the Powells @ Black Forest Academy

Our Family is Growing (but it's not what you think)

2011-02-22T07:00:00.005-06:00

In August of 2011, Mark and Susan will gain about 20 something more sons and Evan and Ethan will be gaining 20 something more brothers (and Meredith is thankful she's heading off to college)! Mark and Susan will be dorm parents at Haus Maugenhard dorm. Exciting times indeed. Click play above to get a glimpse into what our lives will look like next Fall. More updates to follow.
In peace and with love,
The Powells

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Catching You Up

2010-11-28T10:26:00.024-06:00

Greetings. Well, this semester is winding down (only 2 more weeks of classes) and so much has happened since we last blogged. Like every semester before, it's been a very fast pace and lots and lots of details to take care of. One thing about BFA is the constancy. In our thrid year here, we've come to know what is coming down the pike - events, responsibilities and routines. But as predictable as things are there's always the unforeseen.

This semester has been no exception. I (Mark) have been very busy with my work with students. This has been my most rewarding year so far. It is very satisfying to build and experience community.

We began "subbing" (helping as substitutes) at Maugenhard dorm this year. We had to say our "good-byes" to the wonderful Storch (dorm) girls (where we subbed for the past two years) which was very sad . It was only because of the warm welcome received at Maugenhard that we were able to "work through" our loss. The guys and staff at Maugenhard are great and we have felt true community in these walls.

We continue to be blessed by our small groups. Recently we had a spaghetti dinner with the combined groups. The girls were in the kitchen cooking the meal.

Everyone around the table for spaghetti.

Last year we became sponsors to the sophomore class (now juniors) and this year we took a field trip to Normandy, France. Below are a few shots from the beaches of Normandy and some of the cemeteries where both German and American soldiers were laid to rest.

The American Cemetery.

A pensive student in the German cemetery.

Mark's small group at Omaha Beach.

Mark also worked to start a cycling club at BFA. This is still a rather informal club but we hope to build on what we were able to do this year. We organized both road and mountain bike rides. Some of the clothing (jerseys and bibs) were contributions from a racing team back in Franklin, Tennessee. Who knows, maybe one year there will be a cycling team!

After a long climb up the nearby mountain of Hoch Blauen.

Ethan continues to do well in soccer with the local Fussball Club. He moved up to an older age group and can handle his own. Ethan is also learning to play the violin.

This semester we've had several guests. Back in September the McVays visited us from Spain. We had such a good time talking about "the old days" and enjoying each others' stories about culture shock, adjustment and the unusual experiences that missionaries sometimes find themselves in. In October, the Keeners visited from France and we adults just tried to keep up with the boys. We climbed rocks, castles and each other. Most recently, our pastor Dixon came to visit to do some pre-work on a mission trip for next year. What great times!

Ethan and the Keener boys in Riquewihr, France.

Cotton candy and friends.

Herbstmesse in Basel, Switzerland.

Meredith is busy with school and college applications. Truth be know, Susan has been busy with college applications. In early November, Meredith participated in the DoDs European Volleyball Championship Tournament. The BFA girls won the Division II Championship Title.

Meredith spikes the ball.

Evan is adjusting to the demands of high school. He continues to practice with his band and even had a "gig" earlier in the year. Sorry, no pictures we weren't invited.

This weekend was the Christmas Banquet. Below are some of the pictures from our time together.

Mark's small group

Evan and his mother

Evan and Hannah

Meredith and David

Thank you for your continued prayer and financial support. We also would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

The Powells

Another Year!

2010-09-13T04:38:00.009-05:00

We are off to a great start in our now 3rd year of ministry at BFA. It's hard to believe how quickly time flies when you're having fun! Here's a few pictures of the first activities to this school year.

First Day of School Activities

Every year the seniors march into the opening ceremonies with the flags of the world. Most students get to carry the flag of the country where they are from/where their parents are serving.

Meredith and Meghan were going to share the American flag, but another student beat them to it. They carried the Swedish flag in honor of a recent graduate.

Getting reacquainted with friends while waiting for the opening ceremonies to begin.

Checking out textbooks for the school year.

Olivia, looking a little shell shocked at the number of textbooks she had to get:)

Heading home after a long, tiring first day...and we're not even students!

Chillin' and Grillin'

The first Friday of the school year we always have an event called Chillin' and Grillin'. It's an opportunity for the new students to get to know all the returners. There are usually silly but fun games and hamburgers and hot dogs. It's a good way to "chill" after a long first week.

Fall Party

We have several parties throughout the year. The Fall Party is always a costume party based upon a theme. This year's theme was Games.

Lucky Ethan gets to attend all the high school activities because Mark and I are class sponsors. To know Ethan is to know why he chose Candyland as his game!

Even the staff get in on the act:)

Connect the Dots

Clue

Super Mario

Lots of Guitar Hero costumes

Dodge Ball

We actually do have school too! Students have begun having tests, complaining about homework and soon field trips will begin. Please remember to pray for these students who are, for the most part, far from home. Pray for the different ministries that each student represent. Pray for us as well as we continue to do kingdom work here. We love and appreciate each one of you. We are so thankful for our time home this summer and are missing you all very much. May you be blessed richly for your support of our ministry.

In Him and in peace,
All the Powells

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

2010-05-27T13:13:00.011-05:00

Hallie and Lydia - dear friends.

When I think about how blessed we are to do what God has called us to, I can't help but think about our friends. Our students, their parents, our ministry partners and the people we are meeting along the way in this journey really make life sweet. Living in community definitely has its challenges, but the benefits are rich and powerful and life changing if you let them be. This spring has been full of richness and life changing experiences. God is amazing, wonderful and meets our every need.
Here's our attempt to catch you up on a few recent happenings.

One of the highlights of this spring for me (Susan) was helping to lead a team of BFA students on a mission trip to Longido, Tanzania. We took 13 students to work at a Compassion International site. This site is paired with a Christian primary school there in the bush of Longido. Over 400 students attend this school. The people of the community in which we worked are almost all from the Maasai tribe. What an amazing experience it was to be immersed in their culture and learn from them. I will be forever changed from my time there.

Not long before leaving for Tanzania, our family began sponsoring the little boy in the yellow shirt. In an earlier blog post I introduced you to Mkapa Laizer. I was privileged to be invited into their home, share some of the best Chai I've ever tasted and talk with the whole family about God's goodness and provision. Also in the picture are Mkapa's brothers and his mother. Inspirational friends.

Meeting Mkapa for the first time.

Our students served at the Longido primary school each day. The students taught lessons and I helped Moses (above) organize his library. Very cool!

The Longido area has been experiencing a severe drought for some time. The Maasai have lost over 80 % of their cows - their livelihood. Our team began praying for rain for Longido long before we ever arrived on the scene. On our last night there it rained and rained hard. We were so excited that we all ran out in the rain and started singing and playing games. It was such a beautiful moment experiencing God's answered prayer with such amazing students. Growing together friends.

Meet Aura and Giuseppe. Aura and Giuseppe are two of the loveliest people around. God has blessed them and they turn that blessing back around. They own and operate a sizable nursery in Sicily. They have a beautiful home with a fully furnished apartment that they share with missionaries at no cost. God meets our every need and many times he chooses to do so in community. Our family was so touched, blessed and changed from our time at their place. They afforded us a much needed family vacation that otherwise we wouldn't have been able to afford. Selfless friends.

Greek ruins near Agrigento, Sicily. Best friends:)

Silly siblings...that sometimes masquerade as friends!

Meredith was inducted into the National Honor Society this spring. Glad she considers her parents friends!

Evan and his friends, who together form Cyprus, were asked to "open" for a Kids on the Way performance at BFA.
They loved performing for a crowd and were pretty stoked about the stage effects. We're pretty proud of how hard he and his friends have worked to improve their craft. They are even writing their own music now. Creative friends.

We've also enjoyed some fun times with our sophomore friends. Mark and I are two of their class sponsors, so we are getting to know this great group of kids really well. Here are some pics of a recent class party and of all of us volunteering at the concession stand of our home soccer/track meet.

BFA students love spirit days. They will find any excuse to dress alike or strangely. The young guy on the right is Will. Will was accepted to Vanderbilt (early decision) and so we are pretty proud to have BFA representin' at Vandy and vice versa:) They thought a Vanderbilt spirit day seemed in order and Mark got in on the act too. I'm pretty sure this was the first annual Vanderbilt spirit day at BFA:) Fun together friends.

OK so this last picture doesn't really have anything to do with friends, but I had to put it in. It was a long, hard winter here. Very few days of sun, lots of rain and snow and cold, COLD temps made us all a little cranky. One day Ethan and Mark decided they'd give us some better scenery to look at than the gray skies and bare trees. These pictures stayed on our window for more than a month!

Now we are looking forward to reconnecting with you, our dear and precious friends. We are counting down the days (14 now) until we all board a plane for the good ole US of A. We've missed you and can't wait to see you. We know we say it often on this blog, but we couldn't do this without you...our "sticks closer than a brother", partners in prayer and ministry friends. See you soon!
Love and blessings,
The Powells

An Amazing Team and Latest Happenings 'Round Here!

2010-03-16T13:42:00.006-05:00

Meet the amazing group of 13 students that I have the privilege of co-leading on a mission trip to Longido, Tanzania! This is us before we headed out to a nearby city to get our yellow fever innoculations.

Here we go!

"What a minute...just how big is the needle?"

Some cool kids being much braver than me!

A much needed treat after getting shots:)

We've had lots of snow again this winter. Mark and I are really ready for some better weather, but the snow doesn't seem to bother Ethan. One day recently he grabbed our snow shovel and had a grand time on our hill!

Recently the international awareness group on campus that Mark and I help with sponsored a water sale to help raise funds for disaster relief in Haiti.

Above and below are a couple of pictures of BFA's first ever wrestling match. This match was an exhibition, but next year wrestling will be an official BFA sport and our school will compete again DODDS (US Dept. of Defense) schools here in Germany.

Ethan just recently celebrated his 9th birthday with a few friends at a local play place.

Ah the joys of cross cultural living. When we arrived at the play place we were tickled to find "Ephan" on the name tag of our party area. There is no "th" sound in the German language, so people are always having a hard time with Ethan's name:) Memories...

On Valentine's Day, the high school student council hosted a Sadie Hawkins dance. Living in a multicultural community, you never know what hidden talents your coworkers may have. Here are a few people from the BFA community teaching the students traditional Scottish dances. The three pictured here have either served in Scotland, are of Scottish decent or BOTH.

Meredith is enjoying the start up of soccer season and was selected as captain of the junior varsity team. She also just "landed" a solo part in a song the choir is singing for the spring concert. It's none other than "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey...one of my favorite songs from my teenage years. Wow, I feel old!
Evan is on the high school track team (middle schoolers are allowed to participate) and is working on sprints and the high jump. He and his band are still working hard in preparation for a paid gig this spring.
Ethan is still loving life as a 3rd grader and is beginning to develop a love for art and drawing.
Mark and I are ever grateful for your prayers for our ministry and especially for our own children. We are all looking forward to a trip home this summer. We truly hope to see you all during our trip.

Praying God's richest blessings on you and yours,
Susan, Mark, Meredith, Evan and Ethan

Meet Mkapa

2010-03-09T12:51:00.005-06:00

We want to introduce you to a young guy who will no doubt capture our hearts in the next few weeks. Meet Mkapa Lekipa Laizer the 6 year old boy that our family is sponsoring through Compassion International. Mkapa lives in Longido, Tanzania. Our hope and prayer is that I (Susan) will be able to meet Mkapa and his family when I travel there on March 24th to co-lead a group of BFA students on a mission trip.
We praise God for providing for us in such a way that we can sponsor Mkapa. I can't wait to meet him and come back home to share with Mark and the kids about him and his family.

We will be serving in Longido, Tanzania. Longido is in the northern part of the country near Arusha and Moshi. We will be serving children from the Maasai tribe. We will be volunteering at the local Compassion site and also at an area primary school. Each day we will be working alongside the teachers in the school helping to teach English. We'll also be doing light construction work and painting murals. Each day at lunch we will teach lessons to the children. Our theme for the week is Love God. Love People.

