Prayer Update

Previous Requests:
1) healing for dad’s leg: found out that he broke it and will need to have lighter duties at work for 5-6 wks.
2) job interview: I got the job, but I’m still looking for a better one (need more money)
3) money for school books and tuition: I got the book and paid my tuition!
4) Sara and her baby: both are doing well and home now
5) move into apartment: everything went well and I love my new place
6) church role: I accepted a position helping lead one of the campus groups
7) Charlie’s mom: just started chemotherapy
8) garden: it is growing great. I have gotten a lot of food for myself and others from it.

New Requests:
1) that I would do well academically this semester and that I would get into a nursing program
2) that I would have spiritual wisdom in my conversations with students
3) that I would be able to (re)build deep relationships with my friends here

Life

On Monday my friends Sara and Bob had a baby girl (Gweneth)! Because Gwen was a bit jaundiced they needed to stay in the hospital for a few days, so Wed. and Thur. I spent most of the day watching their other daughter Amelia. I really enjoyed the time, although it was a struggle to keep my energy up between chasing a 1.5 year old, writing a term paper, and taking a final exam. Thankfully my class is over now, and I can focus on finding a satisfying job. This morning I enjoyed spending time with my friend Anita followed by baking 180 cupcakes for a wedding that I am going to this Sunday, helping a friend clean their home, and tending my garden. It's amazing how full life can be even without a full-time job.

Prayer requests:
-My father hurt his leg and is in quite a bit of pain. It would be great if this would heal quickly.
-I have a job interview tomorrow at 11AM. It is only for 1 day a week, but would still be great to have.
-I'm hoping to pull together enough money to buy school books this fall so that I don't need to waste time in the library every day.
-Students will be moving back to MSU soon. Please pray that the new church service on campus would be a success and that people would choose to have a relationship with Christ.

The Barretts

Last night I returned from a long day of looking for work and studying for my psychology class to have dinner with the Barretts (the couple whose home I have been living in for the summer). We made a vegetable spaghetti sauce using produce from my garden and then went to see Wall-e in a nearly empty movie theater. As the evening progressed I enjoyed hearing their reminiscences about the city as it was 50 years ago. After the movie we had some soft-serve ice cream at Tasty Treat. Today we all helped a Chinese family to move and I got a sofa out of the deal. Mrs. Barrett also gave me a bunch of other items to complete my new place. I feel really blessed to have such good friends, it has made my transition back to the States so much easier.

Prayer requests:
-for a smooth move into my new apartment next week
-for my friend Sara. Her new baby is jaundiced and needs to stay in the hospital for a while.
-for my friend who was recently diagnosed with cancer, that they would get the best treatment possible and that they would come to have a personal relationship with Christ.
-that I would find a way to keep in contact with my friends overseas
-that I would find a satisfying role in the church here

A Perfect Day

Yesterday I headed off to LCC to see if I had been granted residency. For those of you who haven't heard, I have been struggling with bureaucracy for the past several weeks to get in-district status because this reduces the cost of school by half. Thankfully, the paperwork finally went through and they decided in my favor!

As the day progressed I got health insurance, found $5 on the side of the road, got a pair of new jeans for $2, passed a house giving away free tomato cages (which I needed for my garden), and met a fellow community gardener who happened to bring her dog.

Now all I need is a job. keep praying.

Prayer requests:
-Charlie's mother (from Germany) is very ill. Please pray that she would come to accept the gospel and that she would be healed physically and spiritually.
-Britta (a woman from the church in Germany), fell from her horse and just had her second surgery to repair her back.
-The Bonnets are still looking for a home close to the University and the rest of the church.

sticking my toe in (prayer requests)

Tonight I went to EPIC (the Riverview college group) for the first time since being back in the States. Although I had met a few of the staffers and college students at a BBQ last week, there were only a couple of familiar faces tonight.

There were two international students there, one from Germany and one from Ukraine. Talking to them reminded me why I would like to get back to Europe some day. There are so many students there who have simply written off Christianity because they have been given some superficial reasons to believe that it is implausible. Without having ever read the Bible or seriously looked for answers to their objections, they feel convinced that it cannot be true. It is ironic that cultures which so highly value objective reasoning can have such a massive blind spot when it comes to thinking about the claims of Christianity.

Prayer Requests:
-I am really hoping that within the next few weeks I can form a clearer picture of what work God has for me to do here. It seems likely that it will have something to do with international students but I am still praying for guidance.

-I really hope that I am able to invite the student from Ukraine to meet my friend Sally sometime (who was in the Peace Corp there) and that I can keep in touch with the woman from Germany even after she leaves the States.

-Ramona, who took over hosting the Bible study that used to meet in my apartment, was contacted by a member of the university housing staff and told that they did not approve of Bible studies being held in the apartments. Please pray that she would have the courage to ignore this pressure and the the housing staff would be won over by our good conduct. Please also pray that new people would continue to come.

