Connected in God
I was happy to have a free morning and used it for a short hike in a nearby wooded area. I had many people in my heart and prayed for them on my way, including a young student. Somehow I had the impression that I was very close to all these people...
The heaven opened up
She was 14 years old. It was her first time in a church and she had joined in with the carol singers. After a church service, she came very shyly and said: "I want to be baptised." We met with young people in the church. We shared very personal ex...
A teacher remembers
There had been a lot of stealing in my class. It soon came out who did it. I was angry. Harsh punishments came to my mind. But that wouldn't help the child. I prayed to the Holy Spirit. I tried to talk to the pupil and asked him to build a bridge ...
Spontaneous
We were very moved by the story of a young Rwandan woman. She had had to have a life-saving operation far from her home country. We had managed to raise a large part of the money needed. A tenth was still missing. When I casually told a friend abo...
Reality "speaks"!
I was able to attend a very successful choir concert by my successor as church musician. After the concert, I went home full of joy. On the way, I wondered who was tidying up the church. I thought: If my successor has to do it alone, then tonight ...
Unexpected!
I had heard about the serious illness of a young woman from Rwanda. She had to travel to India for an operation. We were now trying to get the treatment and travel costs together for her. At a retreat, I had told people about the situation of the ...
Prayer for a stranger
After a long time, I had met him again at a retreat. I had shared some very personal experiences. That really touched him. At the end of the day, he came to me and said: "I would like to share with you an experience that happened a long time ago b...
In the midst of war
Almost 100 young people took part in the "24 hours connected - building bridges for peace" campaign. Many bridges were successfully built. A young priest from France wrote to me: "What a wonderful experience! I held an hour of adoration in the chu...
connected for 24 hours
I met her 20 years ago as a young student. She had come to Germany for World Youth Day. She was 18 years old and had travelled alone from Brazil to Germany. As she couldn't meet her sister until later, she had spent a few days at the youth centre ...
God's fantasy
A young woman who had come to Germany years ago as a refugee was in great difficulties. I had been able to help her a lot at the beginning of her time in our country and knew about her deep trust and her desire to share. So we arranged a time when...
Looking back with a smile
Monday morning. Project day at a secondary school. 17 pupils have opted for the consolidation module "Decide to be happy!" under the project horizon "navi4life". We will work with them in a team of two for 200 minutes. At the beginning of our less...
At work
We met to prepare a navi4life project at a school. I presented the PowerPoint presentation prepared for the school, in which young and older people shared their experiences in short video films (testimonials). It was about the courage to make mist...
See you again!
At short notice, students from a grammar school invited me to their A-level Religious Education course. Their topic was: Church as a place of hope. I had had to postpone a few appointments to make the meeting possible. They began with a brief intr...
And it happened!
Early in the morning, I was on the highway to give a Lenten sermon in a distant village. I had orientated myself on the Emmaus passage in the Gospel of Luke. The word "and it happened" appears relatively suddenly at two points in the newer transla...
Encouraging!
For the second time, I invited a student who had had a difficult start to his life for a coffee. Since he is very interested in music, I also invited a music teacher. A lively exchange quickly started and new perspectives opened up for the young p...
Silent solidarity
The second annual day of the beginning of the war in Ukraine had arrived. I had many people from Ukraine and in Ukraine in my heart. I sent them all a message and let them know that I was suffering with them and praying for them. I received a voic...
Bearer of hope
I met a former pupil. She comes from a family with many children and lots of problems. She is doing an internship at our school. The colleague in whose class she was a pupil consistently makes sure that the children treat each other fairly and lov...
It was worth the effort!
We had put a lot of work into the texts and layout of the third logbook "My way: gapless and curvy" in order to present the 10 young people in the book, who give a deep insight into their life projects, in a radiant and encouraging way. We eagerly...
She kept at it!
She was now a doctor and had plenty to do. She had taken part in many go4peace activities. She proudly talked about her work and how she was now able to help people in her home country, Kosovo. I asked about a group of young teenagers that she had...
My time is your time!
Sunday afternoon. I called an elderly nun. We shared experiences of how we had lived in the present moment and the sister said: This morning was another special moment. I had told Jesus: My time is your time, because I had no specific tasks to do....
Candlemas
I was in the church for a time of prayer apostolate. After a while, an elderly, rather infirm lady came up to me. She took a large candle out of her bag. She spoke no German, but tried to make me understand that she would like to have the candle b...
Bridges to eternity
I have been sending Christmas greetings to three elderly relatives for a few years now. Every year I waited in vain for a response. So I was all over the moon at the turn of the year when I received a message from the daughter of one of my father'...
just like in the bible
A little boy came to me in religion lessons. He had discovered that he was infinitely loved by Jesus. Then he said to me: "You should have millions of seeds and spread them all over the earth. Seeds for love! Everywhere! Lots and lots of them!" I ...
little prophets
I enjoy working with a young colleague in the topic of religion. After we had carried out a series of lessons on the subject of "Prayer" in the second year of school, my young colleague was due to attend a lesson. I was present at the lesson with ...
