On Saturday, October 25, we “oldtimers” entered this area in Schleswig-Holstein to spend 3 days with loving brothers and sisters in the Lord.  The Sunday morning service, close to the center of Kiel, was a wonderful encounter with sparkling youth and older people gathered together while the word of God had “the swift and glorious course” (2 Thess. 3:1, NEB translation).  The individual contacts with old and new friends were so precious.

A young woman came up to me after the service to share with me her testimony.  She had been studying theology for 4 yrs., she told me, without a saving experience with the Savior.  This was a dark period in her life which also threw threatening shadows on her marriage. One year ago the Lord met her, however, and she pointed to 2 Cor. 4:6 which she had underlined.  On that very word we had just been dwelling during our gathering that morning. Her conversion led to the conversion of her husband too, and now she teaches German school children.  Her radiating countenance certainly reflected the joy of salvation.

The hospitality is warm and spontaneous down there.  A family we had supper with Monday night sang for us a song of praise (part-singing and “a capella”), and it was so beautiful to have father, mother, a son (16), two beautiful girls (15 and 18) before us.  That´s the way the Germans are when they are best!  The head of the house is with the police, and he is at the same time a fine ambassador for Christ.

Kiel is an old commercial centre with a big harbor and a population of abt. 275,000 inhabitants.  It´s the capital of that whole province or “Land” called Schleswig-Holstein.  It all belonged to Denmark till 1864 where an unhappy war forced us to surrender it to Germany.  It´s one of those places where I have a standing invitation (and never have to wait for one).  When it lasts too long before I show up, I may receive an impatient e-mail asking, “When are you coming?”  So I´m part of a precious fellowship in a good Brethren assembly.

My wife and I went home with gratitude and joy in our hearts (less than 160 miles to drive by car plus 45 minutes with the ferry), and the sun was shining as beautifully as when we arrived three days before.  The autumn colors in their golden splendor were like a foretaste to a coming glory in eternity.

-jn- - 29.10.08