Just another Sunday

While Saturday was just another work day at the Haus, Sunday was a day off of our regular duties. We began with a worship service where the music portion was lead by the students from Kazakhstan - some in Russian, some in English. The sermon was preached by a minister from Ohio and translated into Russian. With thirteen countries represented here this week, Russian and English are the languages understood by most. Our translators are amazing and interesting people in their own right, many of whom are professionals in other fields (attorneys, doctors, etc). I have been so impressed by all of the students and staff here. The church service was a little bit of heaven, where political and language barriers will be gone for good.

In the afternoon we went to Baden for a few hours, which was fun, but HOT! Baden is a resort town known for it's mineral baths. Since it was Sunday many of the stores were closed but there were a few open. There was one cute little store open and I almost bought a top until I realized I had seen that top before - at the Irish Fair in Indy . . . and then I saw that it was made in Peru. So other than the pictures, we took nothing home. Their rose garden was absolutely beautiful, however, and the cobblestone streets were smaller and quainter than Vienna.

We visited one church, which was the church where Mozart was once a music director. On the was a page of framed music with his signature. In front was a beautiful statue commemorating WWI and WWII.

Sunday evening we came back and had a light dinner and a campfire night - evidently a tradition at the Haus. There were many stories told by our students and short term workers alike, which I won't share here - but it was a pretty great evening. One I will share was the moment when two of the group (one a student and one a worker from Ohio) realized that they had been opposing pilots in a war. Each were so trained to kill, so trained to hate, that moving past it was a challenge.  It was touching and inspiring to see the two soldiers (both of whom had been very good at their jobs - soldier's soldiers) become friends.

We have four days of work at the Haus left and in his spare time Mark is madly grading papers. So it may be quiet for a while until we hit Salzburg on Friday. But the work days are satisfying and fun, and we are so glad to be here to serve!~ Back to the kitchen for me. I certainly hope Mark isn't going to expect this kind of cooking at home when we get back!