ETM in Gemünden, Part II

I guess I should have said, "Part II coming the day after tomorrow." :)

So, the week in Gemünden went well. I went for a hike one afternoon with my roommate, Barbara, and I managed to get her and several others addicted to the card game "SET". I learned how to play about 10 years ago, and because it's not really the kind of game that appeals to everyone, I usually play by myself. The deck in Gemünden was the first I've seen in Germany, and I was surprised to find that a few other people there already knew how to play. It was fun to teach Barbara and others and to then see them teaching still more people.

Each of us during the week had to give a 10-minute presentation to the group based on an article we had read. We were supposed to describe the principle discussed by the author, how it is useful, and how it can be applied in the church. All of the topics had something to do with self-improvement, communication skills, or time- and priority-management. I chose the article on the "Pareto Principle," which is named after the Italian sociologist who discovered it. It basically says that 20% of your expenditure is so important that it will achieve 80% of your goal. I think in English it's known as the "20:80 Rule." I had volunteered to present on Friday along with three others, and as we were about to begin after our lunch break, I realized that some of the visitors (ETMers from previous years) had come in the room to watch the presentations. I was already extremely nervous (about the German, not about getting up in front of people), and seeing the new people sent my blood pressure soaring. I looked over at Elsa with what I guess was panic etched across my face, and she laughed and said, "That's what you get for going on the last day." *Sigh* Somehow I made it through without passing out.

Last weekend was spent as an ETM reunion of sorts. Participants from previous years came, some with their families, and we discussed how ETM has benefited our lives; what things can be improved; and possibilities for future advanced courses, which are ones that can be completed after finishing the basic course, the one I'm doing now. I enjoyed meeting new people from all over the country (and at least one from Zurich, Switzerland) and seeing Elsa's daughter, Karin, and her family again. I know Elsa really enjoyed getting to see her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters (or at least the ones who live in Switzerland) again, too. The last time I saw them was at Jim's funeral, which wasn't exactly the ideal situation for socializing. I got to spend some time last weekend playing with Karin's daughters, Alicia (uh-LEES-ee-uh) and Liliana. There are times when Elsa pronounces my name like her granddaughter's and vice versa. I think with both of us there she had even more trouble keeping straight which of us is "uh-lees-ee-uh" and which is "uh-lish-uh." :)

As for ETM, it continues until the end of May. At that point we'll get together again for "regional meetings." Until then we have a couple of assignments to complete, including reading Ordne dein Leben (the German translation of Ordering Your Private World) by Gordon MacDonald. At the meeting each of us will present a Bible study or some other formal presentation on a chapter from the book. Those of us from "the north" will get together in Chemnitz, with the men and women meeting separately.

This weekend has gone well. I'm doing some organizing in my apartment and trying to get caught up on some things after being gone. I've had one other person call in response to the ads for English studies, so we've got a grand total of 2 so far. Please pray that God will work in the hearts of the people of this city and that He'll prepare people for the campaigners to study with.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, and have a wonderful start to the week. Thanks for checking in on me and for your thoughts and prayers. They keep me going. Gott mit Euch.