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History of the Bamberg Hospitality House
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(first sections--written by Paul Metco)
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In May 1975, Paul and Beryl Metko and their three children, Laura, Lisa and John, attended the NAE (National Association of Evangelicals) Bible and Missionary Conference in Berchtesgaden, West Germany. At that time, this was the largest Bible Conference in Germany supported and sponsored by NAE Chaplains from all over Europe. While there, the Metkos had their first contact with Chaplain (CPT) Sam Sanford, the Assistant Brigade Chaplain for Bamberg’s I Armored Division, 3rd Brigade.
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The Metkos had arrived in Kaiserslautern in February to be assistant directors of the only OCSC Hospitality House in West Germany. In July, they received a call from Interim OCSC Director and Co-Founder, C.P. Tarkington who was filling in for Dick Patty who was recovering from cancer surgery. We were informed that after much discussion at the board level, that we were to be asked to consider opening the next hospitality house in Germany – which would become just the 5th OCSC ministry in Europe, the other three being in Spain and Greece.
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The Metkos had originally gone to Europe to a fully supported and supplied hospitality house. Now we were being asked to open a new ministry—definitely a step of faith for the young missionaries who had no work fund, no car or furniture!
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As we discussed the possibility, we began considering what military community to focus on as there were numerous communities with military populations of 5000 plus (that was an initial consideration for the expansion years of OCSC in Germany). It was at that time that we began to recall some of the chaplains we had met at the NAE Conference – Chaplain Bill Clark in Schweinfurt, Chaplain Dave Bobbey –Bad Kissingen, Chaplain Nick Bell – Herzoaugaurach (Sp) near Nurnberg, and Chaplains Lanny Fly and Sam Sanford – Bamberg. We made phone calls and set up meetings in early August. One of the fluent German speaking officers, Bob Iverson, from the K-town HH drove Paul into the above mentioned Bavarian communities. We were warmly welcomed by CHs Clark and Sanford. The other chaplains were not available, but encouraging meetings were held in Schweinfurt, Bamberg and Nurnberg. Over the next 10 days or so, it seemed that Bamberg would be the likely place. (OCSC founders, Jesse and Nettie Miller who were serving in Athens had indicated at some point that they were attracted to Schweinfurt – thus discernment for the young missionaries was "do not interfere with the plans of the founder."
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To our surprise, it was Chaplain Sanford who called back about the third week of August indicating that he had found a suitable/affordable house in a little community just east of Bamberg. Could we come back and take a look? So another trip was planned.
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Toward the end of August, Paul and two men from K-town traveled to Bamberg for their meetings with Lanny and Sam. A meeting had been set up with Herr Krieg, the owner of a five bedroom 2 ½ bath house in neighboring Schesslitz. We knew so little about “Miet Vertrags” and Kautions. (Rental contracts and security deposits). Herr Krieg’s house was only two years old and the previous American renters had departed owing Herr Krieg DM2000 (about $900). Through broken German, Herr Krieg agreed to rent the house to us. We do not recall having to pay the security deposit. Rent was to be DM 600 per month. This was the first step of faith as the Metko’s had no work account built up. It was agreed that we would take possession the first week of October.
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The Lord would use the K-town ministry to host a kitchen shower for the new house. Another Air Force Staff Sergeant, Ray McDonald, sold us his VW squareback (American spec’d – which we did not understand until we were moved to Bamberg).
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On Monday, Sept. 29, we completed our move to Schesslitz, our house address, Friedhof Weg 2 (Cemetery Way). At times when the ministry had some struggling moments, Paul would jokingly say that “we live on a dead end street."
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Little did we realize how true to their words (Chaplains Fly and Sanford) would be. In inviting us they promised to give us every exposure possible for the remainder of their two years. If we need assistance in transporting soldiers, they would help – and they did!
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Getting money from Americans’ checks that began to be given was difficult. The earlier checks were taking up to three weeks to process. Dear Herr Krieg had paid in good faith, our first oil bill. How embarrassing to tell him that the checks deposited in our German account were being delayed. (This experience would be relived many times over the next 16 years of our time in Germany)
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God’s faithfulness was being evidence over and over again, in the provision of tables and chairs, the earlier furnishings (beds for our kids, ourselves, the kitchen cabinets, and the oak framed living room couch and chairs – which are still being used in 2010!) The story of getting the VW changed over to German specs is a story in itself – something that took nearly two months – which meant that Paul and Beryl and kids had to use the public transportation to get into chapel, PWOC, shopping which was 12 – 14 km away.