Mathematics of heaven
In a lesson of religious education a girl came to me who wanted to show me a plus task. I was very surprised because I knew from the homework supervision that she didn’t like mathematics at all. She had painted a picture of her task and explained ...
God takes care
I was sick in bed and felt a little lost. But I had to remain patient in bed. In the early afternoon, I went to the letterbox. There was a large envelope in it. It came from France. Curious, I opened the letter. Inside I found a lovingly written c...
Two sides of the same coins
I was lying in bed, a little unwell. A voice mail reached me. I listened to it attentively. As it was quiet in my room, I was able to perceive many nuances and emotions in the young ambassador's voice. I felt great distress, concern for her family...
Knock signal
My phone rings. "We have a pupil who urgently needs some counselling because he's had a really difficult history and is now living in a youth welfare centre. Could you do that?" Despite being very busy, I sense that Jesus is knocking on my door wi...
Almost forgotten!
In addition to all the aid projects for war zones, after the earthquake in Afghanistan we responded to a friend's request for help for needy people in the earthquake region. We had managed to raise a considerable sum of money. It was almost forgot...
God doesn't disappoint!
In uncertain weather conditions, I set off early to a school to present the navi4life project for pupils in a final year class. I felt the question in my soul: Is it worth travelling over 5 hours in total for a relatively short presentation time? ...
Simply a cup
"I really need to tell you something nice," a friend said to me before a meeting: I had just gone to pick up something from a colleague in a neighbouring company. I had my red go4peace cup in my hand. I came into the company and saw my colleague d...
Live completely now!
In uncertain weather conditions, I set off on a long trip to meet a group of young people. They had asked for information about an Voluntary Service Year in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Alongside this project in south-east Europe, countries such as Brazil,...
Trust your life!
I am a teacher at a primary school. The mother of a first-grader wrote that she was very worried about her son before he started school. He had anxiously refused to do many things and had little confidence in himself. She was worried that he would...
An oasis in the everyday chaos
Somehow everything wasn't going as it should and then there was a huge traffic jam. I listened to my heart and asked: What should I do now? I remembered the dentist who, as a Muslima, had received the Light of Bethlehem through her friend and had ...
A tool in someone else's hand
As carol singers, many motivated children brought much joy to the houses of many people in our town. The next day, half of the children and the organisation team turned up again for the church service. I was able to tease a number of small, joyful...
Children on the move
Over 60 children and young people and their companions set off dressed as the "Three Kings" to collect money for projects in our go4peace partner group in Albania. With great enthusiasm, some of them were on the road for over 8 hours and mobilised...
He is happening!
I joined 70 young people. They had asked me to prepare a "devotional moment" with them on the last day of the year. We sat in a small preparation group. The conversation went back and forth, there was little structure to it. I wondered which...
Moments of eternity
"Thank you for your prayer!" I read in a WhatsApp message. "I really need it. Five minutes ago I woke up to the sound of an explosion, the rocket hit my town near where my father works here in western Ukraine. I heard the sound very clearly. Fortu...
God's longing for us
I celebrated Christmas Eve in a small group of eight people, one of whom was from Nazareth. We were a very colourful family. During the preparations, I asked myself how we could find a deeper dialogue with each other that evening. With a few texts...
A sign of hope
"May I call you?" I read on the display of my mobile phone. "Of course!" is my quick reply and the phone rings. "I definitely wanted to speak to you personally, because when I received the little parcel with the wonderful star yesterday, I was in ...
A light in darkness
The day had been long and exhausting. It was the day of the arrival of the light of Bethlehem. In the evening, I looked into the light and still felt the silent impulse to take the light to a family I had spoken to in the morning after Mass. The m...
In the right place at the right time!
I had forgotten my mobile phone and therefore had to go home again. Not far from my house, there was a car with two couples in it. They were looking for the address of a woman who painted portraits. I knew that she would not be able to start any n...
Right NOW!
I set out to bring a little Christmas greeting to the 500 teachers in our city. To do this, I drove by 10 different primary and secondary schools. Shortly before the end of my tour, I rang the bell at one of the schools - in vain. As I knew the bu...
Shared pain
A message reaches me from Ukraine. "I'm still lying in bed trying to catch up on a little sleep, because last night there was another attack on our neighbourhood. Two of us were sitting in the corridor of our apartment block. I tried to stay stron...
At the bakery
After a church service, I went to a nearby bakery to buy some bread. Unexpectedly, I met the sacristan of the church there, who was buying a delicious bread roll for herself. Standing in the queue, she pointed to one of the shop assistants and let...
