Monday, April 30, 2012

The First Few Days


Sonntag, 29. April 2012

Today my journey with Dr. Kleinhans safely brought us from Cedar Rapids, to Detroit, to Amsterdam, then finally – Nürnberg! Alyssa and Dan greeted us at the airport Sunday morning, which was a great start to my first time in a foreign country. We spent the rest of the day venturing around Nürnberg, walking and sightseeing. We went to the Documentation Museum,  which included a self-guided tour to learn about the history of Nürnberg and the National Socialist party.  We then went on to walk around the area to see the various sites we learned about at the museum. We also explored in the Altstadt of Nürnberg, which included visiting the St. Sebald Church. Nürnberger sausages for dinner.

Outside the museum, remains of former Nazi Party Rally Grounds, Nürnberg.


In the St. Sebald church, Nürnberg.



I had my first experience with the S-Bahn today, which is a little different from the Metro system I am used to in the States. It definitely helps to travel with experienced people. At the end of the day we went to Neuendettelsau. We are staying there for the next couple days with Alyssa, who is currently studying there at Augustana.

It has been awhile since I last took a German course—two years—so I am hoping to continue practicing. I am sure the next three and a half weeks will allow me to do so! It is always nice when people let us use our German, instead of automatically switching to English when they realize we are American.

I look forward to upcoming adventures. Eisenach is near!

Note: Not our car. But it's orange, and eco-friendly!





Montag, 30. April 2012

What a wonderful experience to learn more about the history of Wartburg College! Today we had the opportunity to meet with two insightful and caring people, Dr. Becker and Sister Ruth, who taught us about Wilhelm Löhe. Dr. Becker has an honorary degree from Wartburg College, and Ruth is a deaconess of the Diokonie Neuendettelsau.

In the morning we had a nice time with Dr. Becker, chatting with him at his home. He spoke a bit about what he has done, as well as German history. We learned about the history of the church in Germany, and the impact of immigration to America. He then took us to the Löhe-Zeit museum, where we saw artifacts displaying what it was like while Wilhelm Löhe lived. Löhe was a pastor committed to serving the greater community, and he was very much involved with missionary work. He established programs, such as a school for girls, that focused on bringing people out of poverty. During the early 1800s, the people of Neuendettelsau were very poor, and Löhe saw this as an opportunity for service.

Löhe-Zeit-Museum, Neuendettelsau.


After stopping for Döners for lunch, we went over to meet with Ruth. She showed us many interesting things, including where they make communion bread. We even got to sample some (not yet consecrated) wafers. It was great to talk with her and learn more about how the Diokonie serves the community. God has called them to service, and they work with all kinds of different people. She also shared more information about Löhe, who established the Diakonie.

How the deaconesses create communion bread, Neuendettelsau.


The best part of this day was grasping a greater understanding of the connection Neuendettelsau has with Wartburg College. It makes me wonder if Löhe ever would have imagined that the spirit of service still lives on, when he sent Georg Grossman to America to found Wartburg 160 years ago. It also makes me proud to be part of a community that is committed to service and mission. Löhe might not have always followed the rules of the land, but he surely knew what he was doing, and he understood the importance of service.