About a week-and-a-half ago, I was jolted awake at 2:30 a.m. by an air-raid siren. Since Gina had seen and photographed a rare funnel cloud over Busingen a few days previously, my first thought was "tornado." That's usually what we Americans associate with the sound of an air-raid siren, and hearing one of those in the dead of night is no joke. Here the siren summons the volunteer fire brigade, of which numerous personnel from EuNC and the Regional Office are members.
The next morning in church, we learned that a gymnasium at the elementary school had burned down. The gym was a central part of community life in the area, as well as the place where EuNC students played soccer every Friday. It was believed to be the work of an arsonist.
Last night - again, at almost exactly 2:30 a.m. - the air-raid siren went off. This time, we knew it meant "fire" and we opened our window to see if we could see anything - whether flames, flashing lights, or even the arsonist skulking across the campus just waiting to be caught.
Again, at 4:10 a.m., the siren in Busingen went off a second time. Any attempt at sleep was forgotten.
We learned this morning that two fires were indeed set deliberately in Busingen last night. Three or four fires were set in Schaffhausen. In that nearby town, one building was evacuated and about 12 people were taken to the hospital with injuries or smoke inhalation.
Tonight, a police helicopter patrolled the skies over the area and apparently there are a number of police cars roaming the streets.
So, perhaps I can be forgiven for two incidents in which I nearly over-reacted.
After the first alarm went off last night, I saw a dark figure cross the campus right in front of our window. I hurried out of the apartment and down the stairs to see if I could identify the individual. I was still half-asleep and not seeing well, and I very nearly rushed out of the building to tackle this person when I realized it was Uwe Burmeister, the campus caretaker, making sure all the doors were locked. He was pretty amused when I informed him of his potential fate.
Tonight, there was a strange noise that sounded like a helicopter or maybe a very large truck. We stepped outside to take a look. There was a strange light, the size and shape of a cell phone screen, coming from one of the bushes. I shined my flashlight in that direction, and the light didn't move. Weird. You'd think a flashlight would have flushed the guy out of the bushes. Gina went back in the apartment, and I called a friend to come over to take a closer look with me and be ready to rush whoever jumped out of the bushes. It was a small lamp in Klaus and Martina Arnold's back yard.
So, life has gotten unusually exciting around here (and it's most unwelcome!). But there's good humor in it, and we're all looking out for one another. I expect the arsonist took things too far last night and will be caught soon.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
A taste of home
Gina here. When you get a chance to return to the States from Germany, or someone comes to visit you, it's time to stuff your suitcase, or your friend's, with as many of the things you can't get in Germany as possible. Here's my list:
At the airport, I heaved the duffel bag on the scale. Sure enough, it was 54 pounds. I moved two glass candles to my backpack, along with the boxes of cake mix and graham cracker crumbs, and a bag of cinnamon baking chips. The bag's weight dropped to exactly 50 pounds.
What I didn't think about was how security would view me bringing candles onto a plane.
Nobody said anything until I went through security at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. When the carry-on bag X-rayers noticed the candles, they diverted me to a separate security line where they asked me about the candles and then went through my purse, presumably to find matches. Then I went through one of those full-body scanners. After that, I was allowed to continue on with my pumpkin-scented candles. Whew. Pumpkin is my favorite flavor and scent, and it's non-existent in Europe. I REALLY wanted those candles.
It felt so good, when I got back to our apartment in Busingen, to unload all our new goodies. Ahh, I love the feeling of a restocked kitchen pantry. Let the autumn baking commence.
- Canned, diced green chilis
- Marshmallow cream
- Canned pumpkin
- Pumpkin-scented candles
- Preferred shampoo and conditioner
- Reese's Pieces
- Starbucks whole bean coffee
- Yellow cake mix
- Cinnamon baking chips
- Peanut butter baking chips
- Chocolate baking chips
- Jeans (we don't yet know our sizes in European measurements)
- Dishwashing wand sponge refills
- Preferred cosmetics
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Brown sugar
- English paperback books
At the airport, I heaved the duffel bag on the scale. Sure enough, it was 54 pounds. I moved two glass candles to my backpack, along with the boxes of cake mix and graham cracker crumbs, and a bag of cinnamon baking chips. The bag's weight dropped to exactly 50 pounds.
