|
July 2003 Huemoz, Switzerland 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. The winter months were indeed rich in the students the Lord brought to us. We had more students with us than we have seen since the late 1980’s, with a wide variety of ages and backgrounds. It was wonderful to see them engaging in discussion and helping each other through their questions, doubts, and struggles, as well as taking long walks together along a snowy Panex Road and playing board games in the evening. At one point we had 11 German-speaking students of different nationalities. Claudia was delighted to be able to speak to so many of the students in her mother tongue. Usually at the end of every term we have a performance evening for the students, and last term was no exception. We all agreed that it was one of the best such evenings we have had in a long time, with students reading their poetry, singing solos or in groups, performing skits and playing instruments. It was an evening celebrating the richness of being made in God’s image and the uniqueness and individuality of each one, including the creativity of those who made the accompanying desserts! Now we have a new group of students with us that we are getting to know. There are several Korean women with us, a German woman, a couple Swiss, a couple New Zealanders, a couple Irish, an American who grew up in Asia, and the usual mix of American college students and working people who have taken time off from their studies and jobs to come to L’Abri. So what do the students come to study? There are various issues. At one of our lunches recently, after everyone had served themselves and Jim asked the question he asks at the beginning of every meal, “What would you like to discuss today?” a couple of students brought up their inability to trust in God’s goodness and a lengthy discussion ensued on this topic. The mealtimes are only one venue for questions and discussion. The students are also able to voice their questions and concerns in one-on-one tutorials where a tutor and student will wrestle over ideas and where the students feel freer to discuss their more intimate concerns. One student, after a few years of loose living, has realized the emptiness of such a life and desires to strengthen his faith. Another student who was in the process of rejecting Christianity when he was here previously, found that time beneficial and eventually, after leaving L’Abri, returned to faith. He asked to be able to come back now and study from a different perspective what Christianity has to say. Another young man who has grown up in a Christian home came to realize in his first couple of weeks here that he really had not accepted Christ’s salvation for himself, nor did he understand it. Being very serious he got right down to studying and thinking and a few days ago he bowed before God and has been born again. We receive many emails from former students who attest to the importance of their weeks here in shaping and strengthening their faith. Sometimes, like the student I mentioned above, they return either for further study or to participate in the community life and discussions for a short period of time. Or sometimes, as this morning and earlier this term, a former student will return to lecture. Both Swiss Jutta and American Ruth Ann came back for a few days of giving lectures, Jutta on Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Ruth Ann on “narratives we live by” and “narratives of the church”. We have recently had other lecturers come as well. Lee Hardy, a philosophy professor at Calvin College who had his life turned around at L’Abri in the early 70’s and felt led as a result of that time to become a Christian philosopher, and his friend Phil Besse a professor of architecture at St Andrews College in the U.S., came to lecture on architecture and suburbia, how they have influenced the American culture and then put forward a Christian response. It was very stimulating and led to further discussions on the topic around the meal tables. The new data projector that has been given to us was really helpful in enabling us to see the diagrams and photos, including close-ups of the triptych, “The Adoration of the Lamb”, that gorgeous panel in Ghent, Belgium, by van Eyck that figures on the cover of the book How Should We Then Live? Another lecturer has been George Diepstra, a biology professor at Northeastern University, who was a student here with his wife in 1980 – he and Jim worked together in the Les Melezes office back then, typing letters from people wanting to come to L’Abri on the old Hermes typewriters before the coming of electric typewriters or PCs. This time he came to lecture on the relationship of science and theology and the changing relationship our western civilization has had with science. It was a helpful lecture to us all and I was especially thankful that he had come at this moment when we have so many students who are studying science in university. They have been able to pursue one-on-one conversations with George during the three weeks that he has been here. If one were to come and visit Swiss L’Abri and take a walk to see the different chalets, one would see conversations taking place in a number of settings. Weeding gardens or chopping vegetables tend to lend themselves wonderfully to students