The last few months, for me, have been a pleasant time of reconnecting with friends and community here in Guildford, and of praying and weighing thoughts for what may be next for me.
When I departed on my travels last summer I knew that part of it, at least, was to allow a shifting and shuffling, a "turning over the soil" to see what had been planted, what needed to be planted and where the best place for those things to plant and be grown would be.
I was also very aware that there is a part of me that would simply "go" anywhere for the sake of going, and I was very conscious that this wasn't an "excuse" to go somewhere different out of boredom or in search of novelty, so I knew that returning to Guildford at the end of October was important, to allow me to weigh myself and my experiences, and to allow "Next Steps" to present themselves rather than going searching for them. (If that makes sense!)
The outcome which has presented itself is that I'm in for a move!
Shortly after arriving back in the UK in November I received an email from Ralf & Katarina Neumann asking if I would consider coming to join their community on the Datzeburg estate in Neubrandenburg for a season. This was a community of people who I had "fallen in love with" when I had visited them in September, and again in Vienna, but as part of quite a small, "quietly powerful" group of people living life simply but impact-fully within their neighbourhood, I couldn't see a "role" for myself so questioned the purpose of joining them. After all, when "going overseas to live missionally" you're "meant" to have a "role", a "purpose" as to why its needed for you to go......
But, as I prayed and pondered and shared with a few friends the decision making process, it became much clearer that this is my next "Step"(God is also kindly/sneakily, only allowing me to move one step at a time and not allowing me to see beyond the current step!).
So, as soon as I can organise myself(which will still probably take a few months!) I will be relocating to north-eastern Germany to join the wonderful group of people known as the "Polyux Community", whose motto is "Mach was schones" which means "Make something Beautiful". This they are doing in the lives of the young people and families on the Datzeburg housing estate.
I'm incredibly excited to get to become part of the family there and to join them in loving their community there, while also recognising that there will be a number of questions and challenges involved in the going! (one of which will be the re-discovery and development of my high school german skills!!)
I will be sending out further information about the when, what, how and why as my path develops, but for now I wanted to invite you all into the journey and share with you the adventure!
Looking forwards to sharing more as there becomes more to share! :)
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| Ralf & Katarin Neumann with their daughter Ava |
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| Some of the Polyux Community |
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| View of Neubrandenburg from the Datzeburg |
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