Welcome to Vienna, Austria
Well, it's begun! After a year in Europe- and all but two week of it in Norway- on September 12th I moved to Vienna. YWAM Austria has officially begun. Great, impossible things I dreamed with God about for years are now taking on flesh and becoming reality.
Let me introduce you to this city and the series of miracles that have been making it all possible.
Vienna: big, baroque, diverse and very artsy. It's a beautiful city, and it was a bit overwhelming at first, coming from the quiet, rural greenery of summertime in Norway. The narrow streets are lined with tall, baroque-era buildings, built so close together as to create a continuous corridor along the each street. There are about 2.5 million people here and they are very diverse, coming from everywhere you can imagine, but especially southeastern Europe. It's incredibly artsy, and one of my favorite things so far has been to wander downtown and stumble upon musicians performing on the street- but not just any music. Once I walked past a man singing opera. Another time a man beat-boxed into a digery-doo. Twice now I've come across violinist performing classical music- Vivaldi or a medley from Moulin Rouge. Everywhere I go I find art studios, dance schools, you name it. The people are direct, open, and individualistic- reminding me of back home in the States.
I wonder if I always belonged here.
I have been surprised by how smooth our beginning as a new YWAM work has been. I was ready for so many more challenges than we've seen. There have been some- it was a bit lonely the first few days, realizing that I'd left so many people I loved back in Norway and I only knew two people in this whole, vast city. I was without a debit card and had almost no money for the first two weeks. But God has been faithful... no, that's an understatement. This whole thing has really show itself to be a miracle, and God has been extravagant.
We have gotten a lot of food for free. Most of our furniture has been free. We've met some very open, friendly people. My debit card and support money both came just in time for me to pay October's rent- and what people gave ended up being the exact amount I needed to cover it.
Little did I know how much people had been praying for YWAM to return to Austria (it was here in the past, years ago). Little did I know how much they were looking forward to us coming. Little did I know what a miracle it was that we found an apartment in the posh first district- where apartments are nearly impossible to find and usually cost twice the amount we're paying. I knew God was providing, but even I didn't know how impossible these things were supposed to be. They just happened, smooth as melted butter- and honestly, I'm not really sure why. But I'm thankful.
After maybe two misunderstanding-based conflicts in the first few days, our little team decided to start each day with prayer and worship. Since we've begun this practice, we've had pretty much no conflict.
What the heck?? I was ready to suffer. I was ready to endure. THIS isn't what I was expected at all. It's been almost three weeks since we touched down on Austrian soil, and the grace of God has carried us like a magic carpet. I am astounded.
I guess this blog post is a praise report more than anything else. I cannot fathom the way God's hand has been on us. We faced a dozen impossibilities and they all just worked themselves out in front of us. God's grace has been ridiculous in this season. I always wanted to live this kind of life- one that was impossible without God, that showed by overcoming those impossibilities that God is real. Here I am.
Keep up your praying, and everyway you've been showing your support, because we're feeling it. We're riding on it.
And dare to take steps of impossible faith. You'll see God do things that people tell you are imposible.
Ephesians 3:20 "To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us- to Him be the glory..."
