The Words of the Schnaap Family

ETF 2002 - 2003 Kick Off Workshop

Nicole Schnapp
October 23, 2002

What is this ETF actually all about? During this WS the list became longer every day, because I realized so many aspects deeper! I started with my personal goals: finding my faith, meeting God 100%/strengthen relationship with God and understanding his heart. Then during the lectures, testimonies and reflections much more came to my mind, aspects I could really feel and not only understand, and I just became much more aware of: ETF is about giving people the chance to come back to God, also during FR when they can lay a little foundation of faith, it’s about living for the sake of others (what we heart often times, but this is the key!!), it’s about building your personal foundation of faith (which is at ETF so much easier to do that at home or at work, etc, cause you are out of any influence and you can really focus on that purpose!), it’s about rounding the character (because there is always sth. to improve, and at ETF you have time to reflect and get support from the brothers and sisters on the team)it’s about getting out your potential, it’s about teamwork, it’s about inheriting from our parents and really feel how much they actually did! Let alone the fact that our parents were some of the few that started to follow True Parents! It’s about realizing what True Parents actually mean to us, and most of all it is about being connected to what humanity is all about—establishing the ideal and helping God! It comes down to help building a culture of heart in practice! There is a lot I could add to that list!

If there is somebody thinking about going to ETF, I could say to him/her that it is a really good—maybe the best—base for your life. You have the possibility to find out who you are, how you are connected to the providence history and most of all: finding your faith, the truth of what life is about and then you can start your future, not just knowing what you believe, but feeling it, because you made the experiences! And also it is an offering to God! ETF is not only this year, the real start is after it, because then you knew what you believe in and doing everything in accordance to it! And you are happy that you knew what your life is all about! After ETF it’s about running in the jungle as flower which had been in a glasshouse during ETF having the possibility to grow to a "super flower"!

Well, it became quite clear that what this year is about and actually it is so deep! And although there are some things that are quite clear, I have to be more aware of it in everything I do, work on it and most of all feel it! What I could feel through the experiences this year God, God’s heart, the value of True Parents, the meaning of this time, how much my parents actually did for the providence, etc. than it becomes real! And then I can plan my life based on that!

Well, this ETF kick off WS was powerful in content and that helped me a lot to get a clearer understanding about DP (and creating how much I have to improve on that knowledge), and the time we are living in right now, and also the guidance we got for fundraising and "ETF team living" made me feel inspired! I think most of the inspirations I got out of the testimonies, than you can see how real it is and not just a theory.

The staff did a really good job in creating a super environment to prepare for this year’s ETF. Because they learned a lot during last year we could build on that and it was also good that 2nd year ETF could support us. I really felt they have a lot to give! Also the atmosphere was so nice with about 50 people. I felt really comfortable from the start and all through the WS. And I remember the very first day. I was so excited and nervous when we arrived in Schmitten, Germany, and I entered the dining room and there were so many people sitting, and it was a strange but excited feeling when I thought about staying a whole year together with them. Being together with 50 people who made the same decision with joining ETF is quite impressive! Personally, during each day of this WS I felt more connected to each person, feeling more that they are really my brothers and sisters. This is for me kind of a transformation in heart. I also feel that there is a lot go give to others.

When the parents arrived it was for me as if the WS was complete. We can’t talk about our ETF year and our faith without considering our parents and what we inherited from them! It became so much clearer for me, that I actually can be so thankful that my parents followed True Parents and that I could receive the best gift ever—the lineage of God! I always love listening to their testimonies—especially because they made the decision joining the movement after a long time of searching and maybe suffering. So TP and the truth are for them, in a way, more precious that for us the 2nd gen. We more or less take it for granted. This is how I felt. I grew up with DP, etc. so that now I don’t really feel so much the preciousness of it until I myself be totally spiritual reborn, that means finding my faith 100%.

I definitely feel inspired now. I knew that I had to get into it—like always, but I know that I will be exciting! I got so much content and ‘takeaways’, things I learned, that I feel full, and can’t waiting putting it into practice finally, there is so much we can do so many people we can inspire and a big foundation waiting to be used so that the harvest can be reaped.

I really feel good with God’s choice that I’m leaving for Austria, and I also like the team very much. It was so exciting when they announced it yesterday! I was wiling to accept any country. I feel there is an exciting powerful future coming up and that I will learn a lot.

"ETF is like a rope from God, and if you hold on you can grow!"

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