Yep, it’s true.
We have accepted positions with the Black Forest Academy as the Communications Coordinators. The Black Forest Academy (BFA) is a boarding school for missionary kids in Kandern, Germany. One of the main reasons missionaries come back from the field is because there are no educational opportunities there for their children. The Black Forest Academy provides a high-quality education for missionary kids while allowing their parents do the work God has called them to. As their mission statement says, “Black Forest Academy provides a quality, international Christian education that equips its students to influence their world through biblical thought, character, and action.”
Why We’re Going
We are so excited to serve at BFA. The school has 300 students in grades 2-12 and 145 boarding students in grades 7-12. The students who board at BFA are away from their families, often for the first time. Some students are confused, angry, and hurting, and all are dealing with the everyday issues teenagers face. They need encouragement, support, guidance and love. And we want to give them those things! BFA fits who we are. It is the perfect setting for us to do the things we are called to: help people better know God and themselves, help them understand their salvation, and help them live from an awareness of God’s love. We want to build deep relationships with these students and walk through life with them.
At BFA, we will be investing in what God is doing globally. Families who attend BFA serve, literally, all over the world—in over 40 countries. Through investing in the students at BFA, we are going to be serving their families and helping them to share God’s love with the nations.
About Our Work
We are committing to BFA for two years, but can imagine ourselves there for much longer. As the Communications Coordinator, Israel will oversee all of the print, web and video media for the school, assuring everything is cohesive and effective. He will focus much of his time on redesigning and improving the BFA website. Dani will spend most of her time creating videos. These will be for new and prospective students, prospective and current staff, and parents. One of our goals for the BFA website is to allow parents to quickly and easily access videos and photos of their children’s events. We want them to be as involved in their childrens’ lives as possible, even if they are thousands of miles away.
About Kandern
BFA is located in the small town of Kandern, in southwestern Germany. Kandern is nestled in the hills of the Black Forest, where many of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales were set. It is about three hours from where Dani was born in Germany and about two hours from where her family lived in the 90′s. Kandern is half an hour from France and Switzerland. Anyone want to visit?
We’re excited! Pray for us as we journey to the Black Forest Academy!
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.
