Hello Friends!
We have arrived safely in beautiful Trieste. This ancient Austrian city, now a part of Italy, in situated on the Adriatic Sea. The coastline is magnificent! We will be here a little more than a week, working in various capacities. It looks like we will be working distributing literature, and playing music.
Our hosts, David and Rachel Tucker, are wonderful! David and I share so many of the same passions: flyfishing, woodworking, hunting, music, sports and list I am sure would and could go on and on! Their two children, Laura and Gabriel, have graciously given up their bedrooms for us and are teaching us the finer points of Italian living!
As we finish our work here in Italy, I am reminded how very fortunate I and my family have been for taking such a life changing trip. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve people in this world, and am very grateful for the blessings that have been given to me. I am truly thankful.
Jerry
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Change!
I can’t even begin to describe how much I have changed. I have witnessed first hand the generational poverty in Africa, and have had overwhelming feelings of relief and guilt coming to first world Europe. My core has been shaken. My compassion (or lack there of) is showing. By that I mean, in Africa, it is so easy to be compassionate to those who have nothing. While in England, Holland, Germany, and Italy, it is quite easy to walk by a beggar and not be moved with compassion. My heart screams out WHY? Why is there a lack of caring among those who we think have so much? Or is it that we all have been “shammed” so many times. Like the other day in the marketplace, an elderly woman stood visibly shaking, cup and cane in hand, hunched over looking pathetic. We later found out this woman was healthy and fine, a “gypsy.” She is known in town as “the shaker lady,” a sham she has been pulling for years.
I pray for a discerning, yet tender heart, longing to know how to treat others.
I have been changed in other ways as well. I have seen what I thought was abject poverty, only to see more extreme poverty. I have seen hate in the eyes of those who have been oppressed, and love in the eyes of others who are simply happy in spite of having nothing, and not knowing anything different. I have witnessed the art of the Masters: Van Gogh, Monet, and Seurat. And I have seen the art of the orphaned children. The architecture of Europe was inspirational, as were the children’s sand castles in Cinque Terre. My heart came alive dancing with the rhythms of South Africa, as well as the moments of pride, listening to the music of my own children.
Yes. I changed. I continue to change. You see, my mom has been diagnosed with cancer. You can’t describe this change unless it has happened to you. Worry has never been one of my “gifts”, but it seems that I now have received a crash course. The news came suddenly, and dramatically as well. We were unable to retrieve email for days, as it was a train ride away to link to the internet. I was shocked and worried. My dear mother said she wanted us to continue on with our trip, and she would be fine. My sister (a nurse) gave me all the details. We decided as a family that it is best to end our trip early, and return home after Christmas. I am changed.
Jerry
I pray for a discerning, yet tender heart, longing to know how to treat others.
I have been changed in other ways as well. I have seen what I thought was abject poverty, only to see more extreme poverty. I have seen hate in the eyes of those who have been oppressed, and love in the eyes of others who are simply happy in spite of having nothing, and not knowing anything different. I have witnessed the art of the Masters: Van Gogh, Monet, and Seurat. And I have seen the art of the orphaned children. The architecture of Europe was inspirational, as were the children’s sand castles in Cinque Terre. My heart came alive dancing with the rhythms of South Africa, as well as the moments of pride, listening to the music of my own children.
Yes. I changed. I continue to change. You see, my mom has been diagnosed with cancer. You can’t describe this change unless it has happened to you. Worry has never been one of my “gifts”, but it seems that I now have received a crash course. The news came suddenly, and dramatically as well. We were unable to retrieve email for days, as it was a train ride away to link to the internet. I was shocked and worried. My dear mother said she wanted us to continue on with our trip, and she would be fine. My sister (a nurse) gave me all the details. We decided as a family that it is best to end our trip early, and return home after Christmas. I am changed.
