After about 24 hours on the bus from Koeln, we halted at the Ukraine|Poland border.The bus driver matter-of-factly instructed us to give money to the heavy-set woman boarding our bus. He assured us that this would accelerate our progress through the checkpoint. Whether through bribes or prayers, we were through in 30 min.
Ukraine is like an impoverished woman bedecked with jewels. The first sign that we had left Poland behind was the jarring gait of the bus over long-neglected roads. The homes that I passed on the way into the country were run-down, with crumbling brick work and outhouses. The front yards, however, were filled with colorful blooms and the house walls are painted in bright cheerful colors. Just past a soviet-era memorial with strident looking young comrades dashing off to work, was a cemetery with blue painted crosses sprouting up like poppies. A horse drawn wagon crested over a hill. The only motorized vehicles to be seen were farm equipment and the occasional semi-trailer or bus.
Hours later, I finally reached Kiev. A couple I know through my church hadn't arrived yet, which gave me the opportunity to chat with a girl waiting for her bus back to Germany. She sat on a bench eating pieces of what appeared to several small dried fish. She turned and dropped a flesh covered bone into her purse. Intrigued, I began to stare as inconspicuously as possible. Seeing me, she invited me to look inside. I was surprised to see a cat with her newborn kittens.
Showing posts with label good stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good stories. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
He is risen
Today I had the oral portion of my University language entrance exam. We were required to speak on a topic of our choice for 20 min in front of our class (~40 people). Although my teacher has expressed her strong dislike of ''religious people'', I chose to give a Powerpoint on the evidence for the resurrection of Christ from Josh Mcdowell's book ''The Resurrection Factor''. I was very nervous because most of my classmates are Muslim men and because my grade would determine whether or not I could retain my visa.
Despite my fears, it went very well. My classmates were so interested in the topic that they asked my teacher if I could speak longer, and she agreed. Including the Q & A period, I ended up speaking for the better part of an hour. Afterwards several of my classmates asked for my testimony or a copy of the book (which I had in German). I was a bit surprised to learn from a Chinese woman and a man from Indonisia that they had never heard anything about the story of the death and resurrection of Christ before!
Despite my fears, it went very well. My classmates were so interested in the topic that they asked my teacher if I could speak longer, and she agreed. Including the Q & A period, I ended up speaking for the better part of an hour. Afterwards several of my classmates asked for my testimony or a copy of the book (which I had in German). I was a bit surprised to learn from a Chinese woman and a man from Indonisia that they had never heard anything about the story of the death and resurrection of Christ before!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Bombs and Bibles
English conversation had just gotten out. It had been a good night with 13 people sitting around the table and lively conversations. Even so, I was feeling drained. The day had been full with school, meetings, and an especially long English group.
As I sat on the train, the conductor came on the overhead speaker explaining that there had been a ''serious problem'' at the Stegerwald Siedlung stop (where I live) and that everyone would have to get off of the train because the entire line would be shut down. After a moment of frustration because I was carrying a heavy box filled with Bibles which I would now need to carry several kilometers home, it occurred to me that it might have been a bomb. Just that day I had read that briefcases filled with explosives found a couple of days earlier were purchased in Köln. Although it would never stop me from riding the trains, it is often in the back of my mind.
As I sat chagrined at my petty concerns about having to walk home, a man began a conversation with me. I was surprised. In Germany strangers almost never speak, or even smile, at one another in the trains. He asked me what was in my closed box. I explained that they were Bibles and why I had them. After a few minutes of chatting about our differing beliefs, he asked if he could have one of the Bibles. Just then the conductor came back on and explained that children had cut the power lines at Stegerwald, but the problem had been fixed and we could continue our journey. Huh.
As I sat on the train, the conductor came on the overhead speaker explaining that there had been a ''serious problem'' at the Stegerwald Siedlung stop (where I live) and that everyone would have to get off of the train because the entire line would be shut down. After a moment of frustration because I was carrying a heavy box filled with Bibles which I would now need to carry several kilometers home, it occurred to me that it might have been a bomb. Just that day I had read that briefcases filled with explosives found a couple of days earlier were purchased in Köln. Although it would never stop me from riding the trains, it is often in the back of my mind.
As I sat chagrined at my petty concerns about having to walk home, a man began a conversation with me. I was surprised. In Germany strangers almost never speak, or even smile, at one another in the trains. He asked me what was in my closed box. I explained that they were Bibles and why I had them. After a few minutes of chatting about our differing beliefs, he asked if he could have one of the Bibles. Just then the conductor came back on and explained that children had cut the power lines at Stegerwald, but the problem had been fixed and we could continue our journey. Huh.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
The Perfect BBQ
Mood: content
What I'm Reading: A friend from English Conversation asked me to correct his 65 page thesis for a Masters in Economics. I expect that I'll be reading it for a while.
It was 2:30PM. We were making our way to Aachener-Weiher Park for a BBQ. Taylor, having broken his foot the day before, was hobbling along with the group under a steady downpour. All week the MSU team had invited people to join us from 3-8 PM to play frisbee, grill, and enjoy getting to know one another more. By this point I had already recieved 3 calls from friends making sure that I knew it was raining. I assured them that I knew and told them to come anyways. The rain would stop, we had bought food for 40 people, it would be an adventure. . .
