Fritz Paweltzik... - Weeks 4/5

...is a man who grew up in the very flat ‚Oderbruch‘ region to the north of Frankfurt (Oder), and was a member of the Hitler Youth, and fought against the Russians in the area and later in Berlin, aged 17, narrowly escaping death several times. Since then he became a Christian and did a lot of work in Ghana and also in East Africa, partly with the YMCA there, running a football club, sharing the Good News about Jesus, also running a nursery school for poorer children to learn English so they could then go to school, where everything was taught in English, and building hospitals and other facilities. He was elected chieftain of a tribe of 30,000 people in Ghana. To the present day, he’s also written many books (not sure exactly what about though, presumably his life as well).

Every year he visits schools in Frankfurt (Oder), and tells the children about his life experiences. This he did again from the 27th to 29th September, and the CVJM had the privilege of driving him around, and helping him get about in his wheelchair. He stayed with one of the CVJM families every night.
I heard his story many times, but enjoyed it every time. It’s particularly humbling, in a way, to think that this is the area where the end of World War two was fought, in the streets of the towns and villages, in the woods we drive through. Going for a walk once through some woods, I came across old trenches and shellholes, it really makes you stop and think.


The town of Frankfurt (Oder) was, for the larger part, destroyed in the war, burnt to the ground. Most of the town has been rebuilt from scratch. The CVJM-house and the nearby post office building survived the war, as well as a few churches and the old Viadrina University building, and most buildings in one area of town, further away from the river. But seeing photos of the flattened city after the war in a museum was really quite something, makes you stop and think too.

A Baptism - Week 3

On Sunday 19th September, my predecessor, Saskia Fischer, whose family lives in the countryside to the north of Frankfurt (Oder), got baptised in a round church in Frankfurt (Oder), and I played keyboard for the service, having practised at intervals on the previous two days at the CVJM Family weekend away. It went fairly well. A few of her friends from Tensing who where there sung a song which I also accompanied.

She decided to get baptised as a result of her year’s volunteering, as far as I understand. She’s now spending a year in the Ukraine, running school projects on the EU and teaching the children there about Germany. Brave girl.

Afterwards we were treated to lots and lots of food at her parents‘ home in the countryside, with a BBQ including a roast hog/similar, and otherwise lots and lots of cakes. Yum. A few relatives gave speeches.