Living in SW Germany - an outdoor paradise

So privileged to live and work in this beautiful part of the world.

Previous post: Things to do in the area with boys (and girls)

Trail Running in the Swiss Jura

At the end of September, I got in the car and drove the 30 minutes south of the border to the Swiss Jura region of Wasserfallen (on the border between Canton Baselland and Canton Solothurn). I parked the car at the Reigoldswil cable-car station, put on my hydration backpack with 1.5 l water, 1 Milka chocolate bar, mobile-phone and a pack-lite windproof jacket. Firstly I followed the hiking signs for Wasserfallen and then for Passwang. Starting at 600 m it is a short steep climb up to 1200 m. With the gradient at times rising to a nose-dripping 45% – it's more of a quick walk than a run.

The terrain up on the ridge is a trail runners dream. Following the exhausting climb, you are rewarded with a small twisty trail that has the odd technical up and down but compared to what lies behind, is pretty flat. The ground is firm but yet has a bit of a spring from the years of fallen leaves that have decomposed and been trodden down by hikers and runners. The trees brush past your elbows. Large drops of moisture drip from the branches high above. No-one else around. Quiet except for the sounds from the valley of a chainsaw and the familiar ring of cowbells. The air is fresh and moist but still. The colours autumnal. Like a world with an instagram filter applied.

I use the Strava app for tracking my runs. You can retrace my route and view the stats here. The app often comes in handy when navigation becomes challenging. The blue tracking line against the digital map helps to quickly find your bearings and to plan your loop back to the car. I realised later that I needed to turn off the auto pause function. Seems when the going got very steep, the app thought I was so slow that I had stopped. Not sure if that's a reflection on the weakness of the technology or my physical condition.

Guess which country has the highest cost of living around the world?

An interesting map from MoveHub reveals living costs around the world.

Instructor of Teachers Course in Kilchzimmer

Students, instructors, helpers and translators at the IOT 1+2 in Kilchzimmer.

In February the IOT2 and IOT1 were held in Kilchzimmer, Switzerland. We are thankful for the instructors (from Denmark, Finland, Austria, N. Ireland & Germany) and the students who came (from N. Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Holland).

Bootcamp for CMLC teachers

25 people joined us in Kilchzimmer for the CMLC Teachers Boot Camp. Together we looked at how to improve the CMLC which is our main 12-week training course for children's workers. During the five days together we looked at the themes: 'How does it all fit together', 'CMLC Curriculum', 'Student Culture', 'Developing Effective Assignments', 'Self-evaluation', 'Trends to be Aware Of', 'Evaluating and Grading', and 'Life-long Learning'.

Bible Teaching from Czeslaw Bassara

The challenges of getting European missionaries connected!

Those who went for a walk up to the Belchen enjoyed a wonderful view of the Alps.

Serge Varga from the FES school shared with us about 'Kid Culture' and gave us a fresh perspective and new ideas.

Kilchzimmer Summer 2012

12 English speaking students, 8 Italian speakers and 16 children. 

Below some of those who volunteered as child minders.

Completing the Lucerne Marathon (4:25:45)

