When Thomas took our American friends to get their tourist visa renewed; the first question was, why do you want to stay in the
country. He found out very quickly, what the wrong answer was, “I have come as a missionary”.
Most of the employees at those offices, would have been a members of one of Germanys state churches, either Lutheran or Catholic. Their response was, “Germany doesn’t need missionaries”. Deutschland braucht keine Missionarien!
We send missionaries to Africa, India and South America, and we don’t need Americans here.” Part of the goal of our ministry, that was developing out of the Jesus People movement, was to be self- supporting. Therefore, it was also possible for the Americans to honestly reply, they would be starting a business, and it would be beneficial for the German economy.
Compared to the life of a missionary, that went to a third world country, our job was going to be different. Thomas and I, had read
the books about the experiences of missionaries to the jungles of Ecuador, and to war torn China. We had no idea, what kind of trials we would be, up against, living in a western country like Germany.
Gradually, we would learn, that our warfare, would be of a spiritual nature. The subject of a “missionary calling”, was something that our parents also didn’t really understand. Maybe it would have been easier for them, if our starting point, was going to a Bible Seminary for training.
I want to begin with Thomas’ words to my parents on the tape. He went to great depths to explain to them why we came, and why we were willing to make sacrifices. Both of our parents, would have preferred, that Thomas get a normal job, and that we would live in a normal house.
This reminds me of the first conversation Thomas and I, had after we gave our lives to Jesus. It was early in the morning, foggy and
damp out on Highway One. I was pregnant and we were hitchhiking to our tipi location. Thomas said, ”I guess we are Christians now because we believe in Jesus. But we are not going to be like those other Christians, who go around preaching to everyone.”
This time, we were far away from California! I was pregnant again, and we were living in a cold brick farmhouse in Nienburg. Maybe
God, was using our desire to communicate with my parents, to help us formulate what we believed we were called to do. Our
tape recordings were very personal, just talking in our room and imagining that someone would listen to our story.
