November tends to be a time of year when many people are a bit down. The change in the weather, darkness setting in earlier and winter lurking around the corner. What better time of the year to host a Ladies Tea. On November 14th we hosted the first of our tri-annual ladies events. It was our desire to provide a time when ladies could come together and be served. Time to get away from the business of life and just relax and be doted on for a few hours. When one feels truly taken care of, loved, welcomed and refreshed usually this is a time not easily forgotten. This was our hope and prayer for our first 'Feinkost Tee' in Mitte, Berlin.
 I'm very happy to say that we had 25 women in attendance that evening. Only 1 or 2 ladies came from Open Door and Freischwimmer churches and all the rest were friends, neighbors or women who picked up our invitation somewhere in town, many of which are non-believers.
 Our evening began with a bit of unexpected adventure when a demonstration began 15 minutes prior to our starting time, directly outside the restaurant. Thus making it a bit more difficult to reach us, public transportation not running like it normally does, streets being blocked off and more. But that doesn't stop God! We remained flexible and continued with our evening.
 It was our idea this time for the theme to be based on variety. So for table decorations we had 5 small dishes with different coffee beans, 5 with different types of tea and then a try of 5 types of chocolate. The teas and coffees all had very nice labels explaining what they were and all that one needs to know about their uniqueness. As for the chocolates they were not labeled. After some time of fellowship and drinking of coffee and tea we began with a small game. The table that could be the first to taste and name all the chocolates would win a prize. It was fun and created some good conversations around the tables.  Then Shelly Kragt spoke for about 10 minutes about 'Variety'. She shared about how God creates us all very different but also alike. How just as all our coffees, teas, chocolates and cake are uniquely different they also share something very similar in common. It was a very special talk, sharing Christ with the ladies in love.  
 As the evening was coming to an end we also had some door prizes for the ladies as well as a gift lay at each of their seats, we had decorated serving spoons with beads for each of them to take away from this time. Yet another way to make them feel special and also be able to take home and be reminded by.
 The feedback after this evening was amazing. Most of them left saying that they will definitely be back next time and bringing friends. We are very encouraged and believing the Lord to be faithful and grow this ministry as the year goes on.
 We're beginning on the 27th our first monthly event and looking forward to see who attends. Cooking....very simple but yet lots of fun.
 Please pray for these women....the neighbors, friends, teachers, and more who we've made contact with. Please pray that they would remain in contact with us and continue to come. Please pray for us as a team that we'd have peace and joy in our planning and serving.
  This is His ministry not ours and its my joy and delight to serve Him in this way.

Thank you all for your prayers, support, love and encouragement.
Sarah

I (Ben) have recently finished reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" -- I had never read it before, but thoroughly enjoyed it.  I found it very funny that not once in the book did Holmes ever say, "Elementary, my dear Watson".  Maybe that comes in one of the later books...

Either way, one thing that I noticed throughout the stories hit me in a big way.  Watson narrates his way through some of Holmes' interesting cases -- where either villainy or misunderstanding was behind each tale -- and recalls how Holmes came about to the conclusions of the different cases.  Watson witnesses and hears many of the same things that Holmes does, but cannot and does not see through all the small little details in the same way that the master detective can and does.  Yet no matter what, Watson is there and willing to stand by Holmes' side and help him out in any way he can.  Once or twice, Holmes asks Watson to do something for him -- something could be extremely dangerous -- and Watson agrees to do so, even without completely knowing what Holmes is planning or what outcome could possibly arise.  Watson, following and helping out in a completely trusting way, is faithful to Holmes, even in uncertainty and peril.

Hmmmm... -- the connection between Watson's relationship and Holmes and my relationship with God seemed to scream out at me through the literary beauty.  I have this strong trust in God, and He is able to see so much more than I could ever see with my own eyes -- even when I "see" the same things as He does -- yet when He asks me to do something that I do not fully understand, because of my limited sight, do I obey and follow Him in helping out however I can?  Do I trust Him in His wisdom enough?  Do I really believe in what He can see, believe and trust in His reasoning, fully trust that He does know exactly what is going on, exactly what will happen and exactly how I fit into all of that?

God is good and trustworthy -- and is not just all-knowledgeable, but all-wise...

Thanks, Watson & Holmes.

...thanks...

Last Thought: there are many quotables in the book, but here is just one of them -- Holmes, after solving the case of the Red-Headed League, says, "My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence.  These little problems help me to do so."  Beautiful.

We recently enjoyed our vacation these last couple of weeks!  My (Ben's) parents were here to visit for their first time, and I think we had a fantastic time together -- we were able to show them around the city, show them our day-to-day life and, in general, share relaxing life with them here in Berlin.  It was nice to have a break...

However, vacation is only a temporary thing, and we are constantly on the move here, keeping up with our ministry and trying to move forward in our lives here...

--This past weekend, I went down with Don (our teammate) to Erbach in southwestern Germany to speak at the local MAK (Missions-Allianz-Kirche) church there -- the first time I've "preached" completely in German, from the front, from a pulpit -- so it was great that it went well, and I was very encouraged that others were encouraged as well by what God shared through me...
--Travis started in the Kita (educational daycare, as I like to call it) last week -- he'll be heading there in the mornings from about 9am until 12noon, and so far, he is doing pretty well and is enjoying the new environment -- he gets along well with and likes his teachers, and from what Sarah has told me (as I've been staying with Hannah during the mornings), he's playing more with the other kids and learning and using more and more German...
--we have another brunch in a local church this week, and we're praying that we have a great turnout and that words and interactions will stick with people long after the brunch...
--Sarah is working with a couple of ladies to plan and pull together a big event to invite women to in November -- we're praying that all the little details will come together for them, and that God will provide everything that they need, following what He desires for this new endeavor...

These are just a couple of things that we are working with and through these days -- we would, as always, appreciate any thoughts and prayers and encouragement, and are so thankful for you and your interest in our lives...

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Here's a few pictures from our vacation...