peace,
Katie 7/7

tomorrow and back in NC late afternoon. Stay tuned for the real reflections when I have time to process it all. Again, thank you for the prayers.
God's 6/7

e we leave in the morning to catch our flight. Your prayers for our safe travel would be much appreciated. We should be back on American soil around noon 5/7

l have to come back again sometime :) Well there's much I want to write right now but, unlike the students, I'm going to catch a few hours of sleep befor 4/7

ul to them. The only bummer has been that it's rained the whole time we've been in Copenhagen which messed up a lot of our plans but that just means we'l 3/7

e pastors of Jerusalem's Church here in Copenhagen. It was very meaningful for me to able to share that time with them and I hope it was equally meaningf 2/7

The journey is ending...it's been a wildly exciting ride. We worshipped tonight as a group and shared Communion together with the help of Mark, one of th 1/7

Strandby, Denmark

Just now, as I was sitting down to write this I had to pull out our itinerary because I could not remember the name of the town we are in. I think that's a sure sign that we're coming to the end of our journey. Tomorrow we're heading to Copenhagen, which is our final stop. Strandby has been great! It's a beautiful small, fishing town towards the northern tip of Denmark. Everybody rides a bike and seems to know everybody else in the town. The Methodist church here is the biggest in Denmark with 200 members. When we got here we were greeted at the church by a large group of people- mostly young people. We had dinner together and played some get-to-know-you games. We ended the evening with a brief evening prayer service. Danish people can sing and the acoustics in the church are amazing so it was beautiful. We've stayed with host families here. My host family has been wonderful! We've had breakfast together every morning outside in a greenhouse that's been turned into a beautiful sunroom. Most Danish people can speak English so communicating has been easy. Yesterday we stuck around Strandby and got to know the church and the town. We visited a couple of the fish places, and got to see how the fish are prepared for packaging from the time they are pulled out of the water. Perhaps it was more than some of us wanted to see, but it was great getting to see the industry that is the staple of the town. Most of the people here work at one of the companies, and some in the church own a couple of them. After a traditional Danish lunch (which was good and I'm glad I tried it, but not my favorite), we went to Fredrikshaven to visit a World War II museum. We also got to try Danish ice cream, which was delicious. Then we went to the grocery store to get food for a cross-cultural dinner. The Americans were to cook traditional American food and the Danes, Danish food. This stressed me out at first because I don't like being prepared, but the team is great and together we came up with mac n cheese, bbq chicken, and salad. It was fun cooking it together and the final product was very good! It was really neat though, having us each cook our foods and try it and share fellowship together. We had quite a feast. The dinner conversation was quite interesting as well. One of the pastors and I talked about the state of the church here, the UMC in Russia, and ministry in this part of the world. I have been amazed this whole trip at the amount of programs for children and the lack of programs for adults, and the pastor pointed out that it's because our culture is so different. Here, when children are 10 they are expected to be able to get places on their own, through public transportation, etc. So it's easy to do ministry for children and youth. We don't have that luxury in the States so it makes sense for us to offer an equal amount of programs for children, youth, and adults. I just hadn't thought about that until last night. Anyway, learning about more of the political things involved in having a state church and what that does to ministry for other denominations has been very interesting. I've really enjoyed the aspect of this trip, of learning different cultures. There's still much to chew on and reflect upon. Anyway, after dinner we had taize worship, which I had the pleasure of participating in. It was a beautiful service and much appreciated. After going, going, going for so long, it was a blessing to sing, sit in silence, and simply worship. It was a perfect way to end our day. 

Today we drove about 40 kilometers north to Skagan. There we went to the farthest north point in Denmark, where the Baltic Sea and North Sea meet. It was very cool walking out to the tip and seeing to two seas meet with waves in different directions. Skagan is a very beautiful, very touristy town. There were people walking and riding bikes everywhere. I think that's one thing I'm going to miss- walking everywhere and seeing tons of other people out walking to get places. We got to walk around some of the shops after lunch. There was a music festival going on so it felt a bit like home when we heard Johnny Cash and Billy Joe Shaver being sung. Skagan is a town famous for it's art. We went to an art gallery of Denmark's most famous artists, Anna and Michael Ancher. They were famous for painting pictures of local people, doing local things. I could have spent a lot more time in there had I not been so tired. The art was beautiful. When we got back to Strandby we had some down time, which was much needed. We had a lovely dinner tonight at a couple's house with the other young adults in the church. One of the girls went on the caravan twice in 2000 and 2002 so it was fun talking to her and seeing pictures of the places she went in NC. And now I'm thankful to have gotten back earlier this evening. We've got a long train ride tomorrow to Copenhagen. Not sure what's in store for us there, but there's a lot I'm hoping we get to see. 

