By Rev. Mother Sarah Barry, UBF Honorary General Director

Praise and thank God who hears and answers prayer. During this 2009 European Summer Bible Conference, we want to remember what God has done and give him all the praise and glory. Especially, we give praise and thanks to God for his mighty work during the past 40 years in the campuses of Germany and all Europe through UBF missionaries and national shepherds. We remember and give thanks for the vision and sacrificial life of Dr. Samuel Lee who earnestly prayed for German and European campus mission.

God accepted the five loaves and two fish of prayer, materials and life which students in Korea offered to Him for world mission in the turbulent ’60’s. He heard their prayers. He blessed the sacrifice of the Korean nurses who came as missionaries to Germany. He also blessed the sacrificial lives of Korean student missionaries and used them also for the evangelization of European students. Furthermore, God has blessed beautiful coworking among the first generation Korean missionaries, national shepherds, and New Generation missionaries. God raised up many faithful national shepherds among European students through them.

This book , “Five Loaves and Two Fish,” which describes the 40 year history of UBF mission in Europe, was exciting read for me. It is like the Ebenezer stone (1 Samuel 7). Thanks be to God who has been our help. He is our hope for the future.

The theme of this Conference is the Hope of God. We want to make God’s hope for the redemption of all Creation through the resurrection power of Jesus our hope. May God work to renew our hope and vision and prepare us to serve him in Europe and throughout the world during the next 40 years, or until Jesus comes again. Much prayer went into the preparation of this Conference. May those who gather from all over the world find opportunity to pray together during the Conference for the spiritual renewal of Europe.

We pray that every UBF chapter in Germany and throughout Europe may be a missionary sending chapter. We pray that Europe may be revived as a missionary sending continent. May God use UBF as a part of his Church to share in the task of extending his kingdom to the nations of the world in this 21st century.