#realyou
Program
#realyou. Being a Jesus Follower in the 21st Century
We want the AMiCUS Congress to be an exceptional experience for you. A place where you can truly reflect on, discover and celebrate your #realyou in the company of other Christian students and great speakers. We are excited to be part of your personal walk with Jesus.
Our focus Bible text for the whole event is: "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)
Click here to see the full schedule (or patiently scroll down to see more info on speaker and response groups).
Click here to see our virtual exhibitors. If you would like to be an exhibitor, please email us here.
Follow the livestream on YouTube here.
Speakers
#realrelationships on Thurs. 23 Sept. 2021
with Belinda É. Samari
We will explore the two realms as outlined in the Bible, the Seen and Unseen. The Seen is Newtonian, the Unseen is Quantum. When we understand that, then everything we thought about relationships must be re-thought. In the quantum world crazy, unimaginable things are possible.
The basic premise of my talk will be that meaningful encounters (real relationships) happen when two people meet in the Unseen. This can be for 5 minutes or for a lifetime. Real relationships are not determined by time spent together nor quantity nor commonalities nor any of the usual (Newtonian) parameters we assign them (though can include them). The single common denominator is the presence of the living God. This presupposes an intimate relationship with God, a knowing that is holistic (not head but body), and a sensitivity to the Spirit as we find in the book of Acts. This is what we will be exploring. What these relationships are, how they manifest, and most importantly why and how one can experience them. Having real relationships is a mode of being, a way of being with God that then translates into connections with others.
#realhope on Fri. 24 Sept. 2021
with Daniel Bosqued
Sometimes people confuse hope with optimism. Optimism can sometimes be dangerous, especially if it is not well founded. On the other hand, although many times people say that "hope is the last thing to be lost" and cling to it at any cost, sometimes it may be better to give up hope... if we have not understood it correctly.
Today there is a crisis of hope. However, we can explore together why it is possible to have hope despite everything. Our aim is to savor the practical utility of incorporating Hope into our daily lives, in everything we do.
#realJesus on Sat. 25 Sept. 2021
with Dorothea Relić
The real Jesus will never cease to amaze us. As much as we study his words and actions of love, compassion and understanding, we might never fully understand them. In his famous Sermon on the Mount he speaks to a crowd and calls some of them ‘blessed’. (Matthew 5) He sees the people—the real people—beyond the masks, roles, cultures and religions that shape them. His sermon surprises—it surprised them back then and it still surprises us today. It makes us wonder: “who is this person that sees the real us and loves us just like we are?” And it brings us the evermore important question: who would he name as ‘blessed’ today?
Response Groups
As human beings we are all unique. That means that some of us process ideas better through conversation, others through writing, others through singing, others through creating beautiful works of art…
So, our challenge for you is to respond in your own personal way to each general session in your preferred response group. When you register for the event, you will be asked to choose your top three response groups. We will offer the most voted response groups. More information will be uploaded on this page 10 days before the congress.
These are the response groups for each session:
Response groups for #realrelationships with Belinda É. Samari:
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Personal Devotion, with Annika Looser-Grönroos (Switzerland)
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Go Deeper, with Belinda É. Samari (France) and Tihi Lazic (UK)
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Conversation (7 groups to choose from)
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Art, with Winston Adom (Italy)
Response groups for #realhope with Daniel Bosqued:
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Art, with Winston Adom (Italy)
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Conversation (7 groups to choose from)
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Go Deeper, with Laurentiu Mot (Romania)
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Personal Devotion, with Annika Looser-Grönroos (Switzerland)
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Worship, with Lucie and Martin Pavlik (Czech Republic)
Response groups for #realjesus with Dorothea Relić:
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Conversation (7 groups to choose from)
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Go Deeper, with Gilbert Cangy (Australia)
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Personal Devotion, with Annika Looser-Grönroos (Switzerland)
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Take Action, with Álvaro Doladé (Spain)
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Art, with Winston Adom (Italy)
#realrelationships: Personal Devotion Response Group with Annika Looser-Grönroos
First of all, who is Annika?
