Home sweet home

So I'm back in Newberg, starting to work out again and enjoying being with Mom and Ryan. The boat is out of commission at the moment so I haven't been out yet, but just being at the house or on the dock is pretty sweet. Sorry I haven't updated in so long, you can ask the silly dial up people why - but just so you know I have a four -part series coming for you:

Part 1: Normandy
Part 2: The craziness of night time travel
Part 3: London with a local
Part 4: Conclusion and final thank-yous

Coming soon to a computer near you!

Almost Home

I'm going home today!! I can't wait. It has been a wonderful, amazing trip filled with so many blessings: I have learned so much, been in so many situations I never thought I would find myself in, seen the most awe-inspiring sights, and met so many God-lovers and cool people. But I'm ready to be at home where I don't have to pack every day and don't have to carry a huge backpack around large cities and up steep hills. :)

I'm in London right now, getting ready to run some final errands before I take the underground to Heathrow and head out. Yesterday was crazy, because I woke up in Wales, went for a run, touched the water of the Irish Sea and then got on a train - five hours later I was in London. I will have to write more about yesterday later (plus I have a lot to say about Normandy), but I should let you know that I saw a kids play of Cinderella at an elementary school and hung out with a whole bunch of women from Afghanistan - learning a lot about their history and culture in the process.

I will see some of you in less than 24 hours!! The rest I hope to see soon, because I miss you all. Love you!

Hungary's not so bad after all

Hello from Szeged! I made it to Arden's apartment tonight - actually she picked me up at the train station and has been pampering me ever since. It was a long day but a good day - I had an hour to talk to "Tati Pedro" in the car on the way to Oradea, and he got me thinking about a lot of things I had already thought about but now have a reason to actually do; I spent five hours sitting on the floor of the railway station in Oradea, but wasn't afraid this time and got a lot of journaling and reading accomplished; all the trains connected as they were supposed to, and I didn't get in trouble for not having a reservation on one of them where I should have had one; Arden treated me to dinner and ice cream, we talked easily for hours about the grace of God in our lives, and she played me a song she wrote about loss that I wish I could share with all of you.
I am off to Paris by way of Frankfurt tomorrow night, and then to Normandy where I hope to be humbled by the echoes of the men I studied for so long in college, and will always be my heroes.

One last day

Today was my last in Romania and it was sad to see it go. However, it was perhaps my best here, and I have a strange but nice feeling of finality that is more joyful than sad. I did the dishes after breakfast (Lou made some awesome pancakes with raspberry/blueberry sauce), went to the orphanage and saw the girls, cleaned up the yard a little, ate lunch (chile made by Anca), took a nap, went back to the orphanage and played some more (getting some quality time with both Nati and Gabi (the one I'd take home with me and the one who is an imp but likes me alot)), helped the guys spread out a HUGE pile of sand over the existing sandbox, ate a candlelit spaghetti with vodka sauce dinner made by Andrea, laughed a ton with the whole crew, including Peter and Ana, went to gelato again with the younger crowd, and overall had a great day. I will miss these people and this place, but I know this is not the end of my time being connected with this mission - it really has just begun. One of the best times I've had in this country was working hard to move a boatload of sand while listening to Jackson and Lou tell their stories - how God met them and brought them to himself, and led them here. It was neat to share my story and know that the same God is working in all of us at once - wherever we are.
Tomorrow I am headed to Hungary, to stay with a missionary I met while in Switzerland - her name is Arden and we met on a 5 minute bus ride but she offered to put me up if I needed it coming from Romania - so that's how this came to be! I am looking forward to seeing her again - I could tell that I would like her a lot even after so short a time to meet her.

