• Registered attendees: 1,367; average age 21.8
• About 1,450 attendees were present on Sabbath.
• Proceeds: during the offering on Sabbath, 7,900 Euros were collected, 2,600 Euros were donated. All in all, the proceeds have reached a number of 10,500 Euros (April 4, 2008).
• Via live stream we had viewers from Norway to Bulgaria, China, Bolivia and the USA join us.
• From Thursday to Sunday, we registered 15,000 people that accessed the live stream and 45,000 the website during the congress.
• Outreach: 2,000 books were given away, 936 surveys completed, 236 addresses received.
• Decisions: 151 decisions for baptism, 47 for the ministry, and 116 attendees want to give one year of their life to serve Jesus.
• 266 attendees helped out as volunteers during the congress. The community service projects (singing in the old people’s home, homework help, cleaning the park, becoming pen pals with a prisoner) were so popular, that it wasn’t possible to allow all volunteers to participate.
• After the congress, everybody helped clean up the gym and within 9 minutes all 1,500 chairs had been taken out.

"God has blessed the Youth in Mission Congress - it's obvious", was the response of dozens of attendees and staff members.

Feedback:

"The 2nd Youth in Mission Congress, which was the first one for me, has changed a lot of things in my life. I have never been able to grow so much spiritually as at this congress, and I'm so thankful that it took place. I think the morning worships were the most important for me, as well as the singing. We sang as one – a lot of young people, even though we didn’t know each other! It was so touching to spend time with God even before breakfast, before all the hustle and bustle of the day, because I had never managed to do that when I had to go to school. And I felt peace, which hasn’t happened very often during the 18 years of my life. What I'm trying to say is: Youth in Mission 2008 was the start of a personal revolution regarding my faith. Thank you! Thank you, that I was able to be a part of it! Please pass these thanks on to all those who participated. I will be at Youth in Mission 2009 and will definitely recommend it!" Sabrina

"The YiMC has really strengthened my faith. The young people were greatly blessed by the interesting workshops, worships, and reverent songs. During these few days, the Holy Spirit really touched many young people and I believe that the YiMC will contribute towards a revival among the young people. They also had the opportunity to go out, meet people and experience new things. Thank you and I'm looking forward to more events like this!" Tobias

"I am totally overwhelmed by this congress. I still can't stop telling all my friends and family about my time at the congress. It was so awesome to hear all the sermons that challenged us to live our lives with God. I was able to grow spiritually and see how other young people live their faith. I was especially moved by the baptisms and the outreach on the streets. Everything that I learned, I will be able to put to good use in my life and will benefit from it for years to come. It's nice to see, how the earnest message can be harmonized with happy young people. The program at the YIM is really qualitative and not just entertainment. I am full of praise and I hope, that this 'work' can be continued." Alicia

"After each YIMC I personally come alive again. The congress is something like an oasis in the desert of everyday life, where I can be strengthened by the workshops and the inspiring Advent message. It's also a great opportunity to get to know the young people from our conference (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) better, to encourage each other and to pray for one another. In spite of the decent accommodation and the sleep deficit, that we tend to have at the YiMC, my overall impression is very positive. One girl that I spoke to during the outreach on Sabbath afternoon, told me that they don't do any mission outreach in her church, and that’s why she always looks forward to getting active at the YiMC and being able to talk to people about God on their doorstep. In the evening she was beaming, because she had experienced how God can use her…" Margarita

"At the 1st YIM Congress I made some important decisions regarding my spiritual life and I’m so extremely happy that I could already be baptized at this 2nd YIM Congress. That was pretty much the best part of the congress for me! I'm so glad to be able to begin a new life with my heavenly dad and that He has changed my life regarding so many things! The mission outreach, which took place the day after my baptism, really strengthened my faith. And the appeals on Friday and Saturday night… Wow! When we came back out after the baptism I was totally amazed. I knew that there had been an appeal while we were changing, but now half of the gym was full of people that had decided to change their lives… I was moved to tears. A huge thank you to the greatest organizer, who has guided everything so wonderfully, our heavenly Father! We could clearly feel the presence of God and His angels. I'm really looking forward to the next congress and hope that many more people will come, that were not there the last two times." Anita

"At the YiM Congress one girl from my youth group decided to be baptized. I’m very happy about that, because a few months ago, she wasn't even sure if we're the right church. Please include us in your prayers, because the devil is working… May God be with you, see you at the next YiMC! Greetings and thanks for all your efforts." Naomi

