1) My kitchen sink drips...and that's normal.
After expressing concern over my malfunctioning faucet, I was informed that there was no need for alarm. The sink has its own water heater, and in order to relieve pressure that builds up while the hot water waits to be used, a valve opens enough to release a few drops of water. Brilliant.
2) Food here is a lot different than food in the U.S.
I eat lots of things here that I wouldn't touch in the U.S. Like brussel sprouts, which really are very good when they're cooked right. And white asparagus (I still don't like the green variety, though). And for some reason I don't mind potato salad anymore. It's weird.
I've also realized that I like Turkish food. I guess that's good, considering how much Turkish food you find here.
Of course, trying new foods is another part of the whole adjusting-to-a-new-culture thing, but food here really is different. Produce, for example, seems to be fresher, doesn't have all the preservatives and hormones, and isn't coated with pesticides. All together it seems to be healthier.
If parents bought organic peas and broccoli, would more children like to eat vegetables? The world may never know.
3) You never know where you're going to see a dog.
People here really love their dogs. They take them everywhere. You see dogs on streetcars, busses, and trains. You see dogs in department stores. You see dogs in the bank. Ingrid and I were in a Christian bookstore one day when a dog walked right up to me and licked my hand. It's taken some getting used to.
There are a few places that don't allow dogs inside, such as bakeries and grocery stores. The dogs wait right outside, though, while their owners shop. Most of the dogs sit very quietly on the sidewalk, many without a leash. Maybe all Germans are required to take their dogs to obedience training or something.
4) People generally can tell that my native language is English.
This really surprised me at first, but it's true. When the telephone technician came to my apartment, he asked me a question in German, I responded in German, and he responded in English. The other day a young man stopped me to ask for directions (to the nearest McDonald's, of all places). As I began my explanation, he interrupted me and said, "Is English better for you?"
What surprised me even more, though, was the fact that while they may know what language I speak, they don't always know where I'm from. Karen had told me this might happen, but it wasn't until I actually had a woman ask me if I was from Great Britain that I really believed her. I guess only native speakers can hear the differences between English accents?
I think the funniest case of mistaken citizenship, though, happened to Mark and Karen. They have a favorite Italian restaurant in town called Prima Pasta, and the cook/waiter/manager knows them well. He even hugs them when they come in the door. Their daughters are here visiting right now, and the other day the four of them went to Prima Pasta for dinner. Mark and Karen introduced Elizabeth and Maranda, and the man said, "Are they also from Russia?"
5) My apartment was apparently damaged during WWII.
On Friday the Abercrombies were over and helped me hang a coat rack in my hallway. As Mark was drilling holes in the wall, sand poured out onto the floor. Walls of houses here are usually filled with concrete, but, according to Wolfgang, after the war concrete was too expensive. So, they resorted to using sand as a filler while they were rebuilding.
The walls of the church building are also filled with sand. I've been told that during the war most of that street was destroyed. They tried to reconstruct the buildings to resemble the originals, so even though many of the buildings look like they could be about 100 years old, they're actually replicas built in the late '40s.
Finding out that my apartment was a war casualty kind of gave me the creeps. My brain started creating a montage of all the war movies I've ever seen, using my apartment as the setting. Maybe the Gestapo raided the building. Maybe someone was killed here. Maybe there were Jews living here in hiding, Anne Frank-style.
In a sick and twisted kind of way, though, it was a bit exciting to think that my current home was involved in such a tumultuous period in recent history. It gives my apartment more character because now I've heard a snippet of the story this building has to tell (even if the details of that story are figments of my imagination). It's more than my apartment. I'm just one occupant in a long history of renters, and this building has played a role in a lot of peoples' lives.
I'm quite sure at this point that I'm the only person you know who ponders things like this. :-)
Monday, January 29, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
A "quick" update
Yes, I'm still here. And I think I'm only kidding myself with the title of this post.
