Sydnor Update

New Blog Address

2008-06-16T00:57:00.003+02:00

I have changed the address of our Sydnor Update.

Please click on the following link and then be sure to make a bookmark for it in your browser.

www.SydnorUpdate.com

Thanks for your interest in our life and work,

Paul & Reinhild

Summer Schedule

2008-06-11T17:53:00.006+02:00

We will be visiting supporters, friends and family this summer. This includes about 18 churches and over 60 individuals, so it is always a huge job to figure out how to see everyone in just 8 weeks. It is a really busy time, and unfortunately, we are never able to see everyone during a short 8 week summer visit. We have already discussed our schedule with those supporters we can't make it to. These include ones in Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio. Thank you so much for your understanding.

We will arrive on June 21st and we leave on August 25th.

Most of our visits will be in the Virginia area. We will be based in my mom's apartment in Lyncburg. We would love to see as many of you as possible. Please feel free to contact us about a good time to visit, if we have not yet planned a visit with you.

We would love to see you.

June 22 First Presbyterian, Lynchburg
June 23 First Presbyterian, Lynchburg
June 25 Forest Presbyterian
June 26 First Presbyterian, Danville
June 27-29 First Presbyterian, Hendersonville, NC
July 6 Bedford Presbyterian
July 13 Rivermont Evang. Presbyterian
July 20 Westminster Presbyterian
July 20 Northminster Presbyterian (afternoon)
July 25-28 Blacksburg Christian Fellowship
Jul 29-Aug 1 Richmond
Aug 3 First Pres, South Boston
Aug 10 Third Pres, Richmond
Aug 17 Elon Presbyterian

May hike

2008-06-03T22:12:00.001+02:00

Back in May, we went for a hike up to Obernberg lake. It was a beautiful day, so I wanted to send you these photos.

It's a pretty popular place to go for an easy hike.

Once at the lake, we enjoyed the sunshine

And can you believe it, I even pulled out my computer!

anniversary

2008-06-02T22:46:00.002+02:00

Here's to 18 years!

ministry conference

2008-05-08T15:01:00.002+02:00

I have returned from our annual refugee ministry conference. About 40 workers from all of our different teams attended the conference. For the past 10 years we have been putting a lot of effort into developing and supporting our teams and leaders. This year we began to focus on our expertise in the area of relating scripture to refugees; muslim ministry; mobilizing workers; fundraising and pioneering new work. We began to look at each of these areas in order to collect experience and ideas. The plan is to make this information available to our teams on our website.

Encouragment

2008-04-23T19:16:00.003+02:00

The missions pastor from the Rivermont church stopped to see us on his visit to Europe. I took him with me to Salzburg where I had a meeting with the Director of the Austrian Evangelical Alliance along with several other mission leaders. We are planning a forum for churches and others who are reaching out to immigrants and refugees. From there we went on to visit someone interested in working with us among refugees. I praise God for the the encouragement both from our supporting church as well as among the work here in Austria.

homeschool perks

2008-04-15T10:18:00.002+02:00

I took Tessa to visit the Alte Pinakothek in Munich (highlighted above). This is a Museum that has over 700 paintings of the old masters. Going to a gallery like this is a great way to learn about History, Criticism and themes in Western civilisation, Biblical studies and Christian History. Everytime I am able to do something like this, I wish I could do more of it.

Tessa and I definitely seem to like the gruesome and tragic. My favorite is this one by Holbein - "The Martydom of St. Sebastian". The artist doesn't matter to me as much as the subject of the painting. It's a scene that many artists have tried to capture, and I think in all of them the focus is on the expression of Sebastian. It raises in me the question of how well does he endure his suffering? He suffers but he does not despair.

Tessa's favorite was "The Last Judgment" by Paul Rubens. It's over 18 feet tall. When they built the museum around 1830, they designed this room specifically for this painting. Tessa's comment about the painting. "It's big and real." Of course at that time the judgement was for all those outside of the catholic church, and we still feel the results of that today.

joy in the Lord

2008-04-11T23:16:00.003+02:00

I just got back from picking up Noah and Tessa from the Jr. High group. The group discussed "The Joy of the Lord". Tessa said that the discussion was mostly about what IS this joy. Finally, in the group Tessa asked, "How we get the joy of the Lord?" Noone could really answer.

We talked about it in the car on the way home. Noah said, "it's like when we do well in school -we know all the answers, we pass our tests -then we have joy." Tessa said, "we have joy when we rejoice."

I think they are onto something really important. Our joy as Christians is active and alive. It is not a description but it is an action -specifically God's action in our life. Like Psalm 35:9 says, "I rejoice in the Lord, I exult in his salvation." So if we want to "get" more joy, then we need to get a bigger view of what God is doing in our life.

Easter in Germany

2008-03-27T20:18:00.003+01:00

We spent Easter in Germany with the Reinhild's parents. I'm sitting here with Reinhild's Dad who is battling bone cancer and is mostly paralyzed in his legs.

I knew I was in Germany when one Radio broadcast introduced the following program. "A guide for hikes in the Easter holiday, with special tips for the Sunday Easter walk."

resources

2008-03-24T23:29:00.000+01:00

The week before Easter, I went to Vienna to meet with several groups. One group was this one below as we discussed the final stages of two resources. One is a German language aid for refugees and the other is a Bible Study called "Entertaining Angels" published in English by Exodus World Ministries. The director of the Austrian Bible Society (2nd on the right) was present. She shared about their own projects for refugees and offered to even help publish the bible study in German. Both of these projects originated with Julie Soltis (center). Also present were team leaders Carol (right) and Joy (left). I praise God for the opportunity to support and work alongside such gifted people as these.

answers

2008-03-13T10:25:00.006+01:00

A number of readers have been trying to guess what is happening in those family sherade photos posted on Feb 7. Here are the answers!
1. eating in a restuarant
2. rap star
3. playing in an orchestra
4. going to the hairdresser
5. driving a race car
6. horseback lesson
7. preaching
8. coronation ceremony

2008-03-09T20:24:00.005+01:00

Last week we attended the Share educational conference. It has become an annual event for us to meet together with about 200 other people who raise third culture kids and are thinking about educational and developmental questions.
Both the kids and parents have a planned program each day. This year the keynote speaker for the parents was Dr. Kathy Koch and the theme was multiple intelligences and learning styles. Besides the plenary sessions there are lots of seminars and workshops on everything from TCK profiles, to motivating your children, to planning a curriculum.
This year at the talent show below Noah played guitar, Tessa the piano, and Luke did a rap.

Oregon migration

2008-03-01T12:36:00.003+01:00

Sometimes as a family we read together in the evenings. Recently we have been reading "Bound for Oregon" by Jean Van Leeuwen. It's the story of a pioneer family in America who immigrated from Arkansas to Oregan in the 1850's. The longer I listened each evening to their struggles, hopes and dereams, the more I asked myself how much these pioneers might compare to refugees nowadays. These pioneers struck out on their journey along the Oregon trail between 1840 and 1870. For many it was the last resort to escape the hardships back home. The author notes that much of this westward migration took place less than a decade before the civil war, during a time of increasing conflict over the issue of slavery. According to her, the journey was filled with trials that were overcome by a mixture of common sense, courage and personal faith. To what extent was the journey of these pioneers in America similar to the one that of refugees? And how much does God use this journey to build and preserve a people of faith.

prayer time

2008-02-25T23:44:00.002+01:00

This morning I walked up this road to spend some overdue time in prayer.
Psalm 30:6 raised the question in me, "What is it like when we are not secure (v.6)?" We are silent, and we have no song (v.12). The promises of God are all reversed: we can't see the mountain (v.7), and our weeping seems like a lifetime (v.5).

It reminded me of when Noah woke up in the morning after we first moved to Tirol when he was 3 years old. The day before the mountains were beautiful like you can see here, but in the morning they were all covered by the clouds, and he could only say, "mountains all gone."

