NOVEMBER 2017 NEWS LETTER

Transcription

1 NOVEMBER 2017 NEWS LETTER PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EV.KIRCHENKREIS TRIER GERMANY AND DIOCESE OF CYANGUGU- RWANDA 1 Corinthians 3:9 (NIV) For we are co-workers in God s service; you are God s field, God s building OUR GERMAN VISIT EXPERIENCES 26 th October - 6 th November 2017

2 Esther Murungi Rusengo. My experience in Germany was exciting. People we met were so loving and welcoming. Thanks to pastors Frank and Sabine and their children Konrad,Mary and Esther other people we met include Connie,Achim,Martina,Anne,Ulli,Ralph and other members of the partnership committee. I felt loved and i knew it is the oneness that i felt when Christians are together. The weather was teasing compared to Rwanda. It was very cold and some days it would be cold and windy too. But we were looked after very well by our friends. Heavy jackets, scarves were given to us to make us warm. Also food was different from what we are used to in Rwanda. We were made to know that there are over 300 kinds of bread in Germany. Despite food being different we enjoyed all the food that was set before us. Among places we visited the farm of welfare for handicap, Martin luther school for difficult kids show how the disadvantaged are cared for "Actions speak louder than words". We visited the copper mines (fischbach) the bakery"utters" Water factory "Gerolsteiner Sprudel" Basilika parish in Mühlheim with Kindergarten, wine maker and vineyard, the protestant school among others. The signing of the partnership agreement and attending the synod was exciting and meeting with many people. I can not forget celebrating the reformation,500 years of reformation it was great. I enjoyed the concert in the afternoon different choirs singing and playing different music instrument we had never seen caught my attention. I think oak tree is a national tree of Germany we saw it in many places. Let us continue to share marks of faithfulness which includes love, justice, righteousness and compassion. Rev. Berthe Nyiransabimana We were excited to get in Germany where we met the team in the Luxembourg airport to welcome us with great love,big hug and smiles and good sweaters to protect us against the coldness. I felt home when we arrived in Daun Gemeinder house with lovely people who came to welcome us from Cyangugu Rwanda and we shared a nice dinner. With the well organized program, we were taken to different places with different projects, my big lesson is how people were punctual,sacrificing their time to visitors, showing love to visitors, being closer to every one, the most amazing thing is that every body has a car for daily activities while in our conditions most of people walk long distances to their daily activities. It was good to hear that children are taught to make their choice of food, while in our conditions lives many eat once per day, and some children suffer from malnutrition diseases. I was proud of the history of the church buildings of long time ago still looking well cared for. I am happy that the Trier church members are willing to partner with the Cyangugu church members so that they learn from each other.

3 Boniface Lakony My experience when I visited Germany was very encouraging. From the time we got out of the Airport in Luxembourg I felt a warm welcome from the partnership committee members and Achim who came to pick us up from the Airport. They immediately hugged us and gave us warm clothes so that we could not feel cold. I remember all the delicious meals and conversations we shared together at the Germinde house with the partnership committee members and their families. Visiting Achim and Connie in their family was very special and to meet their children and Dog. We felt welcome and Loved. I was so happy to see how the people work together especially in Daun. The Diakonie projects we visited and the Martin Luther King school were very inspiring how young people and special needs people are being catered for. It was special for me also to experience and celebrate the Reformation day and knowing more about Martin Luther. The worship services were different from our services in Rwanda. I enjoyed greeting people after the Sunday services and getting to know them as I tried to speak some German. Everybody was welcoming and it gave a good sense of partnership and belief that we are one and have one heavenly father. The Concert on the reformation day with many Choirs was also very inspiring hearing the songs and melodies was very refreshing. The landscape in Trier was beautiful with large farms and gardens. Visiting the big old historical churches was a great surprise for me to see how big, strong and beautiful they are and knowing the many years they have spent. After our visiting days were over I left Germany happy with many impressions and lessons of love in the Church of God and growth in different aspects that I want to share with the Parishes in Cyangugu diocese. I would love to see many more people from Rwanda to come to visit Germany and also for Germans to visit Rwanda especially Cyangugu diocese. I pray for the Church in Daun and Germany to grow with many youth and children joining the church.

4 Martina Müller The days we spent together during the visit were very impressive. Even those who live in the region could see and lern something new and speeking with people who look from the outside is very helpful. The situations I loved the most where the discussions about small things. To share opinions is like looking through the eyes of the others. Sharing life and faith is the basement of partnership and we had the chance to make this experience. To feel the connection with brothers and sisters in our Lord, being part of this connection was the greatest gift of the visit. Conny and Achim Koppe The organs of Trier First of all I am glad that we have got to know so many new friends from Rwanda. By Bertha, Esther, bishop Nathan and Boniface I have got to know a lot of impressions of the living conditions and the attitude to life in Rwanda. In the short time of her visit we have found out by them real friendship and have discovered many common characteristics. Together we have an extensive programme lives through. We have got to know a lot about the church work and the Diakonie in both countries. Within the programme we have also seen the architectural specific features which the partners have