I think as a team, we're all starting to realize that in only a few more days we won't see each other much and it's kind of sad. I'm ready to get back to life, but we've become a family (however dysfunctional we may be) and there's a lot we're going to miss about being together. The closer we get, though, the more we talk about home and what we're going to do when we get back. I just pray everybody has gotten what they wanted out of this experience, and for the most part, I think they have. Well I don't want to start reflecting too much on the whole experience because we have Copenhagen yet to experience; and I'm sure I'll be reflecting on all this for weeks and months after we get home. Prayers for safe travel over the next few days, and especially on Monday when we come home, are much appreciated. Stayed tuned, though, because the posts aren't over. Thanks for following!

Peace,

Katie

Eksjo, Sweden

 We arrived to Eksjo, Sweden yesterday afternoon and we'll be here until Tuesday. Eksjo is a very small, but very beautiful town. I want to tell you about Eksjo, but I need to first write about some of the conversations I've had today. The most meaningful conversation was with one of the girls on the team. I have her permission to write about some of the things she has shared with me. When we were in Latvia, she shared with me the reason she has not been to church in three years. Let me first say that she has an amazing, living, and active faith. She has had some unpleasant experiences with church and politics and has found genuine Christian fellowship with a group of friends and they worship together on Sunday's, but not in church. She has felt that the church, and the church building, are not necessary for her to have a relationship with Jesus. Now, before you start defending the church, like I naturally wanted to, I invite you to read about our conversations...The first conversation I had with her was very eye-opening because she represents the group of people missing from the church today. I have read statistics and books on why college-aged men and women are not going to church, but have yet had the opportunity to sit down with someone who just does not want to be a part of the church, but has and wants to develop further, a relationship with God. After our conversation she expressed that nobody had ever just listened to her- that people have always just told/lectured her why she needs to go to church, instead of listen. So it made me wonder, how many other Christ-fellowship-seekers that are not interested in church, feel like no one has ever taken the time to listen to them. At the time of our initial conversation I told her I hoped we could have further conversations because I felt like she had a lot to teach me on the age group she represents that is missing from the church.

So today, as we were walking through Eksjo, I brought up the topic again. To start the conversation I asked her: How can the Church meet your needs? She was surprised by the question because nobody had ever asked her that. These are the questions I feel like we need to be asking, so we talked about that for a while, but that's not the part I want to focus on. As we talked, she told me how this trip has opened her mind to the idea of church and has shed a positive light on the necessity of church. She said she has always hated how people put so much emphasis on the church building itself, but it was in Lithuania and Latvia that she realized the church building is not all bad. She said it was in hearing about the churches that had been taken over by the Soviets and turned into cinema's and sports bars, and fight clubs, and then transformed back into a church, spoke volumes to her on the power of God in bringing people together through the church. The church building here is a sign of perseverance and the people came together in building the church back up and it is in overcoming persecution and seeking God's transformation that "church" is experienced and lived. She saw the people of the church and how they have come together and shared in their fellowship and in that she has a new appreciation for the church. It hasn't been about worship style or the preaching or the music, but about the reason we go to church. She didn't want to go to church because somebody told her she had to in order to be a Christian. She didn't want to go to church just because it's the thing to do on a Sunday morning. She didn't want to go to church just to be there. She wanted to worship God and experience genuine fellowship and community. So that's made me think more about our response as a church to the missing age group. It's not so much about worship style as it is simply creating spaces for people to interact, discuss, and share Christian fellowship. This student came on this trip with a bad taste in her mouth about Church as an institution, but has now seen the strength of the church through our brothers and sisters in Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, and now Sweden, and later this week, Denmark. As a caveat, I told her I hoped for her to keep looking for a church that offers a different kind of experience for her because I know from experience all churches are not like the ones she describes having experienced. I have also told her that I hope she shares her story with people when she gets home because it's very powerful. It sounds like through this experience she has had her viewpoints challenged, her perspective broadened, and her heart changed. This is why I am here- to witness this kind of change. 

We talked a little more about the churches that were affected by Soviet occupation and wondered on how it must have felt for the Christians at the time to be pushed from their places of worship. We wondered at what questions they must have been asking of God and how it affected their faith. It made me think of the Israelites, when they were exiled, and had to learn what it meant to be the people of God without the Temple, and then what it meant for them when they were able to return home. Yes, the people have endured much- more than I had known before- and now struggle with issues that are not new, but God proved faithful to the Israelites in guiding them and providing for them, and I see God working in the lives of the people of Scandinavia.  

