SUNDAY MEMORIES
Last time, I wrote about the pathway between our housing area (Mark Twain Village or MTV) and Patton Barracks in Heidelberg.
It was a shortcut between the facilities, and one we could walk easily. We were able to experience a lot of God’s good earth along that pathway. We saw the garden platz that the Germans used to grow their own vegetables. But the blackberry bushes were our favorites. And the berries were free to any and all who would or could pick the berries. Yummmm!
Credit Google Search and Pixabay
We also enjoyed the pizza that was made at the pizza parlor on Patton Barracks. And it was a favorite of most of the military there – of any and all ranks!
But I have another memory of that pathway. It started with us arriving in Germany and getting into temporary housing. We were there several weeks in that glorified hotel room, and had to eat either in the restaurant downstairs, or on the economy (military speak for the civilian population).
One of the first things we did was to locate a church for us to attend. Of course there was the base Chapel, but that really didn’t suit us, even though Fred’s father had been a Chaplain in the Air Force most of his career. (I say most, because he was a Chaplain in the Army during World War 2, before the Air Force became the Air Force)
In finding the church, we found it was meeting in the church building that was owned by a German Baptist congregation.
The church we met in
It was within walking distance of MTV, and so when we moved in there, we walked most Sundays to the church. However, the German congregation met during what we considered our Sunday School time, so our Sunday School met in an English Institute which was a school that taught English as a second language to Germans. It was not far from the church facility. And then, following Sunday School time, we would all go over the few blocks to the German church building and have our worship service.
All that to say that we found the pastor of that church had been there for his three year term, and had already resigned and was ready to head back stateside. In the few weeks we were in the church, I got to know the pastor’s wife fairly well. She was telling me that one time she was doing her jogging along the pathway between MTV and Patton Barracks when a German teenager came upon her with his bicycle. He began to ride behind her, as if chasing her. She said she finally turned around to him and said “geh weg!! (go away!)” At that point, he stopped chasing her.
Well, I thought it was funny. I told it to Fred, and we devised a skit to retell the story during a “roast” the church had for the pastor and his family before they left Germany. I had on a pair of shorts under my skirt, and we fashioned a set of “handlebars” for Fred, complete with a sign saying “bicycle,” and when the time came for our skit, I took off my skirt, jumped up, Fred took up his handlebars and began chasing me around the room. We went on for a few minutes, and then I told him to go away!
Looking back – it was a fun memory. We haven’t kept up with that pastor and his wife. However, the pastor that followed became our oldest daughter’s father-in-law, so we have kept up with them. But that’s for another story.
~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~~
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
Old Things R New 