|
|
|
Swiss Newsletter April 2008
We want to give you an idea of what has been going on at Swiss L’Abri since our last newsletter. The winter term was destined to be unique because so many students wanted to stay for an additional term. Consequently, we were often exceeding our capacity to accommodate everyone. The students ranged from young to middle-aged adults who were either Christians…or agnostics…or maybe even atheists, and they were further distinguished by nationality, educational levels, interests and temperaments. This diversity created a multi-layered community experience for everyone at L’Abri and fostered a broad exchange of ideas about Christianity’s truthfulness and relevance to our lives.
Read Full Newsletter
Swiss Newsletter December 2007
Here in the alpine village of Huémoz we are constantly amazed at the beauty of God’s creation as we look out from our chalets at the mountains. We are continually reminded that creation is a gift from God intended to express the glory of its Maker.
As many of you know, L’Abri is a place where students from all walks of life come to ask questions about the Christian faith and to experience the God who is there. It is a community that seeks to embody Christ’s call to radical hospitality by offering shelter to the spiritually destitute and welcoming the stranger. L’Abri also offers a unique balance of theoretical and practical life. Students from all over the world participate in formal lunch discussions, lectures, tutorials, and work crews, all of which are designed to foster a safe environment in which questions can be asked and honest answers given.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter August 2007
In the tiny farming village of Huémoz , in the French speaking part of Switzerland , our L'Abri chalets cling to the steep Alpine mountain side. To be sure, glancing down to the valley or lifting our eyes to the surrounding massive peaks around us can often create a sense of vertigo, which we sometimes experience when we assess our seemingly precarious situation. Here we are with a group of 30-35 students, seeking to do the Lord’s work in the Lord’s way, as we pray for our daily bread. Our community’s orientation is not only unique, but some might say it’s downright crazy. Where will we get the necessary strength, resources and insights to carry on? What will happen next? The story continues.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter April 2007
There’s a path that wanders past our chapel and along the cow fields and then on a bit more, until you pass the only chalet on the left which sits propped up on the side of the hill enjoying the panoramic views of the Swiss mountains and the valley below. Most weekends, its owners are here from the valley and ‘bonjours’ are exchanged as I walk past them on my way into the forest with my dog. The other day, their garden was blooming with red and white tulips and sunny daffodils and I also noticed that the first crickets were demanding attention with their loud insistence. Spring is dancing on the mountainside.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter December 2006
We have just come to the end of our autumn term a week ago. The students have all left and things are very quiet around here. We just had our first real snowfall the other day and we remember how beautiful the mountains are when they are covered. It really is a spectacular place that we have the privilege living in. I think that some of our students were disappointed that the snow was so late in arriving. It’s always interesting watching some of the students, particularly those from the southern U.S., react to the snow.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter September 2006
This summer we saw over 100 students come through for various lengths of time, and it definitely kept us busy! We also had several guest lecturers stop through, including Jamie Smith, Nick Terpstra, Ron Wells and Steve Garber. Each added to our community not only through their teaching, but by spending time with students at meals or in small group discussion.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter, April 2006
As the winter term draws to a close, we look forward to celebrating Easter Sunday with a communion service in the chapel, followed by sharing a meal all together at Chalet Bellevue. The last day of the term is often a time of mixed emotions as saying good-bye and separation are not easy. Many students will be returning to an uncertain future, and we pray that they would not see their time here as ending, but rather as a beginning anew, as they seek God step by step and move towards life rather than death. Christ’s work on our behalf is indeed what we will be celebrating on Easter.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter, December 2005
It is a snowy wintry evening in Huemoz. A few of us are about to brave the icy roads to attend a Christmas concert put on by the students of one of the international schools in Villars, the village just 5 minutes drive up the road from L’Abri. The snow came a lot earlier than it did last year, which is good for the ski slopes just above us. Soon the tourists will descend on Villars for the Christmas ski season and the small ski resort village will be inundated with people enjoying their winter vacations. It is very beautiful at the moment as everything is blanketed in quite a thick layer of crisp snow and tomorrow, if the sun shines, it will be spectacular.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter, August 2005
We have had an extraordinary summer term in Huémoz at Swiss L’Abri. Student numbers peaked at 38 and we have had over 120 students come through the branch this term. There were at least 100 people at the chapel service on Sunday, representing 12-13 countries. Marvelous, even amazing. Needless to say everyone is very tired, but God has been gracious and is faithfully using the work in the lives of many. In my view, this has been the busiest summer that we have had in several years and as summer is always a busy time here in Swiss L’Abri, this was truly exceptional. We’re thankful that we now have a break
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter, May 2005
Spring has finally arrived here in Switzerland. We have had snow as recently as two weeks ago but the warm weather is here, hopefully to stay. Our summer term is now well under way. We have been going now for almost two weeks and while we only began with around 20 students we are gradually filling up to our maximum of 28 or so. We are still really just beginning to get to know the students who are here but from what we see so far, we have a very good group.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter December, 2004
Recently the Swiss revamped all the schedules of transportation throughout the country. Even our little town of Huemoz could not avoid being affected. The local bus that goes up and down the mountain has its times coordinated to allow passengers to arrive at the station just in time to catch the next train. As such, all of the times for the bus stop at the end of our driveway were also changed. One of the changes I immediately thought of with the new schedule was for the 9:57am bus.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter July, 2004
This term is drawing to a close unbelievably quickly. It doesn't seem that long ago, that I came back to Switzerland after visiting Australia to find myself amidst a new and busy term. I have enjoyed the students that have been here but as usual, the summer term tends to be especially busy with plenty of new arrivals throughout and sadly, many who only stay a short time before leaving. I think we all, workers and students alike, find it difficult saying goodbye to people.
