Deutchland! Deutchland!

After hanging out with such fun and incredible people in Brussels, we were all sad to be going, but excited for what was waiting for us in Berlin. A girl we met at our hostel in Brussels, Kellie, was going to meet us in Berlin because she was traveling by herself and loved hanging out with people, especially us. So the morning we left, we woke up at 5am in the very wee morning light, packed up and got on the train to Berlin. We switched trains in Koln and finally arrived in Berlin! We were staying at a hostel for one night on the edge of the city, so we didn't quite have a map that covered the entire part of our area. We decided to wing it and trust God that we would eventally get to the hostel (it was only 2pm, we had lots of time to get lost) so we got off the train and went down to the street. We must have been looking a bit puzzled, looking for a street sign or something when this man in his 30s came up to us and asked if we needed help. We were shocked that someone would actually offer help, as opposed to helping when asked, but we gladly showed him our map and address. He told us that it would probably be a couple hours walk, which we were very relieved to find out beforehand, so he directed us to a stop on the train that we could go to and then walk from there. We find our way up to the platform, and within 5 minutes he runs back to catch up with us, out of breath, telling us an even better way to get there, one that would put us right by our hostel. We thanked him profusely and proceeded to take the S-Bahn and U-Bahn to the correct stops. He (Dirk) gave us our card to contact him if we needed his help at all during our stay, and once we looked at it on the S-Bahn, we realized that he was a Christian, the title of his job being in charge of something like International Ecumenical Relations. Wow!! We were all floored by this not-so-circumstantial circumstance, but not entirely surprised, because God definitely works if his followers have their ears open to him.

We arrived at our hostel, which was a very cheap, slightly creepy, but charming in its own way and relaxed for the rest of the day. We had made a decision to make our travel days "transition days", to relax and get settled in.

The next day we left that hostel, after having spoken to just a couple people there, and walked to our next hostel, JetPak hostel, that was voted cleanest hostel in 2006 and 2007. Yay!! We LOVE clean!!!! Marty was the receptionist guy, a very friendly and nice guy, originally from Hungary but who had spent some time in South Dakota. Apparently while he was studying in SD, he got so bored that he volunteered to work at a funeral home, working with the dead bodies and doing all the final prep stuff for the funerals. When I found that out I was definitely surprised and grossed out. Along with Robbie and Harlen, two guys from UCSB who were sitting out in the front with us, we drilled him about what exactly he had to do in that job. Lets just say it's something you really don't want to know, but its so fascinated that you do.... blech. During the course of that whole conversation we talked about religion and faith a bit. The USCB guys were surprised to find that I didn't drink, smoke or party, and were quite interested when we spoke about politics and the Republican association with Christianity. I hope I was able to broaden their horizons a bit, sharing why I live how I live, and letting them know that not all Christians are Republican, or even conservative for that matter.

Berlin was an absolutely amazing city and we met the most interesting people there. I've considered living abroad at some point of my life, and thus far, Berlin has really captured my interest in that sense. So I guess I have to start learning German now. :) The third day we were there (Day 1: creepy hostel, Day 2: JetPak hostel and hang out with people) we took a free tour of Berlin, and Kellie came with us as well as Diego, a Brazilin guy I had met the night before and who was planning on taking the tour as well. The tour was AMAZING!!!! It was so interesting to learn all that history about Berlin, as we saw the Berlin wall and stood in the parking lot that is above what used to be Hitler's bunker, where he hid away at the end of his life and eventually committed suicide with Eva Braun. One of the most interesting things I learned, though, is that for every 63 people there was 1 SS officer assigned, and when they would be taken in for interrogation, there would be a small piece of cloth atop the chair they sat on. After they left, the officer would put the piece of cloth in an airtight jar and label it, in case they needed to track down that person later by their scent. So when the Nazi regime finally fell, hundreds, and probably thousands, of little jars were found with all of these little cloth pieces in them.