Today, I also had the opportunity to have a conversation with the pastor of a church in Eskjo. As I have previously noted, the UMC here has joined with the Baptist and Covenant Missionary churches to make a new church. So the pastor I spoke with was not a pastor at the Methodist church, but the Covenant Missionary church, but they are all one church at this point. The pastor is not employed by the church, but is a school teacher. I think that is very cool and commented on how we are all pastors, and how that just witnesses to the power of the priesthood of all believers (this comment, later led to another grace-full conversation with one of the students on "calling"). Anyway, over lunch, I had the opportunity to ask questions I've been wanting ask someone. I asked him about the uniting of the churches, the main motivation for wanting to become one denomination, some of the challenges they face, how the church here is responding to the lack of interest in faith in Christ, and where they see hope for the future. People here just don't see a need for faith or the church. They don't see the relevance or the necessity. So I asked how the church has been trying to respond and he said that he felt the efforts made towards reaching youth has been the most effective. I was most interested in the response to my question about where the hope is because until this point I've heard a lot of defeat and sorrow. There must be hope because, first, through Jesus Christ there is always hope, and two, there must be hope somewhere or the Church will definitely fade into non-existence. The pastor had to think about my question for a minute, but he said that he feels like the hope is with the youth. I wasn't entirely surprised by his answer, based on the emphasis I have seen thus far on youth ministry, but it makes sense. The youth are the future of the church and are the only hope for creating a new kind of culture that is not obsessed with work, and a culture that wants make time for community and Christian fellowship. The pastor feels that people here don't make time for Church and Christian fellowship. They may believe something about God, but they keep it to themselves. He said that people are too busy with their careers and professions, that they don't make time for church. So the Christians here have realized that they have to start acting different from the rest of their culture. They have realized that they have to spend time together in order to mature in faith and live out their faith and make it real and tangible. They realize that and are acting upon on it, and that is where there is hope.

We had worship twice today. This morning we worshipped at the camp in town. It was a beautiful setting and out in the open, in the middle of everything. In the summer's here, everybody is off on "holiday" and nobody is home, so they don't have worship at the church in town because nobody is there. So rather than not have church at all, the churches just go to where the people are and have one worship service together. It was awesome! There were a lot of people there and then there were a lot of people just out and about walking by. They may not have been listening to what was being said over the speakers, but the church was gathered for all the see, and join in, if you the wished. There was no translator so we didn't understand what was being said, but the hymns were familiar Methodist hymns, and the Lord's Prayer was easily recognizable. It was beautiful. This evening's worship took place at the church. It was a much smaller crowd, but the worship was great and the fellowship even better. The sons of the families we are staying with played about 20 minutes of worship music that we knew, which gave us an opportunity to just be. Afterwards, we enjoyed our favorite part of Swedish culture- fika! Interesting fact, by the way, in Swedish the word for "coffee bean" is the same word as "prayer," which would explain why Swedish Christians consume coffee at all hours of the day, and why I would make a great Swede :)

This afternoon, after lunch at the pastor's house, we went hiking to Skurugata. It was a gorge that, had we been in the United States, there would have been a trail to go around it, but we went right through it. The trail went to the top of a mountain, with a wonderful view. It was fun and so beautiful. The forest floors here are covered in moss, making it all very bright green and picturesque. I think we were all expecting hobbits to pop out from behind the trees at any time.

Well, I hope my thoughts are making sense. I feel like I need a few days or weeks to really process and reflect on everything, but it's helpful to write down my initial thoughts. Our culture is different and the way we "do church" is different, but I'm thankful for dialogue, where we can learn from one another, and support and encourage each another to boldly live out our faith in Jesus Christ. There's so much to take in, but nothing has had a greater impact than watching the caravaners be challenged and learn and grow. To witness that is the greatest gift of all. God is good.

Peace,
Katie  

    

Stockholm

Today is July 25. That means that in just 10 days we will be making our way home. I think all of us have been a bit homesick- with mixed feelings though. Our group has become a like family and it's going to different when we're not around each other anymore. Yesterday I was especially homesick and just being around the caravaners lifted my spirit. The chemistry of this group continually amazes me. I've seen a lot this past month and still have a lot to see and experience in the last 10 days, but no moment has been more touching or impacting than being with this group of college students. Anyway, I'm sure I'll be writing more about that later...

The past fews days we've been in Marsta, Sweden (I'm not sure exactly when we got here. Not even sure I know what day of the week it is). Tomorrow we're traveling south to Eskjo, where we will stay until Tuesday. In Marsta, we've been staying at a beautiful hostel that's been great for us. We've had our own space, own beds, and even got to watch the Women's World Cup on tv the other day. Yesterday we traveled by train to Stockholm and spent the day there. We started out by going to Ecumenia, which is an international youth organization of the churches here. Actually, first I should note that the United Methodist Church in Sweden is merging with two other churches to form a new church. So the UMC will no longer exist in Sweden. I am saddened by that, but understand the reasoning. The churches here are so small that is just makes more sense if they all merge, combine their resources, and become one. They have been functioning as one for a while, but at the 2012 General Conference, they hope to make it official. Now, that said, Ecumenia, is an organization of the combined churches. The have relationships with countries all over the world, seeking to guide youth to a relationship with Christ through special interest programs like sports, music, and scouts. They have a big discipleship training program that over a hundred youth have participated in in the last year. That number doesn't seem huge, but it's big for them. Again, I find it interesting that in churches here there are more programs for youth than any other age group. The church is significantly smaller here, but as we talked with the people of Ecumenia, we discovered that many of the problems they are learning to address, we too are struggling with. I'm at bit saddened to hear about the numbers and percentages of people that attend church here (something like 4%, one local estimated). We visited a beautiful, old church, built in like the 12th century and when I asked the pastor how many they have in worship on Sunday his response was something like, "Heathens have populated this community for as long as..." That just sounded like a very discouraging response...it makes my heart sad. I imagine it can quickly get frustrating, though, when you have this amazing gift of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to share and learn that just nobody is interested. How can the church respond to an apathetic community? It's an extremely tough question to wrestle with...

