Home Sweet Home in the Jailhouse

 First of all, before I go into the detailed explanation of the place where I live and the people I live with, I believe that an update on my suitcase is due. As of Thursday morning, my suitcase arrived at the base with everything in it. I am super happy to have it now, but I also learned a lot through the experience including packing another pair of socks next time I have just one backpack to survive on while waiting for a suitcase. I also want to thank the many, many people who were praying for my suitcase to get here. I can not tell you enough how much I appreciate it. The reason that I have not been able to tell you this important information until now is that just after my suitcase came on Thursday morning, the entire DTS staff and students left for a wilderness trip. I wish that cameras had been allowed so that I could show you the beautiful countryside of Norway, but that is something that you will just have to Google for now. As for the wilderness trip itself, it was a fun way to bond with everyone in the DTS and we all grew closer together as a team.
 Now for the real story; allow me to tell you about the place I live and the people I live with. The YWAM base in Skien was originally a jailhouse that was built in 1891 and before the YWAM redeemed it, the building served as a shopping mall and a night club. No worries though, many people have prayed in this place before this year.

                                                                        The Base

 

This is the first part of my room in the jailhouse. It is actually one of the bigger rooms here.

 

The second part

  This is the staircase that goes up to the second floor where I live and then the third where the bathrooms are.

The dinning hall

 

A good view of Skien

 

The harbor. I can walk two seconds from the base and see this.

 

The town hall is the white building. The street on the right side of the picture is the one where the jail is.

The main Norwegian State Church in Skien.

 

Okay, now that I've given you a small tour of the jail and city of Skien, let me introduce you to some of the people that live at the base. I wish I could introduce all of the people I have met so far to you and tell you there stories, but I am afraid that it would fill a book since there are at least one hundred people who are involved with the YWAM Skien base this year. Why so many, you might ask? Well, in addition to the DTS, there is a School of Evangelism that takes place here at the Skien base and an awesome dance ministry called Reboot. Most of the students for the School of Evangelism and the DTS live here at the jailhouse, along with the staff for both schools and the base, but there are some people that live off base too with their families or in apartments. Life at the base is great. At lunchtime, the basement dinning hall is packing with people and there is always someone to talk with. There is such amazing diversity and wholesome fellowship here. I could fill volumes with how great this place is, but as not to waste your bandwidth, I will simply say that I will only be able to introduce you to people on a basis of picture by picture. 

These beautiful girls are my roomates, minus one who abides in the neighboring cell. From left to right, it is Martine, Ase Marie, Tina (who is our neighbor), and Rebekka. They are all kind, generous, and extremely patient with me when I try to speak Norwegian.

 

From left to right this is Jussi, Knut, Christina, Philip, Martin, and Ashild. They are all my fellow DTS students and except for Jussi, who is Finish, they are all Norwegian. 

 

From left ot right it is Jannika, Hannah, and Andy. Jannika and Hannah are DTS leaders and Andy is a School of Evangalism leader.

 

A view of the Skien's town center.