last week.....

So, although I'm not teaching at Black Forest Academy (BFA) I get to help out once or twice a week at one of the dorms. On Monday's the RA's have the night off and so people from the community (i.e. ME) get to sub and do the things that the RA's usually do. On Thursday's the dorm parents get the night off and so there will be people that sub for them too. Just another person around is good to have....peace of mind. I will get to help at least on Monday's.....maybe Thursday's too. Ok, enough about me.....

BFA started school last Tuesday. They start the year with an opening ceremony and hear from all the administration and thoughts for the year. After the ceremony, which has some very traditional things that HAVE to happen, which included the Seniors walking in carrying all the flags from the countries represented at BFA this year, introductions of all the residential life people, the teachers/ administrators and then the students (each group stood as a whole). Then, the director spoke. :) Then there was the traditional "passport ceremony". The passport ceremony was eye opening. They called out names of countries and if you have a passport for the country or your parents were in that country or you had ever been a missionary in that country you got to stand up and make some noise. It's amazing how God can bring such an ecletic group of people together! The students and faculty at BFA represent over 50 countries this year. I think the exact number I heard was 56!!! Amazing!!!

After all is said and done it was heartwarming to see parents praying with their kiddos they were leaving and then bittersweet to know that they wouldn't see their parents until at least Christmas break. Here are a couple of pictures of the groups that I loved seeing!