We began to pray. As I arrived with the MSU team, the park was completely emptied of people. The rain had scared everyone away. Only the Bonnets, Goerings, and Fords could be seen. Just then, the rain completely stopped. We began making calls, and within 20 minutes guests began to arrive. A group of students from the Sport University began games of soccer and frisbee. A woman brought her guitar and sang a mix of traditional Russian and contemporary American songs. The Bonnet kids charmed everyone as Martin grilled brats, pork steaks, and turkey. Thomas Neuman brought a great bowl of tiramisu.
By the end of the day, more than 40 people had enjoyed the party. At 7:59PM the rain resumed, just as we had scheduled to leave and watch a movie at the home of one of our English group members. It was perfect. God is good.
What I'm Reading: A friend from English Conversation asked me to correct his 65 page thesis for a Masters in Economics. I expect that I'll be reading it for a while.
It was 2:30PM. We were making our way to Aachener-Weiher Park for a BBQ. Taylor, having broken his foot the day before, was hobbling along with the group under a steady downpour. All week the MSU team had invited people to join us from 3-8 PM to play frisbee, grill, and enjoy getting to know one another more. By this point I had already recieved 3 calls from friends making sure that I knew it was raining. I assured them that I knew and told them to come anyways. The rain would stop, we had bought food for 40 people, it would be an adventure. . .
We began to pray. As I arrived with the MSU team, the park was completely emptied of people. The rain had scared everyone away. Only the Bonnets, Goerings, and Fords could be seen. Just then, the rain completely stopped. We began making calls, and within 20 minutes guests began to arrive. A group of students from the Sport University began games of soccer and frisbee. A woman brought her guitar and sang a mix of traditional Russian and contemporary American songs. The Bonnet kids charmed everyone as Martin grilled brats, pork steaks, and turkey. Thomas Neuman brought a great bowl of tiramisu.
By the end of the day, more than 40 people had enjoyed the party. At 7:59PM the rain resumed, just as we had scheduled to leave and watch a movie at the home of one of our English group members. It was perfect. God is good.
Gary, Taylor, and Luke playing Ultimate Frisbee with students by the University.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
How Bizarre
Mood: drained
What I'm Reading: Fit für den TestDaF (Tipps und Übungen)
On Sunday it snowed. . .twice.
Then came the hail.
Monday it rained all day.
The Bonnets and I went for a long walk in the woods anyway, and it was nice. Another unexpected pleasure was Lois. She is a missionary serving in Hungary. I had never even heard of her before this past Friday. Through a chain of mutual acquaintances she ended up getting my e-mail and contacting me. As a result we were able to have a long visit this weekend as she was passing through Germany. She also introduced me to a friend of hers in the city. He had a birthday party, which he invited me to, and I was able to have good conversations with several of his friends. As an added bonus, she was an answer to prayer, as she is moving back to the States and left several hard-to-get items with me. Overall, a good weekend. (P.S-today it was 64 degrees and sunny in Köln!)
Here is a bit of random prose that caught my attention today:
". . .he was a kind of combination Hamlet and Elias. A potential prophet, but without rage. A king, but a Jew too. A mind full of tremendous and subtle intuitions, and every day he found less and less to say about them, and he resigned himself to being inarticulate. . .[he] has always been afraid he was in a blind alley, and half aware that, after all, it might not be a blind alley, but God infinity. . .he was born so much of a contemplative that he will probably never be able to find out how much". The Seven Story Mountain, Thomas Merton
What I'm Reading: Fit für den TestDaF (Tipps und Übungen)
On Sunday it snowed. . .twice.
Then came the hail.
Monday it rained all day.
The Bonnets and I went for a long walk in the woods anyway, and it was nice. Another unexpected pleasure was Lois. She is a missionary serving in Hungary. I had never even heard of her before this past Friday. Through a chain of mutual acquaintances she ended up getting my e-mail and contacting me. As a result we were able to have a long visit this weekend as she was passing through Germany. She also introduced me to a friend of hers in the city. He had a birthday party, which he invited me to, and I was able to have good conversations with several of his friends. As an added bonus, she was an answer to prayer, as she is moving back to the States and left several hard-to-get items with me. Overall, a good weekend. (P.S-today it was 64 degrees and sunny in Köln!)
Here is a bit of random prose that caught my attention today:
". . .he was a kind of combination Hamlet and Elias. A potential prophet, but without rage. A king, but a Jew too. A mind full of tremendous and subtle intuitions, and every day he found less and less to say about them, and he resigned himself to being inarticulate. . .[he] has always been afraid he was in a blind alley, and half aware that, after all, it might not be a blind alley, but God infinity. . .he was born so much of a contemplative that he will probably never be able to find out how much". The Seven Story Mountain, Thomas Merton
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Short Takes
Mood: relaxed, tired
What I'm reading: New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell
Take 1: I'm perched uncomfortably on the plastic bench of the S-bahn reading a passage about a man waiting to go through an Israeli immigration que at the airport.
