On Friday afternoon, we gathered at Lutherhaus, a local congregation that has been extremely supportive of our program over the years, to prepare to become hosts for those who have hosted us during the first half of our SST experience. Following the lead of the 2007 group, we began slicing, dicing, grating and crushing the ingredients for a Northern Indiana haystack supper. After setting and decorating tables, we rehearsed our program. Shortly before 7 p.m. our guests started arriving for several hours of pleasant fellowship together. Included in the nearly 40 guests were representatives from each host family, as well as Ruth R. who helped recruit the host families, Kerstin M. from jenakolleg, and Beate L., representing our language teachers. Unit photographer Joe proved delinquent both when it came to documenting our preparatory labor and even the finished spread. By the time he thought to take a picture of the serving table it was too late. Guests enjoyed the meal so much that many returned for seconds. The once heavy-laden serving table was nearly bare. While the guests enjoyed après-haystack treats of fresh fruit and chocolates, we presented our program. Warming up the crowd was our special guest star, Beate’s young son, with several numbers on the Blockflöte (recorder). We then introduced ourselves, sang several hymns, and recited a German alphabet in rhyme that included things, places and people that have become familiar to us here in Jena. Our guests especially appreciated our German-language numbers. We presented flowers to each of our families. Our visiting continued, interrupted by the occasional encore number demanded by host families who had come to know some of our hidden talents.

As the guests departed, the clean up began. The last dishes did not get put away until 11:30 p.m. Still, we had to get up Saturday morning for a final group meeting prior to our departure for service. All of us will depart Monday morning, singly or in pairs, for seven different locations. Our service locations will all be very different from Jena even though they are only 35 to 130 km from here.

This blog will probably not be updated until the beginning of July when Joe and Jo-Ann begin filing reports of their visits to service locations.