Since arrival in Berlin I have been struck by two things – the need here of mission work and the amazement of some of the people we are working with that we would make such an effort for them. To come to Germany to paint rooms and mow lawns! Why would we work hard in service to them? They approach us curious as to our motive. Once realizing it's just lovethey respond in kind. From a shy handshake to a little chocolate candy offered by a Turkish woman learning German at our work site. The wide smiles and giggles of the teenage girls at the center at my paint splotched glasses and hair. I'm sure they think we're a little crazy. The invisible walls between us being torn down just like the real physical wall that was torn down here. The paintbrush and the chisel, both effective in making a big difference. All we need is love.
Karen Stenzel
Guz gave me a book to read on this trip called, “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. In preparing a devotion for this morning I used some of his thoughts on God's diversity and creativity. It is certainly prevalent on this journey. We've seen glorious peachy pink oriental poppies in the yards of the garden houses. There's a bird I've seen that looks like a crow, (only smaller) walks like a crow, sounds like a crow, but has a black head, beak, tail and wing tips but the rest is a smokey gray. The American Church of Berlin congregation includes members who represent over 25 different countries. The children in the kindergarten counted for me yesterday in English, Spanish, German, Turkish and Greek. Karen and I ate in a Latin based restaurant where the staff speak Spanish. Why did I think the US was the only melting pot? We are all diverse and creative in our approaches to our work here. Most are engaged in tasks for removed from our daily jobs. (Although I hear one of our painting crews was offered a contract by a passerby.) The ACB serves a wide range of needs for its community. Berlin is a cosmopolitan bustling city that is similar and dissimilar to others in the western world. God has brought us here to learn, love and work in diverse and creative ways. To paraphrase the Bible, “Rejoice in the Lord always again I say, 'Rejoice.'”
Nancy Hoelzer
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Nancy, thank you for sharing! "Why did I think the US was the only melting pot?" I hadn't thought of it in those terms- but I remember feeling similarly when I encountered the diversity of Berlin in my first few weeks here. Thanks for sharing this great insight!
ReplyDeleteKate