Well - here I am in Geneve and the conversations are deep, broad and mostly interesting. please note I am working on a European keyboard and not all the letters are where they should be so some errors are going to obvious. The flight over was on time and relatively smooth as it is still winter over the Northern Atlantic which is where the "chop" is felt. Did a quick clean up in the Red Carpet Club in Frankfurt and then got on the smaller plane to Geneve. We came in a different way over the Jura Mountains of France and it was spectabular. I could see ski trails, summer cabins, and beautiful deep snow. The Holiday Inn Express is just that.

Joined the group within an hour of arrival as they met in Salle 9. Karen Bloomquist, Director for Studies was with our group. She talked about how being ecumenical means MORE than just bilateral conversasations here. We talked about Biblical Authoritaz. With 66 million members the expanse of understanding of ecumenism is as vast. So the task is to discern what the burning issues that cut across the diverse cultures are. How do we do some serious thological work as Lutherans but at the same time live out our faith in a wide cultural context?

Then met with Peter Prove who heads up our human rights office. He talked about three kez issues thez are working with. 1. Dalits in India. These people are extremely discriminated agaisnt. They rarely can find emplozment in the caste system. He told of a case they have been working with. A Dalit is the only one in India who can handle a dead cow since it would be unacceptable for someone in the caste system given the holiness of the cow in the culture. So there was a man from a village whose job it was to attend to dead cows, skin them and then tan the hide for sale. He was called to come pick up a dead animal and he and his two sons went to do so. When they began the skinning some other people came and said he had killed the cow. That is an offense punishable bz imprisonment and sometimes death. He said so he didn^t. Well they beat the father and two sons to death. The village officials ordered an autopsy - but the autopsy was on the cow not on the man and his children. Peter is handling this now as a human rights case. He also discussed the Bhutanse refugees (100,000) who have been "ethnically" cleansed out of Bhutan. The have fled into Nepal and India. LWF found them in Eastern >Nepal near a river and we set up shelter and feeding programs for them. They represent one sixth of the total populateion of Bhutan but no one has paid any attention to them. No one is fighting for their rights. So the LWf has taken this up.

Then m^y boss Kjell Nordstokke joined us and did a great job helping the group understand how this department works with 480 projects in the member churhces, works to bring people to the table in time of conflict, etc. He talked about how many churches in the North are now doing "themed" giving related to water, AIDS and Violence. That causes some problems for the lesser known issues we must deal with. He lead a lively discussion about "missional" not being something that is added to being church. It is BEING church. We must talk about what we DO together and what we ARE together.

Several of us hopped on the bus after the session and headed to the city. Several got caught up in the tourist shops and bought watches, coo coo clocks, etc. It was great fun and much laughter. Then we had a mexican meal at one of my favorite places and then took cabs back out to the austere environment of the airport hotels.

In the mix of the day for me the profound feeling was that I belong here. These are my staff colleagues and as I move about the building it is so familiar and I know the issues, people, places,. A nice feeling.

Our group is getting along very well - we are in the getting to know you stage. It has been fun for Allan Bjornberg and I to be together (former bishop-boss in the RMS). Faith and I are having fun together and it is good to get to know the others.

WEDS:
With my Tylenol PM I slept really well and had breakfast at the hotel. Hard rolls, cheese and coffee. Then we took cabs to the office - it isnàt real far but there is no logical way to walk from there. I walked in with Kjell and he suggested that the two of us meet right away. He issued the formal invitation-request for me to attend the LWF Consultation in Indonesia in June in Medan. I will fly to either Kuala Lampoor or Singapore and then on to Medan. How interesting. Another adventure.

Then up to Salle 9 a bit late as the Venerable Colins Williams of the Council of European Churches was addressing the group. He talked extensively about the European Union and all that entails as they try to ratify a constitution but have put it on hold. Will they admit Turkey or is it a Christian club? He talked about how it started as a common market idea but has gone far beyond that. He siad one of the positive things is the EUs commitment to open, honest and tranparent dialog with churches- He gave each of us a Europe map and I realize how little specifics I know about Europe. I could do better putting African countries in the right places than I can Europe. I need to think about that...and do something about it!

I left the meeting prior to his finishing to attend three separate meetings with staff here that were hoping to maximize time with me. Reallz productive and helpful conversations. Had lunch in the cafeteria with Lowell, Sally and Karen Bloomquist. Now Iàm off to the LWF staff meeting. I will rejoin our group at 5:00 for Holden Evening Prayer and a farewell from Ishmael (Noko) as we prepare for departure to Istanbul tomorrow.

It is sunny and chilly here - and quite beautiful. It feels like the real adventure is about to begin! We leave for the Geneve airport at 9:30 tomorrow morning for Istanbul.