Berlin & Friends

My good friends Uncle Buster & Aunt Doris S. from Tampa were recently here, visiting a few days. Now they're on a Reformation Tour with others from their church. (This sweet group, by the way, showered me & my colleagues with goodies from the US-- such as grits, Pam spray, oreo cookies, & a Tampa company Vigo yellow rice).

I picked them up in Berlin and we toured around for a day. On the left is Checkpoint Charlie where they controlled traffic in and out of the formerly split city of Berlin. The Brandenburg Gate is still a highlight to see!

Sebastian, a friend from Jena, also accompanied us and helped me give the tour (i really do not know my way around there well). He is praying about where to move to, to continue his studies in civil engineering, and wanted to check out a local college.

ÜberLeben 06

Last week we had a campus- wide outreach to share Christ in Jena (called Survival 2006, a play on words meaning "above life"). It was organized by our Connexxion student ministry as well as 3 others groups. Each night there was a guest speaker in a large lecture hall, in the afternoons we had a seminar & during the days we handed out free coffee & homemade cake -- 80 cakes in all -- & invited students to the events.
(on the right are Philipp, Sebastian, Nicole & Thomas in the band singing, among others, a song by Switchfoot).

Our group helped at the contact tables, & planned the nightly creative introduction to the evenings' themes: such as a band, an insightful or comedic skit & interviewing the speaker. We also provided a bistro snack table afterwards to encourage conversation. Each night between 80-160 students attended and heard the Good News. (I'm in the left photo, far right).

Spring Shots (photo potpourri)

I have a smattering of fun photos! I wanted to share them all, from various events the last weeks -- so here is my modest attempt at remaining sensible & tantalizing you with curiosity by including just a random few! Jeff, my co-worker, and son Jeff are enjoying the sounds of Antje's Australian didgeridoo! She brought it to our spring retreat & played it for the talent night. (no small feat!). Growing up in the tropics of Florida, I missed all the wonderful northern blooming trees & cold-loving flowers, such as tulips! Hurray for living in Germany right next to Holland!

After our retreat, some of us went to ride on a summer tobaggan ride-- (left to right) little Georgia, Tep (our worship leader who came in from Spain), Deanna, Vera, Jen, Caro, & yours truly. (for the record-- i have no qualms at people seeing my feet-- really, i don't! But somehow I wonder why it's so common for folks to take your ENTIRE body when they shoot a photo--and often leaves out things much more interesting than feet & ground-- in this case the small town behind our heads was hilly & quite quaint...)


John & Jen Kelsey from Oklahoma came to speak at our retreat & we enjoyed a bit of sight-seeing while they were here, including a favorite place of mine, the Wartburg Castle. This is where Martin Luther translated the New Testament (from Greek into German) in just 11 weeks (in 1521/22). It resulted in a standardized version of written German. Jen & Kels as friends were fun & so encouraging; plus it was inspiring to exchange ideas about campus ministry!




This incredible piece of architecture is found in Erfurt, our state capital of Thuringia, and houses a terrific Italian restaurant!

Spring has sprung -- Retreat

I just keep getting more and more behind on blogging-- ahhh! Which is a good thing, in a way-- that means my life is full of meaningful things & sometimes DO-ing cool stuff is more fun (sounds like the sanguine in me!) than reflecting on it or recording it... but i hope to do both, of course!

John and Jen Kelsey were recently here from Oklahoma University to lead our spring retreat. Connexxion campus ministry was simply WAY blessed by the fellowship and spiritual teaching we all enjoyed. Good to "connect" with God and each other at the front end of the new spring/summer semester. Jen shared about what she's learned from dealing with a chronic illness and pain: “I feel green and nourished …on the inside, even though I live with pain… it’s worth it, it’s worth it-- to know God in this way.” Wow!

From "Kels" (John) on commitment: Understand the difference between: 1) training & 2) trying. Did you TRY to understand quantum physics? Or Russian? No. You don’t dabble—you train to learn these things. But what if I’m committed & under grace & get really excited about God, & have a cool T-shirt—and I “try” – and put a Christian sticker on back of my car? Isn't that like asking, 'can’t I just show up and throw the shot-put at a track meet-- without training'??!! I just can’t experiment, but I have to TRAIN!