Sustainability
At a meeting of priests, we were divided into different workshops. The group I was in was about the sacramentality of the priesthood. Some brothers seemed very discouraged by developments within the church. They no longer felt supported. I shared ...
The impuls came at the right time!
Due to a case of illness in the administrative area of our network, I was faced with a lot of unexpected work. At first I felt really overwhelmed and didn't know how to do and organise all the work. A WhatsApp message reached me. A woman for whom ...
Permanent treasures
Early in the morning, I called my mum. It was the feast day of St Bertha. She remembered an old woman called Bertha in her home village, who lived with her sister in poor circumstances. Both of the elderly woman's brothers had died in the First Wo...
It started to rain!
I had planned to visit my mother and pick up the autumn leaves. It started to rain. As I live further away from my mum, I didn't know how I would manage this task on other days. I decided to pick up in the light rain. I discovered that a light bul...
It all started with a little hat...
Last year I discovered a new hobby for myself, knitting. It brings me great joy that I can knit something for myself, and the first one was a gray hat. I was proud of myself and then knitted a hat for my niece. She always says that this is her fav...
If you do not become like children!
The five wise and five foolish virgins were given to me as a sermon topic. Moritz and his sister Chiara listened to me attentively. So I found the courage to ask them during the sermon whether they thought it was bad that the wise virgins hadn't s...
God has imagination!
I posted a video on the go4peace YouTube channel with the impulse: "Share what is hard for you!" An unexpected number of people got in touch via WhatsApp messages and voicemails. One woman shared her sorrow that her godchild - who had just become ...
beyond space and time
I had sent her a greeting for her birthday. We had not seen each other for years. In her reply I read: "I, too, like to think back to the wonderful time we shared. It was a great time and the basis for so much. - My mother was in a coma for a long...
Abrahamitic
At the end of a service, I am still standing in the church with a group of people. There is a joyful atmosphere among us. A younger man comes into the church with his little daughter. I greet them warmly. "If I can help you in any way, I'd be happ...
World Peace
Early in the morning I woke up. I kept a little silence. I noticed various emotions within me. I decided to give space to the feeling of positivity within me. I felt as if God was ordering all the steps of my day. I wanted to give space to this po...
Peace means sharing!
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" I read in a short WhatsApp message. It's written by a friend from Afghanistan, whom I've been able to help to find his way in life here since his arrival in Germany. He is extremely grateful for all the help he ha...
Share what is hard for you!
Today my friend called. She was very distressed because her husband is seriously ill in hospital. I was about to leave my flat, but I stayed on the phone. She told me her worries and troubles. Later she wrote to me: Thank you for our conversation,...
Successful bridge-building
I had tried again and again to contact a young guy who was preparing for confirmation. He rarely showed up for events and did not respond to my attempts to contact him. After many attempts and bridge-building, I felt anger in my soul. I wrote to h...
A moment of grace
I was with some young people at a flea market organised for social projects. We were standing in front of a big church. I noticed a younger woman of Asian origin who was looking very sadly into the world. I gave her a small gift and approached her...
departed and arrived
We presented six refugee stories to a large audience in one evening as part of the intercultural week. Filmon from Iraq, Berislav from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aata from Iraq, Elham and Hakim from Afghanistan, Artemida from Albania and Stas and Sas...
Just a small step!
In an email I read: For a few days I have been accompanied by the thought: The world changes when I change! Today I met an older man who has worked for my family's company for many years. He is a very kind man - full of warmth and humility. I was ...
I am back!
For years we had been together in a circle as priests. Then I had not seen him for a long time. He had followed a different track. A few days ago we had openly invited him to get to know the navi4life project horizon for young people. Suddenly I s...
Divine answer
What am I going to preach again, I asked myself on Saturday morning. The " unfair story" of the workers in the vineyard who all get a denarius despite working different hours was on my mind. With these thoughts in my heart, I walked through our to...
Sustainability
It was 35 years ago. As a young priest, I had been given a VW van by a befriended family for a holiday camp with young people. As I was not yet so experienced in driving a larger vehicle, I had put the car on a stone in a narrow mountain curve. No...
A a high altitude
During my holidays, I had gone to the top of the Great St Bernard Pass and prayed for the young people of Europe in the hospice church, as I had done in previous years. I had offered many individual faces to Jesus. Then I had climbed to an altitud...
Unexpected!
My wife had put her wallet on top of the car roof and left it there. It had been lost during the following trip. The police had called and an honest finder had returned the wallet. The only thing missing was a bank card. By calling the honest find...
Discipleship - quite difficult!
