Familie SCHRA May 2016 Proclaiming Christ among the nations through international Christian education Goodbyes are an all too common part of life in a community like the Internaonal Chrisan School of Vienna. Each year 20-25% of the ICSV student body turns over as embassy staff are posted to new assignments, UN contracts come to an end and new jobs take parents to new locaons. Each of the five school years that we have finished at ICSV has included at least one family member saying goodbye to a good friend. Somehow the goodbyes don’t get easier. This year we are part of the 20- 25% who will be leaving Vienna, and we’ve been doing a lot of talking and thinking about how we want to say goodbye. Recently we had a chance to spend a weekend with some dear friends in one of our favorite places in Austria. Lisa, Willem and our friend Duco ran a half- marathon around the beauful mountain lake in the region. We explored the old, narrow streets of the lakeside village. We lingered over breakfast. While the kids all enjoyed the warm pool on a chilly aſternoon aſter the race, the adults walked along the lakeshore. We shared stories of other adventures with our two families, and we stopped and prayed together, thanking God for the beauful giſt of our friendship. And then we said goodbye. As I write these words we have just marked Ascension Day (which is a public holiday here in Austria—we’re going to miss that!), and I’m wondering about what it was like for Jesus and the disciples to say goodbye before Jesus ascended to heaven. The gospels don’t give a lot of detail. Only Luke gives a specific record of the ascension and says that aſter Jesus was taken up into heaven, the disciples “worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” It is somehow comforng to me to know that Jesus, fully God yet fully human, also knows what it is like to say goodbye to dear friends. Right now, our life is a bit of a whirlwind. Both Lisa and I are pushing hard to finish our work at ICSV and hand off all the things we do. The kids have year-end exams and projects, and I am also working to complete my final thesis for my master’s program by June 30. At the same me we are preparing for our move and beginning the search for employment in West Michigan. Especially because life is so full right now, we are very thankful for the me with our friends on the shore of the Hallstaeer See a few weeks ago and the example of how to say goodbye well. Please join us in praying for good, healthy goodbyes for each member of our family in the weeks ahead. Reflecons on Saying Goodbye Updates from ICSV Jeffrey has begun to train his suc- cessor at ICSV. Natasha Madu is a local person who has had kids at ICSV for many years and who has worked with Jeffrey for the past two years as ICSV’s accountant. This is a great situaon for the school (and for Jeffrey!). Lisa’s hand off is a bit trickier as her work will be divided between two new staff members (HS principal and guidance counselor) as part of a revised structure. These are both strong hires, but since neither will overlap with Lisa she is working hard to document all of the new things she has put in place for the IB program at ICSV. The school received the final ap- proval from the Viennese educa- on authories for the IB program. This wasn’t a surprise, but it took a long me for this decision to be processed in the rather bureau- crac ministry of educaon. Praise God that this is now complete! ICSV’s enrollment projecon and financial posion for the future both look strong. Even as we wrap up our work at the school, we are excited to think about what God has in store for ICSV’s future.