I feel like the past couple weeks have been chaotic. A lot's happened. And for some reason, I really haven't felt like writing. That sounds bad, I know, but that's how I've felt. The weird thing is that I don't know why I've felt like that. I'm not depressed or homesick or anything. I just haven't really felt like posting on the blog.
Despite all that, I'm back now. :-) And as I said, a lot has happened in the past few weeks, so I'll try to zip through and hit the high points.
Mark, Karen, and I had a good trip to Cologne. We all agreed we were happy to live in Bremen because Cologne as a whole seemed grey and dirty. Even though Bremen has a lot of rainy days, for some reason it never seems as gloomy as Cologne did, and Bremen also seems to be much cleaner. I think all the trees also gives Bremen a friendlier atmosphere, even though it's still a larger city.
The one thing I did really like about Cologne, though, was the cathedral. It's a beautiful building. Inside is a sarcophagus that supposedly holds the bones and clothing of the three wise men who visited Jesus at his birth. While I don't believe that, it does make for an interesting story. Also in Cologne are remnants of some of the walls built by the Romans over 1,500 years ago. I never can get over how much history this country has endured.
The seminar as a whole was good. I enjoyed the time of fellowship and the chance to discuss the Bible in English. Americans working all over Germany were there, as well as a couple working in Zagreb, Croatia, and a man working in Albania. There were also a few Germans there, one of whom let me stay in her home. Barbara was very kind and apparently will be speaking at an upcoming ladies' retreat, so I look forward to seeing her again.
Since I was not there for the entire seminar, I don't think I got the full effect of the lessons and discussions. Friday, the first full day I was there, we discussed the book of I John. We spent a majority of our time talking about the different themes and literary structures used by John. Several times I found myself thinking, All of this is good stuff....Now how do we apply it to the work we're here to do? If I could have changed anything about the seminar, I would have demonstrated more of the practical application of the Word and would not have spent as much time on the literary structure of it. Other than that, I was glad I went. At one point someone used an illustration of a mountain lake drying up after there's been little rain. While the illustration was made in reference to what happens to full-time ministers when they spend all their time producing sermons, Bible studies, etc., and little time on their own walk with God, it also painted a picture of how I was feeling after almost 3 months of living in a new culture. I was craving the contact with fellow Americans and the chance for group Bible study in English. After going to Cologne, my "mountain lake" is not quite as parched as it was before.
The Springers and I have been planning ways to make new contacts for the church. We hope to have an English movie night next week and to invite a few current visitors and to reestablish contact with a few others. They've had movie nights before and have found them to be good ways to get people further involved in the work of the church. Jim and Elsa always choose a movie with some sort of moral or life lesson, so the time serves not only as language practice but also as a chance for discussion of some aspect of the Christian life.
Our plans haven't gotten very far, though, because two weeks ago, Jim got a call from his mom saying that his dad had passed away. He and Elsa flew to the U.S. for the funeral, and they got back to Bremen late last Friday. Elsa and I met Tuesday (Jim was in bed with a bad cold) to continue our planning. I'm working on flyers to post around town advertising the English Bible studies, and Elsa will be posting an ad in the newspaper as well.
I also have developed a cold over the past couple days. Sometime between Sunday and Monday the temperature here dropped 15 to 20 degrees (Fahrenheit), and it's supposed to stay cold the rest of the week. Anytime the weather changes drastically like that, my head pays the price. I think it may also just be going around because Jim and I are not the only ones at church to have colds right now.
Speaking of the weather, last week Bremen (and all of northwestern Europe) had really bad storms. There were hurricane-force winds on the coast, but since Bremen is 50 miles or so from the North Sea, the winds here were closer to the 50 mph range. (I discovered just how many times my umbrella could withstand being turned inside out.) While that's nothing to joke about, that's obviously not nearly as bad as other places had it. Apparently during a wind storm a few years ago a child was injured by some roofing material that blew off of a building, so the public schools closed early on Thursday as a precaution.
