st nick's day

i just got in from our st. nikolaus day's street evangelism. i am completely worn out, but also really want to share.. it went really well! usually we do this on christmas eve, but since i will be in dallas then (and i am in charge of it) we bumped it up. today is the day when german kids get candy and oranges in their boots.. and i figured also a good day to bless the needy.


the work started a bit ahead though, all fall i have been collecting donations, and this week was spent shopping for the cheapest quality socks, scarves, gloves, hats.... as well as wrapping them and the other items (jackets, sweaters) that people brought by. julian and i packed about 70 gifts one night. (and more came after)


friday we bought the coffee thermoses (to hold 3 liters each- yet we still ran out!) and then sat around cutting and peeling everything we would need this morning to make the traditional winter meal of bremen- kohl und pinkel. it's a green kraut and two types of sausage with potatoes. at 10am this morning we started the actual cooking.
it isn't always safe in the kitchen with a few freaks.. but we were able to make sure there was enough meat to go around ;-)

the time in the city was cool. i think it went smoother than usual. i was again struck by the combination of sincere thanks and increadible nerve of the people we were serving. many of them tried conning us into giving them a second present, or flat out begged. we were able to make some people especially happy, though.. like a man who desperatly wanted a hat, and was so thankful he kissed me. or another man who needed an extra-large coat, and we were able to give him a very nice one. we also saw a few of my special people, bugs, mani, and petra to list a few names that i have mentioned often already. we spent about 4 hours going all through town... and ended in the blocked-off street that is bremen's red-light district (and generally off-limits to tourists, social workers and women).. i could tell more, but i will just show photos instead: