In Closing

Okay guys, I think this is my formal adieu. My new blog is up and running and I'm pretty excited about it, though it's hard to say goodbye to Wien Chronicles. You can visit my new page at http://www.omwh.tumblr.com/.

I've enjoyed writing for Wien Chronicles and I'm so thankful for all of the support I received through it during my time in Vienna. I appreciate everyone who took the time to read and comment and I hope you'll be a part of On My Way Home too ;)

Thanks friends! Auf Wiedersehen :)

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

Coming Soon ... Kind Of

Doh! For heaven's sake! I haven't been able to sign into my Blogspot account for weeks because Google switched some things around and the log-in wouldn't accept my old email address. Obviously the issue is solved now :)

So I've been in the process of fine tuning my new blog and it's juuuuuust about ready. *Insert chimes here*

I started using Tumblr at the suggestion of a friend and it's so darn cool. I think this is my favorite microblogging site yet. I'll post the URL here sometime soon and you can ch-ch-check it out.

P.S. I'm charging $350 a plate at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. All proceeds go to my favorite charity, the "Save Chloe From Hairspray Addication" organization.

I've Been Thinking

So I was wondering ... what if I changed the name of this blog and used it as my own personal blog? I really enjoy writing, but I've run out of steam with Vienna-related things so I never feel like I can post on here. I'm pretty sure that if I change the name, Wien Chronicles will be redirected to the new address. I'd like to keep this thing going, just in a different direction.

In recent news, I'm pretty sure the reservationist position fell through. Trying to buoy myself up after that MAJOR LET DOWN. Haha, kidding. I think I let myself get too excited after the despair of not working for almost two months though. When I realized that I had to get back into the hullabaloo of job-hunting, resumes and applications, well ... I was pretty discouraged.

I've been trying to constantly meditate on the Lord's faithfulness in my life. Seriously, He is SO good to me but the enemy is trying to tell me otherwise. Last week I had such bad thoughts about myself and my future and I let it paralyze me into inactivity and hopelessness. I'm not telling you this to get your sympathy, but to explain my dire need for a Savior. Friends, I have the most loving, compassionate, true and faithful Savior. He has heaped His blessings on me during these past two months.

When I feel like I'm justified in being depressed or I start to believe the enemy's lies, my Savior gently picks me up by His grace and fills me again with His promises when I deserve them the least. He knows that I'm unemployed. He knows that I'm in a financial crisis. And it's all a part of His plan for me - His sovereign and perfect plan.

It's the same for you. What heartbreaks or problems are you struggling with? The Lord knows. He allows them. Yes, our loving and heavenly Father allows you to experience pain and suffering. He does it to show you your absolute need for Him and the incomprehensible grace that He offers through it. Granted, you understand that pain and suffering is a consequence of a fallen world, but God still works through it. Allow Him to work through your pain. Meditate on His grace in your life and share that grace with others.

"Oh taste and see that the Lord, He is good!" Psalm 34:8

Ramblings: I Really Do Try to Avoid Them, But...

Hello and welcome back to Wien Chronicles! I'm sorry if you've visited and were disappointed by a lack of (nonexistant) updates. Every time I sit down to write, well ... I don't want to. Because if I write that means I have to recap and if I recap that means I have to draw a close and if I draw a close that means this blog will be over.

Insert distraction from the inevitable here.

In other news and musings, here's an article I wrote about Radio 7 in Bratislava. Warning: many things were rearranged in the editing process so it may not read as smoothly as desired. 

I had two lovely encounters with friends from Europe this week. The first was a wedding invitation from my wonderful friend and traveling companion Alenka Tirinda. She's getting married this week to Frank Stephenson, another great TWR worker. They met while working at TWR. Isn't that so sweet and a testimony of God's blessing? They were serving the Lord individually through TWR and He caused them to come together through it. I'm so happy for both of them and I know the Lord will use their marriage to draw others to Him. How exciting it all is!

The other encounter was with my dear Karin Rotter. Just a little thing - a Facebook friend request confirmation and wall post - but it brought a smile to my heart and soul.

Completely unrelated to Vienna, Europe or global missions, will you please pray that I find a job? I'm approaching the 8th week of unemployment. I'm also approaching the threshold of insanity, despair and depression. It was completely retarded of me to put off looking for job until I got back to the States. I should have been hunting early in the summer while I was in Austria. So unfortunately when I got back to Lynchburg most of the "good" jobs were taken.

I did have a mini-interview today and I'm looking forward to a full interview on Friday for a part-time position as a reservationist, so that was a great encouragement to me. I was hoping for a full-time position, but I'm still definitely thankful for this!

Well, even if I did have more to say, I should save it so I have an excuse for another post. This blog is a good thing for me for many reasons, but mostly because it forces me to think about all of the good God has caused in my life. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm too sensitive to the cares of the world and that they often weigh me down which is why I need to be redirected back toward the Lord's goodness and love a lot. It reminds me of the line in Come Thou Fount: "Let Thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee..."

Here's my second attempt at bringing this post to a close. Thanks for reading friends. I truly pray that the Lord is blessing you by revealing his sovereignty and grace to you this week. What an overwhelmingly good God we have! Rest in that this week!

Bible Belt Meets Baltikum

Okay, this is more for your entertainment (unless you can understand German, then I'll be really jealous). Here is a link to the interview with Katrin:

http://www.crosschannel.de/christliche-themen/international/8861-bible-belt-meets-baltikum.htm

We talked about how I was from the "Bible belt" in Virginia and my observations of the differences between Lithuanian and American believers. If you listen to the MP3, you can slightly hear my voice under the German voice-over. I wouldn't recommend it, it's quite confusing.

Truthfully, I didn't know she was recording the interview and when I listened to the MP3 I could just make out myself talking about how I felt out of place amidst the dignified Lithuanians with my North American style and other things. Seriously? Why was I even talking about that? Oy vey. Who doesn't enjoy knowing that thousands of people are listening to you make stupid comments on a major radio station? Ah, yes. Another notch in my belt of international embarrassments.

But I'm glad that I got to share about the GNC team in Lithuania. Remis was also in the interview and Katrin noted that he and I and another Lithuanian, Robertas, all made the same observations concerning Christianity in Lithuania.

I think I'd like to go back ... to stay. *nervous laughter* Prayers anyone?

Czech Article!

Okay, my Czech article appeared on the TWR-Europe page today. Here's the link if you want to check it out:

http://www.twreurope.org/stories/story-archive/115-twr-czech-republic-celebrates-20th-anniversary.html

Sometimes I get really paranoid about people reading my articles. It's so ironic and ridiculous that I always want to be hidden from the public eye but that I ended up being a journalist. Someone didn't plan that one out too well...