With the colder weather that's moved in, though, we got some snow last night. As I walked out of church yesterday evening, I was greeted by lots of soft white flakes filling the air. The neighborhood was quieter than usual, making the snow all that much more peaceful. As far as I know, that's the first snow Bremen's had this winter. Only about half an inch or so accumulated, but I was excited nonetheless.
I have not yet begun studying with Sylvia because she said she wanted to call me to arrange a time to meet but never did, and I have not seen her since Christmas Day. I called her, left a message, and never heard back. On Tuesday I was finally able to reach her. She still wants to study with me and seems to want to make it a regular thing. Elsa had expressed concern that Sylvia might want to begin studying with me but wouldn't keep it up, but I don't see that from Sylvia yet.
It will be interesting to see which direction our studies take. While it seems to me that Sylvia needs help seeing what it means to have a personal relationship with God and even learning who God is, her questions tend to bounce around to different subjects. The last time she attended a ladies' Bible study she asked questions about baptism, and on Tuesday she said she'd like to look at stories of Jesus' interaction with women. While I think the stories we've looked at in the ladies' Bible studies have prompted that interest, I think they could be a good segue into making Jesus more personal for Sylvia. Jesus' concern for the people of His day continues as a concern for us as well. If I can help Sylvia see that, maybe I can help her realize that Jesus loves her, and that's a greater story than any of the parables or miracles we may study.
Also on the horizon are my German studies. Two weeks ago I took a German test at the Volkshochschule to determine which class I should take. I completed the 4 page, multiple-choice test in about 3 or 4 minutes and turned it in, only to be told that I did so well (I only missed one, and embarrassingly, that one covered telling time and not some aspect of grammar or vocabulary.) that I had to take another test. Let's just say I didn't do as well on the next one. Based on my scores on the tests, they recommended a class on the B1 level (it would be the third intensive class if I was starting from the beginning), after which I have the option of earning my Zertifikat Deutsch. I don't know what that would achieve for me in the grand scheme of my life, but it would say that I am competent in everyday communications in German. Future employment opportunities, perhaps?
Whether I earn the Zertifikat or not, I'm looking forward to getting back into German studies. Right now I feel like I'm grasping for anything. I learn a few words here, a grammatical structure there. Vocabulary is my weakest point; I never seem to have the words I need. It'll be nice to have someone guiding me through my language study again. I also look forward to getting to know the people in my class. It could be not only a way to meet some new people but could also serve as another form of outreach.
The women in the congregation here are in charge of planning next month's ladies' retreat in Bergkirchen, and they've found a way to get me involved as well. I've been given the duty of writing cards expressing thanks and offering encouragement to some of the women who will be speaking at the retreat. I hope my broken German won't be a discouragement! I suppose I should have a German proof-read the cards before I send them.
Two Sundays ago, Mimi and Rüdi invited me to their house for lunch after church. They have 2 kids: Rebecca, who's 3, and Johannes, who's 18 months. While Johannes is a very bubbly, friendly baby, Rebecca is more reserved and doesn't talk very much. She's been very clingy to her parents lately and doesn't really seem to like people she doesn't already know. As we walked to their house after church services, Rebecca kept looking up at me with a concerned look on her face. By the end of my visit, though, Rebecca decided she liked me and did not want me to leave. She and Johannes came with Mimi to the ladies' Bible study on Tuesday, and Rebecca asked Mimi to ask me when I could come visit again. I ended up spending several hours at their house that afternoon reading to Rebecca (good language practice for me!) and playing "house" with her. She was the mama and I was the kid, ironically named "Rebecca."
Mimi is an architect-turned-stay-at-home-mom and has been working on the plans for the new church building. The plans have to be drawn and offered for approval to a number of local offices, including the fire department. With 2 kids, Mimi's had a hard time finding the time to get all of it done, so she was more than happy for me to come over and play with Rebecca for a while. I have a feeling that babysitting could quickly become another way for me to reach out to the congregation here!