Today I met a brave young mother who has a lot of sorrow with her children. She has little connection to the faith. I told her about my husband, who works with disadvantaged young people who are difficult to raise. She was totally touched. Then sh...
decision support
During the Liborifeast, we had interviewed a great variety of people. We asked them what they had become and who had supported them along the way. In the end, they all gave the young listeners a little advice from their own experience. I had the i...
My bracelet
During the Liborifest in Paderborn we had distributed bracelets with the message "go4peace - building bridges in Europe". A few days after the festival, a younger husband wrote to me: "I now wear the bracelet all the time. For this you need to kno...
Tears
We gave paper handkerchiefs to countless people with a small group of young people during the Liborifest in Paderborn. The tissues were in a paper bag with the slogan: "Take me! Dry the tears of the people around you!" Many people responded by smi...
Thank you!
On the phone, a convent sister tells me about a co-sister who is very psychologically burdened. Again and again she shouts at her other sisters and calls them "criminals". Life with her is hardly acceptable for many of them. "There's not much you ...
His smile reaches my heart!
In the midst of the young people, an old man suddenly appears at our Tiny House at the Liborifest in Paderborn. When I briefly go into the House, he follows me. With deep eyes he looks at me and pronounces my name loudly. I look at him. I know him...
an angel
It was a full day at the Liborifest in Paderborn. With our Tiny House we stood directly at the cathedral tower and met many people. A small group of young confirmands had made their way to us to be there. They walked through the festival, enjoyed ...
Just a moment
I was waiting for a car. The driver had lost his way in our city. A large transport, which had taken a lot of preparation, was about to take place. Would everything succeed? I felt a certain tension. I walked towards the expected vehicle. On the w...
It needed an new flat!
After the Sunday service, some people were still waiting. I noticed a lean young man I didn't know yet, he waited until everyone else had left. He introduced himself. He had come from a Central Asian country and had been in our city with his wife ...
Of course it was possible!
At the beginning of the mass, two girls caught my eye. One I knew, the second I saw for the first time. I felt the impulse to address these two young people in particular in my sermon. I talked about the "Eckmänneken in the youth center Hardehause...
It was about us!
For three afternoons, we invited young people preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation to the Tiny House of go4peace in the parish garden. On a warm summer day just before the summer holidays, the third date took place. 29 young people had regi...
Pentecostal blowing
We had talked about Pentecost and the power of the Holy Spirit in our second year religion lessons. We had thought about what the Holy Spirit could move children to do. A group of girls actually met in the afternoon and came up with ideas. They ma...
My mission
I was practising the organ in a church where I was going to give a concert. I had not locked the door to the gallery. Suddenly, an elderly man was standing next to me at the organ. I was frightened and stopped playing. "I just wanted to listen and...
Dawn of eternity
May I quickly share an experience? a woman asked me after mass. She told me about an elderly man who had been living with his wife in a centre for the seniors. Unexpectedly, he had had a stroke the day before and had been admitted to hospital wher...
Brave and clear
She has passed her final exam! Congratulations! But even more congratulations on the confident step she took the night before. I read in an email: "Although I have the feeling that I'm well prepared, I'm starting to get a bit excited. That's why I...
Precious moments
Early in the morning, we are on our way to a school with the navi4life mobile. After everything is set up, we have breakfast. First contacts with the 28 pupils are made. Our programme begins. All the young people get the logbook "My life - crooked...
Blessed and enriched
My mobile phone rings - an unknown number. An older woman calls, timid and uncertain. Slowly a conversation develops. "I am the grandmother of a girl who is going to be confirmed!" I hear. Since her granddaughter is a little learning disabled and ...
peace - hidden presence
I was invited to speak to a group of students on the topic of "peace". I shared experiences about how to live and come into peace with myself personally and as with others, and how to give space to God's dream of being among us. With high attentio...
with a fighting spirit
From time to time I help out as a doctor in a prison. During an examination there, I had met a woman who was very touched because she had felt treated as a woman - and not as a prisoner. During a new examination, I was unsure about one of the medi...
breathe peace
Call again! I felt an impulse in my heart. I called an elderly sister who touchingly cares for many nuns, some of whom already suffer from dementia, with an alert mind and a loving heart. Every time I talk to her on the phone, I experience the con...
How do you do that?
In the supermarket I had noticed a very weighty man who could only move slowly with his shopping trolley. Several times he had blocked my way for several moments. Each time I gave him a good word of encouragement. When I arrived at the cash regist...
Live completely now!
Early in the morning of May Day, I had travelled to my mother's house. I wanted to spend that day with her until the following noon. I had been the first customer at the bakery at 7.30 am. In the afternoon, we decided to take a short trip by car t...
from the bottom of his heart
There had been a change of translator in our network team. I wanted to give the young woman, who had served us for a long time, a small gift as a sign of my gratitude. So I drove to the post office to get it done promptly. For this day, I had deci...
He seemed to be stressed!
