Last Post

Dear friends and supporters,

It’s hard to believe, but I have come to the end of my time in Germany. How do I describe and put a capstone on the end of three years of joy, new experiences, growth, change, hardship, pain, and beauty? I’m not sure. I’ve been a tangled mess of emotions and feelings the past few weeks. I’m excited to come back to the Bay Area, my home, and begin a new job, make new friends, re-kindle relationships with friends and family, and truly be able to spend time with my boyfriend Josh after ten long months apart. I’m nervous about all the new that comes with moving, and about jumping into a new job that will be quite different from the experience I’ve been gaining for the past three years in small town Germany. I’m feeling anguished about leaving the people I love in Germany, and about the fact that some of them I may never see again in this lifetime. I’m going to miss the place I’ve called home for three years, and the opportunity to see new places, experience new cultures, and learn more about God in the process. That’s the tip of the iceberg, honestly. But God is good. He has been good to me, and has shown me over and over again that He cares for me, and is with me always- that’s not going to change! I have held fast to the verse Jeremiah 33:3 these past three years, and God has kept His promise in that verse, and I know He will continue to do so. “Call to Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”


Some Last Events:

Field Day
A fun and typical event for German schools is a sports day, in which the students compete in different events that they have been working on during their PE classes. We took the day off from classes two days before our last day of school, met at the sports field in Kandern, and had a great day with beautiful weather! There was sprinting, an 800 meter run, a long jump, and throwing. All our students had a marvelous time, and were given awards for participation in addition to any awards they won in the individual events.

Summer Fest
On June 19th we had our end of the year summer event. We held a graduation ceremony for my 4th graders, who will all be moving to a new campus next year. My German kids will go on to German secondary school, and my English kids will either move back to the states (2 of my kids) or they will attend Black Forest Academy’s middle school. We also presented for our Creative Arts classes. Our theme this time was “Journey Through Time” in which we explored the history and development of different topics. The dance group performed some ancient and modern cultural dances, the choir sang songs from different areas in Christian history, my group learned about different architectural styles through time, etc. We had a great time!

Saying Goodbye to My Kids
I’ve been with this class for two years now, and it was incredibly difficult to say goodbye to them. I know them better than any other kids I’ve had, and I know their families. I’ve invested in them, watched them grow, and now have to entrust that God will use my time with them to His glory.

Saying Goodbye to Hanna
I also said goodbye to my partner teacher and friend, Hanna. God blessed me when he brought the two of us together three years ago. He gave me a partner teacher, a close friend, a kindred spirit in a time when many things were new and had to be learned. She has been a joy to me, and I have learned so much about teaching, culture, and God from her.

Last Trip to the Alps
My friend Bernice said that we all have a place that is our “heart home”- Switzerland has become mine. The majestic beauty of the mountains, valleys, and nature speaks to my soul. I’ve met God there, seen the works of His hands, and shared beautiful experiences with loved ones there. I’m so thankful that I had one last opportunity to visit before I left Europe. My three dear friends and I went to a lake up in the mountains near Kandersteg, and then drove to Lauterbrunnen Valley to see the incredible waterfall there that falls off the cliff. Living just two and a half hours from this beauty for three years has been such a blessing to me, and I hope some day to be able to return.

Saying Goodbye to Friends/Family
It’s not a place that makes a home- it’s the people. God provided some beautiful friendships for me in Germany, and they have become my family. In some ways, due to our shared experience of living and teaching abroad, they know me better than anyone back home does. I’m going to miss them dearly, and while I am ending some long distance relationships by moving back home, I am creating new ones with these loved ones.


What's coming up next for me?
I’m officially back in the Bay Area (I arrived on July 2nd), and have about three weeks of “vacation” before I begin training for my new job on July 19th. I put vacation in quotes because during this time I will be recovering from jet lag (they say about a day for every hour in the time difference, which puts me at 9), sorting my things, looking for an apartment, catching up with friends and family, and finishing up some paperwork for my mission agency and job. I do hope to have a good amount of time left to relax and do some fun things. :)

I will be working at a charter school in Redwood City- a new startup campus for Rocketship Education. I’ll be teaching English-Language Arts to lower elementary aged children, and I’m very excited! It’s going to be quite an adjustment, and very different from what I’ve been doing for the past three years, but I like challenges, and plan on jumping right in.