Did the clouds change his security? They sure changed his perception.

family sherades

2008-02-07T06:33:00.000+01:00

We visited Reinhild's family over new years. Our kids played sherades and made us guess their acts. I just downloaded the pictures off of my camera and forgot I had taken these photos. Send me a reply if you can guess what they are acting!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

praying for refugees

2008-01-25T01:07:00.000+01:00

A refugee we know in Innsbruck, sells a charity newspaper on the street corner nearby. He gets to keep half the proceeds which is not a great deal. Anyway I try to buy a copy from him when each new edition comes out.

I bought one this month and one of the articles was about a group of North African refugees in Innsbruck who are involved in the drug scene. The city of Innsbruck wants to start to work with them on a human level -rather than as criminals. Click here to read the article in German. This situation has continually been in the news here in Innsbruck, and I remember writing a post once about the need for a Christian response to the situation -that christians would begin to reach out.

The kind of Christian response that we have prayed for is on the cutting edge of what society needs. The response would be to extend “true justice” as Zechariah 7:8-10 describes. This kind of response comes from who we are as God’s people. It is right and good. It is in our DNA and we should not think twice about it.

Sure enough, the city of Innsbruck has also come onto this Christian idea. Their plan is exactly how we like to work with refugees. They want to send a street-worker to approach them on a human level, to help get the refugees off the street! Pretty revolutionary idea eh?! -that Christians have long since been planning and praying for. The only difference is that the city just went out and hired somebody, while we have been anxiously waiting for a Christian to step up.

Happy New Year

2007-12-31T14:31:00.000+01:00

wishing you a happy new year from Tirol, Austria!

Paul and Reinhild

glad tidings

2007-12-27T08:00:00.000+01:00

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

2007-12-07T11:47:00.000+01:00

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

2007-12-03T17:56:00.000+01:00

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

2007-12-02T17:59:00.000+01:00

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.

Oasis team visit

2007-11-30T13:24:00.000+01:00

I have been visiting the oasis team for a few days. This team helps refugees through regular programs including clothing room, Bible study(below), coffee night(above), hair cutting, children's ministry and over-night housing for homeless refugees. It's a powerful example of christ's love in action.
Pray for the team leaders below Carol and Tom and JoAnn as they lead this team through the many storms and crisis that the will face.

fall time in austria

2007-11-22T22:38:00.000+01:00

I have been back from England for nearly a month.

My time has been spent catching up on ministry business including meetings with fellow teammates for mentoring and planning. I have also been getting ready for a couple team visits coming up. Next week I'll be visiting the Oasis team and the Rome team. This is important time to strengthen the relationship with these teams and leaders, to participate some in their ministry and to work together with them on their leadership and team stuff. Please pray for these meetings.

We had a short fall this year. The snow is all around. Like most Novembers in Austria, there are a lot of overcast foggy days. You can almost see the fog along this path. And in the second picture you can see it below in all of the valleys of Tyrol!

all saints day in austria

2007-11-01T20:58:00.000+01:00

I was trimming some bushes outside our house and noticed that the sound of traffic nearly disappeared. So, I walked down to the local cemetery and this is what I saw.
Everyone was there paying and praying their respects to those passed away!

missions & aid

2007-10-25T20:08:00.000+02:00

I recently heard a couple of lectures where the speakers pointed out that much of Christian giving is going to support large aid organizations such as World Vision and Tearfund and not to support mission organizations. As an example the speaker referred to one aid organization whose budget is around $75 million a year and growing. In contrast to this, the largest amount that any single mission organization received last year was only around a million dollars. (Sorry I can't give you the quotes on these figures, but it certainly is worth looking into!)

So I have wondered what the difference might be in people's minds between a Christian aid organization and a mission organization.

Aid agencies:
Socially driven
Vision and purpose cast in social terms
Share "the need" first
Have large funding available
compensate employees for all their work
usually require practical training and experience for a particular job
concerned for the image of God in society (assist the poor, restore dignity...)

Mission Agencies
Theologically driven
Vision and purpose cast in theological terms
Share "the gospel" first
Receive almost no outside funding
employees must raise their own compensation
usually require some kind of spiritual and theological preparation
Concerned for the mission of God in society (church planting, education, evangelism)

I think there is a huge gap between Christian aid and Christian mission agencies that shouldn't be there! I think the biggest question for Christian aid agencies is how to keep their theological foundation? And the question for mission agencies is how to connect their ideal theology -their doxology, eschatology, etc- with where people are on the ground. These are not questions just for the agencies to be asking, but especially for those who give the funding.

unconditional love

2007-10-17T17:23:00.000+02:00

We heard a lecture this morning about the Christian response to Aids. Often Christians have shown the least compassion to victims of HIV. The speaker pointed out the inadequacy of a moralistic response which first finds a cause, assigns a failure and justifies punishment of some kind. Those involved end up in denial and no real help is given

I cannot imagine Jesus responding to a needy person in this kind of judgmental way, and it is the last kind of response that I would want to give. Yet, I am sobered with the possibility that a long story actually precedes me that both shapes how I respond as well as a how I come across to others.

There is a contradiction often between faith and action that this quote from Leadership Catalyst seems to capture well.

"When our theology gives us permission to label others
as 'sinners', we give ourselves permission to reject them."

How do we resolve the tension between the need to love our neighbor unconditionally on one hand with the role of our Christian value and ethic on the other? If we have a Christian moral that influences what we do, how do we reflect this in a christ-like manner?

Robberies

2007-10-08T11:37:00.000+02:00

On each of these streets above, I have seen two robberies within 2 days. The first photo is the road in front of OCMS where I am studying. (The steeple behind the trees) I walked out and saw a man trying to pull a purse off of a womans shoulder. She was shouting, and he ran off without the purse!

The other photo shows where I heard a car screech to a halt behind me as I was walking along. I turned around and saw a plain clothes policeman jump out of the car, tackle a man on a bike, wrestle him to the ground and demand that he "let go" of what was in his hand!

a pile of nails

2007-09-25T18:52:00.000+02:00

"Beginning to study" hardly describes what I have been working through this past week. For example, how is a pile of nails similar to what I hope to accomplish? The problem was to figure out a way to balance all 17 nails on one nail. How we solve this is like what we hope to accomplish in research.
Actually, the analogy of nails is similar to the challenges I face in my own ministry. How can Christians from one culture and background work together with others without one culture exerting control over the other or defining what is acceptable or bad? In other words how do we balance ourselves together…? (It's hard enough for any of us in our own culture to do this ...much less from different cultures?! )

There are 14 of us who are beginning our research at the same time. We have been getting set-up, oriented to the process and prepared for the challenges. Yesterday, we received library cards to use the Oxford Bodleian library. We had to read an oath to the librarian that in the library among other things, we would neither beg steal or borrow, eat or drink, nor "light a fire and kindle a flame." Here I am waiting to read the oath.

study in Oxford

2007-09-21T00:00:00.000+02:00

I began my studies yesterday at OCMS the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. The center was begun over 25 years ago in order to help Christians research issues especially related to the developing two thirds world. There are 15 of us starting in this term from at least 9 different countries.

This is the start of a long and important journey that I feel will help me to understand the role of the refugee highway in the life and mission of the church in Europe. If I am successful I will be working on this subject part time and in connection with my ministry for the next several years.

I take the bus in from where I am living and walk up the street in the photo about a mile to where the centre is located.

relief aid

2007-09-17T20:12:00.000+02:00

Our pastor and friend from Lynchburg, VA, Wayne Meredith, led a tour group through Innsbruck on Sunday. The group was made up mostly of members from Rivermont and Northminster churches. They invited us to supper and brought us" relief and aid" from America, -including zip lock bags, brown sugar and dryer sheets. Here we receiving the care packages.

access training

2007-09-15T22:30:00.000+02:00

Last week, I helped at the IT training for new workers here in Austria. We met in the Vienna area and there was a core group of 4 new workers and a number of visitors. I taught four subjects including: "Faith Hope Love -foundations for ministry" as well as an introduction to refugee ministry -"Why we do what we do?"
One of the workers is Hamid (photo below) who is joining IT. He was a refugee himself and many people have prayed for him over the years. He finally received his Austrian citizenship after 7 years. He is married to Debbie on the Innsbruck team. They will go to Canada to raise more support and return next summer to work in Innsbruck.

bitter cold

2007-09-06T08:29:00.000+02:00

The picture is proof that it's been cold here for at least a week -in the 40's with rain and snow on mountains.

