Hueys and the News

Last Post

2008-12-31T14:33:00.022-05:00

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Here is the long-awaited final post, for anybody who might still be checking. Like the last post from our 2007 London-Africa excursion, it consists of photos and captions. We took about 7,600 pictures in all, and Keith has sorted through each one -- aside from the pictures we have already posted, these are some of our favorites.

In these four pictures, we have: Keith and the girls, browsing at a store in London; Stephansdom, the center of Vienna; Keith and the girls, lost in the gardens at Schoenbrunn; and the girls in front of the Belvedere Palace in Vienna.

Here we have: a group of our students at the Gasthaus, near the Schwarzwaldeckhaus (it was quite a hike to get here!); one final picture of the Schwarzwaldeckhaus, with the students hanging out the windows; Keith and the girls smelling grapes at our Croatian hotel; and the girls in Jelacic Square in Zagreb.

Top left: Melk Abbey, as seen from the Danube River in the town of Melk (Austria); top right: the library in Melk Abbey; bottom left: a VW bus in Budapest; and bottom right: the Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest.

These four pictures are: the girls on a bridge beside the Alpsee, in Füssen (Germany); the Neuschwanstein Castle in Füssen; the Kölner Dom in Cologne; and Annika marching in Malmö, Sweden.

Here we have: Bryggen Street, in Bergen, Norway; the girls on the Floybanen in Bergen; Keith and Barbara inside the Roman Colosseum; and Keith and Caroline at Trevi Fountain (Rome).

These pictures show: Caroline, on her way up to the top of the dome at St. Peter's Basilica; a hallway in the Vatican Museum; the view outside the girls' hotel room in Venice; and gondolas in Venice.

These pictures: Keith and Allyson, posing in San Marino; Allyson ponders some munitions in San Marino; the former path of the Berlin Wall; and Annika poses with a portion of the Berlin Wall.

Keith stands in front of the famous door in Wittenberg, where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses; a canal scene in the beautiful city of Brugge, Belgium; the girls pose in front of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam; and the girls stand beneath the pyramid at the Louvre in Paris.

These four pictures: a mill in Bayeaux, in Normandy; Hueys on Omaha Beach, Normandy; the Eiffel Tower at night; and Caroline and Allyson making their 15-second visit to Liechtenstein.

This final picture shows everybody in our group (except for one student), standing in front of the Schloss in Vienna.
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Thanks to everybody who has visited this blog -- we are home, now, but we are enjoying the memories you see.

Hard Rock Cafe

2008-12-04T19:09:00.017-05:00

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You hear a lot, these days, about “globalization” – some people say it is evil, and others believe it is good.
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We do not pretend to understand the finer points of the issue, but one thing is certain: it is unambiguously excellent to have a Hard Rock Cafe in every major city. Here are four impressive reasons:
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• In cities that are otherwise uninteresting, the HRCs give tourists something to see.
• HRC started in London, and cannot be blamed for American economic imperialism.
• HRC T-shirts are universally recognized as icons of sophistication.
• At HRC, they put ice in their drinks.
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Cheered by these proofs of benevolence, the Hueys have made a sincere effort to visit as many of these restaurants as possible. Keith, Allyson, and Caroline began this tradition while in Rio (back in 2006), and last year we made a pilgrimage to the original site in London.
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During the past three months, however, we have visited numerous new locations. We did not eat in most of them, because that would be too costly – but we always got a picture! We also got a few T-shirts, and we look fabulous when we wear them. You will be impressed to know that we declined to buy Budapest HRC shirts, because they don’t actually have a restaurant in Budapest.

The biggest location was the one in Amsterdam (above left), but we moved on because we were pretty anxious to get back to our hotel. In four locations, we decided to sit down and eat: in Berlin, we had an exceptionally odd waiter who kept rubbing our backs and saying “oi!” In Rome, it was a meal shared with a small crowd of students; in Copenhagen, it was the perfect end to a long day of walking; and in Paris, it turned out to be one of the cheapest meals in town.
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Berlin and Rome.
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Copenhagen and Paris.
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Two of the locations were closed: in Zagreb, Croatia, the interior was completely trashed, and we decided they must be remodeling. In Venice, Italy, they weren’t planning to open till Christmas, and we decided not to wait (from what we hear, now, the place is currently submerged beneath two feet of water).
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Zagreb and Venice.
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In Cologne, Germany, we looked at the prices, gagged softly, and left; in Oslo, Norway, we found ourselves wishing we could pay the prices they had posted in Cologne!
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Cologne and Oslo.
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Two of the trips were shortened because we had to catch a train: in Gothenburg, Sweden, we barely had time to snap the picture, and in Munich we had to keep moving (it was too early for lunch, anyway). In the pictures you can see that the girls are actually wearing their backpacks.
mGothenburg and Munich.
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We only have one more HRC to visit this year, and it is (ironically) a location that we have never seen before: 45 Monroe Street, in Detroit. Who knows? It might be our favorite one of all!
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Trains, U-Bahns, Trams, and Buses

2008-12-02T08:55:00.013-05:00

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At midnight on Saturday, our Eurail passes expired. It was a dramatic moment: after two months, these golden documents have turned to paper. But they have lots of stories to tell!
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This fall, we used trains to reach the vast majority of eighteen countries. We sometimes paid a nominal reservation charge, but our passes allowed us to travel, without extra expense, more than sixty times! A few trips were as short as fifteen minutes, and others were as long as ten hours. For a fee that costs considerably less than most hotels, we were able to sleep on “overnight” trains, and to awake, the next morning, in a new city. We had to bring our own food, but the accommodations were consistently pleasant, and the restrooms were free! The Eurail network is truly amazing – nearly every town is connected.
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What Caroline saw, as she looked out her window in Austria.
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We also discovered that every major city has a rail-based transportation system. The next time you see a picture of London, Paris, or Rome, you should try to envision the tunnels that run deep beneath the ground, with hundreds of thousands of commuters. Station entrances can be found all over these cities, and they lead you down into a totally different world. The stations themselves can be pretty elaborate mazes of hallways, escalators, and shopping malls. They even have subway musicians, and you can throw them a Euro (or – you can be like Keith, and avert your eyes).
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What Caroline saw, as she looked out her window in Switzerland.

Aside from the subways, there are trams that run through the streets and there are extensive systems of bus routes. Nearly every address is accessible. One ticket will usually suffice for all of these – as long as you carry a valid transport card, you should be all set to go. On the other hand, if you don’t have a valid card, then you need to be wary about the random “ticket-checkers,” because the fines can be pretty stiff (just ask a few of our students)!

What Caroline saw, as she looked out her window in Normandy.

Of course, there are drawbacks to this kind of transportation: the tunnels can be trashy and noisy, and the rides can be pretty crowded. For instance, Roman subways have seats, but you’re lucky if you can find a place to stand! And – these systems were obviously expensive to build, and they surely cost a lot to maintain.
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Nonetheless, we will truly miss public transport when we get back to Michigan – it will be a sad moment, the next time we buy gasoline or take our van to the shop! Our Vienna transport cards are valid until next Sunday, and it will be a sentimental journey, when we take our last ride on the “43.”
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Danksagung

2008-11-27T19:15:00.013-05:00

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For Barbara, the day began with an errand to the store – it was open, as usual, and the trams were running on their normal schedule. For people in Vienna, there is nothing special about the fourth Thursday in November – and, though it was strange for us, they did “business as usual” on Thanksgiving Day.
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Things were different in the Schloss Neuwaldegg, where we made a major production. Several of our students had visiting family members, and we invited local missionaries as well. Our cooks got started several days early, and they prepared eight enormous turkeys – along with a host of other traditional dishes. There was plenty of food for everyone, and we will be having turkey sandwiches for the next few days.
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Rochester students prepare for the meal.

Before the meal, we gathered for a talent show, and there were several highlights for the Hueys. Annika proved to be a versatile actress: in one skit she was a security guard, and, in another performance, she played the role of a turkey! Allyson played four songs on the piano, and, as requested by her father, she ended with "All I Ask of You" (from Phantom of the Opera). He thought it was a special, unrepeatable moment.

Everything is secure with Annika on duty.

Allyson plays for the audience.

We are not the only people in the Schloss this week – DOR Films is here as well, and they are making a movie (starring Bibiana Zeller and Joachim "Blacky" Fuchsberger) about elderly people who, despite their age, continue to seek the gusto from life. Bibi and and Blacky have been using two of the rooms in our hallway, and the whole thing has been mildly interesting. At the same time, however, the film crew has been pretty intrusive, and we barely managed to banish them from our Thanksgiving dinner space!
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Most of our students are preparing for a few more days of “free travel,” and then we will start the packing process. For the moment, however, we are thankful for this extraordinary semester. Rochester College is blessed to have this kind of program, and the Hueys are blessed to be a part of it. We have a lot of European memories and some very special friendships! We hope to be home for Thanksgiving 2009, but we will never forget our feast in the Schloss.
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Shreds Rides Again

2008-11-26T05:47:00.009-05:00

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If you followed our blog last year, you might remember that we devoted an entry to Shreds, who, at an earlier stage of his life, was Caroline’s constant companion. He isn’t quite so ubiquitous these days, but he still likes to travel, and he dives into Caroline’s backpack whenever we plan to visit a photogenic location.
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Shreds has seen a lot – he began in 2006 in Rio de Janeiro, where he posed with the Christ Statue, and we have several pictures from London landmarks as well. His biggest highlight (we believe) came last year in Uganda, when he floated in the Nile and stood at the equator. Hence, it was only natural that he should join us in Europe this fall.
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He did not visit the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen (he claimed it wasn’t important), but he was absolutely thrilled by the Roman Colosseum and he was awed by St. Peter’s Basilica. He posed (repeatedly) with Michelangelo’s David, but photography was not permitted in the Accademia. He consented to a photo at the Neuschwanstein Castle, though he was furious about the scaffolding.

