Rather than asking how Lausanne 2024 can impact YWAM Europe, I believe it’s more relevant to consider how it can facilitate our mission.
This process is already underway. It was a tremendous joy to witness over 5,000 individuals gathering in South Korea. During one afternoon, YWAM workers came together for lunch, and to my surprise, our numbers were relatively small. While some expressed concern that YWAM should be represented in larger quantities at the congress, I found a sense of relief in our smaller presence. This allowed for broader participation from Christians across various spheres of influence. Those who gathered did so out of a fervent calling to share the message of Jesus, which encompasses diverse environments—be it churches, workplaces, neighborhoods, or unreached people groups. Throughout those intensive and enriching days, participants embraced Jesus’ Great Commission with a renewed passion.
I am particularly excited about the potential for my region—the Baltic states. Here in Latvia, we have often felt too small, too impoverished, or too uneducated to reach out effectively, whether in our workplaces, universities or even to the ends of the Earth. However, I am heartened by the commitment of denominational leaders to unite in displaying and declaring Christ together. The essential theme here is collaboration—not working alone or solely with one’s church or organization, but together as one body.
A concept that resonates with me is “coopetition,” a term coined by a dear friend that combines cooperation and competition. Both elements must be balanced; cooperation enables us to achieve results we could not attain alone, while healthy competition encourages us to excel and deliver our best.
I find myself reflecting on how this can manifest within our YWAM European context as well as throughout the broader Christian community across Europe. In which areas can we enhance our cooperation for greater impact? How can we foster a healthy competition that drives us to improve? These questions are vital as we strive to come together as the body of Christ to effectively display and declare His message in unity.
Angelika Boitmane-Sumakovska
Angelika Boitmane-Sumakovska, a native of Latvia, has been serving with YWAM Valdemārpils since 2010. Married to William Max from Brazil, they are raising two children: Karolina and Eduardo. Angelika is currently part of the base leadership team in Latvia and also represents Latvia on the Northern Europe Area Circle Team. She is passionate about seeing Latvia not just as a mission field, but as a mission force!
She also enjoys ice hockey and has a taste for black salty liquorice.