What I didn't think about was how security would view me bringing candles onto a plane.
Nobody said anything until I went through security at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. When the carry-on bag X-rayers noticed the candles, they diverted me to a separate security line where they asked me about the candles and then went through my purse, presumably to find matches. Then I went through one of those full-body scanners. After that, I was allowed to continue on with my pumpkin-scented candles. Whew. Pumpkin is my favorite flavor and scent, and it's non-existent in Europe. I REALLY wanted those candles.
It felt so good, when I got back to our apartment in Busingen, to unload all our new goodies. Ahh, I love the feeling of a restocked kitchen pantry. Let the autumn baking commence.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Teaching Online and an Urgent Request
The last several weeks have been quite busy for me as I developed and am now teaching Church History I as an online course for EuNC. It is a great fit for me as I am passionate about both church history and helping other students succeed in learning.
You'll recall that in April I taught Intro to New Testament, which was my first time on the other side of the lectern. While that was a highly rewarding opportunity full of brand-new challenges, teaching online is equally rewarding and challenging ... but in a different way.
The obvious difference is being online vs. face-to-face with your students. From what I've heard, many professors find teaching online to be more difficult than in a traditional classroom environment. This is perhaps where my lack of experience proved advantageous: I found it quite easy to switch from a traditional to an online environment.
There are, however, a number of challenges teaching an online course to students in various locations and of various ages for whom English is a second or third language. I stay very busy: body, mind and soul! One of the most important things I've learned is that it is simply not enough for a professor to have knowledge and even passion for his or her subject. A professor has to care genuinely and deeply about his or her students and their success. Love and wisdom, as well as knowledge, are part of a teacher's necessary equipment. These things only come from God, "who gives generously to all without finding fault" (James 1:5).
Despite the challenges, teaching Church History I online is a fascinating and amazing experience. I knew it would be since I am working with my favorite academic subject. What I was not prepared for was how I enjoy working with the students every bit as much as the subject itself! Offering encouragement, answering questions, having arguments, expressing pride in their success, responding to their needs, teaching new skills and pushing them to do better ... these things are both part of the challenge and part of the fun.
Recently, I was asked to develop a similar online class for History & Polity of the Church of the Nazarene, which will be taught in January and February. I am very honored by the request to teach students about our denomination and its history! Currently, I am looking into that possibility. I have also been asked to develop an online course for Church History II, to be taught later in the year.
This brings me to a bit of news that I hope will be made more complete in its details in the coming weeks.
Our volunteer contract with Mission Corps expires on January 31, 2011. We have been asked to extend that contract for another year and stay in our current positions. We have been carefully and prayerfully considering that possibility, and seeking the Lord's direction for our future. We urgently request that you join us in prayer for EuNC, the Eurasia Region, and how (and where!) we will fit best into the Lord's ongoing work. We will keep you up to date here.
You'll recall that in April I taught Intro to New Testament, which was my first time on the other side of the lectern. While that was a highly rewarding opportunity full of brand-new challenges, teaching online is equally rewarding and challenging ... but in a different way.
The obvious difference is being online vs. face-to-face with your students. From what I've heard, many professors find teaching online to be more difficult than in a traditional classroom environment. This is perhaps where my lack of experience proved advantageous: I found it quite easy to switch from a traditional to an online environment.
There are, however, a number of challenges teaching an online course to students in various locations and of various ages for whom English is a second or third language. I stay very busy: body, mind and soul! One of the most important things I've learned is that it is simply not enough for a professor to have knowledge and even passion for his or her subject. A professor has to care genuinely and deeply about his or her students and their success. Love and wisdom, as well as knowledge, are part of a teacher's necessary equipment. These things only come from God, "who gives generously to all without finding fault" (James 1:5).
Despite the challenges, teaching Church History I online is a fascinating and amazing experience. I knew it would be since I am working with my favorite academic subject. What I was not prepared for was how I enjoy working with the students every bit as much as the subject itself! Offering encouragement, answering questions, having arguments, expressing pride in their success, responding to their needs, teaching new skills and pushing them to do better ... these things are both part of the challenge and part of the fun.