Lastly, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for partnering with me on this incredible journey that God has taken me on. You have supported me, prayed for me, and encouraged me these three years, and I could not have done it without you. Your involvement has made a difference. I saw it firsthand, and feel wonderfully blessed to have been able to be a part of the work that God is doing in that part of the world. Germany will always hold a very special place in my heart.

 
All my love,
Amy

Contact Information:

Email: amy.m.collins33@gmail.com
Cell phone: 650-863-7540

Note: I have pictures from all of these things, and they went out in my e-mailed newsletter. If you would like to receive that, please contact me. 

Abundance

2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (The Message)
God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done...This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to god. 

I have another update for you...

In just two short weeks, God has abundantly provided everything I needed and more! 

THANK YOU for responding to my letter, and for your selfless gifts. I was utterly and completely blown away by your generosity, and by your willingness to support me in my last months here in Germany. Thank you for continuing to believe in my ministry here, for your prayers, and for enabling me to love and pour into my fourth graders until the end of the school year.

God has used you to remind me yet again that he will continue supply all my needs, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I'm quite honestly speechless.

Amazing Mucus!

We're learning about the immune system in class, and this week we talked about mucus! One, it's disgusting, but two, it really helps our bodies get the germs out. We talked about what its job is, why our bodies make more of it when we're sick, labeled the different areas of our sinuses, etc. 

Since we were learning about mucus, I decided we should probably make some. I happen to be quite the slime making expert, thanks to my three summers working with Mad Science. I don't, however, have all my awesome slime making materials here in Germany, so we made the "oobleck" version with cornstarch and water. 

(Language side note: just because you translate something on google translate does NOT mean it's an accurate translation. What I thought was the correct translation of cornstarch in fact did not exist, but thankfully, Rachel and I searched the aisles at the grocery store and I was able to find it. For those of you who want to know, cornstarch in German is Speise Stärke). :) 

My kids freaked out, and had a blast. I took some faceless photos so I could share them with you. These photos were taken in the earlier section of the experiment...we got a little, uh, messier as time went on. 

Yay for mucus!

Please Read

Update: In just a few short days, I have received many emails and encouraging notes from people. Thank you for praying for me! God is so good, and he is taking care of everything. Already I have half of the amount that I need! As I referenced in my post below, he always uses these difficult times to blow me away, and this is no different. THANK YOU for being willing to help!

That being said, I need just $1750 in either one-time gifts or monthly pledges to be fully supported through the end of June. Can you help with the remaining amount? 

Thank you again for your prayers! God is so good. 

Dear friends,                                                                                                                     

I have to start by saying thatthis letter is very difficult for me to write. It was only a year ago did I sent a similar letter to you, and I struggle with being in the same Circumstances again. I want to write openly and honestly to you, Which is hard for me to do, Especially When It's about something like finances. We're not often so open with others about personal things like money, but it's part of living life as a missionary, and I've learned how to be more open.


I received an email on Thursday from TeachBeyond's finance department, Stating did my financial support coming in every month was not enough to cover my "paycheck" and did my main account balance has been depleted as a result of supplementing my monthly needs.


Here's the honest part, with the numbers:
-  Every month, my wonderful supporters monthly selflessly give a total of $ 1100th
-Since My monthly needs are about $ 1950 all the one-time gifts I have stored in my main account have been supplementing my monthly needs by $ 850 each month.
-Since It's been six months of supplementing, my account is now of of of of basically empty.
-I Do have $ 300 set aside to pay for my German taxes, Which Should be enough.
-I Have enough So in a sub account to cover my plane ticket home this summer.


The really honest part is I did need an additional $ 3.500 to make it through the next four months until I come back home. And if I do not, TeachBeyond has to reduce my monthly "paycheck" by Increasing to 25% each month, meaning 'that' in four months I would not have a "paycheck" at all Which is understandable, They Can not:.: Because be in the business of covering for missionaries everytime theywill experience financial hardship.