Would you please pray for our team (and 4 other student teams) that will be traveling from March 24th until April 2nd to various parts of the globe? BFA is sending students to the following places to serve and learn: Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Macedonia, Greece and Central Asia. During the trips, students will be volunteering at orphanages, schools, Compassion sites, homeless shelters and helping to build churches. Please pray that God would use these trips to foster lives of service in our students. Please pray also for God's provision and hand of protection as we travel.
Thank you dear supporters for the ways in which you provide for our family which in turn allows for us (Meredith and me) to go and serve on these trips. Thank you for the generous ways in which you have supported Meredith's trip to Central Asia. We are taking you all along with us in our hearts and minds!
Check back soon for ministry updates from BFA...sadie hawkins dance, high school retreat, soccer, and middle school play just to name a few of our most recent happenings.
Many blessings,
Susan, Mark, Meredith, Evan and Ethan

Our Favorite MK's

2010-02-15T11:33:00.008-06:00

This post goes out to our favorite missionary kids of all time...our own! We know this life that God has called our family to is not always easy for you guys and we thank you for your sacrifice. We love you and are very proud of you!

Love,
Mom and Dad

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

2009-12-14T15:12:00.011-06:00

You know how the saying goes, right? Time has flown by since our last blog entry. Sorry about that. Life has just been flying by here and we have stayed busy with ministry activities. So, here's an update on what we've been up to over the last six weeks:

In late October, all of BFA converged on downtown Basel to attend the annual Herbstmesse (fall carnival). This carnival actually dates back to the 1400's! The bumper cars are the highlight of the evening. We have so many kids there, that we end up basically taking over the place for a couple of hours. It's hilarious to see students out there trying to plow over their teachers and dorm staff!

Soon after Herbstmesse, the swine flu paid an unwelcome visit to our school. Below is a picture of one of our students who was in quarantine. Eventually, we voluntarily closed school and imposed a quarantine upon ourselves in order to be good neighbors to our community and prevent the spread of it as much as possible.

The swine flu couldn't have come at a worse time. Our annual school play was scheduled for the weekend of our quarantine. Parents were flying in from all over the continent to see their children perform. There was talk of postponing the play, but alas the show went on...

with a few minor adjustments! All of the audience was asked to wear masks while attending. It made for some funny pictures and great memories. Below is me with Janelle (one of my small group girls) who was the star of the play!

We enjoyed a visit from our friend Margaret, who is currently teaching English in a French school about 3 hours away.

Once again this year, we celebrated Thanksgiving in style with Storchenblick dorm. Our family and around 40 of our closest friends gathered around the table and enjoyed wonderful eats and lots of laughter.

The last weekend in November was the annual Christmas banquet. It is quite the event around here. Guys ask the girls, girls get dressed up, lots of awkward moments and jitters...you get the picture, right? So glad I'm not in high school anymore!

My small group

Mark's small group

We were very blessed to have our sweet friends, the Rheas come for a visit the first weekend in December. They brought with them lots of love, treats and blessings from our home church, St. B's. God is so good to us!

A suitcase of goodies and comforts from home.

St. Nikolaus (aka Robert and Lisa) left treats in the kids shoes on St. Nikolaus Day.

Robert and Lisa celebrating the Eucharist with us with sacraments from St. B's...needless to say I cried through most of the service.

Packing treat bags for dorm kids.

Our first home basketball games were just a couple of weekends ago. We are always so proud of our students...not only for their great effort but also for their tremendous sportsmanship.

Last week, Mark and I hosted our small groups (10 teenagers) for a spaghetti dinner. The girls cooked for the guys and two of the guys made dessert for all of us. I don't think there was a noodle left in the pot!

We are anticipating the arrival of Mark's parents in just two days. We are so thrilled that they will get to be here around Christmas. The holidays can be quite tough being so far from home and in a culture that's not your own. So, we are praising God for His provision of this visit.

We pray that you are enjoying many blessings and great joy this Christmas season. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.
In Him,
Susan, for the family

Whipped Cream War

2009-10-24T08:22:00.012-05:00

This year, Mark and I agreed to serve as class sponsors. We were added to the sophomore class and will have the wonderful pleasure of serving them throughout the rest of their high school years. This will involve helping them raise funds for their junior/senior banquet, guiding them in leadership and being chaperones on their class trips to both Normandy and Rome. Nice.
However, just a week ago on a cold, COLD, drizzly Friday night, our duty was to help with their Fall class party. The sophomore class officers got to choose the event and we helped them plan it. What was their choice you ask? Well much to our initial chagrin they chose to have a whipped cream war. We were dreading it but it ended up being a VERY fun night and the kids, of course loved it.
Here are a few pictures to give you a good laugh:

My favorite line of the night..."I'm too old for this!" But not really:)

"My can is empty...what do I do now?"

Ethan: "Dad, I need another can of whipped cream, please!"

Our esteemed AP English teacher and sophomore class sponsor, Miss Young (red sweatshirt) obviously seeking revenge on someone!

Whipped cream as a new hair styling product? I think not!

We used almost 80 cans of spruehsahne (literally translated "spray cream") that night.

The sophomore class and sponsors covered in whipped cream. This will definitely go down in BFA history as one of the most fun class parties ever...in their humble opinions:)

After hot showers, the kids warm up by the fire with some hot chocolate.

The memories of the night lasted long into the following week for us. We had to wash our clothes...

three times to get the soured milk smell out. It'll be a long time before we want to have anything with whipped cream on it!
What a joy it is to be here and be a part of such crazy times that these kids will remember for quite some time. Thank you for the part you play in helping us to be available to "play" with these great, amazing, terrific students.
Blessings and peace,
Susan, with Mark

We're Still Here!

2009-10-03T23:36:00.022-05:00

So it's been a while since our last posting...yep. Sorry about the lapse in communication, but as you will see if you stay with us all the way through this entry, we've been staying busy (as always).

We've started back to volunteering at our favorite girls' dorm, Storchenblick. These girls keep us laughing and we love each of their different personalities. It's really great to have the chance to get to know them outside of the school setting.

Jae doing her dish gratis. Each night after dinner and before study hours, the girls have chores.

Me making my mom's peach cobbler for 20!

Fall party was held in September and the theme was Opposites. Mark and I went as young and old.

City and Country

Geeks (not sure where their opposites were).

Summer and Winter

War and Peace

Our small groups have started up again. Above is most of Mark's group.

Another one of Mark's guys.

My beautiful small group girls.

Mark took a couple of guys out for a ride one Sunday afternoon. These guys regularly hang out with Mark and want him to "chill" with them.

"Mark these seats make my butt hurt!"

Mark was able to go on the middle school overnight retreat again this year. He loves hanging with the middle schoolers. They went to a youth hostel near the Swiss border as you can see from the above picture.

Love this girl!

Oh the games middle schoolers love to play!

They also love to steal Mark's camera and take pictures of themselves.

Getting a little crazy with the kids!

Evan is getting pretty serious with his band. They get together once a week to practice...that is provided they all keep their grades up:)

Crazy band mom taking her turn at supervising them. I need to invest in some earplugs!

We followed Meredith and the JV volleyball team to a military base in Heidelberg one Saturday. Meredith is captain of the JV team.

Sorry about the quality of these pictures. The gym was pretty dark inside.

Praying before their games. Meredith is number 3.

Just recently Mark and I were privileged to accompany the sophomores on a class field trip. We are sponsors of the 10th grade class. We went to a labor concentration camp in France about 2 hours away. It was a somber experience, but one for which I am grateful.

Outside the entrance to the camp.

A memorial where ashes of the burned barracks and bodies of prisoners were placed.

A student getting a small taste of what kind of work the prisoners were made to do.

Learning about the gallows where many prisoners were hanged.

After all the seriousness of the day and restraint necessary for these kids to remain respectful at the memorial, they needed a little break. We stopped at a McDonald's on the way home (a rare treat for our students).

We had one loud and crazy bus ride home!

Well you made to the end of this entry! Thanks for staying with us:) Every now and then we get a chance to get away from the BFA bubble and take in some sights nearby. One Saturday afternoon, Mark, Ethan and I drove up to Freiburg (45 minutes away) and enjoyed just walking around. It's a beautiful, old German city.

While living in a foreign country can be quite taxing and difficult at times, we are so thankful for the opportunities that God gives us to enjoy this part of the world.

Here's a picture of "death on a plate"! It's currywurst and french fries (pommes) covered with mayo. It's typical German fast food. So yummy but so bad for you.

As I close this entry with how thankful we are for each one of you who support us in prayer and finances, please allow me, with Mark to offer this prayer for you and us as we all seek to serve the Lord through our lives.

A Prayer for Vocation in Daily Work:
Almighty God our heavenly Father, you declare your glory and show forth your handiwork in the heavens and in the earth: Deliver us in our various occupations from the service of self alone, that we may do the work you give us to do in truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of him who came among us as one who serves, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Many blessings and much peace,
Susan and Mark, with Meredith, Evan and Ethan

And They're Off!

2009-08-26T14:06:00.013-05:00

Meredith (11th), Evan (8th) and Ethan (3rd) on the morning of their first day of school.

Already bored with what they know will be a day filled with Dad pointing the camera at them and their friends!

And here are the rest of "our kids".

Seniors taking part in the annual flag parade for the opening ceremonies of the school year:

Our students' families serve in over 50 different countries across the globe.

Lots of meeting, greeting and joyful reunions filled the morning.

And then there were the tearful goodbyes that always break my mother's heart, but at the same time strengthen my resolve to serve these kids to the best of my ability. Please pray for these families who are feeling deeply the sacrifices they make by serving God. We all make sacrifices to follow Christ...it just seems that some have harder ones to bear.

It was a busy day in the library as well. Students came to check out their textbooks for the year. Oh the joys of school...better them than me!

This next picture just thrills my heart - NOT! Mark was leading the sophomores in an ice breaker game and asked the kids to line up according to how many books they read this summer. Just look at the number they're forming with their hands!

Here's a video clip from the day as well. I hope to be able to capture on video some of the magic of BFA. Enjoy the reunions, country roll call and the excitement of the first day of school (please forgive my poor video skills...hopefully I'll get better). Pay close attention to the response when USA is called out. We find it interesting that even though most of these kids who hold US passports but have never lived there still delight in being an American.

Until next time...
In peace,
Susan, Mark and kids

"Enough with the pictures, Dad!"

It's About Time (in more ways than one)!!

2009-08-17T15:41:00.005-05:00

It's about time that I wrote another blog entry, right? I guess I needed a bit of a break and without the students around, things have been pretty quiet here! But, it's about time for school to start again and we are SO ready...well most of us anyway. Mark and I are certainly ready for all the students to return and Meredith, Evan and Ethan are ready for their friends to come back, but like most kids they are not ready for all the school work to begin again:)
We have enjoyed a nice summer and are thankful for the family time and opportunity to rest since life is going to get very busy again. Meredith and I were blessed to be able to travel home to Tennessee for a short time - she for one month and me 11 days. Meredith was able to go on a mission trip with her youth group and reconnect with her dear friends from home.

I was able to visit mine and Mark's parents, go to church 2 Sundays, visit with friends and see some of you, our dear supporters. I am sorry that I was not able to spend time with everyone, but am so thankful for how God blessed my time home. We cannot wait until next summer when the whole family will be able to travel home and see many, many more of you, our precious friends and family.

The new BFA staff have arrived on campus and I have to tell you it feels great not to be new! We are very thankful to have one year under our belts and are feeling a little more settled in our home away from home. It's not easy being called to live and serve so far from home, but we are learning to accept the good and the bad and allow the Lord to teach us through it all. Recently, Mark spoke to the new staff about burnout and how to care for yourself. He did a great job!

I was asked to speak briefly about how my transition this last year has been. I've learned a lot about myself and God is continually teaching me. I continue to be humbled by Him and how He sees something in me worth refining.

Probably one of the biggest events of our summer was our first ever broken bone among the Powell children! Ethan was playing goalie in a soccer game and blocked a pretty hard shot that snapped his arm just below his wrist. It was quite an experience going through all of it in a foreign language. We ended being taken to the hospital via ambulance! Go figure...we tried to assure the EMT's that we could drive him, but they insisted that it would be better for Ethan to go in the ambulance. We still haven't gotten the bill on this one:) All in all, he was a real trooper and we learned a little more about the German way of doing things.

