24 March 2022 | St Albans, UK [Vanesa Pizzuto]
On Wednesday 24th March, a group of One Year in Mission and Service (OYIMS) students from Newbold College of Higher Education met with the Trans-European Division (TED) leaders at the St. Albans office. The meeting was hosted by the TED to welcome feedback from the students which will be used to improve and expand the OYIMS programme.
In an open discussion session, led by Dejan Stojković, Youth Ministries director, students shared their appreciation for “deeply knowledgeable teachers” and the “relevant, eye-opening lessons”. They also expressed gratitude for the “free counselling sessions available” and the “tasty food and accommodation” provided. The student group also suggested they would like to have “more opportunities to serve in the local church” and an opportunity to “engage with other OYIMS students around the world.” All feedback was very much appreciated as it allowed “the students to shape and design the programme,” Stojković remarked.
Students enrolled in the OYIMS programme, study the theory of mission at Newbold for three months, before heading to the respective mission fields to apply what they learnt. During the meeting, representatives from Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) offices across the TED territory, shared details about upcoming projects available to students, with a variety of opportunities available in Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Cyprus. Students can choose to help migrants and refugees, support social enterprises – like honey production and fabric recycling – or teach English as a second language. Additionally, students can choose to serve anywhere else in the world through the Adventist Volunteer Service.
After the meeting was over, the students shared a lunch with the TED leaders and went for a visit to St. Albans Abbey. “Thank you for your insightful and clever remarks,” Raafat Kamal, TED president, said to the students. “We have taken note of what you have said and are already finding ways to expand this programme.”
