Hi Everyone,

We are back in New Zealand summer, though if you saw the weather right now, you could think it is November in Germany, rainy, foggy and muddy. None-the-less, we are happy to be back in the Land-of-the-Long-White-Cloud (Autearoa), as the Māori call it fittingly. It was a long couple of days to get back to New Zealand, but let us start, where we left off in our last update:

Germany

Our time in Germany was amazing! The culture, the food (the BREAD), and the countryside were so beautiful. However, better than the things we got to do and see, was meeting my German family.

I (Amy) had been feeling nervous about the language barrier in Germany and if I would be able to feel connected to my in-laws, but God fully put that fear to rest. I could not have felt more welcomed or loved. My German family is such an added blessing to my life. Everyone from Silas’s grandparents down to his younger cousins were so kind and fun. I knew I made a good impression when during a family gathering, Silas’s cousins Micha (age 12), Luca (age 10) asked me to join them in a board game. They were pretty stoked to practice using the English they had been learning about in school.

While in Germany, I was very inspired by the celebratory culture Silas’s family has cultivated. They celebrate everyone’s birthdays with full on parties and delicious German cake. No one is missed or forgotten. They love to be together and they gather often. They have such a great community in the family. It’s something I hope to cultivate in our lives in NZ.

Another highlight for me was the opportunity to tour a castle that was decorated for Christmas. It was pretty much a hallmark movie dream. Stephanie and Markus (my in-laws) wanted to do something special for me on my birthday, so they came up with the idea of touring the castle. It was so much fun for me. Coming from America, where castles are not a thing, I was fascinated by the old history of Germany. I had a Christmas wonderland experience at Hohenzollern! It was a special gift that I will not forget.

New Zealand                                 

So, now we are back in New Zealand. Part of us was excited to get back, and part of us was nervous about what to expect after our absences. When we left, both of us were quite stressed, struggling with anxiety and ready for a break. Just because we had a break, those emotions didn’t necessarily change. On the other hand, I (Silas) was really excited to get to know our new Students who arrived a couple of weeks before us. Lots of them I knew from reading their applications and having Zoom calls with them. And it turns out they are as fun as they seamed on paper : ) I already spend two evenings playing volleyball with them.

Both Amy and I are actively working on creating new habits, so that we can live from a place of peace and rest. It is not God’s will for us to fulfil his calling by living in anxiety and striving to fix every problem, instead his desire for all of us is to live a life in abundance. However, it is on us to choose His ways and trust that God ultimately knows what is needed, in order to live such a life.

One of the biggest blessings in all of that, is that we get to live in a house for the next couple of months. Friends of ours, the Kirkwoods, left for the States, and we get to use their house in the meantime. The past week we got to live with them, and it was a Joy to spend time with their kids, Samara, Jemima and Lazlo.

Prayer for a house

At the end of our time before we came to America, Amy and I noticed what a blessing it was to live in a house. Living in a tiny house prepares you to live almost anywhere. For our marriage, however, was the survival of a small living space not good. And besides that, we have the dream to open our home for others; to be a safe place and a space to encounter God. The only problem, we don’t have a house. The place we get to live in right now is only ours until March. But we believe God has a house for us to live in and maybe even owning one someday. And that is where we need your help, it is a big thing to believe God for a house, so please pray for us, that we would find the right living space. Besides that, we need to raise more money, so that we can afford the rent for a flat. Our goal is to have 20 more supporters with 50$ a month each. If God is stirring in you to give to our ministry and enable us to have a place and with that be a part of the stories we are going to write, then head to http://asmission.com/en/how-to-support-us/ or message us. We appreciate it a lot!

Prayer points:

– Peace and rest as we continue at Marine Reach

– Provision for a House

– That we would hear God’s voice about some upcoming decisions