kit august-september, 2000, vol xii #8-9new 9-17-00

7/31/2019 KIT August-September, 2000, Vol XII #8-9New 9-17-00

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The KIT Newsletter, an Activity of the KIT Information Service, a Project of ThePeregrine Foundation

P.O. Box 460141 / San Francisco, CA 94146-0141 / telephone: (415) 821-2090 / FAX(415) 282-2369 / http://www.perefound.org / e-mail: [email protected]

KIT Staff U.S.: Charles Lamar, Editor; Vincent Lagano, Assistant Editor; David E.Ostrom, research.

EuroKIT: Linda Lord Jackson, Joy Johnson MacDonald, Carol Beels Beck, ElizabethBohlken-Zumpe, Benedict Cavanna

KIT XII #8-9, August-September, 2000

The KIT Newsletter is an open forum for fact and opinion. It encourages the expression of all views,

both from inside and from outside the Bruderhof. We reserve the right to edit submissions according

to guidelines discussed at numerous KIT conferences. Obviously, it's seldom easy to know exactly

how best to carry out KIT's mission of allowing many voices and various points of view to be heard.

We do not, and cannot, vouch for the validity of any opinion or assertion appearing in the KIT

Newsletter. The opinions expressed in the letters that we publish must remain those of the

correspondents and do not necessarily reflect those of KIT editors or staff.

Yearly subscription rates (11 issues): $25 USA; $30 Canada; $35 International mailed f/ USA; £20

mailed f/ EuroKIT to UK & Europe

K e e p I n T o u c h

Some of you may have noticed that Charlie Lamar is now listed as editor of the KIT Newsletter. Actually Charlie has been functioning as editor for the past few issues,what with Ramon's newly full-time job demanding most of his attention. "My heart isstill with KIT and its goals," Ramon reports. "But after 12 years heading the Peregrine board and KIT newsletter, I do think it's time for some new energies." Ramon still willcontinue to be available on a voluntary and consultant basis, but meanwhile thePeregrine Foundation is reorganizing its board, and KIT its staff.

T h e W h o l e K i t A n d C a b o o d l e

Toll-Free Phone for former Bruderhofers in need of advice and referrals: 1 888 6KINDER

of 17August-September, 2000 Volume XII #8-9

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Table of Contents

Judy Tsukroff

Joy (Johnson) MacDonaald

Elizabeth Bohlken-Zumpe

Annalene Wiegand

Christrose (Johnson) Sumner

Lee Maria Kleiss

Tim Johnson

Melchior Fros

Margot (Wegner) Purcell

Carol Beels Beck

Ruth, German & Alfred Pleil

Blair Purcell

Rifton Aviation vs Blair Purcell

Thomas Klüver, · Reckeweg 43 · 13591 Berlin · Germany (030) 3667465

Annelene Wiegand, Mittelhöhe 48 · 74523 Schwäbisch Hall · Hessental · Germany

KIT: A note to readers who keep in touch through this newsletter as opposed to the grapevine or the Hummer:

There is some incredible news in this issue. Actually, because of a High Court gag

order in Britain, most of the news we have this month we cannot print. We were goingto publish a double issue. In any case, those who like their news as hot as we can printit should turn straight to page 9, while readers with patience who like their news 'cold,'that is to say as rich as possible in context, may wish to slog along from p. 1 for whatsurely will be a surprising ride as far as KIT newsletters go.

This has indeed been an eventful summer, and the next few months promise to behighly charged as well.

Judy Tsukroff , 9/2/00: Plans for the Connecticut Pot Luck Picnic on Sunday,September 24th from 1:00 PM through late afternoon, are going forward and we'relooking forward to it. I sent fliers to those in the Northeast and a few others who are





often at gatherings, but some fliers were returned because of address changes. Ianyone I missed would like details about location and local lodging facilities, pleaselet me know at (860) 542-5786. I do need to know if any folks can bring grills, since Ihave none available. I will be happy to supply hamburgers and hot dogs, andhopefully some chicken, but none of us have portable grills. So please let me know iyou can help that way. Otherwise, I will buy cold cuts to be sure. It is also helpful iyou let me know what you plan to bring.

