Pais Australia Reaches 900+ Young People
Pais Australia Reaches 900+ Young People
During the past weeks of September, Apprentices from Pais Australia creatively used their gifts to reach over 900 young people. The teams divide their service time between the youth ministry in their partner churches and school’s work. Find out below what Pais Australia has been up to:
On September 10th, the team serving at Livingstone College celebrated book week as part of their Primary School ministry. The Apprentices reached the entire Primary School of over 500 kids. They all dressed up as their favorite characters and had a fun time intentionally connecting with the students!
On the last day of the third term, the Livingstone team also led a massive event for over 400 students called the Classlympics. 17 classes competed against each other in sports activities, spelling bees and an inflatable obstacle course. A team of three Year 6 students were discipled throughout the planning process and led on the day alongside the Pais team. The Apprentices recognized the great work and learning curve of the students!
All throughout this third term, the team serving at Springwood Church held youth events on Friday evenings. The nights included a meaningful time to dig deep into God’s love through devotions followed by a range of games for the students. During one of the nights, Joel, the Team Leader, confidently shared his testimony and made a huge impact in the lives of the youth. After the message, many of the youth leaders and students approached Joel to ask more questions about his journey with God.
Are you ready to impact a generation in Australia or New Zealand just as these Pais teams? Apply today for a FREE Mission Year here!
From Mentees to Mentors
From Mentees to Mentors
Alex Kuria was a student who lived on the streets of Nairobi, Kenya. In 2014, he met Armstrong Ochieng, Pais Kenya’s National Director. Armstrong shared his story as a Christian and took Alex back to school, where he eventually finished his primary and secondary education. While being discipled by Armstrong, Alex accepted Christ and decided to join Pais to serve God in 2019.
Shortly after joining, Alex became a Team Leader in Pais Kenya and had the opportunity to mentor Faith Mbugua, a Pais Apprentice. Today Faith mentors students who are also committed to sharing the Gospel.
From Armstrong to Alex. From Alex to Faith. From Faith to her own youth students.
What had started as a single mentorship relationship, is now evidence of the growing impact of the message of Christ.
At Pais, we mentor individuals to become future mentors to young people as well. We believe Jesus came to save AND recruit individuals to be a part of his purpose!
Do you want to be a part of this growing impact? Apply for a FREE Mission Year with Pais here!
The Rebuild Begins!
The Rebuild Begins!
To kick off the Mission Year, each Pais Nation organizes a two-week training known as Foundational Training. During this preparation, the Pais Team Members and Team Leaders learn practical tools and resources to reach young people. This month many FT’s are happening in person for the first time in two years and we can feel the momentum building again!
Mark Riley, Global Training Director, says: “Foundational Training is always a great time to see individuals grow in character, new skills, and confidence as they unpack Kingdom Principles and fresh approaches to Bible Studies, Evangelism, and Discipleship.”
Foundational Training is also a period of team bonding and spiritual growth as the teams attend devotional sessions and social events. Amadeo and Ellie, two Apprentices who are serving in North America, share how God has been speaking to them during FT:
Do you want to be a part of the rebuild? Apply for our FREE Mission Year here!
UK Apprentice Discovers The Blessing of Serving Locally
UK Apprentice Discovers The Blessing of Serving Locally
Josh Tomalin is one of our Apprentices from England. Through the last year, he has seen God work through His life and in the lives of those around him. In this interview, he shares his experience on Pais to help you learn more while you apply for our Free Mission Year too.
Read through to the end to be inspired to live what God has for your life, regardless of your field or nation.
PAIS: How did you hear about Pais and when did you join a team?
JOSH: I first heard about Pais back in 2017, when the Gatley Pais team from a nearby church decided to attend our young adult’s bible study group. Since then, every team has joined the study group, which I went on to lead. And so, through talking to them I started to find out a little bit more about what exactly they did.