He made quite a scene at the Brandenburg Gate, when he kept shouting, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” At the Eiffel Tower he was muttering something about “freedom fries” – but the picture went pretty smoothly. All in all, we are glad he made the trip with us.

For her part, Annika has been carrying a tiny friend named Teddy. Like Shreds, Teddy has been to England and Uganda, and he is becoming a seasoned traveler. He has ridden in Annika’s backpack throughout this fall semester, and, as you can see, he has visited the Mona Lisa and the Notre Dame cathedral. It is difficult to know how Shreds feels about Teddy, but they are pretty civil with each other. The past three months have provided a significant bonding experience for them, and like the rest of us, they are better for having been here!

The Huey Awards

2008-11-24T12:44:00.025-05:00

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Having completed our final 10-day traveling experience, we are ready, now, to distribute the prestigious Huey Awards. To be eligible for a Huey, your city must be one of the places that we have visited since November 14, as shown on the map below. Here we go . . .
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Least Child-Friendly:
We are reluctanct to give this award to the people of Amsterdam, because we know how desperately they want it. Their Huey was guaranteed, however, when one of our children (who did not recognize the cannabis symbol) asked why she couldn't have "one of those lollipops." Fortunately, our experience in that city was redeemed by the Anne Frank house -- what an incredible place for a family with daughters!
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Most Charming:
Also a candidate for "Best Food," the city of Brugge outpolls all the others. We spent a full day walking the canals, visiting the shops, and snapping pictures of windmills. If it hadn't been raining, we would have been completely overwhelmed with warm fuzzies.
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The Huey family stands on the line of the Berlin Wall.
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Most Lutheran:
After a great deal of thought, we give this Huey to Wittenberg, the city of Martin Luther. We saw Castle Church, where the 95 Theses were posted in 1517, and we discovered that Martin is peacefully resting beneath the floor of the sanctuary. We also visited City Church, where he actually preached, and we declined several opportunities to purchase Luther Beer.
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The girls pause on a bridge outside our Brugge hotel.
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Most Likely to Seem Boring for Children Aged 11-16:
It was fascinating to see Berlin -- we stopped at Checkpoint Charlie and we followed the erstwhile path of the Berlin Wall. It was fascinating, at least, for those of us who lived through the Cold War! Our children were mostly unimpressed -- Allyson believes that Berlin should get a Huey for the "Most Gray" location, because it kept raining . . .
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Most Daunting Three-Day Itinerary:
What can we say about Paris? nWe saw the Eiffel Tower (twice), Versailles, the Musée d'Orsay, the Louvre, and Notre Dame -- with a side trip to Normandy. We had to leave, however, without seeing the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées, the Roland Garros stadium, EuroDisney, and lots of other noteworthy sites. What an amazing city!
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Viewing the Eiffel Tower, from the Trocadéro.
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Most Cheated by a Brief Visit:
We went to Bayeaux .in Normandy, and we enjoyed the famous Tapestry there. We regret, however, that we had but 45 minutes to give for the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. It was a remarkable visit and we are glad we made the effort -- but the time was much too short!
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Most Likely to be Nice if You Can Actually See It:
This Huey goes to Lausanne, Switzerland, where we arrived at 8:00 in the evening and left at 9:00 the following morning. Based on the rest of Switzerland (which was truly breathtaking), we suspect that the city deserved a few days more. Annika believes that Lausanne deserves the distinction of "Most Expensive Ham," but that judgment is based on one store only.
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Most Welcome Sight:
This, of course, would be Vienna, but it will soon be supplanted by Pontiac! We are basically done, now, with our European wanderings, and we are ready for a jolly Thanksgiving and a frantic week of packing.
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More posts on the way . . .
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Churches in Europe

2008-11-13T08:31:00.018-05:00

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Europe is a land of beautiful cathedrals and basilicas. Vienna itself has its share, with the Augustinerkirche, the Votivekirche, the Stephensdom, and quite a few others. Many of these buildings have been around for centuries -- some have traditions that are more than a thousand years old, though the existing structures are usually more recent.
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A look from inside the dome at Karlskirche.m
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For Protestants from the United States, these sites can be difficult to assess. Our students are frequently dismayed by the ritualism and the extravagance that they find, and they often conclude that these buildings are nothing but gaudy monuments to a long-extinguished spirituality. Keith still remembers an old story about an American preacher who (reportedly) humiliated a cathedral docent by sarcastically asking, "when is the last time anybody got saved in this place?"
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These insinuations, however, are horribly unfair. It is true that these cathedrals were sometimes built at the expense of the poor . . . and it is true that the European churches are no longer characterized by vibrant spirituality. It is also true that these churches have dark histories of military complicity and administrative corruption. Some of them even have gift shops, with money-changers . . . WWJD?
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The Kölner Dom, from the middle upwards.m
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And yet . . . it would be good to spend some time with the people who work behind the altars. They are deeply committed to their work, they are spiritually disciplined, and they are exceptionally well-versed in Scripture and theology. There is nothing particularly cold, lifeless, or ritualistic about their devotion!
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Moreover, we need to remember that these buildings were never constructed with evangelistic intent. On the contrary, they were built for communities that considered themselves to be Christian already, and they were designed to call attention to the majesty of God. The architects wanted people to experience God's presence, and they accordingly covered the walls with biblical illustrations and with the faces of beloved spiritual role models. Protestants miss the point completely, when they speak of these "idolatrous images."
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A look downward into St. Peter's, from the dome.m
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We should also pay attention to an important historical reality: very few American church buildings are more than 100 years old, and they are rarely well-preserved. By contrast, despite the struggles of reecent generations, European cathedrals have always been cultural focal-points, and they have been maintained with a great deal of care. If they are magnets for tourists, that is scarcely a mark against them!

mThe Duomo, on a gray and rainy day.m

Here are a few of our favorite cathedrals and basilicas, after 10 weeks in Europe:

The Kölner Dom (in Cologne, Germany): This one was totally unexpected, and unbelievably huge! Unfortunately, we did not get to spend much time inside, because they were trying to have a service (imagine that).

Karlskirche (in Vienna): Aside from the fact that we had to buy tickets for this one (and aside from the surly ticket lady), this was worth the visit. The interior is gorgeous, and we were able to take an elevator to the top of the painted dome, where we could see it up close.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (in Florence): This cathedral, also called the Duomo, is particularly striking from the outside. The dome is its most famous characteristic, however, and was the architectual masterpiece of Filippo Brunelleschi.

St. Peter's Basilica (Rome): We're all sorry about John Tetzel's indulgence-selling fundraiser, but it did not finance a significant percentage of this incredible building. There is no way to briefly describe the size and the beauty of the place.

Cathedral de Notre Dame (Paris): We haven't been here, yet, but we plan to visit next week. Let's just add it to the list right now!

Our Favorite Things About Italy

2008-11-10T09:27:00.038-05:00

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Yesterday morning we returned from a 10-day excursion through several Italian cities. We have fresh memories, now, of Rome, Florence, and Venice, and we also visited the tiny republic of San Marino. Keith and Allyson made a quick trip to Pisa, but there isn't much to see, there, except for the leaning tower. Here are a few of our favorite memories . . .
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The girls pose outside the Passo delle Streghe, in San Marino.m

Allyson says that she was particularly fond of the Roman Colosseum and the Forum. We had a beautiful day there, and we were amazed by the vast collection of spectacular ruins. She was also enamored with the trees, and desperately wanted to take one home with her! Aside from the Forum, she really enjoyed the castles of San Marino -- they sit on high, jagged cliffs, and they are surrounded with an exceptional maze of trails and carved stairways. They also have a wide selection of deadly weapons in the gift shops . . .
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Bring on the lions: the Huey sisters prepare to visit the Colosseum.m
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Caroline isn't sure about her absolute favorite thing. Among the cities, however, she is certain that she had the most fun in Venice. As she explains: Venice was best because we didn't visit any boring museums. We went to see a glass-blowing demonstration, we walked through the streets, we rode boats, we shopped, and . . . there were lots of opportunities to take pictures! The city is an engineering wonder, and is amazingly photogenic.
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Annika says that she liked Michelangelo's statue of David (in Florence), but she doesn't know how to explain her impressions. Like Caroline, she also speaks highly of Venice -- in fact, she was very excited about going there, even before we left Michigan. She wanted, above all else, to take a gondola ride through the canals, and her wish was fulfilled -- meanwhile, her affection for the city was scarcely dampened by the fact that she was able to share it with Jacque Ray, her new friend (and the Cutbirths' granddaughter).
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The ceiling above our seats, in St. Peter's.m
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Barbara hates to choose one single "favorite," but she doesn't hesitate to say that she was most impressed with the statue of David. She had already been anxious to see it, because she has been reading The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo. But -- when she entered the room, she was amazed to see how massive it (the statue) actually is: it stands 17 feet tall and it sits on a platform, towering over the crowd! She spent a lot of time in that room, and would gladly go back today, if she could.
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Happy to be in Venice: Keith and Barbara pause on one of the bridges.