Hi! My name is Annika. My heart lives in two beautiful places. In Switzerland, the country I was born in, and the place where I live today, and in Finland, the country I grew up in. However, my heart longs to live in the place where God is. And even though we don’t live in the same place yet, He keeps on crossing my path, and guiding my steps towards Him.
I’m a theologian and counselor, but my most significant training I experience in my everyday life as wife and mother, and in all the precious encounters with the people around me.
What can you expect in the Personal Devotion Response Group?
This response group is all about personal devotion and prayer. We want to respond to what we have heard, and therefore we ask ourselves “How does the message speak into my life?”.
We embark upon this journey by reflecting upon God’s word, and personal prayer, in solitude with God. This response group is a guided reflection. Some of the elements we will experience as a group, others will be a personal contemplation. Bring a pen and a notebook, or any other device where you can jot down some notes.
What do you need for the Personal Devotion Response Group?
-
Notebook and pen, or any other device where you can jot down some notes
-
Downloadables (available in the congress app and here)
#realrelationships: Go Deeper Response Group with Belinda É. Samari and Tihi Lazic
First of all, who are Belinda and Tihi?
Belinda is a doctoral student in ancient Greek philosophy with a background in Hebrew and Jewish Studies, She is a psychologist who specialises in creative modes of expression. She commonly lectures and holds workshops on psychology, creativity, philosophy and biblical studies. She is fascinated by the human being, both practically in terms of what makes us tick, and theoretically, how our deeper parts affect various aspects of our lives.
Tihi works as a Lecturer in Systematic Theology at Newbold College. He completed his doctorate in theology at the University of Oxford. His speciality is in systematic theology, or more precisely, contemporary ecclesiology — particularly the issues of Adventist ecclesiology and identity.
What can you expect in the Go Deeper Response Group?
This response group is about going and digging deeper into the topic of real relationships.
What do you need for the Go Deeper Response Group?
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Open mind, constructive spirit, positive atmosphere and a sense of humour.
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A pen and a notebook, or any other device where you can jot down some notes
#realrelationships: Art Response Group with Winston Adom
First of all, who is Winston?
Hi everyone, I’m Winston Adom, a creative from Como, born in Ghana in 1996.
I became passionate about design thanks to the CD booklets that my father collected, and also from cartoons.
I decided to feed this curiosity by following the advice of my high school English teacher. So, I attended and graduated from NABA in Milan.
For my artwork, I am inspired by the music I listen to and by England, with its gray tones, dirt and all the colorful and bold billboards.
At the moment, I am a freelancer. I usually work with music artists, and recently I had the chance to work with Netflix. Also, I usually collaborate with TRX Radio.
What can you expect in the Art Response Group?
For our session together, I want to draw from my experience in the music industry and challenge you to create your own cover art for your favourite song on the topic.
This will be our process. First, we will learn the creative process behind how I make cover art for music albums. Then, we will explore some of my work. Finally, you will make your own cover art for the song you chose for the topic.
We’re going to connect to the song, feel it and then show our view through the cover.
What do you need for the Art Response Group?
-
Choose your favourite song on the topic (#realrelationships).
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A free account on Canva.com or Adobe Spark
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Paper, notebook, pens, pencils, colours...
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Notebook to take notes
-
Photoshop (optional)
#realrelationships: Conversation Response Groups with Jonatan Tejel
First of all, who is Jonatan?
Hi! I’m Jonatán Tejel and I currently serve as the Youth Ministries Director for the Inter-European Division. I enjoy life with my wife Daniela and my two precious daughters, Astrid and Édera.
I’m into sports such as football, rock climbing, and scuba diving and I like working with computers and doing puzzles. One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 40:30-31: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
What can you expect in the Conversation Response Group?
Since I was young I grew up with the conviction that there is nothing better than an open, honest and respectful conversation about any topic in life. There will be difficult topics, sometimes during the conversation you can disagree with the other person's opinion, but the experience of having a good conversation will help you to grow and to better understand those around you. The more open and respectful your dialogue is, the healthier your relationships will become. So, come, join one of the Conversation Response Groups, and enjoy your time, listening to others and also giving your own opinions.
We will have around 7 different conversation response groups to choose from, in the following languages: English, French, Spanish and Romanian. If you want to meet new people, we recommend you choose an English-speaking group.
What do you need for the Conversation Response Group?
