The last months before leaving for the States...
The last few months in Germany have flown by. Filled with work, travel preparations, time with friends, family and a growing baby. The doors had been opened wide, so we got our visa without any problems and also quickly found a place to stay in the US. At the end of June, we left for Switzerland once again. Johann was able to bring back his working equipment and we took care of the deregistration from Switzerland. At our small farewell party on July 1, we were able to say goodbye to good friends, old neighbors and many from the youth group and the church.
We spent July packing and storing boxes once again, packing suitcases and meeting with family and friends. On August 5, we said goodbye to family and friends in Germany with a garden party.
We were relieved when we finally sat in the car and on our way to the airport. The last days before leaving had been stressful. On the drive to the airport we began to really realize for the first time that a new phase of our lives had begun and the excitement began to build. As Betty prayed and sang worship songs in the car, she had a picture in her spirit. "Jesus is walking ahead of us all along the journey, preparing the way, and we are following." That's what we experienced. Doors were opened, things fell into place, and our journey went smoothly. Days before the flight, we wanted to reserve a Baby Bassinet for Elijah, which are offered on long haul flights depending on the airline. We were told on the phone that all Baby Bassinets were already booked for the flight. Disappointment wanted to take hold of Johann, as he had previously reserved extra seats to fit the baby bassinet. Together we put our request to our heavenly Father.
Shortly before departure, we asked again at the service center and at the gate. Here we were told that we would possibly get a baby crib, but without guarantee. On the plane itself, the stewardesses told us that the baby crib will be installed as soon as we reach the flight altitude. Elijah could not sleep so much because of his excitement and also had light problems with the pressure regulation, but also here we could count on God's provision. The stewardesses and passengers around us were all captivated by him, delighted by his laughter and tried to support us throughout the flight wherever possible.
Once we arrived in Denver, we spent the night in the hotel and the next day we got a ride to Colorado Springs, our new temporary home. From rainy Germany we were greeted by bright sunshine and worship music coming from the window of our accommodation. In front of the house we met with the first roommate couple, who were heading to work. Inside the house, Kimberly (Kim), our House Manager, was waiting for us. The second roommate couple would not arrive until 4 days later. Since Elijah was asleep, Kim left with Betty to go grocery shopping. So we jumped right into it. We felt immediately at home and spent the first days already in deep conversations with everyone who lived with us. We are very excited to see what is yet to come...
In the next blog post, we will tell you about how God brought all the couples together in this house prepared with a vision, among other things.
We thank you with all our heart for all the generous contributions we received during our time in Germany, Switzerland and at the farewell parties. Thank you for the seeds you have planted in our lives.
>To know God and to make him known<
A statement that befriended missionaries have written on their banner and in their newsletter. A statement that has inspired and challenged us. Currently we are focusing more on the first part "to know God". We expect to experience great things this year. And we are excited about where the Spirit is calling us to make Him known.
"Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalms 46:10
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