Down on the (formerly East German Military Base) Farm

  Firstly, I think this is my favorite blog post title yet.  Secondly, if Lindsey and Tobi read this they will probably roll their eyes at how frequently I mention the fact that their current home was formerly an East German Military Base. But it was so cool!  And mind boggling. I don't think I have ever been on American Military Base (excluding old historical forts) so for that first experience to be communist related is just wild to me.

   In my last post I did more complaining (I'm good at that). This post will be much more upbeat, promise.  I am so glad we decided to use our 4 day weekend to visit the Dorn's. Traveling with 3 young'uns is nuts but being able to stay in someone's home where there is more space than a hotel room (way more space) AND where there are kids our kids' age makes the experience SO MUCH BETTER.  I would love to do more sightseeing and historical exploring, but it just doesn't fly for long with little ones.

  Just sticking this shot in. Look at those cheeks!

 A little back story, Kenny and I have known Lindsey since high school, we met through New Hope Church/180. (Kenny and Lindsey knew each other before I met either of them).  Lindsey happened to be attending a Bible School in Dallas the same time Kenny and I were living in Waco, so we have a (short) history of going to visit her.  As a part of her schooling, Lindsey went to Germany to a sister school where she met her husband Tobi. Tobi and Lindsey work for/with a ministry based in East Berlin called Zukunft fur Dich!  (Future for you!).  The ministry purchased the farm, which is located about an hour East of Berlin, to create a place for rehabilitation- a place to get away from negative influences and connect with God. The Dorn's headed to the states a couple days after we left so they are now in the Effingham area. They will be speaking at a missions event at New Hope Church next Sunday, the 18th, in the evening.
   So what did we do?
   Kenny got to help (Kenny says he hopes was helpful) Tobi with some manual labor type stuff, which was a nice change of pace for him.  Jackson and Johanna got to play with Zechi and Noah. Lindsey speaks English with her boys so they understand English, but they will only speak German. The kids all got along really well.

Johanna and Noah were hilarious to watch. They were beating on each other and giggling the whole time.

We got to explore the farm and check out several bunkers.

We were blessed to share their table, which is something they do a LOT.

  Their lives are lived somewhat communally (and I mean that in the best sense of the word). The Dorn's eat almost all their meals with the other ministry workers who also live on the farm, plus whoever else is currently staying at the farm.  Lindsey told us there is almost always someone staying "with" them. Lindsey and Tobi have an apartment on one end of big building on the property, there are several other rooms in the building that are fixed up for visitors. Everyone on the farm also gathers each morning for corporate worship and prayer. It was really beautiful and inspiring.
   One custom they have on the farm (and Lindsey assures me it is common in Germany) is cake and coffee in the afternoon. We definitely liked this practice. Cake everyday? Yes, please. As a flour milling family, we heartily approve.
  I also learned that the German word for the evening meal is abendbrot (evening bread).  I really like that- so quaint.  Being around German speaking/English understanding kids was very helpful for me and my German learning attempts. I picked up on several words.  And if we had been there for a few weeks I think Jo would have been almost fluent. She picks up on the language so fast!
   On Saturday, we drove into Berlin with Lindsey and Zechi for Kid's Club- the ministry's outreach to children. (pics are of mini kids club, bigger kids were doing cool things too, no doubt, but they didn't get to play with a parachute, talk to a puppet, or jump in a ball pit)

After only a few repetitions, Johanna knew the memory verse in German! Since coming back from this trip, the only word she uses for "no" is "nein"- the German word.
  On Sunday, all of the Dorn's took us into Berlin for some brief sightseeing. (Being a part of ministry that owns a van that seats 9 has its advantages.)  We did a little driving tour of a handful of major sights-Brandenburg Gate, Merkel's office, other Government Buildings- and then ate lunch in an Australian restaurant. Kenny had a kangaroo steak- it's a little gamey.  After lunch we walked around a Christmas Market set up in Potsdamer Platz. This area was exactly where the Berlin wall used to run so it used to be a kind of "no man's land" with barbed wire and land mines. When the wall came down, this area developed FAST. There were a few pieces of the wall on display. There was a booth on the other side where you could get your passport stamped with the "official" GDR stamp.

  There were a lot of food booths in the Christmas Market and Tobi was kind enough to share some of what he considered to be excellent local treats including candied almonds, fried quark(kind of like cream cheese) dough balls (think funnel cake/donut), a sort of gingerbread, and Dunkin' Donuts. They were all excellent, my favorite were the quarkli.
  On this trip we went through the Zurich airport and Berlin (Tegel) and it struck me that the Zurich airport seemed designed to make money (shops EVERYWHERE) and Tegel seemed designed for efficiency. So telling of their perspective countries. Our trip home was a little rough and it marked the first time we ALL ate McDonald's- I don't miss it.
I posted a bunch of pictures from this trip on facebook so if you want to see more, check there!