Rushing Wind Ministries

Live outside of Czech? START HERE

2012-02-09T20:45:00.002+01:00

I want to express special thanks to all the people in the USA and elsewhere in the world who have encouraged us, prayed for the homeless, sent finances, and even sent blankets! It is a great testimony to the worldwide body of Christ when we cross geographic and racial boundaries to serve one another. What began as a small thing has turned into a big opportunity to show the love of Christ in prayer and action to the most needy people in the Czech Republic during the winter freeze.

Temperatures are expected to stay well below freezing through February 20. Over 300 people are reported as dead due to the cold in Europe in one week. However, experts estimate that the homeless are not being counted precisely so the number is much higher. The municipal government of Prague is being criticized for it's slow response in setting up tents to help the homeless because of a fear that homeless from across the Czech Republic and Europe would come here for warmth. It is true that homeless are coming to Prague to find warmth and so the needs here are even greater.

The Czech church is being mobilized to help out three organizations that are working with the homeless. The greatest thing that those who are outside of the Czech Republic can do are the following:

1) Pray for the Homeless

2) Mobilize others to pray for the homeless (in your churches)

3) Give financially through ReachGlobal (directions below)

4) Organize a financial collection (Sunday collection plates? At your workplace? Anywhere else?)

5) Get the American media to focus on the plight of the homeless in Europe (and in your own city!)

HOW TO GIVE:

1) Online: https://my.efca.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=359&des=PARTNERSHIP FUND-2500-5831

2) Check to: EFCA (c/o Donor Services) 901 East 78th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55420-1300 (write "Partnership Fund 2500-5831" in memo line)

Live in Czech? START HERE/Žiješ v ČR? Zační tady

2012-02-09T20:16:00.006+01:00

(Český text nasleduje anglický text)

As you may know, the "arctic freeze" temperatures that descended on the Czech Republic are expected to stay through February 20th. The most at risk group for this weather is the homeless. Dozens of them have gotten sick and died in the last week. The organizations working with homeless in Prague are overworked and in great need of help! ReachGlobal in Prague is working with the following three organizations to help the homeless: Salvation Army, The Hope shelter, and the St. Theresa shelter for homeless and refugees (more information on each organization and concrete needs can be found in other documents). We are helping in the following areas:

1) Mobilizing Prayer for the homeless during the winter freeze

2) Mobilizing clothing/blanket drives

3) FundRaising

4) Organizing volunteers where appropriate

Many churches, schools, and individuals are holding clothing/blanket drives and delivering items to the organizations we are working with.

WAYS FOR YOU TO JOIN IN

Join Facebook Group: Helping The Czech Homeless/Pomáháme Bezdomovcům v ČR

2) Know God? Pray for the Homeless

3) Attend church? Get your church to pray for the Homeless

4) Want to do more? Organize a clothing/blanket drive in your school/church/neighborhood

5) Have a car? Volunteer to pick up clothes from collection centers and get them to the homeless shelters

6) Have money? Give to one of the three organizations (details in other documents)

7) Have influence? (Answer: Everyone has influence when one believes in something.) Want to start a "movement of helping the homeless" in your dorm, city, denomination, organization?Go do it!

8) Got questions? Contact me on this page, email: thomas.becker@efca.org

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Možná víte, že teploty ještě klesnou a ten mraz má trvát až 20.2. Hrozí nejvíc Bezdomovce v Praze a jinde v České republice. Mnoho je už nemocné a i mrtvé. Organizace, které pracují s bezdomovce jsou zapracované a májí velké potřeby! ReachGlobal v Praze spolupracuje s třemí organizací: Armada Spásy, Naděje, a Azylový dům Sv. Terezie. (Víc informací na jiné dokumenty). Spolupracujeme v nasledujících způsobech:

1) Zmobilizovat modlitby pro bezdomovce během tohoto mrázu

2) Zmobilizovat sbírky zimních oblečení a deky

3) Sehnání finančních dárů

4) Zorganizovat dobrovolniky kde je to vhodné

Mnoho církvi, školy, a jednotlivci organizují sbírky oblečení a deky a vezou je na místě, kde organizace pomáhájí bezdomovcům.

JAK MUŽETE POMOCT

1) Máš Facebook? Pozví přatele, kamarády, a známé do tohoto Facebook skupiny: Helping The Czech Homeless/Pomáháme Bezdomovcům v ČR

2) Znáš Boha? Modlí se za bezdomovce

3) Chodíš do kostelu/sboru? Domluv se s vedoucím jak se můžete se modlit pro bezdomovce

4) Chceš dělát víc? Zorganizuj sbírku zimní oblečení a deky ve škole, církvi, anebo u sousedů

5) Máš auto? Domluv se s Tomem jak můžeš vyzvednout oblečeni a rozvezt je na místě kde je potřeba

6) Máš peníze? Daruj něco jednom z třech organizací (podrobnosti v jinéch dokumentéch)

7) Máš vliv? (odpověd: Každý má vlív kdy věří v něčem) Pomoz začit "hnutí pomáhání bezdomovců" ve tvých kolejich, městě, sboru, denominaci, anebo organizaci. Tak jdi do toho!

8) Máš otázku? Kontaktuj mi přes email: thomas.becker@efca.org

Organization 1) Salvation Army/Armáda Spásy

2012-02-09T20:12:00.004+01:00

(Český text nasleduje Anglický text)

The top focus of The Salvation Army in Prague and other cities in the Czech Republic is to house the homeless in their shelters. They have a capacity for 770 people but during this winter crisis, they are topping out at over 1,000. Because of the increased amount of homeless needing shelter from the cold, their top need is for finances. It is costing the Salvation Army an additional 100,000 Kc.($5,250 USD/4,000 EUR) per week to run their shelters at above capacity. They are a large and well run organization that is servicing the homeless well. Their biggest need is finances to keep their programs running in this time of crisis.

In Czech (and EU states), you can give directly to their bank account:

http://www.armadaspasy.cz/dynamicke_show.php?clanek=660

For those that want to give through the American organization ReachGlobal, see giving instructions here: http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html

For more information in Czech, http://www.armadaspasy.cz/

English Speakers can contact thomas.becker@efca.org. OR contact Salvation Army directly: fundraising@armadaspasy.cz

Use Facebook? "Like" their organization and share with others! http://www.facebook.com/ArmadaSpasy

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Armáda spásy je připravená v Praze a v jinéch městéch ubytovat bezdomovce. Májí kapacitu na 770 lidi ale slouží přes 1000. Kvůli tomu, že slouží víc lidi, mají finanční potřeby. V současné době, stojí týdně Armáda spásy 100,000 Kc. navíc.

Armáda Spásy májí vyborné webovou stránky a můžete se podívat ne ně tady: http://www.armadaspasy.cz/ Uvidíš všechny informace jak darovat přes bankovního učtu anebo přes SMSky na "Na Toto Chci Přispět" ale také koukej na to video se psem! Je to vyborné!

Máš Facebook? (ano, jinak bys nečetl ten članek ;-) ) Koukej na http://ww.facebook.com/ArmadaSpasy Klikni "to se mi libi" a sdilej dál.

Organization 2) Hope/Naděje

2012-02-09T20:08:00.002+01:00

(Český text nasleduje anglický text)

Nadeje is an NGO, founded on Christian principles that works with homeless, handicapped, and socially excluded (including Roma). Look at their English language web page here: http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/149

Their highest needs are:

1) Financial gifts

Information on giving through a bank account in the Czech Republic is here: http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/148

If you want to give through ReachGlobal, see here: http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html

2) Material goods: winter coats and clothes, blankets, shoes, men's underwear, and socks

If you are interested in organizing a clothing drive, you can arrange drop off at Nadeje's "clothes closet"

Husitská 70, 130 00 Praha 3

222 783 957, 775 868 862

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Naděje je občanské sdružení, založena na křesťanské principy. Zabývá práce s bezdomovci, handicapovani, a socialně vyloučeními (včetně Romů). Koukej na tu webovou stránu:

http://www.nadeje.cz

Největší potřeby jsou:

1) Finanční dáry. Můžete přispevit přes bankovního učtu:

http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/7

anebo přes SMSky

http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/75

2) Materialní pomoc: Zimní kabaty a oblečení, deky, boty, mužské spodní prádlo, a ponožky

Chceš zorganitovat sbírku na ty věci? Můžete se domluvit kdy přivezt věci u Šatníku Naděje

Husitská 70

130 00 Praha 3

222 783 957, 775 868 862

Organization 3) St. Theresa Homeless Shelter/Ayzlový Dům Sv. Terezie

2012-02-09T19:59:00.004+01:00

The Catholic charity runs this shelter for homeless, refugees, and other at risk people. They provide a wide array of services for their clients. During the cold snap, they are focused on helping homeless get shelter, food, and medical attention. They are in need of finances, food, toiletries, and winter clothes. The winter clothes that are most needed are shoes, winter coats, socks, and anything else that will keep a person warm.

Donations can be dropped off at:

Azylový dům Sv. Terezie

Pernerova 20

186 00 Praha 8-Karlín

224 813 413

pernerova@charita-adopce.cz

HOW TO GIVE:

1) By transfer to bank account: 749011/5500

2) Cash gifts at the shelter

For more information in Czech: http://praha.charita.cz/pomahejte/financni-dar/

If you want to give through the American organization ReachGlobal, see instructions here: http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html

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Katolická Caritas poskytuje pomoc pro klienty v nouzi jako bezdomovce, uprchlíky, a dalších. Během tohoto mrázu, pomáhájí bezdomovcům získat ubytování, jídlo,a lekařskou pomoc. Potřebují finance, jídlo, hygenické potřeby. a teplé, zimní oblečení jako boty, zimní bundy, ponožky, a cokoli jiné teplého.

