Finding Purpose - Song of my Life - Kristine van Dooren

Welcome back friends, to my second interview, with Eva Maria! This time, we're remembering how our paths crossed, over the years in Munich. In the beginning, we were young parents, and got to know the same American Christians, in the city. Also, there were older men that were pastors, who helped us, and were a great example. It's interesting, how she tells as a young family, they moved to Kansas City, for a year. The goal was, to be trained to start a non-denominational church, when they returned to Munich. Throughout the years, we participated together, in many various city-wide Christian events. Not only with our husbands, but our children, were involved too.

She mentions, how my podcast has enouraged her, in looking back on her own past. Being reminded of the importance of forgiveness, and trusting God, for everything. In closing, we agreed that we are both thankful, for the good and the difficult times, we experienced. God has been forming our character and teaching us His ways.

PS: I will also be posting some of Eva Maria's old photos on my Instagram page, "vandoorenkristine"

Welcome friends to my recent video podcast! Today I am talking with an old friend, Eva Maria, that I met in Munich in the fall of 1975. In my last few episodes, I have been telling my story, of when my German husband and I, came to live in Munich. We started a Christian Fellowship house, in the suburbs of Trudering, and very quickly became friends with other young Christians. That's when we met Eva Maria and her husband, Frank. We were encouraged to learn, that they had the same goals, as we did. As the years went by, our daughters, also became friends. This even developed into one of their daughters, interviewing my daughter Naomi, on Christian TV.

Eva Maria and I, recently discovered how similar our lives have been, and how our paths have crossed in many ways. I am sure, you will enjoy listening, to her fascinating story.

I don’t think any of us were aware, of how different the Bavarian culture, and language was going to be, until we got immersed in daily life in the city of Munich. We found out pretty quickly that they had specific customs, and a different kind of mentality, than we were used to. I will use the word “we” meaning our three families that came from California. Of course, each of us had different experiences, and ways of coping with the changes. The good thing was, we were young and pretty flexible, in adapting to each new situation.

Our first challenge was, not in setting up the house, for the second team. It was dealing with culture shock! As a group living in Nienburg, we thought we had begun to understand the language, and had taken on, some of the customs. But landing in Munich, we had the feeling, like we were starting all over again, in a brand new world. At the same time, we were enjoying, having a fresh start.  

We had no missionary training about history, about the state religions, or the customs of Munich. I think it was good that way, because we had no preconceived ideas, about anything. That was part of the adventure, learning new things by getting to know, individual people. We met folks of all ages, professions, backgrounds and nationalities. We were totally dependent, on the Lord’s guidance, and wisdom every day.

Maybe you saw the photos of the famous “open door” to our house, that I posted this week. At that time, we were known as the Trudering-ers, by the steady stream of visitors, who came to our part of town. They either wanted to check us out, or to participate in the Bible studies. The American guy we met, Terry, started coming weekly, to talk with Peter and Gregor. Terry was good at networking, and already knew quite a few Americans, from different ministries in Germany. It was exciting to hear, that we were not the only ones, who had a burden for the German people, and the goal to spread out in Europe.

We found it fascinating learning about the other Americans, like us, who had come to Munich as missionaries. And it didn’t take long, before Thomas would be drawn, into these circles. Not only did he speak English, but he had been trained in the knowledge of the Bible, in California. He was learning to be a good translator, and as a German, and could relate to both cultures. This was a only small part, of God’s plan, that was gradually developing for him. It’s funny that our integration, into the Christian scene in Munich, began with Americans!

During our three week wait at the apartment, we celebrated my 25th birthday. I wasn’t expecting anything, so it was a big surprise, when Jane called us into the kitchen and presented me with a German cake. Thomas had helped Naomi make a card, and Jane gave me a beautiful silk scarf. The photo from that day shows a framed scripture that I had hung by the kitchen table. It was a sweet gift from a woman we knew in the States. It’s fun to see that it later showed up, in the living room of our new house.

Our next Munich adventure, with Tony and Jane, was an outing to the world famous Octoberfest. This was Thomas’ first visit there! We all had fun exploring the huge festival grounds, and admiring the people, who were dressed to perfection, in their traditional costumes. The women in fancy, expensive Dirndls, and then men in Lederhosen (leather shorts with suspenders) and knee socks. Naomi and I, fit right in with our new Dirndls. But I was pretty sure, that I would never see Thomas, wearing those Bavarian Lederhosen. He was too much of a Berliner guy for that!

Finally the day arrived, when we could pack up our little car again, and drive to Trudering. Alan who knew the way, had led Peter into Munich, and to our new address. Tony, Jane and Elly took the public transportation. It was so exciting when we all met there, our reunion in Munich!

When Peter got out of the bus, and saw the modern house and neighbourhood, he was pretty impressed. It was not like his reaction on arriving at the farmhouse, when he said, “It looks older than the country of America.”

