DME abroad to Netherlands and Germany

Over spring break, while other students were going on SSPs, taking trips back home, or traveling with their athletic teams, 10 women flew to the Netherlands and Germany to spread the Word of the Lord and explore what the culture has to offer. Drama Ministries Ensemble (DME) is a small group of theatre students who present scripture through performance.  

The students who make up DME this year are Annika Bonestroo, Lorelai Gerard, Emily Espinoza, Ruthie Zimmerman, Dana Sorenson, Lily Twaddle and Anna Lawrence. They are directed by Professor Molly Wiebe Faber, while Lydia Cavanaugh serves as Stage Manager. Corrie Hayes Reed, our Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre, also participated in the trip.  

The theme of the show this year was Acts 2:1 – 6:7. According to Wiebe Faber, “This is the story of the early church, which quickly grows into an international movement. It was inspiring to perform this text while in various international communities.” 

DME left campus the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 28th and returned on the evening of Monday Mar. 9th. Over the week, they traveled to Apeldoorn, Netherlands for three days, to Hannover, Germany for four days, and finally back to the Netherlands for one day in Amsterdam. At each location, they connected with RCA missionaries and did performances and workshops. 

Each day of the trip, a different member took over the Northwestern Theatre Department’s Instagram, and here are some of the highlights: 

Molly Wiebe Faber shared “It was a joy to travel to two countries I’d never seen before, as well as witness the students take in two places they had never seen before. Travelling expands our view of the world God made, and it was an honor to share these new experiences with DME.”  

Corrie Hayes Reed shared, “I am so thankful that I was able to join DME for this tour! My favorite part was the people – meeting new folks and getting to know Molly and all the students better.” 

Annika Bonestroo shared about how she really loved performing for the church in Hannover. The people of the congregation are from all over the world, and Bonestroo stated that “We got to see the church as truly an international movement, not just something limited to our small town in Iowa. God was present in that performance, and everyone was worshipping together, despite differences in language and background.” 

Lorelai Gerard shared that the trip was full of blessings, especially when it came to the host families. She shared about her host family in Germany by saying, “I was able to connect with them and their three kids, and it felt like I was back home with my own three siblings. In such a short time, I was able to truly connect with them, and I saw Christ in their joy and laughter.” 

Emily Espinoza shared, “We met so many incredibly kind and wonderful people. I saw God through the conversations we had, through the food we ate, through the nature we saw, and through the other lovely ladies on the trip! It was such a joy to get to know and grow with them this past week.” A highlight for Espinoza was getting to see the art museum in Amsterdam and the gardens in Hannover. It truly showed how diverse God’s creation is and was not something she is exposed to every day.  

Ruthie Zimmerman shared, “A highlight from this trip was getting to see a glimpse of what the international church looks like! I saw people living out a faith that sought to connect before seeking to gospelize, and that led with honesty about our faults and hopes as human beings, rather than seeking an appearance of holiness.” To Zimmerman, it was refreshing to see another view of what Christianity could look like. Overall, her favorite memory from the trip is getting coffee with others and walking through the streets of Europe. 

Dana Sorenson talked about one place they got to explore; the palace of Queen Wilhemina in Apeldoorn. To Sorenson, “It was a crazy realization that we were standing in the places we’ve read about in the history books. This experience, along with many others on our trip, made this part of history and the people it affected feel real.” 

Lily Twaddle shared that there were so many moments that made the trip fun and special. One of those moments that really stood out to her was the time with the host families. Twaddle expressed that, “Both of the families that Dana and I stayed with were so hospitable and sweet. I loved getting to stay up late talking with them and getting to know them. There were so many treats and cups of tea shared and it was beautiful!” 

Anna Lawrence thought the trip was a time of getting to see the most beautiful places and meeting the most wonderful people. To her, God was evident in the relationships that were made and strengthened. Lawrence’s favorite part was “when we let down our walls and took the time to truly see each other, the messy and the beautiful. It brought so much healing.” 

Lydia Cavanaugh shared a unique story with one of her host families. She stated, “One host, upon learning that both of us staying there play instruments, was very excited to ask if we would like to have a worship night and share our worship music! We ended up playing and singing for over an hour one evening, and it was a potent reminder of the importance of including worship in everyday life.” To Cavanaugh, these moments of peace and refocusing were impactful in the midst of the whirlwind tour. It allowed her to be at her best as they continued their work.  

Though DME’s tour abroad has ended, Northwestern students will have an opportunity to witness their performance. Make sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, Mar. 28 at 7:30pm and Sunday, Mar. 29 2:00pm to see DME’s wonderful show.