Whatever... the main thing is for folks to come and enjoy each other's company. Wemissed the usual Friendly Crossways conference and are eager to catch up with whatfolks are doing. Love,

Joy MacDonald, 8/6/00: Rhön KIT 2000 Gathering It's been a busy week since our wonderful Rhön KIT 2000 gathering at Oberbernhards came to an end, but at last I'mable to share some memories, especially for those unable to be there. The mini-bus

contingent from England added a "trooper 4 x 4" to give more space and flexibility.

We travelled together on the long journey, taking an early ferry across the Channeland then fairly easy motorway-driving all the way to Fulda. We took a little longer than anticipated, as we inadvertently took the "interesting" central route throughBrussels instead of skirting along on the city ring road. Also rest stops for seventeen people take longer than for a couple in a car much longer! We had brought a picniclunch but stopped for a hot evening meal my first Bratwurst and Sauerkraut for four years so the sun set behind pink and purple clouds long before we reached Fulda. Thelast 10 miles along narrow, winding, deserted roads in the dark seemed to last for

ages, but eventually we arrived at the youth hostel at 10:00 P.M., friday July 21st, to be met by at least a dozen others. Another two cars, also driving in convoy, arrivedeven later due to mechanical problems. Next day, the official start, many more peoplearrived, approximately sixty in total over the four days.

This is a beautiful part of Germany and our excellent youth hostel was situated at thefoot of the 835-meter Milseburg where the summit offers a panoramic view of manyrolling hills with lush farmland, tiny hamlets and the medieval city of Fulda.

There were many excursions up the Milseburg both by day and by night and also

many other drive and walk outings further afield. One I particularly enjoyed was to theWasserkuppe. We parked at the top amidst swirling mists, but within five minutes theclouds had lifted and we found ourselves at the top of a rounded hill (the highest in theregion). It contained satellite-tracking and early-warning devices, an airfield for small private planes and gliders, a museum and shop and a long, sloping meadow wheredozens of hang gliders and radio controlled model gliders were making full use of theup-drafts and thermals.

Our walk with a couple of dozen people skirted the top and took in many interesting

geological features. I especially enjoyed the abundance of wild flowers and insectsand birds and being with like- minded nature lovers. I think that was one of the times a bunch of adolescents went swimming. This "doing your own thing" in large or small





groups or just chatting with another was a happy feature of this weekend. Indeed weonly had one "proper" meeting, though oftimes the singing, dancing group wouldencompass most people.

The largest "outing" was to the old Bruderhöfe. Bette's husband Hans hadreconnoitered the route and talked with the owners. That afternoon the mini-bus,Trooper and at least three cars (thirty-five people I would guess) drove through theHesse-Rhön countryside and visited first Sinnthal, then Sannerz, then the old RhönBruderhof and the tranquil burial ground. The knack of picking beautiful

countryside locations with good views started with the earliest hofs they must have been wonderfully inspiring places to be in those early days, so well described in JuliusRubin's book.

There's lots more to share of a great time together, but right now I must stop as my

family are arriving soon for a Sunday afternoon together and evening meal of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, etc. I'll try to write more soon starting with the mostdelicious Spiessbraten and Bockwurst BBQ I've ever tasted. Hope lots of others willadd their memories, including maybe some of the 9 younger- generation kids whodragged us oldies to frequent sports activities!

Elizabeth Bohlken Zumpe, 8/7/00: Eurokit Gathering In The Rhön, July 21st 26th,2000: Hans and I left Drachten on Thursday the 20th on our way to the KIT gatheringin Oberbernhards. We had to take our old dog, Duc, to a dog's home first and helooked at me with sad eyes, like saying: "You are not leaving me here, are you?" We

never really take him to a home, but this time it was inevitable. We then set off toBirnbach where the former Michaels-Bruderhof had been.