I was insecure about writing to you about this, I was afraid you might be confused :: because. After all, I left back in August with enough support to last me through the year, and here I am in March, six months later, telling you did I do not have enough after all. I want you to knowthat I have tried to be a good steward of your selfless generosity. Please understand did just about all of my monthly "paycheck" goes to paying my bills and living expenses. As all of you know, there are always unexpected parts of life, and I've had some unplanned expenses this year ... things like doctor's bills, gluten-free groceries (Which are more expensive), utility bills surprise, etc.


I was recently reading in Matthew, and came across Matthew 6:34, and I like The Message's translation. It says, "Give your Entire attention to what God is doing right now, and do not get worked up about what may happen tomorrow or May Not. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up When the time comes." In my three years here, I've learned did Whenever I begin to worry about what's coming up next, that's When God blows my worries out of the water with something amazing. I'm trusting did He wants to help me finish my time here, and finish well, :: because He has called me to do that.


So I'm writing to ask you to consider one of three things:
1) Can you donate a one-time gift to help me reach my $ 3500 need?
2) Can you sign on as a monthly supporter for just four months to help me finish out my time here in Germany?
3) If you are already a monthly supporter, can you increase your gift each month?
TeachBeyond has made it really easy to give-I now have my own donation website! Just follow this link, and you can give a one-time donation or sign up for monthly donations.
https://give.teachbeyond.org/support/amy-collins/ 

Lastly, I want to say thank you. Thank you for praying for me, supporting me, and for caring about what God is doing in this little school in the corner of Germany. I do not know how to fully convey what it Means to me. May God bless you as you serve him where you are.


In Him Alone,
Amy Collins

Isaiah 46: 4

Happy New Year

It's been a while since I've sent out a newsletter, I know, but I'm happy to report that one will be on its way this week via email or snail mail (if I don't have your email address). It will contain pictures of my kiddos and some of the events from this fall, which I'm not allowed to post online. If you're not on my list and would like to be, just email me at acollins@teachbeyond.org and I'll add you.

I had the opportunity to go home for Christmas this year, and it was really refreshing to spend some time away. It has been a difficult few months at work, for reasons I don't necessarily need to dive into, and I needed some time to reset my perspective and rest. I was able to spend time with family and friends, and I can't express how much of a gift that was after four months away. When you're gone you miss out on things, and I had a lot to catch up on. Most of my time was spent with my family, which is just what I needed. I was also able to see my lovely (and pregnant) friend Rochelle, my dear love Wendi, her husband, and my adorable nephew. In addition, I spent a significant amount of time with my boyfriend, Josh, and am happy to report that now, after five months of dating, we've spent a whopping three weeks together in person. Oh, the joys of long distance. That being said, it was lovely to interact and have conversations without the necessity of a screen. :)

One area of my life that hasn't been as warm and fuzzy as of late is my health. Before Christmas break I contracted strep throat. It had been going around the school and my roommate Rachel had it too, so it was just a matter of time before my terrible immune system decided to pick it up. I got some antibiotics, missed some school, and felt better. Over Christmas break I felt okay, but as I was traveling back, I began to feel absolutely terrible again. Not sure what it was, I went to the doctor on Monday this past week (I flew in late Sunday night) and what did I have? Strep. Again. She told me I couldn't teach the three days of school that week that we had, so I've been hanging out at home, resting, and sleeping on the couch. I officially go back to work tomorrow, and I hope that I'm well enough to make it through this week. My energy levels aren't necessarily up to par, but we'll see. I would so appreciate prayer about this- my desire is to start the new year off well, and being sick makes the idea of jumping feet first into school again difficult.