''. . .our [2 year old] daughter and I stood in one of the lines, having been warned to expect a. . .drawn-out morning, possibly taking up the entire day. . .We were surrounded on every side by machine-gun-clutching soldiers whose glares led us to believe that we were all guilty of something. There were sandbags piled against every wall, and a real sense of unease pervaded the room. [our daughter] had locked eyes with a young Israeli soldier who was staring back at her in eye-to-eye ''combat.'' Suddenly and strangely there was a moment of silence in the room, broken by the squeaky little voice of my daughter asking the soldier, ''Excuse me, do you have any bubblegum?'' . . .He paused for a moment, then carefully handed his machine gun to a colleague. He came over to where we were standing, looked endearingly at Sarah, and picked her up in his arms. . .''
At that moment I raised my head from my book to see a young middle-eastern boy, perhaps 10, pointing a realistically made pistol at my head and wearing a military uniform from his country. The picture struck me as ironic, since the author I was reading had just painted a picture of the innocent wonder of childhood.
Take 2: Class is over for the day. A group of us have headed to a friend's house to try some Peruvian food. We speak about European food politics (genetic engineering, tariffs, purchasing locally grown foods as a moral action), the differences in educational opportunities between our countries, and why we do, or do not, believe that humanity needs a unified moral code.
Take 3: I've finished babysitting for the Bonnets. I get onto a nearly deserted train to make the 40 minute journey home. I consciously avoid sitting next to a man who looks like he may be a homeless skinhead. I want to close my eyes and rest. I have no energy left for today. He doesn't understand, or perhaps he is so desperate for companionship that he does not care. He takes a seat next to me and, after telling me that he is a skinhead for Karnival, begins to play U2 on his guitar. I listen quietly until a passenger from the back of the train yells at him to shut up. He feels insulted and oppressed at the way he is treated, and lets me know it. I feel sad that he seems so adrift. I start a conversation and find out that he is a Hamburger (many Germans are fiercely proud of their hometowns). We discuss many of the same things that I had talked about with my classmates that afternoon. Before the conversation was filled with a tired optimism bred by an expectation of future opportunities. Tonight it is a dense bitterness, punctuated with passionate swearing and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. He sees no purpose, no future. Pray that he may find the hope that only Christ gives.
What I'm reading: New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell
Take 1: I'm perched uncomfortably on the plastic bench of the S-bahn reading a passage about a man waiting to go through an Israeli immigration que at the airport.
''. . .our [2 year old] daughter and I stood in one of the lines, having been warned to expect a. . .drawn-out morning, possibly taking up the entire day. . .We were surrounded on every side by machine-gun-clutching soldiers whose glares led us to believe that we were all guilty of something. There were sandbags piled against every wall, and a real sense of unease pervaded the room. [our daughter] had locked eyes with a young Israeli soldier who was staring back at her in eye-to-eye ''combat.'' Suddenly and strangely there was a moment of silence in the room, broken by the squeaky little voice of my daughter asking the soldier, ''Excuse me, do you have any bubblegum?'' . . .He paused for a moment, then carefully handed his machine gun to a colleague. He came over to where we were standing, looked endearingly at Sarah, and picked her up in his arms. . .''
At that moment I raised my head from my book to see a young middle-eastern boy, perhaps 10, pointing a realistically made pistol at my head and wearing a military uniform from his country. The picture struck me as ironic, since the author I was reading had just painted a picture of the innocent wonder of childhood.
Take 2: Class is over for the day. A group of us have headed to a friend's house to try some Peruvian food. We speak about European food politics (genetic engineering, tariffs, purchasing locally grown foods as a moral action), the differences in educational opportunities between our countries, and why we do, or do not, believe that humanity needs a unified moral code.
Take 3: I've finished babysitting for the Bonnets. I get onto a nearly deserted train to make the 40 minute journey home. I consciously avoid sitting next to a man who looks like he may be a homeless skinhead. I want to close my eyes and rest. I have no energy left for today. He doesn't understand, or perhaps he is so desperate for companionship that he does not care. He takes a seat next to me and, after telling me that he is a skinhead for Karnival, begins to play U2 on his guitar. I listen quietly until a passenger from the back of the train yells at him to shut up. He feels insulted and oppressed at the way he is treated, and lets me know it. I feel sad that he seems so adrift. I start a conversation and find out that he is a Hamburger (many Germans are fiercely proud of their hometowns). We discuss many of the same things that I had talked about with my classmates that afternoon. Before the conversation was filled with a tired optimism bred by an expectation of future opportunities. Tonight it is a dense bitterness, punctuated with passionate swearing and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. He sees no purpose, no future. Pray that he may find the hope that only Christ gives.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Lock out
Mood: too lazy to figure it out at the moment
What I'm Reading: The Passion by Jeanette Winterson (about a man in Napoleon's army)
Last night I stood in frustration before the door of my apartment. I had stepped out to take a load of laundry to the basement. Before I had time to react, the wind pushed the door shut behind me and I was locked out. Brilliantly, just moments before I had turned my oven on to bake some bread. Now I stood contemplating how I was going to explain to my neighbors why I had burned down the building or how I would manage to pay more than a month's rent for an after-hours locksmith to come and get me out of this mess.
