Mission Trip Update 7/2/07

What an adventure we had! Germany was everything and more than what many of us expected. It’s amazing how a smile and the light of Christ cuts across cultural and language barriers as we all served alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ to reach out to the community surrounding the American Church in Berlin. Obviously internet connections are not a high priority which is why it was very difficult and often impossible to get to the Blog to continue to update. So please accept my apologies and take a look at the pictures just added so you can get a taste of what wonderful work is going on in Berlin in the name of Jesus Christ. You will meet Kumar—who met us at the airport along with Denise. Kumar continued to remind us that we were “the light of Christ” as he too wielded a paint brush all week. Denise gave us detailed instructions on our apartments as well as how to use the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. You’ll meet Sarah, the preschool teacher I worked with all week and see a few of the children. You’ll also see a little of the tour through Berlin as we all experienced the magnitude of the Holocaust as we walked through the “memorial to the Jewish people.” We were given personal stories from those that had experienced the coming down of the Berlin wall as we stood at what was left. You’ll see Laura and me washing windows at a Children’s Hospice center, Joan and Molly teaching the ESL Instructor’s class – they did a GREAT job!!! And be sure to notice that Greg Minck is doing the detail work on painting the walls in the area of the church that will be used for the children’s Sunday School room. And yes, they finished painting before we left. I could write a book on the diversity that is wholeheartedly embraced and how, for me, it was truly reflective of the kingdom of God and the church universal. Some other pictures will be forthcoming soon from the worship service on Sunday—I will talk more about the wonderful blend of voices praising God together. Thank you for all of your prayers and support.