Something I learned that day: If you want to practice a foreign language, spend an afternoon with a 3-year old native speaker. Rebecca's German skills are much better than mine. I learned a lot of new words from her. For example, I now know that verstecken means "to hide," which is definitely a good word to know when you're hanging out with toddlers. Either a toy, the child, you, or perhaps all 3 will at some point be versteckt.
I've said before that I've gained a lot from participating in the ladies' Bible studies here, and I thought this again recently. We started by reading in Acts of Paul's recountings of his conversion on the road to Damascus. Elsa said that each of us has a story of our own to tell, and she wanted us to get to know each other better, so she had asked Ingrid to tell us the story of how she came to know Jesus.
Even though I spent almost 6 weeks living with Ingrid when I first arrived in Bremen, I apparently did not get to know her all that well during that time. That night at ladies' Bible class I learned a lot about her and what's made her the person she is today. What really stuck with me the most, though, was one sentence: "Ohne Ihn kann ich nicht mehr leben." I can no longer live without Him. It was that one thought that tipped the scales toward personal faith for her. I love the way she worded that sentence. She could have worded it differently and retained the meaning, but by placing the "ohne Ihn" ("without Him") at the beginning she placed the emphasis on Jesus. For me there's even a difference in English. When you say, "I can no longer live without Him," I can hear your need for Jesus' presence in your life. But when you say, "Without Him I can no longer live," there's a deeper urgency. It sounds to me more like you're saying, "I'll die without Jesus."
In reality, isn't that the case for all of us?
I feel like the past couple weeks have been chaotic. A lot's happened. And for some reason, I really haven't felt like writing. That sounds bad, I know, but that's how I've felt. The weird thing is that I don't know why I've felt like that. I'm not depressed or homesick or anything. I just haven't really felt like posting on the blog.
Despite all that, I'm back now. :-) And as I said, a lot has happened in the past few weeks, so I'll try to zip through and hit the high points.
*****
Mark, Karen, and I had a good trip to Cologne. We all agreed we were happy to live in Bremen because Cologne as a whole seemed grey and dirty. Even though Bremen has a lot of rainy days, for some reason it never seems as gloomy as Cologne did, and Bremen also seems to be much cleaner. I think all the trees also gives Bremen a friendlier atmosphere, even though it's still a larger city.
The one thing I did really like about Cologne, though, was the cathedral. It's a beautiful building. Inside is a sarcophagus that supposedly holds the bones and clothing of the three wise men who visited Jesus at his birth. While I don't believe that, it does make for an interesting story. Also in Cologne are remnants of some of the walls built by the Romans over 1,500 years ago. I never can get over how much history this country has endured.
The seminar as a whole was good. I enjoyed the time of fellowship and the chance to discuss the Bible in English. Americans working all over Germany were there, as well as a couple working in Zagreb, Croatia, and a man working in Albania. There were also a few Germans there, one of whom let me stay in her home. Barbara was very kind and apparently will be speaking at an upcoming ladies' retreat, so I look forward to seeing her again.
Since I was not there for the entire seminar, I don't think I got the full effect of the lessons and discussions. Friday, the first full day I was there, we discussed the book of I John. We spent a majority of our time talking about the different themes and literary structures used by John. Several times I found myself thinking, All of this is good stuff....Now how do we apply it to the work we're here to do? If I could have changed anything about the seminar, I would have demonstrated more of the practical application of the Word and would not have spent as much time on the literary structure of it. Other than that, I was glad I went. At one point someone used an illustration of a mountain lake drying up after there's been little rain. While the illustration was made in reference to what happens to full-time ministers when they spend all their time producing sermons, Bible studies, etc., and little time on their own walk with God, it also painted a picture of how I was feeling after almost 3 months of living in a new culture. I was craving the contact with fellow Americans and the chance for group Bible study in English. After going to Cologne, my "mountain lake" is not quite as parched as it was before.
*****
The Springers and I have been planning ways to make new contacts for the church. We hope to have an English movie night next week and to invite a few current visitors and to reestablish contact with a few others. They've had movie nights before and have found them to be good ways to get people further involved in the work of the church. Jim and Elsa always choose a movie with some sort of moral or life lesson, so the time serves not only as language practice but also as a chance for discussion of some aspect of the Christian life.
