Many more good times this week, and I'm not just saying that. It's pretty amazing how new things happen and stretch each of us and make life exciting. That's why we're living this life, right? I read recently that new experiences make our memory of time seem longer. For example, when you're a kid you're learning and experiencing so much every day that when you think of summers as a child, they seem like they lasted forever. When you're in a routine, memories of days and weeks tend to run together and we remember time as flying by. If we want more "time" in this life, newness and challenges make it feel that way. So, sorry if this message comes across as being full of undue excitement, but it's just a blast being here and seeing and feeling and failing and trying and meeting. Now there's your psychology lesson to go with the language lesson. OK, no more lessons.
What stands out from this week is first, that we met a young man, university student, who is a church member but hasn't been attending for quite a while. Filip is just great. He loves to talk about Poland and Polish and though he's struggling with things in his life, he's just so interesting and likable. We spent quite a lot of time over two days with him and we tried to help him and he helped us and it's very rewarding. As is common for many Polish people, he works in Germany for about three months, earns enough to live three months in Poland and attends school during that time, then goes to Germany again as needed. Jobs elsewhere in Europe pay better than in Poland, but the cost of living is lower here, which is nice for us. Being the frugal (Sister Bridge would say "cheap") person that I am, this really makes me happy.
Second, with the young Elders we help at a Catholic church each Friday with a group of young people to make soup and sandwiches for homeless people. The food is different every week, whatever they can get, and we all pitch in and slice veggies and bread and put together meals in whatever form we can. On Saturday we went with the Elders and Sisters to the house of a lady and her friend who do something similar. The missionaries found this opportunity from an ad they saw. After doing the food prep work, we had time to sit and talk to the lady and guy about why they do this.
About three years ago, the lady was in the town center and saw a homeless woman and felt like she should help her. She helped her get what she needed which took just a minute and she felt like she wanted to help her more, but didn't know how. The woman said "If you want to help us, feed us." So, the next Sunday, when she made a pot of soup for her family, she made another pot and took it to the same park where she had seen the woman. She found her and about 5 of her friends and fed them. From there she got her friend to help and it has grown to where she and her friend, along with the help of volunteers like us and some people in their neighborhood, feed about 100 people each Sunday, rain or shine, never missing even for holidays. They also give them socks and underwear each week because they have no way to wash them. The man, her friend, told us "We don't just make the soup and sandwiches and give it to them, we sit down with them and talk and eat the meal with them because they deserve that."
What beautiful dignity. And I think of the song "There, but for fortune, go you or I."
Love to you,
Elder and Sister Bridge
1. A finding activity with the Elders and Sisters (plus two Sisters in town on an exchange) near a train station. We had a white board that said "Write what food you like to eat with your family" and used that as a way to talk about families and family history. Cold and fun out there, though we're limited by our language. Talked to a Finnish couple in Gdansk for the weekend. That was a shock and sweet.
2. Sister Bridge sweeping up after Elder Asendrych already swept.
Note the large pot of soup in the background.
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