I remember quite a few of the teams tried to recruit me over the years to no success. I thought Pais was pretty cool, but I was also certain it wasn’t for me… God has a sense of humor sometimes, doesn’t He?
I joined Pais in the fall of 2020!
PAIS: What motivated you to become a missionary in England?
JOSH: So, what changed my mind? Well, I had known for some time that I was called to be involved in ministry. I had been leading several youth groups at my church, as well as leading a young adult bible study, where I met the Pais team.
When January 2020 rolled around, I was looking around for various internships and apprentice positions to see what fitted me best. Several opportunities didn’t work out, and so in early Spring I remembered Pais. But I’ll be honest I was hesitant – I wanted to experience something new, and youth work had been the bulk of what I’d been doing up to that point.
Then I noticed Pais had different streams available, not just working with young people but also the option to go abroad – so I thought I’d apply and see what happened. But I had two thoughts in my head – I’m going to try not to stay in England and I’m going to see if I can focus on something other than youth work…
Ah, God really DOES have a sense of humor! Obviously, 2020 happened and traveling abroad was no longer an option for me, so I decided to wait out the pandemic – that is until Pais England contacted me and asked whether I’d join the team just down the road from where I lived for a term whilst I waited.
It turned out to be the best thing that I never planned to do, and one term turned into one year of doing youth work in England.
PAIS: What have been some of your highlights about being on Pais?
JOSH: Without a doubt, one of the best things about this year has been meeting so many Godly, servant-hearted people! Not just the other Pais Apprentices, but also getting to know people in the church I was serving at.
For many, 2020 and the start of 2021 was a year of isolation, a year when their social circles reduced or even collapsed entirely. But here I was getting to know dozens of people I would never have met otherwise from countries and communities I would have never ventured to before!
But it wasn’t just the people I was serving with that have been a blessing, but also the people I was serving. The youth at my church have faced an unimaginably tough year of lockdown, Zoom and uncertainty, and through it all it has been my great privilege to see them grow in faith and maturity.
On a personal level, one of the highlights for me has been that this year has confirmed my sense of calling in ministry and more specifically what that calling might look like.
Sometime through the year I started having conversations with the Church of England about becoming an ordained minister – and that process is proceeding rather well. Hopefully I’ll look back on this year as being the start point of a very exciting journey!
PAIS: Do you have any stories of God moving in the lives of young people through your team?
JOSH: There isn’t really one story that stands out – but throughout the year we saw a general progression in our young people in being able to talk about their faith.
When we first arrived, the first few sessions we had with the young people were very quiet, they didn’t want to talk and when they did talk, they struggled to be able to put words to what they were thinking about. Most of them hadn’t talked to their friends about their faith, and for a few of them, their friends didn’t even know they went to church.
But I was helping to lead a youth alpha session last week, and the difference was amazing.
Not only were they all talking about their faith, but they had so much to say that we ended up splitting into 2 groups to make sure everyone got a chance to speak – and we still ended up running over time.
Some of them have started talking about faith with their friends, and especially towards the end of the year they were bringing us the questions their friends asked that they couldn’t answer. And those were some deep questions!
It wasn’t always easy to see what God was doing throughout the year and so often we were just focused on putting one foot in front of the other to keep going. But when we had a chance to look back it has been amazing to see how far both the young people and ourselves have come this year!
Did you like this story? So follow us on social media and click here to learn more about our free mission year!
Pais Alumni Connects Over A Common Legacy
Pais Alumni Connects Over A Common Legacy
Over the last 29 years, thousands of Apprentices have dedicated one year or more of their lives to serve young people around the world. Their legacy lives on as new Pais teams build and expand on their work. On July 15, Pais Alumni met during the Global Alumni Hangout and connected over their common legacy.
At the event, the Alumni played a few games, including a Pais trivia. They looked at pictures from their past teams, and talked about how God has been working in their lives now. A highlight was when participants shared the testimonies of transformation they had while on Pais.
