WFWP Austria sent us this report and photos about their recent joined Austrian-Slovakian Friendship Meeting along the Danube river. A report by Renate Amesbauer:
"Saturday, May 24th 2014 25 people met in Vienna at 7:00am to go together to Bratislava for an Austrian Slovakian Friendship- Exchange-Meeting (as has happened several times before). In the group already 14 nationalities where represented. Welcomed by WFWP Slovakia – friends and families we got on a boat to start a 1 ½ hr. trip to Devin Castle, a historic site. On our walk along the Danube river to the hill we passed by several and memorial places as this had been the path of the iron curtain until 1989. Again it became clear that for the younger generation that time is history while for most of the other the time of the Iron Curtain has been a part of their life! At the castle we learned more about the history of the country. At the restaurant- after appreciating a nice lunch- we shared reports about our countries activities. Austria: Dr. Maria Riehl talked about her visit to Kiew/Ukraine at the end of April, together with another sister Kasha Bauer, now living in Austria. She grew up in Poland, but her family originates in the Ukraine; so she still has relatives there. Together they talked to many people in the city, visiting the city centre with tents and memorial places for the “Heavenly Hundred” who had just recently lost their lives + attending the annual WFWP conference there. Secondly: Dr. Shantu Watt and Irmgard Mäntler shared about their attendance of the MEPI (Middle East Peace Initiative) a week ago. After a beautiful music presentation we learned about the activities of WFWP Slovakia, especially also about their progress to teach Free Teens program at schools. A presentation in memory of the 40th death anniversary of missionary and martyr M. Zivna, who died in Prison in the time of communism was given by her spiritual daughter Dorotha Simenkalova. After a very filled day we made our way home, by bus and train, which gave time for more talks and sharing."