Well, I suppose I should start at the beginning. I am a soon-to-be graduate of Moody Bible Institute with a degree in Elementary Education. I've been offered a position to teach middle school math at Vienna Christian School, located in Vienna, Austria. God willing, I'll be moving to Austria this fall to begin teaching.
VCS was founded in 1986 to serve missionaries who were working in Europe. Communism prevented many of them from actually living in this countries where they served, so missionary families stationed themselves in Vienna. Meanwhile, they smuggled Bibles into closed countries and helped start underground churches. Years later, the fall of communism provided these missionaries the chance to spread out and move into numerous countries. This meant a declining number of students needing VCS. At this point, VCS decided to open the doors to the public. The student body has been growing ever since! What started as a school for missionary kids has become a means of evangelism as 70% of the student body represents the international community. Not only are they from various nationalities, but many different religious background, too. International businessmen who serve with the United Nations, oil companies, and other businesses send their children to VCS because they seek a quality, English-speaking school where their children will receive an outstanding education as well as be loved and accepted. In the meantime, their students are being taught about Christ's love and experiencing it on a daily basis. It's a tremendous opportunity to impact entire countries for Christ, by simply planting a seed in the heart of a student!
For various reasons, I will not receive a salary from VCS.
- Not paying salaries helps keep tuition costs affordable for families.
- Austria charges 130% in taxes for all wages paid to employees.
- By raising support, I will better identify with the missionary I serve.
Contrary to popular belief, I am not working "for free." That being said, I am also not looking to make a profit. Consider the Levites:
- The Lord said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites. I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting. From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die. It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I have said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.'" (Numbers 18:20-24)
I have joined a missions agency, Janz Team, and will raise support like all of the other teachers and staff members serving at VCS. Janz Team will mange my finances and has helped me write a budget that includes certain amounts of my support set aside each month for insurance, retirement/saving, groceries, rent, and various other things. My current need is $2,700 per month, plus $7,000 in set-up costs. Set-up costs will cover visa fees, plane tickets, and other one-time costs like furniture for my apartment, which I will share with another female VCS teacher. If I don't have 100% by the end of July, I can't go. We serve a BIG GOD, and I know He will provide!!
If you'd like more information about Janz Team or Vienna Christian School, check out the following links:
And if you'd like more information about how you can get involved with this awesome ministry, please email me and I'd be glad to talk with you. Check back throughout the summer for prayer requests and updates on how support raising is coming along!