I was standing at the cash register in a supermarket. I sensed how stressed the cashier was. At first he couldn't find the price of a product. Then a woman came back to the checkout and let him know, "You collected €10 too much from me!" Shortly a...
He was excited!
I had agreed to preach at the Golden Jubilee of a priest of one of my confreres. For a long time he had lived in a small village where he was very familiar with the people. He was suffering from health problems. After a long journey, I reached his...
I exist!
I was on my way to visit my cousin. On the way to see her, I saw a graffiti on the pillar of a motorway bridge. "J'existe!" it said in French: "I exist!" This word followed me and accompanied me into the afternoon with my relative. An honest and d...
Touching wounds
"Oh, if we could get another microwave!" I had overheard from a Ukrainian family. On the following Sunday, I had to preach a sermon about " Doubting Thomas". What fascinated me about him was that he wanted to touch the wounds of Jesus. And what is...
A desperate cry for help!
It was getting late. I had decided to go to bed earlier. One more message arrived on my mobile phone. Against my intention, I looked again and read: "Are you still awake?" It was a farmer from the village. A short time later I heard on the phone: ...
Door opener
In a video on a Bible verse, I had told that I stuttered as a child and was often very ashamed of it. When I called an elderly nun at Easter to wish her Happy Easter, she let me know in a joyful voice: "You know, that was really a miracle. We list...
Sense of the Risen Jesus - Update
Easter Sunday afternoon - the celebrations for Easter in our Catholic parish are almost over again. A quick run to the office and then a somewhat quieter afternoon, I thought. On my way from the office to the house next door, I see a group of peop...
And everyone is welcome!
We had celebrated the Easter service with people from 14 nations - with many children and young people. All of them had found their place in the liturgy. The church was noticeably filled with joy. An old couple - both well over 90 years old - had ...
Healing presence
I knew about his illness. It had been going on for several years now. During the last phone call, I had the impression that it had become more serious, although he was trying to live out of a deep confidence. I postponed another appointment and ma...
Half of the burden had been lifted...
For weeks I had felt that a younger person was not well. Somehow life seemed hard. I invited her for a coffee. We found a good place in a fast-food café. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of a normal everyday life, an honest exchange developed...
Transformed boredom
A day of deadly boring work lay ahead of me. The first step was to make a backup copy of my entire computer. For me, this meant looking at the screen for a long time and intervening again and again in case of problems. So I sat there and asked mys...
Two daily miracles from school
In my religious education classes in primary school, very trusting relationships often develop with the children. They tell me honestly how they feel. The message of Jesus' infinite, unlimited love often touches them deeply, too good to be true, e...
In the second hand cloth shop
"Go to the clothes shop for a moment!" came to my heart as an impulse. Although the day was overflowing, I followed the impulse. There I met many refugees from our town. I met a teacher from Kherson who had come with three children. I promised her...
Rhubarb e.V.
We met halfway in a café. We quickly got into a deep and honest exchange. Many worries about our world and our church came up, but also many hopeful little signs. The light of hope was burning among us. A young woman served us in the café. She see...
Encouragement
Jesus had been deeply touched by the story of the life and passion of Lazarus. He had called him out of his grave: "Come out!" This call had touched my heart deeply and in my sermon I had told how I had stuttered as a teenager and a young priest h...
Show Jesus your love today!
Next to the missal was a small note with a name I did not know. I was told that this person had been taken from life quite suddenly and completely unexpectedly at the age of 56. His sister-in-law delivered the message. I felt how much this death t...
I asked Jesus to help me!
" I am healthy again! Can you pick me up?" I read in a WhatsApp. It was at the end of a long day. I was tired and didn't know if I would be able to handle this situation emotionally. Nevertheless, I set off. I earnestly begged Jesus to stand by me...
Love overcomes everything!
A friend had hurt me by his careless, rash behaviour. I could not take his quick "I'm sorry!" over the phone. So I ended the phone call. I felt this hurt disturbing my soul. In my mind I began to judge this friend. This was pulling me down more an...
What remained was a deep joy!
I had a long night journey ahead of me on the train from Kyiv to my home town. An elderly man was sitting in my train cabin. We struck up a friendly conversation. After a while, a soldier joined us in the cabin. The older man spoke to him. He told...
Give her the smile of love!
The bell rings. A man asks for the anointing of a woman at the hospital in our town. I change my plans and immediately ride my bicycle to the hospital. Station 5. An assistant leads me to the woman's room. She is responding, but speaks only a few ...
Give and it shall be given to you!
I came home late in the evening. The tank of my car was empty. So I drove to a petrol station. I had 1 € left over. I gave it to the young man at the petrol station as a tip. He didn't expect it and smiled at me. We said goodbye with a heartfelt T...
Create space for talking!
