Autumn at BFA

Maugenhard enjoys Fall activities and dreads upcoming winter dreariness.

Autumn at Black Forest Academy                    BFA has had several busy weeks.  Our Maug guys have been energized, though, with the Palmgarten & Maugenhard Dorms' Fall Party, Herbstmesse Festival in Basel, and 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.

Maug Guys "Google Earth" introduced us to each others' lives in a real way last week.  Spontaneously, we took turns looking up each place the guys are from.  Their faces lit up as they shared "their" homes around the world with us.  Who knew interactive maps could bond us and fascinate us for an hour? ----------- Amidst numerous seasonal activities, each guy has a different response to the changing of seasons.  Some students I have talked to throughout the school are homesick and feeling a bit sick or down with the overcast weather and tests.  Please pray that they will: Rest deeply in their time off Be mindful about what qualities of life are lasting  Chose to embrace faith in Jesus Christ for themselves Anna and I meet on Tuesday nights now.  I greatly appreciate her and our purposeful conversations.  Thank you for your prayer already.  Please continue to pray for: My time with Anna as well as Randy, Melanie, and Yoel (the other girls who come up to visit me on Fridays).   May our time of conversation and rest together be exactly what is needed for the situation.   I am amazed by how they have opened their hearts and lives wide-open to me.  [Side-note: It meant so much to me that she wanted me to go in the bumper car with her (see picture).]   Although I am not an athlete, I connect with the aesthetic and relational students in particular.  Taylor (with a notebook during the basketball) and I developed an "art board" in the dorm hallway that displays various guys' art.  I love seeing the skills and potential that they cannot see and encouraging them to develop it alongside others in the dorm. Chris is a competent, hard-working sub at Maug.  I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to cook, work, and talk to the students alongside him.  As a result of Chris' three years in Sonne dorm, he is able to share his invaluable skills and experience with me and the other Maug staff.  We have 6 more weeks of school before Christmas Break.  I am excited to see how students develop and mature in the weeks ahead. Thank you for your love and support!  We are deeply grateful. Until Next Time, Michelle

I look forward to hearing from you: My email address mwaters@teachbeyond.org *A special thanks to Mark Powell, R. Frank Darden, and Laura McGlothlin for the use of their photos.