Slovak population is very relational and family relationships are held very high. Our goal is to let God transform the whole society. We offer biblical principles for practical family life and aht influence the way of thinking and lifestyle.

Our mission statement is:

TRANSFORMATION SOCIETY THROUGH RESTORATION OF FAMILIES

We use different type of programms and activities to achieve this:

• programms for children (even toddlers)
• activities for young people
• premarital preparation and courses
• marriage courses and weekends for marriage couples
• weekends for whole families, family camps

Our vision: To organize the National Marriage Week in 2011 in cooperation with many volunteers involved around whole country.

One of our priorities is to cooperate with local churches, encourage them and help them to develop their own „family ministry“ in their own location and the sphere of influence. We can offer them our own materials, prayer, know-how and practical help to start and to grow-up in this area of ministry.

Toddlers program „To know God from the beginning“

When we had the idea from God to start with a programm for toddlers, it seemed like crazy idea. How we can explain the gospel of Jesus to small kids, almost babies...? How effective can this ministry be? Now we are so surprised how needy this part of ministry in Slovakia is. Churches and children organisations have ideas and programms for small kids, but many moms want to bring Jesus into their baby’s life and don’t know how. Through the program „To know God from the beginning“ are many of them inspired how to show God’s love to their toddlers simply and effectively. More and more mothers centres and individual mothers are asking for help with biblical work for this particular age. We are so thankful for God’s providence.

Work with young people

Teaching, games, team building activities, fun... most of the participants are part of the children's team and they lead the kids program during Family Camps.

Premarital preparation – preparation for marriage (a course for engaged couples)

It is so exciting to see people who are really hungry to know more and adopt new habits to build good marriages and deep relationships. We run the Preparation for Marriage course regularly and always it „recharges“ us a lot. Almost every course is full. Then very often we receive wedding announcements... and we ask God for His blessing, protection and special providing for that particular couple. God is so good!

Marriage course (a course for married couples)

Participation on „Month of Marriage“ (in a particular church)

Weekends for whole families

Family Camps (one week for whole the family during Summer)

Family Camps are our biggest projects that we run. Every year we meet the same problem – we have more registered people than we can provide for. The camps are booked out earlier and earlier every year – and many disapointed people have to be turned away... That's why we started to offer three camps instead of two.

The first YWAMers came to Slovakia in 1991 and since 1992 was YWAM officially registered as a mission organization in Slovakia.

At the beginning family activities consisted of running the first family camp in Summer 1996. It was organized by Robert & Amy Rummage and Steve & Jo Kilbry. Albert & Jeanette Jupe from the Family ministries New Zealand came as speakers – very experienced ministers with great heart and deep passion for families. Since 1996 we ran one family camp (FC) each summer. Occassionally there were also some seminars for families, training for married couples (e.g. REAPP) or weekends for whole families offered between the camps. This found increasing interest among families in Slovakia and more and more volunteers were involved.

In 2004 two Slovak families left for New Zealand to do the Discipleship Training School for Families (DTS-F) and Family Ministry School (FMS). After their return one of them joined YWAM Slovakia as full time staff and took responsibilities for Family ministry Slovakia. Another one stayed involved in FM as a volunteer.

Since that time The Marriage Courses (TMCs) were organized by these families in different towns around Slovakia. During the following 2 years TMCs spread out in 9 Slovak towns and many couples were encouraged through them.

From 2006 there were two Family Camps each summer. But God was opening wider doors and for 2010 we have to prepare already three FCs because the interest for YWAM camps is so big!

We are very open to receive co-workers and volunteers even from abroad – especially for longer term. There are a lot of possibilities for practical ministry in different areas of family ministry.

In the future we would like to develop a special, but very important area of family ministry – Fatherhood (i.e. understanding the role of father; weekends for fathers and their sons or daughters).