August Update 2026
Hi Everyone! August was an adventure, so here we go! Ministry August is a bit slow once the summer camps end since school here doesn't start till the 15th of September, so this month is a time of rest and recovery for us in between camps and school. I had my language immersion week early in the month and it went better than I expected. I got to practice using my language with my host, workers at cafes, and at a small festival in the city where I stayed for my language week the week I was there. I learned a bunch of new words and it was very helpful getting to practice on my own… Read more
"Bless me, what do they teach them at these schools?"
"Bless me, what do they teach them at these schools?" (Prof. Kirke, The Last Battle, 'Further Up and Further In') Every day these this week, and the last few weeks, I've gone to language school to, as my team leader likes to say, "play with dolls!" I'm at a fully immersive, speaking, and listening-based school. (No English is allowed in class!) So far we are focusing on listening. Our teacher gives us vocabulary by putting down objects (a toy car, dolls representing family members, or pictures of places or things) or by acting things out (run, jump, sit, pay, etc.). Then we point at the… Read more
"Speak words we can all understand!"
In high school, I took three years of Spanish and was pretty mediocre at it. I’m sure many of you could relate to that. I was taught a bunch of grammar rules which I barely studied. I was made to speak words that I mostly forgot after high school. I almost never used it outside of class, except for the odd sign or two around town which I could actually read. Bottom line: I didn’t care a whit about Spanish, and I never planned on using it. So, obviously, I didn’t learn it! Not enough to get by with it, that’s for certain. When I eventually found out that the Lord purposed for me to be in the… Read moreJuly Update 2026
Hi Everyone! July has been amazing and super busy with the Summer Camps, so here we go! Ministry This has been a super busy month with the Summer camps (VBS and sport/Olympic games). We did four weeks of camps this month, and each week we were in different city. Each city where we do a camp is also where the Pink Foundation does a program during the school year, so camp is an amazing time to spend 5 straight days really getting to know the kids and pour into them outside of school. I got to meet so many kids and it was such a blast getting to know them. For VBS we went through… Read moreThe Importance of One's Mother Tongue
Before my move overseas, I understood that learning Greek would be an important part of ministry and the mundanities of life in Greece. I knew that I would need it to navigate public transport, get the correct groceries at the grocery store, and simply order a coffee. Even more so, I know I would need it to be successful in reaching the people I’m ministering to in my church community, my neighborhood, and the brothels. What I did not know or anticipate is the level of connection that comes with learning someone’s mother tongue. I just recently returned from a short visit back to the States,… Read moreJune Update 2026
Hi Everyone! June became quite the adventure, so here we go! Also, Happy 4th of July to everyone! Ministry This month started off with the Salt Ventures annual team retreat since all of us were now in Eastern Europe. It was a great time getting to see everyone, including our Eastern European colleagues, in one place since we all handle multiple roles and are very busy. It was amazing getting to see the beauty of the nature and the old fortress in the city where we stayed. There is so much history in Eastern Europe and it is amazing. The next week we went to a different city… Read more
"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?"
I finally hit the field this month! Hooray! My wife and I have touched down in the Middle East and are searching for an apartment to live in. We've been in country for less than a week, all told (with staff trainings taking up about half of the month this month). That time has been spent primarily walking around town with teammates so that we know where everyone lives, staying awake so that our sleep schedules can figure out what is normal (nap is death!), and trying to eat "normal" (American) food so that our bodies have to deal with as few changes as possible. We have had our hand held… Read moreMay Update 2026
Hi Everyone! This was a wild month and a lot happened, so ladies and gentlemen please buckle up and keep all arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. Ministry Getting my visa back on May 1st, the day after I wrote my April update, was a big surprise since the embassy never called and told me that it had been approved, which is what they told me would happen. My team informed me that the embassy always says that but never actually does it. I booked my flights for the 15th a few days after getting my visa back and planned to land in Sofia on the 16th. I knew packing would be… Read more