Let this cold picture remind us all to pray for e in Italy. After four years in Austria his appeal process ran out. Overnight he had to leave a place of belonging or risk deportation. The risk of being killed if returned is too great. Despite the incomprehensible longing to be with his wife and child. He has gone undergound and is now in Rome where winter is coming. He sent me an instant message today.

"Dear sir, calvary blessings! I don't know when you will visit rome. please sir kindly assist me with cold winter clothing. please don't let my request offend you, because noone to ask and because I trust you. God bless"

Happy Birthday

2007-09-05T07:55:00.000+02:00

Tessa turned 14 today! The Lord has blessed us all through her life these past years, and we look forward to the next 14!

cyclists pass through

2007-09-04T08:03:00.000+02:00

Friends and supporters, Geoff and Margy from BCF in Backsburg, VA passed through Innsbruck. They actually road tandem across, up and down and all around Austria! We were impressed, inspired and blessed to have them with us for a few days!

flourishing fellowship

2007-09-03T23:44:00.000+02:00

A refugee from 10 years ago together with his family visited us this past weekend. They are in the middle. (The other couple is from the Innsbruck team) They still live where I used to minister. He is one of the leaders at the ethnic fellowship there that now has about 40 people from week to week.

I met him originally, when he came to a bible study that I had at that time with several others. Some moved on to america, but he stayed in Linz and continued to grow as a christian. That bible study grew into the fellowship it is today!

It was such a joy to have a taste of heaven. The Lord knew I needed that visit. N shared how the fellowship grows and grows. They see people healed and regularly experience other miracles. They have founded a bible school in their own language and last month they sent back their first very own missionary!

on vacation

2007-08-24T21:01:00.001+02:00

it's all in the family.

Choir tour in Austria

2007-08-13T18:26:00.000+02:00

Third Presbyterian Church had a tour in Austria this past June. They gave 4 different concerts including this one above to refugees in Innsbruck and this one below in Gmünd. A highlight included a city tour of Vienna. The choir invited refugees to spend the day with them on this tour. That time together meant a lot to us all.

international cafe

2007-08-04T23:37:00.000+02:00

Thanks to the generosity of BCF in Blacksburg, VA, the Innsbruck team has been able to start an international cafe in innsbruck. During the trial phase, the team will be hosting this cafe each month.

The first cafe was held yesterday, and there were refugees there from: Chechnya, Tibet, Georgia, Kosovo, Nigeria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey,

I came to offer my support as well as a taxi service for the refugees. Some of the comments from the refugees I met included:
"when will it happen again?"
"It was exactly what I needed --peaceful, games, conversation."
"You should have this every week and invite musicians from different countries each time."

Here we are in the cafe, along with the pastor (left) whose church has offered the room and their help.

bridge collapse

2007-08-03T08:45:00.000+02:00

On the exact same day, Aug 1, 1976, a bridge across the Danube in Vienna also collapsed. It happened at 5 a.m. so there were only 4 vehicles on the bridge. There was one fatality.

refugees in Vorarlberg

2007-07-28T07:59:00.000+02:00

last week the team leader from FCR (on my right) visited some refugees in the far western part of Austria. Noah and I went to spend part of this time with him and his family.

There are several hundred refugees all in different locations within a 20 mile area. As we sat around the table talking with a group of these guys who were christians, and they said there is a huge need to visit these refugees to encourage them and help them as they are able. Some are in prison and these especially need the encouragement. The need for this encouragement reminds me of the ending in Colossians. Paul dedicated nearly the entire last chapter to all the prayers and greetings that were being sent and given.

As we sat around the table talking about the needs, the light went on for all of us at the same time. One of these guys could work as a kind of pastor. The only thing keeping this from happening is the need for a monthly bus ticket. If we could figure out some way to organize this ticket, then he could go around from house to house to visit and encourage, pray and bring God's word.

grace of god

2007-07-23T16:14:00.000+02:00

Yesterday a refugee that I knew in Austria called me from Italy. He told me that it is hard to live there, however he has a friend in Rome who has offered for him to move in with him. They sell household items from dour to door in order to make ends meet. He said by God's grace I will make it."

Then today I was on the bus in Innsbruck and I sat down next to a refugee I had not seen in over a year. He had been moved last winter to a house in the mountains. He said the snow was too deep and it was too difficult to live there anymore. He left the system and now lives on his own in Innsbruck. He sells newspapers on the corner and is barely making it. From this income he said I have to pay my rent, buy food and my bus ticket. It is not easy, I have to start from nothing but by the grace of God I will make it.

I thought, "Is this God's grace at work?" Here in the 8th wealthiest country in the world -per capita, could God be turing the world order upside down?

A tribute and a little help for a Somalian friend.

2007-07-21T10:45:00.000+02:00

Over four years ago when we began to research and prepare for a team in Rome, we met a Somalian man named Hassan on the streets. He has lived in Rome for over 10 years. Each time I have been back to Rome, Hassan has been a key person in helping us to meet the somalian community and to find our way around the city.

He has spent hours and days with us as we have searched the city. Often late at night as we would go behind the train station or in the parks to find the homeless he would say, "oh you can't go there alone. That's too dangerous," -and so he would come with us.

Hassan has kept in touch these past years, and everytime I talk to him, he asks, "when are you coming back." Hassan needs us and we need him.

In two weeks, Hassan is bringing his mother to visit some relatives in northern Virginia. He has asked if I know anywhere he can stay economically. I wish I could be there to meet him in America.

Does anyone know of a place he could stay in northern Virginia?

Here we are with Hassan at supper in Rome.

Please email me if you know of a place for Hassan. thanks.

paul.sydnor@iteams.org

butterflies

2007-07-15T12:40:00.000+02:00

After church, we went to the museum to see a special exhibition on butterflies. The exhibit was a combination of art and biiology with microscopes to look through and real live cocoons and butterflies flying about. A guide showed us around, and I saw again how post-christian and catholic austrian society is.

Our guide pointed out that many of the artists use butterflies to portray the soul, however she never mentioned heaven or hell. Instead she only referred to the "pure state of the soul" of the beautiful, white butterflies, or the "mystical threat of death" of the dark moths.

At one point she described a dutch artist who lived in Holland in the 1700's, who had joined a protestant community. She referred to this as "joining a sect". Where the artist would have painted with a clear understanding of heaven and hell and our relation to these through the creator, nowadays our guide had no concept --and almost- no words for this.

the butterfly exhibit reminded me how far apart the post christian european is from the global christian refugee that I work with.

school year ends

2007-07-10T12:57:00.000+02:00

The boys' last day of school was July 8. It was also the first "graduating class" of the christian elementary school which we helped to found 4 years ago. I have been helping ever since in the leadership team, as well as with teaching English. We had a full class this year and already there is a waiting list for next year. The school is growing and we will have to start a second class soon.

Here I am with some of the class this year.

By the way, Tessa also finished her testing for homeschool. she took the tests in all the subjects at the local jr. high. She passed with A & B's! She also took part in the track meet for her phys- ed test. Next year the school principal said, her "test" will be the school's triathlon!

Lonnie Frisbee documentary

2007-07-02T07:53:00.000+02:00

I recently watched "Frisbee: The Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher". This is a documentary film by David di Sabatino that was nominated for an emmy award this spring. According to its producers, the film seeks to document the "risk-taking nature of God who seeks to align himself with the most unlikely nature of characters. "

The film gives a glimpse into the nature of pentecostal faith and the truth that God's ways are not our ways. And our understanding of things is only a poor reflection of what is really going on.

The FAQ on the website is also pretty good. It speaks about issues that I face in my own ministry -things like: evangelical leadership; mentoring; charisma; controversial issues; accountability; authenticity; fallibility.

