Yesterday I got a few things that made me happy:
1) Two (2) one kg bags of Haribo gummi bears. They are huge. Jamie thinks that you could knock someone out with one.
2) A jar of cocktail onions and a jar of olives. One of the many random quirks to being a part of the greater Eakin family, and my mothers daughter :-)
3) Plane tickets home! and back to Germany in the fall. As I told Amy (one of my dear ex-housemates) I am excited for all the living I have to do between now and when I get home, but I am eager to be home. So, I come home May 12th and fly back to Germany the 17th of September--I am just shy of Gitta's birthday in May, and Tressy's in September. Okay, I am off to update photos so that you can see a bit of Brackenheim!
24 December 2008
22 December 2008
Brackenheim/Stuttgart and Upcoming outreach
On Saturday I left Herrnhut for Lydia's house in Brackenheim, about 50 minutes north of Stuttgart. It was a long, but good travel day (nowhere near as long as it would be to come home...) and now I am enjoying being in a home and preparing for Christmas!
Today we wandered, briefly, through Brackenheim, looking at shops and architecture and running into friends of Lydia. We ventured through a home/kitchen store and it felt like home :-) I love kitchen stuff--it's just fun. I also realized that tool departments smell similar (I know, I'm crazy!) Having grown up making runs to the lumber yard or hardware store, there is a special place in my heart for the merchandise and it's accompanying scent (apparently.) It made me smile.
This afternoon, Jamie, Lydia and I will take the train down to the city, meet with one of the other YWAMers (at a Starbucks, no less!) and hopefully find some last minute Outreach (not Christmas) items, before we connect with another of Lydia's friends, and her sister in Ludwigsburg for dinner.
If you will remember in your prayers all of my DTS classmates and leaderships, this week, that would be great. It is hard for some to be home, and hard for others to be away from home, during this holiday season, and especially after three months away and in anticipation of another three (or more) to come.
Merry Christmas,frohe Weihnachten!
Today we wandered, briefly, through Brackenheim, looking at shops and architecture and running into friends of Lydia. We ventured through a home/kitchen store and it felt like home :-) I love kitchen stuff--it's just fun. I also realized that tool departments smell similar (I know, I'm crazy!) Having grown up making runs to the lumber yard or hardware store, there is a special place in my heart for the merchandise and it's accompanying scent (apparently.) It made me smile.
This afternoon, Jamie, Lydia and I will take the train down to the city, meet with one of the other YWAMers (at a Starbucks, no less!) and hopefully find some last minute Outreach (not Christmas) items, before we connect with another of Lydia's friends, and her sister in Ludwigsburg for dinner.
If you will remember in your prayers all of my DTS classmates and leaderships, this week, that would be great. It is hard for some to be home, and hard for others to be away from home, during this holiday season, and especially after three months away and in anticipation of another three (or more) to come.
Merry Christmas,frohe Weihnachten!
11 December 2008
It's Christmas time in Herrnhut
I can't believe what a frightfully negligent blogger I am ! Well, that's not entirely true--I've never been that good about taking the time to put life into writing, and with the busy schedule of a DTS and life in a foreign country, there is all the more to distract from updating everyone.
I track the passage of time by the phases of the moon. It has waxed swiftly over my nightly walk home, and reminds me of how time flies. I have been here just over two months; I have but a matter of weeks before I leave (crazy weeks filled with a Christmas adventure to the home of a friend, near Stuttgart; New Years and only a little more preparation time and lecture!) It is a continual battle to stay present as we are called to look through the things of the past, and as I look forward to what is to come.
Some of my plans for the future are to travel to Scotland with my mum, dad and brother at the end of March, spend time at home with my wonderful family-Tressy graduates from High School this spring!, possibly/hopefully get back to Manitou and work for Summit, and then come back to Germany! as a base staff person, join Julie (nearly 23 year old Canadian) in the cafe ministry that we want to have here, and probably staff a DTS or two... that should keep me busy for the next few years (or the rest of my life! if it's where God wants me.) I am really excited to continue learning German, and gain some practical experience in business as a ministry! Please be praying for God's continued guidance in all these things.
