If I were to describe myself in the last three weeks, I would use the word sponge.  I feel as if there is so much to soak up as we get adjusted to life in Austria.  So many new words, so many new people from so many different places, so much to learn.  It has been a good month.  We have done a lot of observation as we seek to understand God’s heart for the Oasis and our role in this ministry.  Some highlights for me have been both the Women’s night, and the Kid’s club and home visits at Altenmarkt.  It is great to get to know these women and children and see what makes them laugh.  They are so precious.  It was exciting last week at the children’s clothing room when some of the moms, who I had sat with at the women’s night, remembered my name and wanted to introduce me to their children. 

Another good moment for me was when Dan and I were at the grocery store and saw a couple of the families who have been to programs at the Oasis and they recognized us and seemed happy to see us.  One of the women even wanted my help finding the price for a pomegranate.  It is these little things that may even seem insignificant that makes me feel like I am where God wants me to be and that I am going to come to love this ministry deeply.  Most of challenges so far have been little things like not knowing how to order in a restaurant or not knowing what to buy at the grocery store.  Another challenge, is knowing how to be kind yet culturally appropriate and not too friendly on the days when the Oasis programs seem to be very male dominated.  It is about balance; learning how to live a life that reflects Christ in this new collage of cultures that is the Oasis.

Looking back at the past month, it feels as if it has been a whirlwind. It was amazing to see how everything came together in God's perfect timing in order for us to get to Austria. It is hard to believe it has been a year since we began this process. After spending so much time talking and talking about the Oasis ministry, it is wonderful now to be a part of what we've talked about for so long. We anticipated the day we would depart for so long and now we can truly begin this ministry to refugees. I'm so thankful for all of you who have been a part of this in some way.

It doesn't take being here long to realize what God is doing at the Oasis. Hundred's of refugees walk through the doors each week, looking for some sort of hope. I'm thankful for the opportunity we have to be a part of their lives and give them the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. So many have stories of heartbreak and have lived very tough lives. Things were so bad that they were willing to leave everything behind, hoping for something better. Everyday we are here, we learn so much more about the refugee situation in Europe and around the world. We realize too that there is still so much more to learn. I'm thankful that we've had this month to be a part of this ministry, and look forward to building on to the relationships we have formed when we get back from language school.