Time is going so fast! I just passed my 8 month mark of being in Berlin. Crazy.
At the end of May, I finished my B2.2 German course! B2 is the highest level I am required to take. People normally only take C1 (the next level) if they want to study at a German university. Even though I finished B2, I am not done with formal language learning (thankfully, as I still have lots to learn!). My next class is a German grammar course. I hope to take the B2 test in October. Please pray my knowledge of German would deepen, and I would understand/remember what I learn. Learning German is important to me for obvious reasons, but also especially for deepening relationships and for the work I do at my ministry placement.
The last couple months I've really enjoyed spending more time at my main ministry placement. I am helping to lead the ministry's Online Outreach Program. In the last month, the online outreach team has done two online outreaches. At each outreach we've contacted roughly 10 women. Though no one has engaged much with our messages, I am optimistic about the future as we are continuing to schedule more outreaches and make contact with more women in Berlin who are involved in prostitution. Please pray for these 20 women we've already contacted (and those we will be soon) that they would be responsive to our texts and doors would be opened for relationships with them.
I praise Jesus for these past two months of also being an official member of the church planting team in my neighborhood! This team (who are all German) have become like family and have encouraged me in so many ways. Please pray for us as we are looking for a man or couple who are from the former East Germany to join our team as well as that we could continue to form deep relationships in our neighborhood.
The biggest highlight of the last two months was having my family come! It was such a gift to have them here and show them my life, though extremely difficult saying goodbye.
Praise Jesus for never leaving nor forsaking me through all the ups, downs and inbetweens in the last couple months.
Liebe Grüße,
Avery :)