So, somewhat classically following the previous month of struggling with discouragement and isolation, etc, I have really enjoyed May (and June so far!)
I think, in part, that simply by recognising that my struggles were a natural stage of Culture Shock(which I had somehow, unconsciously but arrogantly, assumed I wouldn’t have a problem with?!), then gave me a kind of freedom to acknowledge them and move on! I realised that these things weren’t a never ending reality but rather, a stage or process that I WAS already moving through(and so not stuck in stagnancy)! And then, again classically, the minute I began moving myself (figuratively, mentally, physically, etc) I found things begin moving again, too! :)
So, this past month has again been encouraging, while still continually realising that this little cycle will be being fought/processed/surmounted for a long while yet!
But! In the meantime...our “Team Day” went well, with everyone being able to give input and perspective, and then the Leitungsteam(the Leadership team) taking that input and looking at how we currently organise(or don’t!) ourselves, and working out a much clearer framework, which should help the Polylux e.V community to move forwards with less confusion and misunderstandings(which tend to cause frustration and resentment and overwork...) We still have to do a little “fleshing out” and discussing of some of the new aspects (creating a separate “Prayer & Vision” Team which will ‘feed into’ the Leitungsteam, which means the Leitungsteam can then focus on more practical leadership as well as weighing what the “P&V” team bring in; and clarifying who is doing what and is responsible for which projects/aspects, etc, to hopefully avoid micro-managing and unintentional interference/confusion), but I think everyone felt much happier and more at peace afterwards, because we could finally “see” again, what/where we currently are, and were able to trust that each person/project is recognised and valued, and people (hopefully) won’t be getting overloaded because we have a framework to help support things...
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| I don't think it's an official uniform... |
So that was good!
Then we had the “Grand Opening” of the new office space/prayer room, with about 100(?) people coming along for an Open House, with live music, Proscecco, face-painting and waffles/crepes...
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| Outside the "new" Offices & Prayer Room |
Then came my “Birthday Week” which was surprisingly wonderful!! I am slightly ashamed to say that I didn’t have much expectation for this year’s birthday, probably partly in coming off the back of the previous month’s “stuff”, but also simply because I’m still only getting to know people here, and I’ve never been a “Big Party” type of person, anyways! So on the day, I simply planned to spend a quiet, enjoyable day on my own, and then join in for a “Coffee & Cake” (Kaffee & Kuchen) afternoon on the 25th for one of the other girl’s birthday! But wonderfully, the two days turned out to be absolutely fantastic! My birthday morning I had my German class as usual (during which they sung “Happy Birthday” to me), then Katharina & Ava brought round a lovely little “birthday tray” with a card and little gifts, and then I got to open the cards sent from various friends and family (and a hilarious gift box full of cheddar cheese, PG Tips, Reece’s PB Cups & After Eights!). In the afternoon I went to Caribuni’s Family Day where I was sung to again, was given some lovely flowers and ate supper, and then I got unexpectedly “collected” by a Syrian friend and taken into town for ice cream!! This turned out to be one of the most encouraging times I’ve had, in that I later realised that I managed 90 minutes of conversation...in GERMAN!!! Dalil doesn’t speak English. At all. And I definitely don’t speak Arabic, Turkish or Kurdish!! And yet we managed to chat for nearly an hour and a half, about family, language learning, Neubrandenburg and our home cities, all in German!! I was SO ridiculously stoked about this, you can’t imagine!!
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| Feeling blessed and loved... |
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| When friends know you too well... |
And then, the following afternoon, Andrea & I had our little “Kaffee Kuchen” party at my house...and it was lovely!!! Again, I hadn’t really thought about who might come, because really, I still only ‘know’ the Polylux guys! But some the Eritrean’s came, and most of the Polylux “Crew”, and a couple of friends of Andrea’s, and the son of our German teacher & his girlfriend (Aron & Lela, they’re incredibly sweet and are some of my “little friends” from the community!), and it was just generally lovely! :)
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| Eman from my German Class! :) (learned that day that she gave birth to her daughter in the middle of the mediterranean, on one of the boats from Africa to Italy...) |
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| Andrea & My "Kaffee & Kuchen" afternoon at my flat... :) |
The following Saturday I also got a treat, in being taken out to a friend of the Zaddach’s, who has horses and is a western rider. So I found myself giving pony-rides to the Zaddach girls, but also got a chance to hop on myself! :) (This weekend I’m going back and Ute & I are going to go to a local Western Show!)
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| Old habits die hard... |
This past week has been quieter again, except for a joint birthday BBQ for Ralf & Basti, and then on Saturday we had Herzstuck, and myself, Gabriel & Ela Klemme were “officially” welcomed into the community. Polylux suggested that, when we arrived, we take the first 6-9 months as a “Noviate”. A season to get to know and be known by the community, before committing ourselves to this “Family”. That way, if anything went wrong, or someone/something just didn’t “fit”, this would allow both sides(us or them) to say, “Sorry, this isn’t working...”, with no false expectations raised or disappointed. Well, that time has passed (I must admit, that I kind of ‘skipped it’ mentally...because, well, I’m here till I’m not, unless they tell me to leave! ;) )
So last weekend, we took some time as a community to “officially” recognise the “Novitiates” as part of the community (and so more able to give input/speak into, etc), and then also prayed together for this ‘new’, growing community as we ‘go forwards’! :)
THIS Saturday we have our “Hamburg Tour” for the choir, and then we have the “Release Party” for “Die Geschicte Projekt”, (http://diegeschichte.org/) which is basically a video podcast version of the “God Story”, done through short videos aiming to share the story and encourage questions and discussion. Then a quick visit from my Finnish friend Vilja (en route home to Finland), and then we’ll be into July!!
I have recently decided that I’m going to try and take my B1 German Language test in September, which also now gives me a specific target for my German learning, so hopefully I can speak with my teacher and some of the others and create a plan to help keep me on track!
So life continues and continues to change, grow and develop and I continue to grow and integrate into the “Family” here...thank you SO much for all your prayers, support, skype calls, facebook message, CONTACT...I love you all and miss you all, but still wouldn’t miss this for the world...! :) 💛
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