Contradictions

This week has been one of contemplation and reflection on a major question; What are you living for? This question has been one that has haunted me all week as I have observed life here in Finland and it has led me to discover a number of what I refer to as contradictions of life as seen from my perspective. Let me first of  all explain that my impression of Finnish culture is that it is very reserved and people rarely display emotions of any kind. There are not many displays of joy, sorrow, disappointment, frustration or anything. People are generally quiet and polite as opposed to loud mouthed Americans like myself. In fact from the coaching side that has been one of my greatest struggles is to get our players with the Butchers to communicate and make calls on defense. I ask them to call out strength calls, pass routes, ball calls and other common calls that will help us become a more coherent unit and I have to constantly implore them to be loud. I have communicated that I know it is against their base instincts but that they are playing an American game and so they have to be a bit more like Americans, loud and obnoxious when playing this crazy sport.

These reserved Finns however come out of their shells with alcohol on the weekends and it is a radical transformation. People of few words suddenly will spill their guts out to you and talk incessantly. After our victory last Friday night against Lappeenranta 31-21, I went out with some of our players to Wilhelm, a riverfront cafe and bar and met some locals who recognized me from the newspaper. I had a great time talking with them and getting their impressions of the Butchers, Finland, the United States and many other topics. Later we moved to a club called Amarillo where more of our players were at. As usual at clubs like this the venue was loud, people were drinking heavily and Finns suddenly became gregarious. This contradictory personality shift is a common theme that we Americans have discussed often. While the evening was enjoyable in one sense it was also a disconcerting time. Since my ride home left me at some point, I walked home and had an opportunity to reflect upon the emptiness of the bar scene that I left.
A few days later I ate at Seireeni, a very nice restaurant that sponsors us and where we get a meal every day during the week. Since I am there almost every day I have begun to get to know the wait staff a bit and I asked one of them, who I knew had the weekend off,  "how was your weekend?"
She replied "great!"
My curiosity was aroused by this very positive response so I asked "what made it so great?" to which she answered "lots of drinking!"
Once again I was struck by this perspective that life is about making it to the weekend and then getting as drunk as possible. This seems so empty, not to mention expensive as a beer at a pub costs about 5 Euros or $7. So I began to reflect on what is there that people live for here. This reflection really hit home when our junior team was impacted by the death of one of their friends and a former player on the team. The young man had disappeared about a month ago after disturbing phone calls to friends and family which were cries for help. His body was discovered this week in the Porvoo river. He had apparently become disenchanted with life and committed suicide. He had found no reason to continue living.  I realize that this same situation exists around the world and is common as well in the U.S. but it seems more acute here as we in the U.S. will often fulfill our lives through our work or careers whereas work here is a means to provide a lifestyle. In the U.S. we also have many more people searching for meaning to life whereas here in Europe secularization is so deeply rooted that that question is not even considered anymore. Life just is, it is as if the question is a moot one here because life is about existing as comfortably as possible and meaning is irrelevant.

From a faith perspective this brings up another strong contradiction that I have observed here and that is the role of the church. In Finland 92% of people are Lutheran and belong to the church. While this may sound like an impressive figure it is a pure statistical anomaly. As I have been told repeatedly, people are members of the church but do not attend. I responded to one friend who told me this by saying "oh, I get it so they go twice a year, Christmas and Easter, we have many people at home who do that as well." He laughed and said "not quite, they go maybe two or three times in their lifetime."
The purpose of joining the church in Finland is so that your children can be Christened and you can get married and buried in the church. In fact if you are a member of a church in Finland you pay taxes to belong. Part of your income is taxed and given to the church. Not exactly a marketing tool that would go over well in the U.S. for church growth. I have gone to an International church in Helsinki and one of the pastors of this congregation of about 30-40 people told me that during the war years here people's faith really blossomed as they called out to God for help and he answered. However as the affluence of the country continued to grow, people didn't seem to see a need for God and began to take credit for the blessings in the country.  As a result, he felt that people have forgotten the God who rescued them and answered their prayers when they were oppressed. He was saddened by this as he has lived through the changes and yet he is hopeful that God could still reach his people in someway.

This contradiction of a Lutheran church supported by the Finnish government where people belong but don't attend as religion is a private affair is startling. Especially since Luther's reforms were in part about allowing people to reconnect to the church in a more organic way and establish a community of believers rather than a bureaucratic organization. There are beautiful cathedrals here that people take pictures of and worship the architecture while they are almost empty of true worshipers inside.
Another major contradiction that amazes me is with our players who work so hard to train and play football at the highest levels in Europe but then continue to smoke. This is 2010 and I am constantly amazed that people who are concerned with their health and fitness will continue to smoke after working that hard when they know that the action will cause harm to themselves and those around them. It's not just our players either it is all kinds of people who come off the practice field after playing field hockey, soccer, or bandy and then light up. I have to admit that our players don't do that. But I hope that they will come to the realization that it is not enhancing their performance.
All of this pondering has also caused me to look at the contradictions of my life as well as I am acutely aware of my many shortcomings and  inconsistencies. Sometimes it is when we get out of our comfort zones that we can see more clearly our own idiosyncrasies and failings. My hope is that I can begin to answer the question "what am I living for?" more clearly.  Jesus stated that  he came to bring life abundantly and it is my hope that my life will reflect that abundance and that I can experience his fulfillment. I see these contradictions not in a condemning spirit as I recognize my own need for a contrite heart. As George Buttrick wrote,

"contrition is not easy work: it is surgery, it is not an end in itself: the wise prayer of confession always leads to an acceptance of God's pardon . . .God does not wish us to remember, except as a reminder of our dependence, for he is willing to forget anything." From Devotional Classics. pp101-102.