Věci můžete nechat viz. adresa nahoře.

Tady je informace jak darovat finance přes banka anebo SMSky: http://praha.charita.cz/pomahejte/financni-dar/

Chcete dozvědět víc? Napíš email: thomas.becker@efca.org

Bglobal Studies students hear about Roma Situation in Czech Republic

2011-10-17T13:54:00.004+02:00

Ivan and Jana Beranek, our close partners in Roma ministry spoke with about 25 American business students who are in Prague with Bglobal Studies www.bglobalstudies.com. They spoke on how their faith is transforming society. In their respective jobs as an owner of a construction company and a school principal, both Ivan and Jana use their God-given gifts and abilities to make a difference in the world. Ivan hires other Roma and teaches them job skills and responsibility. Jana has received funds to bus Roma students to her school where they can get resources and a good quality education. Renee McLean and I also spoke about the situation of the Roma in the Czech Republic.

Recent outbreaks of violence and protesting against Roma in the Czech Republic have really highlighted the need to actively speak out about Christ’s plan for reconciliation. http://aktualne.centrum.cz/czechnews/clanek.phtml?id=713883

When Americans Join Czech Roma for a Work Project

2011-10-17T11:23:00.002+02:00

E Clark assembling furniture after the painting was finished
Pavel and Pastor Clarey (on right) assemble a children's stove

Vlasim Roma had a lot to say about Country Christian EFC’s own Pastor Clarey and E. Clark after spending several days working with them and getting to know them.

“It was great that they came to WORK side by side with us”

“They asked for specific prayer requests and WROTE THEM DOWN to bring to their congregation”

“They shared about their family, their church, and even their struggles.”

Among other opportunities, these two men were able to experience:

* Prague City Team Prayer Day

* CB pastor who wants to work with Roma

* “Preaching” outdoors at a picnic table during Roma Sunday service

* Watching PCT member C. Mobley teach English at Evangelical Theological Seminary

* Hearing the vision for Roma ministry in the Czech Republic

* Hearing how much people would love for them to keep in touch and come back again!

Life Priorities 2

2011-08-05T21:50:00.006+02:00

Running through a grain field today was a great way to clear my mind after a couple of busy days and a flu that went through our family like wildfire. Hearing birds and seeing blue sky gave me a chance to "come up for air" and gave me a fresh perspective. As I looked at the grain, I couldn't help but think of Jesus' words as recorded in John 9: 34-36

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together."

I have been reflecting about my life priorities. Therefore I have been thinking about how "scattered" my ministry has felt. In my last post I mentioned several high priority areas and promised that I would write more detail about them if people were interested. There seemed to be a lot of interest. But since then I have been even convicted to focus even more.

Jesus lived a life of focused priority. The Scriptures do not use these exact words...but he lived it by example. In this passage Jesus' "food" (reason for being) is to do God's will (follow HIS leading) and finish his work. This assumes that there is concrete work for him to do. Jesus shows how this work is clearly evident in the world. And this work leads to eternal life. What am I doing that leads to eternal fruit in others and in myself? What things am I doing that are NOT leading to eternal fruit? I am convinced that a large part of ministry MUST be focused on sharing Christ with individuals and teaching them all that Jesus taught. But in such a way that they do things that bear eternal fruit in others.

I have become aware of the danger to get very program oriented and focused on methodology in the church. The danger is that we lose focus on the individual and his particular needs. There is a danger of losing sight of what eternal fruit looks like because it is easy to quantify a program or an activity. But eternal fruit in an individual comes through something else-disciple making. Disciple making requires time, energy, and focus on an individual and his particular needs. Disciple making does not come so much from a book as from a life on life relationship that shares openly, suffers together, and cries out to God in brokenness together.

So this means that I must carve out much time to be involved with broken people (We are all broken.) Therefore I must be careful not to get over scheduled, over programmed, and over activity-ed. I must learn to hear God's voice and see who he has put in my path to live life with. Some of my greatest mentors have been people who spent time with me, believed in me, and proactively invited me into their lives. I want to do the same for others.

In the next post I will share why I am being drawn to one area of ministry that will become a much greater focus in the next several years.

Life Priorities 1

2011-07-13T07:46:00.005+02:00

Někdy je méně více--Sometimes less is more. This Czech phrase sums up a strong, recurring theme in my life and work. Since returning to Czech this term, I have been on a quest to cut distractions out of my work and personal life. I am trying to focus on those most important things in life and ministry. I want to do a few things well rather than a lot of things in a mediocre way. By nature, I am a specialist so my attempt at re-focusing is really a "return" to being true to myself. The question of why a specialist would become unfocused is material that could fill a dozen blog entries. I will likely tackle that later.

So, what exactly am I trying to focus on, you ask? Good question! I am a work in progress, thanks to God, but there are several areas that give me a compass for making decisions on what to do. The general areas that I have specific goals for 2011-2012 are the following:

Spiritual Health

Physical Health

Financial Health

Partnership Building

Professional Development

Prague City Team Ministry

Roma Ministry

Church Planting Ministry

Holistic Ministry

For each of these goal areas, I have an overarching objective and a number of concrete goals or projects. The ministry goal areas that I will devote the most time to in 2011-2012 are the following:

Partnership Building

Professional Development

Roma Ministry

Prague City Team Ministry

I won't bore you right now with further details of concrete goals/projects under each of these areas or about how they fit into the ReachGlobal grid of Key Result Areas. But I will flesh them out in another post if I get positive feedback. (Most feedback from this blog comes in the form of email. Keep them coming! I love the interaction.) In any case, you should see the realities of these goal areas played out in my regular communications. As always, questions, comments, or other interaction is most welcomed. And prayer is asked for!

Summer Camps!

2011-07-11T21:20:00.005+02:00

Aaah, the lazy days of summer are here! No school for the kids, a different rhythm of work, vacations, days off, ice cream, sunshine, and long bike rides all give refreshment to the body, mind, and soul. Another great thing about summer is summer camp. Memories of Indian Guide camp, Boy Scout camp, family camp, and family camping trips can still transport me back to childhood for just a moment. Now, as an adult who has organized and taken responsibility for camps, I see them in a different light...they are a LOT of work for someone (or a lot of someones). Missionaries with the Prague City Team and our national partners are involved in a lot of camps this summer. A quick rundown of the summer camp activities is as follows:

Children's day camp-RZ church July 11-15

Family Camp at RZ church plant July 17-23

Club Rachel Roma family camp July 23-30

Zizkov CB church camp July 30-Aug 6

Hope Praha English Camp Aug 20-27

As Prague City Team members and national partners organize and run these camps in order to share the love of Christ, please pray that they would follow the Lord's leading and bear much fruit. Please pray for Caleb, Renee, Mobleys, and Trcas. The Beckers will be at the Roma family camp and the Hope Praha English Camp.

A Missionary's Departure-Part 4: Arrival and Adjustment!

2011-04-20T09:25:00.002+02:00

In hindsight, my previous 3 posts were pretty depressing! Departure from the USA was quite difficult and the adjustment to being in Europe has been somewhat difficult. However, it has been with a strong sense of God's leading and calling and the adjustment has taken place quite quickly. So, now I would like to write about the best part of departure from the USA....arrival in the Czech Republic! Every good bye is a hello somewhere else and it has been a joy to re-connect with old friends and ministry partners and make new ones. On this first term as a full time missionary to the Roma I am able to use my time quite differently than before and it has been wonderful.

Where should I start? Club Rachel is the Roma ministry closest to my heart so I will start there. The best way to describe what is happening there is to say that structural conditions have changed in such a way that the Holy Spirit is free to work. Ivan and Jana have accepted the role of leadership in a church that has grown from a club for children to a place where the parents sit and hang around to an informal prayer/praise time to a church with three meetings per week and a lot of pastoral visits. The Becker family is definitely helping out but keeping the focus on the lay leaders of the church. (This is not hard to do because everyone loves the Beraneks and naturally follows them). Our role includes continued building up of the leadership within the church, seeking holistic ministry strategies (one of the prime concerns in unemployment among the Roma), and pastoral visits. There are a lot of joys and a lot of challenges in any church plant so please keep this little church in your prayers.

And God is working in other Roma churches in the Czech Republic. I have re-connected or connected anew with Roma Christian workers in Decin, Plzen, Brno, and here at home in Prague. In the next few months I will be visiting quite a few different Roma churches and talking with other ministry leaders. There are a lot of Roma Christians who are strong in their faith and want to expand God's kingdom among their own people. These people are the key to my job here as a missionary. As I work to develop, empower, and release these workers, their influence will be farther reaching than mine alone could be. For a Roma church movement to take root in Europe, it will take networking and partnering with other groups who are following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Two questions are occupying me greatly these days in regards to Roma ministry:

1) What is the best way to raise up Roma Christian ministry leaders?

and

2) What is the best way to do holistic ministry among a poor, marginalized people group that lives in the middle of an industrialized nation?

In the next months and years, I will be enjoying the challenge of finding answers to these questions.

It is good to be back!

A Missionary's Departure-Part 3: General Mayhem

2011-03-02T17:07:00.007+01:00

Just as I was about to post the last blog entry, my computer started acting very funny and some strange warnings started popping up. To make a long story short, I had a rootkit on my computer (a program that a hacker installs which allows him to access information on a computer without being detected). This is not what you want to see three days before moving overseas. I will admit that I am very dependent on my computer. In the midst of switching over phone plans, packing and taping boxes, returning library books, answering the phone and talking with well wishers, and a hundred other things that needed to happen before heading back to Europe, this was a very unpleasant surprise. Most of the data on my computer is safe...but it will take some time to "re-assemble" all the data. And in the meantime I am changing online passwords and watching for suspicious movement. One consequence has been that I did not continue my series on departure. Now I have a lot of writing material! Another consequence is that I am behind on email and other computer related projects (I told you I was dependent on my computer!)

