ZiZi Designs Supports a New Missionary Family!

Ralph and Deborah Muenstermann
Youth With A Mission

Herrnhut, Germany

Background

Missions outreach has been at the heart of Ralph and Deborah’s relationship ever since they met at a missionary retreat in South Africa.

Ralph spent five years in South Africa with YWAM, developing a seminar to teach local pastors and lay persons the inductive Bible study method. Throughout this time Ralph, who is also an architect by profession, had a long term vision to incorporate the arts in discipleship.

Deborah served with Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM) in Thailand and also on a short-term team to China. Her passion was to equip others serve in the most needy parts of the world. She then served as Missionary Support Team coach at EMM for 4 years, helping missionaries form caring teams to walk with them while overseas.

Lukas has a heart for people and loves to interact with them. He makes friends wherever he goes and is often the key that opens up hearts for deeper conversation.

Herrnhut
We feel God has led us to Herrnhut because the vision of the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) base incorporates the things God has placed on our hearts: missions training and the arts.

The town of Herrnhut has a rich heritage as it is home of the Moravian church that - during Count Zinzendorf’s leadership in the 18th century - sent about 10% of its members out as missionaries to many parts of the world. Their 100 year prayer meetings laid the foundation for the modern missionary movement.

Herrnhut is located in the former Communist East Germany where only 27 percent of the population identifies themselves as Christian.

Global Vision
Our vision is both global and local. Our heart is to send young missionaries on short- and long-term assignments to the 10/40 window, the most poverty-stricken and unevangelized region of the world. We want to train them while they are working on the YWAM base, focusing on developing their creativity in any kind of arts. The skills they learn can be a powerful tool in their hands to combat extreme poverty in the 10/40 window.

The 10/40 window - Picture Source: www.wfwradio.com/the-10-40-window

Local Vision
Locally, we want to provide training in the creative arts (especially the visual and writing arts) in a workshop setting within the 1600 people town of Herrnhut, situated in the German state of Saxony, where unemployment is 18 percent of the active population. We hope to train local residents as well as overseas YWAM staff members.

Timeline
Our plan is to leave in March 2009, staying in Herrnhut for an initial term of 3 years. During those years, we hope as a family to engage on short-term outreaches into the 10/40 window.

Partnering with us
PRAYER- Please pray that God will guide and provide for us as we seek to be a blessing to Herrnhut and the nations.

FINANCES- We would be grateful for your contribution towards this work.

Endnotes
1 visit http://www.1040window.org/ for more information about this missional focus region
2 visit http://www.ywam-sf.net/ for more information about the YWAM base