A New Year

Here at Wittlingen, much has happened since I returned from my visit to the states over Christmas. I won't include everything though, no worries! Well, at least I will try not to:)

Well, by far the biggest piece of news is that with the start of a new semester came two new girls. Jessi, a freshman, and Becky, a sophomore. Please pray for them as they continue to transition into dorm life, being away from their families, and suddenly living with 23 other people. I also just found out a couple days ago that we are getting another new student on February 20th. Her name is Joo-Yoong or Michelle, she is Korean and will come in as a freshman. This will be a very big transition for her as she has never been away from her parents and is still not fluent in English. I am really excited to have her join us though! But with that, please be in prayer for our staff as soon we will have 21 girls to pour into and take care of.

Since returning from Christmas break many of my relationships with the girls are really starting to take off. They are beginning to open up more...even pulling some innocent pranks on me, which is great! But, I do ask for your prayers that I would rely on God's wisdom and not my own in guiding them. My times with God have been so good this semester and He has blessed me with more of a desire to spend time daily with Him. I just feel so refreshed when I daily come to Him with my burdens, praises, and requests. A passage that we went through in an all staff meeting has really stuck with me.  In Colossians 3, Paul talks about as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, that we are to be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and that love will bind these all together in perfect unity. I love that it says to clothe yourself with these fruits and virtues because it gives me the imagery of taking time to put them on each morning. And Christ is the only one who can put those on me when I come to Him and spend time with Him. I just wanted to share some of my heart with you guys and ways God is growing me.

Now on to a couple activities of what we have been up to! Two Sundays ago a HUGE parade came to little ole' Wittlingen. A parade like I had never seen. It's called a Fasching parade and it is full of people wearing scary and weird masks, confetti, smoke shooting from floats, and lots of loud music. As it was right outside of our house we were able to watch and enjoy all the festivities. Some of the girls dressed up ridiculously and all the Germans looked at them strangely...hahaha:) We came back with confetti ALL over us and even in several rooms of our house where windows had been left open...whoops! It was a great way to start the semester back up, I laughed so hard that day with many of the girls!!

At the end of last semester, I started story time with the sophomores on tuesday nights for tuck-ins. We read short picture books to begin with but at the start of the semester we began "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis. It's a fun time to be together and usually I have to peel a couple of them out of my bed by the end of the chapter. At the end of the semester, once we finish, we are hoping to watch the movie together and have a slumber party in my room:)

Some of the sophomores piled high on my couch!
They are soo cute:)

When we returned in early January, we had a delightful
streak of 55 degree weather and sun!! Lauren and Rachel playing beautiful music.

That same day, many girls became adventurous-
 Katie, Anna and Elle.

A small glimpse of the Fasching parade.
Jordan, Katie, Me, Anna, and Rachel.

See, they are crazy! There are many more pics of the festivities on
my Facebook if you care to see more!

And so now you know some of the happenings of January!

With Love,

Amy

Full Weekends

Here at Wittlingen, life has been pretty hectic and full of activities. A couple weeks ago all of the dorm students went ice skating. The last time I went I was a little girl and went to a creek with my Aunt and cousins. We all had sooo much fun and it was a beautiful night out! Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving for about 40 people. It was a fun night night ending with the tradition of watching 'White Christmas.' My personal favorite!!

Last Friday we had Open House. We opened our house to our German neighbors and all of the BFA community (some 300 people). Our theme was 'celebrities.' We had Miley Cyrus here, Sandra Bullock, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Body Guards, Paparazzi, Reese Witherspoon, and those were just the girls at Witt! It was a full night of fun; with a fashion shoot in the basement, music videos, and the community touring all of the nooks and crannies of our home. Then on Sunday night for dorm fellowship we decorated the house for Christmas!! It makes it so much more cozy and gives the girls a boost of energy as they finish up the semester.

This coming weekend is Christmas Banquet. And let me tell you it's a big deal here. It's kind of like our homecoming back home, well no football game and no court. But the guys ask the girls in really extravagant ways. One guy came to our dorm a couple weeks ago to ask one of our girls and sang Taylor Swift's 'You belong with me'.....only 'Will you go to banquet with me.' Followed with the presenting of roses. These boys know how to treat these girls well! Friday we are having a spa night of painting nails and facials while Saturday will be filled with doing hair and make-up. Im excited to help them all get ready. The theme is a masquerade ball, so they all get to wear fun masks too!

Wittlingen on Ice!

The Cooks:)

Thanksgiving fun!

Anna, Ross, Jamie, and Miriam...family:)

Hanna and Sam...family:)

Kat and Luke...family:)

Elle and Wes....family:)

Anna is Dorothy!

The intimidating Body Guards

Posing by her name dressed as Sandra Bullock

Joining in on celebrity night as Miley Cyrus

Beautiful, she went as Reese Witherspoon

Even though November is dreary here, we are finding ways to brighten the days:)

I hope you are all getting in the holiday spirits and that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

~Amy

Fall or Winter?

