English Ministry/Sibiu

Cousins Ed & Carol Schlachtenhaufen visit

Joel’s cousins Ed and Carol Schlachtenhaufen from Florida spent a week with us after ending a two-week Danube cruise.  We asked them to share some of their thoughts here.

My Comments are surprises or unexpected findings from our trip
to the Balkan Countries, especially Romania:
1. I was surprised to find a sense of humor inspite of what
Croatians and Serbians call their homeland war…the wounds
are still there, visible in our home hosted dinner visit in
Croatia,
2. Surprised that people in general still have “high hopes”
inspite of the economic downturn that has hit them hard, too,
3. Surprised that the Romanian Alps are higher and more
dramatic than I thought…much like our Rocky Mountains,
4. Surprised that the Lutheran Churches of Transylvania
in the former German settlements and cities are thinking
creatively in spite of a post-Christian era (which we
share),
5. Surprised that the beer was so good and that our hosts,
Joel and Susan, devoted so much time to us inspite of their
ongoing activities and duties.

Remembering Sibiu (Carol):  Arriving on the train from Bucharest, peasant
farms, small villages, snow-covered Carpathian mountains.  Staying at the
Hotel Roberts, big room, host Sean helping with every request, eating
breakfast with musicians from the Jazz Festival.  Walking everywhere in the
Old Europe heart of Sibiu.  Seven museums for $4 and free transport on the
city bus for old-age pensionaire!  Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches and
synagogues.  Romanians speaking German, Germans speaking Romanian, and both
speaking English.  Enjoying delicious Romanian food with ex-pats who had
great stories to tell and laughter to share.  Attending worship, festivals
on the Piata, movies with church leaders from the Lutheran church in Sibiu.
Listening to Kit from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, preach a
wall-tearing-down sermon.  And best of all, learning and having fun with
our cousins!