Holding Space for Truths

A letter from Ryan and Alethia White, mission co-workers serving in Northern and Central Europe

Fall 2024

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Dear friends,

Nearly one year ago, our family arrived in the U.S. hoping we were properly prepared to spend an entire year in our “home country,” a place we had not lived in for a decade and where our daughters had little experience outside of summer holidays. It was an emotional departure from Berlin, although we were excited at the prospect of spending more time with our family and friends here in the States. It is a true thing that something can be both lovely and hard and we must make space in ourselves to hold both those truths at once.

Ryan passing through Washington DC on his way to Gettysburg, PA.

Practically speaking, I (Alethia) often felt like a stranger in a strange land as we navigated school set up for the first time in the U.S., buying a car for the year, and all the little etiquettes that make up a culture and a place. Continuing our regional liaison work from this time zone felt like working backwards from what we had been used to working from 6 hours ahead of the United States. Slowly we settled into a routine. We were happy to be able to participate in conferences and gatherings held here in the U.S. without the overseas flight to manage. Ryan traveled to Atlanta, GA for the Matthew 25 Summit and I flew 15 hours to Dubai in November to be part of the PC(USA) COP28 delegation, addressing climate change at the UN level. In January, I found myself again crossing the ocean to participate in a joint effort, People on the Move partner consultation in Rome. I thought a lot about how I appreciate the fact that living in Europe makes it easy to travel for meetings by train and often in the same time zone. It was a different perspective this past year, not by any means negative, often surprising, ultimately an experience I am thankful for.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal trail is one of many “rail trails” nationwide that continue to provide great transportation channels for cyclists and walkers.

Along with continuing the connection with our European partners during the year, we have also had time to connect with congregations through online conversations and in-person visits. For many years, we have tried to think about how we might approach itineration in more sustainable ways — sustainable for our family and the environment. We recognize the importance of traveling to be with local congregations in person, but also the environmental impact this has. When some opportunities to visit a few congregations in the Northeast developed, I (Ryan) decided to attempt traveling with my bicycle and by train.

At one visit following my sharing, I was asked where I found hope amid the immense issues discussed. I responded that we find hope in the conversations with our partners, hearing and seeing what they are doing to address the issues and challenges. For most, it is not a question of hope or not, but being compelled to respond to the issues in their context. On the ride to my next visit, I realized that the other place I find hope is in the conversations with local congregations, listening and learning how they are engaged in their local context. Since the foci and priorities of Matthew 25 are immense and sometimes seem impossible from a global level, at the local level, when congregations engage in these issues, it leads to collective change that can grow to have a great impact.

One of the highlights of visiting congregations is hearing about their local engagement. Colleen Snavely of Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church shows Ryan the community garden and explains their rainwater collection and solar panel systems.

The previous two paragraphs were taken from a piece Ryan wrote for Mission Matters. To read the full reflection on the itineration travels by bicycle and train and to view a short video, visit the Mission Matters website.

We return to Berlin in early August, again leaving one home for another. The question of home is one we return to often, not only in our personal lives, but as we work to support migration advocacy on behalf of our partners who do so much to try to welcome people who are also struggling with the concept of home. For our family, this year has been a year of first experiences, of reconnection with family, friends, U.S. culture and congregations whom we haven’t seen in some years due to pandemic travel restrictions. All in all, it has been a full year, as a year often is, and we look ahead now to returning to Berlin having grown in experience and perspective, to friends and colleagues there, and to a place both sweetly familiar and ever foreign. Living in the in between means we must make space for both those truths at once. 

We are always appreciative of the hospitality offered to us by congregations and opportunities to connect with hosts like Susan Conrad pictured here.

Thank you for journeying with us over the years and for your continued thoughts for our family this past year. We appreciate the prayers as we return to Berlin and for our partners who are engaged in meaningful and transforming work addressing issues of migration and the Matthew 25 foci. If you are interested in supporting this work financially, you can contribute to the Europe, General account (E864450). Your financial support of our position through the One Fund (E132192) is greatly appreciated and we thank you for your generosity.

Alethia and Ryan