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Published: February 23rd 2005
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Volunteers from Wheaton
Here is the volunteer work team from Wheaton, Illinois. They raised the floor in the reception room eight inches. Now they are working on another project outside. One of the men on the work team from Wheaton, Illinois asked Nancy and me if the library has any materials on Baptist work in Denmark. One of his great uncles was part of the original group of people responsible for the founding of the Danish Baptist Association. His grandfather was a missionary/pastor to Danish immigrants to the midwestern part of the United States. He wanted to see if there is any information concerning the world of his great uncle. Both of us told him we didn’t know, but would find out for him. Nancy and I did check and found a few items. Nancy made a list of books and when we saw him at lunch I gave him the list of books.
This afternoon he came to the library. Together we began checking. Some of the books are in Danish. As he neither speaks or reads Danish, those were not useful. However he did find a book on Danish missionary work in America. The book contains many photographs, especially of churches built and worshipped in by immigrants from Denmark.
It quickly became obvious that he is very knowledgeable about the history of the Danes in the US.
Helle walking across the campus
Helle is from Estonia and a full-time student. Page after page he would say, “Yes, I know about the work there,” or “my grandfather was the pastor here.”
He was very happy when he found a paragraph about his grandfather in one section of the book. I checked the book out for him. Tonight he will go through the book selecting pages to make copies of and take home. “My brother is going to love this,” he exclaimed as he left the library.
This is the type of request a librarian loves. A person comes to the library with a request or a need for information and goes away with more than they expected.
When there is snow here, the streets at the seminary are cleared by a man driving a small tractor. The primary problem is the streets are all cobblestone and this means the streets are rough and not smooth. This means he has to keep the blade of the plow just a bit off the stones and this leaves a thin layer of slick, packed snow. The sidewalks are cleaned by students on work scholarships. Usually only the steps are totally cleared. The paths between buildings are packed snow by the time the students try to shovel them. Too many people walk on the snow before anyone can get to the shoveling so the snow becomes sort of icy. Sand is sprinkled on the sidewalks in flat areas. This helps, but I find I need to be careful as I walk along. So far no one has been injured on the ice and snow as far as we know. We were told that there were some broken bones last year which was also a very snowy winter. This morning local Czech news said the high today would be -2C. CNN reported it is -11 this a.m. here. So far we have been to breakfast but not outside. Nancy- I have on my silk undershirt and a turtleneck, my cotton tights and a pair of wool slacks. I will get my boiled wool jacket and my coat on before I go out. I am surprised to find I have entirely enough warm clothing with me. I have not worn my SERIOUS Chinese triple layer underwear at all. I suppose if I decide to go sledding or on another long, long hike that the Chinese undies will be what I need but for simple around the campus wear, I have no need of all that bulk.
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