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We had no core group to begin with. But, as we were introduced in the chapel services, invited to share in the weekly new comer’s briefings, slowly, the first group of people began to come on Friday evenings and Sunday PM dinners. Our first gathering and prayer of dedication took place Friday, Oct. 24, 1975. By Thanksgiving, we were expecting nearly 50 people in our (what would be considered small) living room/dining room. Beryl prepared with the help of some wives our dinner using her little German stove.
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(Our kids need to be mentioned here. We believed strongly from the beginning that our ministry would be a family ministry. We saw them as an asset. The Lord used them to enhance our faith. As we began to settle in in October, they were enrolled in the local German schools in Schesslitz. After several weeks, they questioned, “Where are the soldiers? Why aren’t they coming to our house like in K’town.” We assured them that the soldiers will begin to come. (It would take through the end of the year to begin seeing a small core group. Many of the soldiers were infantry and artillery men. Some were still working on their GED’s. Once in a while we would have someone who had a year or two of college.
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Spiritual Warfare – I cannot go into the details for the purpose of this history, but by early 1976, we sensed a disturbing spirit in our house during Bible study nights. Questions, totally unrelated to the topic would surface weekly. Then, we met, Jeff, who we learned in a very face to face encounter, had sworn by a blood oath to be a follower of Satan. Jeff agreed to let several of us pray for his deliverance from this bondage while those gathered on that Friday night prayed in the living room. Jeff renounced his bondage and received Christ. After the study, several of us went through every room in the house and asked God’s cleansing and blessing. The change was unbelievable as greater attention began to be evidenced.
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We began to see a new group of people begin to attend by the Spring of 1976. This was our first real core group. An active mature advisory board had been developed. There was a unique spirit of unity that took place between the chaplains, the leaders of the Gospel Service, the YWAM Coffee House and the beginning of the COG Christian Servicemen’s Center and an off post Baptist church. (In all our years of ministry with OCSC/Cadence, we’ve not seen such a unified and supportive spirit in any military community!!!).
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The Lord allowed the ministry to grow and be self supporting as we still had very little funds in our work account. We did begin to see growth in our support as a few new supporters were added from the USA. Unique in our own walk was the surprise letter from a church in Ohio that had promised two years prior to pray for us. They indicated on an April 1976 day, it was one of those down days, that they had been reading our letters and had been praying and were now at a place they could begin supporting us!
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Room nor time at this point can tell of how the Lord provided the first two vans in the summer of 1976 and then late summer 1977.
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By 1977, we were bursting at the seams. Through our daughters’ tutor, Frau Stemmler who lived in Schesslitz, we learned that her brother had a large house on Neumarkt Strasse 23 on the west side of Schesslitz. The house had become vacant. And, so, we moved Oct. 1. We did not see how we could pay the deposit and new rent, but we involved the people of the hospitality house in prayer on the grounds of the new house. Once again, more than enough was in our account when we moved in. The same would be true next June when we had the opportunity to move into the big house on Poedeldorfer strasse 84, just about three blocks away from the MP Gate on Warner Barracks.
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(An added blessing to the Metko family in 1976, was a short visit by Beryl’s mother, Claudia Boles. It quickly became evident that we would love having her live with us, so after a short return to the USA and her stay with Dick and Margaret Patty, and a full physical, it was determined that Oma Great, would become a permanent member of our family. She returned later in 1976 and remained with us until our furlough in 1980. She added a rich dimension to our ministry. She had a study with several NCO wives – three who were Panamanian – and one whom she corresponded with until her death in 2003. The role she would have with many soldiers is immense. A piece of cardboard which she prayed from had nearly 275 names of soldiers, then later their wives and children!!!)