Our plans haven't gotten very far, though, because two weeks ago, Jim got a call from his mom saying that his dad had passed away. He and Elsa flew to the U.S. for the funeral, and they got back to Bremen late last Friday. Elsa and I met Tuesday (Jim was in bed with a bad cold) to continue our planning. I'm working on flyers to post around town advertising the English Bible studies, and Elsa will be posting an ad in the newspaper as well.
*****
I also have developed a cold over the past couple days. Sometime between Sunday and Monday the temperature here dropped 15 to 20 degrees (Fahrenheit), and it's supposed to stay cold the rest of the week. Anytime the weather changes drastically like that, my head pays the price. I think it may also just be going around because Jim and I are not the only ones at church to have colds right now.
*****
Speaking of the weather, last week Bremen (and all of northwestern Europe) had really bad storms. There were hurricane-force winds on the coast, but since Bremen is 50 miles or so from the North Sea, the winds here were closer to the 50 mph range. (I discovered just how many times my umbrella could withstand being turned inside out.) While that's nothing to joke about, that's obviously not nearly as bad as other places had it. Apparently during a wind storm a few years ago a child was injured by some roofing material that blew off of a building, so the public schools closed early on Thursday as a precaution.
With the colder weather that's moved in, though, we got some snow last night. As I walked out of church yesterday evening, I was greeted by lots of soft white flakes filling the air. The neighborhood was quieter than usual, making the snow all that much more peaceful. As far as I know, that's the first snow Bremen's had this winter. Only about half an inch or so accumulated, but I was excited nonetheless.
*****
I have not yet begun studying with Sylvia because she said she wanted to call me to arrange a time to meet but never did, and I have not seen her since Christmas Day. I called her, left a message, and never heard back. On Tuesday I was finally able to reach her. She still wants to study with me and seems to want to make it a regular thing. Elsa had expressed concern that Sylvia might want to begin studying with me but wouldn't keep it up, but I don't see that from Sylvia yet.
It will be interesting to see which direction our studies take. While it seems to me that Sylvia needs help seeing what it means to have a personal relationship with God and even learning who God is, her questions tend to bounce around to different subjects. The last time she attended a ladies' Bible study she asked questions about baptism, and on Tuesday she said she'd like to look at stories of Jesus' interaction with women. While I think the stories we've looked at in the ladies' Bible studies have prompted that interest, I think they could be a good segue into making Jesus more personal for Sylvia. Jesus' concern for the people of His day continues as a concern for us as well. If I can help Sylvia see that, maybe I can help her realize that Jesus loves her, and that's a greater story than any of the parables or miracles we may study.
*****
Also on the horizon are my German studies. Two weeks ago I took a German test at the Volkshochschule to determine which class I should take. I completed the 4 page, multiple-choice test in about 3 or 4 minutes and turned it in, only to be told that I did so well (I only missed one, and embarrassingly, that one covered telling time and not some aspect of grammar or vocabulary.) that I had to take another test. Let's just say I didn't do as well on the next one. Based on my scores on the tests, they recommended a class on the B1 level (it would be the third intensive class if I was starting from the beginning), after which I have the option of earning my Zertifikat Deutsch. I don't know what that would achieve for me in the grand scheme of my life, but it would say that I am competent in everyday communications in German. Future employment opportunities, perhaps?
Whether I earn the Zertifikat or not, I'm looking forward to getting back into German studies. Right now I feel like I'm grasping for anything. I learn a few words here, a grammatical structure there. Vocabulary is my weakest point; I never seem to have the words I need. It'll be nice to have someone guiding me through my language study again. I also look forward to getting to know the people in my class. It could be not only a way to meet some new people but could also serve as another form of outreach.