Keith loved Venice, but if he is forced to identify a favorite moment, he would have to choose the Sunday mass at St. Peter's Basilica. It was lengthy, to be sure, but they had an amazing choir and they even had a scripture reading in English, from Romans chapter 8. Aside from everything else, they have Michelangelo's Pieta in the back corner (next to the tract rack), and they have steps (545 of them) that take you to the top of the dome! It is an overwhelming place to be, especially for a church historian.

This blog doesn't really do justice to the things that we saw, but it will hopefully give you a taste. We found Italy to be a beautiful and inspiring place -- one of the highlights in our semester so far!

The USA vs. Europe

2008-10-30T08:38:00.010-04:00

t tn Europe:
Five things that the United States does better than Europe:
1. Mountain Dew
1. Mountain Dew.
In the United States, it comes in abundance – over here, we have only seen it once. This cultural shortcoming is self-evident, and raises serious questions about the progressive nature of European society. Here you can see a can that we found in Sweden . . . Keith is saving it for his birthday.
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2. Visible landmarks.
Granted, the USA has relatively few historic sites; nonetheless, we generally maintain them without hideous cloaks of scaffolding. In Europe, we have discovered that at least 80% (no exaggeration) of the most significant buildings are being repaired and renovated at a pace that will surely last for another 500 years. The most disappointing was the fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein – we had to hike a long way, in order to get the picture below!

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In the United States, we have a decreasing number of truly heavy smokers. Europe still hangs in a nicotine cloud, however, because each person is required (by law) to smoke at least four packs a day. In many cities, they are also required to blow their smoke into the faces of tourists.
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4. Laws against stealing things.
In the United States, it is illegal to grab somebody’s purse and run with it. It’s illegal in Europe, of course, but . . . if it happens to you . . . don’t expect the police to share your outrage.
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5. Public Facilities.
Europeans have a keen eye for business opportunities, but there are certain moments when you don’t want to be fumbling for a Euro. If there was ever a justifiable reason for American military intervention overseas, it would be the “pay toilet.”
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Five things that Europe does better than the United States:
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We have chocolate back home, of course, but Europe appears to have more. In many neighborhoods, houses are built with Alpenmilch Schokolade, and the streets are frequently flavored with hazelnuts. It is a very good thing.
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2. Well-behaved dogs. Austrians, in particular, take their dogs everywhere – to the store, on the train, and through the city. Sometimes they come with Beißkorb and Leine, but they hardly ever make a sound, and they seem to know all the rules of canine etiquette. It’s horribly charming.
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3. The capacity for rest.
At first, this can be pretty annoying – when you go to the store at 8:30 pm, you might expect the place to be humming with shoppers. People here, however, don’t seem to be driven by the lust for excess, and they work with a certain kind of Sabbath principle. Stores close early on Saturday, and most of them stay shut until Monday.
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4. Languages.
Most Europeans speak more than one language, and they do it with remarkable ease. People frequently know a little English, even if they pretend otherwise! Signs are written in several languages, and nobody seems to be particularly insecure about protecting their linguistic preferences.
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This is the subject for another blog, but it definitely belongs on our “best of Europe” list. While we were in London, we got used to "minding the gap" between the train and the platform . . . every city, however, seems to have a mass transit system, and the networks of tunnels are absolutely everywhere. Rail travel is easy, it is clean, and it takes trillions of people off the roads. The USA needs to get on board this train!
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Ten Exhausting Days

2008-10-28T08:04:00.013-04:00

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We have returned from ten days of traveling through Germany and Scandinavia – and it’s pretty difficult to give you a snappy summary of all the things that we saw! We managed to follow the plans we originally made, and it was quite a remarkable adventure.
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Most of the trip went smoothly – Allyson lost a pair of jeans in our Munich hostel, and we lost Caroline for a few minutes, before we even left Vienna – but our trains were almost always on time, our lodgings were consistently nice, and none of our stuff was stolen.
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Life on the train.m

We rode eighteen trains (for an approximate total of 68 hours), visited four countries, worked with four different currencies, and spent more money than we care to report. We had a lot of sunshine, a couple of rainy days, and a few hours of snow. By the time we reached Vienna, we were exhausted and glad to be “home!”
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Keith's first snowball of the season, near Myrdal, Norway.m

Favorite moments would include the Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), a riverboat tour from Mainz to St. Goar (Germany), and a long walk through the city of Copenhagen. The grownups really enjoyed the scenic train ride across Norway, and we all enjoyed the Viking ship museum in Oslo. Favorite meals would certainly include the Hard Rock Café in Copenhagen!

A lot of our travel information came from Rick Steves, but he didn’t prepare us for everything . . .
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Top 10 True Things That Rick Steves Did Not Tell Us:
10. Old bicycles never die – they go to Scandinavia. m
9. It is impossible to walk a straight line down a European sidewalk.
8. European universities don’t understand the importance of T-shirts.
7. True to stereotypes, Scandinavia has a bunch of blonde men named Sven, Lars, and Thor.
6. Denmark is officially sponsored by 7-Eleven.
5. It is good to preview the channels your children can watch in their German hotel room.
4. You should not expect to enjoy a foreign city until you have been there for at least an hour.
3. Scandinavian restaurants understand the importance of ketchup.
2. If your child is unable to squeeze into a train, it will leave her standing on the platform.
1. Ten days of family togetherness is probably too much.

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Bicycles in Copenhagen - a common sight!m

We took over a thousand pictures, and we will try to get them organized before Christmas. For now, we are preparing to take another thousand or so, as we leave Vienna (on Friday) for another ten days – this time to Italy. If everything goes as planned, we will be visiting Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Venice. More on that later!
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Planning a Ten-Day

2008-10-14T18:34:00.023-04:00

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Tomorrow afternoon, we will be launching into a new kind of adventure: the "Ten-Day Free Travel."
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"Free," you should know, does not refer to the financial aspects of the experience . . . it simply suggests that we are liberated from normal time constraints, and we can travel wherever we please. It sounds pretty cool, and it is pretty cool -- but it takes a lot of planning.
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Why so complicated? Well, we are making plans for five people, and we are dealing with various currencies (and fluctuating exchange rates). We have Eurail passes, but they have lots of different products . . . some trains need reservations, and some do not; in some trains, "first class" is truly first class . . . and in other cases, it means something else! We need to find a balance between doing too much and doing too little, and we are trying to avoid long, uninterrupted stretches of traveling. We are also trying to decide which sites need to be seen while the leaves are still changing, and which sites need to be seen before the weather gets unreasonably cold. We need to visit some really interesting places (to satisfy the girls), and some really boring historical places (to satisfy Keith). And, on top of everything else, we are dealing with various languages and we are trying to save as much money as possible. It's a lot to figure out!
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Our students are required to make detailed itineraries. They must give us train schedules, housing accommodations (with contact phone numbers), and sightseeing plans. It isn't easy to do! Sponsors can afford to be less structured, but we cannot afford to fly by the seat of our pants . . . that would be very expensive, and we don't want to be stranded in the northern wastelands of Norway. So . . . Barbara has taken the lead: she has done the research, made the inquiries, and secured the reservations. Keith has made helpful suggestions. At the moment, our plans look a little like this:

October 16: Vienna to Munich

October 17: Newschwanstein Castle

October 18: Munich to Mainz

October 19: Rhine River tour (depart for overnight train ride to Copenhagen)

October 20-21: Copenhagen (depart for overnight train to Oslo)

October 22: Oslo

October 23: "Norway in a Nutshell" fjord tour

October 24: Oslo to Copenhagen

October 25: Copenhagen to Munich

October 26: Munich to Vienna

That seems like enough. We are planning another one in November, and we hope to visit Paris. For now, though, we are getting excited about Scandinavia, and we look forward to making a report when it's all said and done!

Buda and Pest

2008-10-13T08:15:00.014-04:00

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The Huey family spent this past weekend in Budapest, Hungary. There are actually two cities: Buda sits on the south side of the Danube, and Pest on the north. We stayed in Buda, because . . . let's face it . . . who wants to sleep in a place called "Pest?"
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Our first impressions were not very charming. As we stepped off the train on Friday, we immediately started to search for a honest money-changer, and we were besieged with men asking, "Taxi? Taxi?" We eventually got some tickets for the "173" bus, which groaned and gasped its way downtown. From there, we decided to walk the rest of the way to our hotel, which proved to be much further than we had anticipated!