Lithuania Revisited

I just got off the phone with a woman named Katrin from ERF Germany, TWR Vienna's partner organization. She's doing a special project about the spiritual state of Lithuania and wanted to ask me about my reflections of the country. I felt like I was gushing and gushing information the whole time, but I don't care if I talked her ear off because revisiting Lithuania only reinforced my memories of experiencing the Lord in the new light that I did there.

I never want to forget it. I know that the Lord is at work there and to see it first-hand was the reminder of how sovereign and mighty my God is. Even now, as I sit here and think back over my time in Lithuania, the Lord is showing me things I didn't see before.

I was telling Katrin about the Christians that I met in Vilnius. I could see how they were discouraged, how the enemy was trying every tactic he could to find a way to stop them. The ministry through GNC is powerful and Satan knows that. But I believe that the Lord hand-picked GNC to minister to Lithuania and that surpasses any power held by the enemy.

The Lord has brought GNC so far and used them so greatly, but they've been through the fire during it all. And not just in Lithuania, but all around the world. We have to remember our global family in prayer.

I realize how many resources I have as a Christian living in America. The believers I met in Lithuania have only their personal relationship with the Lord, but it's enough to keep them going. I learned in Lithuania that I rely more on the Christian religion than on my relationship with the Father. He is enough. He is more than enough!

Will you pray with me for GNC? The Lord has used their ministry beyond Lithuania, into Pennsylvania and - I pray - through my life, into the world.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3: 14-21).

Hello From Lynchburg!

Hello dear friends and family! I hope your days are going well and that you're experiencing rest and satisfaction in the love of our Savior! I've been blown away by God's amazing grace for the past week and I'm loving the opportunity to abide in Him with no distractions. I was pretty distressed about not having a job for the first few days back in Lynchburg, but now I'm realizing that every day is a precious opportunity to just draw close to Jesus and experience absolute rest in Him.

I'm seeing more and more how I just needed to be quiet and get back to the state of worship I had before the craziness in Vienna. I think I forgot how to be calm and how to meditate on all of God's goodness! It's incredible what He'll show you when you just stop and shut up! Haha! Sorry, that's the unrefined portion of my personality popping out. Sometimes I have to use it when I can't describe my feelings with "ideal" wording. But anyway, I'm wondering if the Lord has something up His sleeve with this whole unemployment thing. I don't have any excuse but to get to know Him better each day. I can see where I've gotten off track and the things that He wants me to work on and I'm so refreshed by His enlightenment. What a loving and gracious Father we have!

Besides the holy quiet, life in Lynchburg is going well (despite being unemployed). I can't tell you what a blessing it is to be with Chloe and Tudi again (all the while missing my big sis too!). I've never been apart from Chloe for that long and although it was extremely hard, we both agreed that if the Lord called either of us into global missions, we know He would give us the strength to be away from one another. This is pathetic, but sometimes we would email three of four times a day while I was in Vienna. Our bond is closer than anyone could imagine and I'm so honored that the Lord would bless me with the gift that Chloe is to me.

And of course, being with Tudi is always a pleasure. No one can make me laugh harder than that girl! I'm so happy that she's enjoying Liberty and that she's building friendships that (I can clearly see) are a true blessing to her. Last night we were trying to assemble a TV stand for my living room and we ended up giving in half way through to make brownies. Siiiiiiigh; I'm really looking forward to this year with my sisters.

I'm not sure if I blogged about this before but I must tell you in case I haven't yet! I've written before that I went into Vienna the Sunday before I left for the States. I decided to go to the Augustinian church to try and make it for the service (no, I couldn't understand it and yes, it's Roman Catholic, but I thought that I would still have my own time of worship). I had been wanting to hear a church choir all summer, but I could never make it to any concerts and I traveled on half of the Sundays during my trip. I was pretty upset that I had come all the way to Vienna and hadn't heard any church choirs during my entire time there.

Anyway, when I walked into the Augustinian church, the sermon was almost through and they were beginning communion. I stood in the back and began praying and just reflecting on what the Lord showed me over the summer. Then, out of the quiet rang out the sweetest, most beautiful note I have ever heard. A woman was singing from the loft. She sang alone for a few moments and then was accompanied by a full choir and orchestra. I closed my eyes and got completely lost in how beautiful it was. In fact (and this is quite pathetic), I was so overwhelmed that I was finally hearing a church choir that I got extremely emotional. It felt symbolic to me - like a special present from the Lord. I spent the rest of the time just praising God for His gift of music and His blessings in my life. My overwhelming emotions from the music were replaced by the overwhelming goodness of my God. I will remember those moments in the Augustinian church for the rest of my life :)

So, have I waxed poetic enough for you? I know it must be hard for you to understand my feeble attempts at conveying my emotions, so I thank you for your patience. And a special thanks for reading once more! Look for the blessings in your life today, friend! Our God is a good God!

Twins

Okay, so I know this has nothing to do with Vienna, but I thought it would be cool to share anyway. Here's an article that Chloe and I appeared in a couple of years ago for the Liberty Champion, written by my very own friend Amanda Thomason :)

http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=10609&CAID=704

You can probably find some of my articles if you search around too, but I wouldn't recommend it. In the words of Dudley Dursley, "they're bowring."

I'm Still Here!

Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't posted in almost a week! I don't have internet at my apartment and I've been so busy moving in and looking for jobs that I haven't had a chance to give an update in a while. At any rate, I'm still here and I'm still planning on using this blog for a while.

I considered shutting it down when I got back, but it has so much emotional meaning to me that I finally decided to keep it going (and maybe ... just maybe, it will be used to blog about my journey back to Wien!).

So once I get internet, I will try to post more regularly. Mind you, it won't be everyday like this summer because there's really not too much to talk about now, but if I remember a story or if I feel like I want to remember someone through writing, I'll be sure to share ;)

In other news, my interview with Judy was posted on Monday. Here's the link if you want to read it:

http://www.twr.org/judyblog/?p=1600

I hope you like it! Well, it's about time I get back to work. Every minute is precious nowadays as I'm spending most of them on campus mooching off the internet access here.  Will you please pray that I find a job soon. I have an apartment to pay for and my loan repayments start very soon. I'm very tempted to feel overwhelmed but I know deep in my heart that the Lord has something special for me and that He's especially close in this time. As a side note, counting your blessings really works to remind you of how great God is! Try it!

Ciao friends!

Mind the Gap

I'm about to tell you something very sad.

The day before I left Austria, I was making my last commute into the city to say goodbye. While I was waiting for a train, I noticed two girls standing close to me, one in very high heels. They were rattling away in German and I didn't really pay them much attention.