My first marathon - a diary 

• 6:40 leave home
• 7:50 arrive Lucerne car-park
• 8:00 get boat to Verkehrshaus (the national transport museum) and the start/finish area
• 8:20 pick up start number with timing chip and pace band (km/0:06:22)
• 8:30 quick change, leave bag in changing area, toilet
• 8:45 10-15 min warm up (gentle jog) 
• 9.00 start of the men's marathon (but only the very fast runners - not me)
• 9.10 toilet again ;)
• 9:15 start of all runners aiming for a time greater than 4hrs. Conditions are perfect. Sun is shinning. There was no countdown and the firing pistol took us all by surprise but when we heard it there was no doubt what we had to do. We were off!
• 5km – I have been carried along by the speed of those around me (mostly half-marathon runners - recognisable by their orange bibs - ours were blue) and I'm aware that my pace is too high. Debating in my mind to drop off speed but the road is still too densely populated and I don't want to cause an obstruction
• 10km – still feeling great - enjoying the view and wondering if I have underestimated my ability (I'm fast but my pulse is still within my interval training range)
• 15km – entering the new train tunnel (tracks not laid yet) with Swiss alpine horn players at the entrance. Great atmosphere at the start but tunnel quite dusty in the final stages. Novel idea but not so nice (it also messed up the pace timings).
• 18km – back into Lucerne and the first sight of my family again near the bridge. They had signs saying "Go daddy" (which Claudia previously prepared in secret). I was so happy to see them!
• 21km – at the turning point I started the second lap as most of the runners continued the 500 metres to complete the half marathon. Knowing that the rules allow you to change your mind and to finish at half way, I have no regrets that I chose the full marathon. I look at my watch and see 2hrs (15 mins faster than I had planned) and 10 minutes faster than my PB for a competitive half marathon last year.
• 23km – I see the family again on the way back. They positioned themselves at a great spot at the end of a straight (in front of the train station) so I could see them from a good bit back and already wave. I'm overjoyed to see them again. I know I can't keep the pace up but I know there's a real possibility that I could be quicker than the 4hrs 30mins I was aiming for. I shout to Claudia as I pass "I'm really fast, I could be 30 mins earlier - make sure you are at the finish on time! It's going well!"
• 25-30km – Without warning, over 1-2 km my body starts sending out signals of fatigue. Stiffness sets in to the back of the legs, a check of my pulse reassures me that my heart is OK and that I could push harder but my legs are telling me to walk. As I run along the coast to the most southerly part of the course, the sun is beating into my face, I close my eyes briefly and find some relief for those few seconds. The crowd would read the name on my bib and call out "Hopp Gary Hopp" (the Swiss version of GO-Gary-GO) I motioned to a few that I was getting a bit scared by pretending to bite my nails but they just laughed and cheered me on all the more.
• 31-35km – don't remember much other than that it seemed to go very slowly. In the tunnel it was very quiet this time with only 4 other runners in view. Out of the tunnel and getting used to the drop in temperature, I am calling at every drinking station to take on fluids - sometimes stopping for 10 secs to knock them back (afraid of gulping it down the wrong way and having to be sick).
• 36-40km – back into the outskirts of Lucerne - the realisation sets in that very soon I will see my family and the finish line. Crowds begin again to line the route. In the distance I can hear the 15 alpine horn players that were positioned near the train station. They were playing "amazing grace" and I prayed "Thank you Lord -  I know that tune is for me" It finished just as I passed them and then came the man who shouted the words in English on his sign "You can do it - yes you can!" By this stage I knew that I couldn't afford to walk if I wanted to get a time of under 4hrs 30mins. The roads were wide and each runner was on his own. The crowds still lined the barriers calling out my name and shouting "bravo Gary", "you've almost done it", "come Gary keep going". 
• 41km – I took a last cup of water and drew in a deep breath. At that moment I knew I had almost done it and I could have burst into tears there and then. Instead I bottled in up, gritted my teeth and started running again, even trying to up the pace.
• 42km – as I entered the finish area (the transport museum) the noise was deafening as the spectators cheered and banged the advertising boards. I sighted my family and the boys came running towards me (as previously arranged) and we ran to the finish together with one on either hand. That moment I emotionally let go. My eyes welled up so much I couldn't even find the finish line. I just kept going on the red carpet until an official held out his hand to congratulate me.


• After the finish line – I kept walking. A cup of water was handed to me. Someone placed a medal over my head. Someone else handed me a bottle filled with energy drink. I looked for a place to sit down, dropped my head, elbows on knees and wept uncontrollably at the realisation that I had just completed a marathon (42km / 26 miles) in 4hrs 25mins. The training of the past 6 months with 40-60km a week had been worth it.
• It was extra special to have my family present for this very proud moment (Claudia, Joel and David, mum and dad and my aunt). We took time to take lots of photographs. Then a text came through to dad's phone with my official time.
• Then I made my way over to the tent to pick up my finisher gift. Each person completing the marathon received a long sleeve running shirt from Asics with the words "Lucerne Marathon Finisher 2011" printed in large letters down the back
• A 10 minute walk (or limp) to the changing area. On the way I joined the queue for a leg massage. The 15 minute rubdown was much appreciated and will hopefully reduce the recovery time.
• The showers for the men were a large marque with 40 shower heads fixed to scaffolding rails on the ceiling. The water temperature was perfect and very refreshing.
• Phoned the family to arrange a meeting point. Had a sandwich and finished the bottle of energy drink. Then walked 10 mins to get the boat and commence the journey home.
• At home I went unto the website. Checked my time and compared it with others in my catagory. Printed out my certificate. Tweeted my result.
• 18:30 – had tea
• 20:00 – went to bed and slept for 11 hours :) - woke up very stiff - tbc.

NEW CMLC video

Kilchzimmer CMLC - the class of summer 2011

Former students - where are they now?

With the start of the summer CMLC only days away, I want to share with you extracts from interviews conducted with two of our former students. As you read their responses, may your heart be thrilled, as mine was, to see the truth of 1 Thes. 5:24 “He who calls you is faithful”.  Gary Cousins (Education Coordinator for Kilchzimmer and Western Europe)

GC: Amélie, you took the course in autumn 2008. How did a young French woman decide to come to Kilchzimmer and to study in English?

