Book Group
I went to my Book Group yesterday, studying Henry Nouen's Gracias!
Transporation is a problem. I decided to take a taxi this week, so as to get there on time. Except the taxi took longer than the metro. And the whole time I was thinking: How much will this cost? Do I have the right change? What if my purse opens and spills out when its time to get out? What if he can't find the place? What if he just drives around for a while so as to jack up the price? Why am I so neurotic about taking a taxi?!! Then after Book Group I had to walk to a deserted bus station after dark and wait 10 minutes (it felt like 10 hours) for the right bus. My nice husband met me at the Metro stop near home (his idea, not mine) so the last leg of the journey felt safer. Is this Book Group worth the transporation stress?
The two hours are wonderful. We were asked, What was your call to Prague? Describe your call. Each of us believes that we were sent to Prague to learn new skills. This cross-cultural experience, being surrounded by six other IICS families, has taught me so much. I have begun putting it in writing. But none of us feels in our hearts that we are meant to spend the rest of our lives here, even though one of the group came with that in mind. We each described are sense of why we are not meant to stay permanently. For me, it is the harshness of the person on the street. I am just too sensitive. A bus driver or store clerk can reduce me to tears with a curt word. And I was surprised when another of the group described similar problems at the doctor's office etc. Henry Nouen writes that when we go to a new culture, we regress to that part of our childhood where we have unresolved issues, and have a chance to re-do it in a better way. That would make me emotionally five, concerned about having the approval of church leaders, and witnessing public "rebukes" of myself and others. I hope to re-do that more positively, but am not sure I am succeeding. Then we shared what we like about the Czech culture: the friendliness of our students and people we have gotten to know, their love of small dogs, their love of nature -- wealthy people have huts in the woods that the go to on holidays, their stamina to survive oppression, their lovely church buildings and architecture, etc. I was surprised at our commonality in the book group, even as each added perspectives I knew nothing about.
I have to laugh at the difference between this book group and the one I ran. I had written out thought-provoking questions, made copies and distributed them. This group leader said, "What do you want to talk about from this chapter?" Very nice!!
Transporation is a problem. I decided to take a taxi this week, so as to get there on time. Except the taxi took longer than the metro. And the whole time I was thinking: How much will this cost? Do I have the right change? What if my purse opens and spills out when its time to get out? What if he can't find the place? What if he just drives around for a while so as to jack up the price? Why am I so neurotic about taking a taxi?!! Then after Book Group I had to walk to a deserted bus station after dark and wait 10 minutes (it felt like 10 hours) for the right bus. My nice husband met me at the Metro stop near home (his idea, not mine) so the last leg of the journey felt safer. Is this Book Group worth the transporation stress?
The two hours are wonderful. We were asked, What was your call to Prague? Describe your call. Each of us believes that we were sent to Prague to learn new skills. This cross-cultural experience, being surrounded by six other IICS families, has taught me so much. I have begun putting it in writing. But none of us feels in our hearts that we are meant to spend the rest of our lives here, even though one of the group came with that in mind. We each described are sense of why we are not meant to stay permanently. For me, it is the harshness of the person on the street. I am just too sensitive. A bus driver or store clerk can reduce me to tears with a curt word. And I was surprised when another of the group described similar problems at the doctor's office etc. Henry Nouen writes that when we go to a new culture, we regress to that part of our childhood where we have unresolved issues, and have a chance to re-do it in a better way. That would make me emotionally five, concerned about having the approval of church leaders, and witnessing public "rebukes" of myself and others. I hope to re-do that more positively, but am not sure I am succeeding. Then we shared what we like about the Czech culture: the friendliness of our students and people we have gotten to know, their love of small dogs, their love of nature -- wealthy people have huts in the woods that the go to on holidays, their stamina to survive oppression, their lovely church buildings and architecture, etc. I was surprised at our commonality in the book group, even as each added perspectives I knew nothing about.
I have to laugh at the difference between this book group and the one I ran. I had written out thought-provoking questions, made copies and distributed them. This group leader said, "What do you want to talk about from this chapter?" Very nice!!
posted by Pastor Lori Wiley at 3:03 AM
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