Settled, Serving and Learning

We are Settled!

We made it to the beautiful Sangre De Cristo mountain range in southern Colorado over a month ago. I cannot believe how fast time flies. We have turned this wild and majestic land into our home. We have settled into our apartment and the routine of Alpha attending classes and me going to work. Even Ember has decided country living is for him. Most of our furniture is still borrowed, but living in a camp setting with high turnover has some advantages and we have been blessed with a few of our larger pieces, like our (new to us) couch! It has been such a joy to make new friends and living in this Christ centered community. We have also been blessed to have my brother Nathan come visit twice and bring my Grammy up once.

Ember has made with friend in puppy LeLe

Ember is loving living in the mountains

Grammy and Nathan came to visit us!

We are Serving!

Starting camp in the summer is a lot of hard work, long days and exhausted bodies. The kitchen staff I have the privileged to manage and work with are some of the hardest working, most humble young adults I have ever met. The serve selflessly, sometimes over 12 hours a day and always with a smile. The ministry of working in a camp setting is most definitely a calling. I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to work and learn from some pros and I know God is using this experience to shape me and Alpha for ministry in Bangladesh.  Alpha is volunteering at the seminary, cleaning the classroom and main lodge to help cover his tuition. He has been working so hard to maintain his studies and work.

On Wednesdays we have a Western night for our guests

We are Learning!

Alpha has amazed me with his ability to learn and understand his classes. It has been a challenge and lots of extra hours to get through the readings, looking up words with a translator, discussing ideas and theological ideas with classmates, memorizing verses and topics. Fewf! I am out of breathe thinking about it all! Alpha often feels like he is not learning anything in lectures because he has to focus on translating, but even with all of these challenges he has surpassed his fellow students on tests and exams! I have seen and heard Alpha talk about his classes with passion and I know he is learning far more then he realizes. Please pray that Alpha feels that he is learning and that he does not get overwhelmed with the language barrier.
I have also been learning. I just finished a SafeServ Manager course and will hopefully receive my test results and certification next week. I am learning what it means to be a manager (assistant) and how to help resolve conflict as well as what it means to serve selflessly. Its not always easy, let me tell you!

One of the Kitchen's dishwasher was down so we loaded up a van with our dirty dishes and had a washing party at one of the other kitchens.

Our beautiful mountains, the pointy one in Horn Peek where we live

As Alpha and I have been working hard to cover tuition, housing and moving expenses, the Seminary has asked that we pray about and try to raise our tuition for the three year program as the goal of the Seminary is to prepare its students for full time ministry. We will be starting to pray about and ask for long term supporters. We would love if you would join our team as we work through Seminary and begin to look toward the future of being back on the missions field in Bangladesh full time. Over the next three years we will need to raise around $9,000 in tuition alone with more info to come on monthly ministry support and start up costs for when we move back to Bangladesh.

If you are interested in becoming a monthly supporter or would like more information please feel free to email me emillermk@gmail.com and I will be happy to send you more information.

If you feel God leading you to help Alpha with his masters, and ultimately back to Bangladesh, and would like to make a tax-deductible donation on his behalf please see the information below. We would love to have you join us on this journey.

Please make checks payable to: Sangre De Cristo Seminary

Sangre De Cristo Seminary
6160 County Rd #130
Westcliffe, Colorado
81252

Please include a note saying: 'On behalf of the tuition for Alpha Samaddar'

If you would like to donate online through PayPal please follow the link below. Again, please include a note: 'On behalf of the tuition for Alpha Samaddar'

Online Donation

If you would like to check out the school's website:
Sangre De Cristo Seminary

Enjoying a rare moment of quiet together