Chicago 26 July – 11 Aug (Dawie J)

Chicago was great. There is such a beautiful skyline and we had a nice home the first 12 days and then went to a hotel (near Willow Creek) for 5 days.

We went up the Willis Tower to the Skydeck. There were spectacular views, it feels as if you're on the top of the world. It was cool to stand on the glass balcony and look right down to the street 103 storeys below!

We played cricket in Lincoln Park, and I came 2^nd after my dad (who always wins). We often also played mini-cricket in the small area next to our house.

The visit to the Science and Industry museum was great. Me and my 2 brothers went. We saw the German U-boat (World War II submarine) and many other interesting things. Tinus and Charlie explained all the stuff that I did not understand. It is a privilege to have 2 older brothers like them.

My parents and brothers went to the Leadership Summit and I did not have a place to stay. I worried about it. We asked God to provide a place for me to stay. That really put my faith to a test. A family we have not met before, invited me to stay with them. So, I went to the Lowmans on Thursday. I had so much fun, that I asked to stay with them on the Friday as well, instead of staying in the Hotel room. I learned that to trust God, is the best and that when God provides, He provides the best!

Once we went to a restaurant as a special treat. It was buffet. We stayed there for 4 hours, not because we ate so much, but because we talked so much! I just love to be part of my family. We loved the eating as well!

Now I say good bye!

Chicago, Chicago (21 Jul – 6 Aug)Charlie

A lot has been said about this memorable stop on our world tour and although all stops were definitely memorable, this one was especially special. Although I am currently in the south of France and still behind on a lot of blogs I still deem it necessary to elaborate on my own experiences and feelings about the windy city. I am sure that at the end of this tour, we will be able to recall a lot of special things from our memory, but I know that as soon as we start thinking the first memories that jumps impulsively into our heads will be that of Chicago.

As you know already from my mother's blogs, the first week after landing at the Chicago's O'Hare airport was one of adventure and discovery. It was, by the grace of God, one of the very few times we had nothing planned in terms of where we will stay or in what we will stay! We were left to challenge the void of imagination and adventure in our thoughts. The only problem at the beginning of these few days was that everyone started to think for a change. Usually we plan the basic things beforehand and then during our time there the tour co-ordinator, my mother, would make suggestions as to what she felt had to be done. In these few days on the other hand, we didn't even have the basic stuff planned… Luckily we booked one thing ahead of time which was the car. That helped us more than you could ever imagine. You see, if you have wheels, your horizon of possibilities becomes broader by the second. In retrospect I think it was a good thing but at that time I wasn't sure if more possibilities was making things easier or more difficult.

So it all began… We climbed in our newly rented Cadillac and hit the road with absolutely no idea of where we were off to. We impulsively just decided to stay on the I- 90 E and see where that leads us. It took us past the city, past all Chicago's beautiful skyscrapers and finally out of Illinois. Then we were a bit unsure of what to do next, because as soon as we brought the inevitable question to the table a kaleidoscope of different views and ideas flushed through the car. Where were we headed? That question still remains a companion to me, not only in the practical sense of where to travel but in life as to where we will take our own life, where will we steer our own ship? After a lot of arguing, we decided to take it further in a stationary position, off of the interstate. The big problems was different paradigms, predictions and thoughts as at what this will consist of. A few of us felt that this was always going to be a road trip. Where we would put many American miles under our belts. Others felt like making it a more personal journey through the country, experiencing everything a single place has to offer, progressing slowly. At the end we came to the conclusion that everyone imagined these few days differently and that we needed to do more research about the area. Thus we headed to the Indiana Visitor's Centre.

Unfortunately it was already closed. We saw this as a decision being made for us. That night we would spend close to the Visitor's centre. The next morning we spent another two hours to decide where to go and in all the confusion I think we all saw the light. Simultaneously we decided to make it the best of both worlds. We were going to give attentive detail to the country but also put a few miles between us and Chicago. Thus it worked out perfectly in the end. We never got tired of driving and we got to see a variety of people and places. You might wander as to what gave us the necessary insight and wisdom. It was after we prayed and began to make sacrifices on our own terms and began to think of the other people in the family that we could come to a conclusion. This was a special few days for me, not only because of the beautiful places we could see, but because of the insight on the way I would steer my life's direction, in the wake of God's leadership!

After the week of adventure, unfortunate confrontation and reconsolidating freedom we headed back towards Chicago. From the beginning, Chicago had been on our list of places we had to visit because of the Willow creek Community Church. So when we thought about the few days without agenda beforehand, we came to one agreement. We had to be back on the Sunday to go to the Willow service. Thus, when heading towards Chicago, after these few days, we stopped by Willow on our way there. It was then that we got another taste of a beautiful, working church in the will of God. Thinking back now, I can only thank and praise God for leading us to so many inspirational churches. There is truly nothing like the local church when it is functioning according to the will of God. Not only did the worship capture the individuals Spirit in the essence of God, but the sermon captivated the soul, enlightening God's greatness. We got to listen to David Nasser. I will elaborate more on his service next time. After this first enriching service at Willow we headed to our new house which would become our home away from home for the next 10 days.

This apartment was in the heart and soul of a beautiful part of the city. Certainly not the most wealthy part, but one of the most enjoyable parts. Yes, our new apartment was in Lincoln park. Not in down town but a bit to the north west. Still, it was near enough to jog to downtown and to see the John Hancock side of the skyline from the lake side. It was situated about 2,5 km from the great lake. Thus setting up a beautiful opportunity for jogging to and next to the lake. It is so beautiful in day and night that jogging really becomes a dream. It appeared as the destination where it would be perfect to get a few running miles behind our backs and as it appeared, it was.

We got up early some mornings and ran our hearts out. Other days we would take an afternoon run. This for me was the most special. Not because of the beautiful colors in the sky, but because of all the people that joined us in exercise. All around us, there appeared locals with roller blades, bikes and the ever trustworthy running shoe. Chicago is certainly a calorie burning machine! There are people who says that the location isn't that important when you run - I was one of those. When I first ran in Chicago my views changed. Running certainly is a breeze there! Although the breeze may be in my face, I still enjoedy it because of all the beauty and because of all the people doing it with you. I could also learn from this that when there are others doing something with you, it is easier, although they even might be headed in the other direction.

More about our apartment. The whole apartment was in an old, small Chicago house basement. It was a bit of a downsizing from the Atlanta house and mountain cabin, but it still was a lot more worth than a hotel room. We spend those ten days mostly in our small apartment. It was a fruitful week for work, but also an eye-opener to what city culture and diversity could be like. During our few afternoons and days off, we did a few memorable Chicago city ventures including the Willis Tower Sky Deck, Lincoln Park zoo, Millennium Park, Navy pier and the Museum of Science and Industry.

The Sky Deck was an experience that left me feeling above the clouds – literally! Beforehand, being a Namibian, I felt a strange sense of awe and admiration as well as a bit of fear staring at the humongous structure. Before even going up I could understand that the Lord truly wants us to reach our full potential for the age we live in. When climbing in the elevator I felt a bit unsure… This feeling was futile though, because the elevator started to move. We went up, and up and up, surpassing other structural landmarks on the way. When we rose above the Eifel with 20 floors to go, a new feeling entered my thoughts, excitement! After my ears popped a few times we got to the 103 floor… I stepped out and saw the beauty of a skyline I've seen before, only this time it was from above! Everything was breathtaking! The lake in the east, the sunset in the west, everything! When we got down I felt an aspiration to reach my full potential and let God take me to new heights in my life!

Lincoln Park zoo was on the list only because it is for free, one of very few zoos in the world that are still free. Summarizing that experience, I did feel a bit sorry for the creatures in captivity because my own spirit is free, but I saw it as an opportunity for people who do not have the privilege to go to the wild, to see these animals there! Millennium Park is coupled not only with beauty in sight but in hearing as well. We went to the park to see a full orchestra performance. It was my first an definitely not my last. It was beautiful, even though I do not have an expert's ear for music. It will bring out the classical side in Rambo!

The Navy pier, also synonymous to Chicago, was an experience of cultural hospitality and restful pleasure. When you walk on to the navy pier, you not only walk and see the skyline but you drift through all the cheerful laughter and restaurant smells. All around there are tourists busy buying tickets for a boat ride or standing in the line to buy a Bud light. The locals could be found on the bicycle / jogging / skating trail and in one of the many restaurants each with a unique and special atmosphere. We, on the other hand, could not be found on a boat trip, in a restaurant or in a line to buy beer. We had the lovely privilege of attending Aladdin, the musical, at the Shakespeare theater at the Navy pier. After that joyous, funny and intriguing experience, we enjoyed the essence of pleasant atmosphere and cheerful conversing by walking around the pier.

Another experience of a life time and a must do when visiting Chicago is a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry. Me and my two "engineer to be" brothers were the lucky ones selected to go. There were a lot of very interesting things, but I want to only name a few. We couldn't nearly get to everything it had to offer. I think that a annual pass wouldn't even be enough! Immediately when you enter, you are astonished by the mere size of the place, not even knowing of the beauties there are to follow. The highlight of the place was definitely the German WWII U-boat that was captured by the Americans during the war. It was a testament as to what man is capable of and how beautifully God has made us. Unfortunately it is also a symbol of how atrocious war is and how we should all keep striving for peace. I mean, you know something is bad, when the enemy that is captured is glad because they are freed from the clutches of war. Another highlight was the model train track from Chicago To Seattle occupying a whole hall. The detail and the story around it was astonishing. There was so much more we learned and enjoyed, but I do not have that much time to spend on blogging!

