Saturday August 9, 2008

 

 

300th Anniversary

Brethren Heritage Tour

Berlin to Zurich – July 26-August 7, 2008

by Ed-Ventures, Inc.

 

 

 

 

While traveling, I only had time to give you an outline of our trip, but now that we are home I can fill in the details.

 

~~~

 

First I will introduce you to the twenty-eight people in our group.

 

Featuring

Tour Leader – Gordon Hoffert

From Minnesota

 

 

It would be difficult to find a better tour leader.

He was dedicated to our wellbeing and fully educated on the Reformation and the two countries we visited.

 

 

We were confident of his leadership from the moment we met at Berlin airport. 

He was always clear in communicating our next meeting time and place.  When on tour his burgundy Ed-Ventures bag was his constant companion.

 

 

He graciously led us on an optional sightseeing or ice cream walk every evening after dinner.

 

 

He has great contacts, making it possible to secure fabulous city or area guides…

 

 

…who took us to delightful places and filled our minds with incredible information.

 

 

His servant-heart was a blessing to everyone – especially Merlin Shull.  Gordon obtained a wheelchair for the times he knew it would be difficult for Merlin to walk.

 

 

The morning we walked to the Eder river for devotions, he noticed that Merlin’s shoe laces were coming untied.

 

 

Then there was the day that Marilyn Koehler’s sock blew out the window (where it was drying) and partway down the monastery roof where we were staying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He was pleased to have his wife (right) and daughter  join us for the Celebration weekend.  In this photo they are singing a cute German song.

 

 

When on the bus, he was usually next to Bruno, sometimes assisting him with upcoming roads or necessary turns.

While traveling to a new area, Gordon always prepared us with information concerning the person, castle, church, place, or time-era we were visiting.

When he came on the microphone and began with, “I had just fallen asleep last night when there was a light knock on my door…”, we knew it was a setup for his next joke, and that Bruno was the one at the door, needing a Fanta and wanting to talk.

 

 

He was sensitive to our need for snacks and breaks.

 

~~~

 

Thanks, Gordon.  You were a blessing to us.