After our visit to Ecumenia, we walked to Stockholm's city hall to have lunch on the water. It was beautiful! I learned that their city hall is where the Nobel Prize is given (not the Nobel Peace Prize, but the others). We got to walk around some and then climb into the tower and get a picturesque view of Stockholm and take some pictures. Afterwards, we walked over to old town to have "fika." Fika is basically afternoon coffee or tea. It's something our group has decided we need to adopt in the States. Our fika yesterday took place in old town Stockholm in this beautiful cafe in the hustle and bustle of everything. We all felt very European, though I know we still don't look it. We ate dinner last night at a delicious vegetarian restaurant, with a great view. We ate outside and we were all bundled up in our jackets and blankets. It's been a lot cooler here than I thought it would be, but I'm not complaining because I know it's been hot at home. Stockholm is a beautiful city and I really enjoyed walking around some. I only wish we had had more time there, and had been able to do more. I'll just have to come back sometime :)

Today we traveled north to Uppsala. It was a very cute, old town. We visited the cathedral there which dates back to the 13th century and is the seat of the archbishop of Uppsala. It was breathtaking and took us a full 30 minutes to walk around and see everything. Then we went to Museum Gustavianum, which is part of Uppsala University and has a huge collection of Egyptian antiquities. There were artifacts there that date back to 2000 BC. It was very cool and quite interesting. After lunch at a restaurant there in Uppsala we caught the 2pm train back to Marsta. Now we're relaxing before we walk to the church for a cookout and worship. We get to celebrate communion tonight, which I'm looking forward to. I'm used to having communion every week and haven't be able to on this trip, so I've missed it. I still remember how powerful Communion was for me when I was in the Dominican Republic back in November, so I'm hopeful of a very meaningful worship experience this evening. 


Thanks for following and hope you will continue to keep up these finals 10 days. Many blessings to everyone at home.


Peace,
Katie

Finland

We've got just 2 weeks left in our journey and a lot yet to see. Tomorrow afternoon we make our overnight journey to Sweden. Finland has been fantastic! I think everyone on the team has had a great time here. We started our time here by going to Camp Jumi a fews hours north of Helsinki. It was a beautiful camp and our hosts were very gracious to us. The camps here aren't like the camps we have in North Carolina. They are very simple, but it just goes to show that we don't need big flashy forms of recreation or entertainment to experience God's presence and enjoy genuine Christian community. There was a family work camp going on while we were there and it was a very cool thing to see whole family units present, working together. There weren't a lot of people there and that just made it seem all the more intimate, as we were able to get to know all the families. I think a couple of us fell in love with a couple of the babies and toddlers there. Anyway, we were able to share in some of the work at the camp on Saturday. We did a lot of manual labor, moving branches and logs, cleaning cabins, etc. But it didn't take up the whole day so we were able to enjoy some fellowship and relaxation. The evening sauna was the most relaxing. I learned that the sauna is one thing Finnish people are known for so we all got to experience life as a Finnish. It was fun. We've also been able to enjoy a lot of traditional Finnish food. It's all been very delicious. We finished our time at the camp with worship on Sunday morning, which the caravan was responsible for. The students did a wonderful job, once again.

After a three hour train ride Sunday afternoon we were back in Helsinki. We went to the Methodist for what they call a "three quarter service". Though the service was in Swedish (Finland is a bilingual country with Swedish and Finnish-speaking Fins) it was nice to be back in a church setting (all our worship experiences up to this point have been at camps). After the service we had a wonderful opportunity of hearing the Bishop Hans Vaxby, from the Eurasia Conference, talk about the UMC in Russia. It was fascinating. Like much of Europe, the UMC in Russia is small and faces many challenges, especially where the country's politics are involved, but I heard hope in the Bishop's words. I enjoyed hearing that many of the congregations in the Eurasia are house churches! It was quite a gift to get the pleasure of meeting him and hearing him share with us. I will tell on myself, though, that I was talking to him for a little while without realizing he was a Bishop and made a bit of a fool of myself because apparently I was the only one that missed his introduction as the Bishop. During the worship service, I could not hear our interpreter so perhaps that's where I missed it. Anyway, it was a very pleasant surprise, and again I loved to experience how we are all connected.

I am staying with a lovely family and have had wonderful accommodations here. We had very stimulating conversation yesterday evening as we heard about the culture of Finland and discussed education in our countries and a whole array of topics. Finland has many interesting aspects to their culture being populated by both Finnish and Swedish-speaking people. It sounds like the two populations are having a difficult time getting along and the Swedish-speaking Fins are being discriminated against. I've enjoyed hearing about Finnish people and how they are. Drinking is a huge problem here and one theory I heard as to why is that Finnish people do not talk about feelings. So they end up holding everything in, not getting it out because they just don't share things with others, and we all know that if you do that too long it will explode within, and the Fins let it out through alcohol. The theory makes sense, and the person who shared this with me thinks it started during war times. Finland is the only country that was not occupied by the Soviets, but it did not mean things were much easier for them. People still died and families still lost loved ones.