Before moving away from Lincoln Park, Tinus and I decided that Chicago is definitely the best place to attempt your first half-marathon. So, two nights before we moved closer to Willow, we decided to do it! We set off at about seven o'clock, planning to run in the dark on the way back to experience the skyline from all angles in all its lit up glory. The first 6 km were a breeze! Beautiful scenery and ABBA ringing in my ears, life seemed right. It was after 8 km that I started to feel a bit of pain in my leg, but I was still okay. The scenery of the sky line and lake kept changing and held remarkable beauty. When we turned at the half way mark it was completely different again. The Skyline now gave its own light and gave a totally new running inspiration! After 15km everything started to cramp up. I had pain in my legs in places I didn't know existed ! We kept on going despite the pain and finally reached the finish line. It was a big achievement! Although everything was sore for the next week, I felt great!

I hope You understand a bit more of the beauty of Chicago now and feel part of the city. In my next blog I will elaborate on the last week in Chicago, which is all about the Leadership summit!

Chicago – 26 July – 11August (Chrisna)

It was a mistake! Procrastination is never good, even if you think you have a good reason- and that is what I did. I kept postponing to write a blog on Chicago, and then on New York and I had a good reason: There was so much to say and so little time to say it. There was never enough time to sit down and pen down all that I felt inside, always something more important to be done, and now I realize that I cannot postpone any more, this is the more important thing right now. But now I have a new problem. There is so much bottled up inside of me, Chicago way down in the bottle, on top of that New York and now even on top of that, Marseille and the French Riviera! It was definitely a mistake to wait so long...

Let me shake my bottle, and let it all just fall out!...........

Chicago was special, very special. We had a special time in Chicago, very special.

We were sad to leave Chicago.

Why? Many different reasons, let me name a few: the beauty, the friendliness, the skyline, the lake, the classical music concerts in the park, the miles and miles of paths for hiking and jogging, the small Chicago apartment we lived in so close to the lake, the many free things to do, the sunrise and sunset, the church, the Leadership summit, the divine connections...

We started off on a bad foot with our home exchange being cancelled. But,this was the only bad part of Chicago. We spent many hours on the internet to find other accommodation and eventually succeeded. We rented an apartment in the basement of a 3 storey building in Lincoln Park. We had the most wonderful landlord, who even gave us a special discount rate and 1 day for free! Miracles happen even in the business world. (If you ever want to go to Chicago, contact us for her detail.)

We had our "goal-meeting" on day 2, and worked very disciplined. During breaktimes, we sat outside in the 3m wide piece of land between our house and the neighboring one and drank tea, or played cricket in that same area. The road is so narrow, with cars parked on both sides of the street, that you have to fold the car's mirrors flat!

From our house to the lake, was 2km. Sometimes we walked from the house to the lake and back, sometimes we drove to the lake, parked, and walked along the lake for 1 hour. This was our daily exercise.

We were there before sunset and walked till it was dark – seeing the colour of the sky change and the city lights go on. We were also there before sunrise, saw the sun lighting up yet another day and the city lights being switched off. Whatever time of day, it was always beautiful – the sky, the lake, the skyline of the city.

We did not only admire the skyline from down below, but also from the top of it all. Yes, we went up the Willis (formerly Sears) tower (for many years the tallest building in the world, but after Dubai's building spree, the highest in USA). We went all the way up to floor 103. If I had a choice, I would have stayed on the ground, but my 4 men took me up. And was I glad they did. What a beautiful sight! Again we saw the setting of the sun and the city lights flickering on. Yes, we were on top of it all, and we were all very excited and appreciated the outing. We were also glad that we could use an elevator this time – and not like always climb to the top!

Mondays are free days at the History Museum. We took this opportunity specifically to see the exhibition on the life of Abraham Lincoln, a great leader. We were impressed with more than his leadership skills alone, because at the same time we could see the good leadership and planning the leaders of the city of Chicago had centuries ago. The beautiful city and many parks did not just happen by coincidence, it was planned. A quote of Daniel Burnham at the entrance of the Willis tower sums it all up: "Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir mens blood."

Dream, Plan, Action (this is my quote!)

We were also blessed to visit with a Namibian girl who lives in Chicago for 5 years already. Her mother gave her details to my mother and we made contact. What a special and brave young lady Nadine is! She stays with a family where she takes 100% care of the children and cooks for the family, while at the same time studying full time. It was wonderful to spend time and share stories in Afrikaans and to make a new friend! Her parents can be so proud of her and Namibia can only hope that she will return, because she will surely be an asset to our country.

The 3 services we attended at Willow Creek Church, as well as the Leadership Summit were obviously highlights. Luckily Dawie shared about that experience, so I will not write about it now other than to say: "Thank you God, for allowing us this blessing!" It was also good to see other Namibians at the conference and as we greeted them on their way back home, to know: we will also return, Namibia is where God wants to have us, but not now, not just yet. (Oh, Thank you that we still have 2 months left before going home...)