My struggle through all of this is balancing relationships. As with each new place and group of people I have the joy of living with people who are awesome: who love God and want to serve Him in everything. We have great adventures, and get to learn together. However, it's hard to take the time to continue to delve more deeply into sharing together, especially as I need to process for myself. I have been reminded today of how imperative it is to live intentionally in our community-this is as safe a place for it as any- and be encouraged and challenged by those I am living with. Wow! What an opportunity. I know that when this time ends, this time will be it's own in my mind and heart, even as I continue to grow and staff other schools.
I track the passage of time by the phases of the moon. It has waxed swiftly over my nightly walk home, and reminds me of how time flies. I have been here just over two months; I have but a matter of weeks before I leave (crazy weeks filled with a Christmas adventure to the home of a friend, near Stuttgart; New Years and only a little more preparation time and lecture!) It is a continual battle to stay present as we are called to look through the things of the past, and as I look forward to what is to come.
Some of my plans for the future are to travel to Scotland with my mum, dad and brother at the end of March, spend time at home with my wonderful family-Tressy graduates from High School this spring!, possibly/hopefully get back to Manitou and work for Summit, and then come back to Germany! as a base staff person, join Julie (nearly 23 year old Canadian) in the cafe ministry that we want to have here, and probably staff a DTS or two... that should keep me busy for the next few years (or the rest of my life! if it's where God wants me.) I am really excited to continue learning German, and gain some practical experience in business as a ministry! Please be praying for God's continued guidance in all these things.
My struggle through all of this is balancing relationships. As with each new place and group of people I have the joy of living with people who are awesome: who love God and want to serve Him in everything. We have great adventures, and get to learn together. However, it's hard to take the time to continue to delve more deeply into sharing together, especially as I need to process for myself. I have been reminded today of how imperative it is to live intentionally in our community-this is as safe a place for it as any- and be encouraged and challenged by those I am living with. Wow! What an opportunity. I know that when this time ends, this time will be it's own in my mind and heart, even as I continue to grow and staff other schools.
23 November 2008
Köln
We got back to Herrnhut last night around 8:30, after a long day of traveling across snow covered Germany. It's still snowing here, and I am very glad that the weather waited until after our mini-outreach to get so cold and wet.
It has been a good week of outreach. We spent time praying in the streets, in the Dom (Cathedral), taking with, praying for and giving hot coffee to the homeless and the prostitutes.
We stayed at the same church that our leader had stayed with when he was there last year-the community there has gone through some drastic change since last year--they had become a Christian cult. Now they are in a place of seeking healing, and a biblical foundation in Christ. It is hard to see the pain and brokenness of some of the people we met with, but it is also good to know that God is working in that community. I get excited at the prospect of knowing that we can send future teams there, and that they will be able to share in the change that will continue to take place in that church. It was good to be able to serve and pray for them, as well as share a meal with them this last week.
We have only a few more weeks here--three or four of lecture and outreach preparation, then Christmas, and a few more days before the teams head out! I know these weeks will go by more quickly than I want them to, and it will be a hard transition to be with our seven person team for the ten weeks we are gone.
God is continuing to work on my heart through all of this--I'm learning more about who I am and what I want to do in the next couple of years. I am thinking and praying about coming back to Herrnhut to join a ministry to open a cafe here, continue learning German and who knows what else! I am excited for what is to come, and definitely appreciate your thoughts and prayers as I wrap up my time here in the German portion of the DTS, and determine what will happen in the spring when I am done.
It has been a good week of outreach. We spent time praying in the streets, in the Dom (Cathedral), taking with, praying for and giving hot coffee to the homeless and the prostitutes.
We stayed at the same church that our leader had stayed with when he was there last year-the community there has gone through some drastic change since last year--they had become a Christian cult. Now they are in a place of seeking healing, and a biblical foundation in Christ. It is hard to see the pain and brokenness of some of the people we met with, but it is also good to know that God is working in that community. I get excited at the prospect of knowing that we can send future teams there, and that they will be able to share in the change that will continue to take place in that church. It was good to be able to serve and pray for them, as well as share a meal with them this last week.
We have only a few more weeks here--three or four of lecture and outreach preparation, then Christmas, and a few more days before the teams head out! I know these weeks will go by more quickly than I want them to, and it will be a hard transition to be with our seven person team for the ten weeks we are gone.
