The Gospel in the Classroom

At the beginning of the language learning process, the topics of conversation were pretty basic. We learned to build sentences that you would find in most children's books. We talked about farm animals, daily objects and seasons. At that time, it was very challenging to be in a room with educated and fascinating people and discuss such basic topics.

Once we reached a level that was a bit deeper in the language, we could talk about more complicated topics in class. It was fascinating to ask deeper questions and hear the range of backgrounds and stories that many people carry with them.

The last few weeks of school, we discussed a pretty heavy topic in class, namely juvenile crime. The conversations tended to wander, and we were soon talking about what causes someone to commit a crime or kill someone. A few people in class put out the idea that only "abnormal" people commit serious crimes, especially crimes like murder. 

Through this conversation I had the chance to explain the Christian view of the source of evil and the possibility for evil that lays in every human heart. I find it a truly humbling part of Christian theology to recognize how much potential for wrong-doing lives in me. I ended my statement by pointing to the good news, and that it can't really be good news unless the reality is really bad. Basically, we don't need a savior unless there is something to be saved from. And this something is not just in the life to come, but also in our daily lives here. It was interesting to share this in class and to hear other reactions.

This conversation was difficult, but it was also very interesting and rewarding. I think it is all too rare for Christians to have honest conversations about faith with people who don't agree with them.  And it was a stretching experience to discuss these topics in German. I hope and pray I have more opportunities like this!

Last Day of Class (for a while)

Last Friday was our final day of formal language classes for a while. It was bittersweet as we said thank you and good bye to the teachers we have worked with for so long. It is amazing to think of how fast the last 12 months has gone and how much we have learned.

So the question out there is, "what do you do now?" The answer is complicated. We are working on self-study tools like flash cards (my favorite app is Anki), duolingo.com, livemocha.com, and homework sheets we get from our private tutor. We will also meet with our tutor and language helpers during the week to increase our conversation and communications skills. We'll transition towards learning more about cultural values and practices. This dives into my (Nate's) background and degree at Moody, and I am very excited to continue to explore these concepts. And it is possible that I will take another course in the spring after our little one arrives just to keep sharp on my grammar.

We are nervous and excited to start this new chapter in our learning. Would you pray for us?

Constant Change

The interesting thing about language schools is that they operate month-to-month. In some ways, this is great. At the end of every four weeks, you have the opportunity and freedom to decide if you want to keep going, switch schools or take a month off. It's nice to have the flexibility and to avoid committing to long stretches of time. But this is also difficult. As soon as you get used to how things are in your class, they change!

Our class in May, with our entertaining teacher in front!

We had a good rapport with our group in May. It was a small class, which offered us lots of opportunities to speak and practice. We have a fun group that laughed a lot. But sadly, things needed to change when the month ended. 3 students decided to wrap up their studies (at least for the time being) and about 5 new students joined the group. We are still getting used to the new "vibe" in the classroom, as well as having less opportunities to speak. We are also starting over with new relationships. It's hard to keep starting fresh and experience constant change, but such is our life here now!

Please pray for us as we get to know new people. Pray that we would be willing to invest, even when we know some people will only be here in our lives for a short time.

At Home Again

Mike, the delivery man, opening boxes!

So much has happened in the last week, that we've been a bit slow in updating the blog. Lots of exciting things!

The biggest highlight was that last Thursday, our container from the States arrived! We had put all of these items into storage nearly two years ago (22 months to be exact) and what a blessing it was to be reunited with many things we had missed - photo albums, kitchen utensils (we like to cook, so this was exciting), clothing, furniture, books, decor and sentimental things. There were many things we actually forgot we owned! It was fun and special to open each box and be surprised by what was inside. It was like Christmas!

The kitchen, in the midst of organizing!

Now that we've had time to sort through and organize
everything, our apartment is really starting to feel like home. Our bookcases once again display wedding photos, vases and our favorite reads. We are sleeping on our own bed again (heavenly!). We are cooking our favorite meals using the kitchen appliances we love so much. Although it was freeing to live simply for a transitional period of time, it is still special to have a home again that feels "like us".

Back in class.

We spent the few days after  the delivery settling in and (me, especially) organizing. Then on Monday, we returned to our language school to begin the next level of German study. Our first two days have been very good and have gone really quickly! That is a sign of a good teacher and a group of interactive students! We've been challenged with some new grammar and a little more homework than we had before (which is good!). We're looking forward to continuing to expand our learning in this next level of German.

Thank you for your continued prayers!