*****
The women in the congregation here are in charge of planning next month's ladies' retreat in Bergkirchen, and they've found a way to get me involved as well. I've been given the duty of writing cards expressing thanks and offering encouragement to some of the women who will be speaking at the retreat. I hope my broken German won't be a discouragement! I suppose I should have a German proof-read the cards before I send them.
*****
Two Sundays ago, Mimi and Rüdi invited me to their house for lunch after church. They have 2 kids: Rebecca, who's 3, and Johannes, who's 18 months. While Johannes is a very bubbly, friendly baby, Rebecca is more reserved and doesn't talk very much. She's been very clingy to her parents lately and doesn't really seem to like people she doesn't already know. As we walked to their house after church services, Rebecca kept looking up at me with a concerned look on her face. By the end of my visit, though, Rebecca decided she liked me and did not want me to leave. She and Johannes came with Mimi to the ladies' Bible study on Tuesday, and Rebecca asked Mimi to ask me when I could come visit again. I ended up spending several hours at their house that afternoon reading to Rebecca (good language practice for me!) and playing "house" with her. She was the mama and I was the kid, ironically named "Rebecca."
Mimi is an architect-turned-stay-at-home-mom and has been working on the plans for the new church building. The plans have to be drawn and offered for approval to a number of local offices, including the fire department. With 2 kids, Mimi's had a hard time finding the time to get all of it done, so she was more than happy for me to come over and play with Rebecca for a while. I have a feeling that babysitting could quickly become another way for me to reach out to the congregation here!
Something I learned that day: If you want to practice a foreign language, spend an afternoon with a 3-year old native speaker. Rebecca's German skills are much better than mine. I learned a lot of new words from her. For example, I now know that verstecken means "to hide," which is definitely a good word to know when you're hanging out with toddlers. Either a toy, the child, you, or perhaps all 3 will at some point be versteckt.
*****
I've said before that I've gained a lot from participating in the ladies' Bible studies here, and I thought this again recently. We started by reading in Acts of Paul's recountings of his conversion on the road to Damascus. Elsa said that each of us has a story of our own to tell, and she wanted us to get to know each other better, so she had asked Ingrid to tell us the story of how she came to know Jesus.
Even though I spent almost 6 weeks living with Ingrid when I first arrived in Bremen, I apparently did not get to know her all that well during that time. That night at ladies' Bible class I learned a lot about her and what's made her the person she is today. What really stuck with me the most, though, was one sentence: "Ohne Ihn kann ich nicht mehr leben." I can no longer live without Him. It was that one thought that tipped the scales toward personal faith for her. I love the way she worded that sentence. She could have worded it differently and retained the meaning, but by placing the "ohne Ihn" ("without Him") at the beginning she placed the emphasis on Jesus. For me there's even a difference in English. When you say, "I can no longer live without Him," I can hear your need for Jesus' presence in your life. But when you say, "Without Him I can no longer live," there's a deeper urgency. It sounds to me more like you're saying, "I'll die without Jesus."
In reality, isn't that the case for all of us?
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Always on the go....
Despite the fact that the Springers have been in Switzerland visiting their daughter and her family since Saturday, I've been busy this week.
A few weeks ago, Sylvia, a woman who's been visiting the church for a couple years now, asked me about my reasons for being in Bremen. I guess I thought she already knew, so I was a little surprised she asked. When I explained that I was working with the Springers and that we would be advertising for English Bible studies in January, she said she thought the Bible studies were a great idea; people could practice their English and learn more about the Bible at the same time.
I first met Sylvia a year ago when the Abercrombies and I were here visiting, and from the get-go she wanted any conversations with me to be bilingual: she would speak only in English while I would speak only in German. She thought it would be a great way for both of us to practice and help each other at the same time, and that is still how we talk with each other. From what I can tell, her English is at about the same level as my German. Recently she approached me again and said she is interested in beginning a Bible study with me. When I first arrived I suppose I figured I would be meeting new people when I began the Bible studies, but I think it's wonderful that I'll have the opportunity to study with Sylvia. Lately she has been asking a lot of questions and has expressed an interest in learning more about the Bible, so I think it will help her a lot to have someone study the Bible one-on-one with her.