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By late 1977, Tim Abbott came to minister to us as a single man. He was a wonderful asset. His folks came to visit and helped in painting bunk beds and other projects in 1978. The Metkos planned a summer furlough in 1978. Just 16 days before departure, we made the big move into Bamberg. (It was the decision to rent this house that was a most significant growth in faith that Paul has used time and again in our ministry to younger couples looking at what seems to be overwhelming odds.) Tim’s cousin, Melody – a recent graduate from Multnomah – was approved by OCSC to come out for the summer with the hope of developing ministry to single women. A surprise gift from one our new Advisory Board members, Lt. Forest and Mary Jane Lane - $1500 – was what was needed to cover three months of rent for the last house in Schesslitz as our landlord would not release us from the last three months of our contract. Thank you Lord!
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That summer, Geoff and Susan Parr from Dallas Seminary filled in for the Metkos. And, the last month was covered by recently arrived in Germany – Jesse and Nettie Miller.
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One of the most difficult moves we had in Germany (we had 10 of them in 16 years) was the move within the large house on Poedeldorfer Strasse. After one year in the house, our landlord was transferred from Wurzburg back to Bamberg. He agreed for us to move the HH from the first floor to the 2nd floor, and our family from the 2nd floor to the third floor apartments. That was a time when we had 14 people living in the house during a particular six month period – our family, another new OCSC family of four who were with us for about four months while they were seeking to establish a ministry in Ludwigsburg. We had Beryl’s mom, the single worker, and three soldiers. The house basically was operating from 4:30AM to 1AM during the week!
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From the fall of 1978 to June 1980, the Hospitality House thrived, but not without various challenges. Due to misunderstandings, our Post passes were revoked, even though our advisory board appealed to the Catholic Community Chaplain. People stepped up and continued to invite their friends to the house – officers and enlisted. God provided financially for us. More and more people were signing up for our Beatenberg Conferences. Paul began the first of many bike retreats that he and later their son John would lead for hospitality houses and Malachi youth groups.. We looked for ways to involve our folks in missions in Germany as well as having them sending scripture packets from post offices from around Europe into Moscow.
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Seeing a need for Beryl to have surgery in 1980, Walt and Delcy Davenport and their three children were nearly ready for their first assignment. The Davenports arrived in Bamberg the last May and had a three week turnover with the Metkos, who also took time to go to the NAE Conference.
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The Davenports would serve in Bamberg for about 3 years. Their kids were also German schooled. They were followed by Alex and Denise Ghioni and their three boys. After a couple of years, it was evident that German schooling was not working well for them. They would move to Kirchgoens and open a ministry there where they could have an American teacher.
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I believe at this time - 1985, the Kohls came in for a short term, then were appointed long term and stayed until 1988. For about six months, there were a series of short termers including two soldiers, Grover and Nancy Devault. Finally, Dave and Robin Wisner and their son arrived in 1989 and stayed almost until the next permanent directors, Danny and Kathryn Perez, in 1992 (~6mo underlap). It would be during the Perez’ ministry in Bamberg that they sensed the need to move the hospitality house. In November, 1992 they began renting the home on Bahnstrasse 8 in the village of Pettstadt, about 12 km south of Bamberg.
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(following written by Matt Huisjen)
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Oct (?), 1998
Danny & Kathryn Perez leave, Bill & Sylvia Sawyer interim
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Dec, 1998
Matt & Tina Huisjen & daughter Madeline (11mo) arrive as permanent staff. While in Bamberg we had four more kids (Jesse, Toby, Bridget, & Dustin).
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In 2003, Portland supporter Paul Martin filled in while Matt was deployed to Bosnia for six months as a Reserve Chaplain.
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Matt deployed again to Darmstadt for 12 months in 2006, and supporters from Colorado, Kevin & Kim Whelan and their two wonderful teenagers, Alex and Sam, led the ministry while Tina and the kids remained engaged in school and ministry. (Kim formerly Kim Castle had been one of Tina Huisjen’s high school teachers in Mannheim in the mid 80s).
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In November 2006 we moved within Pettstadt from Bahnstrasse 8 because our landlords wanted to live in it. We were thankful God provided a home in the same village since our kids were in the German school, etc. Our new address: Sonnenstrasse 7.
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In early 2012, long-term rumors of Post closure finally began materializing. In August, 2013, after 38 years, the Bamberg Hospitality House officially closed and the Huisjen family moved to Vilseck, Germany in order to open a new Cadence House. We took the treasured oak-framed couch and chairs to the new home—38 years old (at least) and still going strong—they’re wonderful and the cushions are perfects for kids to make forts with!
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