Refugee workshop

2007-06-09T20:21:00.000+02:00

Last weekend, The team leader in Innsbruck and myself, took 11 African refugees to an integration festival nearby in Reutte. The Africans played special African drum and dance music while Werner and I offered a workshop on the theme of refugees. If you can read German, here is an article about the festival with our photo. We are together with Peter Biber, another IT worker who helped to organize the festival.

Tessa's athetic test

2007-06-09T18:20:00.000+02:00

In order to fulfill the law, Tessa has to pass tests in all the subjects at the local school. She has been working hard to study for and pass these tests. For her phys ed test, they told her she should come to their "sports day". What we didn't know was that the sports day was really a track and field meet for the top athletes in the school, and the school has a special focus on sports!

Sports are not Tessa's first love. She had to take part in all the events which included the 60 meter dash, running long jump, shot put and the 2000 meter run. Here she is lined up at the back of the pack for the 2000 meter start. Go Tessa!

leadership meetings

2007-05-22T21:28:00.001+02:00

I have just returned from over 10 days of important leadership meetings for our ministry.
First, there were meetings with the global team. Here is this leadership group that I am part of.

We give support and leadership to 18 teams and 90 missionaries around the world. I am responsible for the teams in German Speaking Europe and in Rome.

Then approximately 35 leaders from our refugee ministry teams joined us for our annual leadership retreat. The theme this year was renewal. Here we are in one of our sessions.

Our retreat was then followed by the annual leadership forum for International Teams. 240 leaders from all the different ministries met this year. This is an important time for connecting with other leaders in similiar situations as well as to hear the reports and prayers of others.

After one of these prayers, the leader pointed out,

"no eye has seen, no ear has heard... a Philipino serving in Japan praying for a U.S. citizen from Nigeria who is married to a Philipino and serving somali refugees in Kenya."

Only God could put -and hold- something like this together! It was a great time to ride the wave of what God is doing around the world.

This year was special because Reinhild joined me for the last 7 days.

Spring festival

2007-05-08T20:53:00.001+02:00

Last weekend I went to Vienna for the Spring Festival sponsored by the FCR team. There were over 120 people there including the president of the Austrian Bible Society, a member of Parliament and an African rhythm and dance group from Innsbruck! Can you find me?

I spoke with the parliament member about the political situation in Austria for refugees. She confessed that there is unfortunately very little she can do to improve the situation. Her party did not pass the current laws, and they have to tread very carefully now to keep the coalition.

I edit a blog about refugee issues in Europe. I recently wrote a post about these laws in Austria. You can read this at the following link. The MP confirmed that the laws are unfair. She appreciates the chance to work directly with refugees like those connected to the FCR team, and she feels this is where she can help the most.

It was a long weekend with some important meetings about the future goals of the team and the involvement of local refugees in the work. On the way home, the song by Rich Mullins was a blessing to me. Does anyone know the text to the last verse?

Sometimes the night was beautiful
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
You could touch it but your heart would break.
Sometimes the morning came too soon
Sometimes the day could be so hard
There was so much work left to do,
But so much you’d already done.

Oh God you are my God
And I will ever praise you
Oh God you are my God
And I will ever praise you
I will seek you in the morning
And I will learn to walk in your ways
And step by step you will lead me
And I will follow you all of my days.

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How ones thought ….
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that no less than he
And of ...
Sometimes the climb can be so steep.
I may falter in my steps
but never beyond your reach.

birthday time

2007-05-03T00:07:00.001+02:00

Noah and Luke have their birthdays within 2 weeks of each other this time of year. We visited the far western corner of Austrian last weekend and then yesterday, I took the boys out for the day.

It is all part of the plan to fill up their "time with Dad" account. Because this is also the time of year when I am gone for about 10 days for our annual leadership meetings.

This year Reinhild gets to go with me for these days of endless meetings, teaching, worship and connection. The kids will stay here and carry on with their life. They will be with our teammates, and are looking forward to the chance to be "free at last" !

Here they are with friends at Luke's birthday party.

moving and leaving

2007-04-20T12:41:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, my mom moved out of the house where I grew up. My family lived there for 40 years. I was able to go back in March to help sort through a lot of the house. I cleaned out my own bookshelves and anything that was still mine. I left for the last time.

Leaving something like this is one of those landmarks in life that reminds me of who I am, where I have come from and where I am going. I thank God for my family and for using my family to show me faith in Jesus. I thank God that with each move I have made in life, the ties to my maker and creator have strengthened.

I never thought of it this way. It is almost as if God has given each of us certain things to leave. These may be a job, a dream, a loved one, a family, a country. A lot of times these things are our hardship, trials and suffering. With each leaving, we are one step closer to arriving. This is the reward of leaving.

Virginia Tech

2007-04-17T23:45:00.000+02:00

I went to Virginia Tech. I graduated from there in 1985. I came this close to transferring, but two things kept me from doing that. One was my church community and the other was the simple beauty of the Virginia mountains.

True, the idyllic and pastoral setting have been horribly scarred. However, the christian community in Blacksburg promises to hold me and all those affected once again close to the promises of God.

I looked back through my photos for a recent one of the area. This is all I could find -not far from the campus, early one morning last summer .

motivation for ministry: to get or to keep

2007-04-01T00:44:00.000+02:00

The error we make when we draw our box too tightly in refugee ministry is that we require others to meet a certain standard before we extend them our fellowship and love.

We should think again about what it means for us to obey and serve the Lord. I am indebted to Dr. Scott Hafemann for challenging me to consider this truth,

We do not obey to get a promise we do not have. We obey to keep a promise we already have.

I think this is the key to our ministry. Remember the promise. Show the promise. Move towards the promise. Refugees are people of promise. We are as well. The connection is relationship. We have this in Christ. We are the crucial link then for the refugee's promise in Christ.

It is a mistatke to think of our own or another's obedience -effort to love and please God- first as a means to some end. In this instance we will forever be in legalistic, indebted relationships to one another. I want myself and others to get away from this.

Instead, I want to obey -or keep a standard- because of the promise found inside the relationship which we have. Our obedience, standard and moral -our ethic- therefore is relationship driven and not works driven.

I think it is revolutionary and crucial for our ministry to refugees to think of our service as relationship centered and promise driven.

talking about theology

2007-03-31T23:47:00.000+02:00

One of my favorite things is to talk about theology with my wife. We took a walk early one morning this past week through Kufstein. The streets were still vacant. It was quiet and the sun was shining. We walked through the city and along the river.

We talked about the corner that Christians will back themselves into when they insist on a black and white world. They make it impossible to live in the tension of this world. What is needed for example to love these people like David who for whatever reason seem to break our code? Do you first ask if they have some sin or not before you help?

We end up trying so hard to walk the fence, afraid to fall left or right. Worst of all, we end up afraid to error on the side of grace -afraid that we might embrace a sin. We all need help to be lifted out of what is often a faith culturally imprisoned and poisoned.

To get to this place of grace is hard. It takes the right ground and this may take years to prepare. In the end it is a work by God himself. What does this mean for us in the mean time? Do we give in? Do we walk around them? Do we turn our cheek? How do we respond in these situations?

More often than not these people we are called to love will be outside of our boat. They will be on the other side. And as long as they are outside of a relationship with us, it will be easy to judge and to stay at a distance.

helping refugees

2007-03-25T23:30:00.000+02:00

In conversation recently with some church leaders here in Austria, they were saying it is difficult to get involved in helping refugees. They said that often the experience is a negative one, and this discourages churches from wanting to help. Usually the bad experience involves some kind of immorality or dishonesty. When this happens, those who have been involved feel burned and say, "never again."

For example, in February, I wrote about David who once asked a church for some help in finding an apartment. Now, from the church's perspective, David had said he was being kicked out of the refugee house, and he urgently needed a place to stay. When the church checked this out, the house director told them this was not the case, that he was leaving on his own accord. Those who were trying to help David, felt they had been lied to, and therefore backed out of their offer to help.

