2/9

Today Steph and I woke up early to go for a prayer walk. It was really, really cold. It was a cloudy morning, so not much of a sunrise, but still really pretty.

We talked about the example our team is setting for the kids, and wondered what it was that made so many want to come back again (about half the students here were here the last time). It’s interesting because we know that they want to be here, they’re excited to come and it’s not their parents making them come to learn English. Yet the ones who came back are often the ones who seemed like they didn’t have a good time the last time. It’s the rowdy, sometimes disrespectful ones who are back again.. We know there’s a certain draw because they get to spend time with North Americans, but to give up their break from school to come and learn more English? We concluded that it must just be the fact that there are people here who care about them and want to invest in them.

After praying for awhile, we walked back and made it just in time for our team’s morning devotion. Our leader, the school’s RA, left at 8 this morning, so we’re on our own this time. I’m excited about it though, I think we’ll do a good job. We had our little planning session, a devotion and prayer, then breakfast, followed by a worship time we lead with all the students. Two of us from Bode give our testimonies every day during this time and someone translates for us. I’ll speak in a couple days.

Next was our first English lesson, then lunch, then the second lesson. I’m in an intermediate class again, only this time I don’t have to lead it, which is a huge relief. My old roommate Amy is leading and she’s doing a great job keeping them busy and making it fun.

After the afternoon coffee break, I walked down into the town to buy some supplies for Courtney, Cara and my workshop tomorrow. We’re baking cookies. I listened to Mark Driscoll again as I walked and was going off of some pretty basic directions, so when I’d found the church I was looking for, I was trying to figure out which direction the graveyard that would lead me to the store was in and there was a car sitting there that I didn’t realize had people in it. I swear I must’ve been standing there for a good 25 seconds staring up at the church with a confused expression on my face, completely deaf cause of my ear buds, within three feet of this car. And when I caught sight of the people who were in the car staring at me, I jumped and screamed and then about died laughing at myself, it was great.

When I was done in the store, the sun was setting and it was gorgeous reflecting off the church windows. I dropped the ingredients off at Friolzheim and went back out to walk until the sermon was finished. He was speaking about the difference between biblically specific sins and sins of conscience, a huge issue in churches both legalistically and liberally. He touched on some really controversial issues that shouldn’t be controversial and clarified what our attitude should be toward things like alcohol, tattoos, smoking, and politics.

Here are pictures of the sunset.

I’ve been taking lots of walks recently because it’s the only way I can get some exercise. My knee’s really been bothering me for no particular reason, so I can’t run and this German food has various adverse affects on me as I transition from working out for two hours a day, five days a week, to just walking once in awhile =P Also though, I’m learning that I really do need time by myself, or at least with one or two people instead of a group. It helps me get back the energy I lose trying to engage with screaming kids, indoor games and camp songs, haha. It’s good to learn these things about myself now. Steph jokes about how much I’m going to hate my first few “get to know you” days as a college freshman.

After my walk, we had dinner and then it was time for our “Fun Night”. Our drama team prepared a couple funny skits and we played games and got the kids all riled up and then sent them to bed. I can hear music blasting and kids yelling through the walls still as I write this.

I just got back upstairs from watching Steph and Austin (a kid from Seattle) practice the dance they’re going to do for the next Crossing. I’m sure I’ll explain it in more detail later, but it was incredible and we had a nice conversation afterwards.