Into The Swing of Things

Jonathan and Aaron left on our third day in Brussels, so when we moved to another hostel for the next two nights, we were glad for a small break before meeting more people. It was a morning full of practical things, like checking in and out and going grocery shopping to get food. We planned on shopping at the grocery store from now on so that we could get more food for a cheaper price. We all went to the market and there it all began. It was so difficult finding inexpensive meals for all of us, having to agree on it all, and reaching a consensus. It also didnt help that we were all hungry while we were shopping as well. We ended up getting two big bags of pasta, sandwich stuff and some cheese. On our way from the store back to the hostel, we stopped in the Botanical Gardens (Les Jardins Botaniques) to eat lunch. It was glorious (that one was for you, Dad) sitting on the large steps in the sunshine, looking at the modern buildings peeking over all the foliage and the large fountains. It was our best meal at the time, and we returned after a while to the hostel to get checked in and journal or read. Once dinner time rolled around, we found ourselves making our way to the bright and cheery kitchen of the hostel to make a pasta dinner. While we were in there waiting for the water to boil, we pulled out Uno and started playing. Soon enough 2 Finnish guys named Otso and Mikko, Aadhar, who just graduated from Georgia Tech, and 2 Australian guys, Evan and Scott, made their way in, either to grab a beer from the fridge or make dinner themselves. We pulled them into the game, and thus started one of the most complicated Uno games I have ever played in my life. Never try to make a meal and play a fast moving card game at the same time!! Dinner was a blast, and it was so much fun hanging out with the new people that we had met. It was just a relaxed, loud dinner filled with laughter and lots of conversation.

The next day my team and I went out with Otso and Mikko to go check out the EU building. On our way there we ran into a large crowd of people waving Italian flags around, lighting off firecrackers, and holding up homemade posters. As we walked a little further through the crowd, we saw a barricade of barbed wire set up with soldiers standing behind it, helmets, guns and shields ready for anything. They were standing there cooly as the mob where we were standing heckled and talked to them, newscameras capturing everything on film. Wisely, as we are responsible young students, we figured that it was probably not that best of an idea to stick around for too long. We didnt want any headlines in the newspapers the next day, "Five American students and two Finnish students died yesterday on the streets of Brussels, caught in a large mob caused by a protest." On our way out, my curiosity got the better of me and I went over to three old Italian men who were standing nearby. "Excuse me, do you speak English?" They told me no, they only spoke Italian and French, so with a combination of French, Spanish, Italian, English and body movements, I gathered that they were protesting the price of oil or gas, coming from Italy. I was so proud of myself to to have gotten that much out of them, as we went back to the hostel to make lunch. We ended up having a huge meal together, and spending a relaxing lunch around the large table in the kitchen.

We were able to spend a lot of time with Otso and Mikko, Aadhar, Evan and Scott. It was incredible to sit together, discuss politics, home life, families and travel with such different types of people. One of the greatest things I learned in spending time with them, especiallz Evan and Scott, is that friendship is unconditional and priceless. The bond between those two was so strong. Thez reallz did care about each other, having grown up together and gone to the same school all their lives. There was such an ease and comfort with them and between them that it was almost surprising to see such a bond between people I dont know well, especially between non Christians. For some reason I have had this mistaken belief that the truest and deepest of friendships and commitments can be found in the Christian realm, but I am beginning to find that there is this depth and dedication even throughout the world.

Please pray for our team dynamics, so that we may learn to understand and be compassionate towards one another. Pray for those we have met and who we are about to meet, and that we may have a boldness and the words to speak.

I love you all, and wherever you are, I hope God is touching you in incredible ways! Even during these hard and tough times, I find that the only thing you really can rely on.

One last note. I have always been amazed at the abilitz for the poor to share so much of what they have, even though they have so little. I have learned, though, that being poor creates an empathy. When you are hungry you know what the beggar sitting on the side of the road feels like. Thats why Jesus said it is so hard for a rich man to get into heaven (that whole bit about the camel passing through the head of a needle). When you have less, you realize you have less to lose.