Things I'm looking forward to when I get back:
- a new change of clothes
- brushing my hair with a hairbrush and not a comb (and honestly, I haven't brushed my hair anyway in a couple of days)
- having a good long talk, face to face, with Mom since I haven't been able to call her in over a week
- putting things in a dresser
- not having to remember 8 different currency conversions in my head (and not having to keep track of all the little lost coins I have collected in each country)
- showering with a loofa and not a small sliver of soap
- having my cell phone back (I know, its pathetic - I really haven't missed it except when I see other people talking on theirs)
- going wakeboarding
- working out and especially sprinting and lifting

Things I am thankful for:
- Italian gelato - limone most of all
- super light Bible Mom got me before I left
- Timex Ironman watches in 24Hr, because everything is listed in military time in Europe
- Smith sunglasses that haven't broken even though I've hit my head (with them on my head) on a bunch of things here - Romanians are typically short
- new card games - ever heard of "euchar?"
- mini bottles of hand sanitizer
- Facebook! I never realized how incredibly handy it was in keeping people together. All of the guys I met in Switzerland I have already kept in contact with and got messages from via facebook.

Things I never expected to do:
- share a bottle of wine over a candlelit dinner with a mission staff in Romania
- watch a movie still out in theatres with the same group (minus the parents)
- dance with a little girl in a courtyard in an orphanage in Romania, while she sang the tune we danced to, all the while not speaking a word but understanding each other anyway

Hanging out in Beius

Like many things I have experienced this trip, my time in Romania has been completely different than I could have expected and yet exceeded my expectations greatly. This is a kind of down time at the mission, recovery from the last two weeks of a team being in town and doing lots of painting and going out to gypsy villages. So I haven't really been doing much other than hanging out. And I'm discovering that that's OK - that my position here is just to be here - to see how everything works, how the group interacts, how they love on and put up with each other, and what everyday life is like for this group of giving individuals. Yesterday I spent the morning and afternoon playing with the "munchkins" as Ana calls them, and in the evening watched a movie with the younger members of the staff (Ana and Peter's adult/teen children and the college guys), then postponed the movie to watch God's own incredible handiwork instead. It started to pour outside as lightning completely took over the sky - I have never seen anything like it. You could only see the bolt every once in a while, but every couple of seconds the flash would span across and illuminate the night sky - it blew our socks off, and we watched for almost an hour. The thunder didn't start until an hour later - but it was like the rumble of a giant when it did. Then we went into the clinic (the four story portion of the complex, where I and the guys sleep) and played sardines - which of course scared me since I do so well searching for people in the dark. :)

Today we pretty much just relaxed. Peter wanted to take us to a thermal water pool in Oradea, but since it was still raining we decided not to go. Instead we have developed (by drawing straws) a plan for everyone to take turns making the meals (which is fun for us and gives the cooks a break). This creates a lot of teasing and creative work, as it is impossible to find the ingredients for many normal homemade dishes we cook in the states at the stores and market stalls in Beius. Ana went first and made an amazing frittata for breakfast - who on earth thought we should let the MOM go first?! She set quite the high standard. Then Jackson made a sort of philly cheesesteak, but with chicken and slices of a huge loaf of bread, for lunch - also amazing. I attempted to make a stir-fry with plum sauce, or at least a sweet and sour sauce, for dinner. It turned out OK - I'm definitely in last place so far - but I'm satisfied because I had no idea how to make such a sauce without soy sauce or ginger or brown sugar - I used plum jam, mustard, vinegar, flour, and pineapple juice, and it worked pretty well, just without much of a kick. The good news is I came in 49 (about $27) under budget. :0)

Anyway, it continues to be an awesome trip and I am so blessed and happy to finally be in Romania. I am finding out that I don't think I could actually work in an orphanage long term - at least not with kids under the age of 11. But as the guys (Lou and Jackson) said today, maybe that's not my calling. I feel like I'm being selfish when I get tired of playing with the girls, because I want to give of myself but find that my well is just not deep enough to draw from sometimes. But there are so many other ways to help out here - cooking, weeding, building, raising money, adopting, caring for one child as a foster parent, encouraging, and the list goes on. I still want to be a part of this - I just know that whatever I had chosen for myself is probably not completely in tune with what God has chosen for me.
So that may or may not make sense, but it's OK because I'm still learning it myself. I know I can trust God and that I want to be open to whatever He does have in store - I want to be found ready and waiting for Him when the knock comes at my door.