Praise

Charlie passed his semi-truck driving test yesterday, and today his family was accepted at an apartment in Huerth (very close to where the Goerings and Thomas Lobe live)! It should be a great help to the church to have them here.

Gut Yontiff

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel as a modern state. In recognition of this, Köln invited musicians to perform in one of the main public squares. Marina, a woman who contacted me a few months ago to ask if I would be interested in hosting (spiritually-themed) movie nights with her at the University, invited me to go and hear her sister sing Hebrew folk songs. I really enjoyed her performance. The following act consisted of two young Jewish men decked in Israli flags and wearing yamulkes who rapped alternatingly about mid-east politics and more amusing themes such as the benefits of going out with a Jewish guy.

My day was, as a whole, very full. It began at 6:15AM when the church has a bi-weekly prayer meeting. Arriving at the Uni around 10, I had several meetings with students followed by repeat trips to the student registrar, my internet provider, and my insurance company. The most encouraging moment of my day came when, Julia, a woman from one of my classes last semester, approached me in the cafeteria. I did not remember her, but she clearly knew me. Her first words to me were "Bist du Glaubig?" (are you a believer?). I answered in the affirmative and apologized for not remembering her. She proceeded to explain that she had thought about contacting me ever since the course we had taken together because she had been impressed by my knowledge of the Bible and the fact that I had the courage to stand up to some of the things that our professor said in class. She asked for my contact info and I hope to meet with her next week.

Prayer Request: Just a reminder, tomorrow (Friday) we will be heading to Holland to go camping with students we have been in contact with. We will be gone until Monday afternoon. Please pray that those who will be sharing their testimonies would find the right words and that the students would be open to hearing, that the weather would be good, and that everyone would have a good time with one another.Jenilee and Nathan, from Kansas, will be visiting us until the 25th. They stopped by the fair for a few minutes on their way to try out a Kolsch.

Faith, Hope, and Love

I took the stairs two at a time, hoping to reach the train stop in less than five minutes. If Ramona and I missed our train, we would have to wait another half-hour for the next connection. It was still possible, so as I breathlessly explained what I had planned for the Sunday School lesson, I kept our pace fast. As we rounded the corner the crossing gates lowered and our hearts sank just as fast. We could see Thomas already in the train and waved to him forlornly as he passed us by.

Even walking briskly, we would likely be late to church. As we started to walk in the direction of the Goerings, I explained to Ramona how I had occasionally hitched a ride in the States. In the back of my mind I began to pray that somehow, someone would offer us a ride to church in this instance. What I had in mind was that one of the families from church would see us and stop to pick us up. Instead, without our having done anything, a car pulled over in front of us and a child jumped out and ran to the grass embankment (he had a bloody nose). His father than stepped out behind him and turned to us to ask for some Kleenex. As Ramona dug in her purse, I took the initiative and asked if he might be going in the direction of our church. He was. As a result we were actually there before almost anyone else. As the others began to trickle in, I gathered things together for my Sunday School lesson on the "narrow path" and how we need Christ to walk it. Soon we began an especially nice worship time thanks to Florian, who, although he was visiting us for the first time, had brought a guitar with him. He joined Charlie and Martin like a pro.

After church we had a movie night with the English Conversation group. Everyone was asked to bring a movie and we would then vote on what we would like to watch. I was pleasantly surprised that The Hiding Place, a movie about a Christian woman who hid Jews during the Second World War, was chosen over films like the Matrix, the English Patient, Fried Green Tomatoes, and A Beautiful Mind. Corrie Ten Boom, her sister Betsy and their father illustrate the challenges and rewards that come with trying to love our enemies (even from within the confines of Auschwitz) and trust in God's love for us and control over the situations we find ourselves in. Afterwards Daniel tried to lead a conversation about the movie, but unfortunately it did not get very far. Please pray that there might be opportunities to talk about the themes presented in the movie some other time.Ophelia and Simone.Ramona and I considering how The Giving Tree could be used to illustrate various theological ideas.Florian, Thomas, and Patrick.

Prayer Requests

-With my return to the States looming on the horizon, it is tempting to furiously attempt to cram everything possible into the remaining weeks or go to the opposite extreme and do nothing. Please pray that I would find a healthy balance.

-That doors would be opened for me in the States to gain internationally transferable job skills, that I would have no trouble meeting housing needs, that I will quickly find a place within a US church, that I am able to effectively re-build strong relationships with friends in East Lansing, and that I am able to use my time in the States to strengthen my relationship with God.

-So many new people have been coming around lately. Pray that we would have wisdom in knowing how to best invest our time and efforts into those God has brought into our lives and that they would come to know Christ or deepen their relationship with him.