The train came. About 15 people proceeded to board in a mad rush. The girl in high heels and I both got on at the same time. Well ... kind of. I managed to get on successfully, but as I reached the last step I saw her drop into the gap between the platform and the train. She had stumbled on the step and one of her legs slipped, sending her into a split-like position. She was now stuck with one leg in the train and one leg in the gap. It all happened within a milisecond, but she managed a scream and immediately everyone rushed to her rescue. I didn't even have time to move before she was being helped out by her friend.

Now friends, the distance between the actual track and the top of the platform is about four feet. This girl had one leg in the four foot drop and the other in the train, which is about a foot higher than the platform. I can't describe to you the terror of her position. It was impossible for her to get out by herself. Usually there isn't a big gap between the train and platform, but it depends on the type of train. Luckily there is a conductor on every train who checks the platform before departure. Nothing would have happened to her because there were so many people around, but the thought of getting caught in the gap terrified me so much that I had trouble getting off at my stop. Silly.

The girl cried the whole time I was on the train and understandably so. She fell so hard and she was probably embarrassed beyond reason. As you can see, this experience tramatized me so much that I had to blog about it. By now you're probably regretting that you decided to read this. This is one of the rare occasions where I'm diverting from my newsy style of blogging to reflect on a personal experience.

But really, isn't that sad?

Oopsy

Did I say I'd be getting back on Tuesday night? Because somehow I managed to add a whole day in there. Anyway, I'm baaaaack! I gave my mum the surprise of her life when I called her from Philadelphia and told her that I'd be flying into Pittsburgh soon. She was so good to me and dropped everything to come get me. I love her :)

It's 6 a.m. and I've been up for about and hour. Naps will ensue today, I'm sure.

I have some stories to tell about the trip, but I'm going to save them for another post. Thank you to all who prayed for me! Oh my word, you don't know how much I appreciate it! God bless you!

Okay, I'll check back in later. Have a great day today, friends :)

England in Review / Back in Vienna / Counting Down the Hours

Friends! Friends! Friends! I'm back in Vienna with time for proper blogging! I kind of fell off the grid in England. I was enjoying myself too much eating scones and tea, visiting castles and petting sheep in the beautiful English countryside. I'm not joking when I say it was one of the best experiences of my life! Vienna is a wonderful place and I love it, but it's just not the same seeing these wonderful things by yourself. Getting to experience England with people I love was the best thing ever. I had so much fun with Chelsey and Jon that I started scheming about my next trip :)

Thank you to those of you who prayed for my travels. They went very smoothly. I was a little nervous with all of the connections (30 minute train ride to bus station, 2 hour bus ride to airport, 2.5 hour plane ride), but everything was fine and I made each connection with time to spare. After all of that anxiety, seeing Chels and Jon standing there waiting for me at the airport overwhelmed me with joy and relief. I couldn't help but cry when I finally squeezed them tight.

I think my favorite part of England was the castles and manor homes that we visited. I felt like such a child in my excitement, but really, I was finally fulfilling my childhood dreams, so I think I was justified. It was completely amazing to go into the houses and see what life was like hundreds of years ago. Disney World ain't got nothing on these places! One major highlight of the trip was getting to have creamed tea and scones with Chels at one of the manor homes. It's funny because Vienna has such a strong cafe culture that drinking tea (even though we have tea every afternoon in PA) seemed so new to me.

But can I just say that scones with clotted cream and jam are one of the most delicious things I've ever experienced. I think God said one day, "I love these humans so much that I'm going to give them yet another piece of my love in the form of scones with clotted cream and jam." I thought about them all week after that.

So of course, saying goodbye to my big sis was extremely hard. She dropped me off at the airport and when I caught a last glimpse of her as I entered security, I was completely overwhelmed and couldn't hold back my emotions. I bet it was pathetic to see, but I was completely unaware of anything else besides my aching heart. I don't know how to describe how special spending time with Chels was for me. All good things come from God and He really went over and above this time. I was so sad to leave her, but I couldn't stop praising God and thanking Him for that precious week together. Imagine if the Lord came to you one day and handed you a box with a bright red ribbon tied around it and said, "here's a gift from your own Almighty Father." That's what this week was like for me - a personal gift from God.

Here's a link to my photos if you'd like to check them out:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3210333&id=9387230&l=c5fad4cb77.

So now I'm back in Vienna for the weekend with some down time. I spent the whole day writing my internship paper that's due on Monday. I forgot that I'll be traveling home then, so I've had to scurry and get it done before I leave. I'm headed out at 6:45 on Monday morning to start my long journey home. I have a layover in Venice and Philadelphia then finally to Pittsburgh if all goes well. Will you please pray for me? I'm getting a little nervous. I keep thinking about what happened last time. *Shudder* I never want to miss a flight again. But I know that whatever happens, my beloved friend Jesus is by my side the whole time.

I can't believe this summer is almost over. I'm actually trying not to think about leaving. Today when I was talking to the Lord, all I could say was "thank you so much for everything, Father," over and over again. I'll need weeks to process all of this!

I'm not sure if I'll be able to post again before I leave, but I'll try. In case I don't, thank you sincerely for your prayers - you don't know how much they mean to me! And I'm excited to get back and see a lot of you soon! You've been my abiding happy thought this summer and I thank God for you :) Love you guys!

God Save the Queen

Hey guys! Greetings from Englaaaaaaand! I'm so sorry that it's been over a week since I last posted. Between packing, moving out of my flat, arranging traveling details and just finishing things up at the office, my life has been full to the max. Sadly, blogging slipped to the bottom of my priority list (I know, you're reading this thinking "does she seriously think we care?").

Anywho, my last post felt like so long ago and there is so much that's happened since then but I could never fit it into a blog post so I'll fill you in on the most important things and you'll just have to wonder about the rest.

Okay, last Thursday was my last day at the office. It was terribly bittersweet because I didn't want to go, but I really had a great day with my colleagues. We had a TWR staff meeting and a cookout and I really cherished the day of fellowship. Great memories to leave with.

So on Friday I caught a train to the bus station in Vienna, took a bus to Bratislava in Slovakia, then flew into Bristol, England. Honestly, I was so nervous about all of the transfers and making everything on time that I hardly slept on Thursday night. I really despise traveling alone (especially when they don't speak English), but I was really sure of Jesus' presence with me the whole time. Everything went smoothly and besides not being able to find the Ryanair check-in at the Bratislava airport, everything was perfect!

