Zhang Danhong had wanted to in the beginning of the 1990s, not a Military chaplain to marry, she would have never known what it meant as the insult you for some of the German institutions.
At the beginning of the 1990s – there was something? True! Since the famous Cold war was just beginning to end. But the cold warehouse existed thinking in the minds of people for quite a while. Since the neighbor of my friend in the robe, a love worthy Major, who would later be our best man asked if I could be a spy for the Communist party of China.
When I heard this, I felt offended me a little. Not of this suspicion, but the implied doubt of my intelligence. I would have brought an order from China, I would have done anything to fishing to give me a General, or at least a Colonel. What is a Military chaplain to secret information? Apparently not enough – because my spiritual friend had, after all, the safety level three. After the announcement of our marriage intention, he was stepped down to zero! I never would have thought that a minor Chinese woman as I would be for the Federal Republic of Germany from the message of the service relevance! How flattering!
My friend has taken the decision to his Lord and master with a sense of Humor. Marriage is something Serious but still in the way: a priest, a confession does not come loose as the wife in question. Although the Protestant pastor have it generally better than their Catholic counterparts and do not need to declare your partner as a housekeeper. However, had to be taken in our specific case, a decision: baptism prior to the marriage. As I stood actually next to a baptismal font in a in düsseldorf, Church and in the ranks of the officers and soldiers to me, looked, crept something discomfort: Cheat I just, God, if there is one? Because I was here willing to let me in front of all the eyes of my husband-to-be wet, it was solely due to the fact that without this step, no further could lead to the registry office. For me the belief thing is very simple: you Grow so, if you believe in it; it thrives without God, he remains just irrelevant. Exceptions confirm the rule.
In my case, I was able to stand next to the baptismal font
God stood by us but somewhere to the side?
However, after marriage, I was disabused. This had mainly to do with the driving style of my husband’s. Because behind the wheel, he was no longer Minister to the gentle, but a Would-be Michael Schumacher. My heart slipped for me in the beginning always in the trousers if I was sitting in the passenger seat. To said until eventually, a well-Known to me: “Your husband’s going with God’s confidence.” The said the matter of course, and calmed me immensely.
Before our Church Wedding, something that instilled in me more awe-inspiring happened. Since we received a mysterious donation in the amount of his monthly income. Using the Bank we were able to exclude the possibility that it was a Mistake of the employer or a gift of the tax office. “This must be a gift from God,” I said and surprised myself.
When my parents ask me what their son-in-law, because professional so do, I answered spontaneously: “He is a kind of party Secretary in the people’s liberation army.” The sound is good, so they were satisfied. At a closer Reflection, I actually found the Parallels between the two groups. During the party provides a Secretary for the party faithful in the army, a must-try, the Military chaplain, the Bundeswehr soldiers believe moderately hold the rod. He performs weddings, baptizes babies of the soldiers, holding worship services, organized the so-called set-up times for the families, which I loved the most. It was mostly a whole weekend in an idyllic place with hearty food, plenty of alcohol, hikes, SKAT night, etc. The only Religious in the brief devotion on Sunday morning. I learned of the Soldiers ‘ wives, the Binding of advent wreaths and the soldiers of the pithy sayings in the game of SKAT.
Military chaplaincy: with God’s blessing on the way
Bundeswehr – a world
Of course, a Military chaplain is not only to the common pleasure, but also for the emotional balance of the soldiers there. At first I did not understand, why almost only young men turned with grief to him. After a thorough study of the history of masculinity in Europe, I’ve learned that men of the old school, based on the hegemonic masculinity model, according to the Indians, not in pain, to know and not show weakness. Only after the 1968 student movement, the polymorphic masculinity has replaced this old model. Today, men are allowed to be justifiably soft eggs. I remember a soldier who fell into a deep depression, because he had to get up to his view, too early. As a recipe, I would have prescribed to him like that, “a month in a Chinese barracks”.
My trip to the Church and the armed forces lasted for two years. Then I cancelled the membership again. Not because the Church tax was too much, but because I could not reconcile it with the time with my Conscience but. As a pastor’s wife does not believe in God? The could and I was allowed to tell anyone. And anyway, I had come to Germany to enjoy full personal freedoms and not to assume a role, not the role of the parson’s wife. So even the exit from the marriage was followed by the exit from the Church. I think back but at this time, to the exciting conversations with officers and soldiers. In the case of some I’ve sparked the interest in China. If I’ve brought a Mission, then perhaps the international understanding.
Zhang Danhong was born in Beijing and lives since 30 years in Germany. In the series “English is not a bed of roses” is, she writes once a week about your first contacts with the German language and their Integration in Germany.