But God is good and, all in all, our departure for the Czech Republic went well. The flights over were uneventful and we arrived at the airport in time. Thanks to our friends/colleagues we arrived home with all our belongings well ahead of schedule. Sometimes jetlag takes a long time to get over and sometimes it goes quickly. This was a "long time" jetlag for all of us. Nathanael was up for 3-4 hours for 4 nights. Mom and Dad split shifts with him. Therefore, I have gotten another virus...this time a physical one that is causing a very painful sore throat and 4 medicines being taken variously throughout the day. I guess when it rains, it pours.

During the first few days back, we used the opportunity of unpacking to do some spring cleaning. We are getting rid of a LOT of stuff at the Christian International School of Prague "garage sale" called March Madness. This has felt good to downsize a little bit at the start of our time here.

We are looking forward to going to Vlasim Roma church on Sunday and re-connecting with everyone there. I am also setting up calls and meetings with other ministry partners as we get used to life and ministry in the Czech Republic. Thank you for your prayers and support.

PS Good news on the visa front. I have successfully obtained a work permit and turned in all necessary paperwork for the work visa. Rarely do they accept all the paperwork and then deny the visa....but keep praying! We will go in on Tuesday to turn in the applications for the rest of the family which should be pretty straightforward.

A Missionary's Departure-Part 2: Visa Woes

2011-02-26T15:18:00.010+01:00

Wanted: One Work Visa. Will work long hours and pay a lot for a little sticker in my passport.

I sometimes wonder how many hours I have devoted to keeping one little sticker up to date in my passport. Since 1997 I have had to have this sticker in my passport and the passport with me at all times in the Czech Republic. Each member of my family has also needed this sticker. Children's passports are valid for only 5 years so we have had a number of new passports issued...but please send our old ones back! We need the sticker!

For almost a decade, the process of obtaining or renewing a work visa took some running around to offices but was not complicated. In our first few years, I actually obtained a student visa which was easy to get. Then my regular visits to the foreigner's police in Kutná Hora were very cordial with coffee, chat, and interaction outside of the office. Visa Renewal was always pleasant.

Then we stayed in the USA longer than a year and we lost our visa status. When we came back, the laws had changed (a common theme in this story) and we needed to apply for the visa at a Czech embassy outside the country. So we set off for Bratislava where we have family. The office there dealt with hundreds of requests per week and was neither efficient nor helpful. But that was just a warm-up for dealing with the authorities in Benešov county who didn't understand our job ("starting an American cult") nor our housing situation (renting a house we were trying to purchase) and actively set up as many roadblocks as possible for us.

Some less than fond memories of the dark period of visa renewals includes:

* having to stand in line in front of the embassy for over 2 hours in 20 degree, windy weather and then NOT get one of 12 tickets they issue at the door to receive applications. (Back again the next day at 6:00 AM and even colder weather-but got a ticket!)

* driving the 4 hour trip from Bratislava to Prague AND then back again because Dora's bank statement didn't have her middle name on it.

* hearing that the foreigner's police were looking for me and threatening to arrest our friends for "falsifying living accommodations" paperwork. That night our doorbell rang at 2:00 AM and I was positive I was on my way to jail. (No one was there. It could have been intimidation or it could have been a coincidental mistake)

* having a couple of bags packed and a plan to move to Bosnia because our visa was in process but the Schengen Laws only allowed us in the country 90 days and no more without the visa. An 11th hour decision by the Czech government allowed us (and many other ex-pats) to stay in the country until we had the visas in hand.

Now, wouldn't you know it, the laws have changed again! The laws have been simplified in response to poor implementation and pressure from the European Union to actually make it desirable for foreigners to live in the Czech Republic. The laws will definitely simplify the process once implemented. But there has been a major re-organization of who handles the process and the offices are learning how to do it.

In addition, I attempted to get a work visa without a work permit. This did not work and resulted in my friend and colleague Jan Lukl doing many hours on my behalf to obtain the necessary paperwork. But the paperwork from the labor office did not arrive in time so I lost my application. Therefore I will have to re-submit the application when we get back. There is some time left so I am not too worried about it. But there area always so many "unknowns" along the way. Please be in prayer for each of our visas as we return to the Czech Republic.

A Missionary's Departure: Part 1-Leaving A Sick Sister

2011-02-24T15:22:00.003+01:00

Anyone who hears the statement, "I have cancer" knows that it changes your life and the lives around you immediately and significantly. My youngest sister, Meredith, made this statement just a short time ago, in December. Shortly after Christmas, she began a series of tests and doctor visits that led to a treatment plan. The first stop on the journey was surgery-a full mastectomy on one side with re-construction. Now she is healing from the surgery and scheduling more treatment: chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. Although numbers don't tell the story of an individual, they can help focus prayer. Meredith is in stage IIIA breast cancer with a prognosis of 5 year survival. She is doing well and according to the doctor, her "cancer has all the right characteristics for being susceptible to treatment."

Meredith is an amazing person and her strength is showing in a unique way during this journey. She is staying positive and doing well. She is surrounded by people who care for her and help her. She has people praying for her from all over the world. Her husband and young children are showing their love and caring for her in ways that continue to amaze me and make me proud of them. I have been glad to support her and encourage her in whatever small ways I can during the last couple of months.

But I am leaving for the Czech Republic in a week from today. I must admit that I am struggling with "leaving a sick sister". I suppose it is the older brother in me that wants to do my part in protecting her and being with her through this part of her journey.

My sister and I have not been the closest but definitely close through the years. We have many fond, childhood memories and I have pictures to prove that we got along, for the most part. Whenever we are in the States, we get together semi-regularly for family meals at my parents' house. She lives close and our younger kids love to play with their kids. Our kids will miss their kids a lot and Dora and I will miss their family a lot.

We will miss talking face to face during the upcoming battle. With modern technology, we will certainly be able to stay in touch...but it is not the same as meeting face to face. This is hard on me. As I struggle to find my place in Meredith's journey, one week before I leave for the other side of the world, I realize that one of my contributions to her story will be to motivate people to pray for her. As a missionary, I have developed somewhat of an ability to report on what God is doing in order to marshal prayer.

Since I wrote about my sister's illness, I have been grateful for the outpouring of encouragement and prayer. So many of you have said you are praying and added Meredith to different prayer lists. Thank you! As an older brother leaving for the mission field, one of my departing gifts to Meredith is a gift of prayer. I have been praying and will continue to pray for her. I ask that you join me in this journey on her behalf. I will definitely be reporting on Meredith's journey in my communications but if you are interested in hearing directly from her, you can follow her Caring Bridge site at: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/meredithn/createorsignin

Club Rachel Youth fellowship with Roma youth from Slovakia

2010-11-04T17:08:00.004+01:00

Pierre (in back on left) and Roma church members work on their
church building in Hlinne, Slovakia

If you have heard me talk about the Roma in Eastern Europe, you have almost certainly heard about the Roma church in Hlinne, Slovakia. Pierre and Lisa van Vuuren are missionaries working with The Word for the World Bible Translators among the Roma in eastern Slovakia. Ivan and Jana, our partners in ministry and we are always encouraged to see what God is doing there so we keep going back. God has used this church to encourage us and give us vision for ministry so we are always glad to visit or to receive them in Vlasim. Below is a section of the van Vuuren's recent prayer letter highlighting this weekend's activities in Vlasim.

Pierre and Lisa write: "On Friday morning November 5 (while work on the church house continues) Lord-willing Pierre will travel to the Czech Republic with eight Roma youth to visit...Vlasim. EFCA missionaries Tom and Dora Becker have been discipling Ivan and Janka Beranek for about ten years. Ivan (Rom) and Janka (Czech) lead a Roma fellowship as part of the outreach of the church, plus have ministry through Club Rachel with Roma youth. They have invited our youth to visit. Those who are going are the youth who served most faithfully during the summer months leading the children's Bible clubs. Please pray for safe travel and for the visit to be a mutual blessing to encourage the Roma ministry in Vlasim and the Beraneks as well as the Hlinne youth and Pierre."

Please pray for travel safety, the youth and the leaders. And if you would like to read more about the van Vuuren's ministry, let me know and I will send you their whole prayer letter.

Speaking Czech in Chicago!

2010-09-21T18:56:00.002+02:00

We recently had the privilege of attending the christening of my cousin's daughter in Chicago. Not only were we able to connect with Allison, her family, including her mother who I hadn't seen in years, but it was at the Czech Mission Catholic Church. We have long heard of Paul's Czech heritage and how many in his community still speak Czech as their first language. To see it first hand was to believe it. Our family was able to speak Czech with the guests, the priests, and the family. We sang Czech hymns and sat down to Czech food and drink (rizek, bramborovy salat, buchty, Zlaty Bazant a Pilsner Urquel pivo, Becherovka, Slivovice) Nepili jsme vsechny tech piti!

We even met a woman who had lived near Vlasim and knew where we lived by our description of the neighborhood. It was a lot of fun to talk with her and her husband who are going to Czech for two and a half weeks next month. We were invited to Moravian Days next weekend to see dancing, eat more Czech food, and speak Czech. We all enjoyed the day and it made us miss many things about the Czech Republic.

