what is a culture?

I'm not going to sing the praises of children of another culture over my own, but I will speak of cultural things that have endeared them to me! It isn't because I'm with basically christian children ... after all, children are children, no matter how they are raised. However, there is a cultural etiquette that exists that never ceases to amaze me.

When you walk into a room in Europe (I've experienced it in a number of countries) you are expected to greet everyone. It isn't a casual general greeting, you acknowledge everyone -- with the handshake being the most formal. If you are friends, or family the greeting will be more informal.

So, now to the children -- each child I have met in the home is expected to greet you with a handshake, both during the introduction and the departing. And the one that 'impressed' me most was the young man, 3 1/2 years old, (who was not prompted by parents), but greeted me on his accord. And as the visiting family was leaving, I watched the children shake hands with their peers!

It could be that I'm exposing one of my biggest pet peeves about my own culture ... how often have you entered a room and wondered if you were invisible? As not one person recognized your presence ... and if you proceeded to make your presence known to anyone you were looked at as interrupting ...

Some of the fun things I've observed -- they sing Happy Birthday in English ... because school encourages it, almost every child plays and instrument ... (how we are missing it in our own schools cutting corners with music being the first to go) ... and of course, because we are in Switzerland skiing is one of the sports that takes them outside and keeps them healthy ... and do they like the snow ... at Sarah's birthday party the majority of the girls choose to play outdoors in the snow when invited ...










And what a heritage the Tanner children have ... the pictures are of Sarah being sung Happy Birthday to by her Oma and Opa ... (Ernie and Hedi Tanner) and then the birthday prayer blessing by her father and grandfather ...

Well, this posting is a little off the beaten path ... but thanks for listening ... the pics are of Sarah who is 9 ... Deborah who is 7 and Daniel who is will be 11 in May ...

February 20 FRIDAY

The days come and the days go, and I turn around and a week has passed!

It is doing something it didn't do yesterday! SNOW! But did for 3 days previous to yesterday ....

Although in between the snow it is beautiful walking ... see the pictures ...

This is Christine, she works in the HM office, new to the staff, she invited me to her apartment for dinner, (the windows just over her shoulder) ...

God is mighty and faithful... this has been a successful week with Member Care projects... I've been about to put to paper needed guidelines, and debriefing papers... probably doesn't sound too exciting to the non-administrator, but I'll tell you for me it is a truly successful week! THANK YOU for the prayers ... without them I'd be dry and unable to produce what is needed ...

I've shared with those praying about Kathleen & Jay's car accident, that too only makes me Praise Him for His mercies in my life ...

I have been so enamored with the children of Europe ... I'll share more what I mean about that in the next few days....




Lots of blessings!!!!

REMEMBER LOVE

Serendipity

Serendipity - the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for

This publication will take many forms. Unless stated otherwise it is all original. It is my way of discovery and of sharing. You, the reader, may find a poem, a bit of prose, a picture, a maxim or almost anything here that hopefully will touch some deep part of your spirit. It may come to you daily, it may come as whimsy or as the Spirit leads. Editor

derrel e. emmerson…5240 coventry creek drive…cumming,..ga…30040…678-947-3029

Saturday

February 14, 2009

Love is the first thing we experience that brings us joy. It is the sole search of our lives whether we pursue power, fame, fortune or a quiet life. It is the one spiritual sustenance we need or we perish. It is the only thing in which we can really rejoice before and after we leave this earth.

Love will last forever….” I Corinthians 13:8a

February 9

Thank you again and again for the prayer support, it has proven itself with the last weeks events. (read the post from yesterday)

the next few days include:

• Tomorrow (2/10) Simon will be taking me to meet Walter and Suzanne Iserling, a Swiss couple, They have taken on a Member Care role with Helimission. I will be staying with them overnight and possibly two nights, with the intention to get to know each other. PLEASE PRAY ... for the Lord to be there, that we will hear each others heart, and that there will be a unified vision for Helimission's Member Care program.

• PLEASE PRAY in regards to my language study. Today I am tackling the "sounds" of the alphabet ... there are a couple of the 'double dot' vowels that are nigh to impossible for me to create. English just doesn't have those sounds... and as crazy as it sounds the little Dutch I learned is surfacing and 'getting in the way'. Even Brikena has commented that I tend to speak German with a Dutch accent :0)
• Travel arrangements have been made for my travel in April to meet a HM couple who left the field last year, I visited them in Ethiopia March 2008, they are now home in Germany. I will share for prayer when the time get closer.
  

• On the back of the Germany trip I will be traveling to Dubai to meet an Elim international worker who is stationed in a Middle East country, she will be coming out of her country to renew her visa and I will connect with her for a few days there.

Thank you for being there in prayer for this time. Please join with me for prayer for Israel tomorrow. The outcome of their elections will set the course of what will be happening in that part of the world for some time to come... and we (the USA) are very involved. PRAY that we do not betray Israel.

You are always on my heart and remembered in my prayers, and again!, thank you!!!!

