NEWSLETTER FROM ERIKA

April 13 I started my journey to Germany at Steiger International. I was one of the first volunteers and we started right away knowing that the mission school would start April 27.  We had a health inspection and a living inspection that we needed to pass before the school started and if we did not….we would have to close the school.  With our team working hard for 2 weeks and lots of prayer we thankfully passed. Also during this, we took time to be intentional with team bonding. 8 different countries represented, 17 volunteers, and having the same heart and mission was a recipe for success or disaster.  Thankfully it is beyond successful! Every night I think about how our team is such a support to each other and what it is a picture of being the body of Christ.

Author
​Erika

Missionary in Germany.

I have stepped in the role of kitchen coordinator and I feel like I am of learning, learning, and….learning.  It is very good, but humbling.  I have not been in a place where I lead a team with people.  In the team there is definite roles and that I have and I can trust my team to lead in their roles.  I am use to just doing everything myself and it is so refreshing to not do this alone.  I have two head chefs that are fantastic and so reliable.  And our other kitchen chefs have serving hearts.  This team is unbelievable.  They seem to be all in, nothing holding them back.

​Something that God has been showing me in this season is how to rely on people.  This past year I was in America and I was in a culture that I mostly did everything myself.  And being here, I don’t have to…actually the culture is the opposite of what I am use to.  For example, there has been times that I have carried large things by myself because there was no one around and I was told that I should not do that, but to find some men to help.  They really desire for women to be honored, and this is one of many ways. They do not believe women are not able, but want to be intentional in respecting women especially because all around the world it seems to be not common and that it is God’s heart. This is one of many ways supporting each other has been playing out.

I am applying for a visa to stay 6 months and volunteer until October.  If I do not get this visa than I would have to leave Germany in July. I had a meeting this last Monday with the visa office and we had to do some things before so I have another appointment next Monday.  Please pray for favor in this.  We have had good and bad interactions with this office based on how the people feel that day.  Not that it is completely flippant, but sometimes it feels that way. 

Pray for:
​-Healing- a lot of the volunteers here are sick either with a fever, head cold, scratchy throat, stomach issues, and weakness.


-Volunteers-have wisdom, hear from God, unity and to lead by serving.

-Outreaches-we go to a city nearby every Saturday to share Jesus, for hearts to be open and that the students would be bold.

-Students-to seek God with a desperate heart and to learn what God has in store for them.