Another highlight for us this summer has been getting to know a German family. The picture below is Ethan and his friend Pascal. Pascal's dad is Ethan's soccer coach. Klaus, Ilona and Pascal have come to our house for visits and we to theirs. It has been such a joy to become friends. Klaus and Ilona want to improve their English and Mark and I our German, so we help each other out and share laughs in the process. Just the other night I told them that our nightstand was still in the oven (the German word for dessert is nachtisch and the word for night stand is nachttisch)! Only one letter difference in the word but what a difference it made in the meaning of the sentence!

Please pray for our relationship with this family to flourish and that God would bless the relationship for His specific purposes.
You can expect more frequent updates again from this point forward. Thanks for allowing us this time to rest and refresh. We are always grateful for your prayers, encouraging words and support of our ministry to BFA students, their families and those in our greater community.
In peace,
Susan, Mark and kids

We Make a GREAT team!

2009-05-31T10:52:00.014-05:00

Disclaimer: A very long blog entry...but packed with lots of pictures and fun (don't forget you can click the pictures to enlarge them). Happy reading!

We really do make a great team! We want you all to know how very often we say, "I wish all of our supporters could be here right now to experience this!" There are SO many things that happen here that are just so beautiful and amazing and you are our partners in helping make these things happen. I (Susan) wish my words were adequate enough to convey how very blessed we are to be serving here and how extremely grateful we are for your obedience in supporting us here. WE LOVE OUR MINISTRY and you are a part of it! Thank you, Danke Schoen, Vielen Dank, Gracias, Gracie, Merci, etc. You get the picture...we are thankful and ask you to please keep giving. Your support is making a difference and here are just a few highlights of how:

On one of our volunteer nights at Storch dorm, we moved dinner outside to a nearby park. It was a beautiful evening and the girls needed an emotional boost, so dining al fresco with playtime at the park was just the ticket!

Meredith enjoying (my words not hers:)) some dorm food with the Storch girls.

Mark getting in on the playground fun with the kids. He played hard and felt it the next morning, but he says it was worth it to see their smiles and hear their laughter!

Bethany looking beautiful for the camera and having fun with the balloons the dorm parents provided for the evening. It's amazing what a few balloons and a beautiful sunset can do for the psyche.

When you live a small town like Kandern, you have to be creative in coming up with ways to entertain yourself. Meredith and her friends decided one morning to walk to school via the creek (aka Kander River) that flows through our town. This is actually quite tame compared to some of the crazy antics that our students can dream up:)

A couple of weeks ago, the middle schoolers had a talent show and Evan and his friends performed. They have named themselves Radium and for a bunch of 13 year-old boys, they are really good! I was one proud momma!

Mark's small group got creative in their support of Evan and his band and spelled out Evan on their stomachs! We love how much the students around here encourage one another. It truly is such a joy to be a part of a community of kids who are "for" each other.

Over the past few months you've seen lots of pictures of the students in our small groups. At the beginning of this school year, Mark and I volunteered to each lead a small group of students. We meet with them every Wednesday night. Small groups (what they're called around here) are designed to provide a place where students can connect with one another and be mentored by their leader. Mark and I have been immensely blessed during these special times and have grown to love "our kids".

Mark's small group

Susan's small group

Last week we treated our groups to a cookout for our last meeting for this year. God has been so gracious in providing us with spectacular weather for all of our year end activities and the evening of our cookout was no different.

One of the unexpected joys of being here is how much the students love Ethan! His life is being changed and blessed by all the adopted big sisters and brothers he now has.

You can't have a cookout in Deutschland without die Bratwurst!

A school wide spring party was held last Friday and it was an incredibly fun time. Once again, Mark got in on the fun and helped our freshmen (Mark and I have just been appointed their newest class sponsors) defeat the sophomores in tug of war.

The seniors and juniors then went at it and fought each other til the bitter end...of the rope that is. If you click on this picture to enlarge it, you'll see bits of rope flying everywhere. Yep, the rope snapped and juniors and seniors went flying.

Exams have now begun and students are celebrating their accomplishments in various ways around campus.

"Yay, I'm free and flying high!"

"Two thumbs up...I aced that one!"

"I can't believe I actually passed my German exam!"

"We did it!"...Aren't they such beauties?

"We're going crazy trying to keep all of our activities straight and help our own kids pass their exams!" - Not really:) We are having so much fun and really wishing this year wasn't ending so soon. We're not ready to say goodbye yet. Speaking of goodbyes...

This is Yuni, one of the girls in my small group. Yuni's parents serve in a closed country in Central Asia. Due to financial constraints, Yuni is unable to return to BFA next year. Will you please pray for her? I have seen so much growth in this precious young lady and I am so sad to see her go, but trust that our Savior has a special plan for her life. She will be homeschooled but will get to attend an international school one day per week as a tutorial. I keep telling her that I am "praying her back" to BFA. I want the Lord's will for her life, but my selfish, human self doesn't want to say goodbye to her. Please pray for a good friend for her, for her English to continually improve and most importantly for her spiritual growth as she has to leave a place that is familiar and special to her.

You made it to the end! Many blessings to you for reading this and being our partners in ministry to these precious students. We really do make a great team.
The school year may be coming to an end, but check back soon for more pictures of graduation and stories from families about what BFA means to them. Please also pray for safe travel for many parents and family members who will be traveling here soon for graduation ceremonies.

Peace and love,
The Powells

The Busyness of May

2009-05-19T15:41:00.006-05:00

Wow has May been a busy month! The weather has been wonderful for the most part (except on field trip days) and we have been enjoying lots of fun activities and events with our beloved students.

Mark helped chaperone a field trip to a Bio Mass Plant in Basel, Switzerland. As you can see from the above picture, the kids weren't especially thrilled with the aroma!

Mark sharing an umbrella with Youjin on a rainy field trip day.

It's easy to tell that Spring has sprung and school is almost over. Attention spans are constantly decreasing and restless students make for challenging small group devotions. So...last week our small groups went to play on a playground and enjoy popsicles. It was such a fun night!

During one of our recent volunteer nights at Storch dorm, Ethan "rolled up his sleeves" and helped Jim (dorm dad) do a check on the dorm vans.

Our soccer and track teams have been performing so well this season. We've really enjoyed watching "our kids". Here's Meredith going for the ball!

Some of our talented track stars.

Our middle school students get to take part in experiential learning for a full week in the Spring. On one day, the 7th graders went to a nearby ropes course and Mark was asked to go along and help.

Mark and Evan exhibiting great teamwork on the ropes!

Getting suited up with safety equipment.

Hmmm, how do we look in these lovely safety helmets?

Two of Mark's small group guys wanted him to take them on a bike ride to the top of Hochblauen, an 1165 meter high mountain in our area. Here they are after almost 3 hours and lots of moaning and groaning (from the boys - not Mark:))

We only have two more weeks of school and in that time much will be happening. There's the middle school talent show, our small group cookout, dorm cleanings, soccer games, exams and then graduation. Emotions are running high around here as many goodbyes will be said over the course of the next two weeks. Please pray for our students and for us that we would all "finish strong" and serve one another well. Please also pray for all the parents traveling here for graduation and all the students who will be traveling home to their respective countries.
More pictures and updates to follow soon!
Blessings and peace,
The Powells

Evolution of a Salad Bar (for 21 girls!)

2009-05-03T13:29:00.004-05:00

About once a month, the "parents" who serve at each of our seven dorms get a well deserved weekend off. This past weekend the Patersons, our friends who serve as dorm parents at Storch took the weekend off to spend time with their older boys who are visiting from Canada. Mark and I volunteered to take care of preparing Sunday lunch for the girls while they worshipped at church. We washed, chopped, sliced and diced lots of veggies and prepared other items to put together a salad bar.

BFA contracts with a local company to provide meals to the dorms Monday through Friday. Imagine institutional food - heavy on the sauce covered meats and carbs and light on fresh, colorful produce. So, when the girls walked in and saw this...

They did this...

I love hugs!!!

Ethan got in on the hugs too! This is Yuni, who is one my small group girls, thanking Ethan. She and Ethan are big buddies.

Mark and I continue to be blessed by the time we spend volunteering in the dorm. We both feel very fulfilled in our professional positions at the school, but connecting with the students in moments like these can carry us for days!
Blessings and peace,
Susan and Mark

Why Do We Stay at BFA?

2009-04-21T15:23:00.013-05:00

This one is long, but please keep reading until the end!

This is an accreditation year at BFA. All year long, committees have been preparing reports, doing self studies and looking to identify areas for improvement. This week, a team of educators and administrators from various international schools is here conducting interviews and compiling reports to submit to the three accrediting institutions to which we belong. It has been a good week thus far. One particular question that the team keeps asking the various staff members they interview is "Why do you stay at BFA?" This question got me thinking which then led me to our blog so that I could tell you why we stay at BFA!

BUT first, let our colleague and friend, Michele Phoenix, say it better than I ever could. Michele was, incidentally, our first real contact with anyone at BFA. She encouraged us to consider this amazing ministry and for that we are so grateful. Here are her own words that she shared with the entire accreditation team and BFA staff at a reception earlier this week:

(Erin, Michele, Alyssa)

"I'll tell you why I'm here. I'm still here because my heart beats earnestly and fiercely for the students of this school.
I'm here because they challenge me and motivate me and fascinate me and move me. I'm here because my goal is to love them and my purpose is to help them as they navigate this transition from a worldwide childhood to a stateside adulthood.
I'm here because classrooms are venues for healing and lessons are platforms for life changes. I'm here because this is a place where I can love students who are so much like I was at their age, whose lives have been abundantly blessed and relentlessly tried by their parents' call to ministry.
I'm here because there is no greater reward than a visible brightening in overcast souls.Because there is no greater ambition than to see one's past enhance and benefit the future of others.
Because there is no greater calling than to love those for whom our spirits breathe and yearn and soar and groan and plead and grieve and celebrate.
I am here because there is love in this place--there is kinship, there is growth, there is learning and there is a kind of energy that cannot be reproduced elsewhere.
Because this is a place where God is moving. He didn't only bring these students here to get an education--they could get that anywhere. He brought them here for the belonging and revealing and understanding and broadening and healing that can only happen in a community of kindred souls.
He didn't only bring them here only for English and Science and Math and Fine Arts. He brought them here because He wanted to care for them through us, through staff members whose jobs might be teaching but whose callings achieve Eternal Dividends in those unscripted moments outside of lesson plans."

Michele is a BFA alumna, a talented and published author and has an amazing story of healing and restoration. I invite you to check out her blog (www.xanga.com/serenitymine) AFTER you finish reading this one:)

As for Mark and me, we stay because these students have so much love to give and are willing to serve...

In Kenya loving on kids in an orphanage.

Helping to build an additional room at the orphanage.

Caring for the littlest ones of His kingdom (Kenya).

Connecting through smiles and hugs.

Caring for children in the bush of Burkina Faso.

We stay because these students challenge us to step outside of our comfort zones with the ways that they are willing to do just that...

Preparing to go into a mosque in Duisburg, Germany. This is part of the mission team that ministered to Turkish children for a week.

Another mission team serving Iraqi refugees in Jordan.

We stay because these kids with a "worldwide childhood" are poised to do amazing things for Christ in the world and we want to be a part of that...

A self applied mud treatment on the banks of the Dead Sea (this team went to Jordan).

Even the guys got in on the act!

The team that went to St. Petersburg, Russia to serve in a government orphanage.

We stay because these students inspire us with their service to those who need it most...

The team that went to Burkina Faso putting a roof on a church.

We stay because of kids like Josh who has the sweetest spirit and biggest heart for God. Josh is special to us because he teaches drums to Ethan. He's a senior and we'll miss him a ton next year...

(In Burkina Faso)

We stay because of guys like Jun who always has a smile on his face and never ceases to bring me (Susan) to tears when I watch him during praise and worship on Sunday mornings at church.

(Kenya)

Jun calls me "miss"- not Mrs. Powell...just plain old "miss". You gotta love that smile!

We stay because the girls at Storchenblick dorm call us Mama and Papa Powell and honestly it just doesn't get any better than that!

Thank you for all you do to help us STAY where God has called us.

Many blessings and much love,

Susan, Mark, Meredith, Evan and Ethan

Wir Spielen Fussball (well, the kids are anyway)!

2009-04-21T13:28:00.007-05:00

We had our first home soccer games this past weekend. The games were played at a nearby field "up the hill" as we say here. On this particular Saturday, "up the hill" resulted in games being played in all sorts of weather from sun to clouds to wind and freezing rain. Crazy!

Boys varsity team getting pumped for the game with a tribal chant. It is quite a sight to see!

Trey working hard to keep control. Trey is one of Mark's small group guys.

Hyung Seok is also one of Mark's small group guys. He scored two goals in the JV Boys' game!

Meredith on the field...that's freezing rain coming down.

Go Krista!

JV Girls' getting ready.

Varsity boys.

The young man getting some serious air in this photo is David. He is Evan's small group leader..an amazing guy!

Jessica - Ethan's special friend. She has so much talent and a sweet spirit to match.

We spent from 10 am until 5 pm watching these gifted students and had a great time. It is a delight to cheer them on in their parents' absence! Talent, grace and sportsmanship prevailed throughout the day and made us so proud of BFA.

Blessings and peace,

Susan and Mark and family

Life is Good

2009-04-19T15:08:00.003-05:00

You've seen the stickers and the t-shirts and I'm here to tell you life is good! It was so great to hear the laughter of students on campus again and see all the hugs that were given first thing Wednesday morning when classes resumed.

I was equally blessed to experience these reunions with students on my birthday. I've never received so many birthday hugs and wishes! It was a great day for many reasons...even though I turned 40.

With the help of a couple of little "elves", Mark treated me with flowers and a cake that we shared with the library staff (and a few in the know students:))

Mark's birthday elves!

I was quite proud of these two who went into town and using only their German (out of necessity) bought such a pretty and delicious cake for me.

Beautiful faces happy to be reunited with one another.

Only at a boarding school in Germany, right? You have to love the liederhosen!

Plays, Pianos, Preparing our Hearts for Easter, Piazza Picnics and Praises!

2009-04-07T17:13:00.021-05:00

Every year, the middle schoolers perform in a play that from what we’ve been told and seen this year, is always a stellar production. This year’s play was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the Black Forest. We have some amazingly talented kids here at BFA. Here are a few pictures to enjoy!

Evan is doing quite well with his piano lessons. It’s his first year, and we are thrilled with his progress. Here’s a picture of him at a recital.

We were blessed to be able to take part in Stations of the Cross with our small groups and several other small groups of students. One of our colleagues (who grew up in the Anglican tradition) planned it and invited us. It was such a special evening for a couple of reasons. One was that it provided a very needed opportunity for Mark and I to worship in a way that is familiar to us. The other is that we were able to help introduce these students to a contemplative form of worship. Not one of the almost 50 students involved had ever participated in Stations of the Cross. As we processed through the stations, my heart was moved by the way the students were obviously being blessed.

"Leaving our sins" on the blood of Jesus, praising His royalty and trusting in His promises.

"Feasting" with Christ.

The last station that I experienced was the “wailing wall”. At this station we were to write on the board the areas in our lives where we feel abandoned and forsaken and give those areas to Christ so that He can fill that void. As I approached the board, I realized that the students had written their messages in many different languages. I was overcome with emotion and the beauty that the languages on the board represented. Christ came to the world to die for all people-all nations, and in a supportive role, we are part of sharing His love to the nations. It was an amazing moment. (Click on the picture to enlarge it and see the various languages).

Spring Break has sprung and we are currently enjoying two weeks off from our busy schedules. We took the opportunity to travel to Italy to see some sights. We weren’t planning on a trip this spring, but started looking at our calendar and realized that we have few opportunities left (between our hopes of leading a mission trip with students next spring and our home ministry summer next year) to travel with Meredith before she leaves for college in just over two years. So, we took some money out of savings, packed a bunch of picnic lunches, downloaded free MP3 audio guides, and drove our old van south. We packed in a lot of sightseeing in 6 days. We were thankful to find a very affordable little cottage to rent for 60 Euros per night and so we made it our base and took day trips from there. We were all exhausted by the end of the trip, but had a great time nonetheless.

Mark and I sharing gelato (Ethan's idea for a cute picture!)

Meredith taking pictures in Venice on her 16th birthday.

My baby and me on her sweet 16th. I cannot believe how quickly the years pass by!

Ethan was quite happy that Mom and Dad budgeted for gelato every day.

One of our many piazza picnic lunches.

Seeing Mammertime prison where Paul was imprisoned in Rome.

Throwing our coins into the Trevi Fountain.

Relaxing on the Spanish steps.

Evan enjoying an espresso on his 13th birthday. Notice also the iPod which seems to be permanently attached to his ear. He loves his music!

A cheesy and touristy picture in front of the Colosseum...but Ethan loved it.

In St. Peter's Basilica

Leaning tower of Pisa

My sweetie and me on the Via Dell'Amor in the Cinque Terre.

Cinque Terre...a rainy day, but beautiful anyway.

As mentioned earlier in this post, during the Stations of the Cross, we were offered the opportunity to write to God the areas of our life where we feel a void, abandoned. I wrote to God about loneliness. It’s no secret, that we really miss our church and worshipping there. We also miss friends and family. It doesn’t mean we don’t love it here or feel fulfilled in our calling…it just is what it is – lonely. God has been faithful to provide other ways of worshipping Him and filling the void we feel. Being able to travel and see His beautiful creation is one of those ways. In St. Peter’s Basilica, I was especially moved by the Pieta. As a mother, I cannot imagine the anguish Mary experienced as she cradled her dead son. I am so thankful to God for the ability to see this piece during the season of Lent and be reminded of the sacrifice Christ made for my sins.

As always, we thank God for you all as well...for your support, prayers and encouragement. May the risen Lord make His face to shine upon you this Easter. You are in our hearts and minds.
Blessings and peace,
Susan (for all the Powells)

All Things February

2009-02-26T07:29:00.019-06:00

Wir haben so viel Schnee! February has been a very snowy month here in Kandern. Shoveling the sidewalk and cleaning the snow off of the car have been almost daily chores for us (well for Mark anyway)! It has been so beautiful and has provided for many a snowball fight at school. The kids have really enjoyed playing in it and Ethan did something the other day that reminded me of myself as a kid. Being from the deep south, the first time I ever saw a substantial snow as a kid, I made a snowball and put it in the freezer. We currently have a couple of snowballs in our freezer. I think Ethan is not so sure he'll see this much snow again:)

(photo courtesy of my friend Sandee Shuman)

February also provided some great opportunities for ministry. On Valentine's Day, Mark spoke in the middle school chapel service. His topic was Love is a Verb. He challenged the students to look for ways to practice intentional (not random) acts of kindness and love to their friends, families and to the world. He did a great job!

Later that afternoon, the middle schoolers had their Valentine's Day Party. It was quite comical watching these goofy kids participate in Speed Talking (a tame form of Speed Dating).

I had the opportunity a few days ago to read to Ethan's class. This was a real treat for me because I miss being in an elementary school. I read one of my favorites, Olivia by Ian Falconer. Olivia is a spunky, stubborn and precocious little pig who gets into trouble sometimes. After an exhausting day with Olivia, her Mom says to her, "Olivia you wear me out, but I love you anyway". As soon as I read that passage, Ethan exclaimed to his entire class and teacher, "Hey Mom that's what you say to me!" Busted:) As many of you know, Ethan is our spunky, stubborn and precocious little one. Please keep him in your prayers as he is still having some adjustment issues that we are working and praying through.

February was also another lesson in German culture (not that every other month here hasn't been). Normally stoic Germans let loose in February during their version of Carnival called Fasching. In the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, there are wild parades, loud bands, lots of drinking, strange costumes, activities to ward off evil spirits and even spouse swapping!

In the towns, colorful cloths and underwear are strung out over the main streets. The underwear is put out to show that swapping of partners has happened. It really is a spiritually dark time in our town.

(photo above and below courtesy of my friend Eileen Dueck)

Thank the Lord that He is still our light amidst the darkness of this world. We ended the month of February with an Ash Wednesday service at BFA. Mark and I helped lead it with our friends and colleagues, Bo and Leigh Bowen. Bo is an ordained minister who shares our love of liturgical worship. The service was such a gift from God and a beautiful way for us to enter into the Lenten season.
As always, your faithful support of our (yours and ours) ministry here means the world to us. We thank God for you! We pray that you will experience God's graces and mercies in new and fresh ways this Lenten season...kyrie eleison.
Blessings and peace,
Susan, Mark, Meredith, Evan and Ethan

A Sacramental Life

2009-01-29T05:41:00.009-06:00

I recently read a book entitled Crossing Myself by Greg Garrett. It's Garrett's autobiographical journey from brokenness to healing, redemption and restoration. I resonated with his story in ways that have helped me put into words some things I have been pondering for some time. He says it best, so I quote:

"I think messages from God may come in a lot ways. I'm open now to the idea...that a beautifully written e-mail may change my life. I also think it's possible that I may find insight in a billboard I streak past at eighty miles an hour, or that I may hear the voice of God in an idle line of conversation or in a line from a song from Coldplay. That's what the sacramental vision of the world means to me: If God is in the world, then God can be glimpsed everywhere, if I am only open to the possibility."

Which brings me to some recent glimpses of God. This picture was taken in Fuengirola, Spain on the morning we were leaving. How can one deny God when viewing such beauty?

But, what about the more obscure glimpses?

Like a nearby restaurant that serves locally grown and harvested produce that is free from chemicals and harmful pollutants? I get a glimpse of God when we eat here or buy produce from here. I am thankful that God provides such a place that I can act justly with my purchases and provide healthy choices for our family.

Or a what about a simple walk in the woods and quick rest on a bench to ponder the stillness and quiet. I love walks in the woods here. I love meeting God here.

Or what about other servants who love my children and are willing to give of themselves to invest in them, or even more simply make one happy for a few minutes with a bumper car ride? My heart is made tender when I see others serving one another...and we see a lot of that around here, thanks be to God.
Our friend and Storch dorm dad is a talented artist. I'm drawn into his paintings and how he interprets Scripture. I get glimpses of God through the feelings his paintings evoke in me.

Then there's Ruven, a little German boy on Ethan's soccer team. When Ethan was new to the team and crying at every practice, Ruven befriended Ethan and though he speaks no English and Ethan basically no German, they became friends and he calmed Ethan's fears. In Ruven, I see God's faithfulness to answer prayer.

I see God in a pep talk between teammates as the injured "leader" of the team encourages her friend to keep going even though she's tired and the team is way behind.

I see God in this picture in many ways. It inspires me to lead a simple life, to consume less (bike and walk more), to take care of my temple, to take joy in simple pleasures like an outing with a friend or family member, and to buy and eat local.
Over the past few months, the Holy Spirit has continued to bring Micah 6:8 to my mind. "He has showed you O man what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." I love this verse. I think about it on a daily basis. I think what the Lord is trying to teach me is that He wants me to live sacramentally and not miss glimpses of Him in everyday events, because it's in those moments that I am transformed to be more like Him.

"The world is charged with the grandeur of God." Gerald Manley Hopkins

Some Much Needed R & R

2009-01-05T01:22:00.011-06:00

On December 18th, we enjoyed watching Ethan participate in his elementary school Christmas Concert. The kids did a great job and we were especially proud of how well Ethan performed!

He even had a small solo!

On December 19th (the last day of school) we officially became couch potatoes! We didn't realize at the time how much we ALL needed to rest, relax and be together as a family. We keep such a busy schedule during the year with work/school schedules, ministry activities three nights per week and weekend activities and ministry. After four months of almost non-stop activity, we needed to just do nothing...and that's what we did. We watched movies, played Wii, read, slept late and hung out on the sofas!

We did eventually get up and celebrated Christmas and New Year's with some new friends. It was a little hard being away from family, but we made it a point to have some people over who stayed in Kandern and did not have family with whom to celebrate. It was very enjoyable making new memories with new friends. The pictures below (albeit not that great due to the haze) are of us celebrating New Year's Eve. Our house sits high on a hill and from our balcony you can see all of Kandern. The Germans put on quite a display on New Year's Eve. The grocery stores are full of fireworks of every kind and they buy them in mass. The church bells rang out at midnight and the sky was full of every color. It was amazing!