At a barbeque we went to this evening, I had a great conversation with the host about the UMC in Helsinki. He noted that in worship on Sunday 50-60% of the worshipers are young people. I was shocked by that statistic because that is not how it is in the States. He said about 10 years ago, after major decline to almost non-existence, the churches realized they had to do something. So the people took a risk on change and have found a way to worship in different styles that are more welcoming to young people, yet still meaningful to older generations. I was very encouraged to hear this gentleman's observation that they all seemed to experience more genuine Christianity and passionate faith. He noted that the change was not easy for everybody, but well worth it to see the passionate faith of those in attendance.

I know in America we recognize we have to do something in our churches to make a way for the future, while respecting and learning from the past, but I don't know that we've figured it out. What works here in Scandinavia may not work exactly for us, but I wonder more and more if the churches here have something right when much emphasis in ministry and church life is about raising children and youth to not only be in church, but to be excited and passionate about their experiences of God. I think we do this to a certain extent, but I'm left to continue to reflect on this as I am continually encouraged by a Church that is very small, in comparison to the Bible Belt, but filled with hope because young people are coming and excited about being there.

Everything I have written to the point, was written yesterday, and I am now sitting on the ferry (more like a cruise though) headed to Sweden. We'll be there tomorrow morning. I've never been on a cruise before so this in itself is another new experience added to everything else I've been experiencing. Everyone has split up and we're all just doing our own thing. I'm enjoying the "alone" time, even though there are people walking all around as I sit in one of the lobby's writing. If I might be personal for a minute, I'm missing home a bit this evening. It always seems to hit when we're traveling and have a lot of time to just sit. I'm excited about Sweden and Denmark, but in this moment I miss home. I read the church newsletter this afternoon just to see what's been going on, and I want my Aldersgate followers to know that I miss you all. But you don't want to hear about that. So let me tell you about some of the things we saw today in Finland. The day started out with rain, but cleared up in time for us to walk around the city. Finland is a beautiful city. I think I took more pictures today than I have in the other countries we've been to (you'll have to wait to see the pictures). We saw some beautiful churches. I can't remember the name of my favorite one (Finnish words are ridiculously hard to pronounce, much less remember), but it was built into rock so the walls on the inside were stone. It was beautiful! The ceiling was circular and I later learned that it was made of a single copper wire, which, if stretched out, would equal something like 50 miles. It was pretty incredible. There was also a concert pianist playing on a beautiful Steinway so we sat, listened, and prayed for a while. We also got to go inside the Finland National Library, which was beautiful and it was fun to go to the theology section and see a Duke professor represented in the Finnish library :)

It was a bit sad saying goodbye to Finland, but I look forward to saying hello to Sweden in the morning. All the traveling and late nights are starting to wear on me, so here's to hoping for a restful night's sleep.

God's peace,
Katie

Latvia

July 7, 2011

(Again, it is late so I did not edit. Forgive my many typing and grammatical errors)

It’s been almost a week since I was last able to last post. Since then, we have completed our stay in Latvia and will be heading for Finland tomorrow. Our stay in Latvia has been wonderful. We’ve see a lot of the country and have seen a lot of ministry. We began our time in Latvia in Liepaja, where we stayed at the beautiful Wesley Camp. We got there just as an intergenerational camp was finishing up. Right when we got there, we were greeted with English. There was a team there from Alabama and other Latvians who spoke English quite well. It was so refreshing to be able to communicate easily. Not long after we arrived, the team got asked if we could lead part of the worship they were having later that evening. It was the first time we were asked to present something in worship, so we looked at some of the things we prepared and pulled something together. There was a guest worship team there that night who led us in worship music, which was wonderful. It was pretty powerful when the music started, and though the words weren’t being sung in English, we knew the song. The same songs we sing in America are being sung in churches across Scandinavia. I stand in awe, again, or how much we are connected. The team did well when we got up to do our part of the service. It was our first time and I could tell they were nervous (I was nervous), but they did great! After worship we sat around a bon-fire and shared fellowship with some of the youth present for the camp. I could tell the caravaners were happy to be around people their age. I was happy they could get to know some of the people their age, and the fellowship and friendship-building continued our whole time there. Our sleeping arrangements at the camp were fun. The first night we slept in a tent in a barn. The following two nights we slept in the fresh hay in the barn. It was a very cool experience and wonderful night’s sleep on the soft hay.