What I want to write concerning Willow, is to tell about another miracle that happened to Dawie J and us while we attended the Leadership conference. This lady, Karen, and I corresponded via e-mail about a possible home exchange, which could not work out. When she asked whether all of us will attend the conference, I told her that only Dawie J will not, and she invited him to stay with them. We took Dawie J to these complete strangers on the first day of the conference . When we dropped him there that morning, I had complete peace in my heart. When we went to fetch him, he asked to go there again the next day! They invited us to dinner and we spend the evening with them, parting at midnight as friends.

Friday evening, fetching Dawie J, we were again invited to dinner and enjoyed yet another feast and wonderful fellowship. All three children plays different instruments, and we were blessed with beautiful violin and piano music. (Were we perhaps in heaven for a while?) We had such a special feeling for Lane, Karen and their children in our hearts, that we went back to them on Monday, just to say good-bye. Needless to say, a short good-bye ended up in a feast! Psalm 133:1 (NIV) How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

Both Dawie and I had very significant meetings with different people during our Chicago stay. God surely loves to surprise us as He uses us as His instruments. He gives the wisdom when we are out of our comfort zones and can use us even outside of our SHAPE, the only thing we must do is to say: "Yes, Lord".

As I write and write, I understand why I continuously postponed to write about Chicago. We had such wonderful times there and made wonderful special new friends. My words do not do justice to what we truly experienced, and I think that I always felt that my writing will be inadequate to show the whole picture, so it was easier to postpone! Now it is inadequate, but at least something is written. May this be enough to remind us in years to come of how sweet Chicago tasted...

Thank you God, for blessing us in such a way – yet again. Thank you also for using us in different ways in the lives of different people and to use different people to build into our lives. You did it in every single place we called home, even if it was for a few days, during this fast speeding year of 2009! Thank you!

Chicago –our number one? (Dawie) 23 Aug 2009

Chicago has been our number one choice in several categories. It was the first city we identified to include in our world tour. The family voted the skyline as the most beautiful one in the world. Tinus and Charlie completed their first half marathon there. The best local church we have visited is there. The best car we had on the tour, we drove there. It's the location in which we made the most new friends. It's the most innovated city we have visited. It's Tinus' first choice for after graduate studies. It's the city in which we have exercised the most. And the list continues...

The innovative and architectural buildings and structures, 1000+ km running/bicycle tracks, numerous parks, cleanliness, various famous educational institutions, museums, art festivals, etc. contributed to my gaining respect for the city. The pace against which the city and it's people develop are remarkable. Chicago for example, produced the most Noble price winners ever. (I am sure some other family members will elaborate more on Chicago and the friends we made here)

Chicago was indeed very special.

But so were all the other places and all the other wonderful people and churches we have visited.

We had the most remarkable eight months as a family, but believe me, it is here in Chicago that I felt our relationships matured and grew in depths, more than ever before. I once again realized that I am very proud of my wife and three godly sons.

The visits to the Willow Creek Community Church and the Global Leadership Summit ("GLS") surely contributed to make Chicago even more special.

The church is relevant, innovative and lead by people with the spiritual gift of leadership. The focus on God's Word and Jesus is real, which ensure that they are practical and sensitive to the needs of their people and of the world. The GLS was once again a world class event; excellently organized and executed. It was full of practical information for leaders in today's changing world. It is "a must" for every leader who desires to glorify God through his or her church/organization.

My meetings with Bill Hybels and Gary Schammlein were fruitful and inspiring. There are so many win-win opportunities in Africa if the Willow Creek Association and the African Leadership Institute can work closer together in the future. Something , I think, which will develop.

Something I once again realized on this trip is that if one desires to make a difference you need to do the following:

• Be willing to learn from everybody and be sensitive for opportunities to gain knowledge, experience and wisdom.
• Never think that you are better than other people
• Work hard, with excellence, and in unity with teams
• Actively and innovatively seek new solutions for challenges and be willing to take risk for a Kingdom reward
• Your own abilities will take you only so far...we all need the power of God's hand on our lives.

It is not fair to all the other very special places, people and churches to give Chicago the official "no 1 -Fouries-around-the-world-prize"...Lets just conclude with the statement that it was an truly amazing and blessed visit!

Psalm 127 (NIV)
¹ Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. ² In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. ³ Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. ⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. ⁵ Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

A mother's pride - 4 Aug 2009 (The mother)

Tinus and Charlie have completed their first ever half marathon! They did it in 1 hour 50 minutes and this mother (and father and younger brother) were and are extremely proud!!

They run regularly, but the farthest ever was 10 km. Then Tinus decided that they are ready for 21 km and there is no better place to do this breakthrough run than in Chicago, along Lake Michigan.

They entered in the "Fourie-Chicago half marathon", the only 2 entrants in the race, although they shared the road with hundreds of other runners, roller-bladers and cyclists.

Dawie J gave them both a number on the arm, and we went to the lake. They stretched and Dawie J was the one to say :"Ready, steady, go!" and they were off. That was 19h00.