California, part 1

In March our Connexxion campus group went on what has become a yearly spring break trip. We always visit 1 or 2 innovative churches in the USA, spend extended time with a like-hearted campus ministry, as well as attend a college conference at Glorieta, New Mexico. This year for the 1st time we visited a campus in Los Angeles where, in the '90's, I poured out my life for 2 years on staff, the University of Southern California. Here is our group of 9 students & staff (I'm #10, shooting the photo), along with 3 USC staffers of the BSU-type group, "Christian Challenge." Tommy Trojan towers above.

Yes, I had been somewhat intimidated those first months there. Would I be able to relate to students whose parents could actually PAY for that kind of private education? I went to Baylor but that was still not on that par. Did I have some way to relate to the women athletes who became part of my new Bible study? I had always grown up being one of the more intelligent people in MY circles, at least, & graduated 4th in my high school class-- but again, was not as smart as these folks, I thought. What about the students who did NOT pay for their studies, but were so smart that they passed a national test with some ridiculously amazing score and got a scholarship?! God tested my ability to reach people from the heart, and not necessarily from the head!

We set up an info. table about the spiritual condition of Western Europe at the "Challenge" worship time, as well as at each church & group we visited.

School Start

They're back! We started off the 1st week of the spring semester at Friedrich Schiller University (FSU) by handing out 1500 gummy bear with flyers on campus (April 20th), as well as a few New Testaments & logo pens.

It was great to just 'get out there' & meet new students. "Here you go..." I said over and over holding out the packets (in German "bitte schön" -which is actually translated in literal form as "please pretty!"). Handing out New Testaments to

students waiting in line to use a computer kiosk, one gal commented: "I've just started reading the Bible myself." So God is at work in hearts already, even in this atheistic- influenced area! (Caro & Maria, with Greek or Roman statues in background; Anne and Caro, right).

That evening we had "Extra Cross" worship which we do monthly on campus. At the end, Thomas told about his call into ministry-- a former student in our group but now graduated, Thomas has recently switched to half-time at his computer job, so he can serve on staff with Connexxion! About 30 of us gathered around to pray over him. Stefan, smiling in the back, was instrumental in mentoring him over the years. Vera, on the left, heard the good news in big ways through the discussion group that Thomas leads Monday nights in the pub. That weekend from Friday night to Saturday noon we loved on students at an in-house retreat ... and did some key training with small group leaders & a living room full of those who graciously volunteer for vital roles in our group.

Need color in your life?

Our Connexxion group had a big "Black and White" Party theme on Monday to open the new college semester -- and it was a hit! See happy faces of Deanna & Elisa (left), & Thomas & Sebastian (right)!!! Thomas made a collection of our group's photos, turned them into black & white images, and had a slide show running on my TV.

Imagine trying to come up with every possible decoration & food for this motto (THANK you, Antje, for creativity!). E.g., walls checkered with black construction paper; an Elvis photo; spotted cow; black & white kitchen utensils; Cuban black beans & rice; Oreo cookies from America-- in limited supply so that I selfishly didn't want to share too many; black olives in white Penne pasta salad; tiny pumpernickel bread sandwiches with cream cheese; etc.... And everyone could find something appropriate to wear! (And Monica, your gift shirt was perfect for the event; I'm standing with Eckart and Rebecca.)

The "color" was provided by interesting conversations, laughter, and a cool atmosphere. God blessed the time and we met new friends, played Pictionary and had fun! (Conny & Sabine, below; Stefan with funky sunglasses!).

All or Nothing?

The "all or nothing" side of me says either i need to 1) blog a LOT and give several updates on my journeys to catch up -- or 2) i do not write at all because I have no idea where to start. Frankly, I've been away from the web a great deal-- between time issues & the availability (lack of) of a computer. Which means I probably have not seen your blog either. I feel so behind- Ahhh! So to overcome a bit of any unhealthy procrastination, i'm just checking in to say 'hi' to any of you who have wondered where I've been. ("Hi!")

I went on a fantastic trip; first, with our students to Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and California-- then to the other coast, Florida. There I spent 6 days with family and friends. Then, a week back home in Europe-- busy with preparations for our new semester. Then, about a week away again, to a conference put on by my colleagues over Easter. Every bit of these weeks has been blessed-- but i've been busy. This photo is taken in a Mexican restaurant in Ft. Worth, my 1st night in the States. With me are Leta, a great friend, and my Aunt Becky-- both who took the time to meet at the restaurant and greet me and the gang who'd just flown over.

