It was good to be home at Crossroads International Church in Kniebis on 22 February after being gone a few weeks preaching elsewhere. I preached and we welcomed back fellow-missionaries, Benson & Cathy Vaughan, who had been in America the past 8 months. I serve as co-pastor at Crossroads under Pastor Jivko Jeliazkov. I thank God for the ministry of the church people in Kniebis and Freudenstadt.
Oliver Müller, ETS student and my translator for the evening, traveled to Offenburg on Saturday, 21 February, to participate in a youth meeting at a local church. Another ETS student, Cristian Montaner, serves as the youth leader. About 30 youth were present and I spoke to them after a good time of worship. It was great “hanging out” with them after the service.
We were in the Allmersbach im Tal Church for the weekend. On Saturday, 14 February, I preached in the Trinity Night youth service where over 250 youth attended. I spoke about the baptism with the Holy Spirit and many responded to the prayer invitation. I know some were baptized with the Holy Spirit. It was wonderful to see a true desire for God among the German youth. On Sunday morning I preached in the church, and God is working in that church pastored by Marc Brenner. I appreciated the ministry of several ETS students there as well: Sascha Kielwein, Bora Romakov, and Oliver Müller. There is a noticeable desire for God in the German youth that I encounter. Praise God.
On Sunday, 8 February, we drove to Karlsruhe to visit one of our fourth year students, Pia Geißendörfer, who is doing her internship year at the Treffpunkt Leben Evangelische Freikirche (Life Meeting Point Evangelical Free Church). Our fourth year students do not attend class, but do a year of internship while writing a senior paper. The faculty try to visit them during that year. Pia is doing really well, and we are very proud of her.
It is America’s annual day named in honor of a rodent. At least, I think a groundhog might be a rodent. I am no expert on them, though. We had final exams week last week at ETS. The first semester is now over. This week will be J-term intensive courses, and the Spring semester begins 9 February. I preached at the ETS Chapel service last week, and this week I am preparing lectures. Carol is busy getting library work done for the start of the new semester and her normal activities. God gave us a great Fall semester and we thank Him for His mercies. A young woman accepted Christ yesterday at Crossroads church, and we are especially thankful for that.
