party, party and more fun

We enjoy having many fun events and parties with our campus group...like English Club at the university 

(David teaching, with Abby & Antonio). Or playing pictionary with a large group... 

Whether it is a night at the arab tea house with Carlos (wearing David's american- style cap)... or 

...having our new discussion group about biblical topics such as friends, in a cafe (Fernando, Dani and Inga pictured here...).

Tapas International was the theme of this first big social event in our apartment. Above are Alicia and Daniel, me bearing my Germany shirt proudly because it was an international evening, David who is doing an internship with our group, Salva who showed us around the city a lot, and José María who is a business major.

Since parties & fun events are a big part of Connexxion, we have done a lot of just that in starting a new group here in this cool city. Drinking coffee and hanging out, watching movies, and theme events (by the way, tapas are what we would call appetizer portions).

Left are Marcel (from Germany), Javier, who comes to our English Club, Abby, who is studying spanish and doing an internship here, and Salva studying computer science.

Here are Antonio and José Maria in my apartment with Erica (from the US) and Anja (who brought a group from Connexxion Germany) the end of September.

We have gotten creative in our worship, finding some evangelical churches to visit while trying to improve our Spanish (most I am told are small with about 30-40 or so, but we visited ones with about 100). Above is a warm-hearted Pentecostal church in the suburbs we visited. Also I have worshipped in 2 other churches, at the home of some friends, at a tapas bar in an upstairs room, and in a park.

The weddings here must be fabulously elegant, judging from the myriad of wedding party guests dressed up which one sees near the city hall or wandering through 

the old Jewish quarter called Santa Cruz and close to the walls of the Alcazar, where they have professional photos taken.

Being a beach fan, we had to go to the beach about an hour away at Matalascañas twice before it got cold!

scenes of sevilla

The Alcazar in our city is an amazing moor and spanish castle complex with lots of tile rooms and gorgeous gardens.

It was a joy to be able to sit on our balcony with my roommate Inga during our first warm spanish days... and have breakfast. We seem to eat a lot of starches here (potatoes and bread are in abundance).

This Andalucia region is known for having invented the flamenco dance, and there was a photography series in town for a month celebrating it.

The Alameda de Hercules is a section of town (all the city is easily identifiable by names of main sections and neighborhoods) 

known for lots of dreadlocks and a more creative feel. The statues are from the Roman period.

sevilla... switching cultures

Sevilla ... southern Spain! My first days and incomplete impressions of what life looks like on the inside, to Spaniards. 

I spent my first days and weeks in language study and getting to know the city and campuses. Over 1 million people. 70,000 university students in 2 main universities.

Evening in a cafe with Inga, who arrived with me from Braunschweig.

Our balcony was a great place for enjoying the Sevilla sun-- we arrived in September & were astounded by the amount of warmth, after living in Germany. They love smoked ham here. My Kentucky grandad would have been proud to see all this ham!

The building with the fountain is part of the 1920's Expo site, called Plaza de España, shaped like a horseshoe.

Stefan & Antje heiraten!

The German above says: "Stefan and Antje get married!" Here are a couple of fresh fotos from a fun and blessed and wonderful celebration- weekend, when 2 VERY special and "family" friends from the Connexxion group in Jena said "I do" (actually, in German, after the pastor read each one his/ her vows, they said: "Yes, with God's help" (Ja, mit Gottes Hilfe.)

Faith...

I'm moving to Spain on September 1st... after being in my present city just 1 year and 4 months.

A poem by Emily Dickinson

Faith -- is the Pierless Bridge
Supporting what We see
Unto the Scene that We do not --
Too slender for the eye

It bears the Soul as bold
As it were rocked in Steel
With Arms of Steel at either side --
It joins -- behind the Veil

To what, could We presume
The Bridge would cease to be
To Our far, vacillating Feet
A first Necessity.

empowering thru M-A-W-L

In traveling to England briefly in the fall & recently to Spain, and because of interesting chances for "Austausch" (German = "exchange," i.e., trading stories) with others doing a parallel or maybe in some ways similar job to mine... I wrote down a BUNCH of things in my journal, on the plane 10 days ago! Some pre-suppositions I have about life, Christian ministry and how people relate, etc. I hate to bore you all who are used to my otherwise fun memories & travelogue- look of photos over the last months, but I will delve today into a much more heady philosophical topic. It may not all speak to "you" (the readers...?) because I may be writing in part for me. And if that is so, I do apologize, but maybe that's fine, too.

A statement that makes sense, at first...
1) "I am never going to run or organize or start or develop anything myself. I'm going to train someone else to do it (thereby, meaning to: delegate, coach, train, empower, etc.)."

This sounds good --on the surface. We don't like to control others. We don't want to take over something that might later end up being dependent on us, versus God. We want those we influence or pray for or teach to learn to be self- starters. Afterall, can't God speak to & through them as well as to us? Maybe we're just too tired? Or are juggling too much &, therefore, have to pass on some responsibility way early. Perhaps we hope to use our skills in internet research, coordinating and stimulating discussion. But don't take the time ourselves to put shoe leather to the task and do it!

We can pass on key concepts or ideas, & the other person can actually do a better job of starting a Bible study, or a small group, or a program, or even a church, that 'speaks' to people like himself-- than if I tried to start or run something that might end up looking like it's in "My image." It may frankly be cultural irrelevant, if I do it!

