Less Than 24 Hours...

... and I'll be on a plane back to Germany!  It's hard to believe that it's time to pack the suitcases and say the goodbyes to friends and family here in the States.  What a wonderful summer of reconnecting it has been.

Although I am returning tomorrow, I am still not fully supported financially.  I am still in need of about $300/month.  Would you prayerfully consider joining me on the journey by making a monthly pledge or giving a special gift?  If you are interested, please comment on this blog entry, email me, or click on the link on the right to download a donation form.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and generosity!  You are a blessing to me.  Please keep in touch, and I hope to see you when I'm back in Newtown at Christmastime!

BFA and the Olympics

Did you watch the Olympics opening ceremony?

As athletes from around the world walked into the arena, they carried flags, snapped pictures, captured the unforgettable moments on video.  They were proud to represent their countries!  We viewers were amazed to see all of these countries side by side, putting aside their differences long enough to compete in the 2012 Olympic games.

I was picturing a similar ceremony that will happen at BFA in just a few weeks.  To open each school year, students parade in with the flags of the 50+ countries represented by BFA's student body - places where the students have lived or have parents currently serving.  It's a powerful ceremony, strikingly similar to the Parade of Nations.

These countries that were once unfamiliar to me now have a personal meaning.  Moldova, Tanzania, Slovenia, and others - where BFA students have gone on mission trips.  South Korea - the country several of my small group girls call "home."

For the first time in my life, I'll be watching most of the Olympics from another country.  That doesn't mean I'll cheer any less for Missy Franklin and Ryan Lochte!  But, I can't help but think about the international perspective I have as I watch the games.  Somehow I find myself cheering for many countries at once, knowing the connections that my BFA friends have to their "heart homes" around the world.

And at BFA, we don't have to wait for the Olympics to roll around every two years.  We do "international" and "multicultural" every day of the school year.

Familiar Faces

Among the sea of 250 kids attending the Vacation Bible School (VBS) at my home church this week, I was looking for familiar faces.  With the combination of my time away from the church and the large amount of VBS visitors, there weren't too many kids I recognized.  But what a joy to see their smiling faces and hear their excited conversations: "Mom!  Tomorrow I need a bathing suit!  And a towel!  Oh, Mom, look at my craft!"

Funny, I caught myself looking for some specific faces in that VBS crowd.  Ones that I knew I wouldn't see in Pennsylvania, but whom I naturally searched to find.  The faces of BFA.

As I served VBS snacks this week, I especially took note of the 5th and 6th grade classes.  I half expected to see my students from this past year sipping lemonade next to our 5th graders.  I could almost hear their voices engaged in conversation with the kids of Grace Point.  And I thought of my future students as I saw the 6th graders taking their brownie bites and popcorn balls and ice cream sandwiches, imagining myself as their teacher in just over one month.

"Christmas in the Son" was the theme for the week, with candy canes adorning the halls and Christmas carols playing throughout the morning.  But my favorite part was the collection of Operation Christmas Child boxes, which of course reminded me of my fourth grade class!  I was so proud of their ownership of the BFA collection this past fall, and it was great to see kids involved in this process again.

It has been wonderful seeing so many kids at VBS this week.  And I'm looking forward to seeing those BFA faces again in a few weeks!

The sea of faces at VBS!

Join Me on the Journey!

As I renew my commitment to serve at Black Forest Academy, I'd like to invite YOU to join me on the journey!  Many of you have followed my journey over the past two years via the stories and photographs on this blog.  You've prayed for me and for this overseas community that has come to mean so much to me.  Without your encouragement and generosity, I couldn't do what I do!

How is the Lord calling YOU to partner with me on this journey?  Please prayerfully consider giving financially to God's work at BFA.  Click on the image below for more information about making a donation.