This week I look forward to seeing beyond contradictions and  to bring hope to friends who could use it as one blind beggar telling another where to get food. I also look forward to our game against the Jyvaskyla Jaguars as it poses another contradiction: a renewed Northwest Conference rivalry here in Finland as they have three players from Willamette University on their team. So here's to an old Whitworth Pirate overcoming some former Bearcats in Finland, who would have imagined?

Transitions

This past week has been a period of transitions.Not subtle or gradual but sudden monumental shifts that leave you wondering, did that just happen? The first major transition that occurred her in Porvoo was the change from winter to summer. Yes that's right,  forget spring, that is a waste of time here in Finland, lets just get to the point and go straight into summer, after all it was a long hard winter. On Tuesday of last week the high temperature was 4 degrees Celsius or about 40 F  with wind that was bone chilling. At practice we were layered up with gloves, stocking hats and all the clothes we could wear. The trees showed no sign of life, not a green leaf to be seen. No flower dared poke its head out of the ground. But within two days, boom, the temperature had risen to 26 C the trees all greened and leaves suddenly appeared and flowers were everywhere. By our game on Saturday the heat was sweltering at 29 C and we were baking under the sun's heat on the field turf.  The change was amazing. It was as if the world awoke from a slumber and decided it was time to go and run a marathon. The world went from black and white to blu-ray technology in one fell swoop! The pictures below are from our balcony on Tuesday May 11th and Thursday May 13th!

The weather has not been the only major transition however. While the warmer temperatures brought added color and renewed energy to the city our game last week did just the opposite. Going into the Eurobowl game against Berlin Adler we had an incredible amount of hope, optimism and energy at practices. The possibility of being the Eurobowl champions was an euphoric sensation that has driven this team for over a year. Unfortunately, the way the Eurobowl tournament is set up we ended up playing Berlin in our opening game of the season as we had a bye into the quarterfinals after being seeded 4th after last season in Europe. Berlin came into the game having already played three games against quality opponents as they had already defeated the Czech and Swedish national champions as well as  the champions from their southern division in their German league opener. The experience showed as we made many first game errors and they were clicking on all cylinders. They were a good team and played much better than we did on the day.

The devastation for our team was enormous and once again in a matter of a few hours our spirits sank from an optimistic peak to a depression rarely felt. For many of our players after one game into the season they felt like everything had been lost. The season for them was over. They have won five straight national championships and so for many the motivation is lacking towards another national championship run. It is hard to imagine but we found ourselves at a crossroads after one game. At practice on Monday we had the lowest turnout of the year and I began to wonder whether we could restore the motivation. As this week has gone on we have slowly come back together, bruised egos have been healing and a renewed sense of mission has been evolving each day. We have our first league game on Friday night and have quite a few nagging injuries that will hinder us, but I am hopeful that we have adjusted to the transition and that this group of men who have faced adversity many times will again rise to the challenge and move forward.

My personal transition period also came this week in that as I was doing my devotional I was was again reminded that I am nothing apart from my devotion to God. I realized that I had also pinned many of my hopes on the Eurobowl game, thinking that maybe if I could win a European Championship that someone back home may care, be impressed and that it may open more opportunities for employment. I realized that hopes in anything other than God is wasted and that I am here not to win a European Championship but to mold men and live the life of Christ in a tangible servant leadership fashion. Anything else becomes self serving and a distraction. I have to focus on loving these guys where they are and helping them deal with the disappointment of our failed hopes in a positive manner and adjust to the changing landscape of abrupt transitions with as much grace as possible.  That is difficult when the transitions and changes in my own kids lives become apparent as well and they suffer from my absence and homesickness creeps in. And yet there is peace in my heart that God has brought me here to do a work with the limited set of skills and talents I have and my focus must remain there, my hope in God alone!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkGSmpd1e90

Suomi Traditions

Last week I was able to experience some Finnish traditions and they were fascinating for me being from a very different culture and so I had many questions and observations. Fortunately I had some great guides to help me through the traditions and answer my questions. Thanks go out to Ari, Linda, Simo and Pasi in particular for their patience in trying to explain to me what was going on. As a disclaimer, any misconceptions are not due to their information but to my feeble attempts to understand these experiences. So let's get to the adventures!!

