Sivin Kit's Adventures

The hosts in Germany have been very kind to me .. exposing me to the variety of Bavarian specialties ….

often we eat at home ….

I had some snacks in my room, and Malaysian Maggi Mee just in case

I did my own fushion once *smile* and have grown used to the more normal German breakfast …

Sausages are yummy here … (and this comment is coming from me –> a grandson of a butcher).

and .. Sauerkraut. is quite an experience!

The cold meat, bread and cheese evenings were interesting.

at times I’d be surprised by German versions of curry turkey!

Pre-Christmas Chocolate cookies!

Sausages again! Yummy!

simple dinner …

a special treat was this lamb dish … Oh my … I’m speechless!

Many Germans like sweet things … ice cream in autumn was fun!

I even had Mexican food one evening … El Paso!

Bread, cheese, coffee was a breakfast norm …

Had an interesting snack at a birthday party of a 70 year old lady! The Cheese cake was “heavenly”!

The last supper on Saturday last week .. was a nice homecooked meal.

I yielded to the temptation to try a noodle dish at the ONLY Chinese restaurant. This is the only meal I paid for myself … thus far apart from some snacks. As I said the hosts has been generous and kind to my “growing” body!

And of course, the wine has been great and the beer incomparable with what we have in Malaysia … I was introduced to “healthy” beer Prost! Cheers!

and .. one more week of German food!

(Note: this post is not an accurate portrayal of the “total program” which I’m part of … but these were delightful interludes! *grin*)

It’s nice to be back after sleeping in another bed for two days. Now, I’m back to where I started November 2. How time flies. It’s one more week left in Germany.

I found myself tickled when I was arranging some pictures of some of the food and beverages I’ve had thus far. There’s been work of course, but there has also been some good food.

This morning was meant to be a Day of remembrance for those who died in the war as well as those who died the past years. My morning started with a dose of reality when I got an SMS news about the passing of a friends mother. Lord have mercy.

The autumn I have experienced thus far has been kind to me according to all the Germans I’ve talked thus far. It’s been a little warmer and sunnier than usual. They say I brought the sun with me maybe I might see snow before I leave? I did see snow when i arrived. That would be a nice way to sandwich my trip.

Ah! I can’t help but wonder about my shorter connecting flight schedule and the transit period (especially hoping the luggage won’t be delayed again!)

Tomorrow is supposed to start with a day off … well, looks like a day of travel too. Munich (or at least near to Munich) here I come.

[Video Call with the Kits I]

Thanks to Skype … we could still be in touch … for quite a number of times already. We just need to time ourselves a little bit. These video calls made being away a little easier … just a little.

[Singing Grace Johannes Style Video]

This is the video I promised in an earlier post. I loved little Johannes’ energy and enthusiasm as he led us every time before a meal This unofficial episodes are pleasant surprises!

It’s good to be back to a familiar bed (the one above) in Bayreuth. Sleeping in different beds during this 26 days in Germany is very much part of this whole experience here. So, it’s not just the official “Teaching-Preaching” program that I’m part of. Last night was the first time I ever slept in a room at a special home for the elderly (the bed is the picture below). Due to some arrangement difficulties, both Christian Pohl and I were not able to be housed at one of the church members home. And she was kind enough to make this special arrangement for us.. We even had breakfast at the canteen at the home for the elderly canteen this morning!

Again, there’s more than I can post right now as the physical body is tired after two days of traveling to and fro from Marktheidenfeld. The trip there was a short focused trip with a one night stay arranged with the help of Gerhad Durst a young 33 year old pastor who is involved in religious education in schools as well as the youth work of the parish.

Christian Pohl was a good driver and a wonderful conversation partner. The topics of our conversations went beyond the state of the Church in Germany to especially his experiences and interests in East Africa. Here’s an Article he contributed for the Dictionary of African Christian Biography on an interesting man Paul Pera , also called Paulo Mwamribwa , who was the founder of the first protestant mission school in the Gombero area in Digoland, Tanzania. I was encouraged to see Christian’s desire to uplift the contribution of the local people during the missionary era in Africa.

Tomorrow until Sunday, I will be sleeping in a different bed. Tonight, I’m planning to get some needed rest in the bed in Bayreuth (the first one above!) Not sure whether I can managed any blog posts until Sunday evening. So until the next round … Cheers!

The name Thomas is often associated with “doubt” but meeting Rev. Thomas Hofmann who’s the pastor of Christuskirche at Lauf, was a great new connection and the word that came to me is “dedication”. Both of us are similar in age. He looks younger though he is older. We have similar and yet different stories and pathways in ministry. One thing that keeps us together is being centered on Christ and his mission in and through the local church. It’s fun to note the church and the parsonage is on Martin-Luther-Str. Cool!

There’s so much I could talk about in Lauf because we had many fascinating conversations and engagements. But due to time, and my tendency first to focus on the people I met rather than just talking about the places and programs, I thought I’d quickly post some pictures here first.