On Sunday morning, we were again asked to participate in worship. Our program that service was a little longer, and again, they did great, with everyone participating. I have been especially appreciated of the two that have shared their faith story thus far. The others will get their chance here in the next few days. After we did our part in worship, we got to take part in the closing services of the week’s camp. The final piece of it was a prayer in which we circled, each given the opportunity to pray out loud. The camp director was the final person to pray and as she prayed in Latvian, we had no idea what she was praying, but you could tell it was from the heart and felt powerful. Then, as she ended her prayer everyone started praying. Now, at this camp were not just Latvians, but Lithuanians as well and then us. It took us a few seconds to catch on to what they were saying and realized it was the Lord’s Prayer so we joined in, and what a powerful moment that was. There in that circle we prayed the same prayer in three different languages. We didn’t know what each was saying, but we did. It reminded me of Pentecost, celebrated in the Church not too long ago. We each spoke our native tongue, but the same words. Again, the word “connected” speaks powerful things.

Our time at Wesley Camp was a lot of fun for the caravaners (and me as well, but more so for them because they got to be around people their age). We spent a lot of time outside, wandering around the camp, playing games, watching beautiful sunsets, enjoying fellowship. One day we took a walk to the Baltic Sea, which was less than a kilometer away. It was a chilly day. I was wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt, but two of the caravaners were crazy enough to get in and go for a swim. They seemed to enjoy it, but I was completely content staying dry on the sand. After our time at the Baltic, we as a team decided to have some quiet time. We had been spending a lot of time together and I could tell everyone was getting tired and needed some alone time. So when we got back we each picked a spot in the hay to read, journal, and/or nap. Later that night, before going to sleep, we had reflection time to talk about our need for solitude. I’m amazed more and more with this group of students. They are aware of themselves and know when they need time apart to rest, reflect, and rejuvenate. That time apart has naturally become called “introvert time.” So whenever one of us need to be a break from being with people we simply say, “I need to be an introvert” (or something like that), and we allow it, or even all take it. So anyway, I’ll write more about the group in a bit.

Our last day in Liepaja, we were taken out to see the sights. We started our day by going to a Holocaust memorial remembering the thousands of Jews in Liepaja that had been killed. It was the first time all of us had been to any place that had been affected by the horrible events of the Holocaust so it was very powerful and moving. It made those events we have heard about in class and read about in books come to life and seem more real. And since then that reality has been realized more and more, but more on that later. After the memorial we went to a fort on the coast of the Baltic Sea. We spent a lot of time there and had a lot of fun exploring. The rest of our day we got to see the Methodist church in town, more sights in the city, and even got to go on a hike to the one mountain in the area, which really wasn’t a mountain for North Carolinians, but it was still beautiful. As the day was winding down I was ready to go back and rest, but because a 21-year old was driving us around and apparently thought it was still too early to go back, we went bowling. It was fun, but I think we all felt like it was a bowling game that lasted entirely too long. It was 9pm before we got back and didn’t get to eat dinner until 11pm. I was tired and honestly, feeling grumpy by then, so I was happy to crawl in my sleeping bag that night. Thus ended our stay in Latvia, as we left to head back to Riga the next day (Tuesday the 5^th).

Riga is a beautiful city. When we walked around it one evening, for the first time, it felt like we were in what I had imagined Europe to be, with the old cobblestone roads, lined with old-style architecture apartment buildings, beautiful restaurants with lots of outdoor seating and live music, and people walking everywhere. It’s been crazy walking around Riga and other towns in Latvia with buildings that have been around hundreds of years longer than our country was founded. All the European history I only half-listened to in grade school has come to life and fascinated me. We went to the Soviet Occupation Museum today and it was heart wrenching to read about all that the people in this country have gone through over the years, and then to think about how that has affected the Church and doing ministry today.  

We have had the opportunity to experience more ministry in Latvia. Yesterday we spent the day at the Hope Center, which is a ministry the UMC here that houses young mothers who were kicked out of their homes because they decided to keep their baby. It’s a beautiful ministry because it doesn’t just provide a safe place for these young mothers to be, but together they learn how to care for their child with the goal of getting out on their own. While in the house they learn basic life skills (i.e. cleaning, cook, house care, finances, work ethic, etc.). The goal is for the women to be able to get out on their own in 6 months, but they are not kicked out if they can’t meet the goal. So we got to spend the day with the children of the house, which was a lot of fun. The language barrier was a bit odd to figure our way around, but we quickly realized that you don’t need words to make a toddler laugh. While in Liepas we traveled a short way to one of the poorest communities in Latvia. Upon our arrival we met a large group of children and youth. We soon learned that they were all a part of the Methodist church there. We visited the humble worship space in the rundown apartment building and was I witnessed the power of what I’ve always thought- church is not about the place of worship and meaningful worship does not have to take place in a big, beautiful building. The whole church is made up of primarily children and youth because their parents are often too drunk on Sunday morning to go to church with them. In fact, I’m learning that the emphasis of ministry in this area is based around getting children and youth in church and committed to church. I think there’s something there, but I may have to reflect on it some more before I write about it.

There are more women in ministry here than men (in the UMC anyway). The past few days we have been with two women my age who have also just begun their ministry. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations about our different ministries and how we got to where we are, etc.

