Europe:
In a word... Awesome! I'm blown away how God has made my world so much smaller :) My hope on this trip was to have fun with my Kona family and especially to celebrate the wedding of my friend Johanna in Germany... And I was yearning to continue to learn more about other cultures first hand. And wow did I get that! Starting in England I was greeted by a bubbly Jess Evitts at the airport and then whisked away to her family's home a couple hours south of London. The next few days were spent being adopted in an English family where we drank lots of tea, cheered on rugby teams, played Rummikub (pronounced rummy-cub there), and said things like 'posh'.
Midweek Jess and I found ourselves driving across Italy where I tried my hand for the fourth time ever at driving a manual car! I think I can say I'm legit in that category now :). We felt like 'princesses' as Jess stated many times over those days in some beautiful countryside. I had planned to visit the YWAM base in Milan, but though I tried a couple of times it didn't come together... Not sure why, but trusting God in his timing. We were able to rest, enjoy the beautiful weather, and gear up!
Because a week into the trip, we rejoiced during a 12 hour German wedding for our friend's Johanna and Marco. He had flown to Kona to propose shortly before our Philippines outreach, and now the wedding culmination! I couldn't stop smiling all day!
The ceremony was similar, but the party... Oh what they do! Directly after the service they have treats at the church. We had fresh pretzels, cakes, and drinks to kick off the festivities. Then we made our way to an old monastery cellar, to continue the "shindig". The night was extremely interactive with a jeopardy game for the announcements, puzzle pieces in the table favors to join together in one big picture, guessing games and a bunch of guest book comment displays (including kissing w red lipstick papers to make a collage). After a candy bar/coffee time we had a group photo outside with literally everyone. Then... a three course buffet... Before the dessert round though, the show really got started! German weddings have a 'presentation' the friends and family put together! Think 'hours worth of entertaining improv skits, singing, and even a drama of how the two met and fell in love', while they watched! Then at midnight, the bride and groom head out, after a short time on the dance floor. But don't worry, the dance floor was not neglected! The guests stay till 2 am, or so, ripping up the dance floor. I'm even tired just thinking back to this! What an amazing day of love an joy!
Before jumping over to Greece I had a day to explore Mannheim. My favorite part of the first week was getting to sit down 1-on-1 with so many wonderful friends, to catch up on life, share concerns and to pray with each other. You know who you all are! I'm so grateful for you. The train station brought a sad goodbye, but it wasn't for long :)...
Arriving in Athens next, I was greeted by big smiles from Meggan and Pavlos! Side note: I love being greeted at airports by people who love me! We stayed overnight at the Bible College they volunteer/work at (only one in Athens!) It was so wonderful to see their 'daily life' and to take in Greek life. They treated me so well and took me beautiful places where we would sit for coffee drinks and dialogue for hours on everything, just like Greeks do daily! Other than going up to Mars Hill and reading the story of Paul sharing about the "unknown god" with the Athenians... best gift was the last night when I 'tagged along' to a flat where their friend lived, with his parents. We sat down to a traditional dinner as they celebrated the growing relationship between that friend and a young lady. It was so amazing to hear them talk and how the conversation flowed with such unique form and respect! I didn't want to leave! Throw in the fact that there were a couple guys there, who work with local refuges, that shared their stories... including one guy escaping Iran at 13 who met Jesus in an English prison a few years later and was radically changed!
Last stop Amsterdam! I giggled a lot getting off the plane, seeing numerous tall, blonde haired, blue eyed folks. Felt like I was home in Pella :) then throw in the canals and windmills! I felt like I could have given some of the tours! Hehe. The time in Amsterdam was so crazy, and not how you might think. I knew 3 people in the city! My old roommate from Kona, who is from Switzerland and helping to staff a school, a woman I met in Kona from Kenya that was at the door when I entered the base, and also a gal from Kansas City who was an answer to prayer for me in November! All in Amsterdam! I spent a great amount of time with each of them, and touring the city. It is a beautiful country, though the heaviness of the realities in the red light district of Amsterdam were mind wrenching (prostitution is legal, and they flaunt it). I thank God for those I met working on bringing truth and love to the area and women there. My last day I spent in the countryside, and I'm so thankful for the redeeming feel for the Netherlands! I seem to have a special place in my heart for Dutch people :).
As I started to think about packing up for my last night, reflecting on the Corrie ten Boom tour and the yummy Dutch treats... God saved something extra special for my trip!!! My German friends (Monja, Johanna who had come home from her honeymoon the day before, and their roommate) drove up to say goodbye again! A six hour drive and we spent almost 2 hours laughing, hugging, praying, and just being amazed at God's awesomeness before they left and made there way home!
I can't think of anything that would have made this trip more special! I feel so blessed and thankful for this time. The depth of the cultures I saw being adopted multiple times, seeing God working all over the world, and the sense of family I have in so many nations... Priceless. Now I just need a couple of days to recover from the 6 languages I have spinning in my head from the last 2 weeks (for those counting.... 6th is Spanish from a couple needing help during the day long tour I took and on the plane to Madrid where I was told to ditch coming home and go to Seville with some flamenco singers. Tempting. :))
I hope this is only the 2nd of many times to the beautiful Europe and that God will continue to give direction of why Italy is so strong on my heart.
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