Starting Our 2nd Month

It's hard for us to believe that one month as gone by already. The month has been filled with the challenges of living in a different culture, connecting with a new group of friends, understanding a different church culture and keeping our walk with God our top priority. These challenges have not been easy, but it has been a blessing being in God's will.

In regard to the culture, we are glad we do not have to drive in Berlin. Besides watching for other cars, you must be alert for a lot of bicyclists and pedestrians and for the trams and buses. But to help with becoming legal in Berlin, Dieter will apply for a drivers license next week. Then on Dec.11 we have an appointment for a work visa. We continue to work on our language skills and hope to find out about starting language school in Jan.

Our new group of friends have kept us busy helping a couple of them move into and out of apartments. Plus, we have had to say good-bye to the Shafers, as Gene and Kathy went back to the states after serving the Rock Berlin church for 5 years.

Regarding the church culture, we are learning about church-hopping. It seems to be normal. Since RB meets on Saturday evenings, some of the attenders visit other churches on Sunday. This sounds okay except when the hoppers do not have accountability relationships. That is inviting trouble. Our enemy is on the prowl for loners.

The second month finds us attending administrative meetings at RB, ones we have not been a part of yet. There is also a need to schedule appointments with believers young in their faith for Bible study. Lucy has made contacts with an international group of Christian women. She met a diplomat for South Africa at the study. The diplomat reinforced with Lucy the need to meet with other believers to help with discouragement.

There are Christmas markets popping up in many places. They have booth after booth of food and things to buy. But there is very little mention of the reason for the season, our Savior.

Berlin is a huge city with a tremendous need for Jesus. There are churches doing God's work and reaping fruit and we give God the praise for that, but there is so much more to do.