"I thank God for giving me the chance to be a part of YIM Congress. During Ron Clouzet's appeal on Friday night, one thing became clear to me: I have accepted Jesus and I want to be baptized. I want to thank all those that have made this congress possible in the first place and I'm happy that I was able to help out as a volunteer. Thank you!" Christina

"This was the second time that we were here at the congress with some young people from Switzerland and are very thankful for that. Since my father was youth director, I have been at and participated in many youth events for a number of years. But I have never been so moved and strengthened as at the two YiM congresses. I was deeply moved by the serving and helpful attitude of the many volunteers, without whom this congress would not have been possible. That is a living faith and a wordless, but loud testimony of discipleship. It is my conviction and experience that such a faith will make a difference in our everyday life and will be more credible for secular people than an elitist Christian lifestyle, which we as Adventists regrettably often convey. Is it possible that God wants to finish the work with the help of our generation and is now preparing us for it? This question has been on my mind since YIM! Are you in? … It hurts me when I think of E.G. White's words, where she says that many members of the Adventist church will not be there at the end. We should stop playing church, this is a serious situation. Discipleship is a battle and YIM can help us with this fight. The older generations will also realize this, I’m convinced of it. Thank you so much for your untiring effort…" Andrzej

"First of all, congratulations and well done! The accommodation in the school was o.k.! The food was awesome, I felt like at home! I especially liked the sermons, I was totally ON FIRE! It’s been a while since I’ve felt so 'full'! The mission outreached really showed me how God is working! When I heard, what some of the young people had experienced, I almost had to cry! That has really encouraged me to also go out into the streets to tell people the good news about God! The music was great as well, especially when the 3 guys from Austria were singing, I had tears in my eyes; that's how touched I was by the music! So I can really recommend this congress to everybody!" Irma

"I was in Mannheim with a Polish group and we all liked it very much. Right from the beginning, until the realization, God led in everything. Honestly! Initially I wasn’t so sure that everything would work out… getting there with the car, all the costs… but that’s just very human thinking. God heard our prayers and made it possible. The congress was a very unique experience for all of us, the long drive from Poland (15 h) went well despite bad weather conditions (snow, rain, darkness) and we even arrived six hours before the start of the program. The translation of the program worked very well, Karolina from Poland translated all the necessary information from German into Polish, and I translated into English when it was possible. Even on Sabbath the young people from Poland participated actively. This was the day they had looked forward to the most. And so it was not a surprise that Mateusz went on stage on Sabbath evening and talked about his experience of going door to door. We got to know a lot of nice people, were motivated and inspired for the mission work in Poland and now, back home in Poland, we are ready to be His Hands, as all the other attendees of the YIMC 2008 probably are. This Sabbath in church we just had to talk about the congress in Germany – about everything we experienced there, how God led everything and how we would like to have such a congress in Poland. Karol, one of our drivers, had the sermon here in Podkowa and his sermon was all about the YIM Congress in Mannheim. So he was able to share the blessing that he received there with others. The Holy Spirit is working in the lives of young people all over the world, we are carrying his good message and the news of his soon return into the world and have written 'Be His Hands' on our hands!" Greetings from Poland, Linda

"I found the YIM Congress a blessing and very encouraging. After the last one I came to this one with some scepticism, but I was totally overwhelmed this time. The congress has improved 100 % !!! Especially the baptism, the appeal, the sermon on Sabbath morning and the mission outreach were my personal highlights. I had such good conversations with the people on the street on Sabbath afternoon. In particular on Sabbath I realized how much I miss doing mission outreach and how much happiness it brings to really 'be his hands' … What I also liked very much about the congress this time was the music and the selection of the songs. The variety of old and new songs was very nice. Keep it up! Altogether I can only say: you have really improved! Keep at it! And I'm already looking forward to the next YiMC." Kirsi

"Hi… the sermon I just heard has totally blown me away. I am lying on my sofa, crying. I am amazed at the possibilities God uses to bring us safely through this life. To receive a telephone call from God…what an honor. I want to get there too, I want to talk with God on the phone. Thanks to Ron and to all the technicians that make it possible for me to experience this in my own living room. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Olga

"Excellent! Wonderful! Praise God!" Nick, New Jersey, USA

"Thanks a lot to Michael Goetz for this wonderful word. From now on we will pray even more (including and especially for YiM), because that's the direct line to our Lord and He answers, which is what we experience on a daily basis. There is so much to do and so much to experience in faith. Nothing, absolutely nothing, should be impossible for us, that's what our Lord Jesus has promised. We want to hold fast to that promise and thank all of you for this wonderful Sabbath morning." Steffi and Andreas, Norwegen