As I look ahead to these last 6 months in my second home, my mind struggles to stay in the "here and now". As I'm sure you can understand, or have experienced, when you need to begin making plans for the future, you tend to travel there in your thoughts without always meaning to. I've been thinking ahead to where I'm going to apply for jobs, where I'll potentially get hired, where I want to live, what life will be like in the Bay Area again after living in another country for 3 years, etc. There's a lot to think about. But I have also had great talks with God about wanting to finish this year well- with my students, their parents, my colleagues, friends, etc. This has been my home and my life for so long, and I will be sad to leave it. There's a lot I'm going to miss. Several people have pointed out to me that I need to soak up as many experiences as I can while I'm still here, because I'm "never going to be able to do it again". It's sad for me to admit, but I can certainly see their point. I probably won't. So I'm striving to keep my mind off the future as much as possible and on the present, because I have quite a bit to do in my remaining months here. We're busy in 4th grade. :)

One verse that I came across in my reading recently stood out to me, and I plan to write it down and put it up somewhere in my room. One of my weaknesses is forgetfulness, and it sneaks into multiple areas of my life. I want to be intentional about remembering all of the amazing things I've done while I've been here, and have yet to do. Many fond memories and deep friendships have been created. God's got big plans for these 6 months, and I can't wait to discover what they are.

Deuteronomy 4:9 (NIV)
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.

Weekend in the Alps

Adelboden, Switzerland has been one of my absolute favorite places to visit since moving here to Europe and experiencing it for the first time my second month here. It was my first experience in the alps, and since then, it has held a special place in my heart. There is a chalet that belongs to my missions organization that is very easy (and incredibly inexpensive!) to rent, and a few friends and I had the opportunity to spend this weekend there. Bonus-it's only about two hours away. How lovely to spend a weekend away, get some wonderfully fresh air, see the beautiful mountains that bear marks of God's craftsmanship, and share in quality time with dear friends. So thankful to live in such a beautiful place.

View from the chalet windows.

Hike to the waterfall (you can see it in the background).

Such a dear friend.

Oh, silly roommates. 

Our group, minus two!

Be Still My Soul

Getting to Know Each Other

CSK (Christian School Kandern) is experimenting with the "Responsive Classroom" teaching method this year, mainly in the morning intercultural time when the whole class is together. We found that as much as we wanted our first 20 minutes of the day to be a time when we learn about each other, about God, and use both languages equally, we weren't sure how to make effective use of that time. Responsive classroom is a teaching method that emphasizes effective communication, incorporation of learning topics, and helping each child to feel welcome and valued in the classroom community.

Hanna and I trade off each day running our morning time, and I've been spending a fair amount of my planning time finding fun activities for us to do on my days. I've been specifically searching for activities and ideas that will help my students get to know each other better. Many of them have been together since first or second grade, and since we only have one class per grade level, they're practically siblings. But we do have three new additions to our class, and I want to ensure that they feel welcomed into our class family. 

One activity that we did was a "mystery" activity where my students had to write down 5 things about themselves that most other people wouldn't know. Then I read them out loud and we tried to guess who belonged to each set of facts. I was impressed with how creative they were! I have to say, teaching fourth graders is way more fun than I thought it would be. :) Here are some of the ones written in English that I pulled:

Another activity we did (that I stole from this website) is based on a book entitled "The Best Part of Me, which was written by a photographer who wanted to teach children how to appreciate themselves physically, in a world where they are constantly bombarded with messages that tell them they aren't enough. She instructed students from several different schools she visited to choose one aspect of themselves, and write a poem about why they feel that part is the "best part of them". Then she took artistic black and white photos that displayed only that part of the child. I ordered the book online, read it to my students, we created our own poems, I took pictures of their chosen parts, and we discussed how God created each of us to be unique and special. How he has plans for us, and by appreciating aspects of our physical selves, we are acknowledging that God knew exactly what he was doing when he designed us. I didn't give them many guidelines for this assignment, because I wanted them to feel free to take it where they wanted. The results were astounding. Here are some samples:

 All that to say, I love my students. :) I'm excited to see what the rest of the year has in store for us.

Yard Sale!

We are having a yard sale (part 2)!

You know all that stuff just hanging out in your house that you don't want/don't use anymore? I would LOVE to take it off your hands! It's a fantastic way to clean out your house, and all the proceeds will go to help fund my ministry in Germany. Sounds great, right?