Hard Decisions To Make

2010-09-01T16:30:00.005+02:00

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. With so many dear friends, family members, and ministry partners scattered across the USA and the world, it is nearly impossible to visit with each one every time we are on home assignment. Since we also need to leave time to visit with new potential partners, our time fills up fast. That means we must make some hard decisions.

After a very full summer of travel, including trips to Texas, Georgia, Florida, Minnesota, and Haiti, we are "buckling in" to relative stability in northwest Indiana. As the kids settle into their respective schools (Matt and Hannah in home school, Rachel at public school), we are mapping out Fall plans for partnership building. The Lake Michigan area is our main focus. A 200 mile radius from where we live covers a good portion of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Travel outside of this area will, most likely, mean I will go alone.

One of the main ways that we present what God is doing among the Roma in the Czech Republic is through "Czech Desserts". A Czech Dessert is hosted by you. You can make up your own invitation list or work together with us to decide who will be invited. Then we come and share the ministry in a fun, informal way. A typical night includes:

Greeting
Game (our favorite is pictionary where we pick pictures that symbolize something that we will talk about)
Multimedia presentation of the ministry
Question and Answer time
Czech Dessert (made by Dora) and snacks provided by you
Handouts and information on how to be more involved in this ministry

If you live within the area described above and would like to host a Czech Dessert, please contact me. We would love to combine a visit with a Czech Dessert...and we will bring the dessert!

Roma Family Camp-Please Pray!

2010-08-09T16:08:00.004+02:00

Summer is the season for camps! This is true in America and in the Czech Republic...among Americans, Czechs, AND ROMA. Today is the kickoff of a week long Roma family camp that our colleagues, Ivan and Jana have organized. Club Rachel families will be meeting in Damenice, Czech Republic, for a week of campfires, games, spiritual programs, and fellowship. Although we are very sad that we won't be there, the camp is in good hands. Please pray for Ivan and Jana Beranek, the leaders of Club Rachel who have organized the camp. Other helpers/speakers will include: Our colleague Renee McLean, Czech Pastor Ondrej Sobotka, Czech Pastor Samuel Kaleta, IMB missionary Boyd Hatchell, and two Polish Roma missionaries to the Czech Republic.

There are a lot of seekers at this camp and the gospel will be presented by many people. Please pray for safety, health, and spiritual fruit at this camp.

The Day the Roofs Fell In-Part 4: Temporary Shelters

2010-07-17T19:21:00.005+02:00

TouchGlobal Crisis Response Team in Haiti has partnered with a number of organizations in order to do the work of relief, development, and church planting. 6 months after the earthquake, the relief work is beginning to "morph" into longer term development work. One of the most pressing needs still is "perma-temporary" housing. The picture above shows a typical scene in Haiti as tent villages sprang up around the affected area. Now it is hurricane season and it is raining in Haiti...a lot. TouchGlobal has partnered with Samaritan's Purse in order to provide housing that will last 2-3 years and withstand a category 2 hurricane. (Remember the problem with wood as a long term building strategy in Haiti? No lumber industry and termites) We travelled with TouchGlobal staff and short term mission workers to the city of Bethel where they were moving families into the "perma-temporary" housing.

The houses don't look like much, do they? But to someone who has been living in a tent in a "tent jungle" in the rain and the mud, in fear that their children will walk out the door and get hit by a car, these homes are like "paradise". The TouchGlobal staff and teams prayed with each family as they dedicated the new "home" and helped them move in. This work will be necessary for many more months until the work of building real permanent shelters can take place. This is a very real possibility for a short term project for the Czech churches.

The Day the Roofs Fell In-Part 3: OLTCH Orphanage

2010-07-15T17:46:00.004+02:00

When the earthquake hit, Greg and his son were sitting on the balcony at the orphanage they founded in Haiti. As the support gave way, they had to link arms to avoid slipping and falling to the driveway below. Greg immediately thought of the 33 orphans on the ground floor coloring in their books. He yelled, "Earthquake! Everybody out!". As he prayed, "Save us, Jesus!" the house straightened out again and they were able to run downstairs and get EVERY CHILD OUT ALIVE!

When Canadian missionaries Greg and Jasmine moved to Haiti a couple of years ago they did not have much of a plan. They purchased some land and lived on it while they built a shelter and figured out how they would help children in one of the poorest countries in the world. They found their calling in establishing an orphanage and caring for abandoned and orphaned children. Haiti had an estimated 380,000 orphans BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE and that number is estimated to have doubled now.

Operation Love The Children Of Haiti was founded in order to help some of these orphans. After the earthquake, 33 children had to sleep on the ground, in fields, under tarps. They were only able to get 2 meals a day for a while until help arrived. At the present time, they are housed in a combination of tents and temporary wooden buildings. One semi-permanent (will last 2-3 years) building is almost completed to get the youngest of the children out of tents. They are looking to build a permanent structure within 4-5 months on a new piece of land near by. They now have 41 orphans and could take more if they had the facilities and staff to help out.

Please take the time to look at their web page and consider helping them out:

1) Praying
2) Giving
3) Hands on help
4) Adopting a child (look at the profiles of the kids on the web page)

The Day the Roofs Fell In-Part 2: MaCambre Academy

2010-07-01T16:13:00.011+02:00

Before Earthquake-classes in a building

3 Months after Earthquake-classes resume in tents

Robinson looked at the clock impatiently. Almost 5:00 PM. As director of the MaCambre Academy, a local Haitian, Christian school that served pre-school, elementary, and high school students, Robinson was responsible for 730 students, 37 teachers, and 28 other employees. Robinson was glad for the relative quiet of the afternoon. Only the cleaning lady was on campus.

Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by a sound like a freight train rumbling by...but much louder. The floor was vibrating and dust was falling from the ceiling. Robinson knew he had to get out quickly. By the time he made it outside, the roof had come down on the main building. "The cleaning lady!" he thought. As he ran back towards the building, he called out her name. By God's grace, he knew where she should be and found her quickly, alive but buried in rubble. He cleared out the rubble and helped her to her feet. As they stepped back to survey the damage, two thoughts entered his mind. One, the campus is completely destroyed. Two, Thank God that this happened after school hours.

Pre-earthquake Haitian Public Schools were far and few between. The government had no money. Haiti was tied for the 2nd poorest nation in the world BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE. Public services were intermittent and poor. These 730 students would not be attending school if MaCambre Academy wasn't here. Many of them wouldn't be eating either. The school provided the only meal that many of the students would get during the day. The instant these roofs fell in, 730 students were left without the opportunity to feed their minds...and their stomachs. This was not acceptable so Robinson got to work. The safety of the students and staff was ascertained. There were only a few staff or students killed at home by the earthquake. In the next several weeks, a water tank was built, the kitchen was rebuilt, tents were raised, tables and chairs were set up, curriculum was secured, and classes were resumed three months later.

I arrived in Haiti 5 1/2 months after the earthquake brought the roof of the MaCambre Academy down. Robinson and his daughter Sofia, the principal of the school, graciously welcomed our team in and told their stories. They showed us the 19 tents that were classrooms for 800 students. I, a former teacher, quickly calculated 42 students per tent with a view to the fields, the cattle, and anybody walking by...including us. Eye contact or a smile was enough to distract 42 seven year olds from their over-worked, frustrated teacher.

The MaCambre Academy, with the help of an American missionary and students from the University of Florida, has drawn up plans for a 20,000 square foot building to house the pre-school and elementary school. The budget is $200,000 to $250,000. As one of the possible projects for a Czech team, the MaCambre Academy has some appealing qualities.

1) Education for those who would not get one otherwise
2) Meals for those who would not get them otherwise
3) Christian teaching
4) A Director who is involved in helping locals become self sufficient through small agricultural projects
5) A Director who is facilitating church plants in 11 locations

After interacting with Robinson, Sofia, staff, and students, I experienced a feeling of hope for Haiti for the first time since arriving in the country. It gave me a great motivation for getting Czech (and American) churches involved in the relief work in Haiti. Interested in finding out more? Write me at thomas.becker@efca.org.

The Day the Roofs Fell In

2010-06-27T09:56:00.002+02:00

Shortly before 5:00 PM on January 12, 2010 a massive earthquake rocked the tiny island nation of Haiti. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused catastrophic damage and killed hundreds of thousands of people. An earthquake of this magnitude would naturally cause a lot of damage but one significant factor in Haiti's buildings made this earthquake more deadly...flat, concrete roofs. Haiti's homes and buildings were covered with inexpensive, inflexible concrete. When the earthquake hit and the walls began to shake and sway,the solid, concrete roofs had nowhere to go but down. So down they came. All over the affected area roofs came down...on the people who built them, on the people who worked under them, on the children who were meant to be protected by them.

The rubble from the roofs and buildings are strewn over the cities, villages, and roads of Haiti. Almost 6 months later with thousands of volunteers cleaning up, the sight is still apalling. 40-50% of the buildings in the capital of Port Au Prince were destroyed. In Leogane, where the epicenter was, 80% of the buildings collapsed, including a nursing school where 300 nursing students died. In the ensuing weeks 212,000 victims were buried in mass graves. Another 150,000 to 200,000 wil never be identified or even found. In total, 4.5% of the population of Haiti was wiped out in one of the worst disasters in decades.

Statistics can't tell the full story of such devastation. Even pictures and testimonies can't tell the whole story. Death and destruction on this scale are hard to get a grip on. Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing the stories of destruction...and hope in order to share how God is working, even in the midst of tragedy and to challenge you to join in what God is doing in this country.

