October 12th: Final Clean and Vienna Dinner

Blessing from the church on the door frames of the Haus

It was our final day of clean up since all the students left early this morning.  It would be a long day of cleaning rooms, kitchen, dining rooms and classrooms.  One of the most important days to have a servants heart for the Lord.  Most people were very tired and some of the workers were beginning to get sick but I know the Lord was with us for the day keeping us strong, healthy and motivated through the day.  I am getting more anxious to get home as it gets closer and just wanting the day to come to an end already when I wake up.  I was able to say goodbye to a few of the Russian students who I got to hang out with and get to know a little better during their time here.  It was quite different being around the Russians and Bulgarians for so long with some of them not even knowing any English.  Once morning items were complete we began our duties as housecleaners and took over the Cow Barn to clean it.  It went by fairly quickly with all of the people and before I knew it we were back getting ready for lunch.  Since the students were gone we had a buffet style of all the leftover meals which was more than expected.  I knew we were going to have a good dinner later tonight so limited myself to some of the items.  The cookbook was a great gift for everyone and excited to go home and make some of the dishes and the pumpkin soup that Austria was so famous for.  The afternoon was spent with more cleaning duties and the final packing for my early departure.  This trip was amazing and seems like just yesterday I was arriving in the airport in Vienna with an open heart and no idea what to expect on the trip.  It was so much more than I thought and feel so blessed to have experienced it and all the people I was able to meet and fellowship with.  I look forward to the future and what will come of this trip, hearing the stories of the students and other workers lives changed and hopefully more trips to come back to Haus Edelweiss.  It was such a renewed experience and love to see God at work blessing his people and how others touch lives and continue on with his Great Commission across all of his lost nations.  The dinner in the evening was very nice with a drive through the vineyards of Vienna on the way there and a great evening view of the city of Vienna.  It was very foggy and overcast the entire day so not much was seen of the city.  The final night of fellowship around the table was perfect and low key, just the way a final night should be.  After saying a few more goodbyes back at the Haus when we arrived I finished up my packing and was very anxious for 4 AM to arrive so I could begin the journey home.  What a blessed trip and life God has planned out for me and I continue to be amazed at his work and miracles that he provides.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20