Top: a view of the city from the Citadel; bottom: a view of the Parliament, from Buda Castle (all photos by Caroline).
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From that moment onward, however, things began to get better. Compared with Vienna, the city seems rather poor, and some of the prettiest sites are marred with graffiti. Nonetheless, its topography and its buildings are truly extraordinary: on Saturday we visited Buda Castle, and we passed by St. Matthias Church and the Parliament building. We stopped to see Margit híd (Margaret Island), and we especially enjoyed a nighttime view of the lighted city-scape.

A view from the front of Dohany Street Synagogue.

On Sunday we got a tour of the Dohany Street Synagogue, the largest (and surely the most beautiful) synagogue in all of Europe. It is really quite stunning, and it does not have all the scaffolding that seems to be obligatory for impressive European landmarks!

Left: the Holocaust Memorial Tree; Right: closeup on the leaves of the tree.

On Sunday morning we visited with the Church of Christ near Moszkva Square, and we enjoyed meeting Curry Montague, who is the minister there. We also looked through the guest book and discovered the names of Jeff & Pattie Simmons, Larry & Kay Norman, and Jim & Caye Randolph. It was nice to see familiar names, and it was a relief to know that they were going to church when they were here last fall.

Left: Annika poses with a lion at Buda Castle; Right: the girls visit a fountain on Margit híd.

So far, we haven't seen a place in Europe that we didn't like . . . let's see how long we can keep saying that!
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The Finest Art in All of Europe

2008-10-09T07:30:00.030-04:00

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We knew, when we came to Europe, that we would be overwhelmed by the art that we would see here . . . and we have not been disappointed! There are hundreds of galleries around town, and many are owned and operated by the same curators. We have learned to respect Anker, Ideenbackerie, Der Mann, and other such institutions, and we keep coming back, day after day.
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Space does not permit a full description of each individual Stück. For the moment, we will introduce you to a few of our favorite masterpieces. In many cases, these pieces were produced anonymously, an obvious tribute to the modesty of their creators. Nonetheless, we will try to give you the best information we have.

We begin with a work entitled "Choco-Croissant." It is a variation on a medieval French tradition, but it betrays an unmistakable Swiss influence. Since the 19th century, this theme has been used to signify warmth, good health, and olfactory ecstasy. In this picture, you can see a dark swatch ("Choco") in the lower-righthand corner - it sits resolutely, and indicates something sedentary. -- Next, we have a famous work entitled "Sacher Torte," which was created in 1832. Notice the bold triangular lines, with soft and subtle stripes that lead one's eye toward a fork. As we look at this spectacle, we are left with a strong sense of incompleteness, as though we might be looking at the mere fraction of a larger whole. Notice also the small medallion, which, when viewed very closely, reveals the image of a fat guy reclining in a chair. -- Finally, we have one of Keith's personal favorites. It is the "Apfelstrudel," and is a traditional Viennese classic. You can see how the light plays across the top, with a slight suggestion of Alpine ruggedness. Darker, mottled layers move horizontally through the middle, symbolizing fruitfulness, sweetness, and the absence of motion. The light and whimsical mood is somewhat illusory, and becomes rather heavy with later reflection. m
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We have enjoyed these treasures, and we have been pretty focused on finding as many as possible. From what we gather, they are disappearing daily, from galleries all around town! If you have no other reason to visit Vienna, you should visit for the sake of the artwork -- and you should come soon.
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Weekend in Croatia

2008-10-07T12:37:00.012-04:00

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When people talk about vacation spots in Europe, they rarely talk about Croatia. We didn't know what to expect when we visited this past weekend -- it was sort of a mystery destination.
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What a pleasant discovery! We had a wonderful ride through Slovenia, and found Croatia to be a beautiful place. We did not visit the coast, and we never managed to see the Plitvice National Park; those are, however, reputed to be incredibly scenic. We are very tempted to try to make a return visit, before the semester has ended.
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We had four groups of students, and we each went to different cities. The Huey family went to Zapresic, which is located on the west side of the capital city of Zagreb. Ivan Tesic is the minister for the Zapresic congregation, and our students helped with a "VBS" event in that congregation. We also visited an orphanage, and Keith preached on Sunday morning.
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The Zapresic congregation is very small, with approximately 20-25 members. Their building, however, is very nice, and it is designed to hold many more! It was interesting to talk with Ivan, and to get his impressions about the state of the church in his city. His ministry is obviously difficult (and frequently discouraging), but he is very passionate about the work he is doing.
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On Friday, we had a chance to see the city of Zagreb, and Caroline celebrated her 14th birthday! We were very excited to find a Hard Rock Cafe in the heart of the city . . . but we were disappointed to discover that the Cafe is currently closed for remodeling. In any event, we had a good time, and Caroline turned 14 anyway.

Zagreb is a very interesting city, and it was fun to wander and explore for awhile. We visited with Vlado Psenko at the Downtown Church of Christ, and we saw the library for the Institute for Biblical Studies. We also met Mislav Ilic, from the Kuslanova congregation, where the Institute is actually housed. It was good to see the work that they are doing, and to meet some of the people they have taught.

In just a few days, Ivan will come to the United States to visit with his sponsoring congregations. They are mostly in Texas and in Colorado, but he would be delighted to hear from anybody, in any part of the country. If you ever try to think of a special place to visit, or a mission location to support . . . be sure to think of Croatia!

Evil in a Pretty Place

2008-10-05T16:07:00.009-04:00

1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. - Matthew 7:1-5

The Mauthausen concentration camp sits halfway between Vienna and Salzburg, and, during Hitler's regime, it was the final destination for thousands of prisoners from various locations around Southern Europe. Jews, of course, were among the victims, but many others were imprisoned, for a wide variety of political reasons. It is a sobering place to visit, and its museum portrays the cruelties that were committed there.

We went there last week (September 30). As we approached the camp, it was difficult to imagine that THIS could be the site for such atrocities: Mauthasen is a pretty, rural town on the Danube River, and even the camp itself looks rather benign, like a castle on a hill. Behind the walls, however, we saw the barracks, the gas chamber, the crematorium, and the mass graves. Evil things can be found, it would seem, in the most unlikely places.

In a place like Mauthausen, a person is naturally led to ask some serious questions. Most important, perhaps, is this one: how could so many people get themselves involved with something so horrible? This question is particularly haunting when we consider that the SS guards were largely church-going, hard-working, family men . . . and they frequently committed their crimes with absolutely clear consciences. Once again: evil things can be found, it would seem, in the most unlikely places.

How did it all happen? That is a question for the ages, perhaps, but one thing is sure: these people were entangled in the subtle web of "Christian nationalism," and they were unable to recognize the conflicts between Christ and Führer, cross and flag.

So . . . we judge them to be evil. Jesus warns us, though, to be careful about judgements, because we, too, are susceptible to the allure of evil. In fact, we might discover that our sins are even greater than the sins that we condemn! If we refuse to confess that reality, then we are treading on dangerous ground. That is a difficult concept to swallow, but it one of the lessons of Mauthausen . . . and of Matthew 7:1-5.

The Hills Were Alive With the Sound of Students

2008-09-29T15:47:00.010-04:00

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This past weekend we visited the Austrian Alps, about an hour and a half outside of Vienna. We spent two nights in the Schwarzwaldeckhaus, an old hiker’s hotel that now belongs to the Churches of Christ in Austria and Germany. It sits on top of a mountain, and when we arrived (on Friday) it was completely shrouded in fog. As we hiked to the top we passed through several meadows, and we kept track of cows by listening to their bells!
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Schwarzwaldeckhaus in the mist.
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Unfortunately, the fog didn’t clear until Saturday afternoon, but we found the Haus to be a cozy and enjoyable place. Barbara spent a lot of time (including her birthday) in the kitchen, and she used a wood-burning stove. We had electricity, but we didn’t have hot water, and we definitely didn’t have any television or Internet!
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There are scarcely any level places on the mountain – the descents were treacherous and the ascents were exhausting. Keith and the girls did lots of hiking, and they definitely got a workout. Barbara had fewer chances to explore, but she joined the action on Saturday evening. It was especially enjoyable when the fog disappeared and we were able to see the panorama!

Barbara, Keith, and Caroline take a rest on the edge of a cliff.

Sunday morning was clear, and the view was stunning. We held a communion service on the south porch, and the singing was absolutely beautiful. Several hikers came by, and they stopped to listen – before too long, though, Keith stood up and started talking, and the hikers decided to leave.

A look out our kitchen window (photo by Caroline)

Our group was tired (and slightly smelly) by the time we left, but it was a remarkable weekend, and it was truly a “retreat!”

Living with Deutsch

2008-09-25T04:14:00.017-04:00

In the late 1300s, under the supervision of John Wyclif, the Bible was translated into English. If you actually read Wyclif’s translation, however . . . you might not think it is English at all! Look, for instance, at his rendition of Romans 8:28:
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And we witen, that to men `that louen God, alle thingis worchen togidere in to good, to hem that aftir purpos ben clepid seyntis.
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At times, the Wyclif Bible looks more German than English, and that is because the two languages are closely related. Here in Vienna (or Wien, as they call it), the linguistic kinship is obvious: Freund means “friend,” Mutter means “mother,” and Bus means “bus.” A person who lives in Wien, predictably, is known as a Wiener.
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As we travel around Wien, however, the words can sound pretty strange. Keith has tried to resurrect his rusty German skills, and he can actually translate a few of the signs that we see – for the most part, though, we are just muddling through.