P.S. my knee has barely hurt since entering Romania - praise God! 'cause it really really hurt before. :)

Little Girls

The last two days have been a totally different experience than anything I have gone through so far. For one thing, I have an entire floor of the mission house to myself, and my own bathroom too. That's kind of fun, although I don't have a problem sharing space anymore - hostels kind of wipe that out of you, especially crowded ones like the Mountain Hostel in Gimmelwald (plus there we were sharing one 3 stall, 3 shower bathroom with guys and girls). Also, here I have a full five days before I have to go anywhere - and that is cool. Packing and moving is getting a little old - I'm glad I stood still for a while in Switzerland - plus it was the perfect place to be. Plus, I am being served here; someone makes us every meal, does the dishes, even cleans the rooms (though not mine because I'm on the fourth floor). :)

Ana and Peter (the couple who run the mission) are awesome, and hilarious - I just watched them get into a water fight that Peter started and Ana and their daughter Andrea got him back for - it seriously made me laugh for minutes because they were both wearing nice outfits and fighting over a hose. :) The Canadians left this morning, but they were really awesome people as well. The group included two sets of parents, with three daughters each ranging in age from 9 to 17. They were completely welcoming - from playing cards the first night I got here to leaving me with one of their memory sticks for my pictures. The two guys, Jackson and Lou, are really cool too - I spend most of my time following them and Michael, the 16 year old translator and all around gentleman, around. Yesterday after spending the morning at a gypsy church in a field outside their village, we had a waterfight with the girls and then went and got authentic Italian gelato from a store down the street. May I just say, gelato is amazing! They give you really small scoops, but you have to savor it anyway. Its been over 90 every day, but there is a cloud cover today which is nice. Yesterday evening we went over to the orphanage, and the Canadians led a VBS thing for the girls. It was about Jesus as the shepherd, and they made a picture frame to hold a picture of themselves that Fabio (one of the dads) printed out.

I should explain about the orphanage: It is a big building (complex really) and could hold over twenty kids, but at the moment there are only 8 - six-seven year old girls, two who are twins and two who are sisters. The mission oversees a few others who are in foster care, but they don't have enough funding to take care of any others at the moment. The women who care for the children and the rest who are involved in the mission are all amazing, giving, loving, wonderful people - and if they had the funding they would be able and so willing to care for more kids. In April they had to send 13 kids back into state care because of lack of funding - and you can just see that it broke their hearts. The state wants to give them more to take care of because they do such a good job, but won't give them money to do it - so they are just praying and praying that God would open the door for more Romanians to fund them, for the international adoptions to open again (because most of the girls at the orphanage have American families to go home to when it does), and for the state to support them.

This morning I spent 3 hours just playing with the girls - they have so much energy and are so crazy! When I first got there, after playing a little soccer (and they are better than most guys a couple years older than them - they can KICK!), they dragged me off to this area beyond the court and playground that looked a little like a run-down shack but opened into an overgrown courtyard of sorts (still with prickly bushes and broken cement) to a cement wall underneath a tree with some kind of yellow plum. The twins, who are crazier than the rest, and a girl named Delia who is by far the most athletic of them all, just climbed right up to a height higher than my head to get to the plums. I spent the next half hour worrying about someone falling and lifting the less crazy ones to a height where they too could get some plums (which were not ripe, by the way, and very sour). Then I became a horse and goalie, "IT" and sandbox playmate; and they decided to open my bag and take out all my chapstick, camera, money (which I did get back - it was only 7 lei (3 bucks) but still - I had to chase them!) and visor, which I'm pretty sure one of them thought was now hers. They are adorable, happy, jealous, whiny, funny, carefree, wonderful, normal girls - although there are quite a few fights to put out since they are all the same age and fighting over the same resources of people, time, and toys. But it is obvious that they are doing really well - a testament to the awesome people who take care of them and love them. I found myself (obviously) loving them too - even though those three hours tired me out completely.

I don't know if we are doing anything this afternoon or not - its pretty easygoing around here, which fits me perfectly. Things happen when and if they happen. But I am loving the card games, the prayers, the welcome, and the time spent trying to communicate to little girls who only speak Romanian and call me both "Michela" and "Americano."

More to come!