Pete Baker, the United Kingdom National Director, spoke about calling and how now is a good time to walk in all the good works God has prepared for them. He reminded them: “You are still part of the Pais Movement and the Pais Family, even if you’re not a part of the [Pais] Organization.”
The Hangout was a great opportunity to catch up and witness how the Alumni continue to diligently serve God in different ways now! If you are a Pais Alumni and would like to join the community, subscribe to the Alumni newsletter here.
Pais North America Honors Apprentices At End Of Year Ceremony
Pais North America Honors Apprentices At End Of Year Ceremony
As the academic year comes to an end, Pais U.S.A. & Canada celebrated the ministry of their Apprentices during an End Of Year Ceremony. The National Directors handed certificates to the Apprentices who graduated and honored the work of those who are continuing with Pais.
One of the highlights of the event was when Apprentices looked back and shared encouraging stories of God fulfilling His purposes through their lives.
As a testimony, several Apprentices from Brazil were initially unable to join their team in the United States due to a Covid-19 travel ban. Yet they continued to pray during the next several months for God to open doors. In December of 2020, they were given the opportunity to quarantine in Mexico for 14 days which would allow them to enter the nation.
Around the same time, a family connected to Pais felt God calling them to bless missionaries. The family heard about these Brazilian Apprentices and decided to cover a significant part of their trip expenses. This family’s generosity started a ripple effect and allowed the Apprentices to mentor and impact the lives of many young people.
One of the Apprentices serving in Canada also shared about her time serving with Pais in a video testimonial. Letitia Olivier said her last two years as a missionary were “unexpected and life changing”. She continued to trust that His purposes were higher than she could have imagined and was empowered to fulfill her calling.
Letitia closed with Acts 20:24: “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” – watch the video below
Pais North America witnessed the wonderful grace of God during 2020/2021 and stepped up to their calling! Are you ready to fulfill the work God has for you too? Apply now for your Free Mission Year!
After School Club Restarts Activities in Wigan, England
After School Club Restarts Activities in Wigan, England
Prior to the pandemic, a Pais team located in Wigan, England weekly impacted the youth in their community in an After School Club. After one year, they are now able to meet again and invest in new relationships.
The Club operates every Monday, serving students from Years 6 to 12. As the team’s partner church is close to the school, the program uses the church’s hall space. Pre-Covid, they had around 12 kids attending every week.
For their activities, the team led creative Haverim Bible Studies, prayer sessions, and local missions work. Once a month, they would go out into the community for Because You’re Loved campaigns. They connected with new students by giving free hot chocolate, sweets, and Because You’re loved cards. These Evangelism initiatives turned into an opportunity for the kids participating in the program to invite others to join.
As a testimony of their impact, one of the boys who frequently attended the After School Club was mentored by a Team Member last year. The boy said he was an atheist at first, but started going to church events because he loved the community. Even after lockdowns started, he continued to participate in the Club’s Zoom sessions. During one of the sessions, the boy accepted Jesus and the team prayed a salvation prayer with him!
In June, the team started meeting in person again after one year. Leoni, one of the Team Members said: “I really hope we are gonna be able to build good relationships with the new kids again and that we can study the Bible and share about God. We want to create a safe space for them to share, be there for them if they need someone to talk to and eventually help them to get closer to God!”
For more stories & updates on their ministry, follow Pais England here!
A Creative Boom From Missionaries In Canada
A Creative Boom From Missionaries In Canada
For the past year, lockdowns in Canada have restricted daily activities. Many were isolated from social interactions for extended periods of time. Churches were also unable to meet, limiting ministry initiatives in the nation.
Through those lockdowns, a team of five missionaries was called to minister to young people in Calgary, Alberta. While Canada’s restrictions were definitely a challenge, they also opened up space for unlimited creativity and relationship development.
The Pais Canada team believes this past year also highlighted the importance of personal connection and small groups. The only way they could connect with students was through walks and small gatherings around a bonfire in the middle of the Canadian winter.