Jerry
Friday, November 9, 2007
Italy, contined R & R
Here we are in beautiful Cinque Terre! We rented an apartment from Daniella (thank you!) through a “Rick Steves” comment blog, who recommended Paula’s boat service, which in turn hooked us up with Daniella... whew! We are up on a hilltop overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Spectacular sunsets in the evenings, and sunrises greet us in the morning with hot coffee on the deck sipping on teak patio furniture.
The temperature here is in the low 70’s, the sun has been shining, and best of all… all the tourists have gone back home! Well…except for a few! Our stairway down to the town is one hundred and sixty steps (thank you Micah for counting, again and again!), weaving through a tapestry of Italian terraced gardens and architecture. The town is divided into two sections; the new, and old town. We are situated in the new section, but it is a simple downhill ten minute walk and we are in the heart of old town.
Boutiques and focaccia shops abound. Little alley ways can lead you to a magnificent square or a medieval church, or even a dead end! Cobble streets are the norm, and at almost any vantage point, you can catch a glimpse of the sea, the beautiful teal colored water, and majestic stone outcroppings.
We are in the birth place of pesto… so we are having pesto and pasta for dinner, with a salad, fresh made focaccia bread, virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Yummy! : )
We are making great family memories here, photos and more stories to come…
Jerry
We took a scooter ride. Much to the boys delight and Cathi's worry!
Monday, November 5, 2007
London, Amsterdam, Hamburg
We arrived in London, the morning after a long overnight trip from Kenya, with a layover in Qatar. We will miss our brothers and sisters in Africa.
London is a bustling city, full of life and very first world. I never thought I would be so happy to see the first world. Long, hot showers, cold drinks and clean machine washed/dried clothes were welcome niceties after three months in Africa.
Cathi’s aunt and uncle hosted us in London for a day and we also met up with friends, some from America and one from Ecuador. It was a refreshing time of Starbucks and well, more Starbucks!
Here we are with our dear friends, the Koets and the Brandelieses.
After a three nights in London, we jumped on an overnight ferry ride to Amsterdam. This ferry was equivalent to a “cruise ship” for the English Channel. We had a lovely berth, on board meals, and even entertainment. When we arrived in Amsterdam, we were refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Cathi’s dad and wife happened to be taking a real cruise and were docked in Amsterdam for two nights, so we were able to meet for dinner and a nice visit.
We were able to connect with my family on two occasions over… well, yes, coffee! Our housing was great; we rented a small apartment (thanks, Craigslist!) The public transportation is excellent! The family enjoyed some “sight doing” (Jess hates sight seeing so we have to do sight doing!) a bike tour of the Dutch countryside and Amsterdam. Of course, we took in the Van Gogh Museum, and a canal boat tour as well.
Today, we are on a train to Hamburg. We will spend the night in there, then catch a train for Ahrensburg in the morning to visit the “Von Schimmelmann” Castle. Yes, we have a castle… doesn’t everyone? We are enjoying a little rest and relaxation, soon we will be back to work in Italy.
Jerry
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Mobasa to London
Hello Friends!
We were sad to leave our good friends in Mombasa. It seemed like such a quick visit, however, we made lasting friendships and gained several pounds! The hospitality of the local people and our dear friend Carol made us feel so welcome. The Indian, Arab, and Kenyan food was so tasty, as well as healthy!
I conducted seminars and clinics for guitar, spoke to young college kids about friendship and accountability, but most importantly we developed relationships with people who are living out their lives there. Though it's coastline is beautiful, Mombasa has it's difficulties for westerners, water issues (lack of water), heat/humidity, wild life (monkeys throwing mangos at our head and insects!). The culture is predominantly Muslim/Hindu, and their "swahili/arabic coffee" is too sweet and spicy! We enjoyed our time with the Fellowship Baptist Church, joining them on an all day safari at Tsavo National Park. We got a close up look at a huge lioness!