In this moment, after we as a group have shared devotion and discussion together, my eyes are being opened to the fact that perhaps God has more in store for me on this trip than I thought; that perhaps what I had hoped to happen and the ministry I had hoped to experience is different from what God has planned. These four college students remind me so much of myself not all that long ago. I hear so much of myself when I was in college as I hear them talk. And I feel that perhaps I do have something to offer them. I don’t know if they want what I have to offer, what little knowledge or experience I have, but I know I’ve come to genuinely care about them and want to see them grow and be the change makers I know they can be. This is hands-on leadership training and I’m trying to soak up as much as possible. I like it because I don’t have to stand in the spotlight, where my introverted self doesn’t always prefer to be. I get to hang out in the background and observe and ask questions and remain present, as they are empowered to do and be. This is what disciple-making it about. I have so much learn, but thankful for what I’ve learned thus far.

Tomorrow we are headed to Finland. We’ve got a long day of travel via bus, ferry, train, and car, but the schedule for our time there looks to be very exciting. Latvia is a beautiful country, especially Riga. I’ve enjoyed learning about their history and connecting that to how the church functions and copes with it’s various challenges. Many of the challenges they deal with are not much different from the ones that face us in the States. Ministers here, too, feel like the church has to do something as people continue to turn from a life of faith in Christ. But all believe that one of the gifts Jesus left us is the Church- the church of all generations and young or old- and we must find a way to worship together in a way that is genuine and real in order to not just survive, but thrive. The culture is different, which makes the way of doing ministry different, but the Church Jesus gave us is the same no matter where we live and we are connected, and that is what I am experiencing and what inspires me.    

God’s peace,

Katie

End of Lithuania

It’s our last night in Lithuania and then on our way to Latvia tomorrow. It’s been a great past few days. The day after my last post we traveled a few kilometers outside Kaunus to work in the home of an older adult in the church. I think it was a good experience for the group because it gave them an opportunity to use their hands and see something get completed from start to finish. I felt like it was a good day for group bonding. We just seemed to have good chemistry, and I think it helped that we were all working together to accomplish a task. The bus ride out to the site and the walk following the ride wore everyone down pretty well, but they didn’t let it get them down too much.

The next day (yesterday) we took a three-hour bus ride north from Kaunus to a town called Birzai. It’s much small than Kaunus, but is more like I’m used to so I’ve enjoyed it. We met the pastor of the church at the bus station and after walking or taking buses that past few days, seeing the minivan we were going to ride in was like seeing a lavish SUV. Our accommodations while in Birzai has been on the second floor of the church, complete with a kitchen, computer lab, washer, showers, and a great living space. We have felt spoiled our whole time in Lithuania with the hospitality, but it’s been especially nice having all of us together. After a pizza party with some of the children in the church, we took a walk to a popular swimming spot on Lithuania’s first man-made lake (which was made by the Duke of the castle that is up the hill, in order to protect it).

Birzai UMC is a pretty cool church. Pastor Ramond (“Raimondus” in Lithuanian) has done some pretty cool stuff in his seven years here. When he got here, he immediately learned that people in this part of the community do not have running water (I saw some people washing their clothes in the lake today), so one of the first things he did was put in a clothes washer to make available to the community for free, along with a shower. He then made is possible for a nurse to be available for free health consultation. They may not have many in worship on Sunday (he said about 30-40), but they have made it possible to meet real needs of the community in hopes to open doors to offer spiritual nourishment. On the third floor of the church there are guest rooms that they rent out for a little cheaper than the some of the other places in town in order to pay the water bill and heat in the winter. They are very resourceful here and I’ve been encouraged and inspired by the people here. We had a great conversation with Pastor Ramond this afternoon, after driving around and seeing some of the sights in Birzai like a giant sinkhole created by an underground river. We also talked about more of the history of Lithuania and he shared with us some of his personal experiences and memories from when they were occupied by the Soviets. The concept of freedom is something still fairly new to them (they’ve been independent for only 20 years), and he said he’s still adjusting, some, to the idea of being free. In America, we read about the history of our country and what it was like to be without freedom, but it seems so far in the past and we don’t get to hear of people’s personal experiences from being without it. Lithuania is a beautiful country with a very challenging history, but they have persevered and it adds to the richness of their character as a country.

We also had Ramond share with us his personal opinion of Amercians, which launched us on a very stimulating conversation about the way Americans are and how we think. We spent most of our time talking about how he felt like Americans are fake with their interactions with each other (i.e. how many times do you pass someone, say, “Hi. How are you?” and then keep on moving?). We had noticed earlier in the day when we were walking around town on our own, screaming “American” (not literally screaming), that nobody acknowledge anybody when they passed each other on the street. Nobody smiled or made eye contact. It’s something we’re so used to and consider it Southern hospitality to acknowledge someone and greet them. Some in the group were starting to take it personally, so it was helpful to learn that Lithuanians don’t like fake conversations or interactions. If they ask someone how they are, they genuine want to know how they are doing. If you’re having a bad that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you- it just means you’re having a bad day- so they want to hear about it. That line of conversations got me on my soap box about how so many Christians (myself included) are guilty of what I call “Sunday smiles” when we come to church and don’t allow ourselves to be in a bad mood or share our lament. But that’s another topic for another day. Overall, it was a very soul-filling conversation and dialogue, as I awed, once again, by the connectionalism of the UMC, when Ramond starting naming pastors in the WNCC that he knows. 

