Friday, July 29, 2011

Skateistan

We serve a creative God. Take a look at the transforming power skate boarding is having over the youth of Kabul, Afghanistan. This video is 9 minutes well-spent. 

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Pick A Pocket Retreat 2011

The whole group after a day of team building (hence the war paint).
Last weekend we had our annual Pick A Pocket  retreat! Because we're all constantly traveling and involved in different projects and training schools, this is the one time of the year when we're able to come together for fellowship and refreshing. Uli's parents were nice enough to let us camp on their land in Bavaria (southern Germany), so we rented huge 12-man teepees from the boyscouts and set up a little Pick A Pocket village of sorts, complete with camp kitchen and fire pit! 

We spent time in prayer and worship together, but we also took time to be silly and play games. We even had a Survivor-esque team building day where we put on our "war paint" and ran around in the forest completing challenges (my team won, of course ;-]).  Through all four days it was raining and 55 degrees (12 degrees Celsius), so when we weren't playing ultimate frisbee or red rover, we were all huddled by the fire talking and laughing. It was so good. The retreat was a great way to welcome in our seven new members, look back on what God has done, and look forward to the vision we have for the year to come!



Saturday, July 16, 2011

Visitors Galore

This has been an amazing season, a lot of credit for which is due to the many visitors I've been able to receive in the last months. As a missionary, it's so encouraging to have friends from back home "come and see." Sometimes it can feel like I have two separate worlds: where I came from, and where I'm ministering; And I think it was God's intention in sending me out that those "two separate worlds" would get to know each other a bit. So to have visitors from one world show up in the other has really helped me, personally, to bridge that distance. Here's a tremendously tiny overview of the sojourns I've had the privilege of hosting:

Kaitlyn & Stacy's Easter Visit
My friends, Kaitlyn and Stacy, visited for Easter weekend to round off their time studying abroad in Europe. It was a fun adventure that began in Berlin with some sight-seeing and thrift-shopping at the incredible Mauer Park Flea Market. Then we took the train to Prague for a quick 24-hour blitz through the city! The Easter Market was in full speed when we arrived and we ate yummy kebabs in baguettes and drank gluwein to the soundtrack of Czech polka music in Old Town Square.

Krisi's Post-Grad Adventure & Treg's Pop-In
When I arrived back in Germany after my trip to Texas, Krisi was there waiting for me! After graduating a couple of weeks before, she decided to take a month-long sabbatical to Europe and I was lucky enough to be one of her stops along the way. We read in a hammock in the woods, took picnics around town, and watched a lot of movies in the evenings. Then our friend Treg, who was studying in Prague post-graduation, came for the last few days Krisi's time in Herrnhut! It was so fun to have them both here at the same time.
Kori's Furlow From Romania & Treg Strikes Again
The perfect conclusion to this marathon of visitors was Kori & Treg's mid-July stay. Kori has been working as a missionary intern for a ministry in Romania, and Treg has just finished up his certification to teach English in Prague. It was a much-needed break for all three of us! First they came to Herrnhut for a few day's rest, then I headed back with them to Prague where we dropped Treg off to catch his bus to the Ukraine for his next adventure. From there, Kori and I enjoyed a leisurely three days of exploring the city, resting at Sir Toby's Hostel, and other funtivities, such as the Harry Potter premier and karaoke night with some other missionaries we met in a bookstore! Tons of fun. Then she went back to ministry in Romania and I returned to ministry in Herrnhut. Lovely. 

WOAH! That was a marathon of a report back. Bottom line: Come for a visit! You wont be disappointed. :)

Friday, July 1, 2011

Apathy

This is just a really beautiful video I stumbled upon the other day. I love the cinematography and the message. Take a peek!