We traveled to Nairobi for a night, and stayed at the wonderful Mennonite Guest House with its beautiful grounds. We were able to walk to a nearby coffee shop (Java House), and had the best vanilla latte in Africa! Soon we boarded our flight to London. Upon arrival, we quickly found the Starbucks in the airport. There was much rejoicing! (See photo above!) Then, we braved the train and the tube and met up with Cathi's aunt and uncle. Now we are at our hotel (Holiday Inn Express) in a modest room for only $160/night. Ouch! We will be setting up our revised itinerary, since our Nairobi plans fell through.
We will keep you updated!
Jerry
Monday, October 15, 2007
A Day in Mombasa
Dear Family and Friends,
We wake up with fingers crossed this morning…will the water come? Since we arrived, the city has neglected to deliver water to our apartment complex. In fact, it has not delivered for a total of three weeks now. Normally, the water lines are opened for two hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, to fill the water tank. Fortunately, there is a cistern that stores water for times such as these and we have had limited water. We are learning the fine art of water conservation! This morning, we listen as the neighbor’s gutters bubble with water that flows onto the street. They have a bore hole (a type of well), which gives them too much water and is dumped into the street when their cistern is full. We longingly listen and hope. By 9am, we know that water won’t happen today. I take a quick sponge bath and dip my hair in a bucket. Jerry opts to go without!
The boys are set up with homeschooling so Jerry and I headed out with Carol to do some “quick” errands. Quick is just not in the vocabulary in Africa. We started with the Water Department. Carol needed to pay her water bill. You may ask, why pay your bill when you don’t get any water? I guess that could be considered a rhetorical question here. In any case, we park downtown and search for the parking ticket man who may or may not be found, depending on the time of day. If you park downtown without a ticket, you risk having a lock put on your wheel or being towed! However, it is not unusual to find the parking man missing. We are in luck, he is decked out in a yellow jacket and is just a block away. We buy our ticket and head for the water department. Water bills and other utility bills must be paid in cash. After standing in line with the rest of Mombasa to pay a water bill for water that has not come in three weeks, we advance to the office to speak with the supervisor about the situation. His office is a block away on a pot-holed road in a building that would have been worthy of condemning in the U.S. Carol asks around for him, he is not in his office, but in a meeting. We are promised that water will come on Wednesday. We’ll see…
After the errands, we rush back home and are picked up by our friends, Venu and Raji who take us in two cars to visit Venu’s factory and the rural school that his company sponsors. The factory is incredible, with state-of-the-art equipment and technology. It is run almost completely by Kenyans. We are fed lunch at the factory, which includes half a dozen delicious Indian entrees and chapatti. We arrive home for a short time, then off for gelatos and an evening visit with Carol’s friends. They welcome us like dear friends and serve us ice cold juice. Like all the friends we have met here in Mombasa, they really want to feed us! We decline as we have just filled ourselves with gelatos (much to their disappointment!) We visit for an hour or so; Jerry is amazing in his ability to generate conversation with anyone! We arrive home after 10pm.
Back at home, I sat down in the comfortable big blue chair in the bedroom and type in my thoughts about today. I put my feet up and lean my head back. Ah, a moment of relaxation. Jerry comes in to get ready for bed, takes one look at me and says those dreaded African words, “Don’t move!” He instructs me to slowly move my head to the left and to get off the chair. I cautiously obey, and discover an 8 inch millipede who had settled in about an inch from where my head was so recently resting! Here is a photo of the fellow.
Life in Africa has its share of challenges, but the people are so warm and friendly. We have already made wonderful friends and again will be faced with goodbyes too soon.
Love to you all,
Cathi
We wake up with fingers crossed this morning…will the water come? Since we arrived, the city has neglected to deliver water to our apartment complex. In fact, it has not delivered for a total of three weeks now. Normally, the water lines are opened for two hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, to fill the water tank. Fortunately, there is a cistern that stores water for times such as these and we have had limited water. We are learning the fine art of water conservation! This morning, we listen as the neighbor’s gutters bubble with water that flows onto the street. They have a bore hole (a type of well), which gives them too much water and is dumped into the street when their cistern is full. We longingly listen and hope. By 9am, we know that water won’t happen today. I take a quick sponge bath and dip my hair in a bucket. Jerry opts to go without!