They ran along the lake in a southern direction, with the lake on the left side and the Chicago skyline on their right. They went past Navy Pier and Millenium Park, through parks and past many beautiful places. When they turned at the halfway mark, the sun was setting behind the tall buildings of downtown Chicago. As they ran, the city lights started to go on building by building.

While they were busy, we were walking on the same route for 1 hour, then the 2 Dawies played ball on the beach, and then we waited.

They crossed the finish line at 20h50 while the crowd of 3 applauded and cheered!

They did it! They were not out of breath, but their legs were like jelly - the only one who was breathing fast, was me...

I was so proud! They are so special and focused and diciplined. And now they did their first half marathon! And each of them is running their race of life with excellence. I am so proud!

Or did I say it already?

Unplanned holiday - 3 Aug 2009 (Chrisna)

Lying with my family on the grass in Millenium Park, looking at the Chicago skyscrapers hugging us from above, listening to a symphony orchestra and mass choir (all free of charge), I had one thought the entire time: How blessed, lucky and fortunate we are! This is sooooooo special!

But before I go all watery eyes and hyperventilating about Chicago, let me take a few steps back to the week before Chicago...

Since our Chicago home exchange was canceled, we spent many many hours searching for other accommodation. We ended up staying in Atlanta for an extra week (which I say one last time was a real blessing). Then we managed to secure an apartment in Lincoln Park, Chicago for the period 26 July - 6 Aug, and a hotel near Willow Creek for the time of the Leadership Summit, 6-11 August. That left us without accommodation for the time between 21 and 26 July. So, we decided to go on a road trip!

Although we wanted to get a RV and tour and camp that way, it worked out way to expensive. We settled for a car and planned to do hotel hopping for the 5 nights. That sounded easy, exciting and like a good solution. That also meant that we would have to take a mid term brake at school, because traveling and working does not go together. None of the pupils or teachers argued on this point .

On 21 July we had our projector experience that Dawie wrote about, we greeted my mother at the security check point and flew from Atlanta to Chicago.

Avis upgraded our car rental and we drove south, away from Chicago in a Cadilac DTS. We crossed the Illinois/Indiana border and found a hotel as the sun went down. That evening we ate (for the first time that day since morning cereal) at a country style restaurant - with money that Ouma gave as a goodbye gift with instructions to use it for eating.

The morning of 22 July we went to a visitors center and then had to plan our trip. This was a first for us. Not once in the 7 months before, did we not have an address to go to. Not once in the previous 7 months was it necessary to decide where we will go and how far we will go. We always had a place to stay and if there was not a specific suggestion as to where to go or what to see, we would just stay home. Not this time. But, how hard could it be, right? - Wrong!

While sitting in the car, ready to go, we did not have any consensus on what to do at all! We knew that we had to sleep close to Willow Creek (north of Chicago) on the 25th of Aug as we wanted to go to church there on Sunday, but that was about it. Some wanted to drive for miles, others had only a few kilometers in mind. Some craved a lake experience, while others saught the less densely populated plains to the south. Every individual in our family had a different idea as to what to do with these 4 days.

We had a passionate (which is a holy word for almost ugly) discussion and did not win any ground. I then realized how important the whole and complete planning of the world tour prior to our departure has been and was thankful that God gave us the wisdom to go into it with so much structure . There is no way that a few months of traveling could go without planning (teamwork and planning are 2 essential ingredients for success in any situation). But I also realized how good these 4 days of unplanned holiday are for us as a family. It is an opportunity for teamwork and spontaneous planning together. I also realised that I was the biggest culprit in this passionate discussion - my suggestions sounded like commands. That was not the right way. I had to say I am sorry, and give a few steps back, giving everyone opportunity to share their needs and suggestions. That change in my approach created the atmosphere for the breakthroughs in our following discussions.

We finally decided on what to do that first day, and decided to plan as we go on.

We drove along Lake Michigan, through the Indiana dunes and spent our first night in Michigan City. There were so many things to do there and Dawie had some urgent e-mails and other work to do, that we ended up spening a 2nd night there. At this point everyone finally had peace as to what the rest of the trip should basically look like. The 3 boys and I went (for the first time since we've been in America) to a mall to give Dawie time to work. More presisely (hold on to your chairs), we went to a Premium Outlet to go shopping for clothes and we all enjoyed it!

We went to the beach later that afternoon, played cricket (which made the Americans stare) and swam in the lake.

We pointed our car in a northern direction the morning of the 24th, crossed the stateline between Indiana and Michigan and drove all the way up to St Joseph, stopping along the way for a swim in the lake. That was the turning point of our journey. We traveled south east, away from the lake and entered Amish Country, back in Indiana, where we called it a day.

The Amish people are exactly like you see on pictures. They look like they looked 300 years ago, with long dresses and lace bonnets. It's almost like stepping back in time in modern surroundings. They are the quilt people, farmers and put high value on families. They live good lives.