What do we do with this? How do we help reconcile these contradictory sides? Is this a case of cultural misunderstanding or is it intentional deception? I find it often literally impossible to take one side or the other. . Some have looked at me and said, "you don't belong here, because you won't draw a line in the sand…"

It is true. I don't feel like a streak in the sand. I feel more like a weathered tree on a wind blown mountainside.

come join the fun

2007-03-21T23:50:00.000+01:00

We discovered that the boy's room has a mildew problem. Here I am working to get rid of it. There's a couple more rooms to do!

We'll give you room and board, if you would like to come and help sometime this year. Let me know.

It's not what I can do

2007-03-18T01:29:00.000+01:00

...to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of God and of our saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:1)

After giving a glowing report about a conference like Share, it's easy to come away with the idea that if I follow a certain set of principles then my kids will turn out okay, my marriage will hold together, my faith will last. But in reality, these things are as uncertain as the rest of life. In the end, we are like Job, where there are no guarantees.

Peter reminds us that God's righteousness makes us who we are --and not anything we do. We are so often tempted to think that we succeed in whatever area of life because we are a little bit better than the person next to us. As I learned last summer, this is nothing less than than moral legalism.

I think that the devil learned his lesson in the episode with Job. He learned that it is absolutely impossible to derail God's people through evil, suffering and generally hard times. He has learned instead to deceive us through our blessing. Simply put, we end up thinking that we are blessed and we succeed by doing something. In the end this substitutes God's righteousness with something else. It takes our eyes off of Jesus and puts them on ourselves, and then the battle is lost.

family conference

2007-03-10T11:03:00.000+01:00

Last week the family attended the Share educational conference. This is becoming a kind of tradition for us. The kids have their own classes each day while the adults have a range of workshops and seminatrs to choose from.

The theme in the kids classes was the middle ages.

This was the youth group that Tessa was part of. She says, "God is not who we think he is. We can hardly grasp who he is."

Here is Noah's class. He says, "We sang a latin song from the medieval times. I learned that the church windows told stories."

Here is Luke with David Baker. Luke said, "we didn't really talk about God. we just talked about castles and stuff. "

The week is a time for taking stock of how our family -and especially our kids- are doing. It's easy to get caught up in the routine of life and before we know it, we are living like God is not there. This too is a testimony to our kids.

Reinhild said, "we lose sight that God is real. In these times, it is true, you can't see God, but you can lose sight of him." I was challenged to realize again that one of the best ways to build the relationship with my own kids is to strengthen the one with the Lord.

traveling

2007-02-11T22:59:00.000+01:00

February is a month of traveling for me. I came home from the rhp meetings in Copenhagen, and two days later, I drove up to Hof Germany with Noah and the team leader from Innsbruck. This coming week, I will visit my mom in Virginia to help her move out of her house after 40 years.

In Hof, Germany, I was invited to preach at the commissioning service of a missionary who is joing IT.

Normally, the trip would take 4 hours. As it turned out, it took nearly nine. This week is the semester break for the schools in Germany. The highways were jammed with holiday skiers. In fact there were traffic jams for over 60 miles. We ended up taking all the side roads along the autobahn.

The only way around munich was to go directly through it, and even there, we ran into blockades and demonstrations, because there was a european security conference going on with Putin and Merkel.

Here's what the famous "staus" -traffic jams- in Germany look like! At the bottom are Noah and I in the commissioning service.

refugee work europe-wide

2007-02-11T14:39:00.001+01:00

For the past several years, I have been working together with other organizations to help build the refugee highway partnership (rhp) in europe. We meet each year for a consultation. This year we met in Copenhagen, Feb 5-8.

Our aim is to strengthen the platform and understanding for Christians across europe to reach out to the nations in europe. Besides taking part in the network, I have helped to set up and keep a blog for the rhp. You can see this blog as well as a photo of our recent meetings at www.rhp-europe.net

refugees & churches needing help

2007-01-31T22:44:00.000+01:00

I met David (name changed) while visiting recently with some refugees. David is from Africa, and he has been in Austria for nearly 2 years. The asylum rules for refugees here are that after someone has lived in government provided housing for one year, and has not caused any problems then he is free to find a private place to live -and still receive a government stipend. For many this is really helpful, because it relieves the stress and conflict found in some refugee houses.

David carefully fulfilled all the requirements and kept all the rules so that after a year he could move out. As a Christian, he went to a local church to ask for help in relocating. A fellow believer promised to rent him an apartment.

The local Christian then called the house manager where David had been living -to "check out" his background. The manager gave a bad report and said that it would be "illegal" for David to move out. Not wanting to cause any trouble, the Christian then refused to help David.

David found himself again at the mercy of a system which denies him his rights and allows others to take advantage of him. This was exactly the conflict he was trying to get out from under. Worse than this he felt he had been treated unfairly and held in suspect by this fellow Christian.

He had seen how the manager cashed in on the refugees registered at the house by receiving the stipend for them, but then only giving the very minimum food like soup and bread.

Yet there was no chance to speak against this. For no reason, a manager could accuse a refugee of misconduct and then they would be out of the system. This means he would receive no medical care or stipend for living. David like many before him, felt mistreated, helpless and even enslaved.

In the end, David went to the local Catholic charity who gave him a small room in one of their houses.

In coming to Austria, I believe David is on a highway used by God. David hasn't chosen to come to Austria like we choose a career or vacation. He is simply here through God's providence, and I thank God that he desires to walk this highway in relationship to his creator.

I believe David could be here by God's design exactly for these Christians and churches like the one who refused to help him. Wow, where does this then leave us? Unfortunately, like many before, this relationship between the church and the refugee is now marked with distrust and suspicion.

Below is a typical refugee house like the one where David lived for over a year.

I help my dad

2007-01-29T14:22:00.000+01:00

When we were at the Kik church two weeks ago (see my previous post), all of the workers with IT came forward to stand in the front for introductions. We were 14 people in all -including kids and practicants! As we each said our names, it went along as follows... "My name is Tessa." My name is Noah." ... "Hello! My name is Luke and I help my dad in his work!!"

--to which everyone applauded.

Afterwards we all got together for lunch at our aparment.

helping the poor

2007-01-29T12:45:00.000+01:00

Two weeks ago the Innsbruck team visited one of the local churches to share about its refugee ministry. (The church is called Kik -Kirche im Kino "church in the cinema"- because it meets in a cinema for sunday worship.) I preached from Proverbs 14:21,31 about helping the poor. One of our basic assumptions for refugee ministry is that refugees are the poorest of the poor.

The proverbs have a lot to say about this subect -just like it does about other subjects such as the things we say or the fear of God. Yet, our default response often to the idea of helping the poor is that -for whatever reason- we are not qualified! For example we might say, "it's not my gifting. I am not called." Through our fine reasoning we somehow maneuver ourselves outside of God's commands. This whole subject quickly becomes an area to examine in our own lives.

Of all people we are the ones most able to help. Imagine that! Our help for the poor is part of God's strategy to reach the nations. It is not an option. God blesses us for this help. Likewise, it is not some effort on our part to prove our status with God. Rather, our help flows out of our own relationship with God. This preaches.

2006-12-08T10:34:00.000+01:00

The International Herald Tribune tells the story on Dec. 12, of three German brothers who succeeded as entrepreneurs. The article quotes Professor Ann-Kristin Achleitner of the Technical University of Munich: "Germans are risk-averse, and there really is a stigma attached to being entrepreneurial" (p.11-12).

From my own experience, this is even more true in Austria -and even the Germans will say this is. I face this same reality as I think about how to help refugees take hold of what God has brought them to on the refugee highway. Working with refugees in Europe is entrepreneurial. It is pioneer.

Whether it is for a refugee to meet Christ, and be transformed by the Gospel or whether it is to have a vision for building God's Church in Europe, Our refugee work is a huge opportunity, full of risk, adventure, sadness, disappointment and opportunity.

What makes our work often the hardest is when the church around does not embrace what God may be doing through this person or the other. How do we move forward with ministry plans and dreams when the body around you is unwilling and uncertain? The Samwer brothers exercised what they called, "aggressive curiosity" in order to figure out what would work best in a German environment.

