Finding Purpose - Song of my Life - Kristine van Dooren

Welcome back everyone!

I turned 26 at the end of September. It was a milestone - because it marked one year, since Thomas and I, had moved to Munich from Nienburg. The beautiful house in Trudering had been secured and the other families joined us. Who would have known that one year later, we would be saying goodbye, to Gregor, and Alan’s families.

At least the dust had settled in our midst, by the time Jim’s promised helpers arrived. They were Scott and Steve from California, part of a team of leaders who Jim called, the Mobile Ministry. Even though they had never been to Germany, or Europe, they weren’t worried about the possible language or cultural barriers.

They had experience traveling around in the States and visiting the new  groups. They would spend a few weeks there, to encourage the leaders and offer advice for the next steps. The method at the time, was modelling the community lifestyle, that was popular within the Jesus People Movement.

... For us Americans at the Trudering house, it was pretty

Thomas and I, had the sense, that it was a “new day” for the German people!

Now that we are in my “Era 2” of life in Munich, let’s get on with the next part of the story. Thomas and I, had come so far from our hippie days of living in a tipi, like I talked about in my early episodes. Now

This became another major turning point! It took place, shortly after the second team from the States, had joined us. Thomas and I, were totally got off guard, by some very disappointing news. Little did we know, that everyone would be shook up, in one way or another. In the newsletter, that I read in Episode 76, there was a section that I didn’t mention yet. I don’t know who wrote the following words, but it appeared like a footnote, and was titled “Last minute news.”

... Now that seems like a simple enough announcement, but it doesn’t portray at all, what was going on behind the scenes. The heading says it all, it was “last minute news” for all of us! And it didn’t include the

Welcome back friends!

Today, I am having a very personal talk with my oldest daughter, Naomi. We are talking about the “true love,” that I was privileged to experience, with my husband of 30 years. We met as young hippies, in West Berlin in 1970, and lived together there. Our lives took quite the turn when we moved to California and lived in the Redwoods. We shared many wonderful years together, with our five daughters, and then the illness, cancer hit. Naomi and I, talk about the journey that took all of us on. We had many ups and down, over a period of almost seven years, but the day did come when we had to say goodbye.

I hope you will be encouraged when you listen to our story.

Welcome back everyone!

Thomas and I, were looking forward to celebrating our anniversary in August. We had been married for four years, but said to each other, “We’ve been together for six years.” To celebrate, we went out to dinner for the very first time, to a nearby restaurant. I remember it, because I wore a new dress, that my mom had bought me. When we would sit together alone, we had so much to talk about. 

Our week in West Berlin, had made a big impression, on both of us. Besides the year we had spent together there, it was where Thomas had grown up. It was so clear, that it was God, who had turned our lives around. We felt like it was an honor, that Jesus had sent us back to Germany. Now we had the mission to testify of the truth, that Jesus had set us free. Six years before, we were living only for ourselves, now we wanted to help others.

As soon as we came back from the Berlin trip, we all had a new decision to make.

The team from the States was gradually adjusting to their new world. Most of them, signed up for language classes, that would begin in September. Some had applied for jobs, both on the economy, and at the American army base. Marc listed some things in his book that they had to get used to. He wrote; “The Trudering house was constructed with stone and bricks, and the roof was made of tiles. As a result, the house was loud, because the stairways and floors amplified the noises throughout the building. Because of the cold winters, the windows were double-paned, and each one had what was called a “Rolladen.” They were interlocking shades, that were installed in the outside wall above the window. When you let them down, it added protection from the cold, and shut off all of the light from outside.

We grew accustomed to the different types of light switches, electric outlets, door handles and locks. The small refrigerator seemed strange, but we understood that most Germans shopped several times a week. That way they could get fresh foods, either in the grocery store, or at the popular outdoor markets.

Gasoline and coffee were expensive. But at least it was really good coffee! Clothing and show sizes were completely different. In so many ways, both large and small, Marc wrote that “We were now living in a different world.” Another custom that was very hard to get used to, was that all of the stores closed at 6 pm during the week. On Saturdays, they shut the doors, around 2 in the afternoon.

On Sundays, the only places open, were the bigger gas stations. Today, things have changed and most places stay open until 8 pm. Some laws, have never changed, since I’ve lived in Munich. For example, Sunday is considered a day of rest and quiet, which also means, mowing the lawn or drilling, is not allowed. Lots of people like to go out for walks, and visit family on Sundays. Only a minority of the population go to church. These are just a few examples of what Marc meant by “the different world.”