Recently, I was asked to develop a similar online class for History & Polity of the Church of the Nazarene, which will be taught in January and February. I am very honored by the request to teach students about our denomination and its history! Currently, I am looking into that possibility. I have also been asked to develop an online course for Church History II, to be taught later in the year.
This brings me to a bit of news that I hope will be made more complete in its details in the coming weeks.
Our volunteer contract with Mission Corps expires on January 31, 2011. We have been asked to extend that contract for another year and stay in our current positions. We have been carefully and prayerfully considering that possibility, and seeking the Lord's direction for our future. We urgently request that you join us in prayer for EuNC, the Eurasia Region, and how (and where!) we will fit best into the Lord's ongoing work. We will keep you up to date here.
Monday, September 13, 2010
A quick visit home
I (Gina) am packing today for a trip to Ohio where I'll spend a week with my grandparents. My mom's mom, Gloria Barnes, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She asked everyone in the family to come back and visit her this fall, as the doctors didn't assure her we'd all be together for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to spending time with my grandparents, aunts and cousins. Also, my brother, Chris, and his wife, Shelby, will be there for a weekend during my visit, so I'm excited to see them, too.
My grandparents came from unchurched homes, but it wasn't long after they married that they decided to visit a church. They picked a Nazarene church, and it was there they accepted Christ, and began the adventurous journey of following Jesus throughout their lives. Because of that decision, they raised their daughters, including my mom, to love God and to walk with Him. They sent their daughters to a Nazarene college where my mom met my dad. He also was a second generation Christian in the Nazarene church. They married and raised me and my brother in the church. (Eventually, my grandpa's parents and my grandma's mother also became Christians.)
I have always been conscious of the gift my grandparents gave me -- before they even knew I would exist -- that day they decided to follow Jesus. I am now conscious of another amazing gift they have given me: the peace and comfort that comes with knowing a loved one who is terminally ill will be able to greet you in eternity. It will be good to spend time with them this coming week.
This past week, my dad was in Switzerland for a leg of his sabbatical journeys across Europe, following the Reformation trail. We enjoyed a long weekend of traveling with him. Then, my friend Minya came and I spent my last week of vacation accompanying her to some spectacular sites in the Swiss Alps.
During both their visits I unfortunately suffered from migraines, stomach problems and a sinus infection that moved into my chest. It was disappointing, as I'd looked forward to their visits since we arrived in Europe in February. I'm still battling some lingering digestion issues, and I'm praying hard that they'll be resolved by tomorrow, otherwise it may be a long and uncomfortable flight across the pond. I booked the Ohio flight in good health, otherwise I would have waited a few days to go back until I felt better.
In the midst of all this, I am grateful for a job that I can continue doing from anywhere, as long as I have a computer and an Internet connection. I plan to spend a few hours each day continuing my work with Engage magazine and the Eurasia Region communications projects. My aunt has broadband Internet and I'll be staying with her.
I would welcome any and all prayers for my grandma, grandpa and our family, as well as for my own health as I travel home. Also, I'm sure Andrew would appreciate prayers as he lives the bachelor life while conducting his intense, online Church History course this coming week or so.
My grandparents came from unchurched homes, but it wasn't long after they married that they decided to visit a church. They picked a Nazarene church, and it was there they accepted Christ, and began the adventurous journey of following Jesus throughout their lives. Because of that decision, they raised their daughters, including my mom, to love God and to walk with Him. They sent their daughters to a Nazarene college where my mom met my dad. He also was a second generation Christian in the Nazarene church. They married and raised me and my brother in the church. (Eventually, my grandpa's parents and my grandma's mother also became Christians.)
I have always been conscious of the gift my grandparents gave me -- before they even knew I would exist -- that day they decided to follow Jesus. I am now conscious of another amazing gift they have given me: the peace and comfort that comes with knowing a loved one who is terminally ill will be able to greet you in eternity. It will be good to spend time with them this coming week.
This past week, my dad was in Switzerland for a leg of his sabbatical journeys across Europe, following the Reformation trail. We enjoyed a long weekend of traveling with him. Then, my friend Minya came and I spent my last week of vacation accompanying her to some spectacular sites in the Swiss Alps.
