Austria: A Student Reflection

Well, our time in Austria has come to a close. I think that I can speak for everyone on our trip when I say that we were very sad about leaving the “storybook” city of Vienna. Our time in Europe was a whirlwind of excitement. We did a lot of shopping, indulged in fantastic foods, explored historical sites, and attended the local Apostolic Ministry Training Courses. Each weekday had just about the same schedule. During the day, we would have the freedom to explore the city and navigate (or at least try) the public transit systems. We did everything from eating at cafes that dated back to the 1800s, to touring the Schönbrunn palace to playing “American football” with the local youth group at a beautiful park. Each evening during the week, we would attend 4 different classes. Each one had a different focus such as Church History or Spiritual Leadership. Many of our students and instructors had the opportunity to teach these classes. Our weekends were also a blur of exhilaration. Our first Saturday in Austria, we traveled to a quaint town called Salzburg. Nestled between the Alps, we got to explore the beauty and uniqueness of this lovely place. The next Saturday, we divided into two groups. One group hiked the Alps and the other explored parts of the city that they had not yet seen. Their weekend church services were POWER PACKED! From the music that was sung both in English and German to the wonderful sermons preached; everything was amazing. The same spirit that is at work here at home is evident in Vienna as well! God moved mightily during our time overseas, and we are excited to see what He has in store for the future of The Church of Acts (COA) and Austria as a whole!

- Faith Strawn, Junior