Here's what you do:
1) Look through your things! We certainly have been at our house. Know anyone else who might want to donate things? Let them know! :)
2) Call to arrange a drop off the week before- you can reach my mom at 510-579-0046.
3) Stay and look around- another man's treasure!
4) If you're available to stay and help, that's great too! It'll be fun!

The date: Saturday, October 18
The place: 42643 Isle Royal Street, Fremont
The time: 8am-5pm

The Cost is Real

This is an article I read recently about the cost of being a missionary, and leaving things behind. My heart has been struggling with this concept this year, being the third year that I have had to say goodbye to my family, dear friends, and now a new relationship. I've struggled to put this feeling into words, because it's mostly the little things; the day to day occurrences that add up to so much that I find myself missing. I'm a big "Gilmore Girls" fan, and this conversation came to mind from season seven:

Rory: It's just these transatlantic phone calls. I don't know if it's the "trans" or the "Atlantic" or the fact that it's 2:00 in the morning, but Helen Keller and Stephen Hawking could have a more connected conversation. 

Lorelai: Helen Keller's dead.

Rory: Yeah, well, even dead, she could do better. It's just so awkward and pausy. And I feel like the more I try to connect, the more disconnected I feel. And I just feel like I'm working so hard, but maybe I shouldn't be having to work so hard. And then I feel self-conscious, but I shouldn't feel self-conscious, so then I feel self-conscious about that. I don't know maybe it's just the salt in the ocean. It corrodes conversations or something. 

Lorelai: Yeah. It sounds like the salt.

I miss communicating with my sister on a daily basis- getting coffee or dinner and chatting about all the new things in her life as she opens up this "after college" chapter. She's amazing and doing an incredibly job, but I miss dialoging with her about it. 

I'm missing my very close friends, all of whom are starting families and experiencing so many "firsts". I'm missing my close friend Wendi's son, my nephew, grow and change in these early months. 

I'm missing my parents, and the day to day happenings in their lives. My dad is figuring out a new position at work, and finally reading my beloved Harry Potter books after years of prompting. I'm not there to discuss the characters and story lines with him as he reads. My mom is navigating what it means to be finished with full-time teaching, and I'm not there to talk to her about it. 

I'm missing the man I've chosen to begin a relationship with. After spending so little time together before I left, we are attempting to figure out what long distance (really long distance...) looks like for us. All that to say, he's wonderful and we're communicating well, but as I'm sure you know, being together in person is incredibly important. 

I don't want to paint a picture that life as a missionary is always cheery and pleasant. Of course there are wonderful, wonderful aspects to it! This has become my day to day life, and as life goes, there are good days and bad days. But there are also parts that are very hard. I'm working this year on being more honest about the shadowy places. I hope that's okay. 

Thank you as always for your support, your prayers, and your encouragement. You all mean so much to me, and I am so grateful for each of you. 

Here's the article: The cost is real.

Back Into the Swing of Things

Well, I've been back in Germany for a month now, and things are settling into their normal routine! Thanks to the generosity and prayers of so many back home, I was able to leave for Germany with plenty of time to get over jet lag, attend staff events with Black Forest Academy, set up my classroom, participate in staff meetings for my school (CSK), and other such things. As much as I miss home, it does feel good to be back and beginning my third year here.

And it was SO good to see the children come back to school on September 8th. I loved seeing the familiar faces of the students in 2nd and 3rd grade, and walking up the stairs with my own students to begin a new year with them as 4th graders! It's such a privilege to be able to teach these children again for another year, and to have the chance to continue to teach and love them as they grow and mature.

This year my class has grown by two students, so I now have 26! It's the largest class in the school, and Hanna and I had to rearrange our classroom setup to be able to accommodate all the desks! I have 11 English students and 15 German students, and they're already showing how much they have grown over the summer- in both mind and body. They all shot up like weeds! I just know that several of them will be as tall as I am by the end of the year.