A lot of my work is figuring out what will work best in order to help God's people walk into the future.

Tonsils and homeschooling

2006-12-08T08:33:00.000+01:00

Tessa went into the hospital yesterday to have her tonsil taken out. Everything went fine. they will keep her for a week to watch her. The best part about it for her is the free ice-cream. However, she was sorry to find out that they only had strawberry.

She took a bag full of homeschooling books. She called though to say she was too weak to concentrate, and asked if I would by her a donald duck comic book instead.

Regarding the homeschooling. We are waiting now for the officials to give us the material that she needs to know for this year. (topics and chapters). As usual, they have been promising it for nearly two months. This makes reinhild all very nervous.

the extra pressure of having to work with the officials and pass the austrian tests have added a lot of stress to her life. It's been real discouraging, and as she says, "This is not what I imagined we would do in homeschooling."

Please pray for her cause she finds herself at times getting really down and depressed by it all, which is also alarming to her.

refugees who reach refugees

2006-10-16T14:21:00.000+02:00

The Fellowship of Christian Refugees team (FCR) has a vision to empower and equip refugees for ministry. The vision in a nutshell is to reach the nations through refugees. If we can give Christ to refugees, then refugees will take Christ into all the world. The team leader for FCR, Nana (holding the child) recently visited several refugees who are part of FCR and its network. The FCR community pictured live in a building with about 60 refugees in a remote part of Austria. Tony is the leader of this FCR community (first on the left). The community began when Tony became aware of the needs of some of his fellow refugees in the house. He began to sell newspapers on the street corners in a city a couple hours of traveling distance away. With this money, he bought food and even cooked for those in need. Tony's witness of love and service was so powerful that a number of refugees from places like Georgia, Azerbaijan and Chechnya began to meet with the FCR group. Tony's Christ-like love has drawn these refugees in who otherwise would have no interest in a Christian group.

helping Nana to lead

2006-10-02T14:52:00.000+02:00

One of the leaders I support and guide is Nana. Nana and his family are refugees from the Ivory Coast. Nana leads the FCR team (Fellowship of Christian Refugees). Their vision is to equip refugees for service in local churches and beyond. The vision is for refugees to reach refugees. If we can give Christ to refugees then we can reach the world.

Most of my first month back in Austria has been spent helping Nana to form a business plan for this vision. We have met several times and gone over many of the questions that come up. I'll be the first to say I'm not a business expert...

But I know from experience, it is really hard to sit down with a refugee to have a bible study over a cup of coffee when you know that they have to find a new place to live within a few days, the means to pay for it and are in deep depression about the whole thing.

So, the reason, I am into business plans and a lot of other questions is because I want to turn over every stone possible in order to empower refugees to reach refugees. Refugees are probably the best ones equipped to figure out the existential questions. My job is to support (assist) this and then to connect this life with the practice of their faith. I think this is exactly what is going on in the diaspora communities which we read about in the later epistles of the New Testament.

Last week, I visited the FCR team to take part in their seminar to train refugee leaders. There were 15 african refugees taking part in this. With the help of team funds, they traveled from every part of Austria where they are living as refugees to study learn and pray together.

Back on my blog

2006-10-02T14:19:00.000+02:00

My last post to this was on our way to the states to visit our friends and supporters.
We've been there now ...done that ...and hopefully many are still waiting to hear from me.

The family joined me in Chicago

From there we drove to Virginia where we visited most of our supporters. we even made it to Kitty Hawk, NC.

Looking back over my calendar, I see that we had over 30 different meetings and presentations with different individuals and churches -over the course of 6 weeks. There was still a lot more that we were not able to arrange. Here are Tessa and Noah at one of our meetings

And here am I...

We made it back to Innsbruck to one of the coldest Augusts on record.

Thanks to all those who recieved us, helped us and sent us. Thanks for your prayers and support.

Paul and Family

It's not a vacation

2006-07-03T19:26:00.000+02:00

It’s that time of year when we do a lot of traveling. Every May I have leadership meetings for our teams and for IT. As well every two years we fly to the states as a family to visit churches, family and friends. The neighbors always say, “Oh have a nice vacation”. I just say “thanks,” and give a deep sigh. For most people, I suppose, flying somewhere means exotic places and lots of rest and relaxation. We know differently, so don’t believe the lie.

We’ll be visiting in the states this summer, and we always go with lots of mixed feelings.
...Glad to see loved ones again,
…really needing to give lots or reports about what we do in order to ensure intelligent funding and prayers,
…yet not having enough time to fit in all these meetings,
…wishing there were just a few more days to do something for the kids and ourselves –like on vacation,
…yet feeling like nearly 2 months away from home is already too long to be away from home, life and ministry.

It’s like things are on hold during this time. When I consider the $7000 price tag just to fly us over here, I remind myself “it’s not a vacation” because if it were, I would probably opt for two weeks in the Carribean somewhere!

So, here we are in the middle of “hurricaine season”. I am already on the road and in the air. My family will be joining me in a week. The kids have been emailing that they miss me “very, very much”, Reinhild too, and so this just makes the time even longer.

Below are some pictures from a year ago when I was traveling home from our leadership meetings. The window blew out at 30,000 feet, we took a quick dive, lost compression –and oxygen. The masks came down and we basically scrambled for our lives.

…Thought you’d be interested in that.

things we heard that you need to know

2006-06-05T08:29:00.000+02:00

A team from Third Presbyterian in Richmond came to help us in our ministry. Together we put on a retreat in Innsbruck. We then traveled to Rome where we visited with some of the key contacts that have developed in the past year. A highlight in Rome was our visit in a large abandoned building that holds about 450 Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees. Below are some quotes from various conversations with refugees over these past 10 days.

"I believe God has a purpose for me as a refugee. ...I have a room ...I have food... I am so blessed to be here. It's only at night when I come back to my room and close the door that I realize I am a refugee."

Paul said, "God in his providence is using Austria to send you as a missionary. ...You have an important role in building and renewing Christ's church in Europe."

"I feel like Moses ...he was a refugee. Here we must rely on Jesus. God has used bad things to draw us closer to him ...I am reading the Bible and spending time with God much more now as a refugee than I ever have before."

"My mother was a Christian. She encouraged me to go to church. ...there are many churches where I am from. Here in Austria there are fewer. "

"We must trust in the living God. He is the answer. Faith sees the invisible ...believes the incredible ...achieves the impossible."

"Before this retreat, I did not understand. Here I have felt accepted. I have understood the Bible for the first time. ...I will tell more refugees to come if you do this again."

"My village was attacked ...my father beheaded ...the village burned ...it is difficult to talk about these things. "

"Last week a man died after he was arrested and held for questioning. He was a good man ...a father to all ...We saw the body and it looked like he was beaten badly. ...This is the sadness room. His wife and child are in the room now and will stay there until the sadness is over."

"we named our daughter delite which means "judge" ...because here we have no justice. "

"There is much depression here. "

"When we first started to live here, the officials came and turned off the water. We protested and blocked the street until they turned it back on."

"We are 450 people who live here ...we have to work together and help each other ...we have to stay together as a community or we will die."

"10-15 refugees will come each day from all over the country to stay here while they do their business with the officials. ...they need help ...those who have been here show the new ones how it works."

"...Yes this is good (that we have a community and are helping each other) ...but it is not a revolution."

"...We have a pentecostal church that meets here. ...it began in one room and went from room to room. ...now it is too big ...and so it has a place downstairs."

"...this is the room for our church ...but it is just a room ...because the church is in us ...it is upstairs where everybody lives."

"We need showers ...we need a playground for the small children so it is safe ... and a net along the street to keep the ball from rolling in the street. ...If we could build a vollleyball court then it would help when people are nervous and sad."

"We hope we can come back to help you..."

"We hope too ...God will make it possible."

time with refugees

2006-05-31T08:36:00.000+02:00

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

2006-05-31T08:34:00.000+02:00

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

2006-05-30T00:04:00.000+02:00

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

2006-05-21T07:52:00.000+02:00

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

2006-05-18T16:39:00.000+02:00

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.

