A glimpse into our month of August
Hallo from Holzen!
We’ve been here for just over a month now and are starting to get more and more settled in. During these first few weeks here we’ve been able to start making some good connections with some Germans in our neighborhood and at BFA . At our new staff orientation, we were told that the info we would be taking in would feel like we are trying to drink from a firehose- So much was [and will be for quite a while still] new to us.
One big answer to prayer this month was being able to get a car. All the pieces that fell into place to be able to get the car, just blew us away!
The used car had come to the car dealership the Friday before we arrived in Kandern; the only used car for sale in this area that could fit our whole family and also happened to be automatic (which embarrassingly made me very happy) Jameson went to look at the car on Monday, but we needed a German bank account to make the purchase. After going to the bank, they had told us that they didn’t have availability for two weeks to set up a bank account because they were short staffed. After we walked back to the car dealership to tell him that and see if there was another way to make the purchase, he called the bank and was able to get us in for an appointment to set up a German bank account the next morning. We were able to get a German bank account set up that next day & purchased the car, but still couldn’t take it home with us.
To register a car in Germany, one must have German visas... We started the process with BFA, but we were told it could take at least two-three months to get the visa and that the visa office was also short staffed, so it may take longer. After giving the dealership all the paperwork we could, the car dealer ended up having the owner of the auto company call in to the car registration office to get our car registered without the visas, so we would be able to drive here. They were able to register our car for us and we have been able to drive for a few weeks now.
There are a few other details to the story that touched us, that we left out because on paper (or in this case, on the screen) it would have made the story a bit more wordy and taken up even more of your time. However, I did want to share some of those wild details from that story, because for us, it just showed us again how God provides and how everything is His.
We are so grateful and have more of a sense with this car, than we’ve had with any other car, that it is God’s and are hoping to use it to further His Kingdom and bless others…AND driving our kids up & over the big hill, known as THE Holzen Hill, and to another village, every day, once school starts will also be a huge plus ;)
Last Wednesday was the first day of school at BFA. Jameson is excited to be back in the classroom and getting to know some students. He’s teaching the ceramics 1 & 2 classes and the yearbook class this year. Jameson has been working on his German, especially with our German landlords who don‘t speak English. Last week, our landlord offered to bring Jameson on a bike ride to show him some trails & took him to the border of where Germany, Switzerland, and France all come together.
I‘ve started supporting the dorms & health office with scheduling appointments for students using my German (I do need to brush up on medical terminology in German though)
For those of you who are into numbers, here are some quick facts about the student population at BFA this year:
There are 260 students at Black Forest Academy.
219 of them are missionary kids and there are 41 students are from business families.
110 of the high school students live in the dorm.
There are 202 students in the high school.
58 students in the middle school who live with their families.
60+ countries are represented in the school this year.
Ceramics classroom!
Prayer requests:
For our kids as they are starting their school year soon. Joelle will be starting 3rd grade on September 5th. She is feeling a little unsure about the classes that will be taught only in German (math). Amber will be starting 1st grade at the bilingual school on September 8th. Kara will be starting an all-German preschool (called Kindergarten here) on September 15th. Nathan will be home for now, while he is on the waitlist to get into the same preschool.
They’ve started to make some friends already and have all said that they are feeling ready to start the school year again.
For Jameson as he’s jumping in to a new role and is still learning the ropes on how things are done at BFA.
At the end of the day we are tired and still feel like we are still getting used to a new rhythm here
The school is in need of another maintenance staff to help with facilities management
30% of the students are new this year- for the students to make good connections with each other and staff at BFA
The 2022-2023 BFA Staff