With REMM in Beius

I made it to the mission!! After a day of being lost, scared, and pretty worried about never actually getting to Beius, I am here at last. In Budapest I was able to switch from the train station I was at to the one I left from with relative ease, and caught a train to Oradea at 1:15. It was about 95 degrees in Budapest today, so the train ride was incredibly stuffy and hot, and I ran out of water with about an hour let to go. The train stopped twice for passport check, once leaving Hungary and about a half hour later entering Romania. Both times they took my passport off the train to call in the info - but everyone else got to keep theirs. I get the feeling that they are wary of Americans entering this area.
Once in Oradea (about 7:00 - with the time change about 5 hours later), I went to the information booth to ask about a bus to Beius - and she said, "Beius - no, no bus. No train, private train, no, no." You can imagine how that made me feel!! I found out later that the bus just leaves from a different area of town than the train station. But I was feeling pretty lost and confused. I tried to use the phone booth to call Ana at the mission, but it wouldn't accept my card. And no one in that area of town spoke English. Eventually a girl pointed me in the direction of a police officer, who let me borrow his cell phone to call Ana, eavesdropped, and then asked a taxi driver if he could take me to Beius. The taxi guy charged me 50 euros (Beius is 60 kilometers from Oradea), which was most of the cash I had and way over my budget, but it was worth it because it got me here and kept me safe. So thanks for praying! Ana immediately fed me, took me to a room, and just seemed so relieved that I made it safely after our rushed phone call. She and her husband are incredibly giving people.
I have met one of three college guys who are helping here all summer and two Canadian families with 3 girls each who are in their last two days of two weeks of helping out here. It has been a relaxing evening after a stressful day. And it is so nice to be with people who speak English! What a small but wonderful blessing.
Mom, I tried to call but the phone card isn't working here - I don't know why. But I am safe and with a great group of people and my knee has felt a lot better since this morning - even the long train ride didn't hurt it too much. I love you and thank you for praying! I miss you all too, and even with as awesome as this trip has been I know that when these 10 days are up I'll be glad to be home.

Prayer Request

So, I haven't really mentioned a little problem I've been having with my knee ever since I came down the Schilthorn. I wouldn't trade that day for the world, because it honestly was probably the best (or one of the best) I've had in a year, but I did develop something on the way down - I can't pinpoint exactly when. I thought it was just sore, but two days later I could barely walk downhill (uphill hurts too but not as bad). Last night it was just continually painful, and the ibuprofen I took didn't help. So, I don't know what I did, but I'm beginning to think its a bigger problem than I want it to be - so please pray that it doesn't hamper the rest of the trip! I only have 10 days left, and half of those will be at the orphanage - and I don't want to be held back while I'm there. I also would really not like to have it be something that requires a doctor's visit when I get home. :)

Also, I am having some train problems - yesterday three trains were delayed and one canceled, although I did make it to Budapest, where I am now. However, I missed the train to Oradea because of the delays, and now I am waiting to see if I can get on another one this afternoon. Luckilly, I have the number of a Christian missionary in a town I know I can get to, so I have a fallback plan. But I would really like to get to Beius tonight - so pray that this all works out. I promise I will call Mom tonight to let her know I'm Ok, wherever I am.

Love and miss you all!

Oh such great gifts!

I haven't much time, but I just wanted to share:
- I found an awesome place to camp last night and woke up in my own meadow with the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau ahead of me as the sun came up
- I had two hours alone in the meadow to sing Sound of Music and worship songs
- Josh left his camera accidentally and I found it at the hostel, so we met up this morning in Interlaken (facebook is an amazing thing) and those three guys and I spent the day hanging out on the shores of Lake Brienz, swimming, talking, eating, and sunbathing; which was the most incredible blessing because I had been so sad to say goodbye
- cool sunset in Grindelwald tonight
-headed on a night train to Budapest and then Romania, and should be at the orphanage by evening on the 12th

Love you all!

Pictures from Scandinavia

This is easier than going back and adding them - but look at the Switzerland ones too!

Gimmelwald

The guys and I just before they took off: Blake, Matt, Josh, Jonathan, Ben and me


Playing on the "Children's Adventure trail"

On the mountain, coming down: Matt, Blake, Ben and I


Going up!