Our target for the 25th was St John's, via Elkhardt and Nappanee in Amish country. The brochures told us that St John's is home of a pathway portraying the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and we wanted to see it.

We reached The Shrine of Christ's Passion just before 17h00. There is a shop right next to the highway, from which you enter into the park. When we started to walk on the cemented path and went around the first corner, we completely forget about the highway, and did not even hear the cars anymore.

There, at a long table, with open chairs, Jesus is sitting with wine and bread in His Hands, inviting us to have communion with Him. We follow the pathway through Gethsemane, with the sleeping disciples and Jesus praying. Then we were at the palace of Pontius Pilate, Jesus standing there, not defending himself, not saying a word - all because of me. We follow the Via Dolorosa, we see Jesus struggling with the cross. We listen to the facts and the challenge or questions that is given over the speaker at every station. Still going higher up the mountain, seeing the hammer in the hands of the Roman soldier, slamming down on the nails through the Hands and Feet of our King. As you walk there, you hear and see and know: He did this for me...

And then, on the hilltop, the 3 crosses, with my Savior hanging there, paying for my sins.

All I could do and wanted to do, was to go on my knees and say: "Thank you Lord, Thank you for the price you've paid!"

Then, still deep under the impression about what you saw, the road starts to go downhill again. On the way seeing Mary with the dead body of her son on her lap - not knowing what I know as I walk past her. Around the next corner is the grave where he was buried. Then you enter the grave, and it is empty, except for a few linen cloths lying there. THE GRAVE IS EMPTY! He has risen, He has conquered death. The road does not end at the cross, but goes through the empty grave. Because of the cross and the empty grave, I am free, I can live victoriously! Can I get a "Halleluja!"

Still the road does not end there, it goes right to the place where Jesus is ascending into heaven, saying: "Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. " Mat 28:19,20 The voice over the speaker challenges: "Go! and go make the difference that He is asking you to make. Go!"

And I say:"Yes Lord, here I am, use me"

We drove north towards Chicago, our home for the next 2,5 weeks, full of excitement and with thankful hearts. Not only did our unplanned holiday end on a high note, but it was a true success, an exciting spontaneous family midterm break. Charlie remarked that for a holiday that started with a small war, it ended as a victorious occasion, and all agreed.

And quietly I prayed and said thank you to God for showing me my mistakes and giving me the courage to say I am sorry and to get out of the way. Obedience and a soft heart God asked from me. Once we offer that to Him, miracles can happen.

The Moment (What the Tour has taught me: Switzerland) Tinus

Finally, the next post on what this tour has taught me. Now is the time for Switzerland:

Allow me to start this post, which was written in stages at various locations, over numerous gallons of coffee and at a host of separate times, by stating my dilemma: I am on a world tour and realize how special it is. Therefore, I want to make each and every moment count. Often though, I catch myself focusing so much on ensuring the moment carries value in the future that I forget to enjoy it in the present. Or, I feel bad about time that has past that seems to have been wasted and therefore spend a lot of time trying to attach worth to it: trying to prove to myself that it was not a waste. In the process, the current moment is wasted. Or, so desperately do I try to learn from the past and plan for the future…that I miss the now.

And, alas, this problem is not new to me. Long before the start of this tour I have been having trouble in making each moment count: both now and for eternity.

I know, this seems incredibly stupid and I might be the only person with this problem. But, allow me still to share what I have learned regarding this point, even if it is just for my own benefit…

In 1 Corinthians 15:52 Paul writes the word moment; or the Greek word atomos, to be more precise. Atomos literally means an indivisible slice of time…a moment! I quote Paul, starting midway verse 51 as he is referring to the day at the end of the ages when heaven comes in all its fullness and glory: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Now, I do encourage all to go and read the entire 1 Corinthians 15. The chapter escalates in suspense (if suspense is the right word) from the beginning up to this point and with this verse just explodes. It's kind o' like a piece of classical music (and I must admit, if it hasn't been deduced already, that I am no authority on such music…I probably even muffed the name. But, stick with me.) You know, when the music start slow and gradually it increases in speed and impact and at some point you realize you are no longer just being soothed. Something is busy happening. And then suddenly, nearly every instrument in the orchestra breaks loose in a glorious anthem. I was told that a Russian composer (please forgive me for not being able to quote either the name of the composer or of his work…I would appreciate it if someone could tell me) once reached this stage in one of his works and no instrument could be found to accurately portray the height of joy, exuberance and total victory he wished convey. His final solution was to fire a multitude of military canons at this point!

Anyway, this is the idea I get when Paul speaks of the resurrection (and transformation into the incorruptible) at the end of the age, dealing with several misconceptions and false beliefs and then suddenly when he mentions the actual moment of it happening, he looses composure and burst forth in song! Oh, how wonderful will that resurrection and the eternity thereafter be!!!

Back to the moment Paul referred to. Here God, in a moment, transforms every human being, living and already dead that belongs to Him, into beings fit to enter eternity. If you ask me, that is a pretty mighty work to accomplish in but a single moment!