So, this week I'm preparing for the studies with Sylvia, which hopefully will begin next week. This is the main thing I came here to do, so I'm really excited to get started on it. I'll be using the materials we used during the campaign, which Jim designed, but I'm adapting them to fit a longer term study catered to the questions Sylvia has been asking. Please pray for both of us as we begin studying the Word together. Please pray that God will give me the words with which to answer her questions and that she can get to know Jesus.
Sylvia and me, New Year's Day 2006.
Also this week I'm spending concentrated time on my German studies. When the new term starts in February I'll be able to take a German class, and next week I'll take a test to determine which class they'll place me in. While I know my German has improved a lot even since I arrived in October, it's been over 3 1/2 years since I last took a German class, and I'm a wee bit nervous. By this point, though, I've learned that I can make it through all sorts of things I'm nervous about, so I'm sure (or I hope!) it's not too bad.
This afternoon I'm taking a train to Cologne. Mark and Karen left on Tuesday to attend a seminar at the church there, and they called me Monday night to ask if I wanted to come along. I decided I couldn't stay the whole week like they planned, so I called the preacher in Cologne and asked if it was okay for me to only come for a couple days. He said that would be fine and that he'd meet me at the train station. An American (I can't exactly remember his name right now) is speaking at the seminar, so at least I'll be able to understand everything this time! I'll be sure to comment after we get back on Saturday afternoon.
So, the first week of 2007 is turning out to be a busy one. I pray that your year is getting off to a good start, and I hope you're keeping any New Year's resolutions you may have made (more on mine later). Enjoy the rest of the week!
A few weeks ago, Sylvia, a woman who's been visiting the church for a couple years now, asked me about my reasons for being in Bremen. I guess I thought she already knew, so I was a little surprised she asked. When I explained that I was working with the Springers and that we would be advertising for English Bible studies in January, she said she thought the Bible studies were a great idea; people could practice their English and learn more about the Bible at the same time.
I first met Sylvia a year ago when the Abercrombies and I were here visiting, and from the get-go she wanted any conversations with me to be bilingual: she would speak only in English while I would speak only in German. She thought it would be a great way for both of us to practice and help each other at the same time, and that is still how we talk with each other. From what I can tell, her English is at about the same level as my German. Recently she approached me again and said she is interested in beginning a Bible study with me. When I first arrived I suppose I figured I would be meeting new people when I began the Bible studies, but I think it's wonderful that I'll have the opportunity to study with Sylvia. Lately she has been asking a lot of questions and has expressed an interest in learning more about the Bible, so I think it will help her a lot to have someone study the Bible one-on-one with her.
So, this week I'm preparing for the studies with Sylvia, which hopefully will begin next week. This is the main thing I came here to do, so I'm really excited to get started on it. I'll be using the materials we used during the campaign, which Jim designed, but I'm adapting them to fit a longer term study catered to the questions Sylvia has been asking. Please pray for both of us as we begin studying the Word together. Please pray that God will give me the words with which to answer her questions and that she can get to know Jesus.
Sylvia and me, New Year's Day 2006.This afternoon I'm taking a train to Cologne. Mark and Karen left on Tuesday to attend a seminar at the church there, and they called me Monday night to ask if I wanted to come along. I decided I couldn't stay the whole week like they planned, so I called the preacher in Cologne and asked if it was okay for me to only come for a couple days. He said that would be fine and that he'd meet me at the train station. An American (I can't exactly remember his name right now) is speaking at the seminar, so at least I'll be able to understand everything this time! I'll be sure to comment after we get back on Saturday afternoon.
So, the first week of 2007 is turning out to be a busy one. I pray that your year is getting off to a good start, and I hope you're keeping any New Year's resolutions you may have made (more on mine later). Enjoy the rest of the week!
Monday, January 01, 2007
Greetings from 2007!
Frohes Neues Jahr!
