A New Start...

So, it's been exactly one month since my last update when the fall semester was ending and our Liel kiddos were preparing to go home. As of yesterday at 1:30 pm, our Liel family is back together for a new start and the beginning of the spring semester at BFA! All of our students were able to go home to South Korea, Moldova, France, Italy, and all corners of the earth it seems! I was also able to spend three weeks in the States which was such a special time for me. I am so grateful to my financial supporters who made it possible for me to go home...thank you!

A few highlights to share from our first few days back in Germany...

• We welcomed a new student to the dorm on Monday and we are so glad to have Britta with us! Monday afternoon we spent some time getting to know one another over a "spot of tea" and it was such a treat! Britta explains that she thoroughly enjoys tea and researching names. She loves looking into the meanings of names and she proceeded to share with me the names of several of her future children :) I must confess that this is something I also did in middle school!
  
• Bob, Sue, and I are so thankful that we have one semester under our belts. We are so much more prepared and organized for this semester and we can see that our confidence is building in the work that was once so unfamiliar to us. It feels so right to be back together again. I can't imagine serving without Bob and Sue...I have grown in love and admiration for them and their hearts for ministry.

A few highlights from my Christmas break...

• Muskogee Church of Christ (MCC) invited me back to Oklahoma for two days to share with the youth about my work in Germany. MCC is one of my supporting churches and it is also the place where I interned for two summers in 2008 and 2009. I was delighted to go back and see how the kids have grown! No only are they getting taller, but I can see how God is continuing to enlarge their hearts. I was able to share what it has meant for me to walk by faith and leave my family. I was able to explain how faithful God has been and continues to be. I also brought back several pieces of German chocolate and used them as an object lesson to illustrate what it looks like to embrace a gift we are given despite our lack of understanding as to what it is ...what it contains...and what it might taste like. The kids couldn't read the German on the wrapper...they had no idea what kind of chocolate it was...whether it was good or bad. They couldn't ask their friends or their parents about it either. So they trusted me. They trusted that I wouldn't give them something that would harm them. So they took and they ate. And they tasted something really sweet! They quickly identified the parallels. So often we don't know or can't understand what God is doing in our life or where He is taking us or what He requires of us. But despite our lack of understanding, we trust in the God whose demands are not burdensome...we trust in the God who feeds us good things...we trust in the God who has come to give us life! As my time of sharing ended, one of the adults, and a wonderful friend of mine asked those present to pray over me. I was overwhelmed. As hands were laid on me, I felt more encouraged than I ever been as "my kids" began to pray. One boy thanked God for my "kind heart" and how I have been a role model to him. Another girl prayed that we might be more open to trusting God with the "sweet things" that He gives us. I was so touched. Oklahoma is one of my heart homes and I walked away from my brief stay there feeling so encouraged because people could see the joy that I have as I spoke about Liel and the kids that I have grown to love. I am so thankful. To my Okie Family, you have blessed me in ways that I never thought possible. I love ya'll :)
• Earlier in the break, I was also able to share with another supporting church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Utica, Maryland. I was able to speak briefly with an adult Sunday school class and then I sat in with the middle school/high school class (consisting of three students). I was really blessed by the time I was able to spend with these three students and two adult teachers particularly because of one special little guy who had $2 for his offering. After explaining that I had to raise my own support, he insisted that I take $1...now, I realize that this is only a little bit of money, but he gave 50% of what he had. I was touched and humbled by his generosity :)
• As many of you know, it has been difficult for me to be disconnected from my community at Grove City College...there are moments when I miss these people so much. I miss them because they know me so well and have supported me and encouraged me for four years...to be an ocean apart, well...that can be hard. And yet, God in His awesome faithfulness let me have sweet fellowship with friends from Grove City...some of the fellowship was planned and some of it was a surprise. Just seeing these people again filled my heart with joy! Jade, Natalie, Amy, Stephen, Rachel, Ali, Erin, and Megan: Thank you for our visits..it was really special and it was exactly what I needed.
  
• I was able to celebrate the engagement of a very dear friend of mine, Katie Klepacki. I was delighted to share in her and her fiance's joy because I can see that this relationship is completely of the Lord. And that is beautiful!
• Family time: People have asked me several times what I miss most about the States. For me, the answer is simple--my family. After not seeing them for five months, my heart longed to be near them. I knew this would be the hardest part about going to Germany, but I trusted God to provide me with a spiritual family and He most certainly has...I have 11 new brothers and sisters :) Even still, the very fact that my family was tangible over break was such a comfort. Just to be hugged by my parents and lifted up by my brother was such a gift--perhaps the best Christmas present ever.
• Special Cards and gifts: While giving is not my love language, I was touched by several special Christmas cards and gifts over break. It is so sweet to be blessed by those who love you and care for you! Though I wasn't expecting this demonstration of love over break, I appreciated it so much. It certainly filled my cup! To my special givers, thank you for your loving kindness!

There will definitely be more updates and highlights to share as time goes on, but for now, I must stop and fold some laundry :) Please continue to pray for us at Liel. It was hard for me to say goodbye to my family at age 22 and yet these students are as young as 13, so I can see that it is much harder for some of them. These past two days have been particularly hard for a few of our girls who are already feeling homesick and missing their moms. If you think of them, please pray that they may be comforted by the Father who is always with them.

Praying for you, my reader, as well...that this new start to the year would be one that you are blessed and challenged by for good.

Peace,
Lauren