Reflections on Encounter Worldwide

Adam Noble is currently serving with Encounter Worldwide in Georgia.  Encounter Worldwide is a 3-12 month volunteer programme that is one of the ways in which we continue to engage in, and be enriched by the long term partnerships the Methodist Church in Britain has worldwide.

Adam shares his reflections here:

After retiring from teaching last summer, I was eager to find a a new challenge, something that would allow me to deepen and share my faith. I was delighted, therefore, when I was accepted onto ‘Encounter Worldwide’, a volunteer programme offering Christians in Britain and Ireland the opportunity to spend time sharing in the Methodist Church's mission, life and culture in another part of the world.

Many Russians have left their country since the invasion of Ukraine and - before them - Belorussians fleeing Lukashenko’s oppressive regime. Thousands from both countries have made their way to Georgia on Russia’s southern border. Among them are a handful of Methodists. They had not been in Georgia long, before they felt a strong call to mission in their new home. They saw a need to support Russian migrant families who were seeking new opportunities in Georgia and to build links with the local Georgian population. I was invited by Eduard Khegay, the UMC Bishop for Eurasia, to join in helping to develop an initial presence.  So, on 11 February, I found myself in Batumi, a city of 200,000 people on the Black Sea coast of Georgia at the beginning of a three month stay. (See Adam's photo to the right)

A little over three weeks into my stay and I am settling well. I have been made to feel welcome by all those I have met and am especially grateful to Sergei Kim, who is originally from the UMC in Moscow, for his warm support. We are starting to develop a modest programme, building on the foundations that this tiny community of Methodists have established. There is a Russian-language Home Group on Sunday to which there is an open invitation. We share in worship and Bible-study and enjoy lunch together. We are offering a weekly after school English-language club for children at a small Russian-language school which has recently opened to provide education for migrant children. Most of the children have some English but have no opportunity for conversational practice with a native speaker. I also teach English one day a week in the school to children from 7-14 years old.

We have also offered two English-language clubs for adults at the school, one in the evening and one on Sunday morning.  We have so far attracted around a dozen children and a similar number of adults to our sessions. Some are from the same families and others not. For the adults, we have combined English teaching with a gentle introduction to Bible texts aimed at non-believers. We have so far looked at displacement in the story of Ruth and self-seeking grandiosity in the story of the Tower of Babel.

The adults in particular are curious to know what I am doing in Batumi! I have explained that my faith has brought me here, that I am here at the invitation of the UMC Bishop for Eurasia. I have told them a little bit about the Methodist Church in Britain and we seek to share our faith as the opportunity arises.

It has been interesting to work with a migrant community: to hear their stories; to share their hopes and especially to work with children who have had to experience COVID, a war and displacement in their young lives. And it has been fascinating to share my faith with other Christians and with Methodists who are at the start of building a new life and a new mission in another country.

Please keep Adam in your prayers as he continues to serve and experience life with the community in Georgia.  Find out more about the Encounter Worldwide programme here.