everytribe-blog

[everytribe-blog]

Uni Papier

My apologies for having missed a blog post. The past few weeks have been kind of crazy as my time here has begun to wind down. It all began with the coffee table experiment I wrote about in my last blog post, which went quite well. But, unfortunately, my German class got delayed two weeks in a row. At the beginning of the second week that it was delayed, I went down to my school, and the school very kindly allowed me to have private lessons so that I can continue to learn during the rest of my time here. Also, during all the craziness I had to write a paper for university. Here is an excerpt from my paper that I feel gives you a good glimpse at life here.

“Something that a lot of refugees do to make them more likely to be approved for immigration into the country is to “become Christian.” For many of them, that means they put in the minimal amount of effort required to come across as a Christian in the eyes of the government. While that is good to see, in that it shows that Christianity is beginning to be painted in a less negative light, it is unfortunate that it also means that nominal Christianity is becoming more and more popular causing the few truly committed Christians to blend in with the crowded in the eyes of the community.

However, for those who truly come to faith here, it is in no way an easy road. For those coming from a Muslim background, conversion holds the meaning of potentially cutting themselves off from their families completely and permanently. This is something that can even happen to some native Germans. The effects of East Germany are still very strongly felt in the country in general and specifically in Berlin, and for people with families who lived in former East Germany, Christianity can still be seen as something unnecessary or even negative. One man that attends one of the Bible cafes has had his friends notice how he has changed since becoming a Christian and they have been less than thrilled to see that change happen. One woman who we gave a Bible to told us a story about how she was given a free bible when she was young and her father confiscated it from her and did not allow her to learn about Christianity. ...

[The] community here really needs something to get them excited about Christianity again. They have spent so long living in such an oppressive environment that they have forgotten what Christianity is really all about. They need something that will show them that it is not just something that their Grandparents used to believe in, but rather it is something that is actually applicable to their lives now. Because the city of Berlin as a whole has a predominantly left-wing liberal view, the church needs to show the community that everyone is welcome regardless of their past or present circumstances. It is honestly sad how far simple loving gestures like a smile or a compliment can go with people who live in this city. They need to be shown the kind of love and community that can only truly be found in the family that is the church.”

Praises:

That my coffee table experiment has had some good success.

That I was able to reschedule my German class.

Prayer Requests:

That my last couple of weeks will go well.

My supervisor's wife is due to give birth this week. So prayers for good health and a short labor process.

[everytribe-blog]

Embarking on an experiment

This week I finished A.2 in my German course and there is a week break before I take B.1. Now as I don't wish to waste this unexpected free time I've decided that this would be the perfect time to try something new that the team here hasn't been able to have the time to attempt. For my people here it's an uncomfortable experience to have a stranger approach them, even if they have good intentions, in addition as the weather here gets colder it gets more difficult to meet people in the normal way. Therefore in the coming week, I (and volunteer from the team) plan on spending time going to be various places and setting up a free coffee stand. This will be an attempt to get people to come to us. We will go to parks and other popular locations (at a respectable distance from businesses that sell Coffee) and set up our table.

Since the goal is to be approachable I plan to have only one Bible placed on the table as a conversation starter, but under the table a bag with other Bibles as well information about our Bible Studies to give people who express interest. I also plan Paper Cranes with verses inside them to give to people as a gift who want them but intended as people who don’t express much interest beyond the coffee.

My hope in all of this is to create a new method of invitation that the long-term can use after I return home.

Praises:

I have completed all of the A levels of German Class and my teacher told me that I’m doing quite well.

Recently we have had the opportunity to begin an English class at night and I am happy to say that we have had several students show up.

Prayer Requests:

That my experiment will go well, and that many people be interested  

That students will continue to show up to English class

For continued relationship building opportunities, for both me and the long-term team.

For the hearts of everyone in the city.

