Shawn and Deb Galyen, AGWM personnel in Granada, Spain are bringing Christ to the university students of which number 80,000 in the city. Raices is the name of their student ministry center. Their desire is to see students “rooted and planted” in Jesus Christ, glorifying Him in the world. Raices operates as a Christian non-profit with three types of programming: inter-cultural events (including English/Spanish club), volunteer social work, and spiritual development of students. Along with the Galyens, the ministry team includes recent graduates from the University of Virginia (through the AG/Chi Alpha “Give a Year” program) and young people from the local Spanish church who lead Bible studies and plan get-acquainted parties. Typical of the various activities that are designed to reach out and make contact with the students and the community was the recent “Week of Cultural Exchange”. This was done with the help of 14 American students on spring break from UVA.
The Galyens give more details on this event. “Through a miracle, we have a yearly invitation to bring UVA students and present American blue grass music in a university classroom; the professor likes Raíces and allows us to promote our events. Other students blessed a local Spanish public school (where our children attend) by performing a short “Robin Hood” skit 18 times, injecting some fun into their English program. Meanwhile, others were conducting interviews in cafes, inviting people back to Raíces for food and fellowship. Our week culminated in a Fine Arts night, where old and new friends shared music, poetry, and folk dance.
The main goal of this intense inter-cultural week is to spread the news about Raíces (Spain is all about word-of-mouth reputation!) and to invite new students to be part of our ministry. Just a couple of weeks later, Shawn shared the message of the Cross with two young men who came to the center during Easter week. We believe that God is opening wide doors of ministry in Granada’s university community, and that Raíces is part of His mission to reconcile young people to Himself!”
Shawn and Deb Galyen, AGWM personnel in Granada, Spain are bringing Christ to the university students of which number 80,000 in the city. Raices is the name of their student ministry center. Their desire is to see students “rooted and planted” in Jesus Christ, glorifying Him in the world. Raices operates as a Christian non-profit with three types of programming: inter-cultural events (including English/Spanish club), volunteer social work, and spiritual development of students. Along with the Galyens, the ministry team includes recent graduates from the University of Virginia (through the AG/Chi Alpha “Give a Year” program) and young people from the local Spanish church who lead Bible studies and plan get-acquainted parties.
Typical of the various activities that are designed to reach out and make contact with the students and the community was the recent “Week of Cultural Exchange”. This was done with the help of 14 American students on spring break from UVA.
The Galyens give more details on this event. “Through a miracle, we have a yearly invitation to bring UVA students and present American blue grass music in a university classroom; the professor likes Raíces and allows us to promote our events. Other students blessed a local Spanish public school (where our children attend) by performing a short “Robin Hood” skit 18 times, injecting some fun into their English program. Meanwhile, others were conducting interviews in cafes, inviting people back to Raíces for food and fellowship. Our week culminated in a Fine Arts night, where old and new friends shared music, poetry, and folk dance.
The main goal of this intense inter-cultural week is to spread the news about Raíces (Spain is all about word-of-mouth reputation!) and to invite new students to be part of our ministry. Just a couple of weeks later, Shawn shared the message of the Cross with two young men who came to the center during Easter week. We believe that God is opening wide doors of ministry in Granada’s university community, and that Raíces is part of His mission to reconcile young people to Himself!”