Home
German Students Find More Than An Education
CHICAGO, IL (December 27, 2005) - German exchange student Isabel "Isa"
Schuppan had written "atheist" on the religious preference slot on the
program file. She did, however, write that she would be willing to
attend church with a host family. She had no idea that the host family
would include the pastor of Harvest Ridge Covenant Church in Shawnee,
Kansas.
Helge Meyer, 15, of Bad Segeberg, also left Germany having no religious
faith, but wound up living with the family of pastor Randy Rodenberg.
He, too, has since returned to Germany.
By the time the exchange students returned home, they had exchanged an
old life for a new one, the pastors say.
Both students already had arrived in the United States, but still did
not have permanent host families. Eric Sparrman, pastor of Harvest
Ridge, says his daughter, Johanna, came home from tennis practice where
she had met Isa and said, "She's really nice. Can we keep her?"
Sparrman's wife, Bonnie, liked the idea and their teenage sons, Bjorn
and Karl, viewed it as an adventure. Just like that, the family suddenly
had a fourth teenager in the household.
Randy Rodenberg, pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Wausa,
Nebraska, said Helge had been living with a woman who had helped arrange
his travel, but that she didn't have room to be a permanent host. One
day before classes started, the Rodenbergs had a new high school student
living with them.
Isa first was not interested in attending youth group, but within
several weeks she was invited by Christian friends at school to join a
Bible study, says Sparrman, adding that she looked forward to attending
church.
The girl had no understanding of the faith when she arrived, says
Sparrman. "She was told in Germany that going to church was part of
being an American. The Germans told her that it wasn't like it was in
Germany - it was exciting."
Her parents had grown up entirely under East German rule and no one in
the family knew of the Germany's rich Christian history. "She had no
clue about the Christian heritage of her country," Sparrman says. "No
idea about Luther, no idea about Bonhoeffer."
"Not only did she hear the gospel for the first time, she was the
pastor's kid," says Sparrman. "Those first weeks in worship generated
many late night conversations as Isa had a lot of questions."
Over the course of the succeeding months, Isa attended three retreats,
spent a week at camp, went on a mission trip with the Center for Student
Missions in Chicago and had frequent discussions with friends. In the
spring, she made a commitment to Jesus, Sparrman says.
"The greatest joy I've ever known as a pastor was the day I baptized Isa
in Little Mill Creek," Sparrman says (see accompanying photo). The
family has kept in touch by phone and email with Isa, who lives in
Gorlitz. She now attends an Evangelical Free Church. "It reminds her a
lot of our church here," Sparrman says.
Rodenberg says Meyer quickly became involved with school activities and
fit in well with the family, which includes his wife, Carol, and three
sons - teenagers Ben and Chris as well as Briton, who is in the third
grade (lower photo).
Meyer had attended church in Germany twice a month and was confirmed the
year before he arrived in the United States. He told the Rodenbergs that
people consider themselves Christians if they've attended a church.
A gifted musician, Meyer joined the praise band and came home from the
first practice, saying, "Well, I guess I'll be going to church every
Sunday," Rodenberg recalls. The teenager told the family that church was
so different in the States. Church was like school in Germany, Meyer
explained. It was just something you do.
The family never witnessed directly to Meyer "because we didn't want him
to feel pressured," says Rodenberg. "We discussed sermons with him
frequently and prayed for him constantly."
When Meyer inquired about issues that concerned him, the Rodenberg's
would answer his questions. Meyer gave his life to Christ, Rodenberg
says, after the teenager had three dreams in which he was given the
choice between heaven and hell."
Rodenberg says Meyer's conversion proved a blessing in other ways. "Our
youngest son had prayed for Helge's salvation every night since he
arrived. What a confirmation for a young boy to witness the blessings of
persistent prayer." He adds, "Today he prays for Ramiro, a Compassion
International child with the same persistence."
Meyer, too, has returned home and is determined to share his story with
family, friends and pastor, Rodenberg says. "As Helge returned to
Germany, he went as a missionary."
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