The Prague City Team, TouchGlobal, and ZMA (Czech Foreign Mission Agency) are partnering to send short term teams from the Czech Republic (and America) to help with the relief effort in Haiti. To this end, Prague City Team members Curt Mobley and I joined the head of the Czech mission agency, Daniel Hejzlar with his wife Daniela, and Paul Brown, videographer from Kingwood Bible Church in Texas, on a vision trip to Haiti. Our goal was to choose a project, create a promotional video, and recruit teams of Czechs (and Americans) to serve in Haiti in early 2011.

The relief effort will require millions of dollars, thousands of people, and decades of work. One missionary with TouchGlobal, welcomed us to "the land of opportunity" when we arrived. In Haiti there is boundless opportunity to show the love of Christ through construction, care of people, and many other projects. TouchGlobal is sharing hope in a hopeless situation and strategically thinking about church planting in the "aftermath" of a concentrated effort in relief and development. Over the next years, thousands of roofs will be built on new homes, schools, churches, government buildings, and orphanages. And you can be involved!

We visited a school, an orphanage, and a site where temporary shelters for those living in tents were being put together. These are three typical opportunities to help and I will be highlighting each of them in the next 3 blog entries. ZMA, the Czech mission agency, will be choosing one of these projects (or one like it) and sending teams to serve in Haiti. As you read about these opportunities, would you prayerfully consider joining the Czech team in Haiti to bring hope to those who have lost everything?

Here are a few random pictures of the first half of the trip http://www.flickr.com/photos/pack926/sets/72157624218941661/show

Next up, a visit to a Christian school where close to 300 students are meeting under tents.

Racial Discrimination in the Czech Republic-Part 2

2010-06-10T15:23:00.004+02:00

Walking across the bridge like he always does, Kuba was late for school again. It doesn’t really matter though because no one cares whether he goes to school or not. He gets to school, and walks through the doors with a sign reading zvlastni skola, or special education. He had always been a pretty good student at his last school, and his grades weren’t terrible. Yeah he did joke around with the guys and didn’t always fully listen to the teacher, but what 8th grader does? His teachers had low expectations of him because he was Roma and they told him often that his brain was actually smaller than white children’s. So he started believing that, and not working as hard. His parents expected him to fail because neither of them had made it passed 8th grade. They told him not to have such high expectations of himself, and not to sweat getting bad grades sometimes. If people were going to make fun of him for trying, than why should he? So he started doing less and less work, and slacking off more and more. Yet his elementary school moved him to this school with no explanation except a note saying why he needed special help. The note said he had “Heavy behavioral problems” and that he was “out of control” and “impossible to work with”. But in reality, they just didn’t want Roma in their school. They were all being segregated into these special schools. So now he was at a school for mentally handicapped and people with serious learning problems, such as dyslexia or ADD.

He kicked rocks around for a few minutes outside before going in to school, then went in and took his usual seat next to Marek. Marek was also Roma, and at that school for the same reason as Kuba. Actually most of the class was made up of Roma with “behavioral problems”. The rest of them were white kids with Autism, and one with Tourette syndrome. They were the ones that got the most attention, which still wasn’t much. The teacher sat at her desk, drinking her coffee, sighing in deeply, and rolling her eyes at the ceiling. Kuba couldn’t stand her; he couldn’t do anything, not even ask a seatmate for a pencil, without getting yelled at. And then if he did something worse, like ask to use the bathroom, he would have to stay after school and do extra work. They were all about keeping bad kids in line here.
The teacher finally stood up and called attendance, but since half the kids never answered anyway there was no real point to it. Then the teacher had them do puzzles, which were supposed to help their concentration, which was believed to be a big part of behavioral problems. The theory was if the kids can focus on one thing for a long time with no breaks than they would not get distracted and “disobey”.

Kuba started on his puzzle, and quickly got bored. This, of course to the teachers here, just proved that they were right, that he needed help. Many of his Roma classmates rebelled against the way things were, but it didn’t do them any good. Every time they acted out, it was written down to prove that they needed help. Kuba didn’t see the point of acting out. He knew it would just make things worse. He was one of the best students in the class, yet the teachers would not acknowledge that. No way was a Roma boy going to be the smartest in the class. So they watched him extra closely, waiting for him to mess up.

At lunch time Kuba went to the cafeteria. Probably eighty five percent of the kids in that room were Roma. Then after lunch he was asked to meet with the school psychologist.
“Hello Kuba”, the psychiatrist said roughly, “take a seat”. He then took out the papers with the teachers notes about him.
“I see you were causing a disturbance in class the other day, do you want to talk about it?”
“No”, Kuba said dryly.
“Well it seems you were making fun of the teacher in front of her class”.
“Actually I was correcting her, because she’s not teaching us anything”
“I see, and you don’t think that’s mocking?”
“No, it’s pointing out the facts”.
“Now I know you can’t help a lot of what you do, being from the family you come from, but that’s no excuse.” The man then said.
“It’s a scientifically proven fact that your brain is smaller than the average white Czech male your age, so I’d say you have no right correcting anyone.”
Kuba had argued this a thousand times. He had argued about Roma brain’s vs. Czech brains and it just got him in trouble, and the thing was he was starting to believe it. There’s only so much a person can take of lies before he starts believing them.
At that moment something snapped in him, he had had enough.
“Fine” He replied.
“Okay so we’re in agreement” the man said.

Kuba left his office, and stomped through the halls to his classroom. He slammed the door behind him as he came into the room. He sat down again and just glared at the teacher. She was looking at him out of the corner of her eye, and her hand slowly moved over to her paper, putting little marks by his name. That was it; he stood up and grabbed the paper from her desk, and ripped it into pieces. She grabbed his arm, but he was too strong for her and pulled away, almost knocking her down.
He ran out, her cries behind him yelling “Kuba! Get back here!”

But after he was off the school property, she seemed to forget about it and go back to class as if nothing had happened, her face red.
He ran home and stomped to his room, and slammed the door.
His mother yelled “what are you doing at home? Have you given up on school?”
He came down later and told her what had happened, and she just stared at him blankly.

“Then why go?” she asked. “Just stay home.”
“I am” he replied.
“Good” You’ve finally realized that in our family, no one succeeds.”

Racial Discrimination in the Czech Republic-by guest author

2010-06-08T21:55:00.007+02:00

Today's blog post is written by a guest author, Amy, my daughter who graduates from high school in two days. Her final exam in World Literature class was to write something that addressed a problem and could bring about change. She picked racial discrimination in the Czech Republic.

Note from Amy: This is meant to be maybe a magazine article, that partly had someone go and watch these things happen to these two people, but mostly looking at it from the characters point of view. It was written to draw awareness to the problem of racial discrimination in the Czech Republic. I think by telling this story from people’s point of view instead of just telling facts will help readers relate to the people in the stories and understand the situations theses people go through better. Both of these stories are based on real life stories similar to them.

She wakes up to the chill of wind blowing through the cracks. Fall is coming, and it’s almost time to move. The government gave her three weeks to get out, before they demolished her house. House is a relative term for what it was. The government knew it wasn’t a real house, it was a shack that was falling apart and could collapse any day. They wanted that land for a strip mall, and this way they’d be doing good for people too, getting them out of that dangerous situation. But they only cared about the strip mall. They didn’t offer her any other housing, nor did they give her any idea where she might be able to live.

“What is that banging?” Tereza thought, as she drowsily pulled herself out of bed. They were here. They barged in, and started shouting.

“What are you doing in bed? Why are your things not packed up?” They peppered her with questions. She shrugged her shoulders. She knew they were coming and she was refusing to move.

They started throwing things outside and yelling at her to hurry. It was 8:05 and they were supposed to have the shack demolished within half an hour.

By now her baby was awake and screaming, but they didn’t want her to attend to him, they wanted her to help them.

She pulled at her things, and even pounded one of the workers on the back, tears streaming down her face, but it did no good. A social worker sent over to make things official was calmly telling her it was going to be ok, trying to get her to calm down. But it did nothing, because she knew this woman wasn’t going to give her any help beyond telling her everything was fine.

“How will it be fine? What are you going to do for me?” she yelled.

“Now we’ll try to give you a little money so you can buy yourself some good food hmm?” the other woman replied, with a big smile.

“That’ll do a lot of good” Tereza thought.

She was getting frantic now. Everything she owned, which wasn’t much, was now quickly being moved to the back of a truck. They had to get everything away from the demolition site.

She was sitting on the floor wailing, with her baby in her arms. The social worker was trying to hold the baby but she pushed her away.

When everything was out, everyone stopped for a moment to look at Tereza sobbing, as if this shack was a castle to her. They knew what they were doing was wrong, but they told themselves it was better for her too, to not be in such horrible living conditions. But they didn’t think through that maybe not having anywhere to stay was worse.

Two workers eventually came over and pulled her up by her arms, and the social worker took the baby. They put a piece of paper in front of her and told her to sign. She refused, but the other woman said that she would not get any money if she did not sign.

So she did, with trembling hands, and then she stepped back, stepped back to watch her home get demolished to the ground.

The social worker asked her if she had any family, and although Tereza had a sister, she said no. Her sister had eight children and did not need two more mouths to feed.

She was dropped off at a hostel, and given money to pay for the night, but not much else.

“Now things will get better, I’ll work on getting you a new home, the government will help you”, the social worker said, but Tereza knew that was a lie. The government would see this case, see she was Roma, and drop it to the bottom of the list, and after a few months of trying, she knew the woman would give up. Her pay wasn’t high enough to bother with cases that don’t get anywhere, and no one cared about the Roma.

Dr. Jon "wows" the Roma

2010-06-02T16:52:00.004+02:00

"How long has he had bronchitis?", Dr. Jon asked Verča, a young Roma mother of a 3 year old boy. Amazed at his diagnosis from 5 feet away, Verča told of his 5 month long illness. After telling her 1) STOP smoking and 2) He needs medication, Dr. Jon arranged for meds that her personal doctor would not prescribe. Then he asked if she would help him to teach other young mothers about basic healthcare in the community when he comes back. Her answer was an emphatic yes..."because the doctors here don't care about us!".