For instance:
• We bought some conditioning solution for formstabile sauerstoffdurchlässige contact lenses, but we don’t exactly know what that means.
• Some words (like Kirche) require a throat-clearing sound that we are unable to properly imitate. And . . .
• We are continually discovering new manifestations of fahrt.

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Best of all, we are discovering the beauty of compound words. We use them in English, of course, but nobody does it better than German-speaking people! For example: in English we have “words,” we have “books,” and we even have “wordbooks.” We do not, however, have a match for Großwörtbucher, which basically means “bigwordbook.” These compounds can look imposing, but they make the language precise and direct, and they can be fun to decipher. Can any of you translate the words below?
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We are having a little contest here in the Schloss, to see who can find the longest compound word. Keith recently discovered Fahrtreppenbenutzungshinweise (29 letters), and that is the current standard. We hope to show you the grand-prize winner, when the semester ends . . .

Our Students

2008-09-21T14:00:00.008-04:00

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Here is the whole group, before we left Oklahoma.
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It is an extraordinary privilege to travel around Europe, and it is wonderful to be based in Vienna. It has been a great experience already, for all five Hueys! Nonetheless, our days are very full, and we have been pretty tired – beyond the thrill of traveling, GEO is a full-fledged and demanding academic experience.
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It has been more than some of us anticipated!
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Our forty-eight students have been overwhelmed, at times, and their needs are sometimes overwhelming for their four sponsors, as well. We have classes to prepare, assignments to grade, field trips to arrange, and problems to solve. And we sometimes wonder . . .
• What should we do, when we see a student who doesn’t quite fit with the others?
• How do we help, when a student has trouble with her credit card?
• What can we do, when a student continually “forgets” or “misinterprets” the rules?
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There are lots of challenging situations. Nonetheless . . . our students have been a significant part of the blessing, here. It is particularly enjoyable to sit and talk with them, and to learn about their backgrounds. One, Ben Peterson, comes from Austin – Keith just happens to know Ben’s father, Jeff, who teaches New Testament at the Austin Graduate School. Another, Jacob Hawkins, comes from Cabot, Arkansas, and knows the family of Keith’s sister, Beth. We have enjoyed their energy, their humor, and their insights. It is also amazing to see them tackling Europe: they get train schedules, they find hostels, they try to communicate.
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A few of our students, on the steps of St. Paul's in London.
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Were we so confident, when we were 19 years old?
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The Schloss

2008-09-12T10:08:00.042-04:00

It is nice to be in Vienna, and to be settled into our rooms. We have been able to get some rest, and we have enjoyed several brief explorations into the city. We are staying in the Schloss Neuwaldegg, a 311-year-old mansion on the west side of town. "Schloss" means "Castle," and it is definitely a grand place -- it is probably our most successful marketing icon, when we try to get students to participate in the European Studies program. If you want to know about its history and its current use, you should visit their website at http://www.schlossneuwaldegg.at/en/index.php.
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Way back on August 26, we posted a view of the Schloss from the front. Above, you can see an old drawing -- also from the front. Here, now, are some other perspectives . . .

At left, our office (notice the "007"); at right, a view into the dining hall.
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Allyson was thrilled to discover the Schloss piano! The acoustics are quite good, and she has a pretty nice view to her left.

A view of Allyson, and of the front yard. Aside from the hedges, there are numerous baroque sculptures, and we don't have to mow! These gardens, we are told, originally stretched for miles.

Here is a view of Caroline and Annika in the back yard, which leads into the Vienna Woods.

As you can see, we have a wonderful place to call "home" for awhile! In spite of these accommodations, however, we haven't forgotten any of you, and we will be happy to return to 201 Navajo -- in just a few months.

Whirlwind Tour of London

2008-09-11T15:32:00.021-04:00

Greetings from Vienna! We are getting settled into the "Schloss," and we have already seen a lot of the city. First, though -- here is a summary of our time in London.

Keith and Caroline (and Shreds), in front of the Tate Modern

On Sunday morning we gathered in the TV room at our hostel, and we had a devotional communion service. From there, we visited the Tower of London, saw a blur from the opening stage of the Tour of Britain (a cycling race), went to St. Paul's Cathedral for an Evensong service, and toured the Tate Modern art museum.

Keith’s Top Three Favorite Things About Evensong
• The music and the architecture provided a perfect sense of majesty.
• The homily was first-rate – delivered by Dr. Simon Oliver of the University of Wales.
• The readings and the songs were taken from texts that we seldom visit – an attempt to use the entire Bible.

On Monday, we visited Westminster Abbey and we returned to St. Paul's Cathedral. The tours are more tiring, remarkably, when you are keeping track of 48 college students! At St. Paul's, we all climbed all the steps to the top of the dome -- Keith did this also, and he felt really good (though he is still trying to be very, very careful).
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Monday evening, we went to see Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre. It was absolutely outstanding, and we wouldn't mind seeing it again! On Tuesday, we went to the British Library and the British Museum. Keith was thrilled to see the Codex Sinaiticus, and Barbara was thrilled to see the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles. It was quite enjoyable to snap pictures in the Museum -- we were surprised that it wasn't prohibited!

An ancient artifact in the British Museum -- notice the resemblance to Keith

On Wednesday, we went to the National Gallery and we ran through Kensington Gardens before we headed for Heathrow. A lot to see, in just a short time!

Keith and the girls on the east side of Kensington Palace

In the next post, we will try to introduce you to our lodgings at the Schloss Neuwaldegg. Stay tuned . . .

A Hard Day's Night

2008-09-06T15:58:00.003-04:00

We will try to post pictures later, but for now we just want to confirm: after all the tearful farewells at Oklahoma Christian . . . after the drive to DFW . . . after the long flight to London . . . we kept ourselves moving for the rest of the day, and we are ready for a good night of sleep!
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Keith didn't particularly enjoy the long flight, but that is pretty typical. His back did not give him any exceptional difficulties, and he felt strong throughout the day. We are thrilled with our accommodations at the hostel, and we have really enjoyed this group of students.
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Tomorrow morning we will hopefully be done with the jet lag . . . and ready to go!
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Oklahoma was OK

2008-09-02T20:52:00.019-04:00

We have had a great week in Oklahoma, and now we are ready to go. Tomorrow we will take a bus to the DFW airport, and we will fly nonstop to London. We have a full itinerary there, beginning with a two-hour walking tour -- designed to keep us awake!
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Our students seem anxious to be on their way. We have had a full week of orientation and last-minute preparations. Keith has had a few tired moments, but he has been able to rest a lot and he is feeling quite comfortable. The travel agent thinks that she might be able to get him an upgraded seat on the plane -- we'll see about that! We have been duly impressed with the Office of International Programs here at OC, especially Mendy Kooi. As sponsors, we have a LOT of work to do this fall, and it's a pretty daunting prospect. The OIP, however, has definitely made our job easier.
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We also had a chance to visit the Murrah Building memorial here in Oklahoma City -- a very moving site. Caroline got some great pictures with her new camera, like the one below.

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Our next post will hopefully be from London! We will be staying in a hostel there, and we are uncertain about our Internet options.

GEO Oklahoma

2008-08-31T22:56:00.011-04:00

This has been a very long day! Just 24 hours ago, we were still packing frantically -- since then, we have done a lot of traveling, a lot of waiting, and not much sleeping! Our orientation began this evening, and the RC students have been meeting and mixing with the OC and Cascade students.

As for the Hueys -- we are enjoying the hospitality of Jim and Denise Cutbirth. Jim is an Engineering professor at OC, and will be retiring in December. What a way to finish your career! We have already visited Brahm's, and we will be stopping at Sonic tomorrow . . .

We are very happy to have these days in Oklahoma. We are done with our packing, and we have restful accommodations. After the frenetic pace of the past few days, it is nice to have this chance to unwind. Keith's back has not caused any difficulties, and he is happy to have a few more days before the marathon plane ride!

We are blessed in so many ways. With that in mind, it's time for bed . . .

Sendoff

2008-08-29T19:33:00.011-04:00

This morning, the Rochester College community devoted its chapel assembly to our GEO program. Keith presided over a "sendoff," and our students bade final farewells to their classmates and friends. We gathered together with parents, as well, and Dr. John Barton led a prayer of blessing for the group. Just a dream for so many months -- and now it is happening!

With the approval of his doctor, Keith will be flying to Oklahoma with the rest of the group. It's hard to believe that he had back surgery just ONE WEEK ago, because he is pain-free and he is ready to fly! His doctor wants him to spend a lot of time walking -- what better place to fulfill that prescription than in the museums and cities of Europe!

We are scheduled to meet on the Rochester College campus at 5:15 Sunday morning; Sunday evening, we will begin our orientation sessions in Oklahoma City. We have a great group of students, and an exciting itinerary.

