Canada-News No 9, August 2006 Dear Friends
"This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt."
It's already six weeks since we are back from Job 38:11 Switzerland. In the meantime I have rearranged the storageroom so that it's ready for baby. The crib is set up, diapers are bought, we have attended prenatal classes I love the summer holidays because I got the time and my labour bag is packed as well. Now, I wait and to read. Mind you, there's plenty to read during the see, drink rasperry leaf tea (is said to shorten labour) and semester too, but hardly any imaginative stuff like go for walks (is said to induce labour). fiction. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has been on My due date is August 8th and I'm hoping that baby my priority list for a long time. Reading it, however, I Bischoff knows that as well. The sooner it decides to join haven't been able to completely leave Bible College us, the more time we have to adjust to the new situation behind: the book is theologically very interesting. No before the new semester starts on September 5th. This wonder it is so popular. But what facts is it really based time of adjustment, I hope, will make it easier to balance on? Don't worry, I'm not going to analyse the book; studying, working and caring for baby. Additionally, my but I'd like to comment on two common reactions to mother will arrive in Canada on the 31st of August to its contents. help with household chores. She will stay for a whole For those who are sceptical towards the Church month. the book confirms their suspicion. The author's Besides these exciting things, the last six weeks assertions hit the mark of today's zeitgeist and brought some emotionally demand a revision of the trying moments. Again, we Christian faith. But honestly, had to bit farewell to dear are we really interested in friends. Jenny, my running knowing the truth or do we partner, left for Ontario only want to comfort our where she will continue her conscience? Why do we studies. I will miss the accept simple statements motivation and interesting by an author, but reject the conversation. Furthermore, findings of long lasting our neighbours and carscholarly research? For sure, sharers, Faith and Keefe, left the book's questions must with their one-year old be asked if they're daughter Abigail for their important to us. However, home in Wales, Britain. They we must be willing to seek had been a blessing to us for an objective answer. the last 1 1/2 years and it The same applies for was to a great extend their believing Christians. Is the friendship that made us feel novel's claim really that Seleger Moor, Rifferswil ZH, Switzerland at home in Canada. erroneous? How do we know our accepted truth to be true? Do we have Now, I will give you a review on our visit to facts that stand the water? Christianity's answers to Switzerland. difficult questions are often generalized and "How was Switzerland?" is one of the frequently asked rehearsed. However, it's just not enough to be questions since we are back. The answer: "Beautiful, we outrageous. Are we willing to seek an objective now realize what makes it so unique". When we arrived answer, too? in Zurich at the beginning of May the fruit trees and the Whether we fancy the novel's ideas or reject them: canola were in bloom. The forests displayed all different we are challenged to research the subject. It won't do shades of green and the weather was already nice and to blindly accept the author's statements, but it's not warm. This was a blatant difference to the brownish-grey enough to categorical discard them either. In order to windswept Canadian vastness that we had just left be able to paint an objective picture every side behind. The fact that it started to rain a week later and should be allowed to voice their findings. Only after would not stop for the next two weeks could not cloud we've worked out the hard facts, faith kicks in for our high spirits. On the contrary, to hear the rain things that cannot be scientifically justified. At this dropping on the skylight was something I had missed as point, however, a lot of The Da Vinci Code facts are much as the blooming trees and meadows. not so clear anymore. Additionally, we had completely forgotten how close of Switzerland where we visited friends. the mountains seem when one stands on the Kornhaus Markus saw his godson Raphael for the first time and bridge in our hometown of Berne. got to know him a little bit while we were staying with Markus sister (Raphaels parents). Other highlights of our visit were the dedication of In Seleger Moor we spent a beautiful day with Markus' godson (10 month old), the visit to Seleger Moor, Markus' parents and enjoyed the gorgeous and gaudy the adventure with our two goddaughters (3 and 5 rhododenron and azalea bushes. years old) and, last but not least, the journey to the east Our current address: Madeleine & Markus Bischoff PO Box 4910 Three Hills, AB T0M 2N0, Canada
Financial Support: Swiss Mission Fellowship CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland IBAN Comment: Donation for Bischoff
Swiss contact: Karin & Daniel Wolf Bantigerweg 8 CH-3033 Jegenstorf Switzerland
No 9, August 2006
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From our goddaughters Flavia and Naomi we learned something about enthusiasm. Or would you burst into ardent shouts of joy just because we announced to visit the local pool or to build little houses for the fairies in the forest (see picture above)? For our journey round Switzerland my uncle had made his VW camper van available to us. We, therefore, decided to take advantage of the situation and to add
In addition to these joyful things there were others that I had to get accustomed to again. For example the fact that everyone around us spoke Markus' and my
Mountain Pass Furka
Our Godchildren
to the pleasure by travelling the Swiss mountains as well. We "overcame" five different mountain passes and afterwards, as a treat, enjoyed one of the many Swiss specialities: Meiringer Meringue. This is a meringue served with an awful lot of wipped cream and vanilla ice cream (mmh!). By the way, this trip would be one of those where we would take our visitors from overseas. (Who knows, maybe one day...)
argot, Swiss German. Isn't it sometimes convenient to be able to discuss things without being overheard by others? Travelling by public transport was another thing I had to learn again. How complicated it can be for the unexperienced traveller to read a tariff system or timetable for public transport! Especially, when one has to catch the connecting train. Our holiday in Switzerland will remain in good memory and now we are ready for the next adventure. With love Madeleine & Markus
Books to the subject of The Da Vinci Code Darrell L. Bock. Breaking the Da Vinci Code: Answers to the Questions Everybody's Asking. Nelson Books (2004). Martin Lunn. The Da Vinci Code Decoded, Disinformation (2004). This books provide a start to further explore the topic. The first holds against the statements of The Da Vinci Code, the second is in favour. I only read the book by Darrell Bock and can recommend it. The critics for Lunn's book vary from very good to very poor.