The place looks the same; the Rosicrucians have built a large temple in the center, butotherwise the place is unchanged. The village is once more at peace with itself andtheir surroundings the Bruderhof is forgotten or at least no longer a cause for discussions. The Rosicrucians live a quiet and more harmonious life within thevillage, keep more to themselves and cause no crises and upheavals to disunite village people or force them to take sides for or against them. We stayed with their former neighbors and had a wonderful evening.

Next morning we left for the Rhön after breakfast. Driving into Fulda we thought, wemight as well look at Fulda Central Train station in case someone might be waitingthere! Sure enough we saw Margot, Marlene and Lie (Arnold) Priest in a phone booth.So the five of us made the windy road to Oberberhard's youth hostel together, and hadmuch fun and laughter. It looked like a wonderful place, high in the hills with spacioustwo, four and six-bed rooms, each with shower and toilet. Little by little people beganto arrive and were greeted with much joy and enthusiasm. One of the good things wasthat all the food, even the barbeque, was organized by the youth hostel, which meant

that no one was caught up in the kitchen and unable to take part in whatever was goingon.





Jugendherberg set in the village of Oberbernhards Rhön - Ben Cavanna

The weather was not what we were used to at KIT conferences, but on the other handit was enough to do a lot together like walk, talk, sing and make music or have acampfire outside with fun and serious discussions. I think we had a wonderful timelistening to each other and getting updated with each others present lives, joys andsorrows.

Sunday we went on a drive on a long drive to visit all the former Bruderhof sites in theRhön area. We left Oberbernhards with two minibusses and four cars. In our car wehad Annelene Wiegand, Elsbeth (or Anneliese) Bauer and Jean. Our first stop was atthe former Sinntal Bruderhof near Bad Brückenau. We sang all the way in the car and

it was amazing how many songs we seemed to remember. I really enjoyed myself Ithink we all did!





The Sinntal Bruderhof has changed a lot. When we lived there it was an open valleywith beautiful fields and flowers right up to the little stream called "the Sinn," whichin German means "sense, meaning, value or liking." Now it is full of newly plantedtrees and bushes and has something depressing about it. Hans and I met there in 1959,therefore for us it was nice to see the place again, but otherwise there is nothingemotional or special about the place.

Next, the windy and hilly village road that led to Sannerz was a lovely trip. SannerzHouse even today is very impressive. It was built in 1919 by a ship's captain fromHamburg as an investment in a time of serious inflation. He did not want to live there,so my grandparents were able to rent the big house for not so much money! Everytime I see it, it impresses me. The village is quite small and the house on a hill, big,stately and with a lot of space and land around it. Sadly a main road was built right between the house and the rest of the village, so it seems like cut off from the rest. Ican well imagine lots of young and joyful young people meeting there in the 1920 to

try and find answers for the world's needs and troubles!

From there, on to where the old Rhön Bruderhof had been... Driving through woodsand forests, through hills covered with wild flowers, we reached what is called "theSparhof" today. Nothing of the big houses remained, just the stones from the torndown "Kinderhouse" and the workplaces, like pigsties and rooms where single peopleonce lived. I did take photos of the old remains. Mrs. Peters (the mother of the owner)talked with us and told us that Bruderhof people still like to visit the place. The burialground is very peaceful between the high fir trees the Bruderhof planted 70 years ago.In 1935, brotherhood members carried stray stones from the fields and hills around

them to the burial ground as a kind of repentance after E.A's. death, and made a bigwall around the place. When the Gestapo expropriated the Rhön Bruderhof in 1937,one of Eberhard Arnold's sisters I think Hanna bought the burial ground and hadnameplates put on the stones so that the graves would not disappear. After the war, shereturned the grounds to the Bruderhof. So the burial ground is Bruderhof property.

At that time there were four graves: Else von Hollander, 1931; Eberhard Arnold,1935; and two children, Tabea Zimmermann and Daniel Kaiser. Since then, the twoLöber boys, Gregor and Johann Georg, were buried there as well as Peter Rutherfordwho died on the Michaelshof in 1991. It certainly is a serene, impressive place.