-
A desire to engage in conversation with other students and young people in Europe.
-
An open mind and a respectful heart.
#realhope: Art Response Group with Winston Adom
First of all, who is Winston?
Hi everyone, I’m Winston Adom, a creative from Como, born in Ghana in 1996.
I became passionate about design thanks to the CD booklets that my father collected, and also from cartoons.
I decided to feed this curiosity by following the advice of my high school English teacher. So, I attended and graduated from NABA in Milan.
For my artwork, I am inspired by the music I listen to and by England, with its gray tones, dirt and all the colorful and bold billboards.
At the moment, I am a freelancer. I usually work with music artists, and recently I had the chance to work with Netflix. Also, I usually collaborate with TRX Radio.
What can you expect in the Art Response Group?
For our session together, I want to draw from my experience in the music industry and challenge you to create your own cover art for your favourite song on the topic.
This will be our process. First, we will learn the creative process behind how I make cover art for music albums. Then, we will explore some of my work. Finally, you will make your own cover art for the song you chose for the topic.
We’re going to connect to the song, feel it and then show our view through the cover.
What do you need for the Art Response Group?
-
Choose your favourite song on the topic (#realhope).
-
A free account on Canva.com or Adobe Spark
-
Paper, notebook, pens, pencils, colours...
-
Notebook to take notes
-
Photoshop (optional)
#realhope: Worship Response Group with Martin and Lucie Pavlik
First of all, who are Martin and Lucie?
Martin and Lucie live in Prague (Czech Republic) and for more than 5 years they’ve been a part of a student church named Basement 30. Martin serves as a pastor and the youth director of the Czech Conference. His wife Lucie is a preschool teacher and she also leads the Basement Worship band with a group of young people.
What can you expect in the Worship Response Group?
What does worship music mean for you? And can we manifest our faith in God through music? We believe we can. That’s why we will sing, create and get inspired. During our worship evening, we will not only share our faith through our favourite worship songs, but also listen to Jesus’ questions we believe are relevant also for our generation. Let’s experience our faith through the intimacy of worship and its special atmosphere.
What do you need for the Worship Response Group?
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An open heart to connect with God.
#realhope: Conversation Response Groups with Jonatan Tejel
First of all, who is Jonatan?
Hi! I’m Jonatán Tejel and I currently serve as the Youth Ministries Director for the Inter-European Division. I enjoy life with my wife Daniela and my two precious daughters, Astrid and Édera.
I’m into sports such as football, rock climbing, and scuba diving and I like working with computers and doing puzzles. One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 40:30-31: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
What can you expect in the Conversation Response Group?
Since I was young I grew up with the conviction that there is nothing better than an open, honest and respectful conversation about any topic in life. There will be difficult topics, sometimes during the conversation you can disagree with the other person's opinion, but the experience of having a good conversation will help you to grow and to better understand those around you. The more open and respectful your dialogue is, the healthier your relationships will become. So, come, join one of the Conversation Response Groups, and enjoy your time, listening to others and also giving your own opinions.
We will have around 7 different conversation response groups to choose from, in the following languages: English, French, Spanish and Romanian. If you want to meet new people, we recommend you choose an English-speaking group.
What do you need for the Conversation Response Group?
-
A desire to engage in conversation with other students and young people in Europe.
-
An open mind and a respectful heart.
#realhope: Go Deeper Response Group with Laurentiu Mot
First of all, who is Laurentiu?
Laurentiu was born in 1979, at the beginning of the last decade of long-standing communism in Romania. Thanks to his SDA grandmother, he got to know the church, which he attended intermittently because of his semi-professional football competitions, until he decided to follow Jesus and get baptized at age 17. That was also the year he lost his mother, and since his parents had gotten divorced when he was 4, God became both his Father and Mother. He developed a passion for Bible study and ended up studying Theology. He also has doctoral studies, and is currently serving as Professor of NT Studies and Rector at Adventus University in Cernica, Romania. Teaching and Research are his passions. When he has some time off, he goes to music and sport. He is the author of two books and a good number of articles. He is married to Adelina and the proud father of Darius, our 12-year-old son. “Not that I am something, but I would like to end by saying that without God I would have been nothing.”