Five truths do I wish to highlight concerning the moment and eventually come to one simple, apply-able conclusion.

Firstly, it is of worth to note that this is the only place in Scripture where the word atomos is used. I believe this indicates that God and God alone is capable of fully utilizing every single moment. For me to ponder the correct usage of each and every moment for a human is thus utterly upsurd!

This realization, bears tremendous liberation. No longer do I have to strive to make each moment count. No longer have I to ensure I am enjoying each moment to the full (a concept which, in itself is dull, since in no way can the full measure of joy available to a mortal man be reached this side of The Moment, the one Paul referred to).

Can I therefore abandon all attempts to make my moments carry value, if any such attempt seems Biblically futile? By all means no!

I continue with truth number two: the fact that God does use moments. In fact, the entire fabric of time is woven with atomos. By raising up one person here or dropping a single truth there, He changes the entire course of History. You see, He simultaneously exists yesterday, today and forever. He knows exactly what was, is and will be. By introducing small, seemingly insignificant pebbles at the exact precise points, He can change the course of flow of the river of time. By drilling tiny holes at the correct places in a solid concrete wall, the wall can be brought down. (And yes, both these illustrations do come from television.) A wonderful example of His use of moments can be seen in a video created for Hillsong's Easter Film and Art festival (which we had the privilege of attending!!!) Check it out at http://vimeo.com/4353484. I'll get back to this point when I write on what I learned on the Alaskan Cruise.

Truth number three I already alluded to: all of History and all our lives are composed of moments. Our timeline is built with atomos. Now, some of these moments are better that others. Some you wish will never end and some just don't want to end. I know my life thus far has had high- and low-lights and everything in between. And, I know that is how it will be in the future.

Before I continue, a quick story: On Saturday the 11th of July my brothers and I undertook the pilgrimage to the AMC Imax a fair distance south of our home in Atlanta. The entire family (including our sponsor, my grandmother) squeezed into the car and we headed off. Our goal: Transformers...the Imax experience. The outcome: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Words exist not to describe it!

It was that morning, before we hit the road, that I started working on this post. By then, I must admit, I had little to write. After the movie (which, have I mentioned, was absolutely awesome!?) we cooled down in the Barnes and Noble Bookstore closeby. Walking through the millions of books, I was just struck by the immensity of human knowledge and history. I wanted to matter in the greater scheme of it all and realised there was only one way to be sure of that. I simply needed to be obedient to the One that knows every single story of every single human being and every single other creature that roamed this planet in every single moment of its existence! The Lord really blessed me in that bookstore and spoke to me in clarity unmatched for a long time in my life. That was a highlight in my life.

In the store's Starbucks coffee shop, a number of coffee mugs were for sale. Being a fan of coffee (I don't know if you have noticed) I went to check it out. One series of mugs each was adorned with some welknown quotes. One of them struck me: "A life is not measured by the number of breaths it contains, but by the number of moments that take your breath away!"

Right then and there my perspective on the whole concept of the moment changed.

Which brings me to truth number three. The value of my life –both the degree to which I enjoy it and the eternal value it carries- is determined by the sum of the moments it contains. A greater amount of Great moments, or moments that take your breath away, will elevate the overall value of my life.

Truth number four expands on this idea. Not only does a Great Moment increase the overall value of a life, but also the value of the lesser moments around it. The opposite is also true: the lesser moments affect the magnitude of the Great Moments.

Thinking about life in this way has helped me. For now, increasing the value of my life is simplified. I can either increase the average value of the sea of lesser moments, or increase the frequency of the Great moments. According to truth number one (and the personal experience from which it was partially derived) I cannot ensure that every single moment is of Great value, but I can to some degree increase the number of Great Moments. I know, for example that sitting on the lakeshore gazing at the Chicago skyline with a bible in my hand and the Lord by my side is more likely to be a Great moment than watching television. But, even this I cannot really control. In my life, a large number of moments in front of movies that ripped my heart have been far Greater than many other moment with Bible in hand and the best scenery imaginable abounding. And besides, by merely trying to increase the frequency of Great Moments, I'm doing nothing to increase the average value of lesser moments.

Truth number five and my conclusion: Though I can to some degree control the occurrence of Great moments, they very often happen at times when I did not expect. There are, however, certain paths of life that hold a greater number of Great moments. The path on which I find myself, will also affect the average magnitude of all my lesser moments. Bottom line: Instead of concentrating on the current moment and making it count, make sure that you are on the right path and the moment will take care of itself!

Since this realisation hit me, I have applied this concept and have enjoyed the fruit. To me this has been liberating. Thank you Jesus!

Now, concerning the correct path to take several things can be said, but say it now I shan't.The topic of another post it might be.

This then...to make the moment count by ensuring you are on the right path is what this tour had begun teaching me in Switzerland.