On New Year's Day we went on a family hike to some nearby castle ruins. We stepped out of our door and in an hour's time we were atop Sausenberg Castle which dates back to 1120!

A few days ago, we went on a day trip to the Alps in Switzerland. We live only two hours away from Lauterbrunnen, a valley town in the Jungfrau region. We then took a cable car and tram up to Muerren in the mountains. It was breathtaking, beautiful, surreal and incredible. I kept thanking God for the opportunity and asking the kids if they knew how blessed they were to be experiencing this.

We rented sleds and did three runs down a winding run with postcard perfect views of the Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau peaks. The kids loved it and we made some great memories together.

Mark really was there! He was our faithful photographer:)

Happy New Year to you all from our family to yours! May God pour out His blessings on us all in 2009.

Blessings and peace,
Susan

St. Nikolaus Day

2008-12-09T11:25:00.004-06:00

For many years, December 6th has to us just been the day after Mark's birthday - but not this year. This year, through some dear friends in the States we learned about a German holiday that will be very meaningful to us from this day forward. December 6th is St. Nikolaus Day and it's all about children. On the eve of this holiday, children put out their shoes and St. Nikolaus comes and puts little gifts in them.

On December 6th this year, a package arrived at our home. It was a box full of various Lebkuchen, Spekulatius cookies, Dominosteine and Stollen - all typical German treats served at Christmas. Inside the package was a card wishing us a Happy St. Nikolaus Day. We were so touched by the gesture. The package came at such an amazing time for me personally as it connected me to home and friends on a day when I was in need of such. I promptly sent our friends a hearty thank you via Facebook and they responded with a message that once again confirmed our ministry and calling here. I am including part of the message here with permission:

"We rejoice with you in your ministry and are so blessed that we can be a small part of it. It is great to be able to share in your daily lives such as through facebook and your blog. Through you we share a little in being missionaries. On this day we remember how Jesus welcomed children and His love inspired Nicholas to come to the aid of children. Even more so we remember and are very thankful that you have heeded the call and love of God in ministering to His children in BFA!! So know that we love you all and do think about you frequently. Thank you for sharing your lives with us and the students entrusted to you!!"

We are certainly blessed!

Collect (prayer) for St. Nikolaus Day
Let your continual mercy, O Lord, enkindle in your church the never-failing gift of charity, that, following the example of your servant Nicholas of Myra, we may have grace to deal in generosity and love with children and with all who are poor and distressed, and to uphold the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us, your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever.

Here are some recent ministry highlights and happenings here at BFA:

BFA was invited by the town of Kandern to perform at the local Christmas Fest. (the following four pics are borrowed from my friend Sandee)

High School Chorale

Middle School Choir (Evan is behind these pretty girls!)

High school mime team

High school drama team

Ethan grilling bread dough. The cheapest (1 Euro) babysitter around:)

Thursday night at the Powells. I cooked 3 kilos of taco meat for these hungry basketball players. Needless to say, it was all eaten!

This past weekend all of BFA turned out to cheer on our JV and Varsity Basketball teams. I yelled so much for "our" kids, my throat was sore!

Thanksgiving with Friends and Christmas Banquet

2008-11-30T06:59:00.010-06:00

We were blessed to give thanks with some sweet friends and colleagues on Saturday after Thanksgiving. Our friends, Bo and Leigh, hosted us all at their place on a farm. It was such a nice time and we enjoyed creating new memories.

Ethan loved spending time with their two dogs, Huck and Sadie.

Then it was on to Storch dorm where I helped out with hair and makeup. It takes quite a bit of time, hairspray and curling irons to get 21 girls looking beautiful. I had a great time.

Mere got ready at Storch with her friends. Here she is with a couple chilling before their "appointments".

This beautiful girl is Jessica. She is Ethan's buddy/babysitter on Wednesday evenings...LOVE this girl!

My amazingly beautiful small group.

Mark and I with one sweet girl..Jae. We're really tight with her:) She calls Mark "dad'!

Krause!

Esther is another one of our best buds! She has the best smile and sweetest personality.

Mark's small group.

Lizzy is such a sweet young woman. She's an RA at a girls' dorm. We share hikes in woods and sweet times of sharing...an amazing person.

We've still got it after 18 years! Not a bad looking couple if you ask me!

Meredith and her date, Peter.

Hallie and Max.

Random Thoughts/Happenings

2008-11-21T13:34:00.008-06:00

1. Our daughter is an amazing young woman. We are so proud of who she is becoming. She knows what she wants, knows what she believes in and most importantly, she loves God and cares about serving Him with her life. So, when she asked if she could get her nose pierced, we said "yes" because when it comes right down to it, what does it really matter if she has a sparkly stud in her nose? It doesn't. Right now if you ask her what she plans to do with her life, she'll tell you that she wants to go to law school, work for International Justice Mission and devote her life to freeing people from unjust situations (kudos, Dixon!) One of the things that Meredith continues to teach me is that she is not me. She is who Christ created her to be and He is continually shaping her to become who He wants her to be so that His perfect will can be accomplished in and through her...even with a nose ring:)

(Before piercing with our friend Leigh)
("Yikes!")
(After - such pretty ladies! As a side note, Leigh is one of several young, hip ladies who "pours herself" into Meredith on a regular basis. I am so thankful for the example that Leigh provides for Mere. Leigh has an amazing heart and is the cutest most giving gal around. Thanks, Leigh for being brave with Mere!)

2. Our house is full of people more often than it is not...and we couldn't be more happy! Those of you who knew us way back when I called Mark "Mr. Unapproachable" can share in the joy that we feel when we hear the laughter of teens in the next room or the silence that's heard as a tired dorm assistant naps on our couch. We said when we came here that our house would be open to minister to people and it is. We love it. (Don't worry though, we have our protected family days!) We still continue to be amazed at how God has equipped us (through His people) for this very purpose and how much we love what He has called us to.

Evan with his band buddies jamming in our attic. They are really good!

3. Mark asked me to the Christmas Banquet. Think this looks like a proposal? You should hear some of the things the guys do around here JUST to ask a girl to the banquet.

4. Mark is shoveling the snow off of our sidewalk. I do believe this is a first for him. We've already had two beautiful snows and it's not even December. Quite a treat for us Tennesseans:)

5. Last but certainly not least, we'd like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. About the time you sit down to enjoy a loving feast, we'll be finishing up another day of work here. Yep, no day off...so we are having Thanksgiving with friends on Saturday at noon and then attending a Christmas Banquet that evening with all the students. Go figure...only in Germany and at BFA! We are so thankful for you all who pray for us and financially support us so that our (yours and ours) ministry can continue.

Many blessings and much peace,
Susan and family

The Road Not Taken

2008-11-11T06:44:00.008-06:00

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..."

These two paths are part of an almost daily hike/walk that I take in the woods around Kandern. Almost every time I reach this point on my hike I think about the Robert Frost poem and the symbolism that this divergent path holds in my life. I always go to the right when hiking because I am at a point in my life where I am trying not to take the path of least resistance but rather "the one less traveled by". The pathway to the left descends and I want to climb in order to really get a good workout. The path to the right leads to a steep ascent. I love it!

(The ascent - it's steeper than it looks:))

My time walking in the woods is both a physical and spiritual experience for me. It's here that I can clear my mind and talk to God. He is so faithful to give me some real clarity of thought during these times. It's during these walks that I humbly present my requests to Him and seek wisdom for the tasks to which He has called me. There's just something about being out in His creation and really pushing my body hard that is just so cleansing, invigorting and inspiring. About halfway up the steep ascent, my legs are burning, my heart is pounding and my lungs feel as though they will burst. My body yells for me to stop but my mind says keep going. I push further and finally reach the top to take in the scenery and it makes all the work worth it!

I have crested this hilltop many times now and the scene that I take in each time never gets old and it always takes my breath away. I can't help but compare my hike to life and Heaven. Life is hard sometimes and what God requires of us- to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him- is not easy. Sometimes the sacrifices seem too great and we just want to give up, but what a wonderful reward the promise of Heaven is.
As you may have read from my last post, we are beginning to realize the sacrifices that we make in being here. We miss home, familiarity and routine. Believe it or not, even after three months we are still adjusting to life in foreign culture and there is something new to learn every day. It's hard some days, but the benefits and rewards far outweigh the difficulties.
Like...

girls that call you Uncky Mark and Aunt Susan, and
appreciative students who are happy for a night away from the dorm, and
fabulous family times in this beautiful place to which God has called us to serve.

Just recently I was reading a daily devotional email that our church, St. Bartholomew's, sends out. Here's an excerpt from it: "There are times when we think that the problems in the world are far too large for us to make any difference when in fact, each and everyone, when living as authentic followers of Jesus, can dramatically change our environments." I am so encouraged to know that where I lack wisdom in knowing how to best minister to these precious students, God is able to manifest His kingdom through me in spite of my frailties and shortcomings. Thanks be to God.
Blessings and peace,
Susan
p.s. the countries represented in this post are Russia, Kazahkstan, Slovenia, Korea, Germany and of course the good old U.S. of A!
p.s.s. thanks to my friend Laura for the great idea of adding the "Lately I've been..." feature to the right:)

Ich bin zu Hause in Deutschland, aber....

2008-10-26T10:08:00.003-05:00

The title is translated "I am at home in Germany, but..." I am at home in Germany, but I am homesick. It's official. I am really surprised by it too! Just today it has started and I am feeling a bit sad and on the verge of tears. I'm bearing my soul to you all because I covet your prayers. I am relying heavily today on the incredible and extraordinary ways that God used to get us here and resting in the confirmation of our call. In no way does my sadness indicate that I believe we shouldn't be here or that there is not immense value in what we are doing, I just miss home today. So, pray for me. Wondering what I miss? Well, here's the short list...

1.St. B's - the people, the clergy and the worship

2.My mom and dad

3.Mark's mom and dad

4.Bob, Tamara and Priscilla

5. The Hamptons, the Grosses, the Wests (both of them), the Flynns, oh heck, everybody in the Lifebuilders Class

6. Chill time with Jenny and RyRy's sweet smile.

7. Affordable Starbucks (it's twice as much here)

8 Shopping at Target

9. Football on TV

10. Mexican food

11. Eating out

12. Tamara's silliness and P calling me Aunt Sue-ie

13. The preschool hall at St. B's

14. American TV

15. Meredith and Evan being in an amazing youth group.

16. The students and staff at Pinewood Elementary

17. Being able to actually read the paper and our mail

18. Being known and having close friends

19. Our little dog that we gave up to come here

20. Our brothers and sisters and their families.

I told you it was a short list!

The holidays are around the corner and I am beginning to imagine what a Christmas will be like without going to our parents' houses for extended family celebrations. It will be hard I am sure, but there are new experiences and new memories to make here. We are hoping to take a small trip over our Christmas break which will give us something fun to look forward to. We are also going to have holiday dinners with some of our fellow Janz Team missionaries, which will be a nice tradition to start. We also hear Germany is amazing at Christmas time with markets and such.

Thank goodness we have Skype and an unlimited calling plan to the States. If you any of you have webcams, let us know! We'd love to chat sometime. Thanks for all your prayers and know that we love and miss you!

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Recent Ministry Activities

2008-10-19T03:37:00.011-05:00

Fall has arrived here in Kandern and the colors are beautiful. The changing leaves remind me of home and how much I love Autumn. Fall at BFA is full of ministry opportunities and we are making the most of every chance we get to invest in the lives of these MK's. On a recent beautiful fall Sunday, Mark and Evan went for a ride with Tony, a dorm student who is in Mark's small group.

A couple of weeks ago, Mark helped out with the Middle School Fall Party. The theme was Cartoons and the costumes the kids made were amazing!

The same night, I helped with the Elementary School Party. I coordinated the games for the evening. Unfortunately, I don't have pics of me running around the gym playing Apple, Apple, Pumpkin (a version of duck duck goose). I know you all are really upset to miss those pics:)

Here's a few of the middle school party. Evan was Eeyore!

