Eléna Kappers
My name is Eléna, and I am from Canada and Germany. My family has been coming to Riverside ever since we moved to the UK twelve years ago. For the past four years I’ve been studying up in Scotland, and I’m so grateful to be back in person with the Riverside family for the next few months.
While I was finishing my final year at University, I realised that that the time was drawing near for me to decide what to do after my degree. I was at a point in my faith where I wanted to be very conscious and intentional about listening to what God wanted me to do, and less of what I or others wanted. So I decided to pray a simple but bold prayer; ‘Lord, would you help me in discerning where to go. Would you speak clearly and point the way.’
And I prepared to wait for His answer. I didn’t expect a massive sign in the sky or a flashing billboard, but I was expectant that God would guide me as I pursued different options. One option that I was thinking about and that had come up in multiple conversations was to join a mission organisation called Operation Mobilisation (OM). They have a ship ministry that travels around the world, with an on board bookshop for the local community. OM’s main passion is to spread knowledge, help and hope through the pursuit of God’s kingdom, by sharing the love of Jesus with those they meet. Those that volunteer on board the ships have the opportunity to work with local Churches in every port by joining in with their projects. As I heard more and more about OM from different friends and family, I became more excited about their ministry and about potentially joining this floating community of multicultural believers who were passionate about Jesus. However, I was still adamant on waiting on a sign from God that this is what He wanted me to pursue as well.
A couple of days after praying that first initial prayer for God’s guidance, I went with a group of friends to a conference for students. We heard amazing teaching that inspired and challenged me, and after one of the sermons there was a call for people to come down to the front who were already Christian but wanted to step out in radical faith and be willing to give over their finances, job, and even life to furthering God’s kingdom.
As soon as that was spoken, I knew I had to step out and go down to the front to receive prayer. I had a stirring in my heart, and even though the concept of giving over everything to Jesus seemed daunting, this was the moment I was waiting on God for. So I walked down to the front to receive prayer.
As I was standing there, waiting, a woman I had never met before came up to me and started praying. All of a sudden during her prayer, she stopped and said “I feel like I have a word from the Lord for you. Obviously you need to discern whether this is truly from God for you or not… but I feel like God is really simply saying ‘Get on the boat’.
I was in awe, and I had no idea what to say. As I stood there in silence, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of peace. God had heard my prayer, had seen my doubts about my future and my questions about where to go, and he had answered with a clear directive that brought peace and comfort to my heart.
That brings me to today. Over the past year since receiving that word from God, I have joined OM, gone to pre-ship training, began raising support, and had the opportunity and privilege to share my story with so many people. This year has been such a whirlwind of figuring out the joys and struggles of following God’s calling, but I am so grateful that we have a God who listens to our prayers, who challenges us to step out of our comfort zone and desires for us a life full of the adventure of following him. As I enter my final few months before joining the ship, I am so excited to see what else God will teach me.
I would really appreciate prayer during this journey, not only in the preparation for the ship, but also while I am on board. The specific ship I am joining is called the Doulos Hope (meaning 'Servant of Hope’), which will mainly be sailing around Asia. I will fly out in February, and have signed up to volunteer on board for a year. When I join the ship it will be docked in Taiwan!
Please would you pray:
That my life on the ship would be filled with meaningful relationships and community.
That I would become more aware of God’s voice.
For joy, wisdom and safety for the team in our projects both on and off board, as we interact with the local communities.
If you would like to keep updated about my time on board and see how to further pray, I will be sending out a monthly newsletter. You can email me at elena.kappers@om.org and I can add you to the list. I am also currently raising financial support, so if you feel called to give you can visit the link to my page to find out more or send me an email.
I really appreciate the support and encouragement I have felt so far from my Riverside family, and I am so excited to share with you all that God will be doing while on board.