Revealing some unknown facts - 2 Aug 2009 (Chrisna)

It is possible to love a person at a 100% level.

It is possible to love 3 people at a 100% level each - no one is loved less or more than the others.
It is the miracle of love.

It is possible that 1 mother and 1 father can have 3 sons and they are all different.
It is possible that 3 boys can grow up under the same circumstances and are all different.
It is the miracle of diversity and uniqueness.

Over the past 7 months, sharing each day's 24 hours with all my men, I just love them more, appreciate them more and value them more. It is possible that love that is on 100%, can grow more.
It happened to me. What is even more amazing to me, is that they still love me, although I make so many mistakes during every 24 hrs of every day. That is true forgiveness and true love...

Here is 3 pictures demonstrating their uniqueness and diversity and a reason why I love them so much. These are inside info, info that is not well known, info that is part of the being of our family, part of our story and part of our fun.

Dawie J has an ever increasing collection of soft friends (almost 1 for every place we visited). He named them, plays with them, sleeps with them (sometimes we each get 1 to sleep with for 1 night), and carries them around the world. This picture he took all by himself during 1 of their play sessions. This is my Dawie child, the small boy touring the world with 4 adults and making a big succes of it.

Charlie has developed into quite a cook during this trip. He has taken the BBQ responsibility over from his dad and is doing a great job (he was taught by an expert). We have decided that the men is responsible for the evening meals and most of the time, Charlie is in charge of what we eat for supper. This is my Charlie child, who is not just a boy anymore, who is fun to be around and also acts seriously responsible.

Tinus has so many responsibilities, so many things on his "to do" list, that I almost feel guilty. The thing is just that he, and he alone, can do so many things, that I put the guilt aside and pile up on his "to-do" list. The wonderful thing is that he does what is asked for and even more than what we ask for without moaning. He continues to serve us in a way that I do not think many 18yr olds serve their families. I appreciate him so much. But do not worry or feel we overload him. He, being very clever and creative, has developed a self protective device. This T-shirt explains it all:

So I want to inform you: Tinus is off-line for a while...

I am not writing about "the big man" now - this must be a short blog!

Give Thanks (27/07/2009) Tinus

These few words - typed from our temporary home in Chicago - are officially the first to flow from my new laptop!

Great was my excitement (though you probably would not have noticed it by my "happy face") when we arrived at this house and just inside the door stood my package from Dell. We ordered the computer - after the lengthy kind of research only a high "C" is capable of - from Atlanta and had it delivered here. Now, while my brothers are busy with schoolwork, I get to do my maiden blog from my new machine!

Allow me therefore, to use this blog to give thanks! For truly, I have a great deal to be thankful for...

A few days ago, by the dinner table at Crackle Barrel, I had an illuminated moment. You see, I usually eat a lot faster than the rest of the family and I can't honestly say that I am proud of it (unless of course, it is as part of a buffet). I reasoned, while enjoying the second meal we had at that specific restaurant chain (the other was two days before), that the only remedy for my speed-problem, would be to start a conversation in which I do most of the talking. The problem with this brilliant idea, however was the simple fact that I usually do not do most, if indeed any, of the talking in whatever conversation. Then, it hit me! Why not recall all the memories from our tour, starting with London?

Needless to say, this inspired plan paid off. Before we even got through Paris (with everyone filling in detail here and there, while I do most of the talking) all the other plates were nearly finished, while mine was barely halfeaten. I then even had the privilege of sharing the remainder of my food with the vultures and still being totally satisfied!

Anyway, recalling all those wonderful memories elevated my level of thankfulness once more. Not that each waking moment is not a celebration of all I have to be thankful for. My point is that it is good to sit and count your blessings every once in a while. While we were talking by that dinner table, this is a point that was practically illustrated. My mother recalled that her memory of Germany was not so pleasant and neither was my recollection of Phuket. We came to the conclusion, however, that this was due to the fact that each of us only remembered the bad parts of those times. When we just started throwing around all the memories, both of us realised how wonderful both those times actually were. We needed to stop and count our blessings.

So, I want to exclaim my thanksgiving to everyone and to the Lord. But, my list of thank you's I will not write here (though in my mind, even as I type, it is endlessly populated). Instead, I encourage every one to sit down and list at least 10 specific things you are thankful for that happened during the past 24 hours. (A practice my mother drilled into us even as little children.) Although I doubt not your sincerity when you include things like "my mother" or "this day" or "my life" or even "my job" in your list, that is not allowed. You have to be specific. "Thank You for the GPS and the ease with which we found the house." "Thank you for the 3 types of cereal I had to choose from this morning." "Thank you for letting me sleep til 9." After reaching 10 specific thank you's, why stop there. List all the general things you can think of you can be thanful for. Remember all the highlights of the past month or even year. Give thanks!

Now, I must conclude. My battery is almost drained (and before you critisize my new computer, we did play around with it before I started typing) and I'll surely burst from excitement if I remember any more thank you's right now.

Blessings!