Well folks, it’s been a looong time since our last update. I’ll skip the list of reasons for our silence, and jump straight to the good stuff.
Summer Happened
This summer was full. We did some manual labor, had family visit, and moved twice. July was filled with an intensive German course, which gave us a little more language confidence. Wir sprechen Deutsch ein bisschen besser. (If you speak German, you may be able to tell just how little better by that sentence.)
School’s back in session!
In late August, BFA started up again. We’re so glad not to be new this year! It’s wonderful to know how BFA operates, know what all those crazy acronyms mean, and best of all, to know students! God has already blessed us with some amazing, truth-filled, life-changing conversations with students.
Israel and the Screaming Girls
Israel is coaching JV Girl’s Volleyball this year. Last year he helped out, but now he’s an official coach. This means daily practices and traveling to games every weekend. Israel seems to be uniquely equipped, by his five sisters, to deal with all the screaming involved in a six hour bus ride with 20 teenage girls. He’s very much enjoying coaching, but it makes for a very tiring schedule.
Dani Goes to School
I am in my last few weeks of a Biblical Counseling class through the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation. The class is called Foundations of Biblical Change and has been incredibly applicable, both to my own life and to my conversations with girls. Already this year, several girls have come to me with some pretty serious things, so the training I’m receiving through this class has been incredibly helpful. I hope to continue with more classes next semester.
Hello Long-Term Commitment?
Our initial commitment to BFA was for two years; this is our second year. Because it takes several months for BFA to fill empty positions, the school asks us to make next year’s commitment in October. A few weeks ago, we turned in a sheet of paper indicating that we would be at BFA next school year. We feel that we need to stay here until God tells us to go somewhere else. We’re excited about this decision and about being able to invest here longer term. This will mean more support raising this summer and, hopefully, more language learning, but we’re excited about the ways God will provide through these opportunities.
Pray for Us. Pretty Please!
Busy, Busy, Busy — As our lack of updates indicate, we’re crazy busy! We’ve had very little free time since school started. We hope things will slow down a bit in mid-November, once volleyball and my class are over, but we’re already looking forward to Christmas Break.
Chapel Talk — I, Dani, am speaking in High School Chapel on November 11th. I think I’ll be speaking about the miscarriages and what God’s been teaching me through them, but I don’t really know what “the point” of my talk is yet, partially because I’m still in the middle of this journey. I’m also sharing my story of dealing with sexual addiction in a dorm on Sunday. Prayer is much appreciated!
Student Issues — God’s allowed us to join girls in pretty serious issues this year. We feel privileged to get to walk with them toward Jesus, but we can also feel rather helpless! We know, though, that Jesus is the only one who saves and changes. Pray for wisdom for us, and for redemption and salvation for the students!
Summer and Future Plans – We’re still many months away, but summer will be upon us sooner than we think. This will mean travel, finding temporary housing and a car, and raising more support. We’re also in the process of deciding what direction to take for our family, whether fertility, adoption or something else.
We love you all! We’ll try to get another update out before Christmas!
Here’s a little video from one of the last times the small group of girls is meeting this semester. They went to the monument on the hill above Kandern. The other leader, Sue, is leaving after this semester. So she read a letter to the girls she had written them. It was a really good evening of being together and enjoying the outside.
We went to our first Staff Appreciation Evening for BFA. It was a great evening without students and appreciating staff who are leaving. Lots of tears were shared by those who are not able to be here next school year. The evening was full of joy and great friendship.
Finish Strong
The semester is almost completed. Please pray for everyone at the school. That they will all finish strong, and complete all the projects and work required of them. Also pray for Dani and I as we have actually been substituting for a few classes, and hope that we are doing a good job.
So this last Sunday we had two students come and cook a meal for us. There is a class that the students can take called Independent Living. One of the aspects that the class provides is the opportunity for students (usually a girl and a guy) to go and cook a meal for staff. It’s a great way for the students to learn how to cook and for staff to interact with students in ways that they might normally not.
We did this last semester, and it was a great opportunity for us to eat good food and learn about the students’ lives outside of BFA, so we signed up again this semester. A Senior boy and Junior girl sent us a list of ingredients and the menu, and we went shopping the day before, since stores are closed on Sunday.