I remember when we were raising support how often we told people how we thought a large portion of our ministry would happen in our home. Well, we are happy to report that we were right. What a delight is to have students in our home. Thursday evenings at the Powells have become a sought after event among students. We now have kids inviting themselves over and are beginning to form a waiting list! This is really not so much about us, but rather about how these kids want and need personal contacts and time outside of their dorms. We love being able to provide a meal and some fun times for them. Last Thursday I saw this gang (below) walking down our street and opened my kitchen window so that I could hear their laughter. It made me smile:)

Their smiles and laughter are so contagious. We are learning so much from these students.

My arms are still sore from our Wii boxing matches! But, hey this almost 40 year old won!

Jae and Esther...love, love these sweet girls. They are from Storch dorm where we sub.

One evening while subbing at Storch, we tagged along with the girls to a bonfire they had with a boys dorm. The dorms often play pranks on one another. During their most recent escapade, the Storch girls "stole" the Maugenhard boys' DVD player. So, in order to get it back the boys had to serenade the girls (pictured above). It was quite comical to hear these guys singing a Backstreet Boys song to the girls.

Above are some of our sweet Storch girls.

Mark, Evan and Ethan playing spoons with the girls. It got quite loud during the game!

Sweet Bethany checking her Facebook in the dorm!

I'd like to start something new in this post. I'd love for you all to know where each of these kids' parents are serving and in what capacity. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, it wouldn't be prudent to specify which country each student is from. But what I can do is list which countries are represented in each post so that you all can see how far reaching our ministry at BFA is. So, the countries that I know of represented here are Russia, Kyrgystan, Slovenia, Macedonia, Mali, China, France, Turkey and Germany.

As always, thank you all for your support of our ministry. We think of you often and thank our God upon our every remembrance of you.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Life is Good

2008-09-30T06:32:00.010-05:00

You've seen the little stickers on cars, t-shirts and mugs, I am sure. Well, I am here to tell you that life really is good for us here in Germany. We absolutely love what we are doing here and love the kids God has sent us to serve. We also love each and everyone of you who make sacrifices to support us financially and love those of you who faithfully lift us up in prayer. Both are so very vital to our daily lives. We definitely need the finances that you provide in order to live and function here in this quite expensive area, and we desperately need the prayers that you offer. Those prayers keep us continually equipped to participate in this ministry. These kids are complex, amazing, precious and have great needs. It is such a privilege to be partnering with their parents in raising them.

We want you all to know how you are partnering with us in supporting hundreds of works for Christ from all over the globe. Some places we can mention and others we cannot. Mark and I continue to be amazed at where our students come from and what their parents are doing to further the gospel and provide humanitarian relief to some of the most unreached places in the world. We are learning so much from the kids we serve and are completely humbled by the sacrifices these kids and their families have had to make.

We thought you might like to know what a typical week is like for us here as we seek to fulfill God's call on our lives at Black Forest Academy.

Monday: The kids go to school and Mark and I start our day with German 1. We take it with the high schoolers. Then I head to the library and Mark to his office. After school, Evan practices with the middle school chapel band, Meredith takes pictures for the yearbook and Ethan has soccer practice. He plays on the local German team. Then the whole family heads to Storchenblick (Storch for short) dorm in the nearby town of Holzen. It's a girls' dorm. We have dinner with the girls, help them with chores and homework and I (Susan) bake something sweet for them each week. We LOVE Monday evenings!

Storch dorm is pictured above. It is the larger building just left of the church. Most of the dorms at BFA are former inns.

These cuties are two of the 22 girls at Storch. They are both seniors and are amazing young ladies. They are such a joy to be around. One of the girl's parents serve in Africa and the other girl's parents serve in a closed country.

Tuesday:

Mark heads to work and the kids to school. After German, I do household jobs, do the shopping, update our blog and write notes to our supporters. Many things here take much longer than in the States. One load of laundry takes almost 2 hours to wash. Then we hang our laundry to save on energy costs. So, keeping house here is a little more time consuming than I am used to, but I am learning so much about how to live more simply and leave a smaller footprint on this planet. Tuesday afternoons, Evan plays intramural sports and Meredith practices volleyball (she actually practices every afternoon except Mondays). Ethan usually has his "posse" teaching him how to play soccer. It is amazing how many high schoolers know Ethan and love hanging out with him. I would imagine that many of the kids that hang with him are missing younger siblings. Even Ethan has a ministry here:)

Wednesday: Once again it's off to school and work for us. I am in the library and Mark in his office. Mark has begun the counseling portion of his job and really loves that aspect of his ministry. On Wednesday afternoons, Ethan takes piano from a dorm student who is a senior. She is quite an accomplished musician. Wednesday evenings, Mark and I both lead small groups of students. He has 7 freshmen guys and I have 6 freshmen girls. We separate for most of the evening, but at the very end of our time, we come together for snacks and fun. Our house gets VERY loud. Hopefully our German neighbors don't mind too much:) We'll post pictures of and more about our small groups later. Meredith and Evan go to small groups in different locations as well. Ethan gets to go hang out at another girls' dorm. He is really getting the "big head" because all the girls talk about how cute he is:)

Thursday: Mark heads to work and the kids to school. After German, I usually go get groceries and begin preparing a meal for a small group of dorm kids. We try to have a few dorm kids over for dinner every Thursday. They really like to get out of the dorm from time to time and so we enjoy opening our home to them. They come over after school and hang out with our family, eat dinner, watch a movie and/or do their homework. Then we take them back to the dorm around bedtime. Ethan also practices soccer again on Thursdays. Here's a picture from one of his games.

Friday: We head off to work and school and are happy that it's Friday! Usually there is no shortage of extracurricular activities to attend at the school. From parties to worship times to sporting events, there's always something going on. Here are some pictures of a few things:

Recently there was a fall party and the theme was "A Black and White Affair".
The Middle School overnight retreat. Mark helped coordinate this event.
"See you at the cross" is our version of "see you at the pole". The students gathered to pray with one another. The flags of all countries represented here can be seen in the background.

Saturdays are filled with soccer, more laundry, sleep, hikes, bike rides, students, sightseeing and more. Sunday is our protected family day. We have breakfast together, hang out and then head to church in the evenings. We attend the Anglican Church in Basel and go to their evening service. It is held in a small chapel within the Munster in Basel, Switzerland. Basel is about 25 minutes away. Here's a picture:

We are so thankful to have found a place to worship that fits who we are and how we are wired to worship Him. It's not St. B's but nothing could be as far as we're concerned. We love our home church and miss it very much. BUT, God is faithful and meets us where we are and fills our void in so many different ways.

As you can see, our weeks are VERY busy and full, but all that we do makes our hearts FULL of love for others and love for Him. Thank you very much for partnering with us, loving us and praying for us. We'll write more soon.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Some Amazing People

2008-09-02T14:50:00.004-05:00

Pictured above with our family are Tom and Bev Mahan. They are part of our support team at St. B's. They are so special to us. They gave of their time and resources in ways that we will never forget. They hosted us in their home for two weeks after we moved out of our home and treated us like family. They really ministered to us and let us take it easy as much as we could. What a gift they are.
The Hall family pictured above (minus Kyrie and Avian) helped us in the early days learn about how to raise our support. Thomas was also very helpful in packing our container. Carmen entertained our kids countless times while Mark and I were raising support. Precious folks.
The sweet, sweet Flynns. Joe and Meredith are also part of our support team and some of our biggest cheerleaders. They are here with their precious boys Jack and Parker.

Dave and Nancy West are also part of our support team. Dave helped out with our mailings and Nancy blessed us with her gifts in fund raising and support letter writing. A talented and beautiful pair!
The Grabbes! This sweet family are our across the street neighbors in the States. They ministered to us in ways we would have never expected, especially since we've only known them a year. Jenny watched our kids, took them places, listened to their problems and loved on them. They also hosted a fundraiser garage sale for us that was really successful. They are here with Ryan and Kaitlyn on Ryan's first birthday.

Last but not least is who our kids are now referring to as "Uncle" Jonathan. We wouldn't be at BFA right now if it weren't for his tireless efforts and dedication to our cause and ministry. Jonathan Merkh gave and continues to give of his resources and time so sacrificially. Our ministry is a personal one for him as he is an MK himself. The way that he has taken us under his wing and ministered to us is amazing. He inspires us to give our best to God in this ministry.

We are entirely blessed by these people and many, many others that God put in our path and used to accomplish His glory. Many thanks and blessings to these people who were willing to be used by Him.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Our Departure, Arrival and Layover

2008-09-02T07:52:00.024-05:00

Where in the world do I begin? So much has happened in the four weeks since I last blogged. I feel like we've had a year's worth of experiences and emotions crammed into one month. There is so much I want to share and so many blog entries spinning around in my head. How do I do each thought justice without getting very far behind in keeping this thing up to date? Well, I really can't, but here it goes anyway. Three words kind of describe our last month: departure, arrival and layover.

Departure:

On July 18th, we began our official departure from the States by packing our earthly belongings into a 20 ft. container (which upon writing we have YET to receive). We were blessed by some wonderful friends who came and helped us pack. We would have never been able to pack so much without the organizational and spatial skills of Thomas Hall. Many thanks to all who helped us.

The next two weeks were filled with lots of fun times with friends and family and lots of goodbyes.

We were very blessed by our commissioning service at St. B's and all who laid hands on us and sent us off as "St. B's in Germany".

We left the States very hurriedly on August 2nd. On August 1st, we found out that the transatlantic portion of our flights from Nashville to Basel had been cancelled due to a European strike of Lufthansa. We were advised by our mission that the only way to arrive in Kandern on time for training would be to fly out of Atlanta on August 2nd. So, with less than 24 hours notice we began to search for a way to get to Atlanta...not an easy task with a family of five and 13 pieces of luggage! We made several calls and to our delight, Harry and Phyllis Xanthopoulous agreed to drive us. They sacrificially gave up their entire Saturday, endured traffic jams and comforted our tears. I can't think of a more perfect couple to send us off! Harry kept us laughing in only the way Harry could do. We won't soon forget our trip to Atlanta and our forever indebted to them for their generosity. We are also very grateful to St. B's for the use of the van!

In addition, our departure was filled with tears, laughter and love. We were so touched by all who showed up at St. B's (our church) to say goodbye. They, too, had less than 24 hours notice for this change yet they still showed up early Saturday morning and made us all feel very loved and appreciated. God has blessed us and our children with such special friends and amazing families.

In flying out of Atlanta, we were blessed to be able to travel with a fellow Janz Team missionary, Lizzy Schulz. Lizzy is a beautiful girl inside and out. She has become very special to our family and she and our kids bonded during our flights and layovers together. What a special gift from God our relationship with her is.

Arrival:

Upon arriving in Kandern, we learned very quickly what an amazing community we are now a part of. Our host family, the Careys, had stocked our fridge and pantry, brightened our bare home with fresh cut flowers, and set up beds into which we collapsed that first night after dinner. They have also hosted us for dinner, let us borrow all kinds of things until our container arrives and given of their time to show us "the ropes" around here.

Our first week (which now feels like a lifetime ago) was filled with German language classes, German culture lessons and plenty of opportunities in which we were forced to practice what we had learned. It is such a humbling experience at times to live in another culture and try and function in a language you do not speak. But, God is faithful and I am learning quickly. God has also blessed me with just enough confidence to put myself out there and try. I do most of the shopping, banking and handling of the family business, so I've got to learn the language. Those in the community seem very grateful that we try. Ethan gets quite a few smiles as he says "Guten Morgen" to passersby and "danke" when he buys his Milka chocolate bars in the store.

Layover:

For the next couple of weeks, it felt as though we were on an extended vacation. In many ways we still felt very connected to our lives in Tennessee. We missed our friends, our families and especially our church. Many of our everyday experiences were like being on vacation. It was kind of like we were in between destinations as you are when you have a layover. The kids hadn't met friends and were bored and sad. In addition, not having furniture in our house has made it feel like we are camping. We just don't feel settled yet, but prayerfully our container will arrive on Friday.

We have been doing lots of sitting and waiting the last few weeks. Waiting for our car to be insured so we could drive it, waiting for our phone and Internet to be connected, waiting for the stores to re-open (they close quite frequently), waiting for a load of laundry to be finished (takes two hours here just to wash), waiting for others to translate the many documents we receive and cannot read, waiting, waiting and more waiting.

Our training has been very beneficial, but waiting for the students to arrive has also felt a bit like a layover. We have been anxious for them to get here and anxious to get to know them. So, we are very thankful that school has started and the school is full of life and energy.