A few moments later I marshalled my courage and my fledgling German skills to recruit a kindly neighbor to help me break into my room. After 20 minutes futilely spent ramming a credit card in the doorjamb, my neighbor called his brother to the fight. At this point I remembered where to find the fuse box for my apartment and went to cut the power. Within seconds of my return, my apartment was sucessfully broken into. So much for illusions of security.
It was really quite fortunate ''bad luck'', becuause in the process I met 3 neighbors. One of them just moved in 2 days ago and asked if they might join me in a cup of tea. We had a nice conversation, and they offered to help me with my German grammar.
Quote from my current book: ''I can't be a priest because although my heart is as loud as hers I can pretend no answering riot. I have shouted to God. . .but [He has] not shouted back and I'm not interested in the still small voice. Surely a God can meet passion with passion?'' It makes me want to shake the protagonist of this book and tell him what I have come to know of God's passion. The only passion that has ever been deep enough to meet my own, and rather than try to quench the fire in my heart (as those with less strength or love might do), He lovingly directs it, and allows it to grow stronger and more pure with the burning. He gives meaning to it so that rather than consuming me, it allows me to grow. The man in this book seems to miss seeing God because, for all of his talk, he searches for a god too small.
What I'm Reading: The Passion by Jeanette Winterson (about a man in Napoleon's army)
Last night I stood in frustration before the door of my apartment. I had stepped out to take a load of laundry to the basement. Before I had time to react, the wind pushed the door shut behind me and I was locked out. Brilliantly, just moments before I had turned my oven on to bake some bread. Now I stood contemplating how I was going to explain to my neighbors why I had burned down the building or how I would manage to pay more than a month's rent for an after-hours locksmith to come and get me out of this mess.
A few moments later I marshalled my courage and my fledgling German skills to recruit a kindly neighbor to help me break into my room. After 20 minutes futilely spent ramming a credit card in the doorjamb, my neighbor called his brother to the fight. At this point I remembered where to find the fuse box for my apartment and went to cut the power. Within seconds of my return, my apartment was sucessfully broken into. So much for illusions of security.
It was really quite fortunate ''bad luck'', becuause in the process I met 3 neighbors. One of them just moved in 2 days ago and asked if they might join me in a cup of tea. We had a nice conversation, and they offered to help me with my German grammar.
Quote from my current book: ''I can't be a priest because although my heart is as loud as hers I can pretend no answering riot. I have shouted to God. . .but [He has] not shouted back and I'm not interested in the still small voice. Surely a God can meet passion with passion?'' It makes me want to shake the protagonist of this book and tell him what I have come to know of God's passion. The only passion that has ever been deep enough to meet my own, and rather than try to quench the fire in my heart (as those with less strength or love might do), He lovingly directs it, and allows it to grow stronger and more pure with the burning. He gives meaning to it so that rather than consuming me, it allows me to grow. The man in this book seems to miss seeing God because, for all of his talk, he searches for a god too small.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
We had puppies!
Mood: feelin good
Stage notes: Sigrun`s house
I wanted to let you all know that Sonny (Sigrun`s dog) had her puppies tonight. 5 of 6 survived. There are three healthy girls and 2 boys. I was given the privilege of naming the youngest. Her name is Nana (in honor of one of my friends here). I`ve been sitting with Sonny for 9.5 hours now, so I am going to head home soon.
Stage notes: Sigrun`s house
I wanted to let you all know that Sonny (Sigrun`s dog) had her puppies tonight. 5 of 6 survived. There are three healthy girls and 2 boys. I was given the privilege of naming the youngest. Her name is Nana (in honor of one of my friends here). I`ve been sitting with Sonny for 9.5 hours now, so I am going to head home soon.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year!
Mood: awesome
Stage notes: De Poort, Amsterdam
Last night was great. I got some encouraging hang time with a friend from my church in Lansing. Then we had a really good night of worship which ended a little before midnight. Leaving the session, I made my way back to the Shelter City Youth Hostel. It's located in the Red Light District of Amsterdam, right off of a square that has primarily Chinese establishments. On the way there, I literally had to run from fireworks that were being shot off in the streets. At the stroke of midnight the Amsterdamers popped bottles of champagne and sprayed anyone within range. I was talking with someone (whom I had just met), and they invited me up on their roof to watch the fireworks. The roof I was on was, for Amsterdam, relatively flat, but the neighboring roof had a severely steep incline. Three intoxicated men were perched on it. Great picture. Even better shouted conversation! Later the other people left me alone on the roof and I was able to sing as loudly as I wanted (you couldn't hear that well over the fireworks anyways) and enjoy the unique view of the city.