[everytribe-blog]

The Holidays

I apologize that I’m late at posting. Last week was quite the adventure though, my parents came to visit me! October is a big month for Germany. It holds three holidays by its self Oktoberfest (Sep. 22 - Oct. 8), Unity day (Oct. 3), as well as Halloween. Here in Berlin, there is also The Festival of Lights (Oct. 5 - Oct.14). It was cool to have my parents with me during those German holidays. Being surrounded by a fantastic team I’m not alone here however it was nice to be with family during the holiday.  It was a very fun, all be it slightly odd, experience to show my parents around the city. I genuinely enjoyed the opportunity to be a tourist again, and it was neat to see the city through the fresh eyes of my parents. I honestly found it much more interesting to be a tourist with others, than when I was seeing most of those places by myself when I first got here. In addition, I can actually understand some German now which makes things a bit easier as well.

Something I got the opportunity to see when they were here was the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. It was incredibly interesting to see such a significant part of history up close. I have always found history (particularly that of WW2) interesting, and to be on a continent where you are constantly surrounded by it is fascinating. In addition, to be living in a city that is still feeling the effects of the last three wars fought on its soil is somewhat mind-boggling. In America, we are geographically isolated from a lot of the world and as result, we can be as aware of what’s going on around us as we personally choose to be. Here that’s not the case.

Praises:

The attendance for Bible Studies and English class has gone up some in the past few weeks.

I have completed language level A2.1.

Prayer Requests:

That attendance will continue to improve.

For continued relationship building opportunities, for both me and the long-term team.

For the hearts of everyone in the city.

[everytribe-blog]

A Strained Surfing Metaphor

While I have never participated in the sport (and my knowledge comes primarily from the ever so accurate movie Surfs Up) I feel like it's fitting for what it's like to be here.

Every here comes in waves. There are some weeks where the conversation is really flowing, and you really feel like you're connecting with people and making progress. But the very next week nobody could show up, and you just have to sit and wait for the next wave.

According to the long-termers here that's what it's been like here for a while. Things can be going really well and then suddenly ministries and relationships will disappear almost overnight with no explanation. This can be incredibly discouraging to experience, and I know it's even harder on the long-termers who have lost entire friendships. It's hard for anyone to fall out with a friend, but in a country where making a friend is something that takes weeks of intentional effort (if not months), that loss can feel almost devastating.

Being here has really taught me how important it is to be patient when it comes to God's plan. Our timetable is irrelevant, we must trust in God's plan for our lives even when it feels like we are running around blindly. To me, the fact that I'm feeling this way only proves how important it is for me and the long-term team to be here, and I need to remind myself of that when I'm in between waves.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

Praises:

That I get to be a part of such an amazing and caring team

Prayer requests:

For faithful patience in God's plan

Encouragement for me and the long-termers while we are between waves.

For the hearts of everyone in this city

[everytribe-blog]

Some Weeks the Words Don't Come

In all honesty, I really wouldn't consider myself much of a writer. It's not something that comes very naturally to me, but I've made it this far through college so that says something right? Usually, with these blog posts I can think of something specific from the past week or so that really gets the creative juices flowing, but this week isn't the case.

It's not that it's been a bad week. I've actually had a pretty great last couple of weeks.

My birthday was last Saturday

I completed A1.1 in German class and I now feel fairly comfortable ordering food entirely in German

I started A1.2 today and I even got the opportunity to invite someone to one of the Bible studies I participate in. (They spoke English which was helpful.)

This is one of those weeks where the beauty and the pain of this city are just swirling around in my head. Everywhere I go I see art and friends hanging out together but I also see the loneliness in people. Every morning when I go to German class I see homeless people sleeping in awkward positions on park benches and people who have already started drinking for the day. I can count on my hands the number of times I've shared a friendly smile with a stranger. And my heart can't help but break for the lostness I can feel around me every day. The history this city has lived through has wrecked religion for them. And the refugees fleeing here aren't very different.

A couple weeks ago I purchased a small whiteboard for my room to help me keep track of and remember all the prayer requests of people. Within an hour of having it home and flipping through my journal to make sure no one was left out it was completely full. The need for Him here is so great and that is my prayer request to you all this week. Pray for the lostness of this city and that God would soften the hearts of its residents.

I apologize for the tardiness of my update, but I also thank you all for the opportunity you have granted me to be here. It would not have been possible for me to have this opportunity without you and I can't thank you enough for that.