5 impressed in the same measure. In this connection I would like to come on the organs which we could visit on the 02nd of November, 2017 within the scope of the visit of the Trierer Diakonie. First we had a look in the Trierer cathedral which is at the same time the oldest bishop's church of Germany. In this Catholic church we could marvel at the splendid main organ which was established in This organ of painted oak and cast aluminium has in 5602 pipes. The organist sits within the organ behind the middle whistles. As second we visited Trierer Konstantin Basilika. By this Protestant church Mr. assistant judge Thomas Luxa led us. He also showed us two organs of this church. On the one hand the new mighty main organ with a weight of 32 tonnes and in 6006 pipes. The organ was finished in The organist can play the organ of the main play table before the middle organ body or from the second mobile play table. Mr. Luxa let the organ about a demo sound what impressed everybody to us very much.the second older organ is in the front part of the basilica. It was inserted in 1962 in the front aperture with a height of 7 metres and fills the whole aperture. We might climb the play table of the organist. He is on the foot of the middle section of the organ. From here on top we had a spectacular look about the whole nave of the basilica. This inspection of the different organs was equally impressed for everybody from the partnership circle.

6 Anne Nintemann During the visit of our rwandian guests I really was surprised how fast guests could get friends. When we met on the first day, everybody was a stranger to me. Soon it felt as if we had known for years. I especially remember the day we spent in Trier. Together we looked at this roman building, the Porta Nigra, the church of the roman catholic bishop and the Basilika with its impressing organ. I learned a lot about the work of the Diakonisches Werk. Really impressing for me was, how we could find together in the developing of our plans for a partnership project. Lots of ideas were discussed till we decided to start with supporting the single mothers as our first project. We worked with intensity and in a good atmosphere. I am sure, that we can look forward to a good cooperation. Ricarda Gerhardt At Saturday (28th October) the rwandian delegation visited us on the Hunsrück. We met at Asbacher Hütte a factory for handicapted people run by the Diakonie Bad Kreuznach. In the beginig we had a short presentation about the work of Asbacher Hütte the aims and the history. The poultry farming was very interesting and we discussed the question why a christian community is doing farming. After that we visited different stations of fittinggroups like goldwork and the farming. We also went to the living area for the handicaped people, and we were warm welcomed. They all were very interested where we come from and what we are doing. Afterwards we went to the village Schauren, where we had a guided tour by Ingo Windpfennig through the church.

7 Then we had lunch at family Gerhardts home. They surpried us with a big barbecue. The visitors, esecially the male guests enoyed most the traditional meat called Spießbraten. Our last step for the day was a guided tour in the copper mine of the village Fischbach. W e enjoed it to have the guests here and share time, joy and experiences. E very day another region of the Kirchenkreis Trier L ovely guests, but not only guests, even friends C ommunity between us all O ur days were full with different activities M aking bread together, at the bakery Utters brought again the gospel of John in my mind: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6,35) E verybody enjoyed the common time and the conversations. T he discussions about the project were very constructive. O ur friendship got intensivated.. V isits give the chance to know each other and to share live together. I nterested in intercultural learning. S inging the rwandian song together at the synod was very nice. I Frank and Sabine Meckelburg nterested in sharing recepies. T hanks to all who helped that we could do all the activities and who prepared the meals for us.

8 Ralf Wagner Nowak In the last days I read a book from a German TVjournalist about the French revolution in 1789 and what is left of freedom, equality and brotherhood in Germany and Europe today. In that context I often think back at the visit of our friends from Cyangugu, which I enjoyed very much. Remarkable for me is their spirit and hope, their faith in God. I m afraid we in Germany and the western hemisphere have lost a lot of hope and happiness, or how Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote on Christmas 1944: Sheltered wonderfully by powers of goodness, we are looking forward confidently to what may come. God is with us in the evening and in the morning and for shure on every new day. What a model and ideal for me! Thirty years later, after world war two and after the war in Korea, during the war in Vietnam, a former member of the pop music band Beatles, John Lennon, wrote a song which again expresses the strong desire of that generation for goodness and solidarity: Imagine there`s no heaven, it`s easy if you try, no hell below us, above us only sky Imagine all the people living for today Imagine all the people living life in peace, you You may say I`m a dreamer, but I`m not the only one, I hope some day you`ll join us, and the world will be as one. Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can, no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you You may say I`m a dreamer, but I`m not the only one, I hope some day you`ll join us, and the world will be as one. This song reminds me of a dear friend, she died years ago from cancer. She was a strong fighter for humanity and solidarity, and this song was one of her favorites. Definitivly, she wanted to start heaven on earth, like John Lennon in his song. And I think this is why God created each of us: to follow his son Jesus Christ and become a real human being with empathy for our sisters and brothers. Solidarity and empathy will give us a new basic in life and a just society

9 Esther Meckelburg It was a pleasure to give back the (guest-) friendship we got during our visit in Cyangugu. I was so exited and also a bit afraid if everything is going to be good. If the weather and the program is playing with us. But to my surprise everything went as well as possible. And I was really happy to had you here. And the closer the partner- and friendship gets the more you know and the more questions you have. So I'm still exited to see, hear, read, taste and feel you, your country, your food. So see you soon and every next step makes me courius!