7 Day Goal!

One week from today I will be boarding a plane that will take me home to Germany. I am looking forward to catching up with friends, eating lots of wurst and seeing our precious BFA students in less then a month!

I can't wait for the chance to serve at Black Forest Academy for another year. That place is exactly where God wants me to be for this time - I have no doubt. 


As you know, I purchased a Renault Clio this past spring, so I am working on raising monthly suport to cover the costs of the car. In order for me to be at 100% this year I am still needing an additional $600/monthly. 


As you prayerfully consider helping me financially, I ask that you would not think of it as helping me be able to just drive around. Think of the students that will pile inside the car. Think of how it will help me get to my new job at the middle school. Think of the lives at Black Forest Academy that  you can impact by becoming a part of my support team.  I want to be able to continue loving and sharing life with the staff and students at BFA. I  want to be able to serve at Black Forest Academy for as long as God calls me there. 

Please pray about how you can help me reach my financial goal before I leave on Sunday. Please join me in God's work at BFA and around the world! Please help me reach my 7 day goal.

If you would like to contribute to my 7 day goal, you can email me at  bmann@teachbeyond.org.

2nd year here I come!

Hello friends and family,

I hope that your summer is going well!

For those of you who don't know, I have been living in SW Germany this past year. I work at an international Christian school for missionary kids - Black Forest Academy. Last year I was the Front Office Coordinator on the main campus, and this year I will be working in the Middle School Office, assisting the Vice-Principal and teaching an 8th grade guitar class.

The students at Black Forest Academy come from all over the world. In the fall of 2010, we had students from 52 different  nations. Because a lot of places where their parents serve don't have viable education, students come to board and study  at Black Forest Academy. What a great privilege we have to teach these students and send them out into the world as disciples.

Due to a change of job and campus facilities for this coming year, it was necessary for me to purchase a car. This past year I was supported 100% monthly. With the addition of a car to my budget, I will need an additional $600/month to continue at 100%.

I ask you to prayerfully consider if you are able to help me in this. I truly believe that the reason I can fully invest in my work is because I know I am supported financially 100%. This makes a world of difference. With giving financially to me, you are  helping the students at Black Forest Academy have a place to learn and grow.

If you would like to contribute, please email me (bmann@teachbeyond) and I can send you the forms needed. If you would like to know more, I would love to meet with you!

Thank you for considering to help me in my ministry at Black Forest Academy!

Blessings,
Brittany

Looking ahead!

 Summer Prayers and Praises:

Please pray for…

…  the middle school, as we adjust to our new location in Sitzenkirch.

… new students and staff coming to BFA this fall.

… my new small group of high school girls.

… refreshment and readiness to return to BFA in early August.

… continued good health into the school year.

…the graduating class of 2011 as they leave the BFA community.

Praise God with me for…

…  a great year of learning in the BFA Front Office, and a new job* at the middle school.

… fast and easy medical care throughout the school year.

… encouraging co-workers and supportive friends.

… a new school building for the middle school and elementary school.

… the sense of purpose and calling that He has given me in serving Him at BFA.

*My new job will include: Being the Front Office Secretary and Assistant to the Vice-Principal, helping with Chapel Band, and teaching a Guitar class! 

Goals for 2011-2012

·    Dorm Worship:  My roommate and I led worship in one of the dorms this year, and we look forward to doing this more often in the coming school year.

·    Middle School Worship Team:  I will be helping lead the middle school chapel band. This will include guiding and directing, as well as playing on the team when needed.

·    High School Small Group: I will be leading a small group next year. I am excited about having the opportunity to mentor high school girls and walk with them through their time at BFA.

You Can Get Involved!

Financial gifts given this summer will go toward these things:

(if sending money in to TeachBeyond, please specify which 

project you would like to be a part of)

·    Car Upkeep: This past spring I purchased a used car, as I will be working at the middle school farther down the road. Not many middle school staff have vehicles, so this can also be a way to bless them too!

·    Video Projector:  The projector my roommate and I borrowed last year is no longer available to us, so we’d like to purchase one to use for dorm worship nights this year.

Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can get involved! You are an important part of what God is doing around the world.

Back in Canada again!

It's hard to believe that I left Germany almost a month ago! The last few weeks have been a great time of reconnecting with family/friends and relaxing! I am trying to not take any time I have in Canada for granted, because I know that the time I have here is already short.

