Nielsons to Spangdahlem, Germany
Today we released Roger & Sheila Nielson to open a new Hospitality House ministry in Spangdahlem, Germany. Roger is a retired US Air Force and commercial airline pilot. Sheila has been a leader Bible Study Fellowship for over 25 years and majored in German in college. (Not that a couple resume-like statements adequately describes these wonderful people!) Now they will be putting all they’ve learned over the years in to play as they minsiter to the Air Force communtiy in Spangdahlem.
Here is a timeline of how the Nielsons came to Cadence (from my perspective):
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April 4th, 2006: I received a call from current Cadence missionaries, Steve & Kathy Fisher, who suggested the Nielsons would be a great fit for us. I called and spoke with Sheila, talked about ministry opportunities, and sent them a brochure and DVD.
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April 26th, 2006: Larry Ingalls, Director of Personnel, met with Roger and Sheila while he was traveling in their area. He called to ask that we send them an application.
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October-November, 2006: Roger and Sheila traveled to Baumholder, Germany for a Taste and See trip to visit our ministries for a week or two. The timing worked out so the Fishers, who had initially recommended the Nielsons, were filling in at our ministry in Baumholder and were able to be the hosts for the trip. On the trip, the Nielsons were able to travel to Spangdahlem and meet with a chaplain.
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Winter-Spring 2007: Applications completed. Invited to Candidacy.
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July 15th, 2007: Candidacy began.
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July 20th, 2007: Appointed Alpha staff (long term) missionaries.
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July 23-26th, 2007: New Missionary Training, Phase I completed. Began partnership development.
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October, 2007: Scouting trip to Spangdahlem to meet with chaplains and community leaders and look for possible minsitry site. Found a farmhouse pension that would be a great Hospitality House.
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December 10-12, 2007: New Missionary Training, Phase II completed at headquarters in Denver. This training includes accounting, military minsitry context, and starting off well.
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January 3, 2007: Released to the field — which means the Lord has provided financially and now the Nielsons have the authorization to conduct ministry in Spangdahlem.
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They plan to move to Germany by the end of January!
Please be in prayer for this new ministry and for the Nielsons in this exciting and busy time.
My daughter, Rachel, and her Air Force husband, Louis, are moving to Spangdahlem in February. They are Christians and so I was excited to find your website! My daughter is having a very difficult time with the move, which is for 4 years. They have been married for only a year and a half, and have no children. I have been praying they would find Christians there and a church.
Margo,
I’m glad you found out about our new ministry in Spangdahlem! I’ll forward your email to the Nielsons in case they don’t read this blog. You can also email them — click on their name in blue in this post and that will provide their email address for you. I hope Rachel & Louis have a great four years in Germany — it could be a great time for them spiritually.