October: Kate's finished pumpkin... and she is a first-timer! 
October: Josh and G.I... 
November: Thanksgiving Desserts
December: Ira with her colorful Christmas cookies!- October: Celebrating Fall! Though we couldn't take our kids to Brookfield Pumpkins in Maryland (our dorm budget would not have allowed for 14 international plane tickets...haha), we were able to stop at a road side stand and pick out several pumpkins and gourds. Some of our students had never carved pumpkins before, so it was really special to see them get excited about their "art projects." On the night of October 31, we set our our pumpkins and we had several German locals stop by for treats.
- November: Thanksgiving! While the Germans naturally do not celebrate this holiday, we still wanted to introduce the traditional Thanksgiving to our students, American and Korean. Bob, our dorm dad, wanted to make sure that we also included an ethnic dish to our dinner (as the Indians certainly brought something of their own as they sat at the table with the Pilgrims...right?), so I made Thai Coconut Curry to delight the taste buds of our Korean students :) We celebrated Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 21, and sat about 22 people around the table. It was so special! After the meal was complete, we went around the table and asked each person to say something they were thankful for...Bob, Sue, and I were especially encouraged because so many of our students expressed thanks for their dorm staff. We were flattered.
- December: It's Christmastime! At the end of November, we visited a local farmer in Liel, knocked on his door, sang he and his mother "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," and then we proceeded to ask if we could buy one of his Christmas trees :) I must admit that I have never picked out a tree with 14 people, but it didn't take long for us to all be in agreement about the one tree that would be ours. After paying the 25 euros, our boys carried the tree home. The same weekend, we pulled out all of our Christmas decorations and spent a Sunday afternoon decorating the tree, putting up stockings (14 in all), decorating sugar cookies, drinking hot apple cider, and listening to Christmas carols. It was really special and our kids were really excited to be part of it...both the guys and the girls! And then to bring our semester to a close, Sue organized a Christmas party last night (as it was our final weekend together). We enjoyed plenty of yummy foods, played games, and exchanged a few presents (but before you recieved your present, you were required to a sing a song of your choice....roommates and family members sang together....haha, I was left on my own for this one, but asked for the help of the students to sing "I Used to Drive a Little Ford...Now I'm Cruising for the Lord" with me--it was pretty great). Bob, Sue, and I were incredibly suprised to receive two very special gifts from our students. With the help of our weekend dorm subs (Mark and Becky Mindek, who sub for Bob and Sue when they have a weekend off), they made a quilt for Bob and Sue and a large pillow for me. On the quilt and pillow, each student had made a fabric flower and sewed it on to the pillow or quilt by themselves! Each fabric flower was different and each student picked out a fabric that represented them in some way. They were so excited to give us their homemade gifts. I was so touched. It's interesting because as many parents would understand, it is often the case that your work sometimes goes unnoticed. You just keep serving and caring for your children because you love them and because it is your responsibility. So that is what I do too, I keep serving, I keep caring, I keep loving because I love them! I will usually get a 'thank you' for finishing someone's laundry or for making a special snack, but this pillow...it represented so many thanks, it represented so much appreciation. I feel loved. These children have become my family here. My little brothers and sisters. I love it! Before this entry comes to a close, I need to share one last thing... after our Christmas party was over, I went up to my room and found a beautiful note from one of my girls on my pillow, it read... "Lauren, you are so awesome and I love you tremendously. I will miss you tomorrow [Mondays are my day off]. Today was such an awesome day! I really felt like we were all family. I could have cried I was so happy! Love you."
Last week, I was really missing my family and friends in the States. It was like this wave of homesickness just crashed over me. But you know? God invites our tears and He has this beautiful way of lifting us back up. He lifted me up this weekend and I praise Him for that. My dear friend, Jade, recently sent me a beautiful necklace with three hearts of different sizes. She explained in a note that she hoped God would really enlarge my heart during this new season of life. Her prayers are being answered! My heart is being enlarged! With each passing day, I am growing in love for these girls and boys. With each passing day, I am embracing this work more and more. With eaching passing day, I am learning to trust and obey the God who brought me here not to be homesick, but to be well.
I will be flying home this coming Sunday, Dec. 19, and I am so excited to see my family for the first time in five months. I love the reality that they will be tangible and hugable! But at the same time, I know that will I miss these students and I know that I will be ready to come back to Germany on January 8.
Please pray for our students as they begin taking their final exams and preparing to go home this week. For most of our students, they have never taken final exams and they have never traveled without their parents. So, we ask that you intercede for them... for endurance as they study, for protection as they travel, for rest as they spend time at home.
In the Joy of the Coming Messiah,
Lauren