Below are traveling buddies & student friends Lydia and Vera with me in front of red hot chili peppers in Santa Fe! Thanks for stopping by... and i'll write more later!

Vision Trip - Glorieta

This week I'm taking off to the States with a group of students and staff for our annual (4th year now!) "Vision Trip." It's a great way for us to tank up spiritually, and to gather ideas about ministry in another setting, with innovative churches and student ministries. Then we can compare and contrast philosophies & methods, and get a fresh perspective on how we can 'tweek' our personal lives and walk with God, as well as the Connexxion ministry in Germany.

We leave 1st for Ft. Worth, then Norman, OK (1 night each place) and then on buses with the Oklahoma University BSU to Glorieta, New Mexico (see photo above of worship center). For one week we participate in a spring break conference for 500 collegiates. Max and Sandra Barnett (see our team in 2004 in blue shirts with Barnetts) first challenged me in 2002 with the invitation to bring a group! Thanks, Max!

This is the team from last year. This year I will be one of the seminar leaders discussing how to start new groups from scratch. A new twist this time-- after the conference, instead of returning to Norman, we'll travel by train to Los Angeles. I ministered at the USC campus for 2 years with Neil and Melinda Walker. Christian Challenge is our campus ministry host for 6 days. Then the weekend will be spent at Huntington Beach, hosted by my former church Seabreeze Community, getting a vision for church planting. I really covet prayers for my final preparations & for the trip itself! Wanting God to give me a fresh vision of what He has in store for me these next months.

all over the map

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven."

Ok, I'm a person who is sort of "all over the map." As in --quite distractable. For example, I try to do 'logical' things in a long meeting or day-long seminar, that don't seem strange to the folks in the room-- but gets me out of the chair or out of boredom. Like go to the restroom, type notes in my laptop, or walk to the back of the room for more water. I like shorter-term projects way more than 'let's plan one year in advance' events. It's hard to finish a book.

I can change interests and don't keep to too many main passions. But I'm flexible that way. Isn't that cool? Maybe I get bored easily. Phases-- guess most kids have them. The 'make your own candle and use real Florida sand on the outside' phase. Wax in the kitchen pots-- thanks, Mom, for your patience. The collect shells phase. The build your own terrarium phase. The start jogging with Dad era. I recall as a young teen that I had this "thing" about getting an aquarium. Read all about it. But after a few years, I mean, the gurgling of those bubbles in my room was more than I could handle. The problem with the 'play the piano' phase was (which lasted quite some years) that my parents thought that it needed to really be a discipline. And my grandad Moore had been a skilled musician. So I took lessons much beyond my keen interest level.

I have changed cities quite a number of times, e.g., so that seems to be the way God has molded me. I like adventure. But don't like total change all the time-- put it this way, I can keep my living room FURNITURE in the same configuration for years, unless someone helps me think outside the box, but will change the CITY where I live!

When I reflect on this trait, I feel that God has graced me with something that seems like a lack of discipline, but does have it's advantages. It looks really un-spiritual, e.g., especially when you skip around in what you're reading in your Quiet Time or which word you're doing a word study on. Accountability definitely helps here. But God can use such a gifting (if it doesn't drive those around you nuts!) to make you take chances, and break out of a bad rut. To push the envelope and step out in faith. To move, frankly. And having moved a bit in the past-- living in Tampa (more than once!), Waco, Ft. Worth, Vancouver, LA, Cloppenburg and Jena... well, I hope God's gifting proves true as I pray about being a catalyst in starting up a new campus ministry and moving later this year.

