Moriah and Peter moved to Germany.
My memory of the day is vivid. Vicki and I stood on our Kentucky porch and waved as their borrowed car drove down the street and turned the corner. In one moment they were waving back, big and brave (and we were feeling so proud); in the next moment the street was empty. So was a space in our hearts. It was like biting into a bar of German Zartbitterschokolade: bitter and sweet at the same time.
Peter, Moriah, and Cat Stevens, ready to go.
We were proud of these kids. They had accomplished much in their time together. But this next move, a “Continental relocation,” would be their greatest challenge to date. Choosing to live one’s life in a foreign country sounds exotic and exciting, but in practice, requires a high level of independence, boldness, and willingness to try new things. It can be bewildering and lonely and frustrating. Having done this sort of thing ourselves, Vicki and I had a sense of what they would be up against.
Parenting isn’t for sissies.
We hated to see them go but we could not hold them back.
Peter, Moriah, and Cat Stevens now have a flat overlooking the Rhine just upstream from Köln (Cologne). Peter is a freight ace for FedEx on European assignment. Places like Paris, Vienna, Barcelona, and Tel Aviv need their purple packages too. FedEx takes care of its pilots, but asks for a five-year commitment in return.
Five years?
The red marker indicates the location of Köln (or Cologne), Germany. Image courtesy of Google Maps.
Fortunately, my own travel life (when not impacted by virus restrictions) takes me back and forth across the Atlantic. I am hoping my employer will be kind enough to offer me the occasional journey home via Germany (it’s on the way, isn’t it?). That would be a blessing.
But it makes me wonder.
What else can a “Bible Land Explorer” do in Mitteleuropa? What cultural/historical markers might be of relevance to our mission? What biblical backstories may be teased from the cold ground on the far side of the Alps?
Peter and Moriah’s move has impacted our lives in many ways. We now have WhatsApp on our phones. We watch world news with fresh eyes. We are praying a little harder than we did before.
And I have lots of homework to do.
It has been good to travel again. Just a couple of weeks ago I was able to meet some dear friends in East Jerusalem that I had not seen since the Covid crisis began. I was grateful to find them alive and well!
Now that that the door has opened, we have a full slate of tours scheduled for summer and fall of 2022. If you are interested in exploring the Bible Lands for yourself, there is no better time. It will only get more and more crowded as the travel industry comes back to life. For a list of opportunities, see our website here.