This past month has been good and bad, happy and sad but in all of it God has been faithful and shown Himself mighty in so many ways. Thank you all who have been so faithful in lifting us up to the Father. We feel your prayers and are so grateful for your support. Check back soon for some more pictures that give you a window into what has been going on in our corner of the world.

Blessings, peace and much love,

Susan

Frenzied and Fantastic

2008-07-29T20:12:00.004-05:00

These last days we are spending in the States are both frenzied and fantastic. We are being so blessed with many invitations to spend time with friends and family. We are going from one house to the next, reminiscing, sharing good meals, laughing, crying and making new memories. How humbled we are at the hospitality that is being showered upon us. In addition to all of our socializing we are taking care of wrapping up "business" here in the States. We've been out of state three times trying to get a different driver's license (long story...don't ask), signing legal documents, taking care of insurance, trying to sell vehicles, booking flights, packing a container to ship our earthly belongings, canceling utilities, and the list goes on and on and on. Whew, are we tired, but boy are we blessed!
In all of these frenzied and fantastic days, the Lord is teaching us. He is teaching us through all of you who are hosting us in your homes. Hospitality is such a gift and we are learning so much. We want our home to be open to the many kids we will serve. We are learning how to open our hearts, lives and home to those who need it. We need it right now. The love and kindness we are being shown is helping us to "leave well". We are being served in such a beautiful way. Thank you Lord for such an amazing community of believers who are walking alongside us in yet another way. We hope very soon to put up pictures and blog about the ways we are paying it forward to others and showing them hospitality.
Blessings and peace,
Susan

Updates

2008-07-17T17:52:00.003-05:00

Well the moment we have been waiting for has happened. We get to joyfully share that we will be leaving for Germany on August 2nd! God has moved in the hearts of those He has appointed to partner with us in ministry and the funds have been pledged and provided. We stand in awe of His greatness, grace, mercy and provision. Thanks be to God!! Thank you all for your prayers. Now...hang on because it only gets better from here on out! We can't wait to post our first blog entry from Kandern and report what amazing things God is doing through you...yes, you. You are a vital part of this ministry to MK's He is calling us to. What great times are ahead.

Another update for those of you wondering. Campy is safely in the hands of the sweet folks at Happy Tales Humane...a no kill shelter that finds good homes for animals. Check them out in Franklin. We miss little Camp but know that it was the right decision.

We'll share more soon...there is much packing left to do.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Free to a Good Home

2008-07-11T08:17:00.004-05:00

We have made the difficult, yet prayerful decision to find a good home for our dog, Campy. There are just so many details and decisions that must be made when moving to a new country and this has been one of them. There will also be even more details and stressors right when we arrive, that we feel it best to minimize the potential for more stress and details. While we love this little guy, it falls upon the Mom (me) to care for him. You moms out there know this and also know that there'll be many other things for me to care for in settling our family into a new culture.

SO...if you or someone you know would love a sweet, cuddly, incredibly perfect lap dog who loves going for walks, is totally house trained and enjoys a good rub behind the ears and belly scratch session...just let us know.

Seriously, could you please pray about a good home for him...it would mean the world to the kids and me!

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Roller Coasters

2008-07-10T10:33:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but I have a love/hate relationship with roller coasters. I loved them as a teenager when life was care free and easy. The thrills they provided were addictive and the "war stories" after about who held up their arms the longest were almost as much fun. Now, I kind of hate roller coasters because to this mom they represent the opposite of what I seek...safety and security. My kids love them of course and when they ride them all I can think about is the girl who lost her feet on one last year! Don't get me wrong. I am not an overprotective freak. I still ride them and let my kids get on them over and over as well. I just send up lots of prayer at the same time.

Lately, our lives have been somewhat of a roller coaster ride. The ups and downs and twists and turns of this path we are on towards ministry and missions is not without its own set of thrills and "war stories". One day we are on top of the coaster, excited and expectant and the next day we are plummeting to the bottom as fast as our emotions can carry us.

This journey truly has been a unique experience that we have yet to encounter in our lives. Have you ever ridden one those coasters that sends you reeling with all of its twists and turns? You know what I'm talking about? One second you're heading one direction and without warning the coaster car jerks you into a completely different direction. It seems to me that our walk with Christ can sometimes be the same way. Two years ago, we would have never imagined that I would be regularly updating a blog for our ministry! We thought we had our lives planned out...nice house, retirement plan, regular vacations, lovely church, etc. Then, without warning, our roller coaster car catapulted us into a completely different direction and we couldn't be MORE thankful.

Through this journey, God has taught us to shed our desire for the safety and security of solid ground (where we are in control of our future) and step onto the ride that is following Him. It will continue to be a wild ride I am sure, but I look forward to the top of the coaster experiences as well as the sudden plummets to the bottom. Because in the end, the stories to tell of God's faithfulness, grace and mercy will be well worth the ride!

Blessings and peace,

Susan

We're Proud of our Kids!

2008-07-05T17:12:00.003-05:00

Last summer all three of our kids competed in youth distance triathlons. It was so much fun watching them and cheering them on. They learned so much about setting goals, working hard and enjoying the company of other Christian friends on their team (which is exactly what they are witnessing their parents do daily as we raise support). We are thankful for the memories they will have of these times. We are also pretty proud of them...they made the podium several times!

One picture is of Evan (our middle child) racing bikes. He also competed on a cycling team. Mark is very excited about the cycling that awaits all of us in Germany.

Above is their junior tri team.
Meredith, about to enter the water.

Evan, on the left, sprinting to the finish! He almost won it.
Evan, getting out of the water after the swim portion of a triathlon.
Ethan, having given his best effort, walking to the finish line. I just love this face!

A Few Good Friends, A LOT of Sticky Envelopes

2008-07-05T17:00:00.003-05:00

Here are a few pictures of some of our very dear friends (the Rowlands and the Grabbes) helping us stuff about 500 letters in envelopes! Wow, now that's friendship. As you can see from the label on Tamara's nose, it was getting late and we were getting silly! Thank you Lord for wonderful people who are making this journey with us in so many different ways.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Fireflies

2008-07-03T07:18:00.002-05:00

Last night, Ethan's friend Allie came over to play and watch a movie. It was just after dusk when we stepped outside to walk Allie home. To their excitement, the fireflies were out and so began the pursuit on their part to catch one. As I followed behind listening to their giggles, I smiled inside, happy that they were so happy. I was thanking God for the memories Ethan was making with Allie and hoping that he would remember these lazy days of summer in Tennessee catching fireflies with his friend.

My thoughts then turned to how we as Christians are not unlike the fireflies at times. In this dark world, we hope and pray to shine brightly with the love, grace and mercy of Christ, but sometimes we don't. Sometimes it's easy to see Christ in our lives and then other times we just blend in with the darkness. I then said another quick prayer asking God to help me always shine brightly for Him. Thank you God for fireflies!

Blessings and peace,

Susan

p.s. We are now at about 53% of our monthly needs, according to our calculations. Please keep praying for God to move in the hearts of those He has already appointed to partner with us. God bless you.

Support Update

2008-06-27T08:04:00.002-05:00

We just found out that we are at 50% of our projected monthly needs. Thanks be to God! We have about 4 weeks (before we need to leave to take part in critical training) to raise an additional $2,000 per month in pledges. Please pray with us that God would move in the hearts of those He has already appointed to partner with us. We serve a mighty God who is certainly able to meet all of our needs according to His riches in glory.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Our Kids

2008-06-26T08:48:00.003-05:00

Meredith is 15.
Ethan (pictured with our pup, Campy) is 7.
Evan is 12.

Here are some recent pictures of our children, Meredith, Evan and Ethan. They are such a vital part of our ministry and will be instrumental in our ability to get to know students on a personal level. Please be in prayer for them during this very hectic season of our lives. Mom and Dad have less time to spend with them as the time draws near for us to leave. They are also really beginning to feel the pain of our eventual goodbyes. Mark and I would really love for you to cover them in prayer and ask that God Almighty bind the enemy from their hearts and minds. Thank your for your faithfulness to lift us up to Him.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Janz Team Training

2008-06-26T07:47:00.004-05:00

Last week Mark and I traveled to Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada for training with our sending organization (emphasize the long "i" when you say it) and really enjoyed the process (emphasize the long "o" sound when you say it). We had such a great week meeting and bonding with 24 other new BFA staffers and one gal that will be going to Vienna Christian School. We learned a lot, ate a lot and stayed up late every night, which was easy to do since the sun didn't set until about 10:30 pm. During this week, God proved himself mighty once again by giving us such great people to share this experience with. We are so excited about the people we will be ministering with in Kandern. It is truly amazing who God brings together to serve Him. He loves us so much that He wants us to have sweet friends to share this journey with. How much I appreciate that about our God. Many of you know that leaving our community of faith at St. B's is going to be one of the hardest parts of this journey. As we traveled to Winnipeg, I was hopeful and prayerful that God would provide another community of believers who are like minded to walk this road of life with. He has done that. The group was so varied from where we live and where we attend church to our ages and interests. There were recent college grads, newly married couples, two middle aged couples (as we were tagged....ouch!) and one retired couple. What a blessing it will be to walk in faith with one another. We all have such a wide range of experiences to share with one another. I can't wait to learn from them all.

Here are some pictures of that week.

Oh, Canada! It was a lovely place and the weather was just amazing.
Our new BFA friends plus one gal, Rachel who will be serving at Vienna Christian School in Austria.
A team building exercise.

Our new Anglican friends, Jim and Lynn are pictured above! Anglicans..who would've thought it?
My sweet, sweet prayer partner, Stephanie. She has a beautiful heart...love her!
Jim once again pictured with Dan and Judy Kastelein. Dan and Judy are retirees who are leaving 14 grandchildren here in the States to go and serve at BFA. What an example they are to Mark and me. I am prayerful for a great relationship with them. I am sure there is much they can teach us.

We had a great week, but are very thankful to be safely home with our kids again.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Gas Costs - $300, Food on trip - $100, Memories - Priceless!

2008-06-09T08:30:00.009-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, our family had the pleasure of visiting my hometown of Albany, Georgia and reconnecting with dear friends. We stopped along the way and visited with my friend Rod Daniel and his sweet family. My family and Rod's family were close friends during our childhood and teen years, so we go way back and have lots of fun memories. They hosted us at their place on the lake and we had such a great time reminiscing about old times and sharing our passions about ministry. They recently traveled to Nicaragua as a family where they served as short term missionaries. I am so proud of them and their desire to serve and what great work they are doing for the Kingdom. The above pictures are from our time with them.

We then traveled on to Albany and were privileged to share our ministry with the church in which I was raised. My other sweet friends, Scooter and Lee Ann Griffin were there with their precious children. It was so great seeing them and meeting their kids. (You guys are doing an amazing job raising them!) We were so well received by folks in the church and Mark and I felt very humbled by how people were touched by our ministry and gave so generously. Below are letters we received in the mail from two of Scooter and Lee Ann's boys, Luke and Levi. Priceless! (If you click on the letter, you can read it better.)

We packed a lot into a very short weekend, because we then traveled on to Colquitt, Georgia where Mark's aunt, uncle and 92 year-old grandmother live. It was great visiting with them and probably the highlight of the trip was sitting with Grandma and her 98 year-old brother, Ralph and watching them fuss and fight like brothers and sisters do! It was such a special weekend and one for which we are very thankful.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

The Importance of Being Teachable

2008-05-28T07:25:00.002-05:00

I like to consider myself a lifelong learner. I love to learn new things and enjoy the pursuit of it all. Right now, Mark and I are knee deep in our attempt to learn the German language. We meet weekly with our tutor (Maria, you are sehr gut!) and weekly she stretches and inspires us to leave our inhibitions at the door and just try. It can be a very humbling experience at times. We make mistakes, sound like tourists and probably look incredibly foolish to everyone around us at the ever busy 21st Ave. Starbucks! But, being humble is a first step in being teachable.