What Did They Cook?
Our students cooked us Pasta Amatriciana, garlic bread, roasted veggies (Dani ate those) and Tiramisu. The food was really tasty, and it was fun to interact with the students while they prepared it in our kitchen. They came prepared to cook and even brought their own music, ipod + speakers. We provided all the cooking materials, but they had to do all the cooking with no help from us. They did a fantastic job, and we even had enough for leftovers. Yum.
Photos
Stirring the Dessert{|}Stirring the Dessert
Stirring the Dessert: Part Duex{|}Stirring the Dessert: Part Duex
Passing the Whisk{|}Passing the Whisk
Mmmmm batter{|}Mmmmm batter
Working Together{|}Working Together
Picking the Perfect Music for Cooking{|}Picking the Perfect Music for Cooking
Food Preparation Stuffs{|}Food Preparation Stuffs
Slicing and Dicing!{|}Slicing and Dicing!
Slicing and Dicing! and Slicing and Dicing!{|}Slicing and Dicing! and Slicing and Dicing!
Slicing and Dicing! and Slicing and Dicing! and Slicing and Dicing!{|}Slicing and Dicing! and Slicing and Dicing! and Slicing and Dicing!
The Table is Set{|}The Table is Set
The Table is Set - Close up{|}The Table is Set - Close up
Us Eating Together - without Dani{|}Us Eating Together - without Dani
Us Eating Together - without Dani (using a flash){|}Us Eating Together - without Dani (using a flash)
One of the biggest BFA events is upon us—The High School Retreat. It’s happening this coming weekend, Friday through Sunday. The theme for this weekend is Restoration. A time of rest physical and of rest spiritually for staff and students alike. There will be time for sleep, sledding, ice-skating, snow activities, shopping, just loads of stuff not school related. My dad is going to be leading worship, and Rod Taylor will be speaking.
This is the Theme Verse for the Weekend
Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return;
Renew our days, as of old Lamentations 5:21
Please Pray
We ask that you lift up this weekend:
That Dani and the entire chaplains’ staff would get everything done that they need to regarding planning for this weekend.
Pray that my parents arrive here safely—My dad is leading the music for the retreat.
Dennis and Rod as they lead and speak.
Safety traveling this weekend and while at Lenk.
Pray that the weekend is restful.
Pray that the students are receptive and open to Dennis’ worship style. It is different than they are used to.
Pray that the students desire to see God change their lives.
Pray that there would be an atmosphere of openness and stability.
The new website for the school is now officially launched! An announcement was made to the student body before school on Monday. I say it’s about time. Dani and I are excited that it’s live. Dani, because now I will be at home more. And myself because now I feel like I have something to show for my time here. There’s still plenty that needs to be done, but it’s a great starting point. And I am hopeful that it will improve BFA’s ability to communicate.
Check it out at bfacademy.com. And feel free to let me know what you think.
So our community group, back in the states, sent us a package for Christmas. We didn’t end up getting it until after the new year, but it was well worth the wait. It was full of white-elephant (dirty Santa) gifts!
What Was Inside?
Let’s see…among the gifts was my favorite, the abominable snowman. You put it in water and then it grows over a three day period into three-times it’s normal size. I’ve happened to discover that I like hiding it around the house. So every few days it’s placed in different locations. Loads of fun for all involved.
So What Does This Have to do With Being in Germany?
Absolutely nothing. But it has everything to do with having great friends and supporters. People who will stand by you. People who will laugh with you. People who will pray with you.
We love our community group. Receiving fun gifts like this makes me feel loved and supported. And I enjoy the silly gifts. I guess I’m trying to say that it’s a blessing when we get surprises. And it’s a blessing to have great supporters like our community group and others who are willing to stand by us while we are over here in Germany.
Thank You
Thanks community group for all your prayers and care. We love every note and little gift you send our way. You have more of an impact than I can ever convey. We love you. Know that your sacrifice for us will not go unnoticed. You are all in our prayers as well.
And myself because now I feel like I have something to show for my time here. There’s still plenty that needs to be done, but it’s a great starting point. And I am hopeful that it will improve BFA’s ability to communicate.