I have so much I want to say about my time in Gimmelwald - it was amazing and gorgeous and special, and probably my favorite days out of this whole trip. I know I keep saying that, but it really does just keep getting better. I have met the most amazing people, and made friends that I hope I will keep for a lifetime. Yesterday I climbed the Schilthorn with three guys, all in their early twenties, named Blake, Ben, and Matt. We had the most brilliant day, for so many reasons: we all appreciated the beauty so much and openly said so; we had the best conversation on the way up (5.5 hours) about books we've read (mostly about classic Christian works) and how we see God - which was the best part because we are all Christians coming from different backgrounds but loving Jesus just the same, and about anything and everything from funny school stories to all the different wonderful (and not so wonderful) places we've been; we all were wanting to take breaks pretty often because its so steep and we would sit and talk for five or ten minutes each one; the last part of the hike was so grueling that it was fun to endure it together; Ben and I reached the top first and found these Japaneese businessmen in full suits who had come up the gondola and were now clapping and cheering for us, shook our hands, and then proceeded to each take a picture with us; eating really expensive fries at the top and not caring; finding that the way down was so much easier than the way up and we were no longer cold and tired; frolicking (actually, not just me - they started it) and running down the hills that were not as steep and laughing so hard I can't believe I was still standing; Blake chasing this entire herd of sheep up a hill; coming across a kids playground complete with rope swing and zipline that was more like being in Neverland with Peter Pan or in Robin Hood's lair than anything else - and loving every crazy childlike minute; getting back after 10 hours of hiking and jumping in a hot tub heated by a wood stove; making nectarine tarts with sugar that I poured out of a canister at the restaurant on the top of the Schilthorn (I carried it back in a bag that had once contained gummy bears); gazing at a sky just gorgeous with stars for two hours; having the guys decide they were going to create an "I hate Michelle Forbes Fan Club" on Facebook when they got back, because part of the hike wasn't flat, the tarts were too hot, and I forget why else. What wasn't fun was saying goodbye to all five guys (Josh and Jonathan included) this morning - because it feels like we've been good friends for a long time.

I wanted to post about the things I learned in Sweden, so I thought I would copy some of what I wrote in my journal on the train from Hamburg. I hope it makes sense, because it has really been eye-opening for me.

