Hello blog followers! We have officially returned to Deutschland one week ago today. We have now traveled across the Atlantic 12 times since moving to Berlin and we thank God for the
uneventful flights. Our way over to America in June was one of our toughest experiences yet (even compared with volcanic ash and split open chins that we've dealt with in the past). Matt had a horrible strain of the stomach flu, and we traveled during the peak of it. To summarize we landed in Baltimore with a police and paramedic escort waiting to bring us off the plane, check his vitals and then proceed to escort us through customs, that's just how sick he was.
Aside from that! We really had a wonderful summer in the States. Although 2 months feels like so long ago I just want to share these two pictures from the international convention in June. (Sorry for the poor quality they're from my phone).
Pastor Stephan and Mindy praying together before the Missions March
All of the Greater Grace churches represented around the world.
(You can see the German flag over to the left!)
We are really excited about what God will do here this coming year in us and in Berlin. He has given us such peace and joy in our hearts and has been showing His faithfulness to us day by day.
We had a little adventure right away... a few days after we returned we had an appointment with the Foreigners Office because our visas were expired. We spent our first few days back getting our documents in order, having letters translated and such, and the two of us went on our own without a translator to apply for the renewal. We have never gone without a translator before. The government does not allow any of the workers to speak anything but German, even if they speak other languages, because they want to prove a point to the foreigners that they should learn German if they want to live here. But it was too short notice to find someone who spoke fluent German and English who wasn't working during the day, so we went on our own. The process is just a draining ordeal. The offices are about an hour by train from our apartment, then you are shuffled into a waiting room with people from all over the world, and there is a general sense of frustration and confusion. It was funny though, we have been there so many times, but this time was just different, we were totally confident and there was just this sense of peace about the whole thing. Within an hour we were out the door with a renewed visa. We couldn't stop smiling on the way home, to have done that on our own with no translator and to have it be so simple, it could only be God's hand.
The Ausländerbehörde (Foreigner's Office) is about as cold on the inside as it looks on the outside
The waiting rooms...
The goal... a German visa inside your passport
Photo Source: Google Images
Coming up next weekend we are taking a church retreat to a town outside of Berlin in the Brandenburg area called Mötzow. It's a great camp sight about an hour outside of Berlin right on the water. We got a chance to visit the camp this past weekend with the Wollenberg's. We got so many ideas and really got excited to bring the church here. And in case we don't mention it enough we love the Wollenberg family and had a great day with them as well. Please keep our weekend getaway in prayer! We are really excited to have Pastor Gary come and preach, we also have a few people coming that do not attend our church regularly so we're hoping this will be a big drawing point for them, and also that it will encourage the rest of the church!
The view of the lake in Mötzow, hoping for weather as gorgeous as this next weekend!
Ulli and Matt doing some research
That's all for now, we are blessed by your prayers and by your support. We also want to mention our friends Andy and Julie and their beautiful new daughter Olivia and to please keep that family in your prayers.
In Him,
Matt & Emily May
