![\"Volunteers](\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-7.jpg\")
<\/a>The property on which the Koivikko Lifestyle Centre is built was once a government boarding school facility that was bought by a local church in Finland. According to former NNSW pastor and Koivikko volunteer, Kyle Morrison, the desire of the local church is to \u201cset up a community centre of influence, to teach lifestyle medicine principles and advance the gospel\u201d.<\/p>\n
The volunteers worked in teams, each with an allocated group leader. Teams worked on assigned projects in two sessions: morning and afternoon, preparing the rooms for various purposes. Different projects included electrical work, bathroom renovation, and the refurbishment of a top floor building that was used to host a worship night on the last Sabbath of the trip.<\/p>\n
Avondale University student Kate Simpson shared that many of her hours at Koivikko were spent painting, while others \u201cripped out cupboards, scraped off wallpaper, sanded . . . [and I] helped in the kitchen and babysitting department to allow others to work\u201d.<\/p>\n
Aside from renovating, the team also had the opportunity to do outreach. \u201cOne of the events was a \u2018stand\u2019 in a local shopping mall where we were offering people shoulder massages, healthy desserts and an invitation to a health program at Koivikko,\u201d Miss Simpson added.<\/p>\n Smaller teams also took part in letterboxing, which included walking through snow and ice to deliver evangelistic material. From this outreach, 22 people from the community signed up for the advertised health program and two people requested a copy of the\u00a0Great Controversy<\/em>.<\/p>\n Avondale University Church associate pastor and mission trip organiser Morgan Vincent shared that the spiritual aspect of the trip was the highlight. \u201cFrom the worships we had each day, you could sense throughout the two weeks or so we\u2019ve been here, that people were growing in their faith. When you place people in the right environment, they can only grow,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Many young people made commitments for baptism and most pledged to be involved in mission in their local churches.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really want to see a partnership between the NNSW Conference and Koivikko and we desire to see many trips happen in the future,\u201d added Mr Vincent.<\/p>\n<\/a>
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