discussing their questions, their studies, the latest lecture, etc. Tea breaks in Bellevue usually have a number of students and workers there chatting, asking who a newcomer is, getting to know one another outside a more formal setting such as a meal. There are also volleyball games that enable both student and worker to see each other in a different light – or ping pong tournaments that sometimes take place during tea breaks or on days off. Living and working together, sharing meals, questions, struggles, tears and joys, the delight of receiving a package, the bad news one might receive from home of a grandparent dying, taking walks together, worshipping, it all makes up for a little bundle of life, as Dr. Schaeffer used to put it. We are privileged that the Lord has allowed us to share in these days of life together and to be a help to the ones He brings to us. Pray that He may continue to bring those of His choice and provide us with the love, wisdom, patience, and strength to care for them. Pray too for his provision – we have had shortfalls recently – but it is now nearly 50 years that this work came into being – and God has been faithful and we trust He will continue to give us what we need to carry on this work as long as He shall desire it. Some news of the workers: Jim and Gail will be taking a sabbatical beginning July 21 and running two terms until early May 2004. Due to the schooling of our two youngest boys we will be staying in Les Melezes but will try to be invisible. We have some projects we would like to pursue as well as taking some time to rest and catch our breath. Our two oldest boys, Jimmy and David, live in Lausanne and attend the university there, while Michael will be in his second year of high school and John in his second year of middle school. We would be glad for your prayers that this would indeed be a good time of Sabbath rest. Greg and Lisby will be in charge of the branch during our absence. I am sure they would be glad for your prayers as they will be the only members on duty at that time. Their oldest son, Vincent, is in final exams right now after middle school, Alexander will be in his last year of middle school next year and Lawrence will be finishing up primary school. Richard and Karen are doing well in Bourdonnette. Richard is right now attending the two-week course of the Cambridge Summer Institute of Theology, while Karen is minding the fort at home. Alexis will be starting first grade in the fall and Simon will begin pre-school. Karryn is living in Chesalet where she is serving meals, talking to students and trying to find some time to do her art. She loves having a garden and is anticipating abundant produce during these summer months! Claudia and Dave are living in Bellevue at the moment. There is a happy atmosphere with wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen as they prepare meals. We have about 35 students with us now, with visitors stopping in as well, so Bellevue is a very busy place. However, there will be upcoming changes in Bellevue as Dave announced his engagement a couple days ago to a student who was with us last term, Anna Alphin, and they will be married in the U.S. in August. John continues to work in Bellevue, manning the office and greeting the new arrivals. Prisca is doing really well, and after the worship service on Sunday she is busy arranging times to see the various students she will be talking to during the week. She continues to take care of Mrs. Schaeffer for a few days each week. Mrs. Schaeffer is unable to live on her own and on Sunday, she had another of the mini-strokes that she has been having for years. Each one leaves her a bit weaker, but she continues to enjoy “seeing” the students who come to Tzi No. She has macular degeneration and so is unable to see anyone except very close up. But she likes to talk to the students, and the students enjoy this contact as well. We have great helpers this term: Kay, who studied with us a couple of years ago and who returned in January will become a short-term worker in August while Jim and Gail are on sabbatical, which will be especially helpful when Dave gets married and moves out of Bellevue. Sunny from Germany is doing a great job decorating the chapel for services, helping out with meals and working in Farel House. And Michael Shivers, our video artist, is also a great operator of the weed eating machine, when it is working! and is keeping the grounds in check. We again are overflowing with students and visitors. This morning in the chapel service we had to bring out all the chairs to accommodate the many people worshipping with us. The next weeks will be busy caring for the many students with us, the guest speakers who will be coming, and a world class cellist, Josef Luptuk, who is coming with his family to give a concert. We rejoice in the richness of life God has brought forth here in this tiny community on a Swiss mountainside and would ask you to rejoice with us and pray for us.
With warm greetings, PS!
From time to time we send out a more frequent prayer letter by e-mail
only to those who commit themselves to pray with us on a monthly basis.
If you are interested please send an e-mail to swissmailings@labri.org.
If you would no longer like to receive this letter please let us know in either of the above ways. |
 |
