New Beginnings

Well, this has certainly been a wonderful beginning to our trip. The first 24 hours were spent traveling from Iowa to Iceland. Our first full day here in Iceland is a bit of a blur. Because I didn't sleep much on the plane rides, I was exhausted when we landed, but instead of sleeping, we were treated to a wonderful breakfast at our host's parish here near Reykjavik. After some much needed sleep, we spent the reaminder of the day visiting with our hosts and enjoying a wonderful dinner.

Our second full day here was spent in Reykjavik, where we began our day visiting a Salvation Army homeless shelter, and learning about their outreach ministry here in Iceland. We also visited spent time walking through downtown, where we visited the parliament building, as well as one of the cathedrals. We finished our sight-seeing at the new concert hall, enjoying fellowship and a nice warm cup of coffee. The evening began with a swim in the local pool, though this description does not do this activity justice. It was around 20 degrees here, and these pools are hot tubs outside in the cold...very weird, but very relaxing. After an hour or so soaking in these hot tubs, I was very mellow. My favorite part of this day was the time spent listening to Gunnar, our host, as well as other pastors, talk about their life here in Iceland. I find their advice and points of view very valuable.

Today, we set off for Skálholt, which is about two hours from here. While there, we will be able to hear Winston Persaud make a presentation, as well as get a chance to see some of the Icelandic countryside.

I am fascinated as I was the last time that I traveled internationally that our way of life in America is, well...big. At home, dinners are served in large portions, the cars are big, the houses are huge...Here, sitting down and actually enjoying a dinner for an hour or two, not stuffing myself (though last night's dinner was tough not to do that) has been very relaxing and enjoyable. As far as I can tell so far, meal times are geared more around the fellowship than anything else, though the food has been tremendously good.

More to come when we return from Skálholt...

From Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.

Lord,

Thank you for allowing me to travel to this beautiful place, and thank you for the gift of fellowship, both with my traveling companions and our hosts. Please continue to bless our time here in Iceland as we become more familiar with the people and places here. Continue to watch over those that we have left back at home, and comfort them as we are away. Thank you for providing us with food and shelter while we are here.
I pray that you will help keep my eyes and heart open to new experiences in the time that I have left here in Iceland.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

It is the eve of our second day in Iceland. I wish to begin this reflection by sharing with all that it has been an exhilarating experience so far, and I am excited for what will be next. The people are very friendly and warm, and to call them hospitable is an under-statement. The landscape is gorgeous, and as I grow more accustomed to the time difference, the more I appreciate watching the sunrise creeping over the mountains.

This is my first trip overseas, so my goal has been to try new experiences. This has been a blessing and a curse, but has been a great source of enjoyment for all. I am happy to declare that I have yet to slip and fall on the ice here, which to all who know me well is a huge accomplishment. Along with the varied experiences we as a group have seen many great things already in this early stage, including a day shelter for the homeless and hungry. Reykjavik has a few night shelters, but we visited a day shelter run by The Salvation Army that aids people when these other places are closed. The people who work this shelter are very bright individuals who give off an energy they attribute to the driving love of God. It was a powerful experience. Seeing people help others in a much different context was amazing, and learning more about the systems in place here in Iceland is intriguing and has sparked my curiosity to learn more.

Gracious God, watch over us all this evening. Grant us a peaceful sleep so that we will be ready for more wonderful experiences. Ready our hearts and minds for your gracious Spirit, so that we may be faithful stewards of the new day. Amen.

Mountains on the Horizon

Our group arrived safely in Iceland early Monday morning. After a gracious reception from our hosts, including breakfast at Gunnar's church, it was time to rest and succumb to the effects of jetlag and the six hour time change. I slept like a baby for three hours and awoke in the afternoon to my first glimpse of the Iceland daylight which was peeking around the edges of the window blinds in my room. I made my way upstairs and was immediately captivated by the view through the living room window. Past the city lights and laying under the purple and orange sky were mountains on the horizon, beautiful jagged magnificent mountains.

