Isabelle Palmer

How have you grown during your time as a Howie?

I have learned many new and different methods of doing ministry during my time as a Howie from Disciple-Making Movement principles to building an outreach ministry using social media. All these different methods of sharing the gospel are valuable in their own ways and I feel that my toolkit for sharing the gospel has been expanded, increasing my confidence and consideration as I seek to share the good news of Jesus with others. I have also learned the importance of entrusting these skills to students and relying on God to work through our plans and weaknesses.

What have you learnt about vocational ministry that you didn’t know before your apprenticeship?

God uses all types of people to serve Him in vocational ministry and we need people with different qualities to ourselves in order to serve God’s kingdom the best. I am naturally quite an administrative and details-focused person and I thought I would need to become a people person to serve God the best. But I can bless my team with my administrative skills and help bring their ideas to life in the same way they can bless me by thinking of the bigger picture and helping me to think more relationally in how I minister to others.

What are your plans post-Howie program?

My plan next year is to go to Japan for a year with OMF (a mission agency) to work with university students in the northern city of Sapporo. It will be quite a different experience as the EU has the same number of staff workers as the whole of Japan does! The plan after that is to come back to Australia and go to bible college with the intention of returning to Japan long term God willing.

Meagan Llewelyn

How have you grown during your time as a Howie?

These two years have been the most formative and crazy of my life as I have grown exponentially in my understanding of myself, of who God is and the small part I can play in growing his kingdom. I have learnt small things like how to deal better with conflict, how to work with people who have different personalities and most importantly I have grown in my understanding of God as triune and his sovereignty over all things in every way no matter how I might be feeling in a situation. God has blessed me with the opportunity to learn adaptability with every changing situation within the EU and within my personal life. He has taught me patience and endurance, but overall he has reminded me that it is not about me, it is about him and his children who are yet to come home.

What have you learnt about vocational ministry that you didn’t know before your apprenticeship?

Vocational ministry is hard and costly – but because it is about the people you serve, it is worth it. I have learnt that all people in ministry aren’t perfect or exceptional people, but that God makes them exceptional through his Spirit and works in us ESPECIALLY in our weaknesses. Nothing and no one can take his sufficient grace away from us.

What are your plans post-Howie program?

Over these years my mental and physical health concerns have made life a bit more challenging and I have come to understand the right need for us as humans to rest, which is what next year holds for me. I will be taking the 12 months to figure out my health conditions either treatment or management. I will also continue to reflect on the many things I have learnt and put them into practice in different ways as more change is afoot. God willing I will land at bible college the following year feeling 100%. However, I know that God will carry me through anything he throws my way even if his plans aren’t the plans I have for myself right now.

“9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Ira Fung

How have you grown during your time as a Howie?

I have learnt so much as a Howie. I have grown in my vision and desire to see more people released to use their gifts to serve God and his people. It is wonderful to see their joy as they see how their faithful service can really help others to know Jesus deeply. I’ve also grown in my ability to share about Jesus in other languages. The euFOCUS senior staff have been a wonderful encouragement as I have sought to help students of all nations follow Jesus.

What have you learnt about vocational ministry that you didn’t know before your apprenticeship?

I’ve learnt the importance of training disciples that are able to disciple others. I have a greater sense of the need for more of God’s people to be released to use their gifts to serve God so that they may in turn help others to serve. It is wonderful to see their joy as they see how their faithful service can really help others to know Jesus deeply. I have also continued to learn about the importance of trust and grace between all who serve together for God’s kingdom. Mutual trust and grace are the Christ-like patterns in which the body of Christ seeks live out as we serve together.

What are your plans post-Howie program?

I am in the process of applying to SMBC for a 1 year graduate diploma. In this time I hope to continue to grow in my knowledge and trust of God and continue to seek wisdom in how I might best serve Him.