Okay, well ... there was some turbulence on the flight coming in Bristol. By the end I was thinking, "where did this stupid pilot learn how to fly?!!!" It seemed like we kept free falling after every bump which freaked most everyone out. One lady behind me kept screaming which, I'm sure, didn't help anyone. As I felt a wave of something moving in my stomach (not physical sickness, just the sick feeling that comes with not knowing) I cried out to the Lord and immediately I felt like He was standing in the isle right next to me. What a wonderful Savior we have :)

So when I finally touched down in Bristol, Chels and Jon were there to meet me and, of course, I cried because I was just so happy to see someone that I knew and I had been waiting all summer to be with them! It was a great reunion :)

Right off, they made me feel so comfortable and we've just been having the loveliest time. We spent Saturday in London and yesterday they gave me the tour around Gloucester and we hiked in the English countryside. Chels and Jon know their way around London quite well, so I couldn't have asked for better tour guides. We went to Buckingham Palace and their stables, Camden market, Covent Gardens, Soho, Parliament, St. Paul's Cathedral, the South Bank, Westminster Abbey, Chinatown, the Tower of London, London Bridge, Big Ben and so many more places I can't remember! It was AWESOME!

And yesterday they took me to all of the most beautiful little English towns. Ohhhh, they are so cute! And then we hiked a public foot path and saw lots of cows and mountains and little houses and pubs and churches and horses and fields. I feel baptized into the English experience now. I'll have some pictures up on Facebook pretty soon ;)

So, England in review: awesome.

Thanks for reading, friends! I hope you're all doing well. Seek hard after the Lord this week and count His many blessings in your life! I'm thankful for you all :) Ciao!

Claire's Attempt at a Video Blog

Da Judy Blog!

Hey guys! My article about Remis was featured on one of the TWR blogs (the Judy Blog)! Check it out: http://www.twr.org/judyblog/?p=1504

Struck Down But Not Destroyed

Hola amigos! (No, I'm still in Slovakia, I just wanted to speak in Spanish). This photo was taken in Budapest by a friend of ours who helped us out with some photography stock. Several of the girls with us were gracious enough to let us use them as models and we were able to make some fantastic shots. It's really a huge blessing for our publications.

Yeah, but that's me attempting to look serious. I love being behind the camera, but I hate being in front of it. Oh mah word, I was so uncomfortable the whole time. It made me realize how very awkward I can be. I'm not apologizing for it -- it's who I am -- but a girl does start to wonder sometimes, "am I too awkward?"

So that started me thinking on all of the awkward, ridiculous things I've done in my life -- of all the mistakes I've made, my embarrassments and my regrets. As a result, I laid in my bed in a fetal position last night wishing I had chocolate to gorge on, feeling insecure and regretting the person I was. It was a pathetic sight, but all joking aside, Satan knows my weak spots and he wasted no opportunities to try and destroy something that the Lord and I have been working on for years.

He came close, but he didn't succeed. Jesus pulled me up out of my saddened heap and so gently reminded me of who He is and who I am because of Him. I know who I am in Christ. How can I ever doubt the love of my Savior who died for me? My identity may be challenged, but the love of God steps in every time like a faithful hero to save the day.

So how about you? Do you have "identity crisis?" The Almighty God sent His beloved Son to die for you so that you could experience true love and purpose. Are you experiencing it?

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed," II Corinthians 4:7-9.

Karin's Back in Town!

Hey guys! I have great news! Karin was released from the clinic and she's back at work in Vienna! The doctors were able to diagnose her pain as stress induced. She wrote in an email that she'll have to make a few lifestyle changes to reduce stress and pain, but she sounded optimistic. She's had a faithful attitude this whole time and she's continues to do so even with the diagnosis. Praise the Lord! Thank you for praying with me. How can I thank you? The only way I can think is to ask the Lord to bless each person who prayed for Karin (even if I don't know who some of you are)! If you prayed, I hope this is an encouragement for you - to visibly see that our loving and tender Father truly does answer our prayers according to His will.

I can't wait to get back to Vienna and see Karin! I know I'll be greeted with a big smile and hug, and that's why it means so much to me that the Lord worked through our prayers - first for His glory, then for Karin's sake.

There Are No Camels In Budapest

It's true folks. Not one.

I liked Budapest a lot. It felt way more eastern European than Austria, which I liked. There weren't a lot of tourists there either so that was really nice. Alenka and I were originally going to go by ourselves early this week, but some of her friends were going on Saturday so we decided to join the party. We left at 5 a.m. and got back at 11 that night. Oh my word, it was a long day and we were all so tired by the end, but it was a great day and we made a lot of memories!

I'm not sure why we thought we could see all of Budapest in one day, but we certainly made a stab at it. We started out by climbing up to the "castle" which actually was just a post at the top of the mountain that looked out over Budapest. It was a crazy climb up, but we made it and it was a beautiful view. So while we were up there, we saw the castle waaaaaaaaay down below us and decided that would be our next destination. So after the crazy climb up we took the crazy climb down and eventually made it to the castle.

By the time we reached the castle it was about noon and we were pretty tired so we hit up the nearest mall and got Turkish food and then went to Starbucks which was a very interesting combo. Then we visited a couple of more sights before we headed back to catch the train.

We were a little late getting to the train so when we got on there were no more compartments! We all ended up standing/sitting in the tiny tiny tiny corridor which made for very awkward exchanges when backpackers (or anyone for that matter) tried to squeeze past us. Okay, but this is the kicker (a reeeeeeal kicker). We were standing right outside of a conductor's room (just an compartment reserved for the conductors) and there was only one conductor in there the whole time. It must have been really awkward for her because we just stared in at her the whole time like sad puppies.

The cars on either side of ours were also empty, but we didn't have the right tickets, so they kicked us out :( Even though they were empty! Waaaaaaah! My feet still hurt today.

So that's my Budapest adventure! Sunday was really nice too. I went to church with Alenka and we hung out with some of the people who were on the Budapest trip. So it was a good weekend, and there's more to tell but I have to run now! I can't take up too much time on the internet here, but if you want to see pictures of the trip, check out my Facebook page! Have a good day, guys!

Bratislava: "The Little Big City"

Hello blog readers! I haven't posted in a while because internet access is limited in ol' Slovakia, but I'm going to try and give you a quick update of everything! First of all, how was your week? Are you enjoying summer? What are you doing for fun? Are you experiencing the Lord's steadfast love? Are you shining His light? Feel free to answer all of these questions and send them to me in an email :)

This week has been a good one in Bratislava. I arrived on Monday and have just spent the week in the office doing various work-related things (I would hope so). I'm staying with Alenka in a missionaries' house who are gone on furlough. It's nice to have a big shower and my own room :)

I got the official tour on Tuesday and it only took about an hour. They call Bratislava the "little big city" because it has all of the qualities of a big European city, but it's actually quite small. Like a lot of cities here, it has a very lovely old historical district, but the rest is your typical not-so-glorious town. Oh my word, there I go again. Vienna has spoiled me so badly.

I was supposed to interview the Slovak partners here who work at Radio 7 in the adjoining part of our building. Unfortunately, no one could meet with me this week, so I'll do most of the interviewing next Tuesday. I think Wednesday I'll head back to Vienna and finish my work there.