I have always loved exploring nature however there is something especially intriguing about mountains to me. I made my way outside to snap a few pictures. And as always, pictures never do justice to the beauty experienced in person. As the snow crunched under my feet I thought about how the mountains on the horizon parallel the possibilities of the two weeks of this Jterm that lie ahead. What will I experience over the horizon? If I feel this excited about a city scape imagine how I will feel when I visit one of the oldest churches in the country, or when I see the ocean waves crashing on the rocky coast. I cannot wait to find out and feel truly blessed to be here.

Creator God, thank you for the beauty of your creation and for the adventure that lie ahead. May my journeys and experiences always glorify your holy name. Keep watch over our loved ones and bring them peace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

In Flight Reflections on the Sprawl

            I am currently in the middle of our flight to Iceland, soaring above the island of Greenland.  So far on the flight I have finished reading the required book The Windows of Brimness by Bill Holm, tried to sleep a little bit, failed multiple times to get the in flight movie screen to actually play movies (I was attempting to watch Crazy Heart), succeeding in using the said device to listen to a little Bjork as I do not own any myself but found it fitting in light of our present destination, failed at sleeping in the seat that seems adamant on resisting my desires to get it to recline, and (in light of the latter failure) decided to use my waking moments to start blogging for the trip.  It is apparent that my attempts at writing at this present time are laden with intent to capture something of the existential.   When one travels, worlds inevitably collide, converse and, hopefully, befriend.  The process is so simple, standard and ageless that it hardly seems worth pointing out.  Yet, there are elements of entering a new world that are continually new and vibrant, regardless of how many Vikings have ventured into them before me.

            There are many a Teutonic individual who have been to this land on which I soon hope to land and many of whom have ventured there in far more rugged circumstances than I.  In the book I just finished, Holm makes mention of Iceland being originally discovered by a Norwegian going for a joyride in his longboat three fourths of the way into the ninth century.  As I doubt his longboat had access to movies with Jeff Bridges like the IcelandAir flight on which I am traveling, I feel my transcendental wanderings hardly compare to arriving in Iceland over icy, torrent seas on a few planks of wood carried primarily by individual grit.  Still, though I feel very over matched by the venturings of the Vikings, there is something epic about our travels to the land known for its glaciers, even it is only by way of a five hour flight in a temperature controlled cabin.

            As people are moving all over the world, out and about and to and fro, there are elements of our sprawl that will always be unique, particular and, I must say it again, epic.  Though on the macro level people have been traveling since we lost our seats in paradise and have met all sorts of Cain’s people along the way, there are elements of every meeting that mark our place in history- even if they do not stand distinct relative to one another.  Though my travels to Iceland will likely not be remembered or have the impact on the country in a way even remotely close to that of the Norwegian 1300 years ago, they will be epic.  In my sprawl I will meet other sprawlers, and I will encounter where others have chosen long ago to make their stand in the universe.  These encounters will probably not lead to founding colonies but they will lead me to see the world and others in new ways. 

            I am currently listening to Arcade Fire’s song Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) which not only rocks one’s socks off, but also tells of the movement of persons encircling our modern cities in a siege of mundane living.  Indeed, though I have not really lived much of my life in suburban areas there is much to the emotions that the song conveys which gets at a real irony of what I have experienced in the past while traveling and hope to experience on this voyage.  The sprawl has overtaken me many times before as I have remained located in one spot without hope of movement.  The feeling is one of being stuck; bogged down in the proverbial mud.  The irony is that I have gotten out of it in the past by voyaging and, ultimately, sprawling away to other parts of the country and world.  It is the sprawling of persons that makes me feel stuck and to feel unstuck I sprawl myself.  So much for consistency.  Fortunately, I am no stranger to contradicting myself and I rather enjoy it at times.  As a result, I am able to see that in the midst of my own sprawling conceived in the sprawling of the world around me I am able to find my place.  Sprawling around the world leads me to come back home and see what place is all about, what home is all about, and what life is all about.  I do not recommend that one take to sprawling lightly (it can be dangerous to really lose yourself), but I can say that it is good to be on this flight on this voyage to Iceland.  In fact, it is so good that perhaps next time I will take a long boat.

Bless us in our travels, oh Lord, that they may be epic.  May our voyage carry us safely to our destination and our hearts be open to those whom we will meet.  Bless our way that in our travels we may encounter you all along the way.