Monday was spent in little groups talking, singing, hiking and making music. In theevening we had a big bonfire and had so much fun singing that by Tuesday morning Ihad lost my voice completely. After breakfast on Tuesday, Hans and I left in the pouring rain on our way to Zürich where we had tea with both David and Migg, andthen went up to the old Alm Bruderhof together with Migg for a few days

Wednesday a group of seven from Oberbernhards arrived as well and it was a joy tomeet them all, especially Renatus with Mel, Janet and their children, Renata and

Daniel. We had a truly wonderful time, taking the lift up to Malbun some 2,000meters high and enjoying the sights, each other's company, and trying to understandwhy the commitment to the Bruderhof life has changed so much throughout the last





decades from faith in a living and leading God to hero-worship and man-made rulesand regulations. Where joy once filled the lives of people, it is now fear that makesthem stop listening to the voice of their hearts! It is difficult to understand, but itsurely is a letting-go of the leading hand of God and trusting the ideas of a leader, aguru.

Sunday the 30th of July we took Migg back to Zürich and spent a few more days back in Silum, the

old Alm Bruderhof. It was good to see Migg again and talk about the times when heoined the Bruder-hof in the early 1930s. Hans and I always enjoy Liechtenstein and

spend wonderful hours in this beautiful little country. Thursday the 3rd of August wewent home again and our dog was truly happy to return to his own home.

All in all, the Rhön Conference was special. It was special to meet as children and

grandchildren of the people that started the community life, and to realize that our upbringing did give us a firm foundation to build our lives on. As different as we are,we do have so many things in common that our get-togethers are more than justfriendship! We certainly look back on a very special summer conference. Much love,Elizabeth (also known as 'Bette,' which I do not really like).

Annelene Wiegand, 8/7/00: Please note my new address: Mittelhöhe 48 · 74523Schwäbisch Hall · Hessental · Germany.

Ben Cavanna asked me to write something for the KITletter, but as my English has

suffered during the last 40 years in Germany, I must ask you to translate this for me.

Now at long last I have finally managed to attend a KIT conference! In my heart,wounds are healing and I like to remember the good and beautiful things I experiencedduring my life. It was pure joy to meet so many old friends and realize that we have adeep understanding for each others' needs. Isn't it wonderful that we can be so happytogether and share, sing and talk? Everyone is going his/her own way, and even if weare unable to change our old self completely, there is this mysterious "something" thatmakes us feel close when we meet and see each other! Even though years have passed,it's an understanding, call it "solidarity" if you want, that ties us together, which is

much deeper than I can explain.

Actually I was a little afraid of hearing negative talk and thoughts; these old woundsshould have healed a long time ago. Now I realize that this is hardly possible if youare confronted again and again with the fact that you hear nothing of your families andare even excluded from taking part in your parents' funerals long before they haveactually died! No one is perfect, but these things should change.

For my father, it was the right thing to return to the Bruderhof when he did; it was hiswish. He was happy there and well looked-after. Personally, I am thankful I was ableto care for my mother myself she was so very thankful for everything I was able to dofor her. In December it will be six years since her death and since I have been living





on my own. In April I moved to this new address, so I hope it can be noted in the KITletter.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Since I have been here, everyone has seemed to want tohelp me. I found a good job and made a lot of friends; I sing in a choir and joined agymnastics club. We just have to try and find new connections to make our livesworthwhile.

It was a tremendous joy to meet so many friends after all these years! It was awonderful experience for me, and I want to thank everyone who made this meeting possible! I was twenty-one years old, when my family was sent away from SinntalBruderhof and now I am sixty it has been a long road! I feel it is very important tohelp those who leave now and suddenly have to stand on their own two feet; it can beso difficult!