Front row: Caroline, Annika, Matt Kunkel, Shane Langford, and Sarah Grant; Second row: Allyson, Barbara, Autumn Warman, Elizabeth Hansen, Kate King, Cameron Armstrong, Gary Turner, Asia Smith, Randee Rowell, and Emily Horrigan; Back row: Keith, and Ben Nelson; Not pictured: Michael Grant.

On the Road Again

2008-08-26T21:21:00.017-04:00

Hello! Here you can see our new house -- we're very proud of it. It is located in Vienna, Austria, and we will be living there with 48 college students during the fall semester. Our adventure gets started at 5:15 am on Sunday, August 31!
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Keith's schedule is still uncertain -- this past Friday he had back surgery, and he is recovering as carefully as possible. Can he join the group on Sunday, or will he need to wait a week or two, and get a later flight? We will get that verdict on Thursday.

Stay tuned to our blog, as we pursue this adventure -- we will be visiting London and Rome, with other options all over the continent.

And we will be taking lots and lots of pictures!

Last Post

2007-08-19T22:45:00.001-04:00

Hello! Just in case there are a few people still checking this site . . . we have a few pictures to post. There are more than 1700 others, and we are sorting through them! If you click on these thumbnails you should get a larger picture.

Manry Pictures

We need to begin with the Manrys, who are proudly announcing the arrival of Tessa Marie! Their website (http://www.manryfamily.com/) hasn't been updated, yet, but it will be, quite soon. At left you can see Mark, our constant chauffeur; lower left, you can see Lori, who kept going and going and going and . . . lower right you can see Buzaaniro Village, the backyard playground for Luke, Connnor, and Lydia Jane.

Pictures from London

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Left: the "Tube" platform near our flat; right: the girls pause on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral.

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Left: we brace ourselves against the wind atop St. Paul's; right: slumming on the Thames.

Left: the end of the line, near Wimbledon; right: Annika and Caroline at the Wellington Arch.

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Left: we enjoy some British journalism while we ride the Tube; right: Shreds at Windsor Castle.

Pictures from the African safari

Left: we stand on the Equator with Joyce, Drew, and Jessica; right: we saw a lot of elephants in Queen Elizabeth Park!

Left: some of the terrain in QE Park; right: a candelabra tree.

Left: the crested crane, the national bird of Uganda; right: Keith and the girls on safari with Barbara below and Ben in the driver's seat.

Left: QE Park has a unique set of traffic issues; right: a crocodile on the Channel.

Left: two of the elephants who blocked the road on Saturday; right: baboons say "goodbye" at the edge of the park.

Pictures from Jinja

Left: Allyson gets a ride on a boda-boda; right: a scene at the Jinja market.

Left: Allyson makes a friend at the children's home; right: the girls (and Drew) practice with Zipporah's baskets.

Left: the adults get together for Emily's birthday; right: our lunch at Kagoma Church (notice the devious look on Spencer's face).

Left: Annika has the answer at Harding Academy in Nawangoma; right: Barbara and the girls, listening to a performance at the Rochester Academy in Nawangoma.

Left: Barbara tries sugar cane; right: we pose in Stephen Waiswa's garden.

Left: Richard Bazonoona stands in front of his house; right: the place where Richard and Ida get their water (at the bottom of the hill).

Left: Keith makes a dramatic gesture while preaching at Jinja Church; right: zebra crossing in Jinja.

Left: Maanda Wilson and his son, Silas; right: Allyson and "Busco" wash their shoes in the Nile River.

Left: the girls at The Source Cafe; right: we prepare to leave for home.

Enough for now . . . if you want to see more, just let us know!

What Do Our Missionaries Need?

2007-08-13T04:32:00.000-04:00

At first, I was going to write a post called "What Does Uganda Need?" I changed my mind, though, because it is presumptuous to pretend that I can really answer that kind of question. The Jinja team is constantly talking about it, and they are always struggling for answers..
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For instance, many Ugandans (especially in the cities and towns) will say, "Eh, we are poor . . . that is our problem." Indeed, statistics say that Uganda's per capita income is about $100, a skimpy number by any standard. Such numbers do not tell the actual story, however, because the country isn't tied to a monetary system. In the villages, especially, people live in close-knit communities and they rarely go hungry or homeless. Moreover, they measure their wealth in goats, cows, chickens, and land . . . to say that Ugandans only earn $100/year is like saying that very few Americans will ever own a goat. The information is true, but it is not particularly useful.

The picture is complicated, especially for visitors like me.

So . . . I posed a different question for Mark, Ben and Spencer: what do you need from people back home? What can the Rochester congregation be doing, to help your work succeed?

First of all, I need to pause and commend these guys, along with their families. They are really, really good at the things they do! They are deep thinkers and they are humble servants . . . they are constantly seeking new ways to get things done, and they are always willing to contemplate new directions. The Rochester congregation deserves to be proud of its connection with these people.

After deeply and humbly contemplating my question, they basically agreed about one central need. You might have expected them to ask for more money, but they did not . . . in fact, they are trying to limit the flow of American dollars, because they ultimately want their ministry to be inspired, directed, and sponsored by Ugandans. On a personal level, there is an obvious need to maintain their monetary support, but that was not their biggest concern. They would also welcome financial assistance with a project that drills water wells . . . but there was something else that topped their list.

Above all else, they want people to come and visit them, and they want their supporting congregations to sponsor those kinds of visits. They want us to be partners with them, and they want our insights. They want us to see what they are doing, so we can genuinely understand it. They want the Ugandan churches to spend time with us, and to know that we are more than sources of money. They want to be associated with people who will bring them peanut butter, cheese, and Dr. Pepper.

Seriously, I think it comes down to tangible things like that.

And so, we are particularly happy that we could visit with the Jinja team, and with the people whose lives they are touching. And . . . we want you to know how much they appreciate the support that you gave to us. Let's continue to do this kind of thing!

We are Home

2007-08-12T17:44:00.000-04:00

We arrived in Detroit at 12:40 this afternoon, just as scheduled, and we are very tired! The last few days have been quite a whirlwind: we drove around Kampala on Friday, tubed London on Saturday, and made the last leg today.

Our pets are all alive, but our van is not. Perhaps we should be happy, since dead vans are typically easier to fix than dead cats. We shall see.

We want to give one more rousing "thank-you" to our hosts in Jinja: the Bogles, the Langfords, and especially the Manrys. We will have more to say during the next few days, so stay tuned!

Saying "Goodbye" to Jinja

2007-08-10T00:09:00.000-04:00

This will be our last post from Jinja, and it will need to be pretty brief. There is a whole lot more that we could say! We are busily packing our things into suitcases, and we are discovering how many things we acquired while we were here. Barbara has been scrubbing the red dirt from our shoes and sandals . . . but we can't get it all, and it seems appropriate that a trace should remain.
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The Bogles will be taking us to Kampala this morning, and we plan to visit the Baha'i temple and to do some last-minute browsing in the shops. We will stay at Entebbe tonight, and fly to London tomorrow. We hope to return to Detroit on Sunday, just a little bit after noon.
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We look forward to being home . . . the girls are missing Pizza Hut, and Keith is missing Mountain Dew . . . at the same time, though, we are very sorry to leave this place. We have met so many wonderful people, and the Manrys have been such excellent hosts. It will be difficult to drive away.

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We probably won't have Internet access again, until we reach Michigan. We will try to make a few more posts, after we return . . . in particular, we want to give you some final reflections and photos.

Bonding in Kyabirwa

2007-08-08T08:29:00.000-04:00

Today, we (Keith, Barbara, and Allyson) returned from an overnight "bonding" excursion with the family of Maanda and Sarah Wilson.

Maanda is the assistant principle of the Busoga Bible School, and is a leader in the area churches; he and Sarah have a boy (Simon) who is away at boarding school, and two small boys (Isaac and Silas) at home. A fourth child is scheduled to arrive at any moment! It is amazing that this picture does not include any goats, dogs, or chickens, because they were everywhere . . . some belonged to Maanda and some did not.

In spite of her condition, we rarely saw Sarah rest. She was continually bending over the washbasin or squatting beside the cooking fire. Her meals were wonderful, and, as we have come to expect in Uganda, the food was served in generous portions. She does not speak English, so our conversations were rather limited. We did, however, have significant discussions with Maanda, who shared his perspectives on the churches in Busoga, and described his hopes for the future.

The time was enjoyable, but everything happened slowly. A lot of our time was spent sitting, chatting, and doing absolutely nothing in particular. Sarah, of course, was an exception to this, and we spent a great deal of our time watching her work. It was the most difficult aspect of the entire bonding experience: we felt guilty and restless! We have been told, however, that our experience was not exceptional. It is the normal style of village life.

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All through the night, we could hear the distant roar of Kyabirwa Falls. Before we left, we went down to the river to watch rafts and kayaks, as they attempted to maneuver through the rapids. It was pretty muddy, and we washed our shoes in the river. At one point, Barbara said, "can you believe . . . we're sitting here . . . washing our shoes in the Nile River?" It was a beautiful picture, and we took a long look: a dam is being built nearby, and this scene will be flooded within a few years.

It is difficult to describe the benefits that come from bonding. This kind of experience is essential, though, for anybody who wants to understand the day-to-day life of a Ugandan villager. It is definitely one of the most meaningful things we have done here in Africa!

