hard to handle, Daniel knows nothing about God, nor is he interested in learning. But he is interested in friendship. That’s why he kept coming back to the TREK team. Seeing the need to build relationships with kids Daniel’s age, the TREK team took the initiative to gather the kids in the area to teach them Ultimate Frisbee twice a week. Through this sports ministry they made connections with some of the kids in East Berlin as they poured out their genuine care. After Frisbee the group would sit together to enjoy ice cream and one another’s company.
Is there hope for Daniel and his friends? It is easy to see them growing up to be like those who walk the streets of East Berlin drunk on the weekends. But this relationship is sewing seeds in Daniel’s mind and putting questions in his head – seeds that may begin to grow and questions that he may seek to answer. Pray for a harvest in Daniel’s life and in the lives of all Berliners.
"In his name the nations will put their hope." – Matthew 12:21
Watch a video of the Germany TREK team.