Stage notes: De Poort, Amsterdam
Last night was great. I got some encouraging hang time with a friend from my church in Lansing. Then we had a really good night of worship which ended a little before midnight. Leaving the session, I made my way back to the Shelter City Youth Hostel. It's located in the Red Light District of Amsterdam, right off of a square that has primarily Chinese establishments. On the way there, I literally had to run from fireworks that were being shot off in the streets. At the stroke of midnight the Amsterdamers popped bottles of champagne and sprayed anyone within range. I was talking with someone (whom I had just met), and they invited me up on their roof to watch the fireworks. The roof I was on was, for Amsterdam, relatively flat, but the neighboring roof had a severely steep incline. Three intoxicated men were perched on it. Great picture. Even better shouted conversation! Later the other people left me alone on the roof and I was able to sing as loudly as I wanted (you couldn't hear that well over the fireworks anyways) and enjoy the unique view of the city.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Socken und Sprechen
Mood: Pretty in Pink
Stage notes: pulled my shoulder helping someone move, it hurts somethin' fierce
My washing machine is routinely broken, and I have been anxiously anticipating its repair. It was finally working yesterday, so with joy, I quickly ran down before class to start a load. A wash-cycle takes about 2 hours here. Because I do not have a dryer, washing and drying clothing consumes the entire day. Every inch of my room is decorated with a rainbow of wet clothing. Laundry day requires quite a bit of planning on my part. If I want to invite someone over to my apartment, I prefer to not have my underwear hanging on the windowsill!
So, I was finally able to do laundry. My joy knew no bounds. Only one small problem. . .someone left an innocuous red sock in the machine. In my haste I did not see it. Now, all of my clothing is pink. Thankfully the machines here are smaller so it is not possible to do all of your laundry at once. Because of this at least some of my things escaped the blood bath.
On a more positive note, a friend invited me to dinner with an old colleague of hers. 5 of us enjoyed an excellent meal together. I definitely need to get the recipes for what we ate. The conversation was even better. After warming up with politics, the tide turned to religion. I was asked to share how I became a Christian and why I believed that the Bible was true. This is the first time that I have had to do this entirely in German (in depth), so it was quite a challenge. Our hostess said that she would try to come to English Conversation tonight, and I am looking forward to being able to speak with her in my native tongue.
Stage notes: pulled my shoulder helping someone move, it hurts somethin' fierce
My washing machine is routinely broken, and I have been anxiously anticipating its repair. It was finally working yesterday, so with joy, I quickly ran down before class to start a load. A wash-cycle takes about 2 hours here. Because I do not have a dryer, washing and drying clothing consumes the entire day. Every inch of my room is decorated with a rainbow of wet clothing. Laundry day requires quite a bit of planning on my part. If I want to invite someone over to my apartment, I prefer to not have my underwear hanging on the windowsill!
So, I was finally able to do laundry. My joy knew no bounds. Only one small problem. . .someone left an innocuous red sock in the machine. In my haste I did not see it. Now, all of my clothing is pink. Thankfully the machines here are smaller so it is not possible to do all of your laundry at once. Because of this at least some of my things escaped the blood bath.
On a more positive note, a friend invited me to dinner with an old colleague of hers. 5 of us enjoyed an excellent meal together. I definitely need to get the recipes for what we ate. The conversation was even better. After warming up with politics, the tide turned to religion. I was asked to share how I became a Christian and why I believed that the Bible was true. This is the first time that I have had to do this entirely in German (in depth), so it was quite a challenge. Our hostess said that she would try to come to English Conversation tonight, and I am looking forward to being able to speak with her in my native tongue.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Thanksgiving (Köln Style)
Mood: content, full
Stage notes: German Christmas musik dancing in my head
Dinner went well today. My dorm-sized apartment was filled to the brim, and 7 nationalities (about 13 people) were represented. Everyone seemed to enjoy eating together, and the language barriers proved to be only a minor problem. I was especially glad to be able to introduce Martin and Daniel to several of the friends that I have been spending a lot of time with lately, but whom they have not had an opportunity to meet.
The highlights of the day included preparing a full Thanksgiving meal having only a pocket knife to cut things and open cans (this included carving a 15 pound turkey!). The turkey was too large for my oven, so I had to partially close the door and seal the gaps with aluminum foil. Comically, I have a full set of very nice glass serving dishes, silverware, and cookware. The only culinary regrets were forgetting to make gravy in time and having no pumpkin pie. The lack of pie was especially disappointing. Although I was able to find a can of pumpkin filling (there were only two cans in the only English specialty shop in the city), there are no instant pie shells and no pie pans here. It is also difficult to make your own pie crust because there is no shortening. I ended up lining a pan with foil and cooking the pie anyways, but it did not cool in time to eat.
Stage notes: German Christmas musik dancing in my head
Dinner went well today. My dorm-sized apartment was filled to the brim, and 7 nationalities (about 13 people) were represented. Everyone seemed to enjoy eating together, and the language barriers proved to be only a minor problem. I was especially glad to be able to introduce Martin and Daniel to several of the friends that I have been spending a lot of time with lately, but whom they have not had an opportunity to meet.