Finnish Sauna's:
Last week I introduced a new tradition for the Butchers in that we had our first family night. One of our players, Marko Luoma graciously opened up his families lake place for the event. Many of our players, their wives or significant others and kids showed up for a feast of Finnish fare. I decided to add a different touch and brought some Hawaiian shoyu chicken with sticky rice and macaroni salad, which went over very well I might add. (Thanks Mitch for the recipe years ago, it has served me well.) Marko then made pancakes for everyone from Pasi's moms batter on a round pan that is used in camping settings over a wood fire. They were excellent and I had never seen anything like it.

It was a great evening and I was amazed at how many future Butchers were on the way! God has blessed the team with many moms to be. Proof that it was one of the hardest and snowiest winters on record in Finland I guess! Throughout the evening I was repeatedly asked if I was going to take a sauna, which I shrugged off with a  half-hearted  "we'll see."

I will get to my apprehension in a moment, but first I must explain that I have been repeatedly questioned on whether I have ever had a sauna before, which I always answer with a yes and then get the inevitable response "a real sauna?" They then explain that it is only a real sauna if you put water on the rocks that are heated. I assure them that I have had those types of sauna's many times which amazes them somehow.
I guess in the Pacific Northwest we must have some Finnish immigrants who established saunas where we put water on the rocks, I never knew it was so rare or such a source of national pride here. In our house here we do not have a sauna which, when people find out is met with dismay. It is almost as if we told them there is no indoor plumbing. To put it simply, saunas are serious business here and more than just a part of life they are an art form. There are whole aisles in the stores that carry sauna accessories.

Now as for my apprehensions, many years ago I have a recollection of watching the Winter Olympic Games  on TV where there was one of those travelogues during the coverage about saunas and the training methods of the Finnish athletes. Why would I remember that? Because they emphasized that the Finns participate in Saunas au natural. As Americans we have an aversion to being naked with other people. We struggle with European women going topless on beaches. I remember when I was playing and coaching in England when I discovered that the English don't have showers in locker rooms they have huge tubs where they all jump in and bath together. It was more than I could take (and the other Americans as well) and I never could hop in with all of the other players on the team in a communal tubby! I knew where some of them had been and hanging out naked with a bunch of guys is just not something we do in the good old USA.


As I was contemplating this sauna invite all night I kept thinking that no one told me to bring shorts in case of going into the sauna which heightened my apprehensions and began to affirm that this was a naked endeavor. At that point my heart was racing as in the Olympic video they showed  men and women in the sauna together. The stakes were raised with these thoughts and I began to wonder who is going into the sauna? As people slowly left my heart rate slowed a bit after realizing that all of the females were leaving and everyone wished me a great time in the sauna. With that hurdle overcome I then had to deal with the fact that I was still going into this sauna with other guys in the buff, no shorts, no towels just the democratizing factor of our skin. I tried not to let my apprehension show but I have to admit it was an uncomfortable feeling. I also have to admit that my fears were unfounded and I got over the strangeness of the experience. In fact for my first Finnish sauna it could not have been more perfect. The sauna itself was an old outbuilding on the edge of a lake powered by a wood stove with a dock going out onto the lake in front. After dumping three buckets of water on the rocks we had to retreat out to the dock where we were greeted by a quickly rising full moon on the horizon. The solitude and beauty were incredible and the chill of the air was a welcome respite to the heat of the sauna.

We went back into the sauna numerous times (note: a Finnish sauna is not a quick affair but an experience to be savored) and I felt refreshed and exhilarated. Yes, despite my apprehensions a Finnish sauna is as good as advertised especially in this lovely setting. A tradition not to be missed.

Vappua:
Last week also happened to be the national holiday Vappu which is officially labor day but is much more than that. It is celebrated on May 1st and hence also incorporates some traditional May Day flavor. In Suomi though this is also a day that celebrates graduation from higher education. Those who have graduated from high school (which is actually closer to our junior college level) wear their caps which sort of look like sailor caps and University graduates wear coveralls that symbolize their area of study and have patches that they sew on that display various large parties that they have attended.

In addition many other people wear funny hats and dress up in costumes for the occasion. Kids get mylar balloons that are everywhere. In addition there are concerts in parks and much consumption of alcohol. It is an interesting mix of sights and sounds of celebration that is difficult to describe to Americans.The night before Vappu our team had a promotion at a night club to promote the Eurobowl game. I went down to provide support to our players who were participating in the promotion and to see what the event was like. While bar scenes are very similar in every culture I had a couple of opportunities that night to have great conversations with some of our players about faith as they had questions for me which was fantastic. God not only works in strange ways but sometimes in strange places!

The next day I had the great fortune to go with friends to Helsinki and see Vappu there. It was a brisk day but very beautiful. We took the Metro in to downtown and walked around to many of the tourist areas of the city.

It was absolutely amazing to see all of the people out and about in celebration and something I will never forget. Helsinki is a wonderful city as well and I look forward to exploring it again. All in all it was a great week to celebrate Finnish traditions and I learned an amazing amount about this country through the experiences. Next week we start our season. Go Butchers!!