Hired!

Recently, Sandee and I found out that there was going to be a second staff position in Bamberg. At first we were excited for the possibility of new staff here. Someone we could share the ministry with. But after a few minutes we realized that we are on a long list of communities in desperate need of staff. So we decided to suggest something to our supervisor Otis. Why not hire Sandee on as the second staff person? She's already working full time for Club Beyond as a volunteer. She doesn't need to be trained since she went through training with me. Plus, we could use of the contract money that would otherwise not get used by our community.

Quickly, the ball started rolling and within a month Sandee has been processed by Club Beyond. Then on Friday the 12th of December, Sandee got an email confirming she has been hired by Club Beyond to work in Bamberg. Otis has decided to supervise her so as to avoid any conflicts of interest coming from her husband acting as her boss.

It's been a challenge for Sandee these last 3 years to not have a paid position. I am forever grateful for all the work she's done as my right hand worker, but it's hard for her to not be contributing financially to our life in Germany. This should be a blessing in encouragement and finances so join us in thanking God.

Glow in the Dark Club

It hasn't happened yet, but as Sandee and I talk of vision for Bamberg we realize that there is a big opertunity to see that vision jump started. February 5th we'll have the assistant to the president of Young Life, Bill Paige, come and speak at our school. Our principle has generously allowed it to happen during school hours during a seminar period. Bill will speak about Character building and then invite kids to come to club that evening to hear more.

This all sounds fine, but why is it such a big deal? Bill Paige (pictured right) is one of the few speakers I have seen that can easily keep kids from different cultural backgrounds engaged. There is a large portion of our school that identifies with urban culture and have not been coming to club. Also, I've been wanting to get our chapel's Free Gospel congregation (mostly black men and women) involved in leading kids. Marry all these ideas with a really exciting club theme (Glow in the Dark) and I think we could be looking at an explosion in exposure with new students.

Of coarse this does not necissarily seal our success. Even if we do get these students to club, what's to say they might actually come back or even hear the gospel from us? If this event is to be successful, we need to marrinate this event in prayer. Please pray that new students are excited by this event. Pray that God touches their hearts and that what comes of this is not my vision or the Chapels vision, but God's. Pray that we represent Christ in a real way to our student body at Bamberg American High School.

Since We've Been Gone

The first week Sandee and I were in California, we had a club in Bamberg led by some staff and volunteers for our high schoolers. I called one of those leaders yesterday to ask how club went and she had some great news.

We have secular services for kids and teens in the Army, but they often have trouble getting more than a few students attending their events. The head of our teen center happened to drop in on our club two weeks ago and ask if he could witness how we lead club. Apparently, he was impressed with the scope of kids and how engaged we get them. He wanted Sara, the leader I spoke of, to pass on to me that he was interested in partnering together with us and might be willing to let us use the brand new teen center down the road. Our community has been praying that God would provide a suitable facility to host club and this one has everything we could ever dream of. Also, I've noticed that a lot of our communty's black students spend time at the JFK teen center and this could be the foot in the door to that group of kids we were looking for.

Please pray that as I go to meet with the teen center leader that God would guide both of our hearts in the right direction. Praise God that we have been getting the exposure we have recently. We've done little to advertise to anyone outside of our teens and yet this guy knew where and when club was being held.

Home From the Holidays

It was so hard to say goodbye to so many of you all knowing that we wouldn't be getting to see you for a year or so. Sandee and I are home now after a total of 30 hours of travel back to Bamberg Germany (car, train, flying and waiting to fly). We actually slept relatively soundly last night and got up at a reasonable hour. It probably had to do with hardly sleeping at all for 48 hours.

I want to say thank you to everyone who gave Sandee and I the time to share what God has been doing in Bamberg this last year. It's been an amazing experience and we love to brag about our teenage friends and what God's doing in their lives. I ran into Mrs. Taylor about an hour ago (mother of Josh Taylor who I gave the abdominal thrusts to) and it renewed my excitement yet again for what God has in store for us. She hadn't gotten to talk with me after Josh's choking incident and wanted to know what happened. I gave her some details and with tears in her eyes, she thanked me for saving her sons life. I reminded her that God had graciously put me in Josh's company that day and was simply doing what He had allowed me to do.

Life is a gift we do not deserve. Isn't it so wonderful that God continually shares it with us as we share it with others? We love you all. Thanks agian.