AC (Amélie Coste): In 2006, I started working as a civil engineer in London. After a camp in France as a counsellor, my burden for France and the children there became clearer. The greatest challenge for me was realizing that ministry work in France meant quitting my job in London. It took me almost a year to make that decision, but I am so glad the Lord gave me the peace to do it! Shortly after that, I heard about the institute and decided to come to Kilchzimmer since no similar institutes existed in France at that time.

GC: As you look back on your 12 weeks here – what highlights stick in your mind?

AC: I enjoyed the fellowship with other young Christians who had the same heart for children as I had. The classes were excellent, and I’m using them today in my ministry. Switzerland was also a beautiful country to discover.

GC: You came here unsure if you should join CEF. What happened during the course and the months immediately after?

AC: My time at Kilchzimmer was part of a year of sabbatical I was taking to get involved in ministry to see how God would guide me. After leaving the institute, I began a one-year internship with CEF where I had the opportunity to visit some CEF missionaries, start teaching and organize two clubs.

GC: I read in your prayer letter that you have many opportunities to train others. Is this your main ministry?

AC: My ministry is threefold: teacher-training, clubs and graphic design. I had the opportunity to attend an IOT1 and an IOT3 course. This led me to teach several TCE1 and TCE3 classes and seminars in different towns in France.

GC: How does what you learned at Kilchzimmer help you in your day-to-day ministry?

AC: Studying at Kilchzimmer helped me acquire methods that gave me the confidence I needed to start a monthly Bible club in my town. This club has been going on for almost two years now. The IPEAR method and how to adequately communicate central truths are tools I still use to help me prepare for the club.

GC: What are the biggest challenges facing a CEF worker in France?

AC: France is a mission field. It is difficult for a French missionary to find support in France. CEF workers are very few here and most French children haven’t heard the Gospel. Many children in my club are hearing the Bible stories for the first time, but it is a joy to have boys and girls so attentive to the teaching.

GC: How can we pray for you specifically?

AC: I have a couple of trainings and retreats where I will be teaching children in the coming weeks, especially one at Easter. My prayer is that by God’s grace, I will stay faithful to Him.

---

GC: How did you come to leave your secular employment and enter Bible College?

NH (Neil Harkness): In November 1999 as I was reading Acts 7:3, those words to Abraham came so strong to me personally that I really felt God was saying, someday Neil you are going to leave Northern Ireland and go to another land.

I had a real interest in Northern and Western Europe as I had travelled to Holland, Germany and Belgium with friends and to Finland and Sweden with my father to watch the car rallies. I didn’t know where God wanted me to go but I knew Bible College was the next step.

GC: How did you find out about the CMLC (Childrens’ Ministry Leadership Course)?

NH: During my final year at the Faith Mission Bible College (Scotland), in the spring of 2007, a fellow student from Germany gave me a Kilchzimmer Echo. I couldn’t read it because it was in German, but she explained it a little bit and asked me “did you ever think of going there?” I had heard of Kilchzimmer but I didn’t know very much about it or CEF. I really enjoy children’s ministry, I had taught in Sunday school in my home church and I had been involved for many years in camps with the faith mission. Strange as it was, every time I passed the college missions display, there seemed to be something there from CEF. The Lord used those things to lead me to attend the CMLC.

GC: You attended the autumn 2007 course. What memory stands out for you?

NH: While I was convinced before the course of the need to evangelize children, the classes on the Biblical basis gave me the verses I needed to be able to show others from the scriptures how children can be saved. I believe this will be a big help for me working in Northern Europe where many doubt that children need to be saved.

GC: How did the Lord use your time in Kilchzimmer to guide you?

NH: I came not knowing what I would do afterwards. One evening I was reading Deuteronomy 31 for an assignment. The moment I read verse 7 where Moses said to Joshua, “thou must go with this people”, it was so clear that God was speaking to me. As the weeks progressed I had a real peace and I felt increasingly at home among the “CEF people”. As we prayed each day for different countries I realized, here is a mission that is also working in Northern and Western Europe. It was as if my natural desires, the work I was interesting in, my personal circumstances, and the call of God – all came together while at Kilchzimmer.

GC: When did Sweden become your main focus?

NH: At the end of the course I shared with Roy Harrison (former European Director) that I wanted to apply to the mission. He asked where I felt the Lord was leading me. I said that I had a natural desire towards Northern Europe and mentioned that I had been to Sweden. He proceeded to tell me that CEF doesn’t have any full-time workers there and that they were praying that God would raise them up. I didn’t commit to anything then but the seed had been planted.

GC: What did you do immediately after the course?

NH: The call was so strong that a few weeks later I applied to CEF Ireland. At the beginning of March 2008 I was accepted as a candidate and commenced a time of practical training. The following 18 months gave me an opportunity to get to know the work of CEF better and to discern the Lord’s will.

GC: When did it become clear that Sweden was the country God was calling you too?

NH: Sweden was still on my mind, so in September 2008, armed with a list of contacts, a friend and I went on a fact-finding mission to the country. My prayer was, Lord, if this is it, make it clear… if not... I can go home knowing that this is not your will. When I got on the plane to go home, I was convinced that this was the not the place the Lord wanted me. But then I opened a book I had been given at Bible College to read the final chapter. It was called “God is Faithful” a collection of short stories from former missionaries. In the providence of God, the first statement I read was “James Lees who was a Scottish miner took a return ticket to Sweden to test if God was calling him there to labour in the Gospel.” I put the book down and a smile came over my face as I realized that God had spoken again in a truly unmistakable way.

I didn’t share it with anyone until April 2009. It was already clear but I asked the Lord to confirm it to me one more time. The reading that night in My Daily Light was “arise ye, depart for this is not your rest” (Micah 2:10). I soon became a missionary designate to Sweden and a short time later commenced deputation.

GC: Things moved quite quickly from them on!

NH: Yes, going into deputation, facing the challenge of raising support for living in one of the most expensive countries in Europe, I was encouraged by the words of Exodus 35:21 were it says that the peoples hearts were stirred and their spirits were made willing to give to the work of the tabernacle. In less that a year, my full support had been pledged.

In the summer of last year, eleven years after God had first spoken to me through Acts 7:3, with 15 kilos of luggage, I boarded a Ryanair flight to Gothenburg, Sweden. I got settled in, found a place to live, got the remainder of my stuff brought over from Ireland and commenced language school in September.

GC: What are the challenges facing you as you seek to establish the work in Sweden?

NH: CEF is virtually unknown in Sweden. Also the area I live in has a high immigrant population and there are many Muslim children. I am looking forward to having a better grasp of the language so I can commence the work here among the children. I know that it will not be easy but I am very sure that this is where God wants me to be and I know that He will be faithful.

Are you a former student? Why not tell us your story? We would love to hear from you!

Or if you are interested in attending the course at Kilchzimmer, click here for more information.

Crossing the line

www.baslerstadtlauf.ch
Basel City Run (5,5 km),
Switzerland

If you click here and watch this clip carefully you can see me cross the line over on the right (Adidas hat)!
It had snowed all day and the temperature was around freezing but it didn't put of several thousand people of all ages from taken part in the traditional Stadtlauf. It was my first time and despite the difficult conditions, I really enjoyed the experience and I was very happy with my time of ‎27 mins 49,8 secs. 
I'm always very impressed with the professional organisation and time-keeping over here in Europe. Each starting bib comes with a chip which registers your exact time when you cross the start and finish (as well as a few checkpoints along the way). A couple of minutes after crossing the start line, you get a text message (SMS) with your official time. After the race you usually receive a reusable bottle with an energy drink, a medal and some vouchers and goodies. Then later on you can download photographs and videos of yourself taking part. If you like, you can even print of your own certificate when you go home.

Another race

No we didn't do the whole marathon (maybe next year) just 12,5 km of it! Really enjoyed it. This has to be up there among the top marathons in the world for both the view and the supporters. More photos here.

Walking in the Swiss alps

(Click photo for full-size image)
The Swiss Alps are spectacular to look at but they are also very dangerous for the inexperienced walker. That's why I was really excited for the opportunity at the weekend to join a Swiss mountain-guide and seven others (in total 6 Swiss and 2 Irish men) for a challenging walk in the Alps. After a 3 hour walk on Friday evening, we spent the night in a Guest House (nearest town Göschenen). On Saturday we began at 07.00 hrs and reached the Vorälphütte around 09.00 hrs.
(Just one of many restaurant/B&Bs in remote mountainous locations which offer shelter, food and B&B. On a long tour it is possible to go from hut to hut and stay in the high mountains)
It had snowed overnight and over 2000m high there was several centimetres of snow, making the route more treacherous than usual. We were wearing a harness and safety rope which we used when crossing several steep slopes. These could be hooked into the safety lines which are installed into the rock.We also had to negotiate 50 metres of ladders down a sheer rock face and we were able to cross the new 90m long rope bridge, the Salbitbrücke. This was a special experience, not only because it only opened this summer but because our mountain-guide was actually the man behind building the bridge and the landlord of the Salbithütte.
(See photos of the bridge construction)

Around 19.00 hrs we were back at the car with very heavy legs and great memories of a wonderful tour.