The highlights of the day included preparing a full Thanksgiving meal having only a pocket knife to cut things and open cans (this included carving a 15 pound turkey!). The turkey was too large for my oven, so I had to partially close the door and seal the gaps with aluminum foil. Comically, I have a full set of very nice glass serving dishes, silverware, and cookware. The only culinary regrets were forgetting to make gravy in time and having no pumpkin pie. The lack of pie was especially disappointing. Although I was able to find a can of pumpkin filling (there were only two cans in the only English specialty shop in the city), there are no instant pie shells and no pie pans here. It is also difficult to make your own pie crust because there is no shortening. I ended up lining a pan with foil and cooking the pie anyways, but it did not cool in time to eat.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Culture Shock
Mood: disoriented
Stage notes: conference center lobby
Last evening I arrived at Evangelisches Johannesstift Berlin. This beautiful conference center has approximately 50 buildings. These stately brick buildings have interestingly varied archetectural features, and are snuggled among rose gardens, sculptures, and even a small aviary. Although we are just at the edge of Berlin, you could easily imagine that we are in the middle of a great forest. In fact, I have been told that 50% of the city is occupied by trees and lakes. This is an amazing thing considering the level of destruction following the War.
For the first time since arriving in Germany, I am experiencing a noticable sense of culture shock. This is not from the German surroundings, however, but rather from all of the Korean and Eastern European people I have met here. The most obvious thing is that many people here do not speak English or German, and the teachings are translated (more or less) from Korean into English by radio. More impactful, however, has been the style and structure of the Korean church organization that is hosting the conference. It is significantly different from that of either Riverview or the churches I have attended while in Koeln. They have one main teacher whose sermons are then broadcast around the world. I am still trying to process what I think of the 6 1/2 hours of sermons that I have heard so far and the conversations that I have had with people at meals. It is good to meet so many brothers and sisters from around the world, however, and this is a comfort.
Fun note: I randomly picked a woman to sit next to during my first meal here. Although there are only about 200 people here, the woman surprised me by responding to my German in American English. She then proceeded to tell me that she had just graduated from MSU law school a few months ago!
Stage notes: conference center lobby
Last evening I arrived at Evangelisches Johannesstift Berlin. This beautiful conference center has approximately 50 buildings. These stately brick buildings have interestingly varied archetectural features, and are snuggled among rose gardens, sculptures, and even a small aviary. Although we are just at the edge of Berlin, you could easily imagine that we are in the middle of a great forest. In fact, I have been told that 50% of the city is occupied by trees and lakes. This is an amazing thing considering the level of destruction following the War.
For the first time since arriving in Germany, I am experiencing a noticable sense of culture shock. This is not from the German surroundings, however, but rather from all of the Korean and Eastern European people I have met here. The most obvious thing is that many people here do not speak English or German, and the teachings are translated (more or less) from Korean into English by radio. More impactful, however, has been the style and structure of the Korean church organization that is hosting the conference. It is significantly different from that of either Riverview or the churches I have attended while in Koeln. They have one main teacher whose sermons are then broadcast around the world. I am still trying to process what I think of the 6 1/2 hours of sermons that I have heard so far and the conversations that I have had with people at meals. It is good to meet so many brothers and sisters from around the world, however, and this is a comfort.
Fun note: I randomly picked a woman to sit next to during my first meal here. Although there are only about 200 people here, the woman surprised me by responding to my German in American English. She then proceeded to tell me that she had just graduated from MSU law school a few months ago!
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
A really good day
Mood: relaxed, tired
Stage notes: sipping raspberry iced tea at Friesenplatz Starbucks
God opened a lot of doors today. First, I met with a christian student from Bolivia. She visited house church two weeks ago, and asked to get together. I expected to meet with her one-on-one, but when I arrived at Starbucks, she was with a friend. My gut reaction was to be a bit disappointed because it is often harder for me to get to know someone in a group. The feeling quickly left, however, when I realized that I had already met the woman she brought along. We had spoken with one another in a Starbucks near the Dom two years earlier! On my first trip to Köln with Riverview, we joined an English conversation group led by an American man (Witt has since returned home). Isabel (the friend) was there and we talked for a long time. When the Bolivian student mentioned my name, Isabel recognized it and asked to come along. She is moving back to Spain in October and has offered to give me her apartment for 230 EUR per month including a kitchen and furniture. This is a wonderful offer, because in Germany apartments do not usually come with any appliances. No fridge, no stove, no light fixtures, NOTHING. I could not afford to buy these things on my own, and furnished apartments generally cost more and you must share them with others. Although I like roommates, it is hard to have frequent church activities in your home if you are living with a non-christian. I hope to visit the apartment soon and get more details.
My computer time is up, but I`ll try to write more later tonight.