My schedule has changed a bit this year as well. I'm teaching some of the same things: English language arts to my English speakers, English language development to my German students, science/social studies, and Bible. But this year I am also teaching two lessons of art to the 1st and 2nd graders. I have to admit, I was really excited about this opportunity, because I love art so much, and would most likely never have this opportunity back home because so many of the extra programs are being cut in the public schools. So that will be fun, and I'll definitely have some stories to tell. One of the biggest challenges with teaching the younger students is that their English isn't as developed yet, especially in regards to the 1st graders. Most of them come to our school with no English at all. It's going to be interesting!

Aside from school, I've been trying to get out and do some fun things. I've had some lovely and memorable times with friends, and have been enjoying the beginnings of the fall weather! As I type this, my bedroom window is cracked open and I'm listening to the pleasant sounds of rain hitting the pavement. The late summer storms are something I miss when I'm home in California.

My mind has already started to process the fact that this is my last year here in Germany, and that I need to enjoy the seasons and times with loved ones as they come. This weekend was the pottery market in town, which has always been one of the highlights of the fall season for me. One of the things I'm striving towards is being more intentional in spending time with people. I love this place, and my prayer is that God will help my heart in the transition even now, when it's just starting.

My roommate Rachel and I having some fun on a rainy day. I'm so thankful for her.

My partner teacher, Hanna, and I on the first day of school. :)

Dear friends at the pottery market. 

Some pictures from walks I've taken in the past few weeks.

So Close!

Update: Thanks to the very generous donations of several wonderful people, I have reached my 90% support goal, surpassed it at 92%, and will be flying to Germany on Friday! Thank you, everyone, for your support, your prayers, and your encouragement. 

While I have surpassed my 90% support goal, I am still $150 a month short of my full 100% goal. If you would still like to donate to help me with this, please click on the donate button in the upper right hand corner! 

________________________________________________________

  

As the summer winds down, everything becomes a little more hectic. Trying to spend time with people I care about, get all the things I need to take back with me, and as always, make sure that my support levels are where they need to be so that I can return on time. I have been encouraged and uplifted by friends, family, and people that I have been able to see this summer while I have been home. God has shown me that I have a large group of people here that believe in what God is doing in Germany and are praying for me and my ministry at CSK.

The last time I had an update, I still needed $500 more a month, but now I'm thrilled to tell you that I only need $150! It's looking like a real possibility that I'll arrive on time! :)

Are you able to help me close the gap?

Just follow this link to give online: https://give.teachbeyond.org/usa/cc/

Updates

I must say, it's been quite a busy summer! I've had the opportunity to see many friends and supporters, catch up on life, and share about what God is doing in Germany through education. It's the longest continuous time I've been in the states since I left for Germany two years ago, and it's been lovely.

Updates

1) My garage sale was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who helped, either by bringing items, stopping by for a visit, or praying for us. The days we chose turned out to be the hottest we've had yet (upper 90s), but people still came, and we made a total of $880! I know...my mom and I had to count it twice because we didn't believe it at first. The highlight of the two days was when a German man, about my age, came with his girlfriend- they randomly decided to stop by on their drive up to Seattle when they saw my signs for the sale. They had been vacationing in California. It was so fun to talk to them about Germany, and to find common ground between us. God is most certainly our provider. Even in something as simple as a garage sale. :) 

2) I had the chance to talk about my ministry at my church, InRoads, two Sundays ago before both services. I was a little nervous to be up in front of everyone with all eyes on me (I prefer being in front of the little people I teach more) but God gave me the words to say and everything went smoothly! It was such an encouragement to talk to people from my church and share about what I'm doing in Germany. 

3) I had a lovely open house a few weeks ago! It was a smaller group, which I prefer because it gave me the chance to talk to everyone. I so appreciate everyone who came, and I'm so glad that we were able to catch up! 

4) I'm still making and selling mugs to help raise support! They're only $6 each, and I will design you anything you like! I've been having the best time making all of these- it's given me a creative outlet this summer. :) Just let me know what you'd like it to say or what you'd like me to attempt to draw! 

