Shots from our recent M-trip:

Getting acquainted with some of our kids in China ∇∆

Walking around one of China's prosperous city centers∇∆

Making camp∆ Lunch∇

Some of the younger crowd ∆

Some of the local buffalo∇∇

A round of "SPUD" ∆

Adventures on the Dragon River∆∇

Our raft-mate Abby ∇

It's fresh, it's genuine, it's what's for lunch∇

Famous noodle breakfast seated on comically small chairs ∇∆

Lunch prep ∇

Breaking camp ∇

Tea tasting ∇

Ice cream break in another Southeast Asian city∇

Family transport∆

Eager students at English Learning Center ∆

Third quarter at BFA has flown by and we should be about the business of updating his blogsite. It has been one of those seasons that are so busy that it's hard to remember all that has happened. We both work through the week and try to take some down time on Saturdays - this is a new sort of discipline for us - sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Diane continues to juggle a whole lot of plates (an idiom meaningful to those of a certain age who remember the talents exhibited on The Ed Sullivan Show). The Brazil English Camp came off well. Participants and staff sent along encouraging reports and Diane was able to not travel there due to a good staffing situation on the ground in Brazil - a blessing as we look ahead over the next few months. Belarus, Moldova, Switzerland, Germany are all definite camps for this summer. With a team of volunteers one could run in Portugal as well. Hiring staff for language learning centers in a SE Asian city and another for work here in Germany also take up a lot of her time, thought, and cyber traffic all sort of nuanced by time zone differences. Additional administrative teams she belongs to as TeachBeyond continues to grow call on her time and concentration. The work is amazing, however, as God seems to provide for many of these needs in the most timely manner.

Russ' classes continue to go well and as we enter this last quarter of BFA for his seniors he is helping them to think about the transition they'll face. A challenging part of this is the fairly widespread belief of many of is students that transition is not that big a deal for them. Experience with past kids demonstrates that it can be a big deal, a deal, or not so much of a deal for BFA grads - you just don't know beforehand who will suffer greatly and who will sailing through relatively easily. So framing transition in a way that kids don't just ignore the "warnings" or fail to attempt the work of leaving and of going is a challenge.

Transition happens with all high school kids. They leave high school and go off to work or college. Some live with parents, some live on their own. Some succeed, some fail in "launching". BFA kids leave high school (a place where relationships are intense, safe and constant) they leave each other, literally overnight as they board planes to various continents and futures, they leave their sets of culture (where their parents work, where they go to school, the non-English languages they speak), they often don't get to go home for the weekend or even Thanksgiving, and they go (usually) to North America which can be extraordinarily "different" to them as familiar as it is to the average North Americans. They have often "transitioned" before but this one can be a real big one. Some succeed, some fail. We'd like to contribute to their success.

We're also quite focused on our upcoming trip as leaders of an M-trip to China. It is an exciting opportunity to take 17 kids to work with 60 kids at a school in one of China's largest cities. We'll (all 3 Kraines') also stop off in the city of the above mentioned language learning centers for two days on the way home to Germany. We both sense that this trip is under spiritual pressure. There have been a series of frustrations along the way (we know that all M-trips experience them but this seems a bit odder) -financial, travel arrangements, team cohesion and coming together - all seem a few beats off. Pray for this. Pray also for our health. Diane especially is dealing with very painful sciatica (still after 10 physical therapy sessions) and Russ' back is also a bit problematic. So, yeah, please pray.

The holiday season has passed and we’re back into the rhythm of normality. It was great to have a break. Our Hannah spent three weeks here in Germany and we were able to confirm first hand that she’s doing well with her new life at university. It must have been a bit of a shock for her to walk off the plane in Zurich (wearing flip-flops, of course) into snow after leaving the sun and warmth of southern California. We enjoyed a white Christmas together.

Above: our little tree. Below: gift time.

Break was not especially event filled and that was just what we needed. One day trip to a French Christmas Market with friends and we did get to spend a few days in Switzerland – one of those days we went sledding as a family. Mom and Dad are still working through the back pains from that but we had a blast together.

Strasbourg, France at Christmas Market time.

I know that might sound like we get around with all the country name -dropping, but today our very ordinary errands took Russ through three countries in and hour and a half. Most of the groceries were obtained in town but the cheapest gas is over the border in Switzerland and a coupon worth the equivalent of $9 convinced him to stop at a French “superstore” for printer paper, split peas, and some inexpensive pork chops – we have no idea why they were the equivalent of $1 – that’s an unheard of price! Guess what’s for dinner tomorrow.

Above: Street view in Grabunden Alps. Below: geared up for a sled run.