Did I even tell you why I'm in Bratislava? Heavens! I live inside my head most of the time, sorry. The TWR office in Bratislava works very closely with the office in Vienna, so I can easily do a lot of my work here. The original reason I'm here is because the partners of TWR Slovakia are celebrating their 20th anniversary so I'm interviewing staff members and writing an article for InfoSERV, the TWR family magazine.

And the director of TWR Slovakia wanted me to extend my stay, so I'm still here. Tomorrow Alenka and I are going to Budapest to take pictures for the TWR stock photography. I'm waaaaaaay excited because all of my life I've had this idea that Budapest was somewhere in the wilderness of Russia and only eskimos lived there with their camels and their leafy tea. Oh come on, give me a break. Do you know where Budapest is?

Last night I was able to spend some time with a missionary family and some other friends from Alenka's church group. I was really amazed by their children, Kathryn, 15, and Daniel, 17. It was a true blessing to talk to such mature and godly teenagers. It made me wonder what I was like as a 15 year-old (yikes). I felt like I should have been conveying my vast amounts of 22 year-old wisdom (haha) to them, but really, I feel wiser after just sitting and listening to them. They've spent eight years off and on in the States, but most of their lives have been in Europe. They shared their struggles with feeling at home in America and I answered their questions about American lingo and other cultural questions they had about the States. It was ironic talking to "American" kids about what it's like to live in America. I was really blessed about their openness to God's will for their lives. It was a maturity I haven't seen in a long time from kids their age. I feel proud of them and I don't even know them. I just know the Lord is going to use them in a great way. He already has :)

But I think that's all the news from my end. I can't believe that my time here is winding down to its last days. I only have two more weeks here and then one with my B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L sister in England! Woo-hoo! Shout out to Chelsey Amanda Hill! I love her! She's awesome! She's the prettiest girl ever! She's a great cook! She's classy! Ahem ... yeah, I'm pretty excited.

So, thanks for reading yet another snippet of my life. I know, you feel so privileged, right? RIGHT? Heh heh! I love you guys! God bless you this week!

True Joy

Hey guys! Remember me telling you about Remis? Well, my boss asked me to write a short piece for a TWR magazine called "Connection" and I decided to write about Remis. I thought I'd share it with you so you can get to know him a little better. Here's a blurb:

Meet Remis: energetic, pensive, a visionary, joyful. He's the director of the Good News Center, TWR’s partner in Lithuania. Sometimes he substitutes dancing for walking and he consistently turns every other sentence into song (e.g. “It’s a lovely d-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-y!”). Before he was involved in ministry, he was a nightclub disc jockey in Dubai. Now, he has a passion for deteriorating Lithuania, for the youth, for his countrymen, for expats. Whatever the job, he approaches it with joy despite personal difficulties or challenges.

I met Remis when I traveled to Lithuania to interview partners from GNC. Through the interviews and time spent with this brother, the Lord began to show me the meaning of true joy. I thought I knew. But I didn’t.

Joy transcends beyond circumstances, beyond emotion. It’s a lifestyle that results from walking closely with the Father. It’s a perspective – a way of seeing things through a Spirit-filled lens. And it’s the visible effect of what happens when you take God at His word.

I’m thankful to Remis for being faithful and consequently allowing others to be blessed by his joy. It’s like a beautiful photograph that I could look at over and over again. And one that I hope to reproduce for others to see.

“I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High,” Psalm 9:2.

There is Sunshine in My Soul Todaaaaaay!

Were you praying for me? If you were, I just want to THANK YOU! I woke up today and I felt about 65% better!!! I definitely feel ready for Bratislava now and I know the Lord heard your prayers, even if only one person :)

So I'd like to say thank you to my loving Father who heals all of our sicknesses and thank you to my prayer partners who bring me before the Lord. Between the two, I am blessed beyond I could ever deserve.

And thank you to those who expressed your concern and tried to diagnose me ... and for the suggested remedies and rest. Each brought physical and emotional comfort. My soul is very happy :)

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones" (Proverbs 17:22).

*Sniffle*

A picture of what's right beside me.

Will you please pray for me? I've been pretty sick since Tuesday and I haven't seen a light at the end of this tunnel. I'm leaving for Bratislava in two days and I really need to be well! If I can't get well, then will you pray that I have a joyous attitude during this? Thank you, my friends. I appreciate it so much :)

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2).

Lithuania

Hello friends. I'm back from Lithuania and completely refreshed by what I experienced there. On the flip side, I'm pretty sick with a head cold so I'm thankful that I had a scheduled day-off.

So where to begin about my trip! I suppose the beginning is a "very good place to start."

Alenka and I flew from Vienna on Monday morning and arrived in Vilnius (the capital of Lithuania) that afternoon and the director of TWR-LT took us to Trakai castle and we ate dinner in a cafe on the lake by Trakai. We had a great first talk about the ministry in LT and I know the Lord was using the laid-back conversation to guide my heart and thoughts for the interviews to follow.

The next morning, we met with the producer/editor/writer/prettymucheverything of the children's radio program (her name is Daiva). The show is called "Little Evening Star" and it airs from 7:30 to 8 p.m. on Saturdays - right when kids are getting into bed, so it's perfect. It broadcasts into all of Lithuania and it's very popular. I was so amazed that the whole show was run by basically one woman in a tiny recording studio.

She invites children from all over (orphanages, institutions, etc.) to record for the voices of the characters and she said the process can take from two days to three weeks to complete one program. So each episode usually contains radio theater, practical and educational lessons, songs, and scriptures. Because it reaches out to such a wide range of listeners, they can't be overly spiritual, but the undertones are undeniably Christian. It is such a quality program. I wish it was broadcast in English!

So the next day, we spent with Audra, the fund coordinator who is also the children's magazine manager (the whole operation is run by a small staff, so they're all in charge of multiple operations). I had such a refreshing talk with her and Alenka and I were able to really encourage her. I think she was really tired spiritually from all of the discouragement the ministry faces. The staff can't afford training or education for most of their operations, so they're kind of on a trial and error basis and I could tell that Audra was overwhelmed with it all. She was also pretty discouraged about fundrasing there. The majority of the country is Catholic (who refuse to support a Protestant ministry) and the Protestant churches don't have a ministry-supportive mindset like in North American churches. So you can imagine that money is extremely tight. But praise the Lord, Alenka was able to give her a few resources to help and she's arranging for Audra to attend a TWR fundraising seminar in the fall!

Later that day Audra showed us around Vilnius. I'm still extremely puzzled by Lithuania. It's a country of so many contradictions. The "old city" is really for tourists and when you leave the city limits, you're in the "real city" which is a terribly poor community - it's an incredible contrast. The old city is being restored to pre WWII conditions, but the results of the Russian occupation are everywhere. In fact, the building where TWR-LT is located still has bullet holes in the walls. Check it out:

Isn't it incredible? You read about this stuff in history books, but to actually see it! On Thursday morning, Alenka and I went to the KGB museum and I'm still pretty disturbed by what I saw. We walked through the prison in the basement and it rivaled any horror film I've seen. I won't really go into detail, but it's definitely something I'll remember for the rest of my life. We are blessed in so many ways to live in in this age.

