time with refugees

Today, we are on our way out the door to have a retreat with some of the christian refguees. We have planned it around the theme of "identity".

Yesterday, we went around to invite some of the refugees. One Afghani man whom we had never met invited us in for tea. Hospitality among refugees is written with big letters! He has invited us back to visit again. Pray for this time with the refugees -both today as well as any visits we might be able to arrange.

Faith in Action

The team has helped us paint a basement room where we live. Our neighbor who lives in the apartment underneath us came to see the work. He was really pleased –cause he will benefit as well from all the hard work!

I realize it is hard for the neighbors to figure out what we do. This is just one of those blurry things about being a missionary in a place like Austria. They know we help refugees, and this seems to be enough.

When I saw our neighbor today, he asked, “so did you take off work to paint today. “…Well, not exactly,” I said. I told him how lots of Christians and churches are behind us in our work --with their interest, prayers and support. …”So did you pay them?” “…no not exactly …they just came to see what we do.” …You mean… they just came? Yeah. (I didn’t dare tell him that we really never even knew each other until this week!!) So how did they come? … I explained that they took a vacation from their jobs and came to help out in our work. He thought this was amazing that people would do this and come to offer their service --for free!

The team did in one day what I would have needed six days to do and probably never would have gotten around to. When I think of how it has stirred up my neighbor, I realize again that this is faith in action.

Mission Team

We have a team here from Third Presbyterian Church visiting and helping in the ministry for the next week. They will be helping to hold a retreat for about 15 Christian refugees. Later this week, we’ll go to Rome together to visit the ministry situation there that is just beginning. The team arrived on Sunday morning after a short night on the plane.

After settling into their rooms, we had them over for an orientation. One of my goals for both the team and the refugees is to build the awareness that God intentionally directs our lives in order to shape our identity. What are these things that we have received from God? At what point are we in this process of becoming more like Christ?

For example, as a team we discussed what God has used to make us more aware of mission in the world. Some of our answers included:
Someone asked me to go.
My own crisis
Open doors
Seeing that ministry is doable
Being encouraged by previous experiences
Seeing the world beyond my own eyes

Here we are during our orientation time. We met outside where it was really cool and rainy. It kept us awake through jet lag.

Home-school Testing

When we met to set up the testing for Tessa, the authorities said, she would need to be tested in each of the required eleven subjects for Austrian sixth grade. However, they agreed not to require testing for Art & crafts, home-ed and physical education for this year! They left it up to the local school principal to work out with us the details of each test.

Essentially, Tessa has to go for the final exam in each of these subjects. She has already completed English and German comprehension. Math, Biology, Physics, History and Geography are still to come. Tomorrow, she takes Math and German grammar.

For each of the tests so far, in order to prepare, we have only been able to speak with the teacher a few minutes in between their classes. We have felt a little in the dark, I am sure as they have as well. It seems that the only thing that matters for them is that Tessa learn the content for that subject --just as they have taught it. In good institutional fashion, they have had a high view of themselves! We have thought, "the only way to do this is for Tessa to go to their class! " --which sort of defeats the purpose of home-schooling.

Sure enough, the first test was in German, and as Tessa turned it in, she spoke to the teacher and asked, "How do you think I did?" The teacher responded in a normal pedagogical style for here, "You probably won't pass!"

While Reinhild and I are gritting our teeth to get through this, Tessa has had a real positive attituded. She hasn't been put off at all so far by this stuff that she has to learn and prove. And, to everyone's surprise, she did really well on the German test. She got a B!

Leadership Meetings

I have just returned from our annual leadership meetings for International Teams –the ILF. This year the meetings were in Holland. There were around 200 leaders from all over the world.

It’s an important time to connect with co-leaders about current business. The meetings this year covered a lot practical subjects –like transitions, cross-cultural work, team meetings, emotional pain and crisis. In the past I usually find a common thread that runs throughout. This year was no different. The common theme for me was the work of starting new ministries. Along with this has come stress and strain, misunderstanding and spiritual attack, to name just a few. It often feels like there is no solution or way to figure it out.

It reminds me of the biography we are reading as a family about George Washington Carver. His plan to help poor farmers in the South backfired when he told them to plant peanuts instead of cotton. Suddenly the farmers had lots of peanuts but no market for them. He threw his hands up and asked “God, why did you make the universe?” To his surprise, God answered and said, “That’s too big for you to understand. Ask a simpler question?” Carver understood and realized the question should be “Why did you make the peanut?” With this, Carver remembered that he was just a man who needs God's help. He went on to create an entire market for peanuts –including peanut oil and peanut butter.

I came away from this ILF feeling like the task, the issues and the questions are too big to tackle. I have been reminded of our humanness and that we need to take a humble approach towards the plans and problems ahead.