serious days and sleepless nights

ok, so this has been one of those weeks that max out the stress radar.

to start it off, i've been sick (almost better now). but i couldnt really let that slow me down.

the more serious issues have been with matze (which, in and of itself makes it house problems).

first off, it still hasn't cleared to government offices that he is living here, so they still arent paying his rent. he moved in august 15. they also havent been paying his unemployment in this time. he should still get it all, just later.. and it's kind of wearing on our resources and patience. i am pretty much trying to stretch the little i have to cover him (yes, he plans to cover me the same amount of time after he gets money, so it will all even out) which meant taking out a loan. so finally tuesday they gave him his first 200e check (and it's all gone).

the big thing is there is this outstanding fine he has, and he should of gone to a meeting a few weeks ago to work out a payment plan or community service. however, he didn't know about this meeting anymore because his old landlord through out all of his stuff, including his papers. (this is another on-going issue.. he's only got his computer and a few clothes, all his furniture and personal stuff is gone) so by missing this meeting, a warrant for his arrest was sent out. in germany, they literally send you this and expect you to show up on time and ready to enter the jail. riiiiight. so yesturday he spent hours at a place that helps people deal with jail stuff, and i sat at home and prayed pretty much the whole time. the result? nothing. he had to do it all again today.

so he came home and i could tell.. this is not going to be good. they told him to be at jail tommorro at 9 sharp, or pay the fine in full at that time.
problem 1: we don't have that much money.
problem 2: he would have to sit 26 days.
problem 3: he would then miss his next appointment at the govt office, resulting in yet another sanction (he's up to 60% already), and that is the meeting at which they decide to uphold or reject his apartment (speak, the house).
problem 4: he'd miss evangelism weekend (he, i, and kruemel are planning it)
problem 5: he thereafter would not be able to work with kids (his calling)
problem 6: we wouldn't have our maintenance man.
problem 7: it's jail !

so, yeah, its really stressful. tension is high.. anytime you're dealing with money its uncomfortable. especially when it gets to higher sums. in addition to that, a guest just arrived from switzerland. sibe will be staying a week and a half. and did i mention i have to finish the dokumentary by the end of the year? and while we're at it.. this week has been full of legal battling about my foot injury.

happy thanksgiving. :-/

sibe lets be

my friend sibe from switzerland is here till dec 2. she's the one who saved me from helplessness a few years ago when visa trouble forced me to spend the holiday season in bern. it's great to have here here. the funny photos will be posted next week, when she isnt here to hit me for them! ;-)

partial virtual tour 2

mom wasn't satisfied, so here are some more..

the house

the front garden (kinda)

the back garden

the view out of the upstairs window (thats a brothel with a vana parked in front that has "customer service" on it)


i only let friends in my room, so you'll have to come by in person to see it (that, or i dont want to clean it up).

partial virtual tour

ok.. here's the preview mom requested

outside in front of house

entry hall

main kitchen

main kitchen 2

stairs going up

upstairs hall

prayer room

bathroom upstairs

wc upstairs

bathroom in basement

guest bedroom

walk through room in basement


so what's missing? all the bedrooms! the downstairs kitchen, another toilet, a closet, the living room (because hannah lives there now).

blast from the past

tonight i didn't want to go to cafe chance. i had a bit of a headache and was feeling generally apathetic. matze and i were out back doing yard work and talking, and he made a comment: you know it'll be good then.. if you don't want to go.. every time you have felt that way, you came home all excited, talking about how great it was..

yeah, so tonight was great! the headache went away, and i went to work. there were less volunteers than usual, which i like. it makes it worth being there. when too many people are there, i often feel like i might as well be home watching a movie. the nights drag on when there is no work to do. so tonight we were busy. and quite a few guests came. not so many that i couldn't sit down, but not so few as to give lags in the conversation.

and the highlight was that jens showed up again! probably no one remembers jens, i was surprised myself to realize it's been two years since i last saw him.. i used to talk with him alot in the cafe, often walk from there to the main train station after work, and he came over a few times to talk and work on my bike. he's a younger guest- 27 now. so it was cool to hear that he is still alive, and what he's up to.

there were a few other younger guests there today, some who just recently started comming and a few for the first time. and dirk, christian, markus, detlev, harkan, ralf and uli were also all there. alot of my people. i'm listing the names this time so that yall can pray for them.

whiplash

no, i wasn't in an accident, and i am not refering to my neck.

it's more of a way to discribe how i feel right now. jumping back into life full force after being on crutches so long is hard. especially since i don't just have the normal things on my plate right now, but also the stress of my current film project. and of course there is the relational/friendship level (especially within the house) that is throwing up some twists right now.

the hope house
(drug) counselling
rounds through town
cafe chance
street group
women's bible study
accountablity partner
moble cafe
dokumentary film
mt 28:19 (our evangelism week..comming soon!)
preaching
looking for theology program

i guess my foot is doing pretty well. it doesnt hurt much, just a little at night. i was going to go back to my docs this week, but the left one has suffered from storage somehow and no longer fits. otherwise i am ok. for the most part even good. i like stress.. i am wierd that way. but some of the stuff i am facing now i can't control... and thats hard to deal with and plan for.

day like poetry

it was one of those days.. nothing spectacular on the outside, amazing revelation within.
i thank God that i am not where i wanted to be now a year ago now. and pray that i will be where He wants me come another.