26 August 2010

After our final breakfast in Essingen with our host families, we met at the gemeindehaus to pack our busses for our roadtrip to Dettingen via Ulm. Before departing we had our final singing session with our hosts and the band and said our goodbyes. On our arrival in Ulm we met up with Uwe Klump and his son Friedrich. We then went to the Munster where most of us accepted the challenge of climbing to the top of the highest church steeple in the world at 161,35 metres. What astounded us when we got back to the ground was to see the number of cyclists who had cycled to the Munster before climbing these stairs to the top. After having lunch at a nearby restaurant we then left for Dettingen where we were greeted by the band playing some pieces for us. After a short welcomed we were divided into our hosts families before our evening concert. The concert attracted a large audience, despite fears about the number of people who were away on holiday. The concert was once again very good and well received by the audience. This concert was very special for us because of the presence of Bishop H Schlimm and his wife, who travelled from Bad Boll and the Rev G Cunningham and his wife, who travelled from Heidelberg. The secretary for the Africa desk of EMS was also present as well as another Moravian minister, whose name we did not get. After the concert we met at the gemeindehaus. Bishop Schlimm was invited to say a few words and spoke about his time in South Africa, starting with his time in Clarkson and Fairview and at the seminary in District 6, Cape Town. The evening was used by many to renew old friendships, some dating back to 1987. We continued in this vain until late before retiring home.