Winter is approaching and I’m resisting my coat. It seems too soon. Then again it’s almost November, the days are becoming shorter, and frost is on the windshield in the mornings. So, perhaps it is time. Fall is gorgeous here….the leaves are beautifully colored and blowing  about and walnuts are falling from our tree. Strangely, the farmers here have yet to harvest their corn. While back in Ohio, my dad is completely finished. I do miss home. I don’t think I have conveyed that much in my blog. But, I go through phases of being homesick and missing the easiness of knowing how to live life in the States.  And I miss family and friends a lot! I’m so very thankful that I get to come home for Christmas.

November, they say tends to get long and dark here. Please pray that God will continually strengthen me each day to love these girls and serve them. It’s hard and it’s good.  To all of you who have raised children, I thank you…especially my parents. It’s hard to love, correct, teach, connect, and serve (cooking, laundry, cleaning) all the time. But, I know this is where the Lord has called me for this season of life. I’m still praying about the possibility of staying another year, please join with me b/c I know I can’t do it on my own.

The girls are starting to miss their families. We have had several families come visit though (Zvara’s, Griffin’s, Brauer’s, Kragt’s, Clemen’s, and the Becker’s). The Becker’s are actually living with us right now. The mom just had a baby, Jamie Joy. She is sooo adorable. They are missionaries in Russia and because they do not have appropriate medical care, they came here to have her. They are living with us for 6 weeks…it’s like we all have a baby sister. It’s fun having parents come and seeing the girls interact with them. I know for our dorm mom, Laura, it can be overwhelming sometimes. Please pray that the dorm would continue to function sanely when parents do come.

Here are some pictures of the girls and what we have been up to!

One Saturday afternoon, girls came and went from my room
creating fabric flowers.

Earlier this month all the Jrs. and Srs. were in Normandy and Rome.
So we got to spend some quality time with the underclassmen.
We are getting ready to go to the Baths for a relaxing Friday evening!

This is actually from orientation week.
In this picture is Julie Thompson and Taylor Corey. They are my two closest friends here.
Many of you know them too! Julie and I are from the same home town and
Taylor is a good friend of mine from Moody. I am so thankful
to have both of them here to process life with!!

Another wonderful campfire night of s'mores and singing.

I hope you all are doing well. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. It means so much!

With Love,

Amy
                                

Unique

I have reached the two month mark of my time here in Germany. The days are long and the weeks are fast. I feel more confident in the daily tasks of my position as an R.A.- driving, grocery shopping, remembering the daily schedule, disciplining the girls gently when needed, and knowing the rules (to name a few). I can’t believe I have only spent one month with the girls, I feel like I know them so much better than a month would allow. But then again when you live with people, you learn a lot about them! I treasure the one-on-one conversations I get to have with girls, hearing more of who they are- desires, interests, and quirks.  They are all at such different stages of life, maturity levels, and in their personal relationship with Christ. Please pray for their growth in these areas and words that I speak to be encouraging and uplifting.

I want to share the events of one particular Friday night with you.

   Enjoy the sideways video!

Hanna and HeeYeon are playing the piano.

Almost all the Koreans were in the piano room
singing praise songs to God in Korean!
(Lucy, Andrea, JeeWon)

Christine, Kat, and Elle played catch phrase with Greer and Luke.
Luke and Kat are brother and sister!

Anna, Lauren, Rachel, and Taylor made cards
and other beautiful crafts while listening to some chill music

I didn't capture a picture of the other two activities going on. Hannah and JoJo were in our basement having a dance party--they absolutely love Hip Hop dancing!! A couple girls also gathered together to continue on their tradition of a Nun Convent. Basically it's a group of girls that are loving being single and not dating boys. Oh they make me smile:) There is always something going on at Witt! Perhaps this will give you a glimpse of dorm life. Each girl is so uniquely different and yet each one was created by Jesus and called to live together for this season of life. Please join with me in prayer for these lovely young girls!

In His Hands,

Amy

Missionaries All Around the World

It is the end of my second week with the girls and each day is sweeter. I absolutely love getting to know them and forming relationships. Last Friday night we had a campfire together in our back yard. A night of roasting marshmallows, singing, and of course pictures! One of our senior girls plays guitar and sings. It was such a wonderful time of fellowship!

Lucy, Alyssa (a teacher), Katie, Rachel, Anna, Taylor, Hee Yeon, and Jee Won.
We celebrated my birthday this night and ate dirt pudding!!

Elle, Me, Kat, Lauren, and Jordan. We went for a late night walk one night!

Hanna, Me, and Jee Won at the campfire

Kat, Katie, Helen, Hee Yeon, and Andrea at the campfire

On Sunday night we always have dorm fellowship. This week it consisted of singing praise songs to our God and me sharing my testimony. Each week the girls also write down prayer requests they have and ways they have seen Jesus lately. Several wrote down they had seen God in our time on Friday night. I would have to agree. The unity the girls have already built with one another is astounding. They are all transitioning so well. Thank you for your prayers and praise Jesus!

