We heard this phrase not long after arriving in Wien (by the way, that's what we who live in this fair city, rated #3 in all the world for best living conditions, call Vienna - Wien.) It's pronounced "Veen". Just thought I'd give a little language lesson for those of you who are thinking, "What's that silly girl talking about? Doesn't she know where she lives? What's the deal with the Wien? She lives in Vienna. I think living over in the foreign city and drinking all that fine coffee has messed with her brain!" Now, ask for forgiveness and let's move on!

So, as I was saying, just a few days after arriving in Wien, Chris got the privilege of hearing these words, "May I see your driver's lisence?", in German of course, because he had driven over a Strassenbahn (streetcar) track that just happened to be on an inclined embankment. This caused sparks to fly from our van and our van to teeter-totter from side to side on the embankment. Wien's finest took this opportunity to introduce themselves to Chris. After Chris convinced them he wasn't/hadn't been drinking but was merely an American who did not know what he was doing, they let us go. I guess they believed his story.

Now, after being in the country for some time, we have to take the necessary steps to be official. One of those steps is applying for an official Austrian driver's license. Two weeks ago, we got the official forms from the official government office and filled them out. We made copies of our official United States forms and took them to the official government office that handles official documents. It's all a very official procedure. We were handed an official checklist of items that were required before obtaining an Austrian licence. We got those only to find out we could not obtain one. You must have an official Austrian Visa to have an official Austrian driver's license. We don't have a Visa, however, we are applying for one. We asked the stone-faced official government clerk if she would permit us to proceed because we are applying for a Visa and had the official documentation to prove it. She said "No". So, we tucked our official tails between our legs and left the official government building with no promise of an official Austrian driver's license any time in the near future.

Now, don't fret, this is not over! Let's back up. A few weeks ago when we started this official procedure, Chris had spoken with a young man who gave him the official checklist of what was required to obtain a licence. Chris had a feeling God would use this guy to help us. When we went to the stone-faced clerk, got the big "no", Chris began sensing we were supposed to push the envelope a bit and return to speak with the young man with whom he initially spoke. With the encouragement of our team mate, Van, we did so. We began praying and asking God to give us favor with this guy simply because God had told Chris this guy would help us. Yesterday, we went to the official government office. The stone-faced clerk wasn't working and the guy Chris had met was! We walked up to the counter, showed him our official papers, told him we did not have a Visa but had the official paperwork to prove we were in the application process. He then put the official stamp of approval on the papers, cracked a few jokes, and 10 minutes later we walked out of the official government office with grins on our faces and approved official paperwork for our official Austrian driver's licenses!

It's in these times we discover God ... and ourselves. We are learning to trust God in these little official things that seem a bit overwhelming when trying to do them in another language. This week, God has taught us that He can be trusted to walk us through circumstances that seem overwhelming. Yesterday it was a driver's license, last week is was Rodney's surgery ... who knows what it will be next week. But, as Parker's memory verse this past week says ... "the grass withers and the flowers fall but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8.

Bis nachte woche,
Christina