Margaret

A Very Full Week

I am utterly amazed that it has been a week since I posted! But it has been a busy and full week ... your prayers were felt often!

• Recording for DVD

• meetings to strategize for Member Care

• two birthdays

• the family Scharz
  

and all in 6 days ...

Recording for Helimission DVD's ... what a honor! Helimission is redoing the original films from the 1970's and the English versions were to be recorded this week. My timing here was perfect, Ernie asked, as an English speaker, if I would work with him to make the recordings. We spent 3 sessions doing them, with some of the time correcting mistakes. There were a few laughs along the way too!

Meetings to strategize for Member Care ... this week we (me, Simon, Brikena and Jurg, who is the personnel manager) met a couple times to discuss the direction we are heading in concerning Member Care for Helimission. Honestly, prayers were felt, there is a sense that Helimission accepts it responsibility of caring for its workers; but also recognizes that it is impossible to do the 'caring' alone. Therefore, we are hoping to share the vision of the Three Legged Stool ... meaning ... in Member Care, the missionary, the agency and the church are equally responsible for the a support of the missionary and the work. Of course, God is the ultimate One we look to, and beyond that we each take our roles. And out of the meetings came a number of things to do and follow up on ...

Two Birthdays ... as anywhere, birthdays are important in family. Helimission is a family, by blood, but by the Spirit also. Wednesday was Judith's 23rd b'day, I met her when she had just started w/HM 3 years ago ... on Saturday we went to her family home for Rachlette* w/all the Tanner's (7 in all) myself, the HM staff and spouses (6) plus of course her family & a few friends. It a great cultural experience! Simon turned 44 on Thursday! A special dinner was prepared, gifts in the morning, and it is quite a tradition surrounds Simon. He is a chocolate lover, but not just any chocolate, Lindor milk chocolate balls! We figured out this morning that in all he came close to 3 kilos of Lindor! That translates to over 6 pounds! But I must say, he is a man who shares freely!

the family Scharz ... I first met the Scharz family 3 years ago when I went to Wamana, Indonesia with Simon. It was there first term on the field ... since then Erwin has been building up flight hours to qualify him for solo helicopter license. The last three years have found them in Canada, and the Yukon accumulating many adventures. It is a delight to watch them as a family, 3 girls, 11, 8, 5 and one boy, 15 months! They were here visiting, checking in with Hdqtrs and renewing relationship. They are home (Switzerland is there home culture) until July, when they return to Indonesia for language school then on to Wamana to become a part of the team there.


And this morning we awoke to snow! And it hasn't stopped snowing ... it is what I call 'real snow' ... you know the atmosphere is creating it, not the lakes. Consequently, it is about 34-36 degrees, but with no wind blowing. It is a gentle snow, just continues to pile up!

*Rachlette (not sure I'm spelling it right) is traditionally Swiss ... you melt rachlette cheese on a type of grill on the table (it is electric) and it is served over potatoes, with pickles, small onions, and other condoments. I have one at home and hope to bring some rachlette cheese home with me... I'll invite you!

Hope this won't happen again... waiting a week makes the post much too long, but wanted to share how your prayers are necessary, and progress is being made! Will post again tomorrow to share some of the upcoming events...

Love you All!!!!
Margaret

February 1, 2009

Sunday is almost over ... I'm a few minutes from 'going horizontal' ... by the 'charts' I'm one day away from being over jet lag. Thought I had it whipped, then this morning I had to sit still in church, listen to a language I didn't understand*, and I found myself fighting to staying awake. (*there was translation, but it was still a stretch)

The worship was good, in a few weeks it will be more comfortable. I recognized many of the songs, but the English words get lost while you are singing the German...

This afternoon I was learning the German numbers and some colors... we were playing Uno... and the kids were having fun teaching me...

The 'work week' starts tomorrow ... devotion with the office staff is at 7:30am every morning. I will participate a few times a week, because when I'm there they do it in English and that is not as intimate for them ...

Tuesday, I will be explaining some of the Member Care ideas I have, so prayer is asked for ... vision, insight and an ability to communicate it with clarity.

Soon I'll have to share the exciting rides up and down the mountains on Swiss roads...

blessings ...

Friday Jan 30

Hi...
It is 11:00pm and I'm off to bed in a few minutes... it is interesting to me how quickly I do respond as, I am already adjusting to wanting to be in bed now, when it is still 'afternoon' my body time. Everything says it takes a day an hour to adjust to jet lag, so I still have a couple days left... which will be about right.

Monday we start in earnest with language study, as well as, looking at how we will approach Member Care.

I have to say my timing is good, the children have been on holiday this week, so we are starting to get comfortable with each other. And last night Ernie and Simon Tanner took the office staff out to dinner (the first time in a couple of years) ... it was great, good food and fun conversation (as much as I could understand). It was quite the culture adjustment listening to a person of Asian decent speaking German. We were in a Chinese Restaurant. And because she realized I was American I was asked how their food compared to American Chinese Restaurants ... how do you think I responded??? :0)

good night and God Bless!