Our family was actually helped by a very kind farm family when we were sent away, but the wounds were deep, and the times very hard and difficult for all of us! Luckilymy father found some addresses and contacted many former members. Your father was so happy and thankful when we contacted him. As a twenty-one-year-old at thattime, I had a lot to learn and digest, but I think that now I am able to say that I havefound my feet and feel responsible for my own actions. Greetings,

Christrose (Rosie) Sumner Johnson, 7/30/00: Keeping In Touch Europe, 2000 was such fun! It was a light-hearted, fun-packed, energizing gathering. I drove fromAmsterdam with my two brothers, Tim and Barnabas Johnson and my sister Susan,

after we had met to celebrate the 50th birthday of Barnabas's wife, Lowry, the night before. It was an exhausting speed along Dutch and German motor ways, and theFriday afternoon and evening traffic was mad, but we left that behind at sunset,turning off at Fulda and taking a little, undesired detour that gave introduction to thelovely medieval city before

we escaped into the countryside as the glowing skies died to dusk. OberbernhardsYouth Hostel was in darkness, but as we arrived there were Isolde Brummelohe andGudrun Harries to meet us and, rather overwhelmingly, we entered a bright commonroom to the full harmony of Einen Goldnen Wander-stab (help with spelling, please,

someone) and other familiar faces came towards us in greeting.

Wow! Tears welled, tiredness and emotion caught off guard. I think that is the firsttime that I have been welcomed with such honour, but then the folk gathered probablythought that the 'English' bus had arrived at last! It hadn't, but did so a few minuteslater, unloading a tired and relieved number of families and friends, among them thetrusty drivers John Holland, Dieter Holtz, Matt Ellison and Ben Cavanna, withoutwhom many couldn't have made the journey.

That first evening, late as it was, a couple of new anecdotes from Christine Mathis andMargot Purcell, relating to the early-courting shenanigans of one Christoph Arnoldand the effect a ponytail can have on men-at-large, both appalled and sent a tired





group into more laughter than I think I have had in months. I am glad the laughter setin. Taken seriously, the witness they bore shames the community and their 'leader' andare reason enough for them to fear KIT. Oh, yes, some remember, and those thatremember reminisce, and the pieces fall into place, drip - drip - drip, to show up thedouble standards that prevailed.

Next morning, still not yet official 'KIT Conference' time, we had a relatively briemeeting to co-ordinate what people wanted to do. It teetered on the serious side, but before long a large group headed mapless out into the countryside. We were fairlyhigh up, so cautiously stuck to any road or path that continued upwards. To our delight, we found our way up the Milseburg (835m), complete with 'pub' (beer, but noelectricity) and, after a bit of rock- scrambling, brought ourselves beneath threeCatholic crosses at the summit. Nothing daunted, we shared our picnic (generously bequeathed from the bus provisions of the previous day) supplemented by water and beer. There was a shrine and a little meeting green, complete with stone pulpit, from

which Marlene Gelman delivered the first sermon to her spellbound congregation after the beer! The views were pretty poor, so the Milseburg was to attract us over andagain, until we had the complete and brilliant panorama.

The first evening, following supper, we all sat in a circle and introduced ourselves,one by one. I was thrilled to find, even as we sat round, that I knew almost everyone.Only my brothers and sisters and the Wegner sisters hailed from my own Bruderhomemories, and Margot Purcell's presence was a particular delight to me as she was inForest River and Oak Lake as a virtual contemporary, but others I don't personallyremember knew me as a sub-five year old, before my family left Wheathill. However,

nearly all are now friends of quite long standing dating to the earliest KIT gatherings,sharing a common background, and keeping in touch for mutual support andfriendship. What could be better? I was flattered to be asked to facilitate the gatheringand hope I didn't tread on any corns it seemed to be quite a lively and productivesession. Anyway, we managed to decide what we would do the next day! Then wedissolved the 'meeting' but, led by the vibrant voice of Ludwig Fischer and theaccordion of his wife, Irene, we harmonized and canoned our way through the songswe knew and that many love. There were several tables off-centre of the big commonroom and these formed our 'hearth,' with people sitting round it to talk, read, write,look at photos, sing, etc., but also groups sitting off to one side to talk, sing, and evenig about a bit. Believe it or not, these middle-aged to elderly 'kids' even spontaneously

and competitively played musical chairs, to the excellent piano of Marcella Mathis,one of our younger delegates. Most of the youngsters played piano, when they couldwrest it from brother Barnabas, whose impassioned playing of both that instrumentand his beloved recorders, continue to enhance all such gatherings and even draws in'outsiders.'