Some things that I have observed since being back:
- There is always a sense of missing where you are not. When I was in Germany, I missed home. Now that I am home, I miss Germany. In some ways I think I somewhat understand what our students feel like now. It is a constant cycle of missing somewhere else, but I am learning that even though I miss my "other home," I need to truly live where I am at.
- North America does not have Lactose-free products like Germany does (at least I haven't been able to find any).
- You can enjoy a sunrise/sunset longer because of the minimal trees in our Southern Alberta area!
- You can buy everything you need at one store! (that seems so strange now!)
- The time I spent away has made me appreciate the time I have with friends/family way more. It just makes me so happy when I see my brothers goofing off, having my whole family around the dinner table, or just being able to see all my friends in one place! (and not only over skype!)

I am in Canada until July 31 and would love to see as many people as possible! If you are available to hang out, go for coffee, or learn a German card game, please send me an email (bmann@teachbeyond.org), I would love to see you!

Thank you all for the warm welcome back into Canada!

Change

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of school for students. Right now they are finishing up exams, cleaning out their lockers and turning in their textbooks. Soon this very busy school will be quiet.

Last night we went to dorm sub at Storch for the last time. We ate with the girls outside, baked two different kinds of cookies, and just cherished those last few hours we had with that special group of people. The time I have spent at the dorm this year I will treasure forever. I not only love those students dearly, but the dorm parents there have become dear friends of mine as well. They will indeed be missed when they leave.

As we end this year, please pray for us. BFA will never be the place it was this year. Everything about this place will change over the summer. Students will graduate or transfer to another school, staff will move on, or go on a year of home assignment. For the rest of us, next year will again be a year of transition. A year of welcoming new people into the BFA family and for some of us even starting new jobs. For those of you who have not heard, I will be the Middle School front office secretary as well as the vice-principal's assistant starting in August. The school will be moving out to Sitzenkirch (where the elementary school is located now) which will be another change for all staff and students. I am looking forward to this new role I will be in. While change can be scary sometimes, it also gives us the chance to grow and be stretched to become more like our Heavenly Father. Despite this time of change we will soon be in, we are again reminded that our God NEVER changes. It brings us hope for tomorrow and for the new year ahead!

The tour continues...

 "The truth shall make you free... "

(a sign that welcomes you as you enter BFA)

Below are 2 pictures of "the paper room." 

This room supplies paper for the whole school!! 

This room is located across from the Front Office.

 

Here are the areas of communication between staff and students.

On the left are the student mailboxes, 

and on the right are the staff mailboxes. 

These are often filled with graded exams, encouraging notes and sometimes even bills! 

While the colour of the picture make be dark - the atmosphere is far from that. This is the school cafeteria! Students are all around, munching on their lunches, and catching up with friends. The students sure love this time even though it can be hard on the office staff (sometimes me) to make announcements, as I am sure you can imagine! :)

 This is another happening place -the student center! Here kids can eat their lunch, catch up on homework or just hang out with their friends between classes. Often class parties take place in here with a big screen movie or some fun board games. 

There are many areas of the school that I have not 

taken you to, but these are a few 

of what I believe to be the important places for the students 

in their school day and for myself in my work environment. 

If there is any area of the school that you would like a special tour of, 

please let me know and I would love to share that with you!

A peek inside my office...

Welcome to Black Forest Academy. 

Let me show you around my office!

You will see this bulletin board directly across 

the hall from my office.

(created by me)

This is the main window. You will either see myself,

or my co-worker sitting there.  

(We don't usually have Canadian decorations)

Come on in! This is the main sound board.

Some call it the "bus driver" seat!

This is where late slips are written,

attendance is submitted and phone calls are answered.

(This is the same seat that I am sitting in, in the above picture)

This is the view from the front seat. There are packages to be

picked up, and faxes that need to be sent. This area 

doesn't look too chaotic now, but it cant easily have 5-10 

people in it at a given time.

This is my desk! 

(We have one less staff in the office 

for the remainder of the year, so I will

be sitting in the "bus driver" seat until

the end of the year)

Let's go back out the hall and to the left this time

(we came in from the right side).

These are the bulletin boards you will see:

(created by me)

 

Pause a moment and look to see what is happening 

in the community and how you can get involved! 

The tour to be continued....