First order of business: Yes, we are ALIVE and WELL in Germany!!!    WE have now been here a year but we still feel like novices.  Thankfully God continues to overwhelm us with His grace and provisions.  Here are a few highlights of how God is working in the Hangar ministry.

 

In December,   Roger asked our neighbor what she thought the local Germans would think if we took the Hangar gang around town on a hay wagon singing Christmas carols.

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 “They might think it is a little weird but it sounds like fun to me.”  And fun it was. The person who had the most fun might have been our friend, Farmer Marx, who decorated his hay wagon with festive greens and drove us around the village for two hours with a smile on his face the entire time.  The local people came out to stare, wave and take pictures. 

Christmas Eve was a great night at the Hangar.  About 40 gathered for dinner and fellowship and then went to the chapel for the candle light service.  Our gang took part in the service by reading the scriptures, lighting the advent candle and ushering.  No one wanted to leave at the end of the night.

“I, Tammy Minderman, do solemnly swear to defend and support the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic-----.”  These are the first few words of the re-enlistment oath for an airman in the United States Air Force.  As a retired officer, Roger had the privilege of administering this oath to Tammy at the Hangar.  She had been notified of her selection to the rank of Master

Sergeant and chose to re-enlist to take the promotion.  You should be proud of the quality and commitment of the young people serving in our nation’s armed forces.

In February, to help celebrate the Super Bowl, we found a restaurant that offered super-sized portions and took a group to see how they would fare.  The XXL Weiner schnitzel weighed a mere 2.2 kilos (about 5 lbs.), the sausage meal was 800 grams (about 2 lbs.) and the hamburgers were 12 inches in diameter.  Just to make sure no one left hungry, mounds of fries and liter-size drinks came with the meals. 

In March, another bedroom was remodeled and is ready for visitors.  Members of Sheila’s family came and spent several weeks with us and turned bedroom #7 into a thing of beauty.  What a blessing to have talented people share their gifts with us!!!   There are 8 bedrooms to go……… any takers?

Roger was asked the other day if our first year “met our expectations?”  The answer was easy - God has not only met our expectations but far exceeded them.  We feel a little like the Israelites who He “carried on eagle’s wings”.  We marvel daily at His goodness in choosing us to serve Him in this place, at this time and with these young people.  We long for each of you to come and see what He is doing here at the Hangar and continually thank Him for your partnership with us.   

 

Roger and Sheila