Ok. So here go my concrete brain answers talking back to me, to such a philosophical nebulous idea like that...

-- "So I want this new pilot to fly a jet; yet he never saw a plane before." (after all-- we don't want to influence how he might want to develop a plane that fits his culture, his color preferences for the seat fabric, his background, and needs!)
-- "And I want to never let the new pilot see me fly a plane for awhile before he takes over -- let me just teach him in a classroom (or a simulator... or maybe even a living room or in a Cafe) about flying techniques, and wind sheers, the cockpit and handling emergencies..."
-- "And maybe let's even take it down to a kid's level-- riding a bike. The 7 year old just gets my coaching verbally -- while he stumbles and falls-- but Mommy or Daddy won't risk a 'boo- boo' on their knees to show him how to do it first!"

Of course, I'm being a bit childish. This sounds sarcastic & ridiculous & I may be blowing a statement somewhat out of proportion. But, yes, I have heard this and SEEN this kind of mentality in action more than once.

We're setting people up to fail, because we're afraid of stiffling their creativity and God's speaking through them. Why not "both- and"-- shared by an interesting acryonym: M-A-W-L.

Model. Assist. Watch. Leave. We train people in stages. We "model" what we hope they can do or at least something close to what they're expected to learn. And then give them freedom as they "assist" us (& of course we assist them) hands -on, to figure out God's plan as well as their giftings & 'shape' that is specifically THEM! Later we "watch" them do it, and continue to give feedback, advice and prayer. Eventually, we may in fact actually be living somewhere else. We "leave." Or only have sporadic contact, but we hear about what is going on & trust them (& keep praying)-- from a distance!

Our worship on Thursday on campus was a signficant experience. Florian and Felix led the worship in song.

At our exchange week in January, we had pasta parties on Wednesday actually in 2 student apartments ... then a third "pasta party location" was the pub where we met later on campus with everyone invited...

Here is one of the groups at Hella's place (middle), hanging out in the favorite place for German students-- the kitchen! Actually, in most student apartments there is no living room. Each room is used as a bedroom, so the gathering place is the kitchen! (where else-- I mean, well, would you expect the bathroom?!)

We were ecstatic that the roommates paired up for the week seemed to all get along so GREAT! A God- thing! Mallory (Union Un.) and Janine, who studies education, were hamming it up!

When handing out some cookies and invites at the Fine Arts College, we visited 2 of the German hosts for the students, Friedemann (middle, red shirt) and Ollie (black/yellow jacket), in their college "office"-- as grad students they get a place to work on their master's theses projects.

Our Friday night event was a "mini- retreat" at our church.

We invited some very special guests, friends from Cloppenburg (where I did lang. school years ago). Justine and Marco work with YWAM, helping troubled and homeless youth in South Africa. It was great to catch up and I'm just SO proud of their dedication, faith and courage!

More photos of a great 10 days with our german -american exchange... with Connexxion and students from Union U. Rachel is with Isaline, who is from France. Name tags helped with all the mix of languages and new names and strange spellings!

The term "foosball" is actually an English version of the German word meaning the game soccer. But this wooden version played here they call "kicker." Ralf, Hannes and Oli are playing with Tommy cheering them on.

The country-western party brought out over 30 students to meet new friends, learn line dancing and just practice English!

It's great having Lydia here from the Connexxion group in Jena (on the left, with Damaris on right and Kristin peeking through). She moved to Braunschweig in the fall to do an internship and write her thesis, and has brought the sunshine from "home" with her and understanding of our overall concept. On Wednesday we had pasta parties in 3 locations, followed by an evening in the basement of a local campus pub, to read a popular story from the Bible about a son who ran away from home, and discuss it together.

the "amis" are here!

Here I am with Kirstin from Tennessee (actually Kansas City!), and Doro, from Germany!

"Ami" is a nickname (can be derogatory but doesn't have to be; just sounds shorter to me) for Americans... this month we had a great time with our German- American Exchange Week with 10 here from Union U. in Tennessee. They stayed in the apartments of college students -- Andreas (left) was the host of Chad (middle). Brad is also with them (doing an internship; from Rhode Island).

handed out home- baked chocolate chip cookies at our table near the cafeterias,

and helped our Connexxion group host tons of events-- like a country -western party -- up above are Andreas, Chad, and Brad. Below... Friedemann (Germany) and Tommy (from OU) are looking quite "country" don't you think?
a campus worship,

a Bible discussion group in the pub -- here is an international bunch-- Katie (from England), Matt and Rachel (Tenn.) and Philipp (Germany) deep in thought!

and a Saturday trip to Berlin, etc. More photos later!

Family Christmas

It's great being with family and friends for Christmas. Dot celebrated with our family, as every year. We went to the Rockettes Christmas show several days before ... and enjoyed seeing a fountain out on the Hillsborough River, and palm trees. Only in Florida for Christmas! The towers of the Univ. of Tampa are in the distance.

I gave Heather and Bruce a German greeting sign: "Willkommen" (welcome).

It was good hearing Bruce preach on the weekend... the stage was fixed up really fun with brightly wrapped gifts.

Let it SNOW

No, these are not REAL snowmen in my apartment-- they are made from toilet paper & much imagination. The one to the left "bobbed" from left to right, as if plugged in, during the judging by our little "jury."

For Christmas our Connexxion group had a fun party in which 3 teams were busy at work -- here are the results.

You can also see us singing a few Christmas carols!