The songs you heard in the last episode were carrying us on, into the next phase of life, at the Trudering house. Towards the end of June, we had word that the next team, would soon be flying into Frankfurt. Their group consisted of 11 singles and one married couple. The only one we knew personally, was a guy named John, who Thomas was friends with at the Living Waters Ranch. They used to go witnessing on the streets of local towns. The second Germany team was assembled in Eureka, in November of 1975, with John as the leader of seventeen people.

The title of this episode is from the second letter, that Paul wrote, to the Corinthian church. In Chapter 5 it says “We walk by faith and not by sight.” This was a verse, that Thomas and I, were constantly being reminded of.

Concerning the next developments in Munich, the first phrase that came to my mind was; “the calm before the storm.” It’s true, we did have a few calm months, after we moved into the Trudering house. But my second thought was, "Did it really turn into a storm?" I remembered the disciples who were caught in a storm, after Jesus told them to get in the boat, and cross the lake. They had just seen him perform the miracle of feeding five thousand men, yet when the wind and waves came upon them, they feared for their lives. Then Jesus went out into the night, walking on the water to meet them, but they didn’t recognize him at first.

Peter stepped out, to meet Jesus on the water, but he was afraid when he realized what he was doing. Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” They climbed into the boat together and the wind ceased. The disciples eyes were opened, they worshipped him saying,“Truly, you are the Son of God.” It was a test, a momentary storm.

I hope you enjoyed the last episode. I thought it would be interesting, for my German listeners, to hear Thomas directly. You can get an idea of his relationship with his mother, and his understanding of the Bible, at such a young age. Then, I also know, that some of you understand and speak German, because you learned it when you lived at the Trudering house. So this was a little challenge, to refresh your language skills, and perhaps your memories of Thomas. My granddaughter, that was born after he passed away, said she feels like she is getting to know him through the podcast. How cool is that! I told her that I too, have gotten to know other sides of him, that I wasn’t aware in those days. I am still learning today, from his example!

Since I started telling our story of moving to Munich, I keep discovering through letters and tapes, more details about how the Lord was leading the circumstances. It was such a leap of faith that brought us into a whole new world of opportunities.

Like I explained to Caitlin in our past video conversation, Thomas and I were not driven by our own ambitions, but by a desire to fulfill the mission that the Lord had given us. Soon after we came to Munich, God opened the door for a job to Thomas, that was suited to the music education he had grown up with. He didn’t even have an officialgraduation diploma, from the high school, which is called “Gymnasium”.

In the last episode, I tried to give you the feeling, of our lives in Trudering. On a Saturday morning, Thomas would be out flying a kite, with the children in a nearby field. Then after lunch, he would be back in our room, making a tape to my family. What stood out the most to me, in that last recording, was his comments about eternity. He said; “We are praying for you and I know we are going to spend eternity together. That blows my mind, that we really have eternal life. We are pilgrims and strangers here. The love that we have as a family, it’s a reality that is never going to stop. We will always be together in Him.”

That was a spontaneous thought he had, while expressing his love, and appreciation to my parents. It could also be, that the subject was on his mind, because he had recently lost his own father. He had hoped to have more time with him, after returning, from California. He would have loved for his dad, to have seen his second granddaughter.

Now 47 years later, I realize that my mother, Mary, my father Harold, and Thomas, have already gone on to their heavenly home. Thomas had told them, that he was amazed at the reality, that our life will never end.

She, and many others that we met in Germany, were also “Zeit Zeugen”, (eye witnesses) who had personally experienced, the working of God in their lives. Not only did our paths cross throughout the years in Munich, but also the lives of our daughters as they got older, and started working in their own professions.

The special thing in those days, for Thomas and I, was that we were gaining friends in Munich. This was wonderful, because we had left friends and family, behind in California. So now, back to our story in Trudering. We realized that Nadja’s Christmas visit, marked our first anniversary since moving to Germany.So much had taken place, in just one year. Thomas had been telling my parents on a tape, that God had done a lot of work in all of our hearts, preparing us for the coming year. Now in Munich, we felt like we were living in a palace. No longer in survival mode like it was in the cold primitive farmhouse in Nienburg. The fact that we now lived in a house with central heating and plenty of bathrooms, we sure didn’t take that for granted.