Happy New Year

wishing you a happy new year from Tirol, Austria!

Paul and Reinhild

glad tidings

A tradition on Christmas eve here in Tirol is for the local community band to go around playing carols in exchange for a donotation. The neighbors all come out to listen and visit during the performance. Often someone will bring something out to serve --usually it is homemade "Schnapps" and cookies.
Unfortunately, you can't see the picture clearly. It shows 5 musicians in front of our house with the snow-capped mountains in the background on a moonlit night. I decided to post the picture cause I figured it captures well what happens to our memories with time --and a little Schnapps!

depression and confusion

while I was visiting the oasis team a refugee had heard a week earlier that his parents were injured in a bomb attack. His house was destroyed. then during my visit he received word from the Austrian officials that he was denied asylum to stay in Austria, and he would be deported. That afternoon, he laid down on the tracks directly below these oasis windows. A friend picked him up and held him until the police arrived. He was not injured, but he is extremely confused. Austria will deport him only to greece which is where he was before coming to Austria. He would rather go back to his country, but he also has nothing there.
The following day, he came to the oasis, where he knows several teammates. we served tea and prayed for him. we have prayed often for him.

staying in touch

Here we are sticking our computer out the window for a signal in Rome --so that we can stay in touch with you. I added this picture to my blog from right here 5 floors up!

rome visit

I have been visiting with the team leaders for Rome. tim and Rachel (ab0ve). They are in the middle of language training, finding a place to live, getting a visa and exploring the ministry possibilities. I have been visiting them to give them support and feedback on all of this. Moving to the field is a hard and lonely step. Pray for tim and Rachel as they begin a new life in Rome. They have left many friends and family and thriving ministries in the states. May God richly bless them for their commitment and desire to follow the Lord's call. May God use them in Rome as he has already in the lives of many back home.