What can you expect in the Go Deeper Response Group?
In this Go Deeper Response Group, you can expect challenges and questions, meant to go deeper into the topic of biblical hope. We will touch things like life-goals, the will of God, and the main distinction between hope and optimism according to science.
What do you need for the Go Deeper Response Group?
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Open mind, constructive spirit, positive atmosphere and a sense of humour.
-
A pen and a notebook, or any other device where you can jot down some notes.
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Grab a leaf (of whatever kind) before the meeting.
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If you can, connect via a larger screen.
#realhope: Personal Devotion Response Group with Annika Looser-Grönroos
First of all, who is Annika?
Hi! My name is Annika. My heart lives in two beautiful places. In Switzerland, the country I was born in, and the place where I live today, and in Finland, the country I grew up in. However, my heart longs to live in the place where God is. And even though we don’t live in the same place yet, He keeps on crossing my path, and guiding my steps towards Him.
I’m a theologian and counselor, but my most significant training I experience in my everyday life as wife and mother, and in all the precious encounters with the people around me.
What can you expect in the Personal Devotion Response Group?
This response group is all about personal devotion and prayer. We want to respond to what we have heard, and therefore we ask ourselves “How does the message speak into my life?”.
We embark upon this journey by reflecting upon God’s word, and personal prayer, in solitude with God. This response group is a guided reflection. Some of the elements we will experience as a group, others will be a personal contemplation. Bring a pen and a notebook, or any other device where you can jot down some notes.
What do you need for the Personal Devotion Response Group?
-
Notebook and pen, or any other device where you can jot down some notes
-
Downloadables (available in the congress app and here)
#realjesus: Go Deeper Response Group with Gilbert Cangy
First of all, who is Gilbert?
Gilbert is currently serving as the Pastoral Service Manager for the Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Group. He oversees the development of the chaplaincy service for Group’s local and international businesses. He also served as world Youth Director from 2010 to 2017 at the General Conference of SDA. He is originally from Mauritius, and is married to Rosemary and they have a son and a daughter. He has an interest in all sports, particularly soccer and loves music. His secret ambition is to see youth take hold of the mission of the church and stand up as a global movement for Jesus to bring hope and meaning to our hopeless world
What can you expect in the Go Deeper Response Group?
This response group is about going deeper into exploring the place that the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-16) occupies in the announcement and the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven. The emphasis in our Go Deeper Response Group will be on the present and existential blessings of the Kingdom of heaven – God does not propose to take us out of our current circumstances so we can be blessed; but He blesses us in and within our current circumstances. Eternal life begins with an eternal kind of life in the here and now brought about by the transforming power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
What do you need for the Go Deeper Response Group?
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The spirit and curiosity of an explorer.
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A willingness to engage in the conversation.
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A pen and a notebook, or any other device where you can jot down some notes.
#realjesus: Take Action Response Group with Álvaro Doladé
First of all, who is Álvaro?
Hola! My name is Álvaro, I’m a Strategic Designer and Creative Director from Barcelona. I have worked for more than 10 years for brands such as Nike, Ford or Santander. I am a Design Thinking and Social Innovation lecturer at Brother Escuela de Creativos and IED Barcelona. With my incredible wife María I have collaborated in the planting of two Adventist churches in Madrid and Barcelona. My purpose in life: to co-design better future scenarios, reaching Heaven and beyond!
What can you expect in the Take Action Response Group?
PARABLE GENERATOR
Being a follower of Jesus means learning to live, feel and think like Him. That is why we will learn to create parables, small and simple portable stories with great hidden narratives. Accessible for everyone, even your friends.
Being a follower of Jesus means learning to live, feel and think like Him. That is why we will learn to create parables, small and simple stories with great hidden narratives.
What do you need for the Take Action Response Group?
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An active account at Miro (www.miro.com) a free online collaborative tool with great potential.
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An open and bold attitude to welcome change.
#realjesus: Personal Devotion Response Group with Annika Looser-Grönroos
First of all, who is Annika?
Hi! My name is Annika. My heart lives in two beautiful places. In Switzerland, the country I was born in, and the place where I live today, and in Finland, the country I grew up in. However, my heart longs to live in the place where God is. And even though we don’t live in the same place yet, He keeps on crossing my path, and guiding my steps towards Him.