I was in the car. I knew about his son. He had a difficult background and had not really arrived in life yet. His father was worried. So he had called me. There had been little time to talk. I called him back. He had time. We started talking, laug...
God's handwriting
Because of my work, I had to go to Kyiv urgently, but my family circumstances hardly allowed it. I had promised to be there for my niece. What could I do? I asked God to give me clearness. Quite unexpectedly, my sister informed me that she had bee...
Discover the handwriting of God!
A busy day came to an end. I was on the motorway on my way back from a conference. The motto of the day came to mind: "Discover God's handwriting! I had taken many small steps out of love and had met people whose hearts could not engage with new t...
United in pain!
"My sister is ill, that's why she couldn't come as an altar girl today!" I heard a girl saying before Mass. After the service, I carefully asked if the illness was more serious. "Yes, she always has a terrible headache. That's why she had to go to...
We help the "good Lord"!
I work in a therapeutic field. Early in the morning my 8-year-old daughter comes to cuddle with me in bed and asks: "Mum, do you actually enjoy your job? Do you like helping people?" "Of course, I'm happy when I can help others," I reply. "So you ...
The power of prayer
"He is in Bachmut," I read in a WhatsApp message. "I contacted him this morning and told him that I was praying strongly for him, because I had to think about him so often in the last few days. And then he replied that a grenade had hit near him a...
"Please do your part!"
"My sister urgently needs her own flat for herself and her child!" I had picked up in a conversation. Her marriage was on the edge. There was not much money. I felt the deep need and helplessness of these young people who were having a hard time w...
A key experience
In the gallop of the day, I had attached a number sign to a trailer. After this work, I immediately set to work on the next steps. In the process, I carelessly put the key of the trailer in an unusual place. When I looked ahead to the next day in ...
Just a look!
We had only met briefly during a congress. We had spent the length of a coffee break together. In it, I had told a little about myself when asked. Then someone joined us, so that a personal exchange was no longer possible. I felt a sadness in my s...
Everything is good!
"Last night, three Russian missiles hit my home village!" I heard at breakfast and I looked into the eyes of a young Ukrainian. I felt my own helplessness in the face of these waves of Russian destruction. How could the flame of hope for peace be ...
I had to smile!
I had a conversation with my chief. Our relationship is not easy, although we were really on our way as friends. But I haven't let go of believing in the power of honest love. So, with different questions, I kept trying to discover his point of vi...
A WhatsApp full of hearts!
She had been unsuccessful several times in her driving test and was really disappointed and sad. As a refugee, it had not been easy for her and she had tried very hard. I could hardly console her on the phone. So the next day I went to see her and...
Bear one another's burdens!
A voice message reaches me via WhatsApp. I get to know that an elderly man has started his last journey of life. At the same time, the question resonates whether I could come again. I rearrange my daily schedule and set off to see him. An hour's d...
Paintings full of life
"That prayers are answered? -something like that doesn't happen in the real world just because I prayed and believed during the prayer," I often still think. But then it does happen, and it is simply unbelievably beautiful: "I am a teacher and hav...
Only love remains!
A digital meeting at the end of the year was planned. Very few registrations had been received. I felt disappointment in my soul, as I had invested a lot of time again. I was thinking of cancelling the meeting. The day before the meeting, I read i...
Love has time!
My mobile phone rings. Unknown number. I answer it and hear a woman's voice. "I wanted to tell you thank you for the service you celebrated for our father six years ago. It sparked so much in me!" After a few moments I remember. "I didn't have it ...
The pain made our love deepen!
My father has been ill with a brain tumour for a long time. His health has become more difficult. Over Christmas, everyone was at home. Now that my older siblings are going back to their places, I am thinking about this year's Christmas and New Ye...
High5
Last summer I led a dance workshop at a go4peace camp. In my group there were also some young guys from Ukraine. One of the boys in this group is going his way with Down syndrome. He particularly enjoyed the dancing. Last week, I went with my moth...
They followed the star!
In the middle of the day's rush, a message from Ukraine reaches me. "We have no electricity again!" a short time later a photo arrives. It shows a Christmas tree with a shining star at the top. "This star brought us deep joy today when it got dark...
On the plattform
After years, it was time for her to say goodbye to our town. I felt that this was not easy for her. So I offered to take her to the railway station in the next bigger town. She gladly accepted. I picked her up. At the station we had time for a cap...
Eternity dawned!
It was a day that had started hard. I was struggling with a lot of sorrow. I asked Jesus for consolation and help, but in everything I had the feeling being absolutely helpless. So I went to the school. A child full of energy came running towards ...
A look into eyes full of tears!
I had to wait three hours in the emergency room of a hospital for my mother. As she was not well, I felt how sad my heart was. I prayed to Jesus and asked him what was next. Then the motto "Don't stop giving!" came to my mind. Immediately I looked...