Gottfried John Holland, our faithful driver - Ben Cavanna

After breakfast the next morning, some of us went off for another walk, while othersstayed for a 'Bruderhof history' meeting Phil Ellison had requested, to prepare for theafternoon's tour of the Sinntal, Sannerz and Rhön former Bruderhöfe. I hope someoneelse will do justice to this, as it was apparently a stunningly good session, led by BetteBohlken. I hope to hear the tape some day, but felt the hills calling to me again, and

thoroughly enjoyed a more direct hike up the Milseburg, viewing the mist swirling inthe valleys on one side and clear views on the other, until the sun was high, when wegot a magnificent clearing. The dynamics of walking, sometimes quite strenuously,and talking, first with one and then with another were so good. I began to know Janetand Melchior Fros, whom I met for the first time. Lovely, loving, bright minds andspirits it would have been worth the trek across Europe just to meet you both!Catching up with Johanna Homann is, as ever, a delight I wish we could tramp thecountryside more often, sharing laughter and song, as well as conversations roamingover the range of subjects, but seldom bothering to delve back into Bruderhof mattersany more. And that was what I personally found refreshing so much has moved on.





Climbing the Milseburg Margot Wegner Purcell, Jean roering Hasenburg, RosieSumner Johnson and Mechior Fros - Ben Cavanna

The 'English' bus and one or two other pretty roomy vehicles enabled a manageableconvoy to set off after lunch to explore our roots. I couldn't myself whip up muchnostalgia over the Sintall or Sannerz and didn't feel any spirit move me, but at theRhön it was a bit different. Tall trees were a legacy of the founders, the visitors' book told of mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers of those present, who had trodden this path a few years before. The graveyard was just plain lovely. Stunningly lovely.Eberhard's grave was not ostentatious, although his headstone was the largest. Allwere simple, rustic and beautiful, set in a summer meadow of wild flowers, bees and

butterflies. A place you'd find rest and peace, if, dead and buried, you werenevertheless there to be aware of it. I wonder if the Bruderhof might like one day togive Bulstrode graveyard over to become a wildflower meadow, rather than the rather





formal mowed lawn that the moles rampage in and rabbits dig up? Still, that is alsolovely in its own way and in the Spring the ground at the entrance is carpeted withsnowdrops. I wonder what the Rhön graveyard looks like in other seasons.

As once before, finding the route from Fulda to the Youth Hostel proved tricky, buteveryone kept their tempers and spirits only slightly flagged, to be uplifted by the kindact of Isolde and Gudrun in securing the evening meal for the latecomers. A finalmeeting was scheduled after that, to discuss KIT, its direction, administration,newsletter etc. but this did not excite many participants and seemed to go round in itsusual circles so, while many stayed in the common room to chat and sing, I slippedout of the little meeting to join a small group down the pub! Another lovely evening, but it wasn't over yet. For the second night, Ben Cavanna with his telescope and my brother Tim led the search for the comet and this time it was found. Just a blur, butunmistakable. For me this was a real treat. We had driven up the hill onto a dark field,where the stars sparkled brightly. Around midnight, the moon rose, a reddish half-

moon, on which were to be seen the pitted craters. Andromeda was viewed and Viga,all first timers for me and, I suspect, others of the half dozen or so who braved thecooling night temperature.

The next day it rained. Nothing had been planned and there were no 'meetings' butword got round that Ben Cavanna was taking some of the younger members of our party exploring in the morning; in the afternoon they went swimming with Janet Fros,who borrowed Anthony Lord's car generous!





