I've been 5 days here in Bruxelles. I was just absent-mindedly checking the most important emails and responding only to the emergencies, when suddenly the weight of what I'm doing really came home. This is a difficult context for my faith, but subtly so. It also calls for a lot of vulnerability and a lot of repentance. I think it's definitely going to take it's toll in some interesting ways. And I don't just mean it will take its toll on me. The context is going to mess with me AND all my old people AND all my yet-to-be-people. Warning: mess ahead.
Clearly, I needed to journal. Or go reflect and pray.
Or write a meaningless blog post? Yeah. Maybe it's not what I needed, but that's where I was (and am), right now. The new news is that I think I've found a neighborhood. And will possibly start a community French class by the end of this week. And will be attending two churches. I've eaten a lot of frites, walked about 35-40 kilometers, made some friends, gotten lost, and learned a bunch of new words in a variety of languages. Thanks for reading this. I just needed to break the blog ice, before I go do any serious reflection.
So, time for coffee. I need it like the Wicked Witch of the West needed a little more fiber, there at the end. And not just moral fiber. So there.
Posted by nickles at September 12, 2006 03:16 PM | TrackBackI was wondering when we would hear from you. Glad to hear that you made it there safely.
Posted by: Carrie at September 12, 2006 03:50 PMHooray for getting to the field! We're very excited for you, Bob! We look forward to hearing about your new life- we know there's lots of interesting stuff to come!
Posted by: Bo & Brynne at September 12, 2006 04:14 PMI'd send you some Canadian cereal boxes to help you learn more French, but well, I suspect you've got cereal boxes a-plenty now, and anyway you've probably advanced to Tinker toy instruction manual level by this time.
Happy mission fielding!
Posted by: funke at September 12, 2006 10:04 PMcongrats on making it to 'calcutta,' my friend. please continue to stay in touch. And don't forget to rely on the Word, which is manna to us. It's food. Engrave it on your heart. Memorize it. Meditate on it. And choose to be circumscribed by it.
Posted by: Krista at September 13, 2006 01:31 PMGood to hear from you again, Bob. I understand you have to be vague on here (even I don't plan to blog too specifically about my ministry - they won't let us call it a job, which is good). Hopefully, though I don't want to press you, we'll get an update from you soon. I'll try to remember you in my prayers.
Remember how much I respect you and have learned from you. I was telling someone here just today about what you're doing and he was excited by it. You step beyond what most of us are willing to do, and you've been preparing for this work for a long time. Don't lose heart - "the One who called you is faithful, and He will do it."
Posted by: Evan Donovan at September 13, 2006 11:31 PMYeah! You are there. I'm just a little jealous while I sit in the library studying for Greek four hours a day. Life in StL is going, and email me your number so we can chat it up ;-)
Posted by: jkrue at September 14, 2006 03:03 PMyou guys are the BEST.
cardona, goodman has your shells. make him throw a party when you come down to get them.
b&b, now that i'm getting back up to speed on my own blog, i need to catch up on yours. heck, i think we might even be in adjacent time zones. come to brussels if you ever need a break.
funke, i'm now living in the land of TRI-lingual cereal boxes! (ha!)
krista, thanks for the reminders (both about the Word and that i'm on the way to harder places).
evan, your words are really good to read, in this moment. thanks a bunch.
and jkrue, full steam ahead with Greek! maybe by the time i have to learn it you can give me a few tips.
hope to talk to you all soon.
Posted by: bob at September 16, 2006 03:02 PM...although I guess what the wicked witch needed was really LESS fiber. yeah. that little fiber comment was a little complicated.
Posted by: bob at September 21, 2006 03:58 PM