He who gives, wins!
We wanted to fulfil a wish of my mother-in-law's heart for her birthday and gave her a group trip to Dresden. She had experienced the destruction of this city as a child and always dreamed of seeing the Frauenkirche in all its beauty again once it...
Everyting was destroyed!
For one week, young people had worked to raise money for a family that had lost a lot in the floods and now faced great challenges. For five days, the young people had baked and sold waffles from morning to night. Now it was clear: We are going to...
Love remains!
A few days ago, we said goodbye to a colleague who was retiring. She had to take over a lively first school year in the last few weeks because the class teacher became ill. One of our wildest boys has not yet been able to get used to school. He ha...
Discover the fruits!
Since March I’ve been part of the Red Cross, and Im helping them in their activity of helping people in the vaccination center in Pristina the capital of Kosovo. The first day that i went there, it was amazing and its still as amazing as it was, e...
Would you like a little bit more?
Before she left for her home country, I wanted to bring her a present for her family. On the way there, I met an oversized truck in the city centre that had lost its way. The driver looked very desperate. I helped him to launch the 20-metre-long v...
Love bears consequences!
For a long time, my son had a burning wish to be able to improve the world more sustainably and with greater steps. He doubted that all the small gestures and rays of hope that we can give really make a difference. I had tried several times to exp...
A little bit more!
I needed a tool from a DIY store. There was a hectic and irritable atmosphere throughout the store. The staff seemed overwhelmed by all the questions from the shoppers. There were no batteries left for two models I had chosen. So I went in search ...
A moment of eternity
At a crossroads sat a 'beggar'. He was talking to himself about the people rushing by. He was very skinny and had long grey hair. I felt like talking to him. He seemed so isolated in the face of so many people who were not interested in him. At th...
Be good news!
When I opened my mails in the evening, I heard from a woman who had been on "Corona duty" at one of our services: "I met a young woman at the service today who has also been to the go4peace camps several times. Today we worked the church together ...
A fence became a wall
Yesterday I was talking to my husband about our neighbours. In my opinion, they have cheekily just taken down our fence that separates our gardens and put a new one there, much higher. They had not informed us about this, and now our dog cannot go...
A phone call
Last week I went to my sister's family. I planned to stay with them one or two days. My sister had to study for an exam, so her husband and I animated their 2 kids. The next morning we found out that one kid has chickenpox. He couldn't go to the k...
New hope!
The annual general meeting of the go4peace e.V. association had taken place. A participant reported back. She wrote: "A big thank you for the professional conduct of the meeting on the net, especially for the lively reports about the last year of ...
Keep Jesus on board!
The task was to develop an online course for young people. It is about five tools that can help to keep Jesus on board. It involves to learn to speak about facts that prevent individual's growth. Very time-consuming, I had developed a learni...
He held the strings in his hand!
An eye operation had been scheduled. Now a painful healing process was in store. Over Easter, I had planned a small festival of encounter with my children. As my pain was very great and I had to keep my eyes open at night, my daughter made me unde...
A simple cross
A moving experience reached me by mail: "I met a boy with schizophrenia who was at odds with God.... He felt abandoned by Him. I asked him why he thought that way? He told me very personally about his family history, and I could see that there was...
To be concrete - is always possible!
Completely unprepared, my son wrote me an email that weighed heavily on me. I could not defend myself against a certain statement. Sadness wanted to spread through me. I read the following thought in a reflection on a Bible text: "God is ready to ...
Do small things with big love!
I have realized that God is so simple and don’t want from us to do extraordinary things.Today at the work a nurse had backache because of the hard work she had done in these days with patients who are physically restricted and can not do anything ...
We felt comforted!
In the midst of the greatest stress of everyday life one of our birds became very sick. The tame animals mean a lot to our son in particular. They trust him and fly to him as soon as he enters the room. The vat saw only one last hope. He adviced u...
We get as much as we trust!
It was my father’s birthday and I was not home to celebrate with him. So, my sister and I decided to go on weekend to make a little birthday party for him. My sister had left earlier and had arrived home. I was working and I was late. I started to...
Beyond borders!
Today the phone rang and on the other side was a young iranian muslim woman, whom I got to know recently here in my town in Germany. We are both teachers and are part of a qualification program for the foreign teachers at the university. In a shor...
Open up for the moment!
The stores have just opened. A woman with Asian roots is standing at the dairy refrigeration unit. She reaches for a product on the shelf and can't reach it. My moment! I quickly rush to her, get the whole box from the top to a level she can reach...
Be concrete!
She had sent a large donation for the refugees in Bihać. I wrote a letter to thank her and enclosed a small book about the Gospel. A few days later I was able to read in her reply letter: "I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in your i...
Have courage to be quiete!