Ludwig Fischer supervises the cheating as Jean, Isolde and Irene play musicalchairs - Ben Cavanna

Others sat around until the weather looked like clearing, then set off for a merry, isomewhat short, walk through an adjacent hilly woodland. After lunch, I joined agroup taking the bus up the Wasserkuppe (950m). At first, the hilarity focused on themadness of leaving the damp, relatively low land of the youth hostel vicinity for thefoggy hilltop but as we walked and talked and laughed the mists cleared and the sunshone brightly, revealing rewarding views back towards our Milseberg and thesurrounding Rhön. Finding raspberries and blueberries on the way only encouragedthe general feeling of youth that had come over us all and there was a great deal o banter and joie de vivre. As we made our way back to the summit from a trek out on aspur called the Pferdskopf, we speculated how our parents may well have trodden that path in days gone by, even Eberhard and Emmy. Well, now the cleared scene wasfilled with hangliders and gliders and model aircraft. Straggled out, we bumped into





Renatus and Karola Klüver. One of the nice things about the youth hostel was that, nomatter where you went out, you bumped into others of the same mind. Well, theyshared with glee their finding of a 'Wanderstab' upon the plateau. It was my brother Tim's, but no one recognized it, until up he came, on a jog to find his lost treasure andwrested it from the stunned Renatus with proprietorial joy. This caused some degreeof hilarity among onlookers, as it took Tim a moment to realize Renatus had actually been using the stick to ease his walking, and

it was duly returned to the finder, albeit on short loan.

<

Inside the original Sannerz house: Elizabeth Bohlken Zumpe, KarolaFriedemann Kluver, Stefan Friedemann, Lie Priest Arnold, Phil Ellison, Brenda

Reber Hasenberg - Ben Cavanna





That night's supper was followed by a game of volleyball, led by the Fros family.Others struggled to find lost skills, but Stephan Friedemann and Anthony Lord wereimpressive, as was Jonathan Mathis, a beginner with a lot of talent. Even Lee Kleissoined in, in her wheelchair, for a few moments. As we played, another group gathered

wood for our campfire nearby, which we all joined as night fell. Simultaneously,thunder and lightning split the sky, but the storm broke without wetting us and settledacross the valley to enhance the night sky for hours. The evening was magic, but wasalso the last of the full group, and some like Linda and Gordon Jackson had alreadyslipped away that morning, although not without the full blaze of thanks for her distribution of KIT newsletters throughout the year. Gradually folk left the warmth othe campfire for their beds, the last not until the early hours when, just as they lockedup and dispersed to their beds, the heavens opened in a deluge! Good timing or what?

The next morning, Gudrun and Isolde took Lee Kleiss to Frankfurt Airport at 6.00A.M. Good-byes continued throughout the morning, but time was still found for a

woodland walk that gave the participants a huge soaking. But it was fun. After lunch,the bus took many of those left to Fulda, for a bit of sightseeing and shopping. Asusual, we got lost returning, but mostly enjoyed the process! Another hike up theMilseberg after supper worked off a little of the good food we had enjoyed. On theway down, Bram Burger joined Ben, John, Hanna and me as we stopped off at ahalfway-down pub we had found. We enjoyed some dominoes and cards, another dimension of this varied and joyful break. It was hard to let the evening end, and I wasglad to find that a school group had lit the fire. Later some of us joined other youthhostellers around that fire for a lovely wind down to a superb long weekend. I would personally like to thank all those who found the venue, organized and administered,

drove and cared for, played for and played with, and shared. Ramon, it is anastonishingly beautiful thing you have set into motion. I am already looking forwardto EKIT 2002, and maybe KITUSA before that. With love and gratitude for suchfriendships and all.





Marlene Gelman Wegner and Rosie Sumner Johnson enjoy the view from theMilseburg - Ben Cavanna

Lagerfeuer with songs and lightning - Ben Cavanna

Susan Suleski Johnson, Jean Roering Hasenberg, Marlene Gelman Wegner - Ben





Cavanna

Continued in Section II

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