Week 8 (The Dresden Files)

Hey folks,
I've been in Dresden the last week. To give the week a little more gravity, I read Slaughterhouse 5 the day after I arrived. Not a bad book, but sad. I liked being able to give myself very real reference points to see what he was writing about. The city of Dresden is beautiful now, but I can't imagine what it must have looked like in February 1945. Parts of it are actually still be rebuilt.

Obviously, it has been a deep week. More so, considering some of the people I have met at this hostel. I shared a room with a guy who is originally from the KC area. He started life as a christian, then became an athiest, and then finally settled on hinduism. He was a very interesting guy and I had several really good conversations with him. They were somewhat marred by a sneaky suspicion that he wasn't going to change his beliefs, but that's what prayer is for.

I haven't really done too many "touristy" things while I've been here in Dresden. I think it could be that Dresden, while being beautiful, is also just a homey place. I was content to just find a nice spot under some blossoming cherry trees (so pretty!) and be still. That's something I've somewhat missed on this trip. I get so caught up on "experiencing Europe", that I sometimes lose sight of the things that are important to experience, no matter where I am physically.

God has been teaching me a lot this week through Isaiah 25. I found it particularly interesting, again being in Dresden:
¹ O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.

² You have made the city a heap of rubble,
the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners' stronghold a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.

³ Therefore strong peoples will honor you;
cities of ruthless nations will revere you.

⁴ You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a wall

⁵ and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is stilled.

⁶ On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.

⁷ On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;

⁸ he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.

⁹ In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

It must have been hard to go through that horrific time, but the passage reminded me that God does what he sees fit. The promise in the later part of the chapter, that God will "swallow up death forever and wipe away the tears from ALL faces" is so wonderful. I'm slowly learning things about my Father. He reveals bits there, and bits here. Its like looking at a mountainside in a thick fog, I begin to see a bigger picture.

Thanks again for your prayers, I find them very encouraging! I'll be heading to Leipzig on the 1st and staying there until heading for Berlin on the 8th. I love all you guys and hope that you're enjoying this great weather!

-Samwise Greenhill

Week 7

And I am in Prague! It is a beautiful city that wasn't initially on my list of stops, but that's what's exciting about adventures, you don't know where they'll lead you! I'm staying with Matt and Sara Parrot. Sara is working on her semester abroad and Matt's playing basketball. But really, they're both helping out with a missionary orginization here and are busy with language partners as well.

I rode to Prague on Monday with two guys I had met at the hostel in Nuremberg. It was a pretty fun road-trip and I even got a little story out of it. So, an american, a german and an australian get pulled over on the road to Prague...
Not really a joke, this happened. Everything was fine, but the australian in our little group made the observation that the situation really did sound like a joke. In that spirit, please respond with better endings to the joke than the one I gave (aka the lame one).

On a different note, I will be heading to Dresden on Saturday and then from there to Leipzig and then on to Berlin! Its been quite fun so far and I'm looking forward to seeing northern Germany's cities and history.

One quick story about Nuremberg: I ended up translating the card game "Bang!" into english so that a big group of Americans, Aussies, Koreans and Canadians could play. It was quite the night! The Americans devised a set of rules to convert it into a drinking game, so that was quite interesting (even though they didn't get to try it out).

In my spare time (which is coming in droves) I've been writing a lot of different things, both fiction, prose, poetry and in my journal. I haven't felt so creative in a very long time. Many things spark my interest and it has been fun trying to learn a bit of Czek.

I had better go and spend my last few days here frutifully, hope that you all are doing well, I'm praying for you guys!
-Samwise Greenhill

Week 6

I am now in the city of Nürnberg, a great cultural center of Germany. It was here that the Nürnberg laws were passed (they denied Jews citizenship and made it illegal for Jews and ''Germans'' to marry). It was also the sight of the Nürnberg Trials, when the leaders of the National Socialist Party had to answer for their ''War-Crimes''. Obviously a lot of history to take in, as well as the German cultural history of the region.

But, fitting the pattern, I will share one last story from Munich.
It was about seven thirty on Friday night and I decided to go for one last walk to the English Garden. I was going to have to get up early in the morning, so I was planning on getting to bed early as well. As I passed the familiar buildings of the Kaufstraße, I saw a man I recognized from previous walks through the city. This man, who wore a french beret and a neatly trimmed moustache, was standing on a flower bed with a crucifix on his chest and a poster in hand that held several different facts about the world (i.e. death rates, poverty, etc). He was talking with another man about God in German and then he met my eyes and asked ''Glauben auf Jesus?'' to which I replied ''Ja, natürlich!''
So began one of the best conversations I had ever had. The man wearing the french beret was named Roland (Yes, I know. Sorry folks, but a few of my friends just made a disappointing connection). The other Man was named Peter. Peter was an athiest that Roland had been trying to convert for 20 years! The three of us talked for a long time about God, life, Germany, and other various things. I found myself greatly encouraged by this older brother in Christ.
As we parted ways, Roland and I shook hands and, I think both of us feeling that this wasn't enough, embraced. Roland looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, ''I will see you again Sam! Either in Germany or in Heaven!'' I now find myself looking forward to either option.

As for Nürnberg, a good bit of the city had been destroyed in the bombing of WWII, but a large part of it has been reconstructed in neo-gothic architecture. I have also found that it seems to me a good blend of both Northern and Southern Germany. The people are friendly, as in Munich, but they are also industrious, as in the north.
I went to the German History Museum today and saw some pretty amazing things. Old Armor, Baroque pianoes, Mandolins from the 17th century and some pretty impressive Statuary. I'm writing you now, getting ready to go services this afternoon. I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!
-Samwise Greenhill

Weeks 4 and 5 (respectively)

Well, as many of you know, I am in now in Munich. I got here on Wedensday and have been enjoying the sights, sounds, conversations and smells (sometimes) of this great city. But, before I go forward, let me start in the Black forrest.

So, I never made it to Wolfach. Rather, I just set off into the forrest from a little town called Rottweil. I headed west for a six hour trek into the woods and then set to work building a shelter for the night. I learned very quickly, however, that my shelter building skills have something to be desired. It was quite cold that night, but I feel that it brought me closer to God. I was praying the whole night for safety and warmth. The next morning I shored up the sides of my ´wigwam´ and started covering the whole thing in a carpet of moss that was growing on the forrest floor. When I was done, it looked like a little green hill, so I decided to dub this structure ´Green Hill´.
It was during this time that I began to really experience God in a very real way. I was completely dependant on Him for safety, from wolves, but also the elements. It was a great time for a reconnecting of a wandering and erring child with his great and loving Father. Needless to say, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am very glad I went.
This was the short version, because we´ll need something to talk about when I get back.

Now, back to Munich! It has been good so far as I've said, but the people I've met here so far makes it all the better. Last night I met a brother in the Lord here who encouraged me very much. It was refreshing to talk with another believer again! We parted ways last night after praying together and I know that God has a plan for us both.

On another note, the food here is amazing! I've found that if one drinks Radler (a mix of lemon soda and beer) and eats Currywurst with it, it's like somebody is playing Bach in your mouth! Quite good!

I'm still safe, have enough to eat, etc. so thanks for the prayer! Keep it up, and let me know If I can pray for you. I look forward to seeing you all again! Proßt!
-Samwise of the Green Hill