Dear Friends,
We are so blessed. I am so grateful and blessed and yet feel I cannot share my whole thoughts at this time. Only when I really think do I remember all the struggles earlier this year and before. Amazing how quickly we forget suffering when things get better. Note: Things have got better.
For a number of years I did not write a Christmas letter.
Last year at this time I was in the middle of a training course to become a Communications Trainer. The year before I was unemployed after leaving ICC to join a public accountant where I only stayed the three months trial period. Then I worked with Mayors for Peace until my health prohibited further investment. (I had my appendix out in 2008 and really feel I have a new life!) In January 2009 I took over as secretary of the VNGOC and immediately went to Rome for a board meeting with other board members from Canada, England and Italy. I was challenged to accomplish a lot on a very limited budget of resources especially of time. I have now laid down my entirely voluntary position as secretary of the Drugs committee to pave the way for my current official employment at the UN.
This year, 2009, I completed my Communications Trainer course. I qualified to teach courses for the AMS and set myself up as a self-employed trainer. I taught a course of English for the tourist industry in Kitzbühel and also taught young unemployed school leavers in Baden. I went on a health kur for the first time in my life in July and then I started working at the United Nations in August.
I bought myself a Mac with the money I earned at Kitzbuehel. I imagined doing so much and was constantly plagued by computer problems. Even my external hard discs crashed on me. My idea of a blog, a website, a homepage or newsletter has been constantly challenged by various technical and perhaps spiritual factors.
Since working at the IAEA I feel obliged to keep a low public profile. So what about my blog? I am just grateful for all I have experienced and am very aware that I am indeed blessed. I joined the Agency during the time of ElBaradei’s term and immediately met the new Director General of the IAEA, Mr Amano, in the cafeteria. I have not had much to do with my new boss yet, but she has an extremely good reputation. I met her after more than a week in the Department. We were standing beside each other at a celebration and she said they are expecting miracles from me. I thought that was a very interesting comment to make. My reply was: ”I’ll do my best,” and I felt like I was getting ready to put my order in to comply. I do believe in miracles and really do believe that we can work miracles in our work there. In fact, it’s a miracle that I’m working there.
Godwin and Christoph both got their drivers licence this year and that was probably the main reason that we finally succumbed and bought a car this year after four years without one. I went shopping with it after a number of weeks. It broke down. Is this an omen? We have been particularly dissatisfied with the train schedule this year. Except for the bus. When they set up the railway bus to go directly to the VIC I sensed it as a sign that I would get a job there at the UN. I had my interview there on an Austrian public holiday.
Josef has been investing so much in the Family Forum and in promoting True Family Values. He was supporting the TFA function again this year. His part-time work has led to an employed situation. We are all challenged by our household duties.
Timi concluded his four years with the Vienna Boys Choir. Now he goes to TGM with Christoph and really enjoys his studies, as well as TaeKwonDo.
Nathan just had a heavy schedule and did not come home for three weeks. He sang “Christmas in Vienna” as well as “The Magic Flute” and did Imperial Palace duty. He also had a TaeKwonDo test one Saturday and then went back to Vienna to sing the Magic Flute the same day. Another Saturday we attended a Bar Mitzvah of a former choirboy friend of his together. Last week Josef joined me for a reception at the Australian Embassy. We met the new Australian Ambassador, Michael Potts and his wife Lynda.
Andreas has been busy playing soccer and going to training regularly. Towards the end of this year, he injured himself and missed a few games and training. He recently worked at a local castle restaurant during a Christmas market and earned three hundred euros in three days. During the summer he worked hard at a restaurant in Krems.
Christoph is enjoying his studies and found that the subject that was the most difficult in the past is now the one he enjoys the most.
Godwin began studying mathematics at the University in Vienna and spends the week in Vienna and comes home for weekends. He still or again, does the Imperial Palace duty which was difficult to impossible during a major part of this year, due to disrupted train schedules and the new bridge over the Danube in Tulln.
We wish all our friends, family and contacts a very Merry Christmas and a blessed and prosperous New Year – a blessed true God’s Day.
Please continue to dream your dreams. Then take steps to realise them.
From left to right Godwin, Nathan, Andi, Christoph, Josef, Lilly, Timi