Dr. Jon then "wowed" the Roma with his testimony of how his teachers told him, a child with native American heritage, that he would never be a doctor. His stories of helping the Roma in Kosovo during the war bonded them even more with him. After meeting with the first Roma student who graduated from the med school at Charles University in Prague, he had many ideas of how to serve the Roma with medicine and "force multiplication" as the army would call it. Developing, Empowering, and Releasing is what ReachGlobal calls it. We speak the same language and are looking forward to Dr. Jon's return visits.

"Coincidentally" (read God led circumstances) I am continuing with the second book course on community health evangelism through ReachGlobal. What will God do in the Roma community? Stay tuned as we follow His leading.

Czech Pastor's Summary of Nebraska Mission Trip

2010-05-29T09:31:00.003+02:00

...as found at: http://gabimine.blogspot.com/

Our service in Nebraska - summary, evaluation

Joint service with the local Church:
We had the opportunity to visit places that people from local churches would have difficulty obtaining permission to visit. We, as foreigners-Europeans, were welcomed as an interesting - maybe even somewhat exotic - group. We had an opportunity to speak openly about the meaning of our faith in conditions none of them were able to imagine, and to clearly declare what faith in living God has meant and still means to us.

Service in local schools:
We presented our program in grade schools and in some high schools. In one case, even preschool children were brought to the hall. Depending on the need, we modified our program to be understandable and interesting to different age groups.

Service to the local Church:
Our presentation was requested by some of the surrounding churches, so we had the opportunity to visit three communities of the Free Church of America. In two of those communities we took part in Sunday service, in Bible study, and we were able to approach young people in their meetings as well.

Service to local society:
Wherever we appeared, our group was introduced as "our guests from Europe, Czech Republic, a pastor of a church with his wife and with three people from his church community". Local people seemed to be quite interested in our program. We signed many visitors books and had the opportunity to contribute to more intimate knowledge of the confessing Church. Our experiences gained in our homeland served as a warning, but also as an encouragement for many.

Service to our nation:
People, in general, had many questions pertaining to our society and Church. We met a lot of local Christians who could identify with many problems we are facing, especially as their society, too, is quite materialistic. We have easily won their prayer support. Through our testimonies about the great changes in our society and the Church, we were able to show God's power and his help to us in ways they were not able to imagine.

Service to our Church:
We have become more aware of the fact that we don't live just for ourselves, but that the maturity of our community needs to be evident in our availability to others. We were aware of God's calling to serve also to the unknown, to the remote, to the people in other nations, and were encouraged to accept his calling. We have realized that it is the essence needed for the growth of the Church.

Service to the world:
We have gotten used to the idea that our country and our Church is small and insignificant, and that we are responsible only for solutions of our own problems.But we have experienced the mutuality with people living in different countries, and that has helped us to realize, that we, too, have the responsibility for the world we live in.

Service to ourselves:
Through our long and intensive preparation for this trip we had to clearly sort out where we stand, what is important to us, what we want to share with people, what we can give, and what we need to receive. We realized how important is the cooperation, how precious is the fact that we can depend on each other, and supplement our service to others with our different abilities and gifts. We had to pay special attention to those problem areas in our lives which could possibly be a stumbling block for others.

Service to future:
We were jointly seeking ways to be useful to our societies and to be instruments of God's work in people around us. Better understanding of our Christian brothers and sisters in Nebraska has helped us to realize new ways in which we can utilize the services of Sheryll Baker in our community more efficiently.

Mila Kloubek

Czech Missionaries sent to Nebraska

2010-05-24T08:20:00.009+02:00

America is a needy mission field. Just ask any of the 5 Czech mission team members of the CB church in Horní Počernice (a section of Prague). Last night, the team had a presentation about their mission trip to Holdredge, Nebraska where they served in schools, retirement homes, and churches. They visited with families and were able to find out about life in the heart of America. (They reminded people of the interesting parallel that they live in the heart of Europe).

This mission trip was conceived two years ago when a team from Trinity Church in Holdredge came to serve in the Czech Republic. Cooperating with ReachGlobal missionary Sheryll Barker and Pastor Kloubek, they arranged visits in local schools and even got to talk with the mayor of Horní Počernice. At least one member of the Czech church was against this "American tourist trip". (Sadly, it is true that American mission teams often come and act like they are the ones who have something to teach the poor, unequipped Czechs.) In discussion with the pastor, he said that he doubted the Americans would invite Czechs to teach them something. Well, he was wrong! Trinity Church invited the HP Church to send a team to Holdredge and serve in the schools, retirement homes, and churches.

Other ReachGlobal team members and I had the privilege of joining with ZMA (the Foreign Mission Agency of the Církev bratrská) to help train the 5 members of this team for the trip. The team got to spend an evening at our house wearing shoes in the house, eating chicken with their hands, drinking with glasses full of ice, and watching a lot of kids running around in the house...all meant to produce a little culture shock. Reports are that that evening did, in fact, help them to prepare for American visits.

In the process of training the team, we are working on a printed manual for short term mission trips that the mission agency can use to prepare any teams. The rough draft should be finished by the end of this week. Another team of seminary students is being prepared to serve at the Czech Summit in Houston, Texas at the end of June. Please pray for the ZMA mission agency and Dan Hejzlar the head of ZMA as he encourages the Czech churches to become involved in missions. (ZMA doesn't only prepare teams to go to America. They also organize trips to Africa, Italy, and Ukraine.)

One of the most exciting things about the trip is the followup. The HP church is connecting with local schools in the area and getting them connected with American pen pals in Nebraska. One of the local principals was dead set against having a church group come into the school earlier. Now he has said that anyone who is studying English should connect with one of the Nebraska Christians and start a pen pal relationship. The HP Church also wants to think more strategically about ReachGlobal missionary Sheryll Barker's English classes.

Could a Czech team help you to accomplish your church outreach goals?

Christian Roma Conference in Brno

2010-04-20T10:46:00.003+02:00

Alena and daughter Ester, Jana, and Ivan worship
in the Romani language

God is stirring in the hearts of the Roma in Europe (and in Vlasim!) . It was a great encouragement to come together with Roma from Czech, Slovakia, Poland, and Germany. Worship in many different styles and languages, hearing testimonies of God's transforming power, connecting with old friends, and making new friends made this a great day.

18 of us from Club Rachel made the early morning drive to Brno to spend the day at the conference. The drive and the conference brought us together in new ways. The Vlasim Roma are mostly seekers and hearing the powerful testimonies from their own people was significant. Many conversations have been started from this. Pray for one 11 year old girl, two young mothers, and a family who want to start a Bible study. We have another Club meeting on Thursday night. Please pray for Ivan, Jana, Dora, and I as we have opportunity to talk about the gospel.

Christian Roma Conference in Brno, Czech Republic!

2010-04-19T17:07:00.002+02:00

Slovakian Roma worship band sings in Romani

Vera's Blessing

2010-04-19T14:51:00.006+02:00

Dominika at 6 days old

Vera was terrified of giving birth. She had already done it once and had a BAD experience. A Roma woman with little education, she was ignorant about giving birth, mistreated in the hospital, and in labor for many hours with no one around who cared for her. Eight months into her second pregnancy, with the father in jail, she was so nervous about giving birth that she could hardly think about it. Our setting up a meeting with a mid-wife to learn some breathing and pushing techniques didn't settle her mind.

Dora, Jana, and other women offered to go with her to the delivery room but she somehow didn't sign the right release form and no one could come in with her! When the time came to go to the hospital, she was terrified. She began to pray. We had talked about prayer in Club Rachel and she had said she only prays when she needs something...well, she needed something. So she prayed...and instantly had a peace. Soon after she arrived at the hospital, an intern came into the room and asked how she was doing. He talked with her and asked if she would mind if he stayed and helped her. He stayed with her during the whole birth, held her hand, gave her drinks, rubbed her back, and helped her through the labor.

This is an amazing show of compassion in itself...but to a Roma woman it is unheard of. The intern told Vera that this was his first night helping in the delivery room and he had specifically chosen to work with her.

Vera later asked, "That was Jesus answering my prayer, wasn't it? He did it when I needed him the most. But I want to learn how to have a relationship with him all the time...not only when I need something." Please pray that Vera and little Dominika remain healthy and come to know Jesus as someone who cares for them daily.

21 Days of Prayer for issues of Human Trafficking...Day 11

2010-04-15T11:31:00.003+02:00

"It takes an ignorant and stagnant community to see a prostitute; it takes an informed and educated community to see a victim; it takes a responsive and courageous community to make a difference!" Author Unknown

Day 11
The Mirror, a UK newspaper, has published an account by two young Lithuanian women of how they were trafficked into the UK. They met two men near their village in Lithuania in 2004. After a few dates they agreed to go on a short holiday to the UK with them, but when they reached London’s Gatwick airport they were taken to a coffee shop in the airport terminal itself and sold for £3000 each in full view of the public. Despite their distress, no member of the public offered to help them. The two women, now aged 19 and 21, were raped and forced to work as prostitutes. Eventually both women escaped and their traffickers Serbian-born Tasim Axhami, 19, Lithuanian Emiljan Beqirat, 18, and Vilma Kizlaite, 20 have been jailed for 21 years, 16 years and 11 years respectively. Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said, “It is unacceptable that these women currently do not get proper protection in Britain after so much suffering.”