“If you carefully obey all the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul, and if you worship him, then he will send the rains in their proper seasons so you can harvest crops of grain, grapes for wine, and olives for oil. He will give you lush pastureland for your cattle to graze in, and you yourselves will have plenty to eat." - Deut. 11:13-15 -

"They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper." - Psalm 1:3 -

evening in the cellar

Last night we celebrated the semester's end with our main discipleship group. (see me, with Conny & Lydia R. above). These are also the students who sacrificially serve in leading our small groups and helping organize parties, monthly worship & special events. It was a relaxed time to 'treat' them to a special dinner in an OLD cellar of stone walls and vaulted ceilings. Man, these are the quaint places that just 'hug' me with beauty & European history! Not to mention the fun of laughing and chatting with friends. Mario is left- he'll start a 5-month internship w/ troubled youth in Dresden next week. (see Stefan & Alrik, right)

"Smart" car & inquisitive classroom

Since last May, 14 bright-orange Smart cars (a very tiny Mercedes) have traveled around Germany to share the Good News and advertise for an upcoming crusade. This outreach event will be held in mid-March in Munich & carried to dozens of cities by satellite.

This week the cars are in Jena, visiting the hospital & shopping areas, a soup kitchen & the downtown. Today I accompanied Stefan, a student leader, as he was sharing his faith with a 6th grade class on "ethics" (one either takes religion or ethics in school). They are studying Christianity at the moment. The amazing thing is that we- Stefan, another student Sebastian, and I - were given a really open-minded class (a few are pictured below). They asked all kinds of questions for over an hour. When I asked them what THEY believed, the consensus seemed to be reflected by: "I don't believe in God, but like most kids, I pray when I'm in a tight spot." And, "It would be nice to believe in something, like even a higher power; but it doesn't seem logical." "I'm afraid of death & really wish I had something to reassure me."

An extra surprise --Stefan called today before the school visit: "Martha, can i pick you up earlier? The Jena TV channel wants an interview!" (see camera interviewer, right). All 3 of us were on this all-news channel. It was to be repeated each hour, through the night. Cool, huh?

It's just different

I am preparing for tomorrow's planning meeting for the "vision trip" that I, along with a group of German students, will take to the States for 2 weeks in March. One thing we'll talk about is American customs. It reminded me, yet again, of the big & little things that are unique or different about our 2 countries.

Culture "adaptation" is a 3-step process. First, one must keenly observe similarities & differences. Second comes the hard part-- deciding what they mean AND deciding how to view them: some traditions, events or habits are not "bad" or "good"-- but just "different." Third, I must learn when to modify (or not!) my habits or learn a new preference.

And Yes, I DO believe in absolutes ... but here are examples of what I mean. The carton of eggs above-- comes in a package of 10 (not a dozen). Why is that? (& why do the States use 12?) The milk here comes in 1 liter cartons. In my first 2 months in Germany, when i had a bike with a cute basket on the front (but had no auto), I quickly discovered at least one reason why milk comes in smaller packages. A gallon bottle would fill most of your basket-- ahhh! Then you'd have to shop even more often. (It would fill your refrigerator here, too!)

On a weightier matter-- how does the liter figure into gas costs? If the auto uses 25 gallons--you need 94.6 liters to fill the tank. SO, at 1.10 Euro per liter (present cost IF you use diesel, which I do, which is cheaper!). Total at the tank = $124! Thankfully, my organization pays for much of my gas costs.

Déjà Vu

"Life is pain, Heiness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." (The Princess Bride)

The university "Clinic." It was one of those weird moments on Thursday & again today when I visited my friend Nadin in our large, glass & steel hospital in Jena. She had surgery on her knee and is stationed just 1 floor above where I spent 2 weeks last spring.

I had an emergency situation in late March 2005 when the disc between my 3rd & 4th lumbar vertebrae bulged & 'ruptured' & a tiny piece went into my spinal column. It caused numbness in my left knee & also great discomfort (i nearly fainted at home from the pain, but managed to call a taxi on Good Friday). They wanted to operate on Easter, but I urged them to wait until I could get more counsel and see if the problem would resolve itself through prayer, or another treatment. I was desperate not to miss my only sibling's, my brother's, wedding on April 15th (bottom line: i missed it).

So many mixed & random memories ran through my mind today... & it was not a "happy" feeling. The many kind visitors from my church; the flowers & cards; as well as the early morning visits by a team of doctors (yawn! LIGHTS on!) & nurses coming in & out all day. I barely knew what the "outside world" looked like (entrance halls on the ground floor), since I'd admitted myself into the ER. I recall being exhausted even though I did nothing very physical. The electric "shock" thing they put on my foot a few times, to measure nerve damage. Not being able to reach the sink properly to brush my teeth. Meeting with Anja at bedside about the start-up of our next semester, & the arrival of a new intern from Florida. There were the myriad of late night phone calls to the States to try to figure out if I could maybe manage flying to Florida in my condition. Making hundreds of decisions myself.

