Oh, we're halfway there...

So, I've been in Berlin for 3.5 weeks now, and this is officially my first blog post. Being present is a good thing. Leaving people out of the loop is a bad thing. This is an officially stated intent to change with apology.

Here's a recap of Week 1. Come back later for the Weeks 2 and 3 editions, along with forward progress.

Week 1. Arrival. Meeting the team here made me excited to work with them before I even knew exactly what I was going to do. The Berlin team of which I get to be a part for a short while includes Ben and Sarah Carey, Jerry and Shelly Kragt, and Don and Sarah Jones, with all of their kids. My first night in Berlin they took me out to get ice cream. Since ice cream is the tie that binds, that's when I knew that we were going to work well together.

One of the first things I noticed is that people in Germany speak quickly, and in very, very long sentences. That is, while I'm still trying to piece together the first clause, they're already on to the second paragraph. The missionaries speak primarily English at home, but the church I'm attending, and most of the work that I'm doing, is all German all the time. Needless to say, I was intimidated at the prospect of having 8 short weeks to get to the point where I felt comfortable bringing the Kingdom in German. But God is good, and if I need to get there, I'll get there.

I journaled every day during my first week here. I would write out a prayer every night at the end of my reflections, and by the next day I was already seeing the ways that God works right under my nose, and I miss it if I'm not watching. Simple things would happen. One night, I wrote a prayer that God would allow me to develop closer relationships with the missionaries already, and the next night I got to have a 1.5 hour conversation with one of the couples. When I'm at home, I don't take time to journal because my life at home is not very exciting. At school, I study and get to know my friends better. At my parents' house, I sleep and get to know my family better. But God has not been working in the exciting things that have been happening to me. I haven't been gifted with tongues or the ability to speak fluent German overnight. I haven't prayed the Sinner's Prayer with any formerly hardened atheists (yet). I haven't turned the city of Berlin on its head, but when I asked God to give me a friend, he gave me a fellow intern who I really love. When I asked for good conversation, it overflowed. These are things that aren't a result of this exciting time in life, but just a result of praying for small things in life that matter.

Those are some thoughts. I love it here. God is good.

Tune in tomorrow for a gripping Week 2 recap: Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow!