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FROM THE PAGAN BACKLANDS

I am back from the nations. The pagan backlands of Germany as my husband described our former “Heimat” so charmingly. I am sure there are a lot of holy, God loving, Christ worshipping people, but I have never met them. None of my friends have met them either. This is what makes it difficult for me to share my new life and even more difficult for them to understand what I am talking about. For most of them, (as it was for me) Christianity is a lifeless, dogmatic belief for old women or people who have nothing else to hold onto in life; in other words: For losers.

Some of them flirt with the idea of Catholicism out of a neo-conservative lifestyle and the resulting soft spot for ancient traditions. It is more a matter of cool or not cool, of “Zeitgeist”, more an issue of aestheticism than the realization of the great need for a Saviour that would lead them to God. I know it so well, because I have been there. I can see how difficult it is to step out of your way and I am grateful that God didn’t give up on me even though I was stubborn, proud, self-sufficient, clueless, anxious and selfish.

As my friends are. I dearly love them and they were the reason for my journey, because I miss them. As excited as I was to see them, as anxious I was that we would have grown apart, that there would be no more connection. I was anxious my faith would be a barrier to our friendship because I often failed to make them understand what and why I believe, and I so badly want them to share what is so important to me.

Before I went to Germany I set two rules for myself: No drinking and no gossiping. I knew if I started one of them there was no way back. I must admit these were the things we loved doing together back then. Off I went.

I never knew that I could enjoy myself so much without alcohol. I went to a party and it didn’t bother me at all. I was the last on the dance floor at four o’clock in the morning. I had the best time in my life. And no hangover the next morning! Not only this, I had a great experience. My faith didn’t stand in between our friendships. On the contrary, I had so much more love for everyone. I laughed with them, I cried with them and people opened their hearts in a way they never did before.

Every encounter I had was deep and meaningful. One of my friends, not even a close one, had tears in her eyes when we said good-bye and she usually didn’t care so much about me. I wasn’t corrupted by the world as I had feared, but I saw how blessed I was, how fortunate and all I wanted was to share my blessing. It grieved my heart deeply when I saw what they struggled with, and I realized where I had been and how far I have come. It was like seeing me then and now at the same time. It was not pride that filled me in this moment but immense gratitude because it is a miracle what has happened to me. Not through my work but only through God’s grace.

I wanted to fly back a day earlier, but couldn’t find a number to change my flight, so I prayed, “God, if there is nothing here to do for me, please make a way that I can go home. If I stay, you must make it worth it, I don’t want to waste my time.”

I stayed and the sun came out and I did what everyone does on a sunny May day in Munich, I went to the Chinesische Turm (a traditional beer garden under big chestnut trees) when I heard someone calling my name. I turned around and saw a friend I had last seen two years ago. That was when he had shortly visited us in South Africa on his way back from Kilimanjaro. We were absolutely stunned. Not only that we both live in different parts of the world (he lives in South America), it would have been hard to find each other in the crowd even if we would have planned to meet. He said he recognized me from behind! (maybe that’s why God gave me this funny walk). We met the next day at the same place and had two Mass (1 Bavarian liter) of alcohol free Radler (beer shandy) and he shared his story.

His life has turned around completely. He has stopped drinking, taking drugs, is married and now becoming a father. He said he has peace now and felt more sane. If you knew him, you would agree all of this is a miracle. He asked me if we were still involved with the church we had told him about and I said yes, very much. He said: “This is so amazing, I mean, your life is really a success, this is what I call success!” (He is also a writer and a much more successful one) He said: “I was so impressed when I visited you and you told me about your faith. It gave me hope and I realized, there is another way than drinking and self-destruction”.

I am not taking credit for his life change but it gives me great hope that every encounter can have such results. Even if I don’t get anyone on his knees to repent and pray the salvation prayer with me, God showed me I can have an impact on people’s life. Or better: He can through me. This last day was really worth my stay. I mean: WOW! What an answer to my prayer!

I was on such a high on my way back; the 20-hour journey didn’t bother me at all. The clouds lifted the moment we flew into South Africa. Coming home was even better. For the first time I didn’t feel torn between two worlds. I felt my faith is only complete having these two worlds and my place is to bridge the gap. Amen

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Dr Sven & Madame Elke and their adventures in faith

Sven Lager and his wife Elke live with their children in Stanford at the river where they write their novels and travel stories. Five years ago the Lord led them safely from the pagan backlands of Germany to Hermanus where they fell in love with the beautiful crowd of Live The Life church. Luckily they stayed for better reasons. Every week they will share as Dr. Sven and Madam Elke an adventure in faith. You are welcome to comment or write to them. (sven.lager@gmail.com)

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