I’m a theologian and counselor, but my most significant training I experience in my everyday life as wife and mother, and in all the precious encounters with the people around me.
What can you expect in the Personal Devotion Response Group?
This response group is all about personal devotion and prayer. We want to respond to what we have heard, and therefore we ask ourselves “How does the message speak into my life?”.
We embark upon this journey by reflecting upon God’s word, and personal prayer, in solitude with God. This response group is a guided reflection. Some of the elements we will experience as a group, others will be a personal contemplation. Bring a pen and a notebook, or any other device where you can jot down some notes.
What do you need for the Personal Devotion Response Group?
-
Notebook and pen, or any other device where you can jot down some notes
-
Downloadables (available in the congress app and here)
#realjesus: Art Response Group with Winston Adom
First of all, who is Winston?
Hi everyone, I’m Winston Adom, a creative from Como, born in Ghana in 1996.
I became passionate about design thanks to the CD booklets that my father collected, and also from cartoons.
I decided to feed this curiosity by following the advice of my high school English teacher. So, I attended and graduated from NABA in Milan.
For my artwork, I am inspired by the music I listen to and by England, with its gray tones, dirt and all the colorful and bold billboards.
At the moment, I am a freelancer. I usually work with music artists, and recently I had the chance to work with Netflix. Also, I usually collaborate with TRX Radio.
What can you expect in the Art Response Group?
For our session together, I want to draw from my experience in the music industry and challenge you to create your own cover art for your favourite song on the topic.
This will be our process. First, we will learn the creative process behind how I make cover art for music albums. Then, we will explore some of my work. Finally, you will make your own cover art for the song you chose for the topic.
We’re going to connect to the song, feel it and then show our view through the cover.
What do you need for the Art Response Group?
-
Choose your favourite song on the topic (#realjesus).
-
A free account on Canva.com or Adobe Spark
-
Paper, notebook, pens, pencils, colours...
-
Notebook to take notes
-
Photoshop (optional)
#realjesus: Conversation Response Groups with Jonatan Tejel
First of all, who is Jonatan?
Hi! I’m Jonatán Tejel and I currently serve as the Youth Ministries Director for the Inter-European Division. I enjoy life with my wife Daniela and my two precious daughters, Astrid and Édera.
I’m into sports such as football, rock climbing, and scuba diving and I like working with computers and doing puzzles. One of my favorite Bible verses is Isaiah 40:30-31: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
What can you expect in the Conversation Response Group?
Since I was young I grew up with the conviction that there is nothing better than an open, honest and respectful conversation about any topic in life. There will be difficult topics, sometimes during the conversation you can disagree with the other person's opinion, but the experience of having a good conversation will help you to grow and to better understand those around you. The more open and respectful your dialogue is, the healthier your relationships will become. So, come, join one of the Conversation Response Groups, and enjoy your time, listening to others and also giving your own opinions.
We will have around 7 different conversation response groups to choose from, in the following languages: English, French, Spanish and Romanian. If you want to meet new people, we recommend you choose an English-speaking group.
What do you need for the Conversation Response Group?
-
A desire to engage in conversation with other students and young people in Europe.
-
An open mind and a respectful heart.
In future editions of #realyou, once we can gather again in person, we will be able to enjoy even more response groups:
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ARTS: Process what you have heard and experienced through arts.
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LETTERING: Respond to the message by creating beautiful texts.
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CONVERSATION: Talk through the morning session and respond to the message together.
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GO DEEPER: Challenge your mind and intellect by reflecting more deeply into the topic.
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PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO: Creatively explore the morning topic using video and photography.
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PRAYER: Pray through what you heard during the morning session.
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PUBLIC SPEAKING: Grow in your oratorical skills by defending your view of the topic in a friendly debate.
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PERSONAL DEVOTION: Reflect, think, pray and respond to the message in a personal, quiet time.
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SONGWRITING: Turn what you heard in the message into inspired melody and song.
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TAKE ACTION: Join a Think Tank to purposefully design practical proposals.
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WORSHIP: Process the message and respond to God through worship and song.
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WRITING: Process what you have heard and respond through creative writing.