Days 13-16: Osijek

Not a lot to write about--the excitement of finding a box with a partial set of next-to-new Nicene Fathers only to realize it completes the partial set that was found some time before; the fun of a large collection of next-to-new evangelism and church planting books. Someone in the family must have been a psychologist, because there were a lot of good psychology books in that box as well. You notice the fun of next-to-new, as opposed to antiques by people whose names did not outlast the twentieth century.

We have taken most of our evening meals in our room with cup-of-soup and fresh bread from the bakery around the corner. Main meal is at lunch with the students. As we get to know them better (or at least, as Steve does), we linger longer in conversation. We went out one evening for cevapis, a local sausage seasoned with garlic and paprika and served with raw onions and flatbread.

The recipe I linked to above says pita, but this was much fluffier than any pita I have eaten before, split open and toasted.

Wednesday night Steve spoke at the church's midweek service. It was held in the room that was the library when we first came here in the early 90s. The room is about four times as long as it is wide. I remember it filled with book cases jutting out into the room, some of which fell where the light didn't. In those days I wasn't wearing an iPhone to pull out my handy flashlight.

I sat with Deborah and another young woman who often volunteers in the library. Afterwards Deborah hugged me and said, "You are such an encouragement to us." That was what we had hoped for. I have made only a small dent in that pile of books I showed you on Day 7; it is the people we wanted to encourage.

Tomorrow we head to Zagreb and then to Frankfort for the start of our trip home. I feel quite ready to get back to my own office and my normal routine. I have heard back from the author of a book I am editing with answers to my questions, and gotten a request from the same publisher for another book. Sharing a single room with Steve after seven hours in the library is not ideal working conditions so I am putting both projects off a few more days.