-That a strong Christian presence would grow on the Uni Koeln campus. Specifically that there would be groups of Christians meeting to pray with one another on campus, that anti-Christian professors would find themselves with groups of committed Christians in their classes who are able to support one another, that respect and tolerance would be shown for our beliefs, and that active dialogging about faith issues would take place on campus.

-Every day I hang a small (1/4 page) bible study poster on the notice board in my building. Every day it is taken down, while the ads for beer bashes and sex sites remain. It is a small thing, but please pray that I would not be discouraged by it and that I might somehow run into the person who keeps doing this and make a good impression on them. The same problem exists en masse at the university where Christian posters have little chance of remaining for very long.

-The Ford family (Charlie, Innes and their kids Hanna and Jordan) needs housing and work in Koeln.

-The Bonnets (Martin, Heike and their kids Jonathan, Johanna, and Pia) are still looking for a house closer to the Goerings and Heike continues to have problems with her sight.

-That our upcoming trip to the Netherlands from May 9-11 would lead to deepening relationships within our team and also with all of the students that we have invited.

-That we would quickly be able to find a new place for our Bible study to meet which is attractive to the students who live in the Student dorms in Huerth-Efferen (it is in my room now, and most of the students who come live in the buildings around me).

-That those with whom I have shared the gospel in the last few weeks would make clear decisions for Christ.

-That the kids in our church would soon understand and accept the gospel.

Grab Bag

Today I am teaching Geometry, Honors Chemistry, and Bible. In the past weeks I have substituted in disciplines ranging from English, History, and Earth Science to Sports. Unlike the typical subbing jobs that I am used to, I have had numerous opportunities to actually teach. This has made the process both more interesting and more daunting.

Added to the mix is the fact that I am furiously cramming bits and pieces of seemingly random mathematical concepts and vocabulary into my brain for the Graduate Record Exam which I am taking this Thursday. Please pray that I am able to learn everything needed to do well, both on the GRE and for the geometry class that I will be teaching in a couple of hours! :)

The Gospel

This weekend there was a Europe-wide pastors conference in Koeln and some of the participants stuck around a bit longer to join us in a time of worship. Alex, a pastor visiting from Spain gave a teaching on the Gospel.

Despite the familiarity of the topic, God used the opportunity to reassure one of the members of our church that he could be accepted by God and be certain of receiving eternal life. All that was necessary was belief. Belief that he had fallen short of meeting God's perfect standard (sinned) and as a result, deserved death. Belief that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, was buried and on the third day rose again.

It is always nice to experience the surprising moments that God chooses to show His presence.

P.S-Please pray that this person would be able to grow in their faith and be able to get the support they need to learn more about God.

Intellectual Tragedy

I have been at the University for 2 weeks now. Although I have not had enough time to truly form an accurate or comprehensive picture of the system here, I would like to post a few of my observations and ask for your prayers.

In most of my classes there are so many students that a significant portion of the group must sit on the floor. There are not enough books in the library, not enough advisers, not enough technological resources of any kind (in 2 enormous lectures the professors have not had microphones, there are about 30 computers in the main campus buildings for 40,000 students, et.), the course management is disastrous. After all of the financial and cultural reasons for this have been duly tabulated, there remains no truly satisfying excuse for the condition in which the university finds itself.

I have had Professors who enter the room late without making eye contact, begin a address to their students without pausing for breath, and exit the room 90 minutes later just as abruptly. No welcome, no announcement of office hours or offers of assistance, no warmth.

I have had instructors who are funny, interesting, and clearly love to teach. There is one who I think may become one of the favorites of my entire academic career (and I have had a lot of professors).

All of the professors seem to be knowledgeable, highly intellegent, some perhaps could even be described as brilliant. That being said, without exception, I believe that they are all spiritually empty. My professors have referred to the Bible as a book of legends or purely a literary work in multiple classes, some of which have no relation to religious topics (And this all within the first week!). But this is not what disturbs me. At every secular, and even some "christian", universities in the US one can hear the same ideas being expressed. They have permeated every realm of academic culture, although most academics have never deeply explored the layers of assumption behind their pronouncements.

What disturbs me is the virulence behind their words. The degree to which they clearly desire to convince others. How desperately they seem to be looking for confirmation that what they are saying is supported by the masses of "blank slates" who sit before them.

To give you a taste of what I am talking about, take a look at these two video clips which were shown in one of my classes today. They were followed by a diatribe against "Fundamentalist American christians" who believe in the Bible and intelligent design.



(warning: could offend sensitive souls)



(a christian children's program. . .admittedly hokey)

Please pray that I can be a light here. That I can help people who truly have intellectual difficulties in believing in the message of Christ to find the answers that they are sincerely looking for. Pray that I can be loving to those who have simply allowed sin to harden their hearts or who have chosen to follow the path of intellectual laziness and not truly explore the issues at stake.

