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Dear People Back Home,
This is my place – Gunnarn – in northern Sweden. Last Sunday was my first opportunity to speak in Church since my return. The Church people from Gunnarn traveled to a sister Church in Knaften for a combined “welcome back from the US” time for me. The music was super. They let me say a few words – lasting for half an hour. My translator was my special friend and he did a great job. Translation is a difficult process – to hear in one language and then, to think it all out in another language and then, to physically generate the right sounds in that other language. He is really great at it and it happens all so instantaneously. In fact, he is so close in following me as I speak, that I insist he is just making up the material to blend in according to his own theology. I will never know. It’s all Swedish to me. Afterward, they had the best coffee and cakes on record. It’s now the next day and only now can I get some prospective on the events. God spoke to those people – I feel so much like one pouring out material not my own. But what is so good about it all is that they are going to keep me. Not bad for a Florida boy.
You wouldn’t believe it – snow flurries again. And I have taken the winter-studded tires off the car for summer driving. I try to stay ahead of these things but what does a little, old Florida boy know? At least there is promise of a change in the seasons. Now I find that sunrise is occurring shortly after 3:00 am. I haven’t heard much about global warming here, yet.
The people in rural Sweden have a fine tradition. They celebrate May Day (on the first of May) by building a huge bonfire and singing traditional Swedish folk songs. I go along with it all by humming – my Swedish language skills haven’t reached the extent of public performance. However, I have been noticing how they do this whole thing. For months prior to May Day, they gather all the old used wood possible in one central location. That becomes the bonfire. They use somebody’s field because a front lawn would be highly inappropriate. The pile was bigger than a house. Who wants to drive home in the evening after work and see a pile like that in their front yard? I don’t know who decides where the location will be but as long as it is not too closely associated with my house, it’s all OK with me. From hasty inspection, I have concluded that people here get rid of all their old front room furniture on those piles. In fact, I see this as a perfect mechanism for housewives, dissatisfied with their existing décor, to obtain the latest and best the showrooms have to offer. The children too, have a great time at this event. They like to pick up pieces of wood from the edge of the pile and throw it high into the flaming mass. It is their way with dealing with their pyrotechnic tendencies in a fashion acceptable to their parents. After all is said and done, traditions are an important part of childhood development.
I almost forgot to mention that this time back here in Sweden, I have been quite accepted by the younger set. I have a steady stream of grade schoolers at my door. That is due to the fact that I had brought back with me 24 packages of 12 each Dentyne sugarless chewing gum. You know the type – the Spicy Cinnamon type they designed as “Fire”. I thought this up on my own as an attempt to keep the dear kids warm in the inclement weather in this place. You do have to stay ahead of these kids.
Back to work! – pray for northern Sweden. I will be generating material from Romans for the studies I will be giving during the Church services.
God bless you all. In Christ,
George Wilson