I was driving from Karlstad to Stockholm while Trish slept, and "I saw this sign off the road... When I read it at first, being the American that I am, I read "God Is." And it took me by surprise, but immediately "I Am" came to mind; right before I realized that "God Is" was actually "Godis," and I have no clue what it meant. But maybe that sign was there for me, so that I could be reminded that God Is - and nothing else compares. The truth of that statement is self-sufficient.
God delights in giving good gifts to his children...if God is anything, He is good. There would be no point, no hope, no joy in worshipping a god who was not good...even if everything in this world were painfully wrong, there would still be proof that God is good. because the world He made reflects his glory even in its fallen state. This world is a beautiful place - all one has to do is look at the sky to know that. I have seen many skies the last few weeks - gray and overcast, stunningly blue, dark with wisps of light breaking through. I have seen sheets of rain moving across waters and waves responding to the impulse of the wind. I have sen rainbows, written across mountains and beneath waterfalls, peaking their heads out of the most unexpected places..."The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies proclaim the works of His hand." The earth is given to man - a gift to care for and enjoy.
So many times on this trip I have been graced by a gift from my heavenly Father - gifts of friendship, beauty, provision, safety, and by the astounding gift of His presence...And He gave me a sign, literally, to remind me that He Is.
Daddy was a gift. God gave me an earthly father who, in all his fun-lovign and crazy ways, showed me who my heavenly father was every day of his life. Dad was fun - and showed me that God isn't stoic or boring. Dad was creative - and showed me God as Master of all that is special and brilliant. Dad was easy to forgive, and showed me a Savior who spreads our sins as far as the East is from the West. Dad was playful - and showed me a God who delights in seeing us full of joy. Dad was brilliant - and showed me a God who created intelligence and masterminded everything that could ever be learned - who made the human body Dad was so adept at learning about and fixing - who gave Dad the skills he needed to work in an intricate way that which God "skillfully and wonderfully made." Dad was generous, and whowed me a Father who gives beyond our capability to comprehend - who is the giver of all good things...Dad showed respect to everyone, and showed me a God who never judges by the outward appearance, but looks to the heart. Dad was active, and showed me a God who created not only our souls and minds but our bodies as well...Dad was adorable - and showed me that God delights in those who come to Him as a little child in faith...Dad was beautiful - and showed me that God made man in His image. Dad loved us so much - and showed me how God loved me more.
...Daddy was a precious, precious gift. God knew exactly what I needed in a father (and mother, for Mom is a priceless gift as well) and filled my life with someone I wouldn't have known how to ask for if I could. That's the nature of God - to give gloriously, wonderful, abundant and extravagent gifts. I have wondered so often this past year, why was Daddy taken away when he was so needed here? But maybe the question should have been, why did I deserve to have Dad in the first place? I didn't earn the gift of having Alvis Forbes as my father - it was freely given long before I could have earned it or not. And maybe in my finite mind Dad was taken away undeservedly - but that has to be looking at it the wrong way. Maybe getting to heaven now was God's gift to Dad.
Until I reach heaven's shores, I am never going to know why God saw that it was good to bring Dad to be with Him. Its so harsh to try to accept, but ... I cannot know the answer - just as I cannot understand how I was given the wonderful gift of having Dad while others are given fathers who chose not to love, or arn't around, or are taken away earlier on in life than mine was. Its not for me to compare, and its not for me to understand. But these things I do know: God Is, and God is good; and He gives freely and in great measure. He gives, and gives, and gives, and when He takes away it is still to our good - blessed be the name of the Lord!
We are not our own - we are His. We belong to the Almighty Father, and it is into His arms that we can always, always, find rest and comfort. Gifts are never given so that we ignore or forget about or replace the giver - they are always given from, in love. And our response should be. "Allelulia, Lord! You are awesome, and I give You thanks and praise. I want to give you my heart because I know that's where it belongs." The gift cannot be greater than the giver, and God is the ultimate Giver.
Cling to the Father of the heavenly lights, for every good and perfect gift comes from above. Learn from the things Dad showed, and join in the message God is writing across the earth. Join in the dance, sing with the stars, rejoice because you are fearfully and wonderfully made to bring God glory."

If you stuck with me through that, thank you - and I hope it touches you in some way, as it did me. It's amazing what not reading Swedish correctly can do for you! :)

Cool people and a very cool place

Keeley, Natalie, Ben, Katie, and Matt

On the glacier at the end of the hike!

so beautiful

So, yesterday on my birthday it started out cloudy and rainy but ended up getting a little nicer in the afternoon. Earlier in the day I headed up to Murren with a group that included Natalie (a 21 year old who had been studying in Italy and was traveling around); Josh, Jonathan, and Blake (two brothers and a friend who were helping at an inner-city mission in Dublin and are now traveling around), and Ben and Matt (two friends making their way through Europe together for the summer). We are an interesting mix of backgrounds, philosophies, ideas of fun, and temperments but have been having a blast hanging out and hiking around. Its weird how a place like this can bring people together. Natalie, Ben, Matt, two other girls and I hiked up to a glacier this afternoon - absolutely beautiful but cold after being around the snow for a while in a T-shirt. The views through the valley - again, with countless waterfalls - was amazing; and it was so much fun to be there with people who were just as completely amazed as I was at the wonder of it all.

Happy Birthday to me!

