Singles Retreat

"When you're unmarried, you're free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master. Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God." -1 Corinthians 7:32-34 (MSG)

Retreat. Relax. Rest. When I think of these words from my North American perspective, I generally think of a fairly spontaneous activity. Like leisure. There's another word that to me implies an "activity" (if you can call it that) that is done on a whim, whenever I feel like it. Well not in Germany. It is a land of rules, and as such there is a specific time for everything. If it's not in the schedule don't even think about it!

So! Lucky for Amy and me we experienced a truly German "Freizeit" (or Retreat, in English). It was a wonderful weekend scheduled for leisure and relaxation (is that an oxymoron to anyone else?) and proved very spiritually refreshing. It was quite the trek to get there though, let me tell you.

We were out of the apartment by 815am and on a train to Leipzig by 915. We arrived there at 11 and met up with the missionary there, with whom we rode the rest of the way. We left Leipzig at 1 (or 1300 in Europe) in a spacious euro-style "mini van" that comfortably seated the 5 of us that went together, but that doesn't change the fact that 5 hours later we arrived...10 hours after Amy and I had began our journey. It was time for some hard-core relaxation.
The first person I met was Ruba, originally from Syria but who now goes to school in Frankfurt. She is studying to be a doctor, and turned out to be an avid foosball player. Why she wanted me on her team I have no clue! (since I am generally known to be the WORST foosball player of all time...unless you're on the other team...just ask Amy about it.)

I then met some people from Belgium and then some from the Netherlands, and plenty more from Germany. It was very surprising to me how many people had moved to Germany for school or work...all in all 11 countries were represented by the 27 people there! How's that for diversity!

We spent time in small groups discussing our thoughts on the lessons, and to me this was one of the most beneficial times of the weekend. With only 6 people in our group we were able to share stories and specific thoughts of how to keep joy in our lives. How awesome that through such cultural variation the story of Christ's love and how it impacts every life is so similar. We had so much in common because of our citizenship in heaven!

Despite the moist conditions, Saturday night we had a bonfire! It was a time of praise as we sang songs that reminded me of my college days at OC. The one common language was English, so though we were deep in Germany I found myself singing to the Lord in my native language around a bonfire amidst a large group of Christians...such a treat considering that I thought I had left experiences like that behind when I moved here. God is good.

I was glad to hear that this isn't only an annual occasion, but that there will be a similar retreat planned for the spring. Amy and I have agreed to help with this and I hope to be reunited with many again then! What a wonderful taste of what heaven will be like. (maybe without all the "scheduled leisure").