Later that night, Dirk got in touch with us (because we had emailed him earlier, asking if he wanted to meet for coffee or ice cream) and we all went to get gelato with him. It was fascinated to listen to him, about what he does for his job as well as what it was like to grow up in Germany. We got to learn a lot about the culture, as well the history of Germany and Berlin as well. It was so encouraging to speak to another Christian here in Europe, especially after having talked to so many who are not. Any glimpse of the light of Christ here is incredibly encouraging.

The next morning, as it was Sunday, we went to church in this beautiful cathedral like building. It was all in German, but the service was close enough to a Catholic service that I was able to follow along. The choir was hidden above in the balcony, and the extremely high walls made the music sound ethereal. The walls were made up of small blocks of blue stained glass, and with the light coming in from the outside, it created a cool glow. It was definitely an experience just being in that building, as I observed the elderly congregation and gazed at my surroundings. One of the things I was contemplating during the service was the Jesus at the front of the church. It was huge, and an intersting artistic contrast with its shining, glowing gold surface and the roughly hewn features of the face and robe. It was as if Jesus were hanging on the cross, but with no cross behind him. This led to a reflection on the difference between crosses in Protestant and Catholic churches, and what this Jesus, who had no cross but was hanging there as if he were, meant in that context. A thought came to me that it might represent the resurrected JEsus, his position and scars proof of his sacrifice, but without a cross behind him, death conquered. I didn't come out of the service with a conclusive decision, but it was definitely interesting to ponder.

Later that evening, after hanging out with lots of people at the hostel, we decided to get out with all of Germany for the start of the Euro Championships, a beginning game between Germany and Poland. (football=soccer) We went with Kellie and Chris, an Australian guy we had met earlier, to where there was a large screen set up to show the game. It was incredible! People were painted in Germany colors, wearing crazy hats and holding flags and drinking as much beer as possible. (Which, when you're German, is QUITE a lot) The crowd that had gathered erupted both times when German scored its 2 goals, causing a national celebration when Germany beat Poland 2-0. On our way back to the hostel and on the S-Bahn, everywhere was packed! People were chanting, singing, dancing in the train stations and the streets, celebrating as if they had won themselves. Outside, every single car in the city was honking its horn, people hanging out with windows with German flags and anything yellow, red and black. That was definitely an experience of a lifetime.

Once we got back to the hostel, I didn't really feel like going to bed, so I stayed up with Kelli and Chris talking, and Jeff joined a bit later. Jeff and I were able to share our faith with Chris, telling him what we were doing and why we were doing it. Funny, it all started because he just couldn't understand why we had so little money for food and why we were sticking to such a strict budget. We told him that we trust God with our well being, and that he has already provided us with so much. It's not that we're starving to death, we are definitely eating, we just don't eat as well as we're used to. In sticking to the budget, we have learning great things, like how to empathize with the poor and how it's easier to give or share when you have less. We have also learned to trust God in all these situations, and that he absolutely provides. There is always so much more than what you think there is. It's not a matter of starving or lacking money, because in emergencies we always do have our own money. It's a matter of partaking in lesson learning, and finding that we will be provided for, because we are the Beloved of God, and our lives are not our own. We were able to give Chris a small copy of the New Testament for him to read, to establish a foundation for what we were talking about. He was asking so many questions, that he was really in need of a foundational approach. Why we were doing things. How we know what to do. Who Jesus is, and what he stood for. He was somewhat cynical of certain aspects, but who isn't? I just pray that he is able to find answers and that God draws him in.

I want to thank you all for your emails and posts, it really means so much to me that you are all actually reading this thing!!! Thank you for all your prayers, because God is definitely working here. Please pray for us, that we have energy and are able to keep going. The thought of having 2 more weeks of travel is daunting, and we are all getting a little homesick. Pray for Kellie, that she seeks after God and lets him in. One thing she said before we left for Prague was that her friend had been inviting her to Bible study for a really long time, and when she gets back she actually might go. Pray for the people we met at JetPak: Kellie, Diego, Marty, Caroline, Chris, Hunter, Robbie and Harlen, pray that God touches their lives through what we did, or even just what we lived.

Thank you so much again, and I love you all!!