5) Support update: I've been blessed by all of the encouragement, prayers, and outpouring of financial support the past two years, and this summer has been no exception! While it's been a great summer, I am beginning to feel ready to get back and begin the new school year. I'm scheduled to leave on August 20th, but my missions organization will not allow me to do so until I have 90% of my necessary support. While this is difficult news to hear, as I'm anxious to get back to my other home, I appreciate their care and concern for my needs once I'm there. In order to reach 90%, I need $500 more a month in pledges, or enough one-time gifts to add up to that amount. As with each time I've had to raise funding, it seems like a lot, but I've learned that when God wants you to be somewhere or do something, the resources tend to come out of the woodwork and make everything possible. I've also learned that it tends to come together at the last minute. So I'm making an active choice not to worry, but to instead trust that He is mighty enough to take care of my needs.

So I invite you personally to help. My updated support chart below breaks down my monthly needs into manageable chunks. Are you able to help me return to Germany to live and teach there for one more year? Can you fill in a box on my chart? 

To put the amounts into perspective: 

$10 is less than the price of two grande lattes at Starbucks. 

$25 is less than the price of two movie tickets with popcorn.    
$50 is less than the cost of a dinner for two at a nicer restaurant.

$100 is the amount that's easily spent when you go to Target to purchase some hand soap. ;) 

I would love for you to join my support team! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at acollins@teachbeyond.org. I'd be happy to answer them! 

It's very easy to donate- just click on the link on the upper right hand corner, or I can send you a paper form that can be mailed to my missions organization. All gifts are tax deductible! 

Mugs for Sale!

I'm making and selling mugs to help earn money to send me back to Germany for my third year! These ones have the map outline of Germany, with a heart over the area I'm currently living-the Black Forest. 

I have two different mug shapes to choose from, and I'm selling them for just $6 each!

If you would like one, please let me know! If you live outside the Bay Area, I will be more than happy to mail you one, if you are able to cover the cost of shipping. 

Other designs coming soon! If you have any ideas, or would like me to make you a specific design, I'd love to hear about it! :) acollins@teachbeyond.org or call/text me at 510-449-2259.

Update: New designs available! 
1) Guten Morgen: Good morning!
2) Ich liebe Deutsch: I love German!
3) Ich liebe Deutschland: I love Germany!
4) Kaffe, Milch, Zucker: Coffee, Milk, Sugar

Fill-a-Box Challenge!

Update: I am now at 57% of my goal! Amazing!
I am so thankful for my supporters who have agreed to continue
their monthly giving for another year, and for those who have
recently decided to partner with me!

Can you help me get back to Germany for one more year? 

I need to raise $2000 a month before my missions organization will give me the
stamp of approval to return for the new school year.

My challenge to you is simple. 

Can you help me continue to love, teach, and show God's love to my missionary and German students for one year? Can you fill in a box on my monthly support chart? Can you fill in two? Three? 

Setting up automatic online giving is easy, and tax deductible!

Just click here and you will be taken directly to my mission organization's giving website.

You can be an active participant in the work that God is doing in Germany through transformative education!

Open House

Hello and Guten Tag!

I would like to invite you to an evening open house! 

Come to talk to fun people, hear a little bit about what God's doing in Germany,
and eat some yummy snacks! I'd love to see you there.

Please email me at acollins@teachbeyond.org or call me at 510-449-2259 if you plan on coming, so that I can know how much food to have.

Garage Sale

We are having a garage sale! You know all that stuff you don't want/don't use that you've got laying around? I'll take it off your hands! What a fantastic way to clean out the house, and all of the proceeds will go to fund my ministry in Germany! Sounds good, right? 

Here's what you do:
1) Look through your things! We certainly have been at our house. Know anyone else who wants to donate items? Great! 
2) Call me to arrange a time for drop off. If you have smaller items that can fit in my car, I'll even come pick them up from you. 
3) If you have larger items, arrange a drop off time on Thursday, July 24th or on either day of the sale.
4) Stay and look around- hey, another man's treasure, right? :) 
5) If you're available to stay and help, we're looking for volunteers! There will be beverages and snacks provided for helpers! 

