As I reflect on my two years in Berlin, I am blown away by God's provision and how much my life has changed! Below are some photos that show the journey. :)
The day I arrived in Berlin: October 10, 2022. I was so thankful to have people who picked me up at the airport and help me carry all my luggage. It was an emotional time, and the transition to life across the ocean and away from my family was harder than expected at first.
My first months in Berlin were spent getting to know this beautiful city and starting language school. Language school helped me not only learn the language (LOL) but make friends and feel more confident getting around.
As I slowly acclimated and moved into my neighborhood, I met people who became like family, and I got connected to my current church community. It was a slow process to have Berlin feel like home (and is an ongoing one), but I am so thankful for my friends and community in Berlin. My friends and community here make it much easier living on another continent.
During my first year in Berlin, I was placed at a ministry partner helping with online outreaches to women in prostitution. I started learning more and more what prostitution and human trafficking look like in the context of Berlin. For example, I learned there is no one red-light district in Berlin. Apartment brothels are scattered throughout the city, and sometimes one would never even know there's a brothel next to you (the photo above is an apartment brothel on a street I used to walk on everyday).
I continued doing online outreaches to women in prostitution in my 2nd year and was able to attend a couple different conferences around the topic - all in German! Those were key moments for me where I could see my language learning work had paid off and great learning & networking opportunities.
For the majority of my 2nd year in Berlin I was a part of a pickleball club to purposefully make friends with those who don't yet know Jesus. This opened up doors to meet people I normally wouldn't have met. Relational ministry was and has been a key aspect of the work I do here.
There have been LOTS of ups and downs in the past two years, but I wouldn't trade my time here for anything. For those who have read until this point and are considering going overseas, please know it is not easy but entirely worth it.
You will see the Holy Spirit work in/through you and those around you, you'll meet fascinating people, see awesome sights, be challenged more than you'd like, and have some of the best (and maybe hardest) times of your life.
Liebe Grüße aus Berlin (for the last time),
Avery