Hello friends and family!
After Easter snow showers it seems like spring and summer are on their way. We've had lovely sunshine the past couple of days and the whole city is warming up. Lot's of fun things have happened since my last post! While in Mauthausen we got to reconnect with several families that Abby and Jonathan have relationship with. We were invited to have lunch together with one of these sweet friends after the Easter service. He and his family live on an idyllic Austrian farm or in German, a Bauernhof. The food was incredible and the conversation was even better. After being stuffed full to the brim, the husband kindly showed us around his property. This included a visit with his dairy cow herd (tiny baby calves included), a look at his tractors, and a stroll through his fields. It was moving to see the passion he so obviously has for his work. The milk he produces goes straight to various places in the local community and he has a neat system where local people can come into his barn at any time and fill up a container from his milk stores and simply leave their payment there. It's all based on trust and he's never had a problem with it. Over dessert we got to talk a little more. The topic of how we hear from God came up and it led to such a beautiful moment. I felt like the holy spirit was really speaking through all of us.
We arrived back in Salzburg in time for our Friday night Street Buddies adventure. A prediction was going around that it would be a wild packed evening due to the gloriously warm weather. The backpacks were extra well stocked and we were mentally bracing ourselves for a little taste of chaos. Surprisingly the total opposite result occurred. As always we had a couple individuals whose stomachs turned after too many red wine coca colas or vodka red bulls but nothing major.
At one point Abby and I saw a group of girls huddled together across the street. One of them was shivering and looked unusually pale. Micah and Jonathan encouraged us to go check it out. I felt a small pang of nervousness because sometimes the girls on the Rudolfskai are a little more vicious than the guys. We walked up and asked if everything was okay. One of them was sweet and chatted with us a little. The girl behind her who was looking sickly became a little agitated and was mumbling she didn't need help and suddenly interjected in brisk forceful English "Go the hell away!!!". I've always been a sensitive person and my default thought was 'That is so rude. We were just trying to help!'. Abby and I wrapped up our conversation and left according to her crystal clear demands. In my mind I knew she was more than likely drunk and didn't even know or care what she was saying but I couldn't stop entertaining the little miffed feelings inside. Gently I felt like Jesus said "Do you remember all the things they said to me?". Instant comfort swept in. Slowly stories from the gospels sifted through my mind. All the hate filled words people threw at him on different occasions and how no one understood how he was just there to help them in the greatest way ever. It gave me new perspective for my time on the street. I don't need affirmation from the kids on the Kai to keep doing what I'm doing. Jesus reminded me that in loving people you don't always get the reciprocated response you expect, and that's okay.
Recently we got the opportunity to help with a coffee stand on one of the university campuses. The college group that we've done bible studies with, Agape, has one a couple of times per semester. They always provide free coffee and cake which is a hit with students. Also there is normally a number of activities that they can participate in. Abby and I acted as the baristas for part of the afternoon.
Yesterday we hosted a deluxe summer barbecue/grill fest! Jonathan, as always, was the man cooking all the burgers and hot dogs (we had Hebrew National brand courtesy of the military base in Germany. They were amazing.). We invited a group of friends and they invited a couple of their friends so it ended up being quite the shindig. It was such a delight to be in the sunshine, eat good food, and just enjoy the good gifts of God together.
Thanks all for your love and support!!
-Rachael
After Easter snow showers it seems like spring and summer are on their way. We've had lovely sunshine the past couple of days and the whole city is warming up. Lot's of fun things have happened since my last post! While in Mauthausen we got to reconnect with several families that Abby and Jonathan have relationship with. We were invited to have lunch together with one of these sweet friends after the Easter service. He and his family live on an idyllic Austrian farm or in German, a Bauernhof. The food was incredible and the conversation was even better. After being stuffed full to the brim, the husband kindly showed us around his property. This included a visit with his dairy cow herd (tiny baby calves included), a look at his tractors, and a stroll through his fields. It was moving to see the passion he so obviously has for his work. The milk he produces goes straight to various places in the local community and he has a neat system where local people can come into his barn at any time and fill up a container from his milk stores and simply leave their payment there. It's all based on trust and he's never had a problem with it. Over dessert we got to talk a little more. The topic of how we hear from God came up and it led to such a beautiful moment. I felt like the holy spirit was really speaking through all of us.
We arrived back in Salzburg in time for our Friday night Street Buddies adventure. A prediction was going around that it would be a wild packed evening due to the gloriously warm weather. The backpacks were extra well stocked and we were mentally bracing ourselves for a little taste of chaos. Surprisingly the total opposite result occurred. As always we had a couple individuals whose stomachs turned after too many red wine coca colas or vodka red bulls but nothing major.
At one point Abby and I saw a group of girls huddled together across the street. One of them was shivering and looked unusually pale. Micah and Jonathan encouraged us to go check it out. I felt a small pang of nervousness because sometimes the girls on the Rudolfskai are a little more vicious than the guys. We walked up and asked if everything was okay. One of them was sweet and chatted with us a little. The girl behind her who was looking sickly became a little agitated and was mumbling she didn't need help and suddenly interjected in brisk forceful English "Go the hell away!!!". I've always been a sensitive person and my default thought was 'That is so rude. We were just trying to help!'. Abby and I wrapped up our conversation and left according to her crystal clear demands. In my mind I knew she was more than likely drunk and didn't even know or care what she was saying but I couldn't stop entertaining the little miffed feelings inside. Gently I felt like Jesus said "Do you remember all the things they said to me?". Instant comfort swept in. Slowly stories from the gospels sifted through my mind. All the hate filled words people threw at him on different occasions and how no one understood how he was just there to help them in the greatest way ever. It gave me new perspective for my time on the street. I don't need affirmation from the kids on the Kai to keep doing what I'm doing. Jesus reminded me that in loving people you don't always get the reciprocated response you expect, and that's okay.
Recently we got the opportunity to help with a coffee stand on one of the university campuses. The college group that we've done bible studies with, Agape, has one a couple of times per semester. They always provide free coffee and cake which is a hit with students. Also there is normally a number of activities that they can participate in. Abby and I acted as the baristas for part of the afternoon.
Yesterday we hosted a deluxe summer barbecue/grill fest! Jonathan, as always, was the man cooking all the burgers and hot dogs (we had Hebrew National brand courtesy of the military base in Germany. They were amazing.). We invited a group of friends and they invited a couple of their friends so it ended up being quite the shindig. It was such a delight to be in the sunshine, eat good food, and just enjoy the good gifts of God together.
Thanks all for your love and support!!
-Rachael