Anja Zevart
I come from a Catholic family, and before I had a relationship with Jesus, I attended Catholic church but didn't know of Jesus, what it means to trust God, or the beauty of the Gospel. Then, I went to an English camp in the summer of 2011 that Josiah Venture was having in my city, connected to a Calvary Chapel. The Gospel was shared there every evening, and it was the first time I heard loud and clear what it means to be a sinful person and what true forgiveness and repentance mean. I repented during that camp and became a believer. It was a two-year process for me to know what it truly means to walk with Jesus and have a fruitful relationship with Him.
First of all, my family has a significant role in this. They never supported my decision to become a believer, go to a Protestant church, or get baptised. But I have walked faithfully with the Lord, gained a family of brothers and sisters in the church, and have come to know God as my Father who loves, sees, cares, rejoices, gives me a place, and truly knows me. I served as a leader for over ten camps for teenagers working with Josiah Venture and Društvo Več, an organisation in Slovenia. Weekly, I met with girls and led Bible studies. I interned with Josiah Venture in the summer of 2017, where I was the main leader for the English camp with my church in Celje.
The tools offered and presented to us at our network were beneficial in my work. I've been more attentive to looking for resources and tools given to us at Forum and incorporating them in a psychotherapeutic approach when having sessions with teenagers and parents. I work in a very secular environment, but I've taken the resources we received and applied them in my working context when I can.
In my church, I am a part of the worship team. I am a leader at our youth group and help with events for younger children. In addition, I work in a hospital in the children’s and adolescent psychiatric unit as a doctor in residency. I believe this is a place of ministry that God is already using to be a light in the darkness.
I have been a leader at Društvo Več, Josiah Venture English camps, and Fusion (music) camps. I have also led Bible studies with girls from Fusion, my church, and my university. I have been a worship team leader in the church and a youth group leader.
I am looking for help to be better equipped as a medical professional in my area of work. I also think serving in the church will be beneficial to help youth in my church who are suffering from anxiety and depression and who have family issues and can share the hope of Christ with them. God is already using me in this area of ministry as a part of my job, and knowing this is also my mission in life, I want to be better equipped.