Dave Efflandt's Bio

My name is Dave Efflandt, and I am originally from Moline, Illinois. I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Sarah, for 15 years, and we have two children: Austin, who is nine, and Isabella, who is eight. I am currently in my first year as an M.Div student at Wartburg Theological Seminary.

And now it’s time for a bit of information from my pre-seminary life. I have a B.A. in Music Education from the University of Minnesota, as well as a M.Ed. in Education from California State University, San Marcos. I taught middle school band and choir for the past 12 years, both in the Bay Area, as well as in Southern California. I was also on staff at my church as a minister of music for seven years, and as the interim youth minister for about six months.

My wife, Sarah, has a doctorate in materials science engineering, with an emphasis on biomedical application, and she worked for a company called Guidant, where she was a senior research engineer in the production of stints…in short, I have married WAY up. Sarah and I have traveled internationally in the past, visiting Italy and Greece, though I am very excited to visit Iceland!

Thank you God for a chance to visit new places, and meet new people. Please bless all of us as we travel, and comfort those who we leave behind. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Who is Matt Barnhouse?

Hi, my name is Matt Barnhouse and I am a 2^nd year M-Div. student at Wartburg Theological Seminary. My wife Heather and I recently celebrated our 20^th wedding anniversary. We have been blessed with four beautiful and healthy children. Matt, an eighteen year old intellectual that has always been responsible and loves to play baseball. Derek, a fifteen year old that loves football and has a heart that is as soft as his mothers. Ryan, our comedian who has always done his own thing, will be thirteen in May. And Megan, our feisty, but loving angel, who has more spirituality and love for God than many adults I know. She is ten going on thirty.

I have a BS in Business Management/Marketing and have over 15 years of business related work experience.  My most recent position was for a Fortune 500 printing/publishing company where I was a Sr. Sales Executive. I grew up in a small Midwest farm community of which much of my family still resides. I feel blessed to be able to relate and be comfortable around many types of people, from farmers and manufacturers to executives and professionals.

Much of my travels have been in the United States. However, I have had the opportunity to visit Canada, the Caribbean, and South America. Prior to seminary my family and I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado and dream of returning to the area after graduation.  I love exploring nature and enjoy fishing, camping, and hiking. My wife and I also dream of exploring/traveling/visiting family via motorcycle someday (A.K.A. an HD FLHTC).   

I look forward to meeting the people of Iceland with great anticipation and excitement. I have heard wonderful things about our gracious hosts, as well as the culture and scenery of the country.  What a blessing to be part of such a wonderful opportunity!

Thank you God, for the opportunity to meet new people and explore your creation in far away places. Keep us and our families safe and close to you during every step of this new journey. Enlighten us, challenge us, and refresh us as you continue to shape us into the leaders you have called each of us to be. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.  

About the Girl

Greetings all! My name is Emily Shipman (as of almost four months ago, when I married the Zachariah featured below). I grew up in north-central Minnesota with my parents and two older brothers. My family owns a fourth-generation family vacation resort that sits on a lake and keeps everyone very busy. I am 24 years old and in my second year at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. I started my undergraduate degree at Bemidji State University in northern Minnesota, before transferring to Bethel University in St. Paul (Socio-Cultural Studies with an emphasis in Cross-Cultural Mission). I have been blessed to experience two extended stays abroad, the first to Africa for nine months on a discipleship training program. We were based in Zambia, and also spent time serving in Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. It was an incredibly challenging and faith enriching experience. I later traveled to New Zealand to volunteer at a Christian camp for five months, and enjoyed the lovely scenery and met some wonderful people. I love traveling and experiencing new cultures and getting to know people. I am extremely grateful at this opportunity to experience Iceland and spend time with some locals there, as well as the great crew we have going on the trip. My interests beyond traveling include adventure sports – rock climbing and white water rafting and the like, board games, waterfalls, campfires, scrapbooking, eating smoothies, and experiencing the outdoors.

Good and gracious God, I thank you for this opportunity to experience more of your incredible creation. I lift up to you this trip, all those who are so graciously hosting us and making this possible, and all connected to this experience. Open our hearts and eyes to be receptive to all that you would have us learn, and to all we are able to meet. And may the peace, hope, and love of Christ be a noticed reality in all our lives today and each day. Amen.