Please pray for women being trafficked into the UK to be exploited in the sex industry . Pray that the demand for women in this country would be reduced as this is what creates the crime in the first place. Pray that men in the UK realize that the abuse of human trafficking is widespread in prostitution.

Prayer Diary available at: http://www.stopthetraffik.org/downloads/prayer_diary.pdf

Winter Travels 5: Amsterdam (Church Planting Institute)

2010-04-09T11:59:00.000+02:00

I like conferences when I leave with a big to do list and not just a lot of information. Church Planting Institute (CPI) is one of those conferences. CPI is one of the "main events" of ReachGlobal in Europe. Held every other year, all RG Europe missionaries are invited WITH the national partners they choose to invite. This year the Prague City Team hosted 11 Czechs, 1 Slovak, 1 South African working in Slovakia, and 2 Americans.

Guest speakers were D.A. Carson from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Cristi Petricioiu (Romania) and Dennis Tongoi (Africa) from Disciple Nations Alliance. A highlight of the conference was hearing integrative stories of how different city teams are involved (or want to be involved) in holistic ministry with Roma, refugees, and victims of human trafficking. We heard about ministries of family counseling, nursing, and art ministry, among others.

Another highlight was working in small groups. I was with people working among Roma in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. We created a concrete "seed project" that could be used to reach out in the community. It was a great conference and I look forward to the next one!

Call to prayer for those caught in human trafficking

2010-04-09T10:18:00.000+02:00

Where does one start combating the complex issues involved in human trafficking? How can one person have any impact on organized crime that is making billions of dollars and is ruthless about coercing people into doing their will? How can I make a difference? The issues are very complex but there are 2 simple things that anyone can do:

1) Become informed
2) Pray

About a dozen ReachGlobal Europe missionaries from 6 different cities are very interested in the issue of human trafficking. I think there are more that we don't know about yet. For 21 days, we are joining in prayer for God's intervention. Using a Prayer Diary available at www.stopthetraffik.org, we are focusing prayer on the issue of human trafficking. Each day has a brief news story, testimony, or some educational information and a suggested prayer request.

Day 18 highlights Prague so I have copied the information below:

Radio Prague reported that police in the Czech Republic have broken up a human trafficking ring which may have made up to $500,000 by trafficking Czech and Slovak women into sexual exploitation abroad. In a police operation which involved more than 160 officers, 16 people were arrested and charged, 8 of who are now in jail. It is not yet known how long this trafficking ring may have operated for. If proven, this will be another case of women being trafficked within the EU for sexual exploiitation, showing that human trafficking is not a problem of illegal immigration.

PLEASE PRAY FOR PEOPLE WITHIN THE EU who are trying to migrate legally, but end up being deceived by traffickers into situations of slavery.

For more information about human trafficking in Prague, you can visit ExodusCry.com where their "city in focus" for April is Prague.

I have had more response to my blog entries on human trafficking than anything else I have written about. This seems to be an issue that God is addressing and asking people to join him in. Would you consider joining RG missionaries in Europe in praying against human trafficking? Maybe you could take the prayer guide and start praying alone, with us, or in a small group of people. I believe that God leads us through prayer and He will lead as we pray for those who are caught in human trafficking.

Winter Travels 4: Amsterdam (part 1)

2010-03-21T13:33:00.000+01:00

There is a distinct carnival-like atmosphere in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. As you enter the district, bright neon lights and signs assault your eyes. There are museums, shops, hotels, and restaurants close by. Lots of people, including couples walking hand in hand down the streets ogle "the goods" that are advertised in the windows. Unfortunately, the "goods" are about 500 window prostitutes. Horrible to imagine...yet this is only a very small percentage of the estimated 8,000 to 11,000 prostitutes in the Netherlands. There are many brothels where women are violently forced to work. Most of these prostitutes are NOT there by choice. They have been manipulated, violently forced, and even sold into slavery. Amsterdam is one of the top destinations in the world for human trafficking.

This is probably not the place for an in-depth education on the means that are used to force women into modern day sex slavery...but start reading some of the testimonies of women who are rescued from this tyranny. Click here to read a short testimony. Or get out on the street with an experienced ministry worker and you will not believe your ears.

As I entered the district, I couldn't help reflecting on the events that had led me to be here instead of listening to D.A. Carson speak on The Gospel and Good Works. Just a month ago I was at the Refugee Highway Partnership conference where I was made aware of the depth of the human trafficking problem in Europe. After doing some research on the situation in Prague and seeking out people who were ministering to women caught in human trafficking, I made it one of my many goals to connect with some ReachGlobal missionaries who had been at a particular conference on human trafficking. At this church planting conference I overheard someone talking about going to visit the Scarlet Cord ministry center in the Red Light District. I asked more about it and within 10 minutes I was in a van with the very people I had wanted to connect with. We were going to downtown Amsterdam.

The Scarlet Cord has been ministering in the heart of the red light district for many years. Started by the Association for Salvation of the People, they have been talking personally with women in human trafficking and helping them escape slavery. They raise awareness of the awful truth of human trafficking and its' effects. They do prevention workshops in the schools. They print the stories of the women in trafficking and give them a voice that both allows healing and warns others. They exist to help the women who are caught in human trafficking find freedom from slavery--physically and spiritually.

Toos, our host and guide, knew her stuff. She talked with us for almost two hours about human trafficking in Europe and the personal stories of women she knew. She shared how the Scarlet Cord ministers to these women. A startling moment for me was when she said that one of the most trafficked groups of women are Roma coming from the villages in Hungary and Trans-Carpathian Ukraine. I already knew that Roma women are high risk for being trafficked in the Czech Republic. She went further to explain that 60 % of the prostitutes in Amsterdam are from former Eastern European countries. I could see the frustration on her face as she talked about the fact that there was only one organization in Hungary that was equipped to transition women out of trafficking into a normal life.

Later, as she took us through the district itself, she pointed out where the various prostitutes came from. She pointed out the pimps, the loverboys, the different nationalities of prostitutes, the male prostitute brothels, etc. etc. etc. One of my colleagues said it well when he said he felt like she was a general walking through a war zone. She knew the terrain, the enemy, her own resources, and was ready for action at a moment's notice. She depended on the Lord to guide her every day of ministry.

The 6 of us who visited together ate supper and debriefed for a while. Each one of us had a greater knowledge of human trafficking and what it looks like face to face. I don't know exactly what God is doing but a few people are becoming aware of the human trafficking problem in Europe...and America...and Asia...and all over the world. Please take a minute to pray for God's work to be done among those who are being trafficked.

Winter Travels 3: The ghettos of Athens

2010-03-06T18:31:00.001+01:00

refugees hanging out in Athens

brothels in Athens

"Some wish to live within the sound
Of Church or Chapel bell;
I want to run a Rescue Shop
within a yard of hell."
C.T. Studd-missionary to China, India, and Africa

To the mass of humanity that I was pushing through, I obviously didn't belong here. As I made my way through the hundreds of refugees with nothing to do but hang out in the ghettos of downtown Athens, I could see that they were from all over the world and they had one thing in common: they had nowhere to go. When I finally got to the refugee drop-in center I had to step over homeless refugees desperately covering themselves with cardboard to avoid the rain. Pushing my way through a courtyard entrance, I contorted my body in ways I didn't know were possible to avoid the 8 heroin addicts weaving wildly and holding syringes with open needles. After passing their dealer who was selling heroin openly, I noticed 6 policemen walking by checking paperwork of refugees. They were not interested in the drugs.

Just a few short blocks away from here was the "red light district" of Athens. I had already heard the testimonies of women involved in human trafficking in Athens and Thessalonica so I knew the plight of the women behind these doors where sex tourists unashamedly walked through doors from building to building.

My journey to downtown Athens to help distribute bags of food and hygiene items started because of the annual Refugee Highway Partnership Conference for European workers. I was privileged to be representing ReachGlobal Europe as representatives from all over Europe met in Athens, Greece. There was a great balance of presenting information, networking, working on committees, and serving refugees. Athens, for many reasons, is one of the largest "arrival points" for refugees escaping North Africa and especially the middle east. Because of recent political events in Iran, refugees from Afghanistan are flooding the streets of Athens.

A disturbing "highlight" was becoming aware of the human trafficking situation in Europe and making some connections between Roma ministry, Refugee ministry, and Human Trafficking. Here for the first time I was able to get a clear picture of another "highway"...the routes of trafficked sex slaves. Prague, among other cities in Europe, is an origin point, a transit point, AND a destination point for human trafficking. Traffickers in the Czech Republic deal in both prostitution and forced labor.

A member of the A21 campaign to abolish human trafficking spoke at the conference and I was glad to have a private conversation with him. The things I learned have caused me to do a great deal of reflection on how ReachGlobal can be involved in ministry to trafficked people (and traffickers). This will not be the last time I mention human trafficking. Soon, I will blog about the "coincidences" (read God's leading) that led me to visit to a minstry center in the heart of the red light district in Amsterdam.

In the meantime, if you are interested, write me to find out more. Or check out the A21 Campaign webpage at: a21campaign.org Especially note their "TAKE ACTION" section where they have listed 21 practical ways you can get involved.

Winter Travels 2: Karlovy Vary with Dora!

2010-03-04T09:11:00.000+01:00

Shortly after Dora and I decided to get away together for a few days, a supporting church sent us a special gift towards "marriage enrichment". The gift was to be used for special dinners out, babysitting, or a weekend away. So, we set off for Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic and spent 3 days together. We saw a show "The Lord of the Dance", wandered around a cold Karlovy Vary, and had special topics of discussion prepared. It was a great time together and we plan on doing this on an annual basis. Thank you, Maywood EFC for the great gift! (and Renee for the great babysitting!)

