"Now this is TeenStreet"

We ended the week of TeenStreet with a UniShow. We had a great turn out with the show in the round and multi-level. It was great to be able to challenge so many students at once and show those who worked so hard in the workshops how God can use their unicycling, or any other gift God has given them.

After the program on Friday we connected with OM leaders from other countries who are interested in having us come to minister with them. One comment we heard about the UniShow afterward was, "Now this is TeenStreet!"

We are so thankful for our superstar leaders, Ewout, Ali and Gideon who set up the workshops and fully organized this last event. They were very thoughtful and thorough and helpful each step of the way and we wouldn't have made it through the week without them!

But wait...there's more (unicycles)!

Even after Dustin converted his double wheel into a freestyle unicycle, we realized four standard unicycles were not enough for all the interest we had in the workshops. We decided to order four more cycles from Unicycle.com Germany. The shipment arrived just in time for our Wednesday workshop and once we assembled the new ones, all 8 unicycles were in constant use. We hope to sell a few of the newly purchased ones before we leave here.

We will have a UniShow performance Friday night to cap off the week. Please pray that through Dustin's testimony and message many students will be challenged.

Workshops and Playshops

We continue the daily workshops for students at TeenStreet. The workshop is supposed to be from 2:15p to 3:30p. However, each day the steady stream of students have kept the unicycles in use until 6p when we finally have to put them away so we can eat dinner. It has been fun to see kids come back determined each day and make progress.

A few Swiss students brought their unicycles with them and have had fun playing on the structures with Dustin. One of the guys broke off his seat in the process but that didn't keep Dustin from riding it.

iMpossible...or not?

Dustin had a brief appearance in the main session, called iMpossible because that is this year's theme based on Hebrews 11:6. He rode up and down the bleacher stairs as part of an illustration of what one might consider impossible to do. After that he rode an inverted table down the stairs with a couple other guys. He is in the crowd picture in the middle where the spotlight is...just trust me, he really is there!

Each session is spoken in English and translated from stage into German and into 11 more languages transmitted to wireless headsets. You can see the interpreters hard at work back stage in their cubicles.

Dustin was also featured in the Monday newsletter, also translated into many languages (click on the picture below to read the article). It doesn't take much to be a teenagers hero. Just be a world champion unicyclist, for example, and get a little publicity. He is getting more popular around here by the day and he's using it to encourage kids and challenge them in their walk with Jesus.

TeenStreet Begins

Today was the first official day of TeenStreet Germany 2009. The convention center grounds are full of excited and energetic teenagers and it is beautiful!

We did our first workshop today with a limited number of unicycles thus a limited number of students. A few kids brought their own unis and had some fun honing their skills while the others persevered through the beginning wobbles of their first rides. Dustin shared his testimony with them and gave them a taste of what unicycling looks like after 27 years of riding to inspire them.

At the worship service tonight it was neat to see the students expressing their love for God in creative ways.

Thanks for your prayers for our ministry here at TeenStreet. We need them as we ask God to use us how He sees fit!

Our Introduction to OM TeenStreet

After our traditional all-nighter of packing, we hit the airport again to head back to Europe. We flew from Minneapolis through Reykjavik, Iceland to Frankfurt, Germany, drove 2 hours to Offenburg where we are now, preparing for 8 days of an Operation Mobilization Youth Conference called TeenStreet. The students get here on Saturday so we have a day to prepare and get over jet lag before the real craze begins and the population increases by 3,500.

After we were dropped off with our luggage in the big empty convention center, it took us a while to find someone who was expecting us. Once we found the right people we were quickly welcomed and directed. We are all settled at our accommodations in cubical #21, set up back stage of the main hall. Should be an interesting and great week ahead!

We even had time today for a coffee break with some of the leaders who are camping on the grounds. We had cake and Dustin and I ate it in honor of my mother's birthday, today! Happy Birthday, Mom!