So, how are you doing?
“And what about you Thinka?
I am particularly concerned with the care of Joël and I am also thinking about what role I have here in Greenland actually. I have some ideas that I want to do once the missionhouse is there. I would like to give pastoral care, but currently nothing really seems to get off the ground.
Through taking care of Joël I come in contact with the aspect of raising children here in Greenland, which gives me new ideas. There’s really no place where mothers can go with their children. The missionhouse opens up fantastic opportunities to do something in this area.
“Peter, is this what you expected from ‘mission’?”
Yes and no. Doing a complete renovation is absolutely something new for me. Very interesting, but not something that I would like to spend my years on… I feel incapable to do this, but reading a lot about renovating helps me to bring some change in that.
As for helping people in their lives with God, yes I was hoping for that. I am thrilled about that. Though the time that I can give for that is still far from the level that I would like it to be due to some practical reasons (lack of facilities and language barriers).
Besides that, not earning money through an own job is pretty strange for me too. Earnings are no longer dependent on my ‘workweek’, so to speak. And that’s strange, because I would also just like to take care of us through my own efforts…
“Thinka, what is it that makes you happy in Greenland?”
Ha, I’m happy about the good bread that I learn to bake :). And it makes me happy when people tell how God is present in their lives and how they grow in relationship with God.
“And what do you find difficult here in Greenland?”
The language barrier. Because it causes me to not really be able to have good contact and that limits me a lot in investing in relationships. For example, S. came last week for prayer and just now I met her again. She has just lost a child and I can not talk to her about it, because unfortunately I do not speak Greenlandic and she does not speak Danish. I could say only “qanipi” (how are you?) …
Also I do not know what people expect from me and what I can expect from them. I mean culturally. Can I ask or talk about certain things, or should I not do that? It’s a bit confusing.
Oh, last but not least, Joël also makes me very happy :)!
A warm greeting from Greenland
Peter, Katharina and Joël