And, unfortunately, we have more goodbyes to make at the end of this term. First, of course to the students, but also to Dave and Anna who have decided to move to Oxford, Ohio in the States to have their baby. They have been on staff here for the past year and a half and this year moved into Bellevue to help Kay Stiefvater run the student chalet as well as a number of other responsibilities. They will be missed very much by workers and students and we wish them well with their new baby in December and as they settle in with a new job (Dave has taken a position as a youth worker) and a new place to live.
Read full newsletter
Swiss Newsletter January, 2004
Dear Friends,
It
is now nearing the end of January. We are three weeks or so into
our winter term and it definitely feels like winter. We are in
the middle of a snowstorm as I write this letter. It’s getting
to that point in the term where students are starting to feel
more and more comfortable with each other and with us as workers.
It is now that we start to get to know people a bit better.
At
the beginning of each winter term we have a number of students
with us from Calvin College in Grand Rapids Michigan. They come
for their interim break and are able to get credit for their three
weeks here. This year we have had 5 students with us. They are
just coming to end of their time and it has been a pleasure having
them with us. In March we will have Dr. Mark Fackler from the
communications department at Calvin here with us to give a number
of lectures. We look forward to his visit.
Read
full newsletter |
|
Swiss Newsletter November 2003
Dear Friends of L'Abri,
On
my way back to Switzerland after visiting English L'Abri, I was
able to enjoy the pleasures of browsing through a bookstore which
sold (yes!) English books. I had been recommended a book by a
friend called, Life of Pi, by Yann Martel and bought it along
with two other novels. It is an extrordinary book about faith,
reality and being lost at sea with a bunch of dangerous animals.
But amongst many vivid descriptions of the boy's two-hundred-and-something
days adventure, is a lovely image of the sky....
Read
full newsletter
|
Swiss
Newsletter July 2003
Easter
Day arrived cool and breezy yet with a promise of spring that
encouraged us in our joyfully celebrating the resurrection. Following
the chapel service the entire community of workers, students and
guests walked up to Chalet Bellevue to share in a scrumptious
lunch prepared by the different L’Abri households. Bellevue
was at its best with white tablecloths, freshly cut spring flowers
and colorful napkins to mark the holiday. The children scampered
off in search of eggs while the adults nibbled on the snacks set
out on the terrace until the meal was ready. The mix of nationalities,
backgrounds and ages made for a gathering rich in conversation.
A family from Britain who had stopped in for the day, an American
lawyer studying drawing in Florence who had come for the weekend,
a German businessman full of questions, as well as some friends
and neighbors all mixed with our students from the United States,
Canada, Germany, Norway and Australia. After lunch we were treated
to a viewing of the slide show Michael Shivers had made of the
term, which was a lovely photo album of the weeks we had spent
together
Read
full newsletter
|
Swiss Newsletter March 2003
It
is interesting to think of what God takes notice of and what we
take notice of. At L’Abri we spend a lot of time thinking
and discussing about the God who is there and sometimes people ask,
“Isn’t all this thinking and discussing about God a
waste of time? Does it really get us anywhere?” It’s
safe to say that Western culture generally doesn’t place much
importance on this type of thinking and discussing. If we were to
turn on the evening news we would probably be quite surprised to
hear, “Next up, our top story. Another group of people who
revere the LORD are gathering to think and speak with each other
about the God who is there.” Unless it was some crazy cult
on the v erge of suicide this probably wouldn’t make our top
news. But the revelation of God from Malachi is that this is exactly
the kind of thing that makes the ‘heavenly news.’
Read full newsletter
|
|
Swiss Newsletter July 2002
July
2002
We
are sorry for such a long silence. This letter was written back
in June, ready to go out, when the computer crashed and Jim could
not keep it up and running for a good two weeks. Now it is the
end of July and we have just begun our break as the families with
school-aged children have left, or will be leaving shortly to
take some vacation time as families.
Read full newsletter
|
|
Swiss Newsletter December 2001
December
2001
I
doubt if there is anyone reading this who has not been marked
by the events of this past September. Who could forget the terrible
images that were constantly replayed on television and that drew
the world together as a spectator of horror? The world was shaken
and people in various places have said that the world will never
be the same. I know for myself, the next day, after a fitful night's
sleep filled with disturbing dreams, I awoke to see the sun rising
behind the mountains and I experienced a sense of shock and surprise
to see them there as before, unchanged. It was a comfort to me
and reminded me that even as the mountains seem permanent and
unchanging, how much more God is there unchanging, the Lord of
history surrounding us.
Read Full newsletter
|
|
