Dave’s Blog

On Friday the 19th Kevin and Carol took me by car to Haus Hoenblick, a Methodist retreat center in Braunfels. The church here was having a youth conference for area teens. There were about 70 youth and the workers in the conference. It started in the afternoon and went until Sunday afternoon. The main draw for the conference was Martin ………, U 2 a German singer and rapper that is pretty well known here. I was also on the agenda to do workshops.

The singer was caught in traffic so i started out the program on Friday night. I taught a few things and then we went into the rest of the program. We started in on Saturday morning with people choosing to do music, drama, street ministry or strings. There were about 15 and over the morning the group grew to about 30. I was able to teach them many things and through out the day they taught the other youth the things they knew. Soon all were doing strings.

We had and evening service where others from the community were invited. Johannes Belgar, a seminary student and youth pastor was my translator for the entire time and he did a great job of keeping me informed on what was being talked about. Martin talked and the youth did the music. They were so capable. The piano player was terific. They also did a couple of skits that were hillariious. It was a good evening.

They had a break with snacks and visiting. The kids who knew strings were busy showing off to the others and teaching them, They were going back in for an after concert time of singing and more but I was tired and went to bet. One nice thing about hearing aids is that I can take them out and sleep with stuff going on around me.

Sunday morning was church for all the youth and the regular congregation. There were about 140 in attendance and I was asked to add strings to the service. I thanked the parents for trusting us to teach their children this weekend and ask the youth to make some things to show. They made the star, cross and the Holy Spirit which they showed. Then we made a figure together. It was a good time and Johannes translated for me.

After that was lunch and then the youth went home. I took a nap and after that walked down into the valley and then up the hill to the town castle, Schloos Braunfels. It was built in the 1200’s and after a fire rebuilt in the 1500’s. It is in amazing condition and has shops, a restaurant and it looked like some living quarters also.

Outside the castle is the old town. Shops that are 3 and 400 years old. Winding narrow streets and buildings that look so German. It was a great time to just walk among all this history. I really enjoy just experiencing the time. It was Sunday so the shops were closed but that didn’t matter.
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After that I walked back to the Haus Hohenblick for supper. There were a few elderly widows there who had spent two weeks in Bible study. One had a little English and told me she had been to the US. That was about the extent of our conversation. I had a quiet evening for reflection and reading.

Monday morning everything was covered in ice. I was supposed to be taken to the train and was not sure if it would happen. Hans-Herman Schole, the pastor took me to the station. The ice was only on the high ground and when we were in the valley the road was clear. I took the train into Frankfurt, changed in Nurenburg and was met in Zwickau by Lutz Rochlitzer, the person for the youth and children’s work in East Germany.

Dave