So now we get to Remis, the director of TWR-LT. He used to be a DJ in Dubai until he moved back to Lithuania where he got involved with TWR, eventually moving up to director. I say with confidence that I have never met a person with a more joyful spirit. I have never witnessed such joy! What's more, his wife was in a skiing accident last winter and she may end up in a wheelchair, but even in that situation, he presented it with joy and hope and such gratefulness to God. I was moved to tears several times during our talks with him.

Despite all that the ministry is going through and all of the discouragement they face everyday, Remis still has such a great hope that the Lord will work everything out. At first I doubted their situation, but his faith alone was a catalyst in my believing in God's huge plan for their ministry. "God has no crises," Remis kept saying. And it's so true. God is a God of order and a beautiful, sovereign plan and he will work everything out for those that love Him and those who He calls. And I can see so clearly that He has a huge plan for their ministry.

So just a couple of numbers: 133 people leave Lithuania every day and they predict that by the year 2050, Lithuanians will begin to completely die out because of the lowest birth rates ever. There's nothing really to keep them there - no jobs, nothing unique to the country, so the current generation just packs up and leaves. National pride is disappearing as the people who survived WWII pass away. They don't like to talk about that time, so a lot of the things that would normally tie them together are just forgotten.

It's their dream to reach out to Lithuanian emigrants and instill a sense of pride in them and hopefully convince them to support the ministry at TWR as they reach out to their countrymen. I can see how this one little ministry could bring the nation back together again. But really, why not? God has no limits and TWR-LT is certainly an open tool in His hand.

Okay, there is so much more I want to say, but I think I'll have to save it for another post. Thanks for reading this looooong entry and I hope you're able to see a little bit of what I've been seeing lately. Please pray for TWR-LT. They need money. They need skilled workers. They need encouragement, education, prayer. In my mind, they lack so much, but the hand of God is over them and that is all they need.

Ugh! My heart is so heavy right now as I think about the people I've met and the things I've seen. I want to do all that I can for the TWR ministry in Lithuania, but I feel so helpless. Will you please help me by praying? It's the greatest help we can give them.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Grüß Gott

Hey everybody! I'm sorry I've been lacking on my blogging duties. Things here have been ... uh, full? Yeah, I think full is the right word. Every day has been filled to capacity, but I'm not complaining one bit because it's been a great week.

This week I worked mostly on the article for the Czech partners (the office in Brno where I visited two weeks ago). And every day I worked a little bit more on editing the photos for the TWR European photo stock. I'd like to show you what I've been working on, but the photos are technically owned by TWR and if I put them up here, someone could use them without permission. So maybe I'll just edit some of my own photos and put them up here for your guys :)

So on Friday night, Julia and I went to a film festival at the Rathaus and watched a Parisian ballet (on film mind you ... we're not that lucky) and on Saturday we did some shopping in Vienna and then this morning we went to church and explored around the Belvedere. Here are some pics of the weekend:

At the Rathaus film festival

Me in front of the Rathaus (pronounced ROT house)

The Belvedere! (under major construction, but still beautiful)

Do you see these juices? We got them for free at church and do you know what? We drank them all. We did. It was like 91 degrees and we were outside for most of the day. Mine was carrot and orange juice with vitamins A, C and E, so I didn't feel too terribly bad about drinking all of those calories. My insides sloshed around all day.

 

This is Julia in front of the lower Belvedere

This is the upper Belvedere and one of the fountains in the garden. I'm so upset that we couldn't take pictures inside because it was so beautiful, but you can see pictures here:

http://www.belvedere.at/jart/prj3/belvedere/main.jart?rel=en&content-id=1169655785538&reserve-mode=active

My pictures are ridiculous compared to what it's really like. So much Baroque, so little time.

 

This is one of the paths in the garden between the upper and lower Belvedere. It's kind of confusing to explain, but you should Google "Belvedere" and check it out.

Yeah, so that's what's happening in Vienna town. I'm leaving for Lithuania tomorrow for four days, but I'll be back in Vienna for the weekend and then off to Bratislava again for another week. Pray for me as I interview our Lithuanian partners. I really need wisdom as I interview so I can know how best to write their article. They're under a lot of financial stress right now and I hope that I can write an article that will bring awareness to the great ministry there. They have this wonderful children's program that reaches so many families and it is such a precious ministry. I was flipping through some photos of the Lithuanian children on our photography website and they completely stole my heart! They're like something straight out of a Charles Dickens novel. Oh, so precious ...

Will you pray that the Lord provides good photo opportunities too? TWR needs way more stock photography for their many publications and the pickings are slim now, so they're forced to use photos multiple times in different publications. It's a big no-no for most professional organizations, but they really have no choice as they don't have any professional photographers who can just devote their time to making good photos. I'm so happy that I've been able to help in this area and I hope that I can leave TWR Europe with plenty of excellent photographs.

I want to give a special shout out to my prayer partners out there! You know who you are :) I appreciate you guys so much! Thanks for tuning in and I hope that everyone has a blessed and peaceful week ahead of them!

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Karin

This is Karin, my supervisor. I took this picture of her a couple of weeks ago when I was helping her with her TWR bio. I didn't know why, but I thought I'd keep it ... just in case. I'm glad I did because I want you to be able to visualize her as I write.

She's just a ball of sunshine. She loves hugs and she loves talking about missions-related giving. I love watching her get all serious when she talks about the joy of giving to missions.

She's at a clinic right now undergoing tests for stomach problems she's had for a while now. She got food poisoning when she was traveling (I'm not sure how long ago it was, maybe a year?) and has experienced complications since then.

So I'm asking you to pray. Will you please pray that the doctors would find a solution to the pain she's experiencing. She has a lot of responsibility at TWR and it's been hard to deal with that through all of the problems. She'll be gone from the office for 2-3 weeks which I think is a divine thing. Pray that the Lord rejuvenates her and that she experiences Him in a whole new light while she's away.

And thank you from the bottom of my heart for praying. Karin has been a blessing to so many people and I pray that the Lord will bless her in return with the people that she means so much to. The office is just not the same without her and we're all secretly awaiting her return.

A Chair Is Not An Insignificant Thing

Today I discovered how to adjust my office chair. It was originally very low and the back was in a reclining position which made for very awkward typing and computer work. So after three weeks of a sore neck, back, arms and the beginning symptoms of carpal tunnel, I am a very happy girl to have a nice seat.