Sitting in The Source

2007-08-07T02:26:00.000-04:00

We are really impressed with the Source Cafe. Its name is relevant to Jinja, of course, because the source of the Nile is a local attraction. But it is also designed to be a resource for the community. It has food, coffee, Internet access, gifts, and a library. The Jinja church has its assemblies in the connecting courtyard, and the Busoga Bible School meets in other adjoining spaces.
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And . . . we might add that it is a very classy joint. Its outdoor decor is highlighted with a stunning bouganvillea tree, and its entrances are highlighted with beautiful carved doors. The food is wonderful (we strongly recommend the Nile Delight), and there is a nice outdoor seating area, where you can watch the world go by. Internet customers have plenty of space, and aren't packed into the room like sardines. We also feel partial to the people who work here!

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It is not surprising to hear that Forrest Whitaker ate his lunches at the Source, while he was filming The Last King of Scotland. It is listed as an attraction in the Ugandan tourist guides, and it does a lot of business. It is especially busy on Saturdays, and is particularly popular with your backpacking and Nile-rafting types of people..
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The Source began back in 1997, and was inspired by Mark Moore. With the help of people like Danny Cagnet, it became established, expanded its facilities, and now exists as a part of the ministry here in Jinja. Its profits provide a measure of assistance to the local churches, and, in a place where jobs are precious, it provides significant employment opportunities.

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Be sure to stop by, the next time you're in Jinja.

What We're Doing

2007-08-05T01:14:00.001-04:00

How have we been using our time here in Jinja? Since Keith finished teaching the BBS class, most of our activities have centered around visits . . . aside from visiting with the Jinja team, we have been spending our time with various Ugandan families. These would include: Moses and Zipporah Kirya (in Musima), Irene Kimeze (just outside of Jinja), Wakooli George and Stephen Waiswa (in Nawongoma), and Richard and Ida Bazonoona (in Naminya). For some of you, those are just a bunch of names; for others, they mean a great deal.
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Whenever we visit these people, we are truly overwhelmed with their graciousness. They thank us profusely for coming to see them, and they make us feel that we are doing them an extraordinary favor. If they feed us, they usually seat us separately from themselves; this, we are told, is a sign of great honor. The food is abundant, in absurdly enormous portions! It is enough to give them leftovers for the next week, but they don't have refrigerators . . . we don't know what they do with all the remaining rice, posho, matooke, potatoes, beans, avocados, etc. Sometimes we attract a crowd of curious neighbors..

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Even though they don't have much by Michigan standards, they are very proud of their homes and their gardens, and they are pleased to show us around. Their properties are very important to them. Richard Bazonoona, for instance, has done a lot of work in his house, and his achievements are quite impressive. Stephen Waiswa took us through his garden, and we were absolutely amazed with the things that he can grow. Ida Bazonoona showed us her beads, and Zipporah Kirya showed us her baskets . . . and we bought a lot of their handiwork..

Whenever we visit with people like these, they love to tell stories about the original Jinja team. We constantly hear about the Moores, the Smiths, the Taylors, and especially the Bartons. People are always excited to know that we come from Rochester, "where the Bartons now live," and we have been asked if Keith and John are twin brothers. Hmmmm . . . .

Tuesday evening we will visit with Maanda and Sarah Wilson, in the village of Kyabirwa. It will be an overnight "bonding" visit, and will give us new impressions of the way people live in Uganda. Caroline and Annika have opted to stay with the Manrys, though they might change their mind..

Churches in Uganda need support from churches in the United States . . . but now that we've met the people listed above (and many, many others). we believe the need goes both directions. To use the imagery of 1 Corinthians 12, we are all parts of the body of Christ, and we will be healthier for recognizing our mutual dependence.

Shreds

2007-08-03T12:41:00.000-04:00

Let us introduce you to Shreds. He is a puppy from the Punkie tribe of Beanie Babies, and has been Caroline's constant companion for the last several years. On some occasions, Caroline's parents will ask him to stay at home, but aside from that . . . he is always nearby. There was one frantic moment, quite some time ago, when he was stranded at Chuck E. Cheese, but that was only a momentary exception. If you check the previous blog posting, you can probably find him in Caroline's hand.

Shreds does not look like the picture above, anymore. He is much loved . . . you might say he is "real," in the Velveteen-Rabbit sense of the term. He got some cosmetic surgery (from Aunt Carol) several weeks ago, but he really struggles, these days, to keep himself looking sharp.

Because of his honored position, Shreds has been a well-traveled puppy. Last summer, he visited Corcovado (home of the Christ Statue) in Rio de Janeiro; now, of course, he has seen London, as well. He even has his own passport, though the British customs agent was not playful enough to stamp it.

We do not know what the future holds for Shreds, but we think he knows how to live in the present moment, and to enjoy things as they come.

Shreds would like to join us in thanking each one of you, for enabling his extraordinary experiences.

The Huey Girls

2007-08-02T13:34:00.000-04:00

We are thrilled to be here in Jinja, but we are especially thrilled that our daughters can be with us. They have been forced to make lots of adjustments, but they have been wonderful. They have been involved with all of our activities, so far . . . and they have risked a lot of new things. Their expressions of homesickness have been minimal, and, with a few minor exceptions, they have been very patient . . . and culturally sensitive. We are quite proud of them!

In search of a true African experience, Allyson has been flexible and rather adventurous. She even got a ride on a boda-boda, and thought it was a great way to travel! She seems to be absorbing this place pretty well, and has been recording her impressions in a journal. She does well interacting with people and having fun with them . . . especially people like little Adam Bogle.

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Caroline has been her usual self, which means she that she has been quiet. But she doesn't mind meeting new people, shaking hands and hanging around the action. She is clearly absorbing the culture, and it is always interesting to hear her brief and witty observations about the things that she sees. Her favorite thing, it would seem, has been shopping for gifts to take home to her friends!

What can we say about Annika? She has been timid about a few things (and perhaps rightly so), but her affection for people is continually evident. Among the three sisters, she is most likely to start conversations with anyone we meet, and she keeps asking questions. She has been inspired by the bead-making skills of Irene Kimeze, and is ready to make thousands of necklaces.

We aren't necessarily trying to turn our children into missionaries, but we hope that we are teaching them to be missional. We want them, first of all, to know that the world is bigger than Oakland County, Michigan, and we want them to get a global perspective on human existence.

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It's a really tall order, but . . . thanks to your support . . . it is part of our experience here in Jinja.

Haircut at Siddhi's

2007-08-01T05:43:00.001-04:00

Keith tried to think of everything before he left Michigan . . . and he did pretty well. One thing he forgot, though, was to get a final haircut. So . . . Mark Manry came to the rescue, and introduced him to Siddhi's Hairdressers, Ltd.

Siddhi's gives more than a haircut. They also give shaves and head massages, all for 10,000 shillings (about $6.50). So, at Mark's urging, Keith allowed his beard to get rather woolly, and he went for the full treatment.

The name "siddhi" is a Hindu term, and refers to a spiritual achievement. The proprieter (Perlad) is a devout Hindu, and the walls are decorated with numerous images of Hindu piety. Keith was served by Perlad's son, Matisse, and Perlad arrived after the haircut began. He had just come from one of the local Hindu temples, and performed some ritual prayers around the shop before he continued with his business.

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Matisse used a razor cut, and was very meticulous. Keith looks remarkably well-groomed, now, and might make a return visit before we leave next week. The shave was especially interesting, because he had never allowed another person to do that to his face! The most memorable experience, though, was definitely the head massage . . . it included some rubbing through the scalp and it culminated with about a dozen powerful blows to the back of his head.

The picture above comes from Mark's camera, and he has given it a title: "Matisse, Keith, Museveni, and Ganesh." Yoweri Museveni is the president of Uganda, and Ganesh is one of the most popular Hindu deities. Keith is the guy in the chair.

My Lunch Is Looking At Me

2007-07-31T00:18:00.000-04:00

Uganda is a poor country, but starvation is not an issue here. The Nile is a source of life, and there is a lot of it! So . . . we have eaten quite well since we arrived, and we have enjoyed bananas, pineapples, posho (in chip form, especially), and g-nuts. Keith has sampled some jackfruit, and thought it was very good; Annika seems partial to Miranda soft drinks. The Manrys have prepared some really good meals, by any American standard.

Some of the foods, however, are quite different, however good they might be. Matooke looks like a banana, but is not, and beef can be somewhat . . . shall we say . . . chewy. Sometimes, a meal looks very American, but is not: for instance, Ugandan hamburgers have a meatloafish consistency, and our daughters have been disappointed about that!

As we mentioned in a previous post, we were given a lunch in Kagoma on Sunday, and it proved to be our most challenging dietary experience so far. We had cassava, sweet potatoes, and rice, and we were supposed to dip those items into soup. It was all pretty tasty, but the soup contained lots of small fish, and Mark snapped the lovely photo above. Keith tried one, and described it as a "very salty green bean." Spencer, the seasoned village missionary, scooped his fish into Caroline's bowl, to make it appear that he had eaten them all.