So it is now the afternoon of July 7, and I am enjoying being in Gimmelwald and being 25. Wow that's weird to say! A quarter century seems so grown-up, like I should be a complete adult without any of my old childish tendancies - and yet I still like to frolic around like a kid when I get the chance.
Today I was hoping to climb the Schilthorn, but there are deep clouds enveloping the whole area so I will hold off till tomorrow. I have met a bunch of people my age - this is actually the first hostel I've been to where the majority of the people here are Americans and under 30.
This is a gorgeous place, even with the clouds. Yesterday the skies opened up and we could see the mountains surrounding us - and yet we are so high up to begin with (I think about 4600 feet - higher than the top of Ben Nevis already). We walked up to a slightly bigger town with a grocery store, which had peanut butter - exciting since I just ran out of my supply. Now we are contemplating going hiking somewhere closer to here this afternoon. It is fun to have a group of people to hang out with, especially on my birthdy. One of the girls is baking me a cake as we speak - though it was supposed to be a surprise; one of the other guys accidently told me.
I had an interesting conversation with a couple of girls and guys last night, about politics and people and cultures and everything in between. One of the girls made a comment in passing about how she was frightened by "fundamentalist Christians" - she's actually the one who is baking the cake. I know she knows I'm a Christian, because it came up last night when I was reading Orthodoxy by Chesterton, but I hope I can show her that people who believe the Bible is true can be just as caring, open, and welcoming to to people as anyone else. I wouldn't call myself a fundamentalist in the way she was using it, but at heart I believe the Bible fundamentally and will always hold to that. Anyway, there are a couple of people that I would love to show how living for Jesus is freeing and full of hope - and not the way they perceive "narrowminded" Christians to be.
I sent a package home today, though we'll see how long it takes to get there. Included is a bunch of postcards for a lot of you - don't feel bad if you're left out because I only had 11 to send and soon I will get more. But I really do appreciate everybody taking the time to read this and travel with me on this journey.
I learned some amazing things while in route from Sweden to here, and I really want to share them - but my internet time is almost up. So I promise I'll get back to them soon! I love you guys and I know you are sending me birthday wishes from wherever you are.

Made it to Switzerland (or, how many times can one cross the Baltic Sea in a day?)

I have so much I want to write about my journey the last few days, but I have limited time on the internet so some will have to wait till later. Just a few highlights, though:
- Stockholm!! Beautiful, wise, stately city with old buildings sitting write on the canal. We took a boat ride (part of my abundant birthday present from Trish) and it was wonderful. We also ate at an open air cafe: paninis and a raspberry (birthday) cake.
-getting on the night train to Malmo - my first time on one, and it was nice except I didn't sleep that much.
-stop in Malmo, eat breakfast. Stop in Copenhagen, go to a park, write in journal, take a nap, see the Mermaid, eat a waffle. Back to Malmo, feet in the harbor, eat raspberry sorbet. Back to Copenhagen, collect luggage, get on train. :)
-the train got on a ferry!! unexcpected and very cool - my first taste of Germany was from the sea.
-meeting guy from Finland and mom and daughter from Danmark on the train
-making it to Interlaken, finding a store that was open after lots of walking, getting to Gimmelwald after meeting a missionary to Hungary on the bus (who offered to put me up the night before I fly out of Budapest.)

-more to come!!

Hello from Sweden (or, Hello Lillehammer, goodbye fjords)