...like riding on a train

2006-04-28T23:42:00.000+02:00

I have already said once, "life is like riding on an airplane." Now I can say, "life is like riding on a train."

I rushed to the train station this morning and was buying my ticket from the machine as I heard the announcement that my train was arriving. Thirty seconds later, I heard another announcement for the same platform --and I thought "Oh they just announced the train."

I finished buying the ticket, ran to the platform and jumped on the train in the same place that I have always gotten on the train to go to Vienna. Everything looked the same. However 40 minutes later, I realized that I had gotten on the train headed in the wrong direction. For some reason, they had switched the side of the platform that the train to Vienna left from, and I had not noticed or read this. I was on the wrong train and the wrong track. This happens.

Finally, with some good help from the conductor who showed me I was on the wrong train, a lot of extra time, and a big detour, I made it to my destination.

Today on the train, I found myself literally in the middle of an incredibly complex issue that has been coming up recently in a number of ways. I have been thinking a lot about the issue of our moral lives -our sense of right and wrong. What do I do with morality as I talk with Josef about his baby? Today I truly felt there IS a right train to Vienna -and I was not on it.

I think it is easy to make lots of rules in order to live a moral life. Morality becomes our God. We cut God out when we overlook the process that God wants to walk through in order to get us to our destination. What takes more trust -to follow our rules or to ride on the wrong train?

"Hello, this is Josef..."

2006-04-28T23:16:00.000+02:00

Two nights ago a refugee called me whom I had lost contact with. He had moved away 6 months ago and I didn't know where he was. I had an idea, but I didn't know how to reach him.

Sure enough, Josef called me up to say that he had moved in with his Austrian girlfriend and they had just had a baby. Josef grew up in a Christian home in Africa. We have talked a lot in the past about trusting and following Jesus. This is important to him.

Now as I spoke with Josef on the phone, we talked for over an hour again about the Christian faith -this time about whether he should baptize his child! (If you are interested in knowing what I said, please leave a comment and I'll give you the details.)

Josef comes out of a Christian context -yes Africa. To think about faith issues is part of life for him. Interestingly, I also spoke with his Austrian girlfriend on the phone. She said, "I am not religious, but I want to support Josef."

Two things strike me about all of this. For one, here is a life and a situation that needs redeeming. In all its complexity, it is not out of bounds for Christ. This is Christ's workshop. Second, perhaps you can feel it, but it is easier to work and support the African refugee in this situation than it is the Austrian. This is Europe.

Homeschool meeting

2006-04-25T22:24:00.000+02:00

Tomorrow we meet with the district school supervisor to set-up the testing for Tessa's homeschooling. The supervisor assigned to help us was the same man who originally blocked our request to home-school. we hope and pray that he won't make this harder than it needs to be! Please pray for us!

Luke's birthday

2006-04-25T22:17:00.000+02:00

Luke had his 8th birthday today. When I prayed, I thanked God for his 7th. Everyone corrected me real fast. "It's his eigth!"
Here is Luke (2nd from right) with his school class.

Prayer Retreat

2006-04-05T21:38:00.000+02:00

Two weekends ago, our team took the weekend to go on a prayer retreat. We began the day with worship together and then spent the next 6 hours alone in prayer. I meditated a long time on Revelation 15:3-4

“Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; For all the nations will come and worship before Thee, For Thy righteous acts have been revealed.”

The phrases: "great and marvelous, just and true, who will not fear?" kept coming back to me and it was through these truths that the Lord helped clear my mind of all the worries and stress that has been piling up and brought me to a place to finally be still before him.

When my life is all over, I would like to look back to find a long string of such days in my life. I think our maturity will be measured more by these kinds of moments than anything else.

Refugee Missionaries

2006-03-22T19:50:00.000+01:00

At the share conference last week, I met a missionary who works in Poland. He told us of one of his colleagues in Poland who became a Christian in the 1980’s when he was a refugee in Austria! This caught my interest because I began working with refugees in the 1980's in Austria!

I asked further and he explained that missionaries at the camp where his colleague lived had led him to the Lord. He immigrated to Canada where the Lord called him to return to Poland. He went to Bible school and today works as a missionary in Poland church-planting and teaching at a seminary.

While there were a few other missionaries reaching out to refugees during the 80's in Austria, as far as I know we were the only ones working inside one of the camps. The team I was part of held endless chapel services, bible studies, english classes and kids clubs for hundreds of refugees who passed thru.

this reminds me again of how God uses refugee ministry to reach the nations.

Below left: our chapel service in 1988. Below right: A refugee family in 1988 with myself and our team leader (who is now the director of IT's refugee ministry.)

Home-school Approved

2006-03-16T20:42:00.000+01:00

We met the highest school official for Tyrol yesterday and in 30 minutes everything was approved for home-schooling.

We were originally told by the school board that by law we were required to put Tessa back in school immediately. We were continually stone-walled and delayed from taking any action. We had the feeling that actually, they simply didn't want to figure out what to do with us.

We went to Tessa's old school to talk to the principal about putting her back in school there. He said there was no way we could do that and he said we should talk to someone else.

With this we started to play hard ball. We went directly to the highest school official in the state. We knocked on his door and walked in. We layed a copy of our registration to home-school on the table which we had submitted in time nearly a year ago.

He heard our case and pulled out the law book. He saw that actually if we haven't heard a reply within a month's time from the school board then by default the request and application is approved.

He picked up the phone and called the the principal. He turned on the speaker phone and asked him in front of us if he had received our request. With a lot of uh... uhs, he said yes.

We will receive the official decision this week. We now have to work hard to pass the Austrian testing at the end of the school year --in three months.

Welcome to Austrian bureacracy and tyrolian stubborness all compounded by being foreigners and multiplied again by doing things different from the accepted way.

Share Family Conference

2006-03-13T00:15:00.000+01:00

Last week we went as a family to the Share Educational conference in Budapest. We were together with Missionaries from all over central Europe and beyond. It's an important time for our children to meet and relate with other children just like themselves. While the kids have their own "school" and program, the parents have seminars and workshops on educational, family and developmental issues. The devotions were on biblical models of leadership and the keynote lectures were on "Best Practice for learning and teaching". There is time to consult with other parents and educators for ideas and resources. There is testing available. This year Tessa took the Iowa standardized test. We have attended this conference for the past three years, and it has become an important indicator and resource for us as a family.

Can you find our kids!?

Preparing Refugees to Serve

2006-03-03T13:30:00.000+01:00

This weekend I will be visiting with Nana who is the team leader for one of our teams called the "Fellowship of Christian Refugees" (FCR) (See my post on.) There are two important thrusts to the vision of this team. One is to train and release refugees for ministry and the other is to facilitate integration between refugees and local communities and churches.

FCR has started a pilot program to facilitate this discipleship and community involvement. I'll be teaching at the meeting on Saturday as well as evaluating with Nana how well the program has gone and what the needs are.

Here is an overview of the Pilot Program schedule:
Monday - German Language Class
Tuesdays - Refugee Feeding & Assistance (40+ refugees receive food); Wednesdays - Team meeting and prayers
Thursdays - Refugee Feeding & Assistance + German class
Fridays - Culture & Integration Classes for refugees
Saturdays - FCR Meeting for prayer, worship and teaching.

The important thing about all of this is that we are building a foundation to send out a new wave of missionaries. They are not Western, they are not rich. They are afflicted and troubled with uncertainty; they are weak and easily misguided.

Sound familiar?! What do you think would be important for building a solid foundation for these workers? Here's your chance to have a direct impact on the front lines here in Austria!!

Homeschooling permission

2006-03-02T00:45:00.000+01:00

We have been homeschooling this year under the belief that we were registered with the school officials. We turned in a written request as we were told to do last summer. Apparently, however, the officials never processed the request. They know nothing of our homeschooling and so in their eyes, we have been breaking the law, because we have not been sending Tessa to school.

