The summer conferences at Brunstad Conference Center in Vestfold, Norway bring several thousand people each year to one of the year’s highpoints. Of these, many travel from outside of Norway, including from countries outside of what is considered “The West.”
The two conferences this summer are around the corner, and those who will be attending are looking forward to weeks packed with fellowship through edification and sharing their experiences from their faith and church lives.
While waiting for this influx of travelers, we at Brunstad.org would like to reintroduce our readers to some of the specially invited guests from the summer conference last year.
(This article was first published in August, 2011)
Charles came to Europe for the first time this year on August 5. After having visited friends from Brunstad Christian Church in different places in Europe, he is now at the summer conference at Brunstad. Charles is the headmaster of a school in Ogango. He is the father of twelve children, two of them adopted.
Ever since he came to the church in 1999, he has wanted to come to Brunstad to learn more from Brunstad Christian Church and the work the church is doing. “I have read much of the church’s literature and am gripped by the gospel. It has been my great longing to come to Brunstad and hear God’s Word from the brothers so that I can be a greater help in my home fellowship.”
When Charles travels home to his family and the church in Ogango, he is looking forward to putting the things he has learned at Brunstad into practice. “Everything I have learned here has become a great help for my personal life. By putting humility into practice – putting everything I have seen and heard into practice – I am able to help for the friends in Ogango.”
Daniel and Cynthia Onyango, from Nairobi, Kenya
Daniel, who is the leader of the church in Nairobi, is at Brunstad for the third time. This time he came with his wife on August 12 and will stay through August 29th.
“Brunstad is our place where we belong. Here we experience life, true salvation, and we receive a spiritual boost.”
The interactions this couple has had with different friends at Brunstad have been very significant. Outside of the meetings they actively participate in gatherings and conversations with new and old friends. They will take their experiences and what they have learned at the conference back with them and continue the work among their friends in Kenya.
Cynthia, who works with disadvantaged girls in Nairobi, has found it especially helpful to come to Brunstad and learn how to be more effective in showing care in her ministry at home.
Martin Tchouya from Douala, Cameroon
The church in Douala built their own meeting hall, where they meet three times a week to build each other up in their faith, and to enjoy activities with the children and youth.
Tchouya came to Brunstad for the first time in August 2010. This year he came again on August 12, ready for fellowship with the friends at Brunstad. His wife was planning to come with him, but she was not able to get a visa. Martin will return to Douala on August 21 with his two friends from Kenya.
“What I have received at Brunstad has helped me to understand that in order for me to be a help for the children and youth, I must be much more humble so I can listen to their needs and focus on what will help for them in their daily lives. Only then am I able to help them."
Tchouya says that he wishes his wife could have come so that she too, could be inspired in her ministry among the young girls and women in Cameroon. They especially need coworkers who understand their needs. He therefore hopes she can come with him to Brunstad another time.
Nsong Christoffer from Yaoundé, Cameroon
Christoffer (41) shares responsibility for the children’s and youth ministries in Yaoundé. His time at Brunstad has given him important ideas, which he wants to take home and share with his five children and with the children and youth in his home fellowship. The church in Yaoundé is the church in Cameroon that has grown the most. With support from Brunstad they will soon build a new conference center here. Naturally, that is something Christoffer is looking forward to.
Mèdard Nzuko from Bafoussam, Cameroon
“When I meet trials and difficulties, I have learned that God wants to show me something through them.”
With his two friends from Cameroon, Nzuko (51) is at Brunstad from August 12 – 21. This time he feels like he has received a lot help and many good thoughts and ideas, which he can make use of in his ministry when he returns to his wife and 11 children in Bafoussam. What he has seen and experienced of the work in Norway will be especially helpful for his local fellowship, where he and his wife are important coworkers.