Another great thing that has been going on is the conversations we’ve started to have as a group. Last night was the first opportunity we had to sit down together and just debrief, reflect, and talk about the past several days. If I might get personal for a minute, I’ve been critiquing my leadership (probably being too hard on myself), but I was in my zone when we were debriefing and felt that my gifts were being used. It gave me the confidence boost I needed. I’ve also been blessed with the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with a couple in the group. I feel like God is doing some cool things in them, and I can’t wait to have more conversations about it all in the weeks to come.

Tomorrow we will be spending lots of time on the buses as we make our way to the Wesley Camp in Latvia, where we will be until Tuesday. We’ve been in cities or towns for the past week, so I’m looking forward to being in a camp setting. Your continued prayers for safe travel is much appreciated. Also I ask for prayers for this team and God’s work in their lives in the weeks to come- that they may have clarity of God’s will in their lives, and may fall more in love with God has we continue to meet amazing people and experience a different kind of ministry.

God’s peace,

Katie   

Lithuania

FYI: I did not proof read this so I apologize ahead of time for all the grammatical errors. It's too late the actually care about grammer and spelling. :)
We have just one full day behind us and a tiring day it has been. We walked a lot more than I think any of us expected but saw some pretty beautiful stuff. Our first visit was to a monastery (right up my alley). From there we walked around a beautiful park and enjoyed the amazing weather (70-80 degree, sunny, and a breeze). Today was primarily sight-seeing, which was nice but it doesn't feel much like we're on a mission trip, but part of the experience is getting to know the country and the people. Lithuania has a fascinating history, and learning about the spiritual life of the general populion, and state of the Methodist church has been quite interesting. I had one moment when I was reminded how great the connecitonalism of the Methodist church is. We were standing around talking with the two women that have been showing us around and their English is not the best, and our Lithuanian is zero, so at times we were having a hard time understanding each other. Once they found out I was a pastor we started talking about ordination and I asked about women clergy, and we were speaking the same language. At that moment, I appreciated all the more that we are connectional. As I said, Lithuania has quite a history, being independant from the Soviet Union only about 20 years, and the impact that has had on the state of Christianity in Lithuania. We visited one church that was very big and beautiful on the outside and on the inside it is in the process of being rennovated after Soviet occupation ruining it. Then we learned that the UMC we are using as a base here in Kaunus was used as a place to play sports and watch movies during Soviet occupation, but now it is a beautiful church inside and out. It is a beautiful sign of God's renewal and restoration. Catholicism is the big denomination here, but people here have no sense of having a relationship with God, and after finally gaining indenpendance, people are materialistic. Most people who affiliate with the Catholic church go just on big holiday and maybe confession once a year and there is no interest in knowing the heart of God. The Methodist church is small here, and they have a lot going against them, but the people I have met are a beautiful faith, and have seen what God has done through them in the short amount of time they have been established, and have hope for their future. They have been persecuted for so long and I imagine that there is nothing easy about recovering from that- something we know nothing about in America. I wonder, though, if I am getting a glimpse of what Christianity in the United States is on it's way to. I thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with Kristina (the pastor's wife) today as I discovered so much about this country I knew hardly anything about 36 hours ago.
So today has been a lot of sight-seeing and relationship-building. Tomorrow we will be working on the house of the oldest man in the church. I hope to be able to hear stories about church when he was younger and life during Soviet occupation.
The people in Lithuania are very stylish and we stuck out like a sore thumb. It is a poorer country, but people obviously put a lot of emphasis on how they look, as everyone looks like they just got of a runway at a fashion show. We have riden a lot of trains and buses, which as been a fun experience. Only one more full day here in Kaunus and then we move on to another town, and then Latvia on Friday. The team seems to be getting along really well. I can tell they are tired, but nobody is in poor spirits about it. It really is a great group with so much to offer, so I look forward to witnessing their growth as the weeks go on, as I experience my own growth as well. Well, I best be moving towards bed now. My thoughts don't feel connected anymore. Hope all is well with everyone following!
God's peace

We've made it to Dulles and now waiting to board for our flight to Germany where we'll catch our flight for Lithuania. Leaving was harder than I thought it would be. I felt stupid. I was nervous and restless. A ride to the airport with friends helped me relax and eased my mind. The team is energetic and excited. I feel good about everything now. Prayers have been felt and I thank God for the peace I have felt the last couple hours after the anxiety I felt before left. I'm hoping to sleep on the plane a feel like i'll be able to. We should be boarding soon so here's to a very boring, uneventful flight over the big pond.

Countdown...

Welcome to my blog! Thanks for following me on this exicting, Scandinvaian journey! Keep checking back here for updates. Once we hit the road I will update it as often as I can. In the meantime, prayers are appreciated. 6 days and counting....