Prayer requests

1. Thomas L. and I have both given notice with our apartment complexes. We need new places to live by Sept. 29th.

2. In the last month or so Heike has begun to have serious problems with her eyes (she can only see 20% right now).

3. I have recieved 2 acceptance letters from schools here (Uni Bonn und FH Köln). I am still waiting for the Uni Köln.

Please Pray

The Goerings have an appointment today to look at a home just south of Köln. They would really like to be able to sign a contract for it sometime this week and move in shortly thereafter. I am trusting that God will give them this, or another place to live soon, so I will be notifiing my apartment in Stegerwaldsiedlung that I want to move out and begin the process of looking for a new place to live this week so that I can be in the same area as the Goerings.

I will be under a lot of pressure in the next couple of weeks because I need to fill out university applications and get them in without making any mistakes. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to know what procedures to follow because every official has a different opinion, or no opinion at all. Please pray for patience, endurance, and wisdom on my part.

Praise

I had my last (assuming I passed) German exam on Saturday. It is called the "Deutsche Sprachpruefung fuer den Hochschulgang auslaendischer Studienbewerber" I feel as though I just narrowly survived a long battle. I should get the results in about two weeks, but I think that it went OK.

I've also got a new job. From 6 or 7AM until 9AM Monday through Friday I clean a posh store on Neumarkt (a pair of jeans runs 500 Euro). This will bring in a much needed 400 Euro per month. Although I do not know how long I will stay there, I am really happy to have the job!

Innes Ford was also able to get a 400Euro per month position with her old company. Also a good thing.

Questions

Many of my classmates came to me yesterday and thanked me for my presentation, which was really encouraging. A group of 4 Muslim men gave me a list of questions about the Bible that they would like me to answer. They were really very nice about it. and seemed to respect my faith even if they did not agree.

Please pray that I am able to answer well.

Congratulations

Thomas got a part-time job at the University yesterday working as a Mathematician. We are so happy for him!

Praise and Petition

Praise
-Thanks to all of you who were praying for my exams. I recieved an ''A'' on the first one, and I am still waiting for the results to come back for the second.

-The Goering family has officially announced their intentions to move to Köln in the coming year. There is still a lot to be done before this becomes a reality. They need to sell their home in Dortmund and buy one here. Please pray that everyone (Bonnets, Goerings, Schades, Thomas Lobe, and I) finds a place to live near one another.

New Prayer Requests:
-The Dortmund and Düsseldorf churches will be having a weekend retreat starting on Friday. Please pray that the (future) Köln team will find time to connect with one another there.

-I will be in the States from January 9-30th. Please pray that I am able to connect with as many people as possible and that the time is both refreshing and productive.

-I am hoping to get a place to study at the University here this coming summer. Please pray that there will be an opening. Only 5 Americans are accepted per year, and a lot depends on what you would like to study.

-Thomas Lobe is still looking for a job. It is very important that he find something by the end of January.

Prayer Request

I am taking a couple of important exams this month in order to gain acceptance to the University here. Please pray that I will learn all that I need to pass and that I can be confident on the test days.

November 17: Zertifikat Deutsch-Reading Comprehension, Listening Skills, and Written Communication
November 23: Zertifikat Deutsch-Oral Exam
November 30: Zentral Mittelstufenprüfung-Reading Comprehension, Listening Skills, and Written
December 3: Zentral Mittelstufenprüfung-Oral Exam

Quick Update

Since I last posted I have been super busy.

Last Thursday was a good day for our English conversation group. We had at least 8 visitors despite the fact that the University is on break right now. It seems that your prayers and our posters are working. Please kep praying that people would consistently come, and that we would be able to develop good relationships with one another.

On Friday I spent three hours preparing a meal with a group of friends split equally between Japanese and Spanish nationality. The Japanese influence contributed a main dish of ginger, cabbage, and chives blended in a thin dough and fried, a side of pickled eggs and a pot of seasoned and stewed pork. The Spaniards made a huge pot of Sangria, which is a mix of wine, orange soda, freshly squeezed juice, gran marnier, and a variety of thinly sliced fruits. It was great!

Saturday was spent renovating my friend Tom's apartment. After arriving for a quick breakfast at 9AM, we began work which lasted late into the night. Two friends from church in Dortmund came to join Thomas Lobe and I in helping Tom to get his apartment ready to move. (Which, in Germany, involves taking down wallpaper, re-painting, and removing the kitchen and all light fixtures) The next day Tom said that it was the best ''renovation party'' he had ever made because people had gotten along so well together. I think the day made the rest of us feel really good as well.

Sunday I was forced to say goodbye to my friend Sophie. Her family lives in Israel, and she needed to go back home after more than a year in Germany. I traveled to Bonn where she is living now, and we spent the day packing things up and exploring the city together. Please pray that she and her family will remain safe during this time of unrest in her land.