All in all, though, it was a pretty tame incident, and was part of the cultural experience that we hoped to receive here. Don't expect us to be any thinner when we return to the States!

Sunday at Kagoma Church

2007-07-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

Today we went to the village of Kagoma, about 45 minutes north of Jinja. Things were in full swing before we arrived, and the place was packed. They took us to the front, and we were given seats of honor, facing the congregation! The singing was quite spirited, and we made a few brief videos. .
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We were treated to a sermon from Spencer Bogle, delivered in Lusoga. We are impressed with his language skills! We were also visited by a goat, who momentarily threatened the offering basket and was summarily escorted away. After the service we were surrounded by people who wanted to shake our hands . . . if you really want to feel important, you ought to visit the Kagoma Church! We were also treated to lunch, and our girls shared bubbles with the children. Annika distributed stickers, and stuck them to everybody's foreheads.

This is really an impressive congregation. The minister, Paul Wandera, has accomplished great things during the past year, and has invested a lot of his own resources. The meeting place is located on his property, and it was built quite recently. Paul is trying to find ways to serve the local orphans and widows, and he is working to dig a well for the village. He was also one of Keith's students at the Busoga Bible School.

This was a great assembly experience for us . . . thank you, again, for supporting our visit here!

Adam Nile Bogle

2007-07-27T11:24:00.000-04:00

We have enjoyed a great many privileges here in Jinja. One, in particular, has been the chance to meet Adam Nile Bogle, who was born July 11. He and his mother seem to be doing quite nicely, and his father has recovered as well. He even sleeps through most of the night. Both of his grandmothers are visiting, and he is getting lots of attention!

Adam, of course, doesn’t know how blessed he is to have parents like Spencer and Emily . . . and he doesn’t know how special it is to be a part of the community here in Jinja. Thursday was Emily’s birthday, and we had dinner beside the Nile River. We had a beautiful view of some “Class 5” rapids, but Adam didn't pay any attention! I hope for the chance, some day, to ask him what he remembers and what he appreciates about his remarkable beginnings.

Below you can see one of our favorite pictures, a tender portrait of father and son.

We have also had a chance to meet Noah Langford, who was born February 28th. We aren’t sure when we will meet the Manry’s newest addition, but she is certainly making her presence felt (just ask Lori)! The Jinja team is still trying to recover from tragic losses, but it is also enjoying the gifts of new life.

While I’m on the subjects of tragedy and life, I hope you will be praying for Toni Wagers and her husband, Roy. Many of you know them already . . . for those who don’t, Roy was married to Keith’s sister Jan, until she died from cancer in 2002. Toni, now, is struggling with cancer, and her situation is quite difficult. We are thrilled to be in Africa, but we hate to be so far away from Roy and Toni.

Keith's Top Five Reflections on BBS

2007-07-25T14:27:00.000-04:00

Lest you think that I've been lounging with hippos for the past few days, let me tell you that I have been teaching at the Busoga Bible School, and it is very hard work! I have formed some definite impressions of the place. Here they are:

5. These students have a remarkable facility with language. If I had been raised in a bi-lingual context, I am sure that I would be bi-lingual, too. But I am always amazed when I hear somebody moving (with little apparent effort) from one language to another. Our classroom constantly moves from Lusoga to English and back again.

4. They seem unconcerned about distractions. We have people flowing in and out of a squeaky classroom door, and we have a remarkable variety of noises that come from outside the building. Sometimes, some of the students will go scrambling through their packs to grab a ringing cell phone! Through it all, we keep things moving. .

3. They don’t need PowerPoint. All I have is a chalk board and a map that is pinned to the wall. And they keep on listening, for about six hours each day! I can’t be that interesting, can I?
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2. They ask great questions. I realize that this is a pretty mature group of preachers and teachers, but I am constantly amazed by the depth of their questions. I have told them several times that they ask better questions than my students at Rochester!
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1. They have no trouble integrating study with worship. We pause several times each day for some (very) spirited times of singing. I don’t know the words to any of these songs, but I am learning to clap in rhythm. And then . . . they sit and listen to Church History, and they seem to believe that it is relevant to every aspect of their Christian life.

This has been a great experience for me. It has been tiring, but incredibly rewarding. The students have been very kind to me, and they have made me an honored guest. I look forward to doing other things next week, but I will miss this group of people.

Yes, We Are In Africa!

2007-07-23T11:19:00.000-04:00

Greetings from Jinja! We have Internet access here, but it is slower than what we're accustomed to using . . . and it takes a little more patience to get material posted. We joined Joyce Todd, Jessica Todd, and Drew Renner in London, and we arrived in Uganda on Thursday morning. We were taken immediately on a six-hour drive from Entebbe Airport to the Queen Elizabeth Park, and we enjoyed a safari there . . . quite a remarkable experience. Above you can see us, along with Mark Manry and Ben Langford, standing in front of a huge "crater." We have lots of pictures with animals, also, including the hippopotamus that was blocking our path to the lodge!
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Yesterday we enjoyed a worship assembly with the Jinja Church, and today Keith began his week-long survey of Church History at the Busoga Bible School. It was a long, exhausting day for him. Barbara and Allyson rode boda-bodas and piki-pikis to the marketplace, and they learned how commerce is done in Uganda! Caroline and Annika have been playing with the Manry children, who have a great back yard. Tonight we are recovering from a busy day, and Keith is prepping for tomorrow's class.

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We will try to keep you posted, as best we can. Thanks so much for your support and your prayers!

Enjoying London

2007-07-16T17:04:00.000-04:00

Greetings from London! We have enjoyed our days, here, and we have one more full day tomorrow. Today we visited Westminster Abbey, and had a chance to visit with a large number of English kings and queens. Above, you can see the girls standing outside the west entrance.
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The weather has been wonderful . . . about 70 degrees each day. We only got caught in the rain on one occasion, while we were at Wimbledon. We were sheltered most of the time though, as in the picture below. It began to rain the moment we stepped on the property, and it hasn't rained since we left. So, perhaps that confirms what they say about Wimbledon.

We are trying to do as many things as much as we possibly can, before we board the plane on Wednesday. It has been very difficult for Keith to follow the Tour de France, even though it started here just a few days ago . . . the British newspapers would much rather show pictures of David and Victoria Beckham.

Well, this is all for now. We will try to post an entry once we get to Africa, but it is difficult to predict what will happen between now and then. Next time, maybe there will be a picture of Barbara!

A Note from London

2007-07-14T16:14:00.000-04:00

Hello from London! We are still a little jet-lagged, but I think we are recovering quite well. We have done a lot of walking, and we have seen a lot of the city. Annika has learned to navigate escalators! We don't have much access to the Internet, here, but I will try to post some pictures over the next few days.

As we visit this place, it is amazing to think of the influence that has radiated from such a small point on the global map. So many nations, all over the world, have been tied to the city of London. Of course, when we continue our trip to Uganda, we will be visiting one of those places.

We are thrilled to be doing this . . . thanks, once again, for making it possible, and for all of your prayers.

Not Done Packing Yet

2007-07-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

Everybody wants to know if we're all packed and ready . . . and the answer is "No!" But I think that things are moving according to schedule. We have a few last-minute errands to run and a few more rounds with the laundry. As you can see, Annika and Caroline have been a big help.

Yesterday we were excited to hear that the Jinja team has a brand-new member: Adam Nile Bogle was born to Spencer and Emily, and we look forward to meeting him soon! The delivery was pretty difficult, but Emily is resting (we hope) in the Kampala hospital.

Thanks again for giving us so many varieties of support.

Congregational Blessing at Rochester

2007-07-08T13:43:00.001-04:00

Even though we won't be leaving for a few more days, our congrega-tion paused at the end of this morning's early service, and they sent us off with a blessing.

We were not the only people onstage: Joyce Todd and her grandson Drew Renner will be traveling with us, while Chris and Vicki Lindsey are headed for South Africa. You can see us all in the picture above, along with some of the Rochester elders, staff, and Pastoral Care team. We will also be joined by Jessica Todd (daughter of Joyce), but she lives in New York and could not be with us this morning.

Welcome to Our Travelblog

2007-07-05T19:22:00.000-04:00

Hello, and welcome to the Huey family traveling blog! You can check this site during our visit to Uganda, and see how things are going with us. Post a comment if you wish!

We won't be leaving for a few more days, but we want to get this website up and running. We also want to express our gratitude to the 43 different contribu-tors who have given financial support, and to the numberless masses who have encouraged us in so many other ways. It is humbling to get so much help from so many people.

Most of our time will be spent in Jinja, a 100-year-old city that has 106,000 residents. We will be staying with the family of Mark and Lori Manry, who came to Jinja in November of 2005. They are sponsored, in part, by the Rochester congregation, along with Spencer and Emily Bogle, who joined the Jinja team in October of 2004.

Our itinerary looks something like this: we will be leaving Detroit on Thursday, July 12, at 10:25 pm, but we are stretching our London layover to six days and will not arrive in Uganda until the morning of Thursday, July 19. We are scheduled to return to Detroit at 12:40 pm on August 12.

We have our passports, our shots, and our airline tickets. Now for the packing!