The boys are set up with homeschooling so Jerry and I headed out with Carol to do some “quick” errands. Quick is just not in the vocabulary in Africa. We started with the Water Department. Carol needed to pay her water bill. You may ask, why pay your bill when you don’t get any water? I guess that could be considered a rhetorical question here. In any case, we park downtown and search for the parking ticket man who may or may not be found, depending on the time of day. If you park downtown without a ticket, you risk having a lock put on your wheel or being towed! However, it is not unusual to find the parking man missing. We are in luck, he is decked out in a yellow jacket and is just a block away. We buy our ticket and head for the water department. Water bills and other utility bills must be paid in cash. After standing in line with the rest of Mombasa to pay a water bill for water that has not come in three weeks, we advance to the office to speak with the supervisor about the situation. His office is a block away on a pot-holed road in a building that would have been worthy of condemning in the U.S. Carol asks around for him, he is not in his office, but in a meeting. We are promised that water will come on Wednesday. We’ll see…
After the errands, we rush back home and are picked up by our friends, Venu and Raji who take us in two cars to visit Venu’s factory and the rural school that his company sponsors. The factory is incredible, with state-of-the-art equipment and technology. It is run almost completely by Kenyans. We are fed lunch at the factory, which includes half a dozen delicious Indian entrees and chapatti. We arrive home for a short time, then off for gelatos and an evening visit with Carol’s friends. They welcome us like dear friends and serve us ice cold juice. Like all the friends we have met here in Mombasa, they really want to feed us! We decline as we have just filled ourselves with gelatos (much to their disappointment!) We visit for an hour or so; Jerry is amazing in his ability to generate conversation with anyone! We arrive home after 10pm.
Back at home, I sat down in the comfortable big blue chair in the bedroom and type in my thoughts about today. I put my feet up and lean my head back. Ah, a moment of relaxation. Jerry comes in to get ready for bed, takes one look at me and says those dreaded African words, “Don’t move!” He instructs me to slowly move my head to the left and to get off the chair. I cautiously obey, and discover an 8 inch millipede who had settled in about an inch from where my head was so recently resting! Here is a photo of the fellow.
Life in Africa has its share of challenges, but the people are so warm and friendly. We have already made wonderful friends and again will be faced with goodbyes too soon.
Love to you all,
Cathi
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Guitar Man!
Friends,
Mombasa is a cornucopia of different cultures; Kenyans, Indians, Pakistanees, Arabs, and Whites inhabit this beautiful coastal island. Most religions are represented here. While it seems that the majority of the population is Muslim (because of the loud calls to prayer), Hindu and Christian churches abound as well.
I was asked to lead a guitar clinic at a local Baptist church. My classroom was in the rear of the building, with good attendance. The students who were there had a wide spectrum of experience levels from beginner to advanced. The ages ranged from 11 years to seasoned adult. Three students had never even touched a guitar before!
I taught the basics of chord structure and guitar anatomy. It was challenging for both the inexperienced as well as the experienced. I increased the difficulty to those advanced players by having them find chords we were discovering, utilizing all the chord positions. I touched on rhythm and palm muting, and recognizing that the guitar can be a rhythm instrument.
After 3 hours, it was time to dismiss. I can’t wait until next week. I teach a song in three parts! Beginners will play the basic chords, intermediates will play the same chords but in a different position, and the advanced players will attempt a harmony lead part.
Ahh…music to my ears!
Jerry
While Jerry worked with the fledgling guitarists, the boys and I had a ministry of our own. We made some new friends! We sang, laughed and danced together. What friendly, open and loving young people. We felt welcomed! Karibuni! (Swahili for Welcome to you all!)
Cathi
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