One of my favorite times throughout the week is tuck-ins. All of the sophomores live around me and each night I get to go into their rooms- ask them about their day, hear stories of their family, and pray for them. The other night while I was ‘tucking in’ Hanna Lee she shared with me what her family does. They are a Korean family living in China working in an orphanage. Where they are located they have to be so careful about mentioning anything to do with Christianity. Hanna Lee cannot even say Jesus, God, church, or Bible while talking on the phone with her parents. Yet her parents are there in China proclaiming the name of Jesus and people’s lives are being transformed by Jesus. She shared with me one story in particular of a girl who was cutting herself and had made several attempts at suicide. Hanna’s parents have been loving on and caring for this girl while sharing the gospel. She recently gave her life over to Christ and she is no longer the same! It truly brings tears to my eyes to see tangibly how good God is.  God is working all over the world!!!

I have such a desire to learn more about the countries these girls are from: Slovenia, Ireland, Korea, China, Israel, Germany, Switzerland, Kyrgrzstan, and many more. God is just beginning to show me how big his world really is. There are so many people to be reached for his name. I am so happy and blessed to be here at BFA serving these girls. They love this school- the teachers, the dorm staff, the students. They feel safe, fed (physically and spiritually), and loved.

Thank you all for allowing me to be here with them,

In His Love,

Amy

Wittlingen

Witt Chicks!

That's the nickname for the lovely girls in our dorm. Seven new girls arrived yesterday and eleven returners will arrive today. This maze of a house is about to get very noisy! I am so excited to finally have the girls here. This morning in the drizzly rain I got to drive the new girls to there first day of school (orientation). There was so much excitement in the van and the girls absolutely love that we are located about a ten minute drive from school. Yesterday one of the freshmen girls told me she already loves it here and feels at home. What a great blessing from God.

Please be in prayer for all the transition these girls will be experiencing within the next week. Saying goodbye to parents, living in a new country and time zone, living with 22 people, some just entering high school, and a new school. It's a lot but I know the Lord will be faithful in providing them with comfort and peace.

Interesting Facts about our Dorm

In one of our many attics the internet is held for the entire town of Wittlingen!

Our house used to be a dance hall and guest room for the town. Consequently, some people still stop by looking for a room!

There are 48 sinks in our house. One of the new girls counted as a challenge from our dorm dad, Brant.

The old half of the building was built in the 1700's.

We have an old picture of German soldiers standing outside the building. In the basement some of there names are carved along with a swastika.

So there is a lot of history in this house. But to all of us girls and one guy, Brant this is home!

Wittlingen! Yep, we have a deer on our house:)  

Grill out area, and a walnut tree with a tire swing.
In the fall we have thousands of walnuts to pick up!

Our garden with many pumpkins.
We are so blessed to have such a big back yard!

Tschuss!

Amy

Deutschland

I have officially been in Germany for over two weeks. Woah…time has flown! So far my time here has been filled with German Orientation, ResLife Orientation, All Staff Orientation, and Dorm Orientation. There are so many people to meet and so much information to learn! But I am loving it!

The first week and a half all of the RA’s lived together in a dorm. It was such a great time to spend time with the RA’s and begin to form relationships. The dorm parents would come over for lunch and dinner each day. With all of the ResLife staff together there are about 35 of us. Let me tell you….it gets loud! I have loved interacting with all of the staff and it’s so amazing to see how the Lord has brought each of us to BFA.

During this orientation each of the new RA’s was placed in a dorm. My dorm is Wittlingen! (“w” is pronounced as a “v”) The dorm parent’s names are Brant and Laura, and my co-RA is Erin. I am so excited to serve, encourage, and disciple the young women in this dorm alongside this staff. They have some crazy fun traditions that I am looking forward to. I will share them as they come! The girls move in beginning August 22^nd.  Please be in prayer for them as they soon will be experiencing a lot of transition.

Prayer Requests:

• Driving in Germany is very new. Different road signs, laws, manual vans, navigating directions/places, and plenty of windy roads with hills. Soon the girls will be here and I will regularly be driving around 8 girls. I am definitely getting in lots of practice so that’s good. Please be in prayer that I will learn quickly to navigate the area.

• The staff at Wittlingen as we are getting to know one another. Pray that our strengths and weaknesses will work together well and that we will be patient and gracious with one another. They are wonderful people!

• That I will constantly rely on the Lord and grow in my relationship with Him this year. He is the reason I am here serving and I don’t want to lose sight of that amongst all the business.

Here are some pictures of my time here so far. Hopefully they will give you a glimpse of life in Germany!!

Basel, Switzerland

                                                             

I feel right at home with all the crops in Kandern!
  

Loading up all my luggage after a long day of traveling.

All of the houses are so beautiful in the Kandern area!                                                                                                         

Rotteln Castle near Kandern

I am so grateful to our Father for your faithfulness in supporting and praying for me. May the Lord bless you!

Love,

Amy