Then the next 3 weeks spent in a lovely (but lonely) rehabilitation clinic in a village 25 minutes from Jena (& that's another whole story which I won't go into now). That initial event on Good Friday-- I had pulled myself off the floor (why on the floor? To keep from fainting-- with the help, too, of 800 mg. of Ibuprofen), gotten dressed quickly to meet the taxi, & stuffed a toothbrush & a couple of items in my backpack in case I had to spend the night-- little did I know I wouldn't see my apartment again for 5 weeks!

It was in many ways a true 'nightmare,' but also -- as are most tragic instances in our lives-- a chance to hear from God. To sing new songs and experience grace afresh in my humbled situation. To cry and pray a lot. To live with unanswered questions. To 'break in' a new journal --which I could only write in carefully in a semi-lounging versus sitting position. To draw near to friends who cared. To fight bitterness. To ask God to speak clearly and that I not 'miss' any lesson or new insight. To connect with verses in the Word...

"The days of our years -- there are 70 of them, and if there is great strength, eighty years-- yet their best involves toil and grief." - Psalm 90:10

"Make us glad to the measure of the days Thou hast afflicted us, of the year in which we have seen calamity." - Psalm 90:15

"Be cheerful on this account, although now for a little while, if it must be, you are distressed by various trials, so that your tested faith, far more precious than perishable gold that is tested by fire, may prove to be for praise and glory and honor, when Jesus Christ is revealed." - 1 Peter 1:6-7 (Berkeley version)

Olympics Mania

Well, on this side of the Big Pond I'm definitely rooting for 2 nations in the Olympics! And what a great theme for our party this week-- we had over 30 attending, despite the fact that many were studying for final exams. (see me with Stefan & Conny, rt.).
We enjoyed eating, watching the winter games on TV & playing crazy games ourselves in 4 Olympic "events"-- including arranging 5 rings so they correctly formed the Olympics logo as well as our own version of the biathlon (thanks to the creative Conny, Jan & Caro). It involved walking as fast as you can with a ping-pong ball in a spoon, up & down my indoor flight of stairs, crossing the finish line, & then throwing the ball at a line of cups, trying to topple one (see Lukas with Peter). Our team came in 2nd place-- i was happy with our SILVER! To carry out the theme, some of us dressed up in scarves, sweaters, and/or ski pants. (photo: Conny, Maria, Matthias, Martha, Lydia, Mario)

Parties are for sure a HUGE part of our Connexxion group-- they are a great place to invite friends. And it's amazing how much you can connect in small ways while laughing about a game, or maybe in big ways, when even in the first 5 minutes of talking you can have a "wow-- i really got to know you" conversation.

Ayham had a birthday the next day (pictured here with Johanna)--in Germany, when it turns 12:01 a.m. of your special day, the gang can finally wish you "happy birthday"-- but never earlier. Needless to say we had a late night & loads of fun!

fishin' at the north sea

This is a look backwards... since my blog is new I'm still wanting to share about cool stuff from the months "B.B." ("before Blog"). In September ( our "summer break" for colleges here) we took students for several days on a mission trip to the North Sea. We helped a Baptist church doing a city-wide outreach (more like a village /city) and tent revival.

Here I am with our new friend there Jaclin, a champion high school athlete, whose openness won our hearts! Experiences with friends like this reminded me of the photo above: God is the kind and persevering Fisherman.

We led discussions in English classes at the high school. And on the tent grounds we played games with kids & did crafts, shared our faith around the campfire with teens, and also in the evenings helped with praise music, drama & interpreting at the worship services. There were 2 visiting pastors from South Africa there, as well as a well-known German evangelist named Helmut Gohr.

Stefan from our group interpreted into German at a crazy pace, trying to keep up (& doing well) with their loud, fast-paced preaching (uncharacteristic for more subtle and subdued Germans!), which was delivered in a strong African- British accent.

This region of Germany has it's own breath-taking & serene, yet wild look-- windmills & moors, ocean & "watt (ocean floor mud-- oozy!) wandering" as well as docks linking the North Sea (thus the Atlantic) to the Baltic Sea.