God is continuing to work on my heart through all of this--I'm learning more about who I am and what I want to do in the next couple of years. I am thinking and praying about coming back to Herrnhut to join a ministry to open a cafe here, continue learning German and who knows what else! I am excited for what is to come, and definitely appreciate your thoughts and prayers as I wrap up my time here in the German portion of the DTS, and determine what will happen in the spring when I am done.
07 November 2008
Adventures
Leah and I had a sweet adventure to Prague-we had an interesting ride with the Quick Bus (nauseating,) a trek up to the castle, the Lenin Wall, and a cozy hostel. Prague is a big, beautiful city, and I am so glad that Herrnhut isn't a big city...
I'm really struggling to put into words the things that I am thinking, feeling and experiencing. I don't know that I am 'learning' anything that is especially new, but there are good words that I hear that help direct my thoughts and actions. What is more challenging for me is simply being in a place of waiting and expectation on the Lord. It's hard. I don't know what more I can do, or how to move forward.
Our speaker this week has been calling us to lay down our rights at the foot of the cross. I know that I have so much, that I love the life, family, friends and things that He has blessed me with, and I know that I need to offer all that back to God. What will it look like to give everything over? To hear from Him and know where to go and what to do? All I can do is pray for the strength, courage and faith that what He has is perfect.
...
We have mini-outreach next week. It's going to be a crazy adventure. Ten hours across the country by train, worship, evangelism, and the guidance of God. Please keep my team (and all of our teams) in your prayers, and I'll do what I can to share what God does with our week of ministry with you all when I get back. Oh! and I'm missing Thanksgiving this week- I hope that it is a sweet time with family and tasty food :-) We will be celebrating the following week.
I'm really struggling to put into words the things that I am thinking, feeling and experiencing. I don't know that I am 'learning' anything that is especially new, but there are good words that I hear that help direct my thoughts and actions. What is more challenging for me is simply being in a place of waiting and expectation on the Lord. It's hard. I don't know what more I can do, or how to move forward.
Our speaker this week has been calling us to lay down our rights at the foot of the cross. I know that I have so much, that I love the life, family, friends and things that He has blessed me with, and I know that I need to offer all that back to God. What will it look like to give everything over? To hear from Him and know where to go and what to do? All I can do is pray for the strength, courage and faith that what He has is perfect.
...
We have mini-outreach next week. It's going to be a crazy adventure. Ten hours across the country by train, worship, evangelism, and the guidance of God. Please keep my team (and all of our teams) in your prayers, and I'll do what I can to share what God does with our week of ministry with you all when I get back. Oh! and I'm missing Thanksgiving this week- I hope that it is a sweet time with family and tasty food :-) We will be celebrating the following week.
29 October 2008
Main outreach locations:
Please join me in praying about where I should spend January-March for our main outreach time. I will be submitting my top three choices to our school leadership team on Friday. Thank you so much for remembering me in your prayers, and please feel free to share with me if you hear anything! :-) I let you all know when I find out more!
27 October 2008
Mini-Outreach
We found out our mini outreach teams today! I am part of the group that will be headed to Koln (Cologne.) This was one of my top choices, and my friend Leah is also a part of the team.
Koln is actually the only mini outreach location that I have actually visited before. I spent my 17th birthday in the city. I am eager to visit it again under such different circumstances than my high school exchange trip. I am also pleased that I am staying in Germany: I was really interested in trips to other countries, but it makes much more sense to serve and evangelize in a place where I can actually understand some of the language :-)
I'm not sure if Gitta will manage to get here-but I am praying that she makes is safely, or that we both won't be too crushed if it doesn't work out. I think I could cry.
Koln is actually the only mini outreach location that I have actually visited before. I spent my 17th birthday in the city. I am eager to visit it again under such different circumstances than my high school exchange trip. I am also pleased that I am staying in Germany: I was really interested in trips to other countries, but it makes much more sense to serve and evangelize in a place where I can actually understand some of the language :-)
I'm not sure if Gitta will manage to get here-but I am praying that she makes is safely, or that we both won't be too crushed if it doesn't work out. I think I could cry.
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