Walking in 2022

Hello Friends and Family,

Its been a long time since I sent one of these out, not since the summer and we were still adjusting to life back in Germany. It’s now been 7 months, and lot of things have happened.

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YWAM Base

Another training school has started, and though smaller then usual (thanks, covid) there has been tons of breakthrough for the 11 students and they are now off on outreach in 2 countries in the Middle East supporting what God is already doing there. They will return soon and then much of the staff team will head out with them to different loctions in Europe to share about their time in churches and other gatherings to encourage the believers.

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Staff Care

I, Gillian, have been networking with other European missions organizations to see how they do staff care (or member care). How can we develop and care for our staff so they are healthy, full of vision, and equipped to go the long haul in missions? Others have done so before and so there is much we can learn from them. With our staff team we are meeting personally with each and doing training and even prayer and counseling when it is needed. Its very relational as many of our fellow staff members are friends, but it is so amazing to see the fruit of intentionally pouring into people’s lives and so they AND their ministries can thrive.

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MPD Training

Most of the staff at our base have never received any training in how to start, develop and care for a team of supporters before or after they are on the field. Matt and I have been doing small trainings with the staff team every week and leading a weekly bible study on how God has given us a blueprint for living and working on support. It is slow going, but, again, we have never had anything like this at our base before so we are honored to be trusted to try out a new thing. I have also been doing one-on-one coaching with some staff members as they started doing support raising for the first time. I sometimes feel a little out of my depth as I am no expert, just have some experience, but the Holy Spirit is always there and gives me the wisdom I need in the moment. I am blessed to see them receive breakthrough and healing.

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Worship

Over the past months Matt Has been gearing up and asking God what He wants to do in the area of Worship in our community. The goal is to strengthen our base's worship culture, especially in the individuals leading our worship times. Of course Matt has experience in leading worship over the last decade as well as having lead the School of Worship for a couple years. However it is written "Unless the Lord builds the house those who build it labor in vain" Doing things God's way always works out better, and lasts longer.

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Maintenance

There is an new maintenance leader at the castle and since formally Matt lead the maintenance department he has been working with the new leader, training and helping him out with organizing and doing actual maintenance. Right now the schools are out on outreach and since things are a bit quieter, this is when we usual do renovations. This year Matt and a team are ripping apart 2 student dorm rooms, wiring in new electrical and taking off the 5 or so layers of paint and wallpaper to start fresh. He comes home very dirty and dusty most days.

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Home Tours - Rotterdam, Netherlands

After outreach the trainees headed out for a week of sharing their experiences and testimonies in churches and other group. This is in hope of inspiring other beleivers for missions and what God is doing around the world and in people’s hearts. I, Gillian, joined the team that went to Rotterdam, Netherlands for a week and was able to share and minister at a prayer meeting, church service, youth group, baptismal, and on the street. It’s been a full week and I miss my family as they stayed in Germany but God has really been faithful as we have stepped out.

War in Ukraine and Our Response

As war has started in Europe, we will be hosting 29 refugees in the castle with the trainees. Details are still coming in and our staff team is figureing things out as it comes. We have responded to refugee crisis before, in Greece, but not hosting on the property. Many of us have done this before but we need PRAYER as we figure things out and wisdom for the correct way to respond and help. Follow our IG or Facebook story for updates as they come. And if you would like to give to help feed and house these Ukrainians please contact us.

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Family

It was an adjustment time, getting used to life here again, with some health issues and even a flood of our dinning room and kitchen which took around 2 months to remedy, but I would say that we have found our rhythm and have been loving being back in our own house. It has also been a bit difficult as much of our roles at the base have not happened before, so it is trying new things and seeing if they work.

I thank God that our kids have adjusted so well and that we have been able to reconnect with old and new friends. Elaina is learning German again and Emeth is potty training. I am home with the kids 2/3 of the time and I am loving investing more in them and our home than I have been able to do in the past. This also makes more room to have people over and do the staff care that I talked about earlier.

We also had our first family Christmas where it was just us and we were able to start traditions and carry on some from our families back in the States and Canada.

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It has been such a blessed time, with some ups and downs along the way, but overall we see God moving in and through us to support and further develop the staff here and they, therefore, can better serve the trainees, local ministries and national initiatives.

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Prayer

Please pray with us for our trainees as they are heading home after outreach and the school. That they will be able to apply all that they learned and see God in everything.

We received an email from our landlords that we will have to leave our house since they will be moving back to be close and take care of their parents. This is not a new thing for us as they let us know this was there plan a long time ago. But now we must find a place for our little family. Please pray that we find a house/apartment with 3 bedrooms and a garden that will serve us well for the remained of our 2 years here in Germany.

The Ukrainian Refugees and their families with them and back in Ukraine. That we could be God’s hands and feet to them in this time.

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Thank you for reading, praying, and supporting our little Dean Family Team as we serve God in Germany!

Blessings,

Gillian, Matthew, Elaina and Emeth