Thomas unlocked the gate and then the front door. The entry hall was a bright, open space with marble tiles and a staircase to the upper apartments. We were literally, stepping into our new lives, in the suburbs of a beautiful city. We had left behind, the country living, we had shared in Nienburg. We weren’t aware at that moment, what a huge door of opportunity, was being opened to us. The reason we were there, was to create a safe shelter, for all the needy people God would bring to us. In that we had unity, we had not come to Munich for personal gain, or a comfortable lifestyle.

The last “twelve” episodes I had titled, “New Era” which was about our leap of faith, moving from California to Germany! Now in my story, the past 10 months had flown by, and were filled with life- changing experiences. We had packed up at Living Waters in November, drove to Eureka, got sent out, drove to my parent’s house, flew to NY, took a ship to Rotterdam, and now we were packing again, and it was only the middle of September!

I have titled this phase “ERA number II.” It is about the next, radical change, that God led us into. We had grown up, and were off to spread our wings, in a brand new city, in southern Germany called Bavaria. The beautiful, and quaint, city of Munich!  “ERA Number Two”, will be a longer era that’s for sure! I am excited thinking about those days, looking at pictures, and talking with old friends whom we had the pleasure, to live and work with, during that season. I say “season”, because each phase, was like a season. Having its particular characteristics, and things were always changing, as the months and years went by.  

...The men had been scouting out, other cities in the past

But he felt confident that as a group, which included Tony now, that God would lead us to the right place.

The countdown in leaving Nienburg was building up. Gradually,

I had a fun beginning this week in preparing for the episode. I had just listened to a recording of Thomas from the summer of 1975. Since it was a beautiful summer morning here, I decided to sit out on my patio. I could hear the birds chirping in the trees and then the nearby church bells started ringing. This was a nice reminder, of our early days, living in Nienburg, Germany.

Speaking of the bells, that's how Thomas began his tape recording, to his mother. He says its is 4:50 am and he is sitting under a tree listening to the birds. He was in the town center of Kloppenburg, with Peter, for the flea market. They had a long wait until the official opening time at 6:30 am. So this is how he started the day;

“I was able to recognize God's workings in my life and give Him honor, and thank Him. I experienced that the key to finding joy is to give thanks in all things. For all things, from the depths of my heart. Because He is good and He holds us in His hands.”

Because the town Kloppenburg, was 60 miles away from Nienburg, Thomas and Peter, arrived the night before and slept in the van. They went every weekend, to a different town, to sell their leather wares. They travelled at night, so they could be first in line, to get a good spot for setting up their table.   

Thomas had gotten in the habit, of taking our little tape recorder with him, knowing they would have a long wait. He had started doing that, back at Living Waters, when he went alone on a trip to Eureka. He was always looking for an opportunity, to encourage his mother, and share with her what he was learning.

That month of August (1975), was quickly bringing new

Bye for now friends!

Today, I will continue on with the story of our life in Nienburg. Thomas and I, were learning to adjust to living with our two children in one room. In the last “episode recording” of Thomas, you could also hear the typical noises going on in the hallway.

Besides the workers in the house, there were four little kids running around, and playing. For Naomi’s second birthday with her

Thomas, Peter and Gregor, started joining Loren and Alan on Sundays, to go there for the Sunday service. They loved meeting the people who led the group and learning German praise songs. Most of the Christians were like us, those who had come out of the hippie movement, and had a desire to share the gospel. A couple of the men had even travelled to California, to observe the Jesus People movement, and hear the Christian bands in LA.

I am back from a wonderful holiday with a couple of my daughters, and ready to move on with the podcast stories. Maybe you saw my photos and reels, of all the fun we had. While I was away, it dawned on me, it’s been 4 years since, I have left Germany to travel. As a family, and on my own, we had always travelled around Europe, to the UK, to the States and we even went once

Not only have these past few years been intense for the whole world, but also for me, in other personal ways. A popular song says

The changes I experienced, opened up a door for me, to join the podcast world. It was a chance to tell my story, based on by German autobiography, but this time in my own language. It has been refreshing, challenging, and even resulted in new friends and renewed contact with old friends. Most importantly, it has given me the opportunity to freely speak my mind, which is in itself unique. From my experience over the years, this is not something to be taken for granted.

On my vacation I sat by the pool listening, and watching the wind, in the palm trees. I was wondering what kind of influence this time away, would have on my writing.

A priceless moment, was watching my young granddaughter happily swimming, to the music of her auntie. So there we were

My blond granddaughter, floated on her air mattress, singing along to the chorus; “Where are people like me, like me, like me. Like

That image reminds me of the phrase, ”like a fish out of water.” It lands on the dry sand, forced to learn a new way of breathing, of

I was actually surprised that my daughter Debby, who was born and raised in Munich, wrote a song about feeling like an outsider. Of course all my five daughters have grown up in Germany. They had the advantage of having a German dad, going to public school and gradually becoming integrated, into the German culture through their jobs. Now I am wondering how this American - German heritage will affect my grandchildren.