The Road to Herzberg

So how long do you think it will take before the people here realize they are being blogged about?  Most here don’t know who I am yet (it won’t take long) and don’t know I’m a blogger so I’ll be able to get away with some things until they do.  The house church I go to have never figured it out. 

I arrived here in Switzerland tonight from Dusseldorf, Germany after taking four trains and one bus.  The bus dropped Marielke and I off on a hillside next to a road going further up a hill.  There wasn’t anything else there, just a sign pointing to “Herzberg”.   I wish life was that simple!  Being able to follow such complex directions, we started our ascent up into the stars for there were many all around us.  It was extraordinarily beautiful.  I looked for my dear friend Orion but didn’t see him shining his light.  Since he was the only constelation I recognized while I was in Kenya, he has become a special friend no matter where I go.  

Some of the other Young Adult Friends already here met us partway up the hill and helped us with our luggage.  One girl took my backpack, though she may have immediately regretted that choice, for after about 20 meters higher in elevation, I heard her say to the people behind me, “This bag is heavy!” and I shouted back down, “You’re telling me!”  I’m glad they laughed.  It is a heavy bag but it is for five and half weeks of travel and I have multiple copies of five different books in there.  (If you are someone I will see during this trip, please buy them.  I really would like a lighter bag.)

Finally we arrived at our intended row of lighted windows.  (It was dark so I couldn’t see much else.)  Inside we’re several young adults who introduced themselves including people from Russia, Norway, Germany, and Britain.  Truth be told, and this is a private confession so don’t tell anybody I said this, but I am a little nervous.  Walking into a room full of strangers from a diverse array of countries and no one from yours is a little intimidating.  But hopefully, you would never know that by looking at me. 

Earlier tonight before we arrived they had a worship sharing where they opened up with their hopes and fears for the conference.  My hope is I represnet Spirit Rising in a way that honors what we dream of for the book, the reality that it is, and honors all those people who put so much energy into making sure it became a reality you could hold and read.  I also hope they like me.  I guess everyone is hoping that.  My fear is I won’t represent the book well or even myself.  But fear is not of the Lord and if he called me here, he has equipped me to meet the task!  Just as Martin Luther put it so well, “Here I stand.  I can do no other.”

One Young Woman came up to me while I was in one of the main rooms and introduced herself as someone who contributed to Spirit Rising.  I asked her which piece she wrote for the book.  Having read it four times, I recognize many of them if described.  When she told which it was, I had to smile and I shared with her that her piece was one of the ones I regularly read to groups when giving a presentation about the book.  (That was fun to tell her that!)  For those of you who have heard one of my presentations, it’s the poem about silence. 

Coming to this conference marks a definate change on this trip.  Up to now, I have only been in front of an audience for a few hours at a time but now I will be representing the book to international Friends around the clock for the next couple of days.  This is more demanding and involves better self-care.  On the upside, it will also give me more time to write here.

It will be very interesting to see what happens tomorrow. 

(I apologize for any misspellings.  I have tried my best to spell words correctly but the back up spell checker thinks I speak Swedish since I’m  in Switzerland.  It is certain nearly all the words are spelled wrong.)