Another popular vacation activity:

Classes are going well for Russ as his seniors begin the five-month slide to graduation. Diane’s work keeps expanding with new ideas, initiatives, and opportunities to use language learning as a tool to open doors for the Kingdom. Amazing things are happening with her ministry! Over the next few months we’ll have the additional task and privilege of preparing with our team (17 students, 5 staff) for the spring M-trip to southern China – we’re getting all our shots Tuesday. If you’re curious on details, check out our monthly newsletter. (If you’d like to subscribe, send us an email at rkraines@teachbeyond.org).

"Our" castle in the mist - as was much of Christmas break.

Tis the season

The race to the finish for the fall semester is in full swing. The seasons, as you can see by the two views of our local castle, have turned and we've entered the long nights and short days of winter. (Payback is in the summer when daylight lasts until after 10 PM).

Sausenberg ruins from the kitchen window (maximum zoom - it's not that close!)

We have celebrated Thanksgiving three times this Fall. Many of our friends here are Canadian and they invite us to theirs in October. We then joined in a week-early celebration with the girls of Wittlingen dormitory where we fill every other week for Resident Assistants as they take their day off. Finally our small group from Black Forest Christian Fellowship got together for (laughably small by U.S. standards) turkeys (at seven pounds we used two) and many of the "fixins".

The photo below was taken at a English class for German adults that Diane had the pleasure of filling in as a teacher one evening. The lesson of the night was cooking Thanksgiving dishes (minus the turkey).

And then there was the social event of the season at BFA - the Christmas Banquet. Here's a shot I snuck of Carl attaching a corsage to his date's wrist. These kids clean up nicely!


It's far from all celebrations here. The students and staff are winding up a concentrated effort at instruction, learning, sports, spiritual disciplines, dorm living, cross-cultural strains, distance from family and loved ones, and so much more that has been going at a steady and busy intensity since the latter days of August. This will be our last full week of instruction before exam week and the exodus of students for Christmas break to four different continents.

Speaking of different continents, we will soon learn who is going where for this coming April's BFA work trips. Lord willing, Diane and I will be leading a team to a southeastern Asian nation to work with students in one or more schools there. Hopefully we'll be able to do some exploratory and planning work for initiatives in Hanoi on our return journey. We will keep posting what we judisciously are able to post.

Brazil!!!

There's lots of stuff on the ministry horizon. Here's one:

Pray for this. Pray for God to put together the staff and campers that will make this camp all about His glory working itself out in people's lives. Pray that great lessons will be learned from this "prototype" of transferring the English Camp model we've worked on in Germany to many other places. Pray for strength, wisdom, and effectiveness for Diane in her role as TeachBeyond's Director of Language Services.

International Spice Market - emblematic of this month's happenings

A whole lot can happen in a month. Diane has been involved in more meetings than anyone might care to count but exciting stuff is growing out of these meetings. Folks from two "closed" Asian nations spent time here in Kandern to discuss the role that TeachBeyond might have in starting up and staffing language centers and schools throughout these closed countries. God's people in these places are are dreaming big and acting on those dreams. Many, outrageously many are meeting Christ and educational initiatives seem to be a powerful means by which this is happening. Diane has a full plate of initiatives to undertake and that's exciting.

Can you guess what sort of country Russ visited?

Russ' seniors took off to Rome for their class trip and a fine time, we hear, was had by all. While those guys were gone Russ traveled to do some work in a school located in another country that shall remain nameless (although the pictures should give it away. He had a great time helping out with their Worldviews classes and encouraging one of TeachBeyond's farther flung members.

Perhaps the tastiest looking kepab I've ever seen - no, I didn't have one (too full at the time).

Fall in our neck of the woods means harvest time. The big question is, "red or white"?

October '10

Well we're one month into the school year here. It's been a good start - a very calm spirit seems to be reigning right now. Thursday night Russ' seniors headed out on their senior trip. It's a good one - we got to go last year as senior class sponsors. They'll stop for the day (following an all night bus ride) in Florence before heading on to their hotel for the week in Santa Severa. This is a beach town about an hour outside of Rome and the base of operations for the rest of the week. Museums, wanderings through the city and a day at the beach will fill up their time and they'll head back on Thursday via Venice (actually arriving at BFA Friday morning). This trip is designed to bond and strengthen the Senior Class and it usually does so.

In the time off from having classes I'll be traveling to a major city in a "sensitive" country that is home to a sister school. I'm going at the invitation of the principal of that school and I'm very thankful for Europe's budget airlines which allow very affordable travel. I get to meet with the Worldviews teacher there and teach a few classes. I also get to check out a few of the sights.

Diane officially takes up the mantle of her new position now that September is over. She has responsibilities that will necessitate absolute reliance on God's provisions as she overseas various language projects in multiple continents and countries. Pray for God to raise up people and churches with a heart for and background in using language instruction as an opportunity to share the hope of Christ.

We had a great time last weekend visiting with some old friends who were "in town" from California. It's so refreshing to catch up especially when folks are still faithful in ministry after "all these years".