One of the little “moments” I enjoy is when little Johannes his three year old son leads us in the table grace with a song (I’ll try to post a video once Youtube is finished with their down time!). And this little boy is so energetic and always talks to me in German and tries to get me to play with him. Before I left his big sister Marie was having her party and Igregard her mom was busy preparing for the party while Thomas had to send me back to Neuendettelsau.

I could say more about the ministry aspects of the time in Lauf. But for now, as I look back in those few days we are together. It was more like being adopted into their family and understanding what a local congregation pastor like Thomas and his family life is like. Talking with his wife Igregard (I hope I got the spelling right!) gave me insights into a pastor’s wife in Germany. And it’s not surprising that the expectations on pastor’s wives whether in the villages and/or in the city parallel much of what we experience in Malaysia. What I was happy to hear is how she is coping well as they await their third baby soon!

On a ministry note, I will be delighted to close my trip here in Germany by participating in their Gottesdienst in moderner Form (modern service) on November 26, speaking and sharing their with their congregation. More on Lauf .. another time.

Lunch is soon and I’ll be off to another place from Bayreuth to talk to some young people and tomorrow do a number of religious education classes with evangelical and catholic students (note: evangelical in Germany is a short hand for Protestant *smile* – which sounds good to me!)

I’m at Bayreuth right now but the updates are slow unless I have internet access like now. There has been many activities both formal and informal which has kept me busy. All of them serving a a new “text” for me to reflect on my own “context” and prayerfully in time a “renewed text” or script will emerge as I consider what it means to be a Christian “Glocally”.

A quick remark on some amazing women I met at a small village at Roßtal on November 7 Tuesday.

What impressed me most was their faithfulness meeting together for at least 20 years with a focus on being aware on missions overseas (esp. Africa and Papa New Guinea) and contributing with their efforts in raising funds as well. They always have visiting guests from overseas and it was their first time having a Malaysian pastor And they said it was nice to have a younger pastor too .. heheh

Mrs. Ultscht and her husband was kind to treat me with a typical German supper which is cold meat, cheese and bread and the evening was at a church room with a group of ladies who were full of energy and inquisitiveness. the atmosphere was even livelier than the pastors meeting earlier in the afternoon. The “energy” level was high that evening and contagious for me. At first, I was a little tired after a whole day of traveling and meetings but when you have a bunch of women with such “warm faith” towards God, and his mission in our world – what else can you do but get “boosted” up.

The rapid fire questions and comments were a delight to interact with. And while it’s easy to always focus on the declining influence of Christianity in Europe or the diminishing membership in churches, I think it’s important not to forget the stories sof humble unnamed women like them who have been faithful in their own way towards the Gospel. These stories are communicated less to the wider world where we tend to focus on the dramatic. As far as I was concerned, the power of the Spirit was present on all of us that night .. and it was a “revival” meeting as far as I understand it.

Perhaps the last 6 years, God has been reshaping a lot of my perspectives and paradigms. And suddenly, it’s a wonderful to be able to “See” things I previously would have not noticed. And especially in an age where mostly “younger” people are uplifted in terms of mission or church work, I think we must equally appreciate those who have gone before us and serving to a ripe old age.

So, Prost! (Cheers!) to all the women in this group in Roßtal! Your warm faith has been a blessing in our cold world!

The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines were kind enough to pay me 70Euro for my damaged bag. So, it was good to get this new one for a “fair” price according to my new German pastor friend Thomas Hofmann when we were in Lauf town centre.

Today was supposed to be a day off … and in the morning I managed to catch up with some blogging. But from the lunch onwards, it was a delightful time for interviews, conversations and a dinner appointment. One was planned earlier. Two were confirmed when last week and yesterday.

I enjoyed the interview because it gave me a chance to respond to questions, clarify points of “muddle-ness”, think about areas I didn’t notice, and one thing I realize is how much of an “oral” communicator I am. It’s so much easier for me to be in an interview than writing an article (I’m a little sad now because I couldn’t get into completing one today – that’s another story).

It was also good to reflect once again on my journey as a pastor and especially since re-starting Bangsar Lutheran Church with a group of friends. Then since being in our denomination EXCO and serving as the Education chairman I felt I could talk more intelligently about the wider church we are part of. ( I’m surprised we have a new website design! But it’s still very much work in progress)

The conversations on the wider church and Christianity in Malaysia further stretches my understanding of the socio-cultural-political and religious climate of our context. It’s easy to slip into a simplistic black and white mode. But to share with nuance and honestly as well as a sense of the dynamism which we are going through was quite an experience. There is much to be grateful for. And there’s a lot we need to be watchful.

I’m eating well. Sleeping ok … and preparing for colder weather as the days progresses. It’s harder to predict how other locations will be like. But I’ve been forewarned. I’m not sure whether I’ve put on weight (which is a concern especially to my wife!). I must say the potatoes have been good .. sausages are excellent, meat is yummy … Salad is a daily affair, drank quite a bit of coffee … the little beer and wine I’ve had thus far has been tasteful

and now it’s time to pack for the next week or more … waking up early to take a train tomorrow. Guten Abend …