During both their visits I unfortunately suffered from migraines, stomach problems and a sinus infection that moved into my chest. It was disappointing, as I'd looked forward to their visits since we arrived in Europe in February. I'm still battling some lingering digestion issues, and I'm praying hard that they'll be resolved by tomorrow, otherwise it may be a long and uncomfortable flight across the pond. I booked the Ohio flight in good health, otherwise I would have waited a few days to go back until I felt better.
In the midst of all this, I am grateful for a job that I can continue doing from anywhere, as long as I have a computer and an Internet connection. I plan to spend a few hours each day continuing my work with Engage magazine and the Eurasia Region communications projects. My aunt has broadband Internet and I'll be staying with her.
I would welcome any and all prayers for my grandma, grandpa and our family, as well as for my own health as I travel home. Also, I'm sure Andrew would appreciate prayers as he lives the bachelor life while conducting his intense, online Church History course this coming week or so.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Fall semester begins
This week the students returned to campus and fall semester classes began. It's been so nice to have the students back, to resume coffee chats and midday meals together.
Andrew spent the latter part of the summer developing an online, 10-week Church History I course and launched the class Friday night. He has about a dozen students enrolled from all over Europe, including one located here on campus. This class is right in the center of his teaching passion, and he is having an absolute blast with it. He's also working to develop the same online course for Church History II, which takes place in the spring.
In the midst of this, my dad arrived in Switzerland for the last leg of his six-week sabbatical tour of the Reformation sites across Europe. He's seen the John Wesley sites in England, the Martin Luther sites in Germany, and is now checking out Calvin and Zwingli sites in Switzerland. We were so grateful that he stopped in our part of the country to see us this past weekend, and allowed us to join him in Zurich on Saturday. We took him on a side trip Sunday after church to Appenzell, the pastoral and lush agricultural region about an hour east of us. It lies in the shadow of the Alps and is home to cheesemaking and traditional Swiss culture.
This Friday we will board a train to join Dad in Geneva and then take a quick side jaunt over to the Matterhorn before coming back next week. Being able to briefly share a bit of our lives with him, and to tag along with him on his adventures, has been something we've looked forward to for months. It's so much fun!
In other news, my grandmother -- my mom's mom -- is very ill and so I'm making plans to go home and see her for about a week in September. I'm not sure of the dates yet, but it will likely be mid to late September. I would appreciate any prayers you may think to say for my grandparents and the rest of our family during this difficult time. My grandmother, Gloria, has been a solid and committed Christian for all of her adult life. I feel so grateful to be gifted with a powerful Christian heritage, not only in both my parents' families, but also in Andrew's family. What a foundation we have beneath us to build on.
Andrew spent the latter part of the summer developing an online, 10-week Church History I course and launched the class Friday night. He has about a dozen students enrolled from all over Europe, including one located here on campus. This class is right in the center of his teaching passion, and he is having an absolute blast with it. He's also working to develop the same online course for Church History II, which takes place in the spring.
In the midst of this, my dad arrived in Switzerland for the last leg of his six-week sabbatical tour of the Reformation sites across Europe. He's seen the John Wesley sites in England, the Martin Luther sites in Germany, and is now checking out Calvin and Zwingli sites in Switzerland. We were so grateful that he stopped in our part of the country to see us this past weekend, and allowed us to join him in Zurich on Saturday. We took him on a side trip Sunday after church to Appenzell, the pastoral and lush agricultural region about an hour east of us. It lies in the shadow of the Alps and is home to cheesemaking and traditional Swiss culture.
This Friday we will board a train to join Dad in Geneva and then take a quick side jaunt over to the Matterhorn before coming back next week. Being able to briefly share a bit of our lives with him, and to tag along with him on his adventures, has been something we've looked forward to for months. It's so much fun!
In other news, my grandmother -- my mom's mom -- is very ill and so I'm making plans to go home and see her for about a week in September. I'm not sure of the dates yet, but it will likely be mid to late September. I would appreciate any prayers you may think to say for my grandparents and the rest of our family during this difficult time. My grandmother, Gloria, has been a solid and committed Christian for all of her adult life. I feel so grateful to be gifted with a powerful Christian heritage, not only in both my parents' families, but also in Andrew's family. What a foundation we have beneath us to build on.
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