Praises:

I completed A1.1 in German class

I now feel fairly comfortable ordering food entirely in German

I started A1.2 today

I got the opportunity to invite someone to one of the Bible studies I participate in and they seemed very interested

Prayer requests:

The lostness of this city

That God would soften the hearts of its residents

Encouragement for myself and the long-term team here

That the person I invited today will come to the Bible study

[everytribe-blog]

Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch

This past week I officially started language class! I'm in a great class with people who love to laugh and help each other learn, and I can already feel my language skills beginning to improve. I am recognizing more and more words in the conversations of those around me and have even been able to communicate some with people know zero English. While I am still very limited I'm confident it won't be long before I will be able to comfortably order food completely in German.

It is really nice to finally have a complete schedule now that my class has begun. I get to spend my mornings learning German and my afternoons in ministries where I get to exercise my new skill. I will even occasionally watch some German TV in the evenings to help keep my self emersed. It can be a bit of challenge at times because English is the second most spoken language in Berlin. It is common for people (especially young Germans) to notice your mother tongue isn't German and switch to speaking in English, but I do my best to at the very least speak a strange conglomeration of both English and German.

Praises:

That class has been going well

Prayer requests:

That I will pick up the language quickly

That people I have met lately will blossom into some good relationships

[everytribe-blog]

"Swimming" in the Adriatic Sea

This past week I have been at a conference with the organization that I am a part of this semester, GEM. If I was to describe this experience in one word it would be overwhelming. This is a conference for everybody in all of GEM to attend. (Granted not all, but most do.) But, for one week, we take over an entire resort on the tiny coastline that the country of Slovenia has to offer. From my hotel window, I could see Croatia. And after a short bus ride in a small walk, I could make it to a lookout with Italy in the background.

The resort was located in Piran, Slovenia, and we were alright on the coastline of the Adriatic Sea. I spent at least a little time almost every day in the water. In my case, I stood in the water while the people I was hanging out with swam around. Since I am not a particularly strong swimmer I enjoyed staying in the area where I could touch the bottom, and I always had people around me willing to hang out with near the shore, which was the real blessing.

It was really cool to get to meet so many different people who are a part of other long-term teams as well as other interns/people my age. I also got the opportunity to meet some University Mobilizers (college students in charge of talking about the organization/recruiting interns at their universities). One of these Mobilizers was actually my roommate for the week.

The average GEM intern is in the field for two months in the summer and then the conference is used for a post-service debrief. As a less than average intern at the beginning of my service I didn't participate in the conference the way the interns typically do, so the University Mobilizers and I got to experience the conference in the way the long-term teams typically do. As a result, I hung out with them primarily. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know them and the hearts that they have for ministry. It was also cool being around so many people who genuinely want to know what is going on with you and what you're doing.

The best way I heard the conference described all week was that it "is like church camp but for adults". We had the opportunity to worship, pray, fellowship, and adventure with one another. And while I wouldn't describe the week as particularly relaxing, it provided the opportunity to reset and remember what makes GEM so special, as well as to share what God is doing in everyone's lives. I got to see how GEM takes care of its people, and it definitely has me considering returning to GEM in a long-term capacity.

As overwhelming as the whole experience was, it was that in the most positive way. Coming back I am a little sad to leave my new friends behind and return to being the only intern/person my age. But I do feel a certain sense of reassurance and peace that I will have the opportunity to build relationships/make friends here in Berlin soon.

Praises:

It was an amazing opportunity to get meet/ network with so many people in GEM.

I got to see how God is working through GEM.

Prayer requests:

That I will be able to see the relationships that God has in store for me and wants me to invest in.

That I will continue to feel emboldened to step out in faith

Adventuring around Piran

[everytribe-blog]

The Berliner Dom

[everytribe-blog]

The Church's of Berlin

One of the things one the long terms here does for short-term teams is present something to them he calls, The Brutal Facts:

"The average church size worldwide is just 64 people.

Sociologists say that when 10-25% of the population holds one view, it is commonly known by 100%.

The total population of your area {times} 10% (.10) = the bare minimum of the population to hear the gospel and be given the chance to respond.

The Bare Minimum {minus} the number of existing believers = the number of new disciples needed to reach the Bare Minimum.

10% of the total population {divided by} 64 = the total number of churches needed for those far from God people to hear the gospel."

So what happens when you apply those to Berlin?