Stage notes: sipping raspberry iced tea at Friesenplatz Starbucks
God opened a lot of doors today. First, I met with a christian student from Bolivia. She visited house church two weeks ago, and asked to get together. I expected to meet with her one-on-one, but when I arrived at Starbucks, she was with a friend. My gut reaction was to be a bit disappointed because it is often harder for me to get to know someone in a group. The feeling quickly left, however, when I realized that I had already met the woman she brought along. We had spoken with one another in a Starbucks near the Dom two years earlier! On my first trip to Köln with Riverview, we joined an English conversation group led by an American man (Witt has since returned home). Isabel (the friend) was there and we talked for a long time. When the Bolivian student mentioned my name, Isabel recognized it and asked to come along. She is moving back to Spain in October and has offered to give me her apartment for 230 EUR per month including a kitchen and furniture. This is a wonderful offer, because in Germany apartments do not usually come with any appliances. No fridge, no stove, no light fixtures, NOTHING. I could not afford to buy these things on my own, and furnished apartments generally cost more and you must share them with others. Although I like roommates, it is hard to have frequent church activities in your home if you are living with a non-christian. I hope to visit the apartment soon and get more details.
My computer time is up, but I`ll try to write more later tonight.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Bridge Building
Mood: marveling at God's `coincidences'
Stage notes: 70m from the archbishop of Detroit listening to Contemporary Cath. music
After school I decided to take advantage of the free lunch offered to pilgrims. Each person is given a book of meal-specific tickets. Because there are so many people, you must eat in groups of six. One person from the group is given everyone's tickets and collects the food for all. The system is great for meeting people.
As I was walking up to the line, I heard English being spoken. I stopped and asked if I might join the speaker's group. He said yes, and introduced himself as a seminary student from Detroit. He was chaperoning a group of high-school students who live a few miles from where I grew up. We ended up discussing the theology of justification and sanctification for several hours. The group invited me to come with them to the Maternhaus, a fancy hotel where they had a private audience scheduled with the archbishop of Detroit. After checking out the 2 lane bowling alley available for the guests ('Kegler' in Germany: 9 pins, the balls are smaller and have no holes, you have to knock down specific pins rather than all of them), we duly greeted the bishop. Our time together ended with a communal recitation of Psalms 51 and part of 119. Afterwards I excused myself as they headed off for Mass. Now I'm sitting in the lobby taking advantage of free wireless!
Stage notes: 70m from the archbishop of Detroit listening to Contemporary Cath. music
After school I decided to take advantage of the free lunch offered to pilgrims. Each person is given a book of meal-specific tickets. Because there are so many people, you must eat in groups of six. One person from the group is given everyone's tickets and collects the food for all. The system is great for meeting people.
As I was walking up to the line, I heard English being spoken. I stopped and asked if I might join the speaker's group. He said yes, and introduced himself as a seminary student from Detroit. He was chaperoning a group of high-school students who live a few miles from where I grew up. We ended up discussing the theology of justification and sanctification for several hours. The group invited me to come with them to the Maternhaus, a fancy hotel where they had a private audience scheduled with the archbishop of Detroit. After checking out the 2 lane bowling alley available for the guests ('Kegler' in Germany: 9 pins, the balls are smaller and have no holes, you have to knock down specific pins rather than all of them), we duly greeted the bishop. Our time together ended with a communal recitation of Psalms 51 and part of 119. Afterwards I excused myself as they headed off for Mass. Now I'm sitting in the lobby taking advantage of free wireless!
Friday, August 12, 2005
The Bonnets ran to the sea
Mood: mellow
Stage notes: house eerily quiet
The Bonnets are on vacation for the next ten days at a town near the North Sea. They invited me along, but I decided that I could not afford to miss language school or the opportunities presented by World Youth Day this week. I'm already enjoying the solitude of the house, and I hope to have a really productive week.
Since Martin and Daniel were out of town, there were only two native English speakers at Conversation group last night. The other told me a bit about her very intriguing life. She was an army kid and moved constantly. She finished school, married a Jewish man, and converted to (very observant) Judaism. 2 kids and a divorce later, she heard about Christ from her daughters after they attended a church at their father's home. Deciding to accept Christ at 39, she was baptized, and a week later she married. She only knew her current husband for 2 weeks before they said, 'I do!'
Stage notes: house eerily quiet
The Bonnets are on vacation for the next ten days at a town near the North Sea. They invited me along, but I decided that I could not afford to miss language school or the opportunities presented by World Youth Day this week. I'm already enjoying the solitude of the house, and I hope to have a really productive week.
Since Martin and Daniel were out of town, there were only two native English speakers at Conversation group last night. The other told me a bit about her very intriguing life. She was an army kid and moved constantly. She finished school, married a Jewish man, and converted to (very observant) Judaism. 2 kids and a divorce later, she heard about Christ from her daughters after they attended a church at their father's home. Deciding to accept Christ at 39, she was baptized, and a week later she married. She only knew her current husband for 2 weeks before they said, 'I do!'
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Argh!
Mood: mildly frustrated
Stage notes: sitting at a public computer at CDC, looking at a 1500 year old city wall out the window
My day started with a mad dash to the main train station to exchage US currency so that I would have EUR to pay for my visa. I was there a few minutes after 7 when the exchange office opened, and was feeling good about being so ahead of the game. I then proceeded out of the station for what I thought would be a 15 min. walk to the government building. Too bad I got lost and did not get there until 8AM.