It's amazing how much a good chair can change your outlook. Try it for yourself! Find a good chair and sit. But I would suggest you do more than just sit. Take time out to be quiet and meditate on the Lord. Think about who He is and His blessings in your life. Thank Him for a good chair.

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you" (Isaiah 26:3).

Pointless Points of Pointy Cultural Differences

So here are some things I've learned about German-speaking Europe:

1. Europeans don't like any breeze of any kind. It can be 90 degrees outside, but if there is a breeze, you will see them with a scarf around their neck.
2. They eat sandwiches for breakfast.
3. Never use the word "napkin" in public.
4. There are four kinds of recycling in every household. If you don't get it right, chances are you will hear about it from the crazy old ladies who inhabit the recycling shelters outside.
5. If you are American and you say something in German to a store employee, they will raise their eyebrows and then acknowledge that you tried to say something in their pristine language. This is usually followed by "bitte?"
6. Almost every major film and television show is from the U.S. and dubbed in German.
7. In the summer, it's perfectly acceptable to walk around naked in your own yard.
8. Carbonated water is standard drinking water here.
9. Despite eating tomatoes with practically every meal, no one seems to mind the ridiculous levels of absorbic acid.
10. Americans dress for comfort, Europeans dress for style.

Just some thoughts ... pointless, but interesting nevertheless.

Weekend Events

Hey everybody! I hope you enjoyed your weekend and that you're celebrating the Fourth in real American style! The best I can do here is eat some watermelon and sing the national anthem. But it's the thought that counts, right?

I had a great weekend with some friends in Vienna. We went to a public viewing place to watch the game between Germany and Argentina. My roommate and Heike are from Manheim, Germany, so I experienced real German pride. The viewing place was actually at an African fest, so for an hour beforehand we got to listen to an African concert (kind of a montage of African music over the past 40 years) and smell awesome African food. Here's a picture of Heike, Julia and Maxim at the Albertina celebrating after the game:

About half of the people there were for Argentina and the other half for Germany. There's tension between Austrians and Germans - something to do with old world Austria and a new Germany - but it was a really quiet tension. It was so fascinating to me to see the (very) subtle cultural differences. But it's nothing like you would see in the States. Everyone is very civil and although you could tell that they are at odds, it's almost like they have a "gentlemen's agreement" while still acknowledging the differences.

Oh! I almost forgot! Before the game, my roommate (Julia - pronounced Yuliah) and I went to Stephansdom to have a look around and when we were getting ready to leave these security guards pushed us back in and told us we couldn't go out because there was a wedding about to happen. So we waited inside for about ten minutes until the bride and groom came through. They must have been extremely wealthy to have their wedding in Stephansdom. The groom was about 60 years old and the bride couldn't have been more than 25 or 30 ... very interesting. But the detail of the dress and the groom's suit! Everyone was in white and red and it was just beautiful. I caught them on camera as they walked past us, but the lens didn't focus so all you can see is two white blurs. Darn!

I think it would be terribly unromantic to have your wedding at Stephansdom with all of the tourists outside the gate. Really, I felt like paparazzi taking pictures when the bride and groom walked down the aisle. Okay, but this is the worst part - when Julia and I left, there was an Argentinian flash mob prepping for the game right outside of the cathedral. They were shouting and banging on a huge drum. All I could think about was how sorry I felt for the couple getting married. Seriously, how unromatic.

When I first heard the flash mob, I thought there was a tribal war going on. You could hear them all through Vienna. I made Julia wait for me while I filmed them, which was quite insensitive of me since she's German. They don't sound very loud in this video, but they were quite LOUD.

But alas, their celebrating was in vain. And poor Maradona. I don't personally enjoy the man, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him after the game :(

So that's life recently! I'm in Vienna this week and then next week I'm off to Lithuania and then Bratislava the week after that. Until next time, I pray that you're resting in the Lord and rejoicing in His faithfulness and mercy to us. Thanks for reading :)

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3).

Slovakia

Slovakia is scary ...

Details to follow.

Okay, this is the updated version of the original post. So Slovakia isn't as scary as I thought. Half of it was lovely and the other half was ... well, not lovely. I arrived early in Bratislava where I met a lady from the office there (she is wonderful. I don't know what I would have done without her!) and we traveled to Bystrica. The ride there was absolutely beautiful - fields and fields of wildflowers and poppies. Everything was green - it felt just like Pennsylvania. Actually, if I didn't know where I was, I would have guessed I was in Pennsylvania!

So here's where I need to put in a little blurb for those considering traveling in Europe for the first time: The only thing you need to travel is 1) money 2) Some sort of soap or cleansing product and 3) A nalgene bottle. For real, that's it. Money to get around, soap so you can live with yourself (and others) and water (because it's the essence of moisture and moisture is the essence of beauty - guess the movie quote). Why am I telling you this? Because I packed a 30 pound bag and hiked around Europe for four days. Do you know what I'm doing now? Nothing, because I'm so sore I can't move. I have never been more miserable in my entire life. I packed a laptop - A LAPTOP, PEOPLE! Why would I ever need a laptop to travel?! So you can guess what I'm taking on my next trip (hint: only three things).

Anyway, Alenka (who is the loveliest young woman ever) and I got to Bystrica in the early afternoon and we spent the day photographing and traveling around the city. It was a very picturesque town and we were able to get some great shots of the people there. We stayed in a YMCA hostel there and when we got back after a night shoot, the key wouldn't work, so we tried it for almost an hour and then we ended up breaking in. That's right ... Claire Riss broke into a YMCA hostel. I'm not proud of it, but we couldn't sleep on the street.

So the next morning we traveled about an hour to Zvolen and took photos of the city center there. We got to go to Zvolensky castle and take pictures from the top which was incredible, but they were setting up for a music festival inside, so we didn't get to see much.

Later in the day we traveled back to Bratislava, spent the night there and then left the next morning for Brno in the Czech Republic. We spent the day at the TWR office there interviewing and taking photos. The team there was really a blessing to us and it was very special for me to visit with them for just a day. It was so touching to hear their take on the ministry there. They work under very hard conditions, but they're all family and they care for one another is such a wonderful way. I saw that right away before they even talked about it in the interviews. So we spent the night there in their guest flat and the next morning we came back to Bratislava and then I traveled back to Vienna.

There it is in a nut shell. It's a very condensed version. There's really so much that happened and this trip had a lot of spiritual significance for me, but it would be impossible to write it all. I was able to spend precious time with the Lord during all of the train and bus time and I did a lot of "soul searching" (for lack of a better phrase) in the past four days. My heart and head is still trying to process everything, but I think I returned to Vienna changed in some way. Sorry, this doesn't really make sense!

So I will spare you the ramblings and if you want to know anything more specific, shoot me an email! But for now it's movie time with my very new, very lovely roommate! Woo-hoo! Thanks for reading! Ciao!