Total population: 3.6 million

Percentage local workers estimate truly know God: 1% (36,000 people)

Total population far from God: 3.564 million

How many new disciples were to get us to the bare minimum of 10%: 324,000

New churches needed: 5,063

There is, however, a reality that is very real here in the city. There is a significant lack of people able and willing to run a church. This is to the point were most churches actually take a couple weeks off for the summer in order to give their staff a break. It is important to also note that not all churches go on break at the same time (however my supervisor's church and my roommate's church have indeed done that.) This can leave people who may be new feeling a bit lost. Since I'm new to the city my supervisor gave me a small list of churches I might check out during this break.

So this Sunday I went to a famous church here in Berlin. I went to Berliner Dom (a.k.a. Berlin Cathedral). Berliner Dom is a massive Lutheran church in the heart of Berlin. It spends the majority of the week catering to tourists, with a free service on Sunday, as well as the occasional mid-week program.

I want on the tour earlier in the week and found it very interesting. The church has an extensive history dating back to 1465, however, the building as we see it today was completed in the 1930s and modeled after the traditional churches of the 1400s. Due to the youth of the church, you're able to tour it much more extensively then you would church actually built in the 1400s.

The service I saw today was honestly pretty confusing for me. It was done entirely in German which was the root of my confusion given that I don't have a very strong grasp on the language yet. It was also very formal, and given that I don't have a lot of experience with how Lutheran churches are run I had a very hard time telling if this was how it was supposed to be or if the intense formality was all for show. The preacher of the church was a woman which was very cool to see, and I also got the opportunity to witness the baptism of a woman. I'm considering going again next week to see if there is any difference in the way it's run from week to week.

Despite all of this it is still very apparent the need for God in the city. Everywhere you go there is homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, and a massive lack of community. And the huge influx of refugees has only pushed a larger wedge in between the people and God. The work the long-term team is doing here is incredibly important, and I'm very thankful that I get to be part of it for the next six months.

Praises:

My luggage has completely arrived safe and sound!

I officially met my mentor for the long-term team today and she is amazing.

Prayer requests:

God will continue to use those of us here who love him to reach the rest of the population.

I may have the opportunity to help teach some Muslim women English if the school the class is through gets enough interest in it.

That God will help me see opportunities to build relationships

[everytribe-blog]

Crazy flights, lost luggage, and the wonderful world of public transportation.

It's been two weeks since I arrived here in Berlin, and it's been one heck of a ride. My adventure began with three rounds of flight itineraries due to cancellations, delays, and airline miscommunication. However, the Lord took care of me and I was able to arrive on the day I was supposed to. I got off the plane in Berlin exhausted and ready to get some much-needed sleep. The positive side of such exhaustion was that when both of my bags did not show up at the carousel I was so thankful for simply arriving it didn't really bother me is it was missing. I reported the missing luggage with the airport, and by 11pm I made it to my apartment and was finally able to get some sleep.

My supervisor here and his wife have also been so helpful in helping me learn the in's and out's of daily life here, how to use the public transportation system, and make my way around the city. They have even taken time out of their schedules to act as my tour guides. Thanks to their efforts I am happy to report that after just a few days I was able to navigate both the U-Bahn (the subway) and the S-Bahn (the above ground train system) and I have only gotten on the wrong train once. The next thing to learn is the bus and tram systems.

These first two weeks have honestly been incredible. Despite the frustration of having the airline lose all of my luggage I have a genuine, you enjoyed it getting to see how the permanent team here devote every day to the people here. I have been able to catch a glimpse of several ministries the team performs. As well as how they interact with a short-term team.

There is truly a great need for the love of Christ in this city. And I look forward to seeing how God will use me and this team to be a light in such a dark place during my time here.

Praises:

The team here is amazing.

After a week I was reunited with 1 of my two bags.

Thanks to Google Maps I have not gotten lost yet and I feel confident and comfortable navigating the city.

Prayer requests:

I have yet to hear anything about my other bag and it's really starting to worry me.

I don't officially start language classes till August so prayers that I can find ways to learn despite that. (I will begin the process of trying to to find a tandem partner this coming week)

God will help me see opportunities to be a blessing to those around me even though I'm new.