This journey we are on is all about being humble and teachable. Mark and I have been so blessed by the people that have come alongside us and are walking this road with us. These are people that God has appointed to teach us and shape us. Each dessert night we attend, each meeting we have and each passing conversation with friends and supporters we have, God teaches us. We have received such valuable advice and input in recent weeks and the one thing that Mark and I keep saying to each other is how important it is for us to be teachable. We obviously have so much to learn about raising support and communicating our ministry to others. We need our community of believers, friends and supporters to speak into our hearts and minds words of wisdom. We welcome it! This ministry to which we have been called is one that we all (if you're reading this, that means you too!) have been called to. Each person has a part to play, even if it is just a suggestion on how to refine our presentation. So, to all of you who have offered advice we thank you. Keep it coming! We are humbled and teachable and hope to stay that way for the rest of our lives.

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Kaffee und Kuchen

2008-05-03T07:44:00.004-05:00

The title is German for coffee and cake. Kaffe und Kuchen is one German tradition that I can really get into! Germans, like most Europeans, eat dinner in the late evening. So, in the afternoons they typically take a break and have coffee and cake. It is a time for them to socialize with friends and family as well. While we were on our discernment trip, I noticed this daily event and was impressed with how important relationships seem to be to them. People were enjoying themselves, their cake and their conversations.

Very soon, you may be receiving an invitation to Kaffe und Kuchen from some of our friends and family. We want to share our lives with you, our journey and our ministry. We pray that you will be able to take a break from your busy day and come to hear what God is doing at the Black Forest Academy and how you can be a part of such a vital ministry-serving the kids of missionaries all over the world...not to mention enjoying a sweet treat and steaming hot coffee:)

Blessings and peace,

Susan

Daily Advice Column

2008-05-02T22:17:00.001-05:00

So, we’ve been on a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster this week. Various situations have had us up on the mountaintop one day and down in the valley the next. It’s been a good week. Really. It’s not that I enjoy the valleys by any means, but I accept them as part of the process…the refining fire that will prayerfully prepare us for the ups and downs of ministry. As I was praying through this tough week, I was reminded of our rector’s recent sermon. I distinctly remember him saying that God is not in the business of asking for our advice. Ouch…but, so true. Recently, God has gently let me know that He has me in the palm of His hand and I am to fit into His plan and wait for Him. His timing is perfect. Oh, that we would daily submit to His plan and His timing rather than writing a daily advice column for Him.
Blessings and peace,
Susan

Privilege vs. Burden

2008-04-16T10:50:00.002-05:00

Have you ever noticed how at different times in your life, certain words seem to take on a new meaning to you? Early in our missions journey, love was the word or theme that God kept impressing upon our hearts. We felt (and still do) as though God gave us a great love for a bunch of kids that we didn’t even know. God gave us the ability to love people again. God gave us a church and a group of people that we love dearly. Love was the movement (to borrow a Switchfoot song title) on our hearts. That love is still there and burning brightly, but now the Lord has given me a new word. Privilege. Everything about this process of ours is a privilege. The fact that we must raise 100% of the support necessary to fulfill our ministry is a privilege. Some people would see that as a burden, but we look forward to the lessons God will teach us and the refining that will occur as we humbly ask others to partner with us in ministry. The act of walking away from careers, salaries, college tuition waivers and the like is a privilege. Please don’t read here any self righteous boasting but rather a humble desire to step out on faith and trust and know that God will provide, which, quite honestly is not an easy thing for this fiercely independent gal. My periodic sleepless nights are a privilege because they afford me some quiet moments to reflect and pray. If you’ve spent much time in my home you know that quiet moments are few and far between! The mountains of boxes that are covering my garage floor and spilling into our living room are also a privilege. As we prepare to sell our home and choose carefully what will occupy precious space in a shipping container, it has become apparent that a garage sale is in order. Yesterday when I was up to my neck in boxes, I did allow myself for a split second to feel overwhelmed and a little bit burdened, but then I realized that even sorting through 17 years of life together is a privilege. As I opened each box, there was a memory waiting for me and most often a story of God’s faithfulness and provision. This attitude of choosing to view life events as a privilege rather than a burden has not always been true of me, but I have learned that God’s graces are sufficient enough to transform our hearts and minds and allow us to see things differently. With that said, I’ll close this entry with two of my favorite quotes: “Change your thinking, change your world” (thinkhappystuff.com) and “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” Chuck Swindoll
Blessings and peace,
Susan

Cup of Coffee Anyone?

2008-04-08T14:36:00.000-05:00

I’ve learned that as a ministry couple, you divide and conquer so to speak all the many tasks that are necessary to having a successful ministry. This is exactly what Mark and I have done and it’s been a blessing to see how God has equipped each of us with certain abilities and how we really complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The privilege of updating our blog is mine (Susan) and so a small disclaimer is in order before we go any further…I am not a writer. I love to read other blogs and am constantly amazed at you all who are such gifted writers, but keeping you all informed of our faith journey in this way will indeed be a labor of love. I would much rather be sitting face to face with each of you over a good cup of fair trade coffee telling you all about how amazing God is and how He has provided incredibly already in our walk towards missions. I am a very relational person (i.e. I love to talk) and feel that I am a much better speaker than writer. But, I hope you will afford me the privilege to share with you, albeit somewhat dryly at times, our experiences as we live out God’s call on our lives. So, with that said, pull up a chair and grab that cup of coffee and know that we are truly honored that you’re here and reading this.
Blessings and peace,
Susan

In the beginning

2007-10-31T13:08:00.000-05:00

Post Date: 31 Mar 2008
Article written as part of St. Bartholomew's discernment process: 31 Oct 2007

CHILDLIKE HEARTS PREPARED
Susan and I were brought up in the church. I am the son of missionary parents and Susan the daughter of very active laity. Susan and I met in the summer of 1988 at a National Youth Conference in Kansas City. A few years later we married and two years after began our family. As young parents to Meredith (now 14 years old), we served in the church where my father was the minister. First, serving as youth sponsors and Sunday School teachers and later I served as the Children’s Ministries director and on the board of deacons. After a move to a nearby city, we felt the Lord calling us to a church that had recently started a building fund and was meeting in a local elementary school. For me, this was very reminiscent of the churches that I was brought up in while on the mission field in St. Croix, Virgin Islands and in McAllen, Texas. Susan and I both enjoyed the ministries that we served on and began to help build. It was during our work in this church that our 3rd child, Ethan, was born and we enjoyed watching our middle son, Evan, grow from a toddler to a 2nd grader. While attending and working in this community church God began working in our lives. We considered the nature of our worship experience and the fact that too many times we drove out of the parking lot on Sundays feeling unchanged. When we tried to put words to our feelings we described our worship experience in terms normally reserved for sporting events or some similar form of entertainment. Spiritually speaking, this was a very ‘dry’ time for us. We were pouring our energies and ourselves into this church but all of this ‘hard work’ was leaving us empty and frustrated. We weren’t exactly sure what we longed for but we felt that meaningful worship might involve ‘sanctuary’, not necessarily in form but in function. What would it be like if our worship time felt like a refuge and was full of reverence and awe?

BROKEN HEARTS HEALED
In the fall of 2003 we began attending St. Bartholomew’s. A refuge is exactly what we found within its walls. Susan and I probably did not realize how badly hurt I was by past experiences in our former church and we certainly didn’t realize just how long it would take to repair that damage. I was bitter and full of cynicism. Mostly I had lost my love for people and especially for my Christian brothers and sisters. Susan and I started praying that God would fill our hearts with love again. We prayed that we would have a genuine love for others and out of this we would be able to joyfully serve others.

This prayer continues on even today. Under the God-anointed leadership at St. Bartholomew’s and the loving hearts of its parishioners, we can say with confidence that we have experienced
spiritual healing and growth. We are forever grateful for this and for learning how to worship a holy and loving God in a way that fits the way God ‘wired’ us.

Over the past two and a half years, we have been serving in several capacities at St. Bartholomew’s and have received many blessings from our service. One consistent aspect throughout our time at St. Bartholomew’s has been the unbelievable amount of love that we have received from others in our church fellowship.

WILLING HEARTS RENEWED
In June of 2006, I took a new position within the company in which I had worked since 1998 and almost immediately Susan and I sensed that we had totally missed God’s calling on this move. Looking back over the year’s worth of painful and sometimes sleepless times, we now realize how God used these times as a real ‘attention getter’ (and I thought that as a former children’s ministries director and a Sunday School teacher I was the master of attention getters!). We think that God used the painful circumstance of my new job to bring to the forefront what it meant to work, sometimes around the clock, at something that really had very little or even no eternal meaning. I won’t drag our readers (or Susan and I!) through all of the life lessons that were learned (and are still being learned) over this past year but suffice it to say that we came out the other end with a new perspective on life.

The first shift in our perspective was a growing sense to make our lives matter – to involve ourselves in something that would count towards eternity. We did not know exactly what this meant but we knew that in order to fulfill this commitment, we were most likely going to have to make some sacrifices. We specifically felt led by the Holy Spirit to begin praying about missions. One of the exercises we used to assist us in this journey was to jot down those things we loved doing and felt most passionate about. The activities on this list seemed to point us in the direction of vocational missions. Since creating this list, we’ve been praying about and taking steps towards fulfilling what we consider to be the God-given desires of our hearts.

A second shift in our perspective came about through our study of God’s word. A recurring message that we encountered through the Scriptures, counsel from my parents and even word and song was to travel lightly. For us, lightening our load meant moving out of our home and modest parcel of land that we had come to love and had felt was a blessing from God. We took this step and other steps in order to be in a position to answer God’s call whether that call was right here in Franklin, Tennessee or across the globe in some remote area. We just felt that this was the Holy Spirit urging us to do this and when we sold our place we felt a peace about it. It is interesting to note that our new place, although we are very thankful for it and are content, is not our home. We have not become attached to the house or the neighborhood. We think that this might be by Design.

TENDER HEARTS YIELD
One night on a yellow legal pad, Susan scratched out a second list of those things that we really loved doing and were the desires of our hearts. We placed no restrictions on what this list could include. This was basically a recipe for our ‘dream jobs’. Oddly enough, we both dreamed up positions of service and ministry in a foreign country. With the exception of one or two items, this list was filled with activities involving children and youth. Our list included everything from counseling to coaching a youth triathlon team. This was very fitting since we have both spent so much of our time either working or volunteering in just such vocations and ministries. We then committed this list to prayer. At first we prayed that we might find opportunities in filling such needs in our church and in the local community while keeping our current ‘day jobs’. This was mostly because we wanted to be certain that we did not overlook opportunities that are right under our noses. As we began to pray, we began to think more and more about full-time mission work. In fact you might say that it has consumed us. Over the past 6 months, a day has not gone by that Susan and I have not spent some time in these thoughts.

We both have our ‘ideal jobs’. For the past 10 years I have held several positions within Vanderbilt and am now working for a godly man and Susan is a librarian and is actively involved with our two oldest children’s education. Still, there is a constant nudging at our hearts. We’ve been very deliberate about involving ourselves in local ministries and volunteer services but still there is a tugging at our hearts. We have an overwhelming desire to serve in what we think might be a full-time capacity.

To this end, we have continued to gather in prayer with family and friends on this matter. We have also researched various ministries that are aligned with the things we wrote on our yellow legal pad several months ago. One such mission work is a boarding school for missionary children. The Black Forest Academy is in Kandern, Germany and serves the children of missionaries who labor in countries that are unstable or have substandard educational systems. The Black Forest Academy (BFA) “exists to provide a quality, international Christian education that equips its students to influence their world through biblical thought, character, and action.” According to Greater Europe Mission’s website, “the one factor in missions that has caused more missionaries to leave the field than any other is missionary kids. And that’s where Black Forest Academy comes in. BFA exists so missionaries can complete their mission to people in over 40 countries all over the world.” Currently, we feel a strong connection with this ministry. We are planning a vision trip to Kandern next spring. In addition, we will travel to Madrid, Spain to counsel with close friends that are missionaries. In Madrid, we will visit another international Christian school for missionary kids, Evangelical Christian Academy.

We are encouraged by the discernment process at St. Bartholomew’s and its emphasis on community. In this brief ‘window into our hearts’, we’ve only shared high points in our year long journey. We hope that this will provide a platform from which many more conversations and times of prayer will be spawned. We look forward to the opportunity for spiritual growth and discernment that God will grant through this journey.

In Him,

Mark and Susan Powell
10/31/2007