I Don't Know What To Call This Post

Hey guys! I hope you all had a great weekend and that you're ready for a brand new week! Yesterday I got to go to Lichtenstein castle, a street fair (like a flea market) and the Donauinselfest on the Danube. Donauinselfest is the biggest open air music festival in Europe. Billy Idol was there, but I didn't get to see him (Mo' mo' mo' ... mo' mo' MO'!) I did see Amy McDonald with a friend though. It was the first I've heard her and she was pretty good! There were so many people, we were literally packed in like sardines.

My friend Heike and I managed to catch a train back at the very last second, but when we stepped in it was so full that no one could move. When the train started moving, we all swayed in one big mass - like matches in a matchbox. All I could see was a man's torso two inches in front of me and I was very glad when people started to get off! On our way to the subway, we slid down a hill (we thought we'd try and beat the crowd by going down the hill), but we didn't see that the hill was pure dust. I left a trail of black foot marks all through my apartment on the way to the bathroom :}

It was really refreshing to spend time with someone closer to my age and to just be able to talk. Heike is from Manheim in Germany and she joined TWR only about 6 months ago. Her family members aren't believers, so it's hard for them to understand why she wants to be a missionary. I realize that I really take a supportive family for granted. I couldn't do it without them. Pray for Heike and her family - that they would see and understand her passion to serve the Lord with TWR and that she would have wisdom and strength as she continues to be a testimony.

I forgot that I told you I'd put put up pictures of the castle, so here they are!

You can see more on Facebook too :) I'll be in Slovakia and the Czech Republic this week too, so hopefully I can gets some good snaps there. Pray for that if you think about it. I'll be interviewing and taking photos with the TWR offices there. I'm very grateful to be working with another journalist who speaks Slovak!

I'm not sure how much blogging I'll be able to do, so I might have to check in later in the week.

Okay, I'm signing off and going to pack. Have a great week! Thanks for reading!

Week Two

Sigh ... the weekend is here, but I still feel like I have so much to do! I'm leaving on Monday for Bratislava (just across the Austria/Slovakia border - about an hour away) and will be there until Thursday interviewing and taking pictures. I'm very thankful that I have the weekend to prepare for that. I need to fine-tune interview questions and review the history of the TWR office that I'll be visiting. It's their 20th anniversary with TWR, so I'll be highlighting their past and future with TWR and some of the (many) things that God has done through and for them. I'm excited to hear the stories and really get an inside view of the great things the Lord has done there. I almost feel like I snuck in somewhere - that I should be paying to hear and experience things like these!

I hope you got to see my pictures of Vienna on Facebook. I can't describe to you guys what it's like! There's so much to see and we only scraped the surface, so I can't wait to go back. I didn't go into any museums or palaces because we were really on the move, but we did manage to go into a couple of churches. Oh. My. Word. I've never seen anything like them. There is so much detail - I mean from the very bottom to the absolute top. It's not surprising that so many of them were hundreds of years in the making.

One of my co-workers was describing to me that the early Catholics wanted to give to God in the most honorable way they could which resulted in these incredible churches. Because they worked with such excellence and conviction, their monuments to God still stand. And I know we shouldn't make our focus the physical church over the spiritual church, but it did make me think about whether or not my spiritual efforts will stand for God. That's the way the body of Christ should be, though - so magnificent that it stands as a monument for ages to come (but of course not as a relic!).

Speaking of relics, I'm going to visit Lichtenstein castle tomorrow with some friends. It's my first time in a castle, so I'll probably do something embarrassing in my excitement. Pictures to follow (of the castle, not of the embarrassing thing I do ... but if I can catch it on camera I'll put it up).

But I think it's time for bed. I'm watching Switzerland and Honduras broadcast in German and I think it's the longest game I've seen yet. Bed sounds more appealing :)

So thanks for reading once again. Let me know if I can improve these blog posts in any way, jah? I appreciate that you even read my dronings so if I can make it more comfortable for you, let me know! Weidersehen!

"Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men" (Proverbs 22:29).

Pictures of Vienna

Hey everyone! I put some pictures up of my trip to Vienna. Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3167744&id=9387230&l=6674b4f927

A Walk in Brunn

Okay guys, I finally took a walk around my neighborhood and took some pictures of what I saw. At first there was nothing interesting to photograph, but I decided to deviate from the path (and town really) and head down some dirts roads. The first few pics are of my neighborhood and the last few are what I found outisde of the city.

Here's a typical street in my town - Brunn.

This is the entrance to the train station in Brunn. Pretty fancy, eh?

Spitalkirche.

The banhof (train bridge). I go through this everyday on the way to the train station. You can't really see too well, but there's some great grafiti on the walls.

My platform coming in from Perchtoldsdorf. The station is called Brunn am Gebirge.

Going down the back stairway from the train station. Here's where the real adventure begins.

I decided to go left instead of right on my way back home and the rest is what I found!

A vineyard! In the middle of the town! But wait, it gets better!

I saw this little dirt road and decided to be adventurous even though it was eight at night.

 I'm very glad I did.

There was a cemetary in the middle of nowhere. I've never seen a European graveyard - all of the graves are side-by-side. I thought it was a "little" cemetary, but it ended up being about a half mile long!

That's Spitalkirche in the background.

There were lots of these sepulchres in the graveyard. I peeked inside one and there was a - well, sarcophagus I guess you could say - and about two rows of pews in each one. Lots and lots of candles too! Okay now, this is the best part. The church bells started ringing and on cue, the wind started blowing. I think this is when I started to get creeped out.

The bigger graves all had these huge handles on them - very Christmas Carolish. Oh, I almost forgot! After the church bells rang, all of the graves started lighting up with these electric (or something) lanterns. Ahhhhhahahaha! It was so creepy!

So by this time, I was really lost and I wasn't sure if I would make it home by dark so I exited the graveyard and - NO JOKE - I saw my apartment complex right in front of me across a huge field and through a small tree line! I didn't see anyway to get to it other than through the field, so I walked through it hoping there was some way to get there through the trees. When I finally got to the trees, there was a little wooded path to the neighboring apartment building and when I was walking through, this is what greeted me:

I call him Mr. Creeper-cat-that-scared-the-bejeebers-out-of-me-and-made-a-perfect-ending-to-a-spooky-walk. Oh, and his last name is Harold.

So there you have it, guys! I still can't believe everything that happened! And this was only about a 55 minute walk. I really didn't go very far. None of this stuff is fabricated and every picture is in sucession from start to finish of the walk. I think I'll go on more walks :)

I hope these sights help you imagine a little bit about what it's like here. I know this is only a small part, but I'll get some more up soon. I'm going into the heart of Vienna with some ladies from the office on Thursday and they're giving me the grand tour! I'm so excited! Thanks for tuning in!