Journey that gave us renewed focus

Hearing a missionary couple talk had a massive impact on John Young who leads Leigh Elim church in Essex.

In October 2023, by God’s plan, I heard Alan and Alice Osborne talk about serving as Elim missionaries and moving to Estonia to support the Estonian Christian Pentecostal Church movement.

That day, I heard God say to me that I was to take a mixed team from our church and the Believers in Recovery group that we host to Estonia for a ten-day mission.

It was our first mission for the 12 of us, aged from 16 to 75 years, and with a variety of backgrounds and skills.

An immense amount of pre-trip planning and administration was needed, but help came from the Elim Missions department from the start.

After enjoying our first day looking around Tallinn, and hearing about a revival in the 1970s, we ministered in three churches on the first Sunday.

Afterwards we travelled to the Village of Hope, where addicts go to find the love of Jesus, gain valuable skills, and find acceptance and self-worth. We took part in their meetings with worship, Word and ministry.

The leaders there had practical jobs for us, which enabled them time to do other things.

We also held a water baptism in the cold, deep river for one of our team, cheered on by members of the village.

It was sad to say goodbye, but Alan and Alice took us to the islands of Muhu and Saaremaa, where we stayed for five nights.

We ministered at three different churches and a care home, and did street evangelism and leaflet drops in two towns – helping a new church establish its presence in one town.

… story continues