We have had one meeting with the official. He was at first hopeful, but he has changed his tone and says we need to put Tessa in school immediately. We have the impression that he is under pressure and since no one here homeschools and there is no precedent, the easiest for him is to require us to enroll in school.

It's difficult, because we believe strongly that homeschooling is the right thing for her. Our relationship with Tessa was already good, and it has been strengthened even more as a result.

Please pray that the officials would work with us on this.

Symbiosis - Refugee missionaries

2006-02-25T15:59:00.000+01:00

One of the values we have in refugee ministry is called "symbiosis". By this we mean that refugees are not only people in crisis needing help but they are also people with much to offer. For example we have been helping an African refugee named James. James has started to visit a 50 year old austrian man from one of the local churches who had a stroke 9 months ago and is now an invalid. These visits began when Werner invited James to come along with him. James has so encouraged this severely handicapped man and his wife. James prays for him daily and the woman has said that James is the only one who has recognized her standing with her husband through this difficult trial.

I spent the afternoon with James yesterday. We talked about his experience now in Austria as a refugee. He has been here a year. He had to flee for his life suddenly when his family came under political persecution. James shared that everyday is a gift of God's grace.

"I am here for a purpose and I thank God for bringing me here. I have all I need. I have God's Word and I am so thankful for what God has done in my life. Everyday I tap into God's grace. ...I want to contribute to Austria. This country is so lost. We in Africa think that when we come to the West and to Europe that we will find a strong Church, because this is the Church's home. In reality the spiritual life here has flat-lined. In my country you are looked up to, honored and respected as a Christian."

We talked about how James is a missionary to Austria. The contribution, faith and encouragement he brings is unmatched. In fact there would be no other way for James to come here -as a missionary- except to come as a refugee. He would never receive a visa, and he could never afford the support!

I asked how it is to go through the trials of refugee life. "Do you get down about it sometimes?" James explained, "I don't even go there. I look at all I have in God's Word. There is so much more in the Bible and I remind myself of this. I thank God that I have a room and a bed and something to eat and I remind myself that where I am now is only for a season."

I think that refugees are the next generation of missionaries which God will use in Europe to keep the Church alive. Refugees come from a place of weakness and suffering and this has always been part of God's kingdom strategy.

Flea Market

2006-02-19T19:59:00.000+01:00

Werner organized a flea market this past weekend. We raised over 800 euros which we will use mostly for literature and refugee aid. Several volunteers helped out as well as some refugees.

Overseeing FCR

2006-02-19T18:29:00.000+01:00

In my regional leadershp role, I am helping a refugee and fellow co-worker in IT named Nana. Nana is a new team leader in IT with the vision to build a new team. We call this team FCR (Fellowship of Christian Refugees). It is a unique team because of its vision to help refugees reach refugees. I love this because, Nana is African, the team is new and the limits for how we minister are being pushed and stretched.

The team will emphasize service and discipleship among refugees. As a team leader Nana has the responsibility to make decisions to build and develop his team. Over the past three months I have spent a lot of time with him to talk and think through some of his decisions and efforts for this. The cultural differences inherent as an African in Europe make this kind of discussion and support absolutely crucial, ...and I found myself facing such issues as racism, prejudice and pride. I believe we have to walk through the issues that come up in order to understand how our work and teams relate to one another and how they can best fit into the local communities.

We approach these things with our own cultural idea of how it should be. It's like the Jew-Gentile issue in the first church... But let's be more personal, it's like marriage! Each of us has our own idea of how things should be done. My experience tells me that the more diverse the two sides are, then the more time it takes for understanding one another and working together.

What do you think? Do you think that God would want us to bull through the issues that come up to do it "my way", or does he want us to seek unity? And, is this unity on the basis of my culture and idea or some other? Surely, the nations streaming to God are not waving an American flag the American way! I might be, but should I expect my Persian or African brothers to be doing the same and vice-versa? So on what basis do we come before the throne of God? We need to get there as quick as possible! These are the issues at heart as I guide and lead Nana in building his team.
(Visiting with Nana in Guntramsdorf as he prepares lunches for some of the homeless refugees that his team brings food to.)

Helping Refugees with German

2006-02-19T17:59:00.000+01:00

Our teammate, Werner offered a German class in the month of January to refugees in one of the houses. One of the families had just arrived in Austria and were not even able to spell their names in the latin alphabet. Linda (our new teammate from Australia) has come alongside of this family several times now to help them with some of these basic language needs. Last week I went along together with visitors from one of our supporting churches. ...If you only knew how funny this sounds for english speakers to be teaching German!! ...We are either "fools for Christ" or God is truly using the "weak" in his Kingdom work. Either way, it is amazing how little it takes to reach out to and serve refugees.
(Since posting this the family has been transferred to another house about 20 km away. Unfortunately this will make it harder for Linda to keep up her contact with these refugees.)

Opportunity for understanding mission

2006-02-07T21:56:00.000+01:00

Many who read about our life and work through this blog or our other updates
are from churches which support us with their prayers and giving. The
following is information about a conference for those who might be
interested in knowing more about the mission challenge

If you would like more information about this conference please contact me and I
can put you in touch with the right person.

**Becoming a Globally-Engaged Missional Community**

International Teams' MissionCasting Conference

Gain a "big picture" perspective of what God is doing in the world and the
role of His church in it. Engage in practical discussions on what it all
means for your church. Highlights:
Overview of our 21st century world and the current missions landscape. What
does it mean for the local church?

Rooting our missions efforts in the mission of God since creation.
Why and how to move from a scattered missions paradigm to a focused,
mission-purposed paradigm.
Painting a picture of the church with MISSION at it's heart.

The winds of change are blowing...in the world, and in the church. Mission
agencies and local churches are on a journey...together. This conference is
designed to introduce the major realities and concepts with which we much
wrestle, and provide a context for discussion through which we all can
learn.

When: April 21-22
Where: International Teams' Elgin Ministry Center in Elgin, Illinois
Presenters: Dr. David Schroeder and Dr. David Livermore
Dr. Schroeder served for 12 years as President at Nyack College and Alliance
Theological Seminary, providing leadership through tremendous growth and
change. As of January of this year, he now serves as President of
International Teams/USA.
Dr. Livermore is Executive Director of the Global Learning Center at GRTS
(Grand Rapids Theological Seminary) and is Co-Founder of Intersect, a
ministry that provides leadership training and consulting to emerging
leaders in ministries around the world.

RHP Meetings

2006-02-05T23:28:00.000+01:00

I have just returned from the meeting of the Refugee Highway Partnershp for Europe (RHP). Leaders in IT's refugee ministry, working through the World Evangelical Alliance 4 years ago helped to start this network. The purpose is to bring together local churches, organizations and missions to encourage one another and facilitate more ministry among refugees. This year there were 11 representatives from Scandinavia, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria.

The meetings take place once a year, and I go in order to keep myself connected at a European level. One of the topics we discussed this year was immigration and asylum law. Most immigrants -including illegals, guest workers, refugees- who live in the West send a lot of what they earn back to their families and countries. I did not know this, but for a lot of these developing countries -if not most- this is the largest source of income. This has far reaching effects. It profits these countries therefore to keep these citizens from returning home -so that the money will keep coming. Likewise when the West denies these people the right to work, we are essentially putting the burden of development on our own shoulders.

New Teammate

2006-02-05T21:57:00.000+01:00

We have a new teammate from Australia who has just finished language learning and is currently getting set-up for ministry. I have been helping her to sort out her visa needs with the authorities, as well as helping her to find an apartment. She is beginning to shadow Werner and Debbie in ministry situations (such as language instruction and visitation) in order for us all to see where and how she will best fit into ministry. I have appreciated Linda's heart to serve. Her willingness to fit-in and her patience with all that is required to begin ministry will take her far.

Welcome to our update online

2006-01-18T21:40:00.001+01:00

We have been writing newsletters and updates for over 20 years. Still, for all the words, we never feel like these connect us as well as we would like with our community of family, friends, colleagues, supporters and others.

Welcome.