A Sunday morning I will remember

I've always thought I had 'an affinity for languages.' Well, I don't for German. Today Andy and I were treated to a drive to a nearby village to go to church...in German. We heard our names and Sud California so we knew we were being introduced. We waived. We probably should have stood up. I really thought I was catching some of it here and there. I knew every praise song; they even sang one in English.

Soren Dorr is the German Country Director for Christ's Hope Int'l. He was presenting about his recent trip to Africa and the kids at a Carepoint in Oshikuku, Namibia, who need sponsors.

Marie was then introduced. She just returned from a year in Kenya as a volunteer with Christ's Hope. You could tell she was passionate about what she was preaching about. I was pretty sure she told her story and referenced the book of John.

After the service, they have a lovely tradition of drinking coffee and having snacks at bistro tables in the back of the church. A man , Hans, approached Andy and I, wanting to practice his English...thank goodness. We talked about how he is planning to move to Australia to be with 'the most wonderful woman in the world.' I was so touched when he explained that Christine, Soren's mother, was the counselor who had helped him when he "had a breakdown" and needed to either "come back to Jesus or commit suicide."

Christine is one of those rare women. She seems very humble. I am so embarrassed when people apologize for their English when my German is non-existent, as Christine does. She and Winfried Dorr had picked us up for the airport over a week ago when we arrived. She said she loved being with people who let her 'talk and talk,' as if she is just some silly woman talking about nothing. Today I realized she is a trained and skilled one-on-one counselor, works 2 days a week nurturing 5 severely handicapped people in a facility near here in 'Sud (South) Herborn,' and that God uses her quite often as a leader in her church and a Christian counselor.

Funny, I never really put so much weight unto the title "Christian Counselor" before. I thought of it as a therapist that is also Christian. When Hans told us that Christine's help has brought him out of the pit of despair and into the joy of our Lord Jesus, I was overwhelmed with the sense of what that means.

So, back to Marie. As part of her 30 - 40 minute sermon in German, she referenced the Kardashians many times. As we all stood around talking after the service, I asked her what it was about the Kardashians she was talking about. After many confused moments and my insistence that she has talked about them, Hans put it togther. She was talking about Galatians. Not the Kardashians. A couple people laughed with me. The others didn't.

And to think I have always prided myself on my cultural sensitivity and ability to relate. Oh my.