Heike had been awaiting my arrival, and after greeting me, led me to the 'elevator'. This consisted of a platform that continuously moved from one floor to the next. There was no door, it never actually stopped, and there was an 8-12 inch space between the elevator car and the floors. If you had children, I am pretty sure that they could fall right through. Since there was just enough room for two people, however, I can't imagine taking a child on the contraption. I held my breath and took a leap of faith. Thankfully we got on and off without incident. I am wondering in my mind, what happens if you reach the top floor without getting off? I am tempted to go back, take the stairs to the upper floor and check this situation out.
Now, the office does not even open until 8, but there was already a significant line in the hallway. It was like a scene from Babel, with people from all over the world waiting more or less patiently for their turn to come. A woman collected all of our passports and we took a seat. There were no signs in any language to tell people what forms were necessary for the various visa types, and there were no blank forms for people to fill out as they were waiting. After about a hour and 15 min., number 9 was called. That was us!
We went into the office where a surly seeming woman with deep circles under her eyes was sitting across from us. Although she apparently spoke English, she did not use any of it while I was there. After a flurry of paper shuffling she told us that we would have to come again with my bank statement and health insurance papers translated into German. Why they did not tell me this in my phone calls to the US consulate, German foreigners office, or at the visa help desk of CDC, I do not know. Oh well, I was still able to go to class for most of the day, and I am looking forward to swimming this afternoon with a college student I've gotten to know a little bit.
Stage notes: sitting at a public computer at CDC, looking at a 1500 year old city wall out the window
My day started with a mad dash to the main train station to exchage US currency so that I would have EUR to pay for my visa. I was there a few minutes after 7 when the exchange office opened, and was feeling good about being so ahead of the game. I then proceeded out of the station for what I thought would be a 15 min. walk to the government building. Too bad I got lost and did not get there until 8AM.
Heike had been awaiting my arrival, and after greeting me, led me to the 'elevator'. This consisted of a platform that continuously moved from one floor to the next. There was no door, it never actually stopped, and there was an 8-12 inch space between the elevator car and the floors. If you had children, I am pretty sure that they could fall right through. Since there was just enough room for two people, however, I can't imagine taking a child on the contraption. I held my breath and took a leap of faith. Thankfully we got on and off without incident. I am wondering in my mind, what happens if you reach the top floor without getting off? I am tempted to go back, take the stairs to the upper floor and check this situation out.
Now, the office does not even open until 8, but there was already a significant line in the hallway. It was like a scene from Babel, with people from all over the world waiting more or less patiently for their turn to come. A woman collected all of our passports and we took a seat. There were no signs in any language to tell people what forms were necessary for the various visa types, and there were no blank forms for people to fill out as they were waiting. After about a hour and 15 min., number 9 was called. That was us!
We went into the office where a surly seeming woman with deep circles under her eyes was sitting across from us. Although she apparently spoke English, she did not use any of it while I was there. After a flurry of paper shuffling she told us that we would have to come again with my bank statement and health insurance papers translated into German. Why they did not tell me this in my phone calls to the US consulate, German foreigners office, or at the visa help desk of CDC, I do not know. Oh well, I was still able to go to class for most of the day, and I am looking forward to swimming this afternoon with a college student I've gotten to know a little bit.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Hoping for a flood
Mood: frustrated
Stage notes: clutter, clutter everywhere
The other day I was walking past a conference room at the hospital when a torrential downpour of water crashed through the ceiling. Staff quickly gathered about 10 wastebaskets to contain some of the falling water. One woman carried an umbrella as she frantically worked to cart away computer equipment, medical journals, and books that were threatened with destruction. In all, four floors sustained significant damage. A welder had inadvertantly cut through a water pipe above us on the 5th floor. Now that is what I call a bad day at work!
I would not want to be in the hospital's situation right now. The insurance paperwork and incident report forms must feel unending for them. Currently, however, I am feeling as though a flood could do my apartment some good. It would make the decision process on what to throw away quicker, and it might wash away some of the junk that seems to be surrounding me at the moment. I've spent all morning trying to sort and pack up my belongings. This has proven to be a more frustrating task than I had expected. Between my difficulty finding enough boxes and the indecision about what to do with various items, I am feeling ready for a nap.
Stage notes: clutter, clutter everywhere
The other day I was walking past a conference room at the hospital when a torrential downpour of water crashed through the ceiling. Staff quickly gathered about 10 wastebaskets to contain some of the falling water. One woman carried an umbrella as she frantically worked to cart away computer equipment, medical journals, and books that were threatened with destruction. In all, four floors sustained significant damage. A welder had inadvertantly cut through a water pipe above us on the 5th floor. Now that is what I call a bad day at work!
I would not want to be in the hospital's situation right now. The insurance paperwork and incident report forms must feel unending for them. Currently, however, I am feeling as though a flood could do my apartment some good. It would make the decision process on what to throw away quicker, and it might wash away some of the junk that seems to be surrounding me at the moment. I've spent all morning trying to sort and pack up my belongings. This has proven to be a more frustrating task than I had expected. Between my difficulty finding enough boxes and the indecision about what to do with various items, I am feeling ready for a nap.
