This was our last full day in Iceland and it was an active one. I started some preliminary packing, cooked scrambled omlettes for our lunch, then we headed for Reykjavìk. Yesterday the horizon had been amazingly clear showing the mountain ranges that circle this Reykjanesbær Peninsula in all of their snow-capped splendor. Until then they had only been a hazy image of not much impact. Today was not quite the crystal clear of yesterday but still breath-takingly beautiful. I am so glad we got to see them like this.
Our first stop today was at the Linder radio station. William had visited with them in January and left programming that they had said they might use from time to time. We were disappointed to learn today that the programs were still sitting on the manager's desk waiting to be reviewed. But we had a nice visit with this American woman and her husband - so maybe they will check into our materials soon. They seem to have more Pentecostal leanings in their philosophy, but their main import is getting the people here away from the Lutheran church, which is the official state church of Iceland.
Second stop was to the newspaper office where we took out another advertisement for our Bible correspondence course program. Our former ad had been in Icelandic with an offer to improve English skills by taking our course. But it was a small ad and probably lost in the crowd of other Icelandic ads on the same page, so I suggested changing it to an English ad. Anyone taking our course needs to speak English already, and being in a different language would help it to stand out. We also changed the content. We learned yesterday that a newly printed version of the Bible in Icelandic has caused quite a bit of controversy. Not only was the language changed to a more modern reading, but doctrine was also changed. The new Bible now omits any reference to homosexuality being wrong, and it has many people upset. So we made the first line of the ad, "Has someone been changing your Bible?" I hope we get some interest.
Our last destination was to Marias and Gyða's house for dinner. We could smell the good food as soon as we parked the car outside. Gyða had made a feast! We had one skillet of grilled salmon, and another of breaded haddock fried with onion. To both skillets Gyða had added sliced pineapple after the cooking finished. We also had coleslaw, vegetables, potatoes, and that wonderful Icelandic brown bread that has quickly become one of my favorites. And ice cream for desert. Have I mentioned the ice cream here? Move over Mayfield, Iceland has you beat. Even the cheap brands of ice cream here are unbelievably creamy and rich tasting. It tastes like they have mixed in real whipped cream. I don´t usually care much for vanilla ice cream unless it is ON something, like cake, but plain vanilla here is a treat. Delicious!!!
And, of course, after dinner there were Bible questions and discussions. So a very productive day indeed.
- Linda
No comments:
Post a Comment