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S.W.I.M standing for Short Workshops In Mission is the missions arm of Youth Connection. Youth Connection provides a variety of mission opportunities to enable you to experience mission, change the world and grow in your faith.

Over the past twenty years SWIM has taken hundreds of young people on mission experiences to places such as PNG, Solomon Islands, Mexico, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Fiji. SWIM also has served locally in Aboriginal communities and local projects.

SWIM now offers people of all ages to experience a short intense stint at mission. Some of these projects are coordinated by us and others are recommended to you through us.

Running for 2 weeks and leaving on the 19th January this will be our 6th mission trip to the remote community of Warburton. This is a very rewarding and eye opening mission with local Aborigional people that are welcoming of you coming and sharing the Good news of Jesus Christ with them through their churches, childrens programs, sports and hanging out around town.

If you are up for a week or more of sharing Christ in an iconic dry, red, dusty and sizzling desert location; then this trip is a winner.

We are very well established in the Solomon Islands, having had many trips there over the past 8 or more years. The Solomons is a very poor nation and we have mission staff well connected into ministering to the needs of the community from hospital work, building, school and pastor training. On our base in the Solomons we have a purpose built house for accomodating mission teams and training of local people.

Many trips operate throughout the year, please contact Kevin and Machi in the Solomons for details of when the next teams are going that you may jump on or contact them to plan your own trip from your church.

We are also open to people spending time there to serve in mission for medium terms. this has been especially well utailized by students and teachers wanting to fill a cross cultural mission urge in their vocation.

We built an Orphanage there a couple of years back and spoke in many schools and other missions. Connections have been made with other mission groups, orphanges, churches and schools, including leprosy communities. Joel and Jac (long term SWIM members for Sydney Reformed Church) are planning a trip there for 2006 (maybe 2007). Contact them for up to date info.

In the area of Dharmapuri teams have been constructing houses and sharings the Good News of Jesus Christ to this very poor and needy community of Leprosy sufferers. The team for Feb 2006 is already full and more teams are planned. These trips depart from Perth and run for two weeks. Contact Peter and Freke Bolt to register your interest.

Kids Outreach International is an organisation based in Canberra. They run a program called 'Love For Kids - Russia'

Each year, end of June until mid July, teams from Australia travel to Helsinki and from there go by train to the St Petersburg area. Each team is assigned to one of the many children's camps in the area and will spend 16 days in the camp. People can organise their own team from their own church/ youth group or attach themselves to a team from a neighbouring church or group. KOI also will help people and put them in touch with the area coordinator or a group which still needs additional members. I also will be willing to help people form or join a group.

Late March registration papers and visa application need to be in Canberra and that is usually the time teams start meeting to plan and gather materials to take to Russia. Usually fundraising happens at this time too and we start looking for churches who are willing to have a collection for Bibles, craft material or othe large expenses, such as the cost of the interpreters needed. As a team it is good to meet several times and try also to find someone who can teach a little Russian.. for the basic words like Good morning, Hello etc. These meetings can be a lot of fun and a ggod time to get to know each other.. after all you will be sharing 2 weeks of your life with them!

The camp itself is a lot of fun! After a few days the children get to know you and are very open to building a relationship with you. They are often starved for love and attention and really blossom when someone cares for them enough to play and talk with them! There are many sad cases of children who spend their childhood in a home, not because they are orphans, but because the parents are alcoholics or cannot cope with their handicapped child. There are also the rich children, who have all the mod cons, but have no confidance in their government or their future. There is a lot of time to have fun with the kids, but it helps if you are young and energetic! The teenagers also relate well to younger people on a team! This past year our team consisted of the 35+ age group and we missed younger, more energetic people on our team! Young people can relate so much better to the problems these Russian teenagers have!!

The more structured part of the time is spent telling simple Bible truths, Aussie crafts, making gospel bracelets and also handing out Bibles and Bible story books to anyone who would like to receive one. We find though, that showing and living the love of Christ is the best tool we have!

Anyway, I could go on about this mission. You could say I am very passionate about it, but that would be an understatement! If you would like to find out more about it, feel free to contact me : jabetz@kisser.net.au

Youth Connection are working with staff from the Northern Territory Christian Schools Association (NTCSA) to establish a coupld of teams for 2006 and 2007. The NTCSA is very active in establishing Christian Schools throughout remote communities in the Northern Territory. There is more demand for these schools then can be met at this stage. Also there is a dire need for teachers committed to the long term involvement in the schools.

At the Youth Connection convention in Jan 2006 we are having our offereing for these schools and developing two mission trips to be a part of the mission.

Come to convention, here what is happening there and then be a part of the project. If you are not going to convention you are still most welcome to join us. Dates TBA.

Going on a short term mission trip is the best way to get started on your long term mission trip.