Edge UK - meeting the two Rebecca's

Well to be honest we didn't know what to expect when Burcin told us we've be getting a team of two from the UK for our Edge trip this summer with Pioneers.  Both were girls, both University students and both named Rebecca.  Becs, actually just graduated and wants to work with children probably as a teacher but she loves Germany and the language so we might just convince her to stay! :)  Becs is from Southwest England and she speaks very "posh" English! :)  Unlike my Liverpolian husband! Becs was actually brave enough to use her singing and drumming skills in the church service only three days after she arrived!

Beccy is from Northern Ireland, she's extremely smart (A's and A+'s on almost all her GCSE's and A levels).  She has a boyfriend that she adores back in University, loves the countryside of Germany and wants the trip to stretch her with her German language abilities and desire to serve the Lord.  She has one year left of University and she loves serving with the CU there.  She wants to do something meaningful with her life and really enjoyed the work at the Birke (the ProLife organization where we serve).  She studied English Literature in school but is open to where God takes her after graduating.

So far the girls arrived late Thursday night (early Friday morning) without too much difficulty.  They stayed with us that night since they got in so late and had a big German breakfast the next morning.  We then had a great time chatting about goals for the trip and our plans for the next few weeks, prayed together and then headed to Heidelberg.  We got monthly train passes for both girls so they could have the freedom to go wherever they needed to go and then we walked around Heidelberg a bit to see the University and the key spots where they'd be working.  After that we went to Trudi and Klauses house to get them settled in.  Trudi and Jo Hanna had put out a spread of German desserts and coffees/juices for the girls and we sat and ate and talked for nearly two hours.  I asked Trudi and Jo Hanna to only speak German to the girls so they could practice.  Both girls have taken years and years of German but it still can be intimidating once you're immersing yourself into the German culture.  I know it was for us!  I left them there to settle in and they had fun talking to Trudi and Jo Hanna and Jonathan the rest of the night.

Saturday Jo Hanna took the girls to Heidelberg to see the castle and then they went to the CJVM to help get ready for X-Change and listen to the worship band practice.  X-Change was awesome that night and I actually had the privilege of sharing a portion of my testimony as well (in three minutes or less!).  Still it went well and the worship was terrific.  Miri and Timon did a great time preaching on relationships and afterwards they had a big grill out for everyone.  I didn't get home til nearly 11pm.

Sunday was church and Becs actually played the drums in the service and led the children in some cute songs that had signs to them.  Afterwards they hung out with Jo Hanna and went on a 4 hour bike ride supposedly through the hills of Germany.  They got to meet Klaus later and enjoyed speaking to him as well. 

Monday the girls met Alan at the CVJM to start the list of projects to be done there.  They painted windows, did some plastering and did a tile wall in the kitchen that they'd wanted done for a while.  Alan then came home to take care of Chloe while I drove back with dinner for everyone and to host a bible/book study on Mere Christianity.  There were seven girls total that attended (three Germans, two Americans, one Englander and one from Northern Ireland) and I think we all enjoyed it and getting to know C.S. Lewis and eachother better.  The girls played games with Julia and Boris that night back in Helmstadt after bible study was over. 

Tuesday I picked the girls up from the Hauptbahnhof in Heidelberg and we went to the Birke to help there.  We worked so hard and so fast that we got all their work done by 3pm (Sarah-Lee also joined us for a couple of hours after her school was finished).  I told the employees there that we'd be back next Tuesday and to make sure to have lots of work for us to do.  They were very happy with everything we did it seemed.  After that all three girls went into Heidelberg to help Sarah-Lee find painting supplies for her after school program with the German school children. 

Today is Wednesday and Alan is back at the CVJM with the girls working this afternoon.  This morning they went with Trudi into the German schools and attended an English class where they were available to answer any questions the students had.  I can't wait to hear about that! 

So... so far so good.  We've really enjoyed getting to know both girls and are looking forward to all God has in store for the remainder of their stay.  Alan and I are like ships in the night but we're having fun and know that in August we'll be able to rest a bit.  Plans for both Pioneers conferences I'm helping out with continue.  The one in October is starting to rev up a bit with folks booking their flight details into Germany.  When August rolls around I'll have to get really organized so things don't get on top of me there.  This weekend Alan is playing King David at a children's fair on Saturday and then we'll all head to the TenSing concert that night.  We feel incredibly blessed to have both Rebecca's and Sarah-Lee here working with us and know God will do great things through all of them.