A Visit to Salzgitter

June 7-10 was a holiday weekend in Germany celebrating "Witt Monday" or the Day of Pentecost which is celebrated here seven Sundays after Easter and recognizes the day that the Apostles received the Holy Spirit after the ascension of Jesus recorded in the Book of Acts.

We left Frankfurt a little before noon on Friday and drove to Salzgitter, Germany to the home of Matthias and Petra Leben our friends from our service-time during our previous mission in the Pacific.  We had a lovely time and enjoyed their wonderful hospitality.

Friday evening they took us to the town of Braunschweig for a delicious dinner which we ate outside of a local restaurant.  After dinner, we walked around the town and visited some of the important sites including the "Dom" (Cathedral) and the old town square. This was the home town of "Henry the Lion" a famous leader in German history.

Inside this building is a huge mall

Another view of the Mall

On Saturday we drove to the town of Wolfenbuttel and visited the Museum and Library which had some of the oldest handwritten books in Europe.  In the afternoon we walked from the Leben's home to the castle of "Henry the Lion" and watched the kids there play games and enjoy the setting.  That night we went to a concert in the mountains.

The Armoury

The books are just painted wood blocks

Catch the catapult behind us

On Sunday we attended church in Hildesheim where Matthias is the bishop.  The services were in German, so a couple of missionaries translated for us.  After church we went to St. Michaelis Cathedral in Hildesheim which was another beautiful restored church building that had been rebuilt after WWII.  The entire weekend was just perfect as a get-a-way from the office and such a treat to be with good friends.

We saw poppies like this everywhere along the side of the road

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly.

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead.  Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields"

"In Flanders Fields" Major John McCrae May 1915