Winter travels 1: Spiritual Retreat in Rome

2010-02-27T17:59:00.000+01:00

February and March are heavy travel months for me (and Dora). My first stop was Rome. Actually, I was in the mountains near Rome and never even saw the tourist sights! But that was okay with me. I was with 3 friends for a few days for the purpose of practicing spiritual disciplines, drawing closer to God, and to each other. The setting was perfect for getting away from regular life worries and activity. The location was beautiful and isolated. The rented house was plain but comfortable.

Some spiritual disciplines we practiced:
1) Lectio Divina (Sacred Reading) in community
2) A day of silence
3) Morning, afternoon, evening, and end of day prayers
4) Contemplative Listening

God's faithfulness shown in Jesus Christ

2009-12-19T12:07:00.000+01:00

We have had a very nice Christmas holiday time. There has been more relaxation than usual and we have been able to focus on the coming of Christ. This was a much needed holiday season as I reflect on some of the difficult things that happened during the lead up to Christmas.

Unexpected late night guests and dog sleep over (Welcome to ministry with the Roma!)
Aforementioned dog bites me
Rescue said guests (and dog) in Prague when their car dies on highway
Car repairs-out of commission for a week (at least no dog involved!)
Joint decision made in church plant to bring in denominational leaders to confront some serious issues
Personal Email attacks directed at me and another in leadership start arriving
Misunderstanding and minor conflict-not job related
Got a police ticket! (followed my GPS navigator past the "no entrance" sign)
More church leadership conflict and disagreement on major issues that threaten to tear the church apart
MOST IMPORTANTLY God remained faithful and has led me through some of the most difficult situations. We have seen His hand at work in our lives and in the lives of others. Our family has felt his peace and we have been able to focus on the great gift of salvation that we celebrate each Christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-16T10:53:00.000+01:00

Planning and Remaining Flexible

2009-12-04T08:47:00.000+01:00

"I would have been here earlier...but things didn't go as planned today" was an understatement spoken by our colleague Renee just before we left our house for Club Rachel's "American party". She had plans for the day that were changed after her landlord requested a "quick" errand to the electric company that lasted several hours. She also shared about an interruption to her day when she was able to "converse" with a very drunk woman on public transportation. (Renee will get "bonus" language acquisition points for this ;-)

This week, I have been working on updating my 2010 Goals for ReachGlobal. I have, therefore, been reflecting on the tension between our planning and waiting on the Lord to lead during the day or during a year. There are times when we must plan very carefully in order to accomplish what the Lord desires for our lives. And there are times when we must allow him to re-direct our plans. Planning and waiting on the Lord are not contradictory. As we learn to hear His voice, he directs our plans and we plan more in line with what He desires.

Last night we planned on showing a Trans World Radio video highlighting their work with Roma in eastern Europe at...but the adult women started asking about prayer and how you can hear God's voice. This led to Renee, Dora, and I sharing our testimonies about how we knew God wanted us to move to another country to serve him.

We also planned on coming home to help Amy and the rest of the senior class bake cookies to raise funds for their senior trip. We were held up with conversations at Club Rachel and they ended up doing all the work themselves.

We also planned on having the house to ourselves after 9:00 PM or so. But 3 of the seniors stayed over night in order to complete the baking and packaging of cookies. AND we had 4 other guests (and one dog) from a Roma ministry in Brno who needed a place in Prague to stay after their plans fell through.

I am learning how to plan to the best of my ability with discernment of the Lord's will. I am learning to see interruptions and changes in my plans as the Lord's leading. I am learning to wait on the Lord in expectation that He has greater plans for me and for His kingdom than I can ever imagine.

2009-12-01T08:30:00.001+01:00

If you are in contact with ReachGlobal for any length of time, you will hear the acronym KRA. KRAs are "Key Result Areas", the broad areas of responsibility that each RG missionary has. Each member of the Prague City Team has individual objectives and team objectives under 5 Key Result Areas. Our KRAs are the following:

1) Personal Development
2) Strategic Leadership
3) Leadership Development
4) Strong Team
5) Mobilizing Resources

These KRAs, the corresponding objectives and action steps help us focus our daily work and to follow the Lord's leading. Each missionary is "strongly encouraged" (required) to spend time each year and each month seeking the Lord's leading and evaluating his/her work. With prayer and intentional reflection, the Lord uses this process to lead each missionary.

I am spending some time this week evaluating my objectives and action steps so that I can refine them and do what the Lord wants me to be doing. I will be spending a day away with God tomorrow (Wednesday) and then talking with Prague City Team leader about my objectives. Please pray as I seek the Lord's will for 2010.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T14:14:00.000+01:00

Thursday, November 26 is life as usual in Prague. Work and school go on. Even though our kids won't have school, we will celebrate Thanksgiving with the Dora's brother and his family who are visiting us here. In preparation for thanksgiving, here are a few things I am thankful for:

Ministry partners who work with Roma:
1) Beraneks-Club Rachel
2) Pastor Ondrej and his wife Jana-Club Rachel, Hope Praha Church
3) J-Czech missionary working with ethnic minorities in Prague
4) Rene-lay pastor of a Roma congregation-compiling a Roma song book
5) Van vuurens and Peter Pristiak-pastors in eastern Slovakia

Family:
1) The Lord's help in adjustment to fast move
2) Kids all doing GREAT in school
3) Good health
4) Good friends for our kids

Personal:
1) The Lord's accomplished work on the cross
2) The Lord's continued leading in ministry
3) A great family!
4) Great ReachGlobal colleagues

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hip Hop: Coming To A Church Near You!

2009-11-03T21:36:00.000+01:00

Friday we took 15 Vlasim Roma to the Christian Hip Hop group Wessani "show". It was the kickoff to a weekend with Hope Praha church. The guitar player in the video is the pastor of the Hope Praha church that works with Club Rachel Roma ministries. And to answer the many people who have asked...No, I do not breakdance and probably never will :-( (You have to wait until the end of the video to see Titus do a head spin!)

Great book on this subject: The Hip-Hop Church (Connecting with the Movement Shaping Our Culture) by Efrem Smith and Phil Jackson

Průhonice, here we come (came)!

2009-10-30T08:56:00.000+01:00

We now live in Prague! (Průhonice to be exact) I still can't believe that we are here. When driving, I still have a strong desire to pass our exit and continue down the highway to Vlašim. But I am glad to be home so soon.

We love living here. Our family travel has been cut down. We are closer to school, Prague City Team, growing ministry relationships (more to come in future blog entries), and many other things. And yet we are still close to Vlašim and continue to serve in the church and in Club Rachel Roma ministries.

There is no way to fully catch you up on our last 3 months, but I would like to try to help you see how quick and unexpected our move was. We thought it would take 6-12 months to sell our house in a small town with a depressed market. Therefore we had a very full summer even without a move. The buyers looked at our house 2 days after it was put on the market! Here is a brief look at our time line:

June 11 Meet with realtor, decide to put house on market so we can move in 6-12 months
June 14 Send pictures of house to realtor to put on internet
June 15 Tom gets on plane to America for two weeks of meetings
June 16 Dora calls Tom and says there are 5 appointments for people to look at the house
June 17 The future buyers look at our house
June 19 3 people have made offers on our house and a bidding war ensues
June 19-July 19 Potential buyers trying to get bank loans so they can make offers
June 28 Tom returns from America, family goes to Austria for 2 weeks (making calls and looking on internet for a place in Prague
July 14 The 5 Beckers who are still in town (Amy in England, Matt at camp) spend a 13 hour day looking at housing possibilities in Prague--After phone calls with Matt and Amy, are certain by the end of the day that the Průhonice house is the right one.
July 27,28 Moving day
July 30 English camp team arrives--camp from Aug 1-8
Aug 10 English camp team departs
Aug 12-18 All Europe RG Conference
Aug 18-24 Host the Lewises for a Church Health conference
Aug 25-Sept 1 Really move in and set up our house

5 Hard things about moving:

1) People in our church not understanding the speed of our move
2) Club Rachel leaders thinking we didn't want to continue working with them
3) Telling some friends that we had moved "after the fact"
4) Physically and Emotionally draining
5) Took our focus off a very busy ministry schedule

5 Good things about moving:

1) 3 kids can go to school in the right school for them
2) The church had to confront the fact that I wouldn't always be there. They have taken active steps to "replace" me in leadership
3) Club Rachel leaders saw our commitment to the ministry from "afar" and much trust has been built.
4) Closer to Prague City Team ministries and other Roma ministries
5) Hardware stores that are open until 10:00 PM!

Mission Trip to Eastern Slovakia

2009-04-27T10:46:00.000+02:00

The Beranek family (with 2 sons), Matt, and I went to Eastern Slovakia to serve at a Roma church, a Slovak church, and plan future cooperative work. The results were beyond all of our expectations. Here are a few pictures.
Leveling, flattening, and spreading sand and stones for volleyball court at Roma church in Hlinne

Leading youth group activities

Roma church service on Saturday night (forgive the low quality photos from phone camera inside)

I preached and Ivan and Jana shared testimonies and sang at the mother church Sunday morning

Please Turn Off Mobile Telephones!

2009-04-27T09:40:00.000+02:00

We have all been to a concert, a film, or church where someone has had to ask people to turn off their mobile telephones. The situation is so bad at our church that we have to make the following announcement ;-)

"This is a No Technology Zone. There will be no technology used on the premises except for specially designated areas at specially designated times. Wi-Fi has been turned off and shields have been put up against infra-red, bluetooth, and radio technologies.

Please turn off all mobile phones, MP3 players, iPhones, iTouches, iShuffles, and any other type