My telephone rings. A friend from Sarajevo answers: "You know, I have been giving the motto in Croatian every morning for many years to a larger circle of interested people and often I get feedback. Today a friend called me who is having a hard ti...
You give them to eat!
We made a little film. It was about speaking the words of Jesus to young people. I had asked a young woman who had come to Germany as a refugee if she would be willing to take on this role. She gladly accepted. Fluidly and in a very appealing mann...
A ray like the sun!
It must have been the first really sunny afternoon in a week. People were drawn outside. Many were out for a walk. Some were cycling. And again some were running a big lap along the way. As I noticed the sun's rays flooding my face with warmth, we...
Bring everything to Jesus!
It was snowing heavily. It was the birthday of a co-worker. Despite the stormy weather, I had decided to walk to his apartment and leave a small gift on his doorstep. I had just left my house and was standing in the snowstorm. My mobile rang. Was ...
Search and live your word!
I had chosen for this day the word: "You are the light of the world!" A few days ago, after I had trustingly brought all the pain to Jesus in my fear and helplessness and hoped that this difficult time had a meaning, I realized that love for other...
Circulation of love
The brother of a nun from India fall seriously ill in her home country. Day after day she called him to encourage him and his family. Therefore, she needed money for phone cards. A woman gave me 20 € for a pair of socks that a fellow sister had kn...
Heavenly help
A call reaches me from an elderly woman. "Imagine, a priest from Africa is coming to our parish for a year. Now the parish priest was looking for an apartment near the church because the guest did not have a driver's license. Immediately the motto...
A big applause
A boy had hit another boy from his class in the face completely unexpectedly and for no serious reason. The children were very angry with him. When I came, he had his head hidden in his arms and he was sobbing. My boss then took up the conversatio...
A wooden toy
A family from the Asian region had asked for asylum in our country. Their court hearing took place about 200 kilometers away from Kamen. So we had found a car and a driver for the family to be able to be at the court early in the morning with the ...
A spark in my heart
It had simply become too much to do, so I decided to cancel an activity for refugee children on Christmas Eve. A teacher called. She asked if the activity would take place again. I hesitated. I felt that at that moment God was asking for my greate...
The "grace of an accident"
Jesus brought me to a man in need in a curious way. I confessed in church. Suddenly I heard a commotion. The old man asked whose blue car it was in front of the church. They brought him to me. He was one of our parishioners, 83 years old! "Father ...
Love all!
One month ago, I had a big fight with a very good friend of mine. At that point, our friendship came to an end. I did not even think about talking to her. I felt like I really hated her, because she behaved with so much disrespect towards me.
Som...
The secret of sharing
In a letter I was allowed to read the following wonderful experience. "I came back from my home country to my place of study with quite a lot of tea and honey. Someone asked me a few days ago, 'Now you have very little tea for yourself. Why do you...
Pain, a bridge between people
I want to share a story about strong faith of one woman in Ukraine. During the last days I went to my parents by train. A woman was sitting next to me. She was sad. We started a conversation and I found out that her son is in Russian captivity sin...
She took my hand!
"I need your help again," I read in a WhatsApp message. A young Lebanese woman contacts me. I remember her well, but our last encounter was years ago. I set off on my bicycle to visit her. She now has a little daughter. Her husband has left her. S...
Modest and quiet
At 75 years old, our long-time friend has been busy once again: he repaired a floor lamp that had been broken, installed many lamps after a move, put up cupboards and then hauled away another large load of bulky waste. He doesn't have much money a...
unexpected ways
Years ago she had taken part in the confirmation preparation in our parish. The contact had remained very loosely. Every morning she received the motto of the day by text message. In the meantime, she had successfully completed her professio...
One more time!
"Can you help me get another power generator for the hospital in Kherson?" I read in a WhatsApp message. My heart fluttered, then we had just found 9 such generators of 7.5 KW for some bunkers in Khmelnytskyi district. I knew how difficult it was ...
Silent in the darkness
Late in the evening, a WhatsApp message reaches me. "May I ask you to pray for my friend's father? He died in the heavy fighting for Bachmut." I am just in the church and in the darkness I light a candle for him and send it as a photo to Kiev. The...
God is looking for you!
On Tuesday, I received a call from a gentleman who had received a tip via various indirect routes to ask the Encounter Centre I manage if we could take in a Ukrainian family with three children. They have twins who are only 2 months old. He had al...
The fridge did it!
I had known them for years. I had been able to accompany them through many difficult and challenging moments in their lives. Now they were celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. They came to a mass in our church. During the service, the wif...
Tenderly!
I had given a Christmas tree to several Ukrainian refugee families. In prayer that evening, a young refugee couple from Afghanistan came to my heart, whom I have known for several years and whom I had helped a lot when they arrived in Germany. Via...