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Jen Bradbury
Aug 07 · 5 min read

Here & There: Connecting Short-Term Mission Trips Abroad to Life at Home

I hate international mission trips.

Not all, but some.

More specifically, I hate international mission trips that plop teens down in an exotic location far from home and fail to make the connection between what goes on there and what goes on at...

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#refugee #Congo #Kiziba #Rwanda #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Jul 08 · 5 min read

What I Learned: In a Congolese Refugee Camp

I'm thrilled to be guest posting at Rachel Pieh Jones' today as part of her fantastic series, "What I Learned." 

Ask me to describe a refugee camp and I’ll start with the smell.

It’s the smell of far too many people living in far too...

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#refugee #Congo #Kiziba #Rwanda

Jen Bradbury
Jun 02 · 5 min read

Every day for 15 years

A few weeks ago, our friend Emile, a Congolese refugee, attended one of my mission trip meetings to help prepare a team headed to Rwanda for what they will see and experience in the Kiziba Refugee Camp.

As part of our time together, I interviewed...

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#refugee #Congo #Kiziba #justice #Missions

Jen Bradbury
May 30 · 5 min read

Who we are is not a crime

Our friend, Emile, is a Congolese refugee. He was resettled in the United States three years ago, after spending more than a decade in Kiziba Refugee Camp in Rwanda.

Since being resettled, Emile's English has improved immensely. Nevertheless, he...

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#refugee #Congo #Rwanda #justice

Jen Bradbury
May 29 · 5 min read

Cold Food

2014 Congo Remembrance

About a year ago, my husband and I attended a ceremony to remember the atrocities occurring in the Congo. While there, we learned what courage looks like.

We also experienced African hospitality. We were served a bounty of traditional African...

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#refugee #Congo #brave #cross-cultural

Jen Bradbury
May 15 · 5 min read

Mighty to Save

Earlier this week, my youth ministry was asked to deliver a Welcome Pack to a newly arriving refugee family of three from Bhutan.

Even though I consider myself to be a refugee champion and even though we had the supplies on hand to do this...

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#refugee #Youth Sunday #justice #youth ministry #worship

Jen Bradbury
May 06 · 5 min read

A beautiful mess

5minutefriday

Today, I'm linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker‘s Five Minute Friday. The rules: Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

This week's prompt: Mess.

I woke up this morning to a mess. The bathtub was filthy. Wet towels...

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#refugee #Five Minute Friday #story #Kiziba #Rwanda

Jen Bradbury
May 01 · 5 min read

That's Not Fair!

Every Monday night, my high school students run a program for refugee kids called Kids Club. Each week, what the kids look most forward to is snacks.

When it comes to Kids Club snacks, we have one rule: Everyone gets exactly the same thing.

That's...

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#refugee #Community #justice #student leadership #culture of welcome #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Apr 30 · 5 min read

The why behind the what

Recently, my senior pastor had our staff watch Simon Sinek’s TED Talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Action . The basic gist of Simon’s talk is that if you want people to follow you, you’ve got to tell them why you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ve...

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#refugee #Fundraising #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Mar 25 · 5 min read

The face of joy

5minutefriday

Today, I'm linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker‘s Five Minute Friday. The rules: Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

This week's prompt: Joy. 

Joy Photo

In the dead of winter, teens from my youth ministry delivered a...

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#refugee #Five Minute Friday #30 Hour Famine #youth ministry

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Latest Posts

  • Here & There: Connecting Short-Term Mission Trips Abroad to Life at Home
  • What I Learned: In a Congolese Refugee Camp
  • Every day for 15 years
  • Who we are is not a crime
  • Cold Food
  • Mighty to Save
  • A beautiful mess
  • That's Not Fair!
  • The why behind the what
  • The face of joy

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