As you probably guessed, Aunt Trish and i have arrived in Sweden, land of many lakes and more red barns. It was an uneventful transistion from Norway to Sweden, as the only obvious difference is the inside of road signs being colored yellow instead of white (although we weren't sure whether or not to stop at the entrance to Sweden - it was not well marked so let's just hope that Trish doesn't end up with a ticket of some sort). However, once we got to Karlstad, it just felt a little different. I think people take life a little slower here than they seem to in Norway. We saw a lot of people strolling through town, riding their bikes (all equipped with baskets or platforms), sitting at open air cafes, and enjoying the riverside parks. We joined right in, strolling through this stately old city and its quiet river, eating pizza at one of the cafes (mine came with tomato sauce, ham, pinapple, bananas, and curry), and finishing by staring out the window of our cute hotel towards the river below.
Yesterday we left the fjords, and both of us were fairly sad - it felt like leaving a different world, and being half afraid that once gone we would never find the keys to get back. We left Hellesylt by ferry, through the Geirangerfjorden - one of the most amazing places I've ever been. You are probably getting tired of my saying that, but its true! Our hostel had looked out over the fjord, so we had had an incredible view anyway for the past two days. But once on the ferry, we turned a corner into a canyon with steep walls rising on either side, with thin misty falls gracing many of the rock faces, and farms popping out in the oddest of places. There was one collection of falls called the "Seven Sisters," across from which was a more powerful waterfall called the "Woo-er" (or Suitor). The story is that the woo-er had continually proposed to the sisters, but none of them would take him - so he turned to the bottle instead; and it looks like the fall is holding a bottle somehow. When I can get pictures up again you will see what I mean.
Leaving the Geirangerfjord we climbed this road around 38 hairpin turns to a mountain valley that was every bit as stunning as the fjord we left. Then we followed the river that flowed from the valley all the way to Lillehammer. I wish I could adequately describe the color of that river - I know I didn't ever catch its purity with my camera. It was turquoise, but more blue - brighter, lighter, stunningly blue. I have never seen that color in nature before. It most resembled the sky on a perfect day, but it was moving and flowing and alive with color. I won't forget the beauty of yesterday.
Lillehammer itself was great too. We found our hotel and then went up to see the ski jump that overlooks the town and lake - and once again were pleasantly surprised that they just let you walk around! We even saw four guys make jumps - they just wet down the plastic that covers the landing area so that the skis will slide easier, and wet down the tracks, and then the guy goes - it was so cool!! We climbed up the stairs and I was standing right by the edge of the jump when one of them went - that was pretty neat. The view from up there over the lake and town was amazing - especially with the Olympic torch platform right up front.
Some of you may know this about me, but I have this thing about water - I always want to jump in. I jumped in at the lake at Preikestolen, and at the fjord in Hellesylt, and I wanted to jump in the lake at Lillehammer too. So we found this little park, and I got in, did two turns in the water, and got out. It was much warmer than the fjord, and the other lake, but not warm enough to stay in for long - even though it was probably high seventies yesterday. However, tonight I decdided to get in the river by our hotel (it had been 80 or more today) and even though it was after 10:00, it was warm enough that I swam around for a little while before getting out. I feel like seeing a place from the water's point of view makes me feel like I am a part of it - like I understand it and it understands me - that I belong. I love the way the going under and the coming up makes me feel clean and pure, and reminds me of the feeling of baptism and the beauty of how Christ makes us free.
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, and I admit it is a little strange to be in another country on my favorite holday. But, if i am honest, it is porobably easier to be in Sweden than to be in the US and not be in Jackson. I would miss the fireworks at Snow King and the trip to Warm Springs too much. I will think of you all, having picnics and maybe going boating, and some of you climbing the hill to be in the thick of the action and I will try not to be jealous (since, after all, I am in Sweden). :)
Trish and I decided to go over to Stockholm tomorrow, and then we separate - she goes back to Oslo, and I start meandering my way down to Switzerland - where I shall hopefully be on the top of the Schilthorn for my birthday present to myself. I don't know if I will be able to post before I get to Gimmelwald, so Happy 4th of July and enjoy the fireworks and the lake for me!

July 1

Today I woke up to real sunshine for the first time on the trip. Sharing my glorious morning were two HUGE cruise ships that had snuck up on Hellesylt during the night. They were kind of fun to see, because they really did take up so much of the space available in this small fjord.
I tried to hike another mountain today (or big hill, whichever way you take it), and was only partially successful. It was steep going (to the point where every step took me up about a foot, and large portions of the hike were along a cliff face - but protected by a dense forrest at the same time) but offered great views of the fjord - or so I was told. The bottom half did, when I could see through the trees, but the top was basically just trees. When I could see out I had a bird's eye view of Hellesylt and its waterfall, and was about even with a great snowfield across the fjord - so the trip to the top was well worth it. However, I somehow became a tourist attraction for a great swarm of flies, who followed me to the top and decided they liked me so much they'd stay with me till I reached the bottom. I gradually learned to accept their presence, although I can't say I made any friends. We'll see if any of my pictures turned out or if I was too busy slapping at the flies that landed every time I stayed still too really get a good shot. I also got lost near the top - the trail, marked by painted red stripes and "V"s - disapeared at a most inconvenient time: through a forest of birch trees. I found my way up but lost it again on the way down, and got pretty scared for a few minutes until that beautiful Norwegian red showed itself again. On my way down I also managed to pass off my flies to a fellow traveler on his way up, so that turned out swell! =)

Trish and I are now in Lillehammer - more to come!