It just has started...

Wow,

What a great last few days. All there is left to do is packing and off to the airport for a nice long plane ride back to Chicago. Or is this just the beginning for the students and the people of Pohlheim?

We had our last team time last night and we had an amazing time just reflecting on how awesome our God is. As I was sitting with everyone in the room I was just amazed at how God has blessed both groups with friendships based on His love. It was like we were a part of their community for years and the way we showed loved to each other was a blessing from above.

The last two days we have been learning more about German culture and seeing some of the sights of Germany. From the concentration camp in Buchenwald to Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, it was awesome to learn more about their culture and how their mindsets have shaped over the years. It was a time of highs and lows but we were blessed to spend time getting to know them better.

Today we had a great time just knowing more about Heiko and his ministry and also enjoying a free day in Gissen. We enjoyed shopping, Doner, and ice cream... We ended our whole trip by doing a dinner and presentation for all of the people involved with our trip. We introduced them to "sloppy joes" and bread pudding. Afterwards, we had a program lined up where we shared how thankful we are for all their hospitality, showed a slideshow with all the highlights of our time here, and gave an encouraging message.

As we were doing all of this, we were with the people from Pohlheim. It was like they were apart of our team the whole time. There was never German's and American's... it was always one team and as we leave and they stay here in Germany, I am praying and challenging these students to see that God is powerful and this power that bonded our groups together is available for us back in Glen Ellyn/Wheaton. We can make as much difference back home if we can open our eyes to what God is doing.

So as we finish off this trip, though this is ending, our work is just beginning. Please pray for safety as we fly back home and also pray that our hearts will continue to be soften to what God is doing back home.

Looking forward to seeing some of you tomorrow.

Antho