My cell phone number: 510-449-2259
The address: 42643 Isle Royal Street, Fremont

Even my kitty is helping! ;)

Bilingual and Two Way Immersion Conference

One of the focuses this past year for our staff, particularly our English staff, was professional development. Black Forest Academy values professional development and strives to provide opportunities for its staff to participate in classes, workshops, conferences, etc. that will help us to become better at what we do.

One of the goals for the elementary teachers going home for the summer was to participate in some sort of professional development that would benefit our school. I began searching for options, and almost immediately found a conference in Sacramento during the third week in June entirely on the topic of Bilingual and Two Way Immersion schools (which is what we are!). My principal encouraged me to sign up, and paid for the entire event. I even convinced my mom to come with me, so that we could dialogue together and process what we were learning. If you don't know her, she's a teacher too. :)

It turns out that this conference was the 22nd annual conference organized by ATDLE, which stands for Association of Two Way & Dual Language Education. Most of the conference was focused on Spanish, which is the other language most bilingual schools focus on in the states.

I don't want to overwhelm your brain with "teacher-ese" but do want to share a few of the things I learned that I believe my staff will be able to apply to our school (for those of you who are interested). It's exciting to be able to learn new things and have the opportunity to do so.

1) I learned some valuable grouping strategies. When you have a class filled with students who speak two different home languages, it's important to get them talking. Educators are moving away from "teacher centered" lessons and towards "student centered" lessons, where the teachers direct, but the students discuss and talk about the material in appropriate ways. It helps to increase critical thinking.

2) The goals for bilingual education are two fold:
      a. The students have high levels of oral and academic language proficiency.
      b. The students are able to read and write at or above grade level, and have social and cultural competencies.

3) Research demonstrates that students who learn in two languages are outscoring students who are learning/speaking only in English.

3) I learned ways to better teach English to my German students during our partner language time.

5) I learned some valuable ways of helping students read with purpose, so that I can show my students that some texts are worth a level of focus and attention.

6) I learned about the Common Core Standards that are sweeping the nation. They've become a very big deal since I've been gone, and I really don't know that much about them. The overall theme is that the Common Core Standards call for a lot of group collaboration among students, and require critical thinking and analyzing.

One of the fun bonuses of the conference was that my mom and I got to do a few fun things on our evenings off. We ate some good food, and went to downtown Sacramento. Honestly, we were a bit wiped from the intense seminars and workshops we were attending, but it was good overall. I'm looking forward to sharing my notes with my coworkers in August!

Fun selfie with the sunlight in downtown Sac.

The view from our room one evening.

A Prayer for Black Forest Academy

I wanted to share a beautiful video with you that contains footage from throughout this school year at Black Forest Academy (all three campuses) in addition to spoken prayers from staff and family members. I believe that prayer is powerful, and that God hears us when we pray. Please continue to join me in praying for the future of my school, and for its staff and students. We can be so thankful for the astonishing ways he shows his faithfulness!

A Prayer for BFA from Black Forest Academy on Vimeo.

Home for the Summer

Hello from California! 

I'm home for the summer, and would absolutely love to meet up with you for coffee, lunch, dinner, etc. to catch up and share with you about all the ways God is working in Germany. I will be hosting a few events at my home, and I'll keep you updated on those as they come.

I do have a cell phone with a new number, so please
feel free to call or text me anytime. 510-449-2259

You can also reach me via Facebook, or via my email: acollins@teachbeyond.org.

I have been approved by my missions organization to be home this summer to reconnect with family and friends, but also because I am raising financial support for my third year in Germany. Would you be able to join my support team for one year? My greatest need is people willing to sign on as monthly supporters, but one-time gifts are also very important. Please prayerfully consider if God is leading you to do so. If you feel led, you can click on the "donate" button on the right hand side of this page and it takes you directly to my mission organization's donation page. It's very easy, and your gift will go right to my account with them.

My 12 month goal is $24,000, and so far I have about $6,500 in one-time gifts and monthly commitments. This is an amazing start! 

Thank you for your prayers and support. I have had the opportunity to see a few people already, and your love and encouragement means more to me than I can say. Thank you for understanding, believing in, and being excited about the ministry I am a part of, and for your prayers.