“In a world without restrictions, we most likely wouldn’t have had the same focus, intentionality and creativity. We saw students taking ownership, stepping up in their leadership and taking steps in their relationship with Jesus” said Letitia Olivier, Team Leader in Canada.
One of the team’s creative ministry ideas were Prayer Packs. Prayer Packs have different interactive activities that are designed to help students and families engage in and build a life of prayer. They were able to deliver the packs to 67 students.
One of their Grade 6 students wrote “The Prayer packs were amazing, they were filled with all kinds of goodies and activities (…). My family and I enjoyed them, we took notes from the [encouragement] jar every night at dinner. It has brought us closer together as a family.”
Through those challenges, the five missionaries were inspired by a deep conviction that God opened the doors for them to be there, which meant he also had a plan. As the year comes to an end, their success in leading students to Jesus and equipping them to reach their peers is evident.
Follow and support the Pais Canada team here!
A Ministry Flourishing In An Unexpected Nation
A Ministry Flourishing In An Unexpected Nation
Celebrating 10 Years Of Pais Pakistan
Every day, Christians living in Pakistan face extreme religious persecution. New converts are oppressed by family members, communities, Islamic extremist groups and the government. Yet, even the violent persecution has not been able to stop the power of the Gospel.
On June 17 of 2011, Pais pioneered a new ministry in Pakistan. Throughout the past years, this Pais Nation has seen unexpected growth. The Pakistan National Director reflects on this journey during their 10-year anniversary:
“It has been so encouraging to see Pais Pakistan grow over the years. Through all the ups and downs, God has been faithful. Our outreach continues to get stronger, and our teams are more dedicated to the mission. We thank God for helping us make Pakistan a place of prayer, a place of healing, and above all, a place of God. We are history makers in this region.”
Pais Pakistan serves people living in poverty and disaster affected areas, provides education sponsorship for underprivileged children, and creates economic opportunities for low income communities. This Nation also empowers leaders to transform their communities through varied training initiatives.
What started out as a pioneering movement in Asia is now an influential ministerial organization. Their teams are touching hearts in more than 100 villages and major cities of Pakistan. Many churches, schools, and even non-believers are now established partners. Pais Pakistan also received several awards and gold medals due to their contribution to local communities.
For the next 10 years, the country’s National Director desires to see many more young people developing a relationship with Christ. Their goal is to give the youth opportunities to also share the love of Christ and their personal experiences with others.
A Missionary's New-Found Confidence To Impact Lives
A Missionary's New-Found Confidence To Impact Lives
Renata is one of our Pais Missionaries from Brazil who has been serving since September of 2020. She knew God had called her into ministry, yet she didn’t feel equipped with the knowledge or practical experience necessary to pursue her calling. After experiencing on-the-job training with Pais, Renata now shares about her new-found confidence to impact lives:
“I always wanted to work for the Kingdom, but I didn’t know how to start. In 2019, God ministered in my heart that I should pursue missionary training because He would open doors for me to care for people. At the time I didn’t have the financial conditions to pay for a training program.
But I soon learned about Pais, an organization of missionaries making missionaries, and their Free Mission Year. I participated in the selection process and started my Mission Year in September of 2020. Today, with the practical experience that Pais has provided me, I feel more equipped to follow my calling.
I learned how to disciple, how to mobilize Evangelistic events, and how to lead and teach Bible studies. I am so grateful to God for the opportunity to be a part of Pais, and to learn from and work with so many wise people. Wherever I go, I’ll take the tools I have learned here with me!”
As part of the Pais Mission Year, all our Missionary Apprentices receive 200 hours of lectures and over 1800 hours of on-the-job training. We offer free training because we believe it to be the most efficient way to advance the Kingdom of God. Find out more about the Pais Mission Year Options here.
For more stories and updates from Pais Brazil, follow them here!