TeenStreet Germany Profile: Corinna Scharrenberg, CleanStreet Leader

OM International

Corinna is the head of the cleaning crew, fondly referred to as CleanStreet. This group of 40 volunteers at TeenStreet 2008 is responsible for maintaining the 96 showers in container facilities and 128 toilets and 79 urinals on the site.

“I know that this is the kind of work that everybody wants done, but nobody wants to do,” said Corinna. “People always think cleaning is a bad job, and nobody wants to say they were at a teenage conference with 3,400 people and cleaned toilets every day. But, we have a lot of fun.”

Corinna remembers TeenStreet 2006 when she was called out of bed at 4:30 in the morning after torrential rains flooded the service team tent and forced its inhabitants to find dryer accommodation. That year she was soaked from head to toe twice.

But, even though she’s the one people call when there’s a plugged toilet or overflowing shower, she says that it’s all worth it. “Teen Street is the most intensive, stressful, exhausting and emotionally stretching few weeks; but, it’s also the most blessed,” said Corinna. “I see the kids praying and reading the Bible, and I feel the spiritual atmosphere, and then everything I do is worth it.”

It’s been a long journey for the CleanStreet leader, and she’d tell you that in the first few years she couldn’t handle the position and responsibility. “I was young,” she said. “And I learned that as a leader I must be the most humble person. Many people say, ‘Oh you’re such a great leader; you have a great attitude.’ But, I grew with TeenStreet, and it made a lot of my life, personality and faith.

“I’ve never been a teenager at TeenStreet. I’ve always been the cleaning leader. But, last year when I had my tenth year I thought about it and realized that TeenStreet has changed my life.”

Three years ago Corinna experienced a hearing loss just before TeenStreet. On the last day it still hadn’t gotten better. She felt weak, and did not feel like the team leader her team deserved. She even went to the man in charge of TeenStreet and told him she was going to quit, that she couldn’t do it anymore. But, he wouldn’t let her, and told her just to rest.  

“I said OK, I’ll try it,” Corinna remembers. “I did my best with all the preparation and communication—everything I could do from the human side—and in the end I surrendered before God. I said, ‘I’m the supervisor, but I want you to be the leader of me and the team. I give you all my responsibility and my health. I did all I can, but you have to do the rest.”

And Corinna says that God blessed it. “I realized that without Jesus we can do all we can, but it will still not work out well. We need to depend on God.” This was the moment that Corinna’s faith transformed, and how TeenStreet changed her life. 

She’s the first to arrive for preparation week, and the last to leave after the event; but Corinna wouldn’t have it any other way. “I like working in the background and seeing how this all develops. I like coming into an empty hall and seeing TeenStreet grow. And I don’t like leaving.”

Credit: OM International
© 2008 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it