As I write this, it's a little after 3:00 AM on January 1, 2007, in Bremen, so for most of you out there it's still 2006. So far, 2007 has been a good year. :-)
I spent New Year's Eve at Stefanie's house with Ingrid and Stefanie's friends, Ute and Clara. Ute attends the congregation in Braunschweig and Clara lives in a Mennonite community in Ireland. The five of us ate dinner together and spent quite a while singing songs. Stefanie had borrowed copies of Songs of Faith and Praise from Jim and Elsa, so we sang English songs from those.
When we sing in German I feel like I have three choices as to what I can do: 1) I can concentrate on singing the right notes, 2) I can try to pronounce the words correctly, or 3) I can attempt to understand the meaning of the words. I've found time and time again that it's extremely difficult to do more than one of these at a time! Tonight we sang songs in a language I understand, and most of them were ones I know by heart after years of singing them in church, but tonight these songs meant so much more to me than they ever have in the U.S. It was so wonderful to sing something I knew and could understand, and it gave me a chance to really concentrate more on the words we were singing. I guess not being able to understand most of the songs for so long made me hungry for something I could digest and take to heart. Those songs were soul food for me.
We counted down the last seconds to midnight and stood outside Stefanie's house to watch the fireworks shot off by her neighbors. People here buy tons of fireworks at New Year's, and they spend the evening setting them off in the streets. Some of them rival the professional shows on July 4th in the U.S. While I don't have a problem with the fireworks themselves, all the trash left behind in the streets and sidewalks afterwards gets annoying.
All in all, it was a good way to finish off 2006 and to ring in 2007. I feel very blessed to have had the year that I did. It was filled with transitions of all sorts, from changes in employees at work and moving out of my aparment, to leaving my job and adjusting to life in Bremen, but God has seen me through those changes and has used them to bring me closer to Him and to make me a better person.
My prayer for the New Year is that all of us can grow closer to the Lord this year and that we can see Him working in our lives and will let Him make His work complete in us.
May 2007 be your best year yet.
As I write this, it's a little after 3:00 AM on January 1, 2007, in Bremen, so for most of you out there it's still 2006. So far, 2007 has been a good year. :-)
I spent New Year's Eve at Stefanie's house with Ingrid and Stefanie's friends, Ute and Clara. Ute attends the congregation in Braunschweig and Clara lives in a Mennonite community in Ireland. The five of us ate dinner together and spent quite a while singing songs. Stefanie had borrowed copies of Songs of Faith and Praise from Jim and Elsa, so we sang English songs from those.
When we sing in German I feel like I have three choices as to what I can do: 1) I can concentrate on singing the right notes, 2) I can try to pronounce the words correctly, or 3) I can attempt to understand the meaning of the words. I've found time and time again that it's extremely difficult to do more than one of these at a time! Tonight we sang songs in a language I understand, and most of them were ones I know by heart after years of singing them in church, but tonight these songs meant so much more to me than they ever have in the U.S. It was so wonderful to sing something I knew and could understand, and it gave me a chance to really concentrate more on the words we were singing. I guess not being able to understand most of the songs for so long made me hungry for something I could digest and take to heart. Those songs were soul food for me.
We counted down the last seconds to midnight and stood outside Stefanie's house to watch the fireworks shot off by her neighbors. People here buy tons of fireworks at New Year's, and they spend the evening setting them off in the streets. Some of them rival the professional shows on July 4th in the U.S. While I don't have a problem with the fireworks themselves, all the trash left behind in the streets and sidewalks afterwards gets annoying.
All in all, it was a good way to finish off 2006 and to ring in 2007. I feel very blessed to have had the year that I did. It was filled with transitions of all sorts, from changes in employees at work and moving out of my aparment, to leaving my job and adjusting to life in Bremen, but God has seen me through those changes and has used them to bring me closer to Him and to make me a better person.
My prayer for the New Year is that all of us can grow closer to the Lord this year and that we can see Him working in our lives and will let Him make His work complete in us.
May 2007 be your best year yet.
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