Friday and Saturday, May 4th and 5th, marked Liberation Day celebrations here in the Netherlands (similar in some ways to Memorial Day in the States) as cities and towns across the country marked the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi Germany in World War II. In the Schouwburgplein, one of Rotterdam’s main squares, a large military procession was organized with a wreath laying ceremony and a brass band. As I rode my bicycle to the fitness center where I excercise, I could still see some statues decorated with flowers and flags.
But perhaps the most important news of the week was my quick trip to the offices of Greater Europe Mission (click the link above) in Germany to explore a possible opportunity to work with them beyond my time here in Rotterdam. The town where they are located, Kandern, is in an area of Germany that meets the French and Swiss borders called the “Dreilaendereck” (Three Country Point). In fact, the major airport serving the area is in Basel, Switzerland (actually part — or maybe even all — of the airport is physically in France, but there are separate passport controls and customs checks depending on which country you want to enter). The picture below marks the spot where the three countries meet each other at the Rhine River.
My hosts took me to visit both Basel (Switzerland) and Freiburg (Germany), the two major nearby towns. After being in a country as flat as a pancake since January, it was nice to be in a place with actual mountains! The whole region is quite rural despite the presence of two large towns. In fact, at one point, we had to wait for a herd of cows to cross the road before we could continue on.
The work with GEM would be developing online theological courses for a seminary in Amsterdam, although other institutions have also expressed some interest. My time with the group from GEM was stimulating enough that I came back with all kinds of ideas running through my head. And, they all like Star Trek, my favorite TV show!
I leave on May 16th to return to Chicago for a few days to receive my degree from North Park Seminary. The time between now and then will be filled with a number of projects that have to be completed before I depart. So, this may be the last entry for a few days!
Mission: Rotterdam 2007 