He didn't accept it!
Pupils at a secondary school in Dortmund had baked cakes and used the earnings to buy sleeping bags for homeless people. They distributed these in the city centre. When a pupil offered a sleeping bag to a homeless man, he refused to accept it. He sa…
Invisible
On the way to the confirmation, it came up in conversation that one girl had not yet been able to take part in her first communion. So I arranged an evening with young people in our church tent and we had a lively exchange about Jesus' gift of givin…
Hiking socks for the journey of life
Several months ago, I buried an elderly woman whom I had known for many years and admired for her various social commitments. During the condolence conversation on Zoom, relatives of the deceased shared their different experiences and perspectives…
Emocionado
The bride's father from Argentina had also announced his attendance at the wedding. I knew that he did not speak German. He would not understand much during the liturgical ceremony. So it was important to me to dedicate a very personal moment to him…
Back at Aldi again!
‘Just a few quick things to buy,’ I thought to myself, and so I drove to a supermarket of Aldi. On my way out, I ran and met a middle-aged woman I hadn't seen in a long time. I put down my shopping bag to say hello. We quickly struck up a sincere co…
Prayer helps!
Prayer helps! ‘Prayer helps!’ I read in the subject line of an email. In it, I read how a girl had suffered an epileptic attack and had fallen to the ground. She had suffered severe injuries. Due to her generally unstable state of health, the surger…
courage
We met again after a good 25 years. He had been at the first go4peace camp in Bosnia and then left for a year of voluntary service in Brazil. At some point we lost sight of each other, but not out of our hearts. A few years ago, I heard about a farm…
Not just struture
As part of far-reaching transformation processes in our diocese, five of us from the go4peace network set out to attend a regional conference lasting several hours. At the end of a busy week, our small group promised each other that we would be very…
In familar terms with God
Trust quickly grew in our conversation as we shared with each other our search for God. We spoke very personally. Then I heard: "There was a moment in my life when I didn't know if I would ever be able to walk again. That was really hard. I have alw…
Spasiba
After a long and challenging day, I had agreed to accompany an elderly Ukrainian woman and her niece to view a flat. When I arrived, I was alone with the elderly lady and could only communicate with her using a translation programme. I tried to conv…
Of course, without a bill
After the season-opening service at Borussia Dortmund's founding church, we set up a peace memorial with some young people. Two days later, I read in an email: Our film producer and I were still standing together with a long-time Borussia fan and a…
worldwide
In an email from a young Albanian woman from our go4peace network who is studying in Austria, I read: "Looking back on my year, there were also big challenges. Some exams didn't go as I had hoped, and sometimes it was hard to stay motivated. But it…
Just on that day
I had been with my mum for two weeks. On the last day, I followed my impulse to drive with her to a small pilgrimage place nearby. There, I remembered a former mate of mine who was celebrating his wedding anniversary that day. We lit a candle for hi…
An angel
In an email from a young nun, I read: "At our community centre, we have a wonderfully colourful group of people from the margins of society, us sisters and all sorts of different people who get involved, enjoy the community and help make it what it…
"... what you have to do!"
‘Freedom is not the freedom to do what you want, it is the responsibility to do what you have to do.’ This quote from Yehudi Menuhin, which we had included in the ‘navi4life – adventure course‘, had been in my mind for days. A physically disabled yo…
At the cathedral tower
On the steps of Paderborn Cathedral, I kept approaching people to get them interested in our navi4life adventure trail. Suddenly, a large English-speaking group approached me. I learned that they were belonging to an pentecostal church group from Oh…
A meaning that lasts!
Once again, we offered 12 young men and women the inspiring diversity of the navi4life project. During a group activity with the young people, a conversation arose with an older Focolare member. He had grown up in the former GDR. As he was Catholic…
Heaven in the bus shelter
I read in an email: Hard times were behind him. His lifelong dream had been ruined maliciously. A letter brought all the disappointment and anger back to the surface. We sat with him and could only endure everything with him. A real way of the cross…
Harvest in the wasteland
We hadn't heard any news of each other for a long time. For his birthday, I had sent him, a confrere, a short greeting that had made him very happy. He wrote: "Yes, I've settled into my new job well. Somehow I'm benefiting from the long coronavirus…
Just a visit
He had been in hospital for a long time. His removal had been delayed again and again. It had taken all his strength. ‘I can't go on!’ he had made me see and understand. So I drove there. I sat with him and his wife at his bedside for a long time. O…
Long-term effect
We hadn't heard from each other for a long time. But then, after years, emails started going back and forth again. ‘I need to let you know something else!’ I read. "Many years ago, you advised me to go for the “small A-level” rather than the big one…
Deep blue eyes
‘And why are you coming to our school in the north of Dortmund?’ asks a Muslim pupil. "Because we want you to discover the beauty of your life and learn how to navigate it. We are simply here to offer inspiration to make you happy!" Her eyes start t…
Memory gives life!
After a long time, I received a message from a former camp participant from Slovenia. "I was just reflecting on the days at the camp. The workshops with the mottos really helped me to find joy in the difficult work I often have to do. I really like…
Self-doubt
After a dynamic meeting with young people, a young confirmation candidate agreed to give a short interview about how he had enjoyed the day. "For me, the hours we spent here together were a great gift. I'm always very insecure and often have a lot o…
A great event!
24 young people had gathered at the Tiny House for a meeting as part of the confirmation preparation programme. One of the young people was a little older and had just graduated from high school. As he didn't know any of the others, I tried to make…
Every difficulty - a springboard
We had invited young people to our Tiny House for the second time to work with them on a module to get an overview of their own lives. During the break, one girl caught my eye. She was standing a little apart from the others. With a bottle of cola i…
Everything "in a state of flow"
As young people often have very busy schedules and often have to change their plans at short notice, I decided to send all the candidates for confirmation a personal message to their mobile phones before their relevant training modules. I sent them…
Christmas Eve with you
He had repeatedly had to spend many months in various hospitals with the most serious illnesses and had often jumped from the jaws of death. Once again he was struggling with complications, so that hope threatened to leave him. One afternoon I was a…