Our Little Trip To Germany

Paul and I left Zaventem, Belgium yesterday, February 10th for a few days in Germany. We've been helping with Mission to the World's Cross-Cultural Ministry Internship (formerly known as pre-field training). At CCMI we don't see a whole lot of each other since we "mentor" different new candidates and attend different churches. It's been a good but long month so we've been looking forward to a few days to be together, going to two towns where our great grand-fathers came from. Monday, the 15th we split for a week and Paul is going to Tanzania to see our daughter, Meg, and I am going to the Europe Women's Retreat in Spain.

So, around 4:00 yesterday we started our journey after renting a car from the Brussel's airport. We'd woken up to snow which continued off and on all day and as we left Belgium and entered Germany, the snow just got worse and worse. It was beautiful and not so dangerous but still we had to be cautious. We had dutifully booked a B & B on line so had put the address in the GPS and didn't think another thing of it....just kept following "Daphne's" instructions. We thought the trip would take about 3 hours so should have wondered when it came up that it would take five hours. But forward and onward. Then we came to a dead stop. The traffic was bumper to bumper, it was dark and we didn't have a clue where we really were--no map. Then suddenly everyone was being directed off the autobaun, onto some narrow little streets, covered in snow and snow still coming down. We had to just trust the GPS and continue on. It was crazy. We got put back on a different highway and still with bumper to bumper, mostly stopped traffic. I decided to look ahead on the GPS and see where in the world we were going. Then we discovered that the B & B we were heading for was still three hours away (would get us in if the traffic was moving, at midnight) and totally far south and east of where we actually wanted to go. So I plugged in "lodging in the area", we took the next exit, found a nice hotel and settled in for the night. Since we had promised to pay on arrivial the original B & B, last night was a very expensive night. Because of our agreement we still need to find a bank to pay at least one nights worth of compensation to them. Sheesh, what a mess!!

Then, this morning Paul woke up with symptoms of food poisening and a terrible cramp in his leg. So it took us a while to get off and get headed in the correct direction and to the right town. We got to Pommern where my great grand-father came from. It is a wonderful little village. We walked around, took some pictures and headed on to Rheda where Paul's great grand-father is from. And so here we are, at another B & B looking forward to a day walking around Rheda tomorrow. Oh, and it has snowed most of today as well. I few times I was pretty nervous as we winded our way through little towns and villages with snow covered streets, but Paul did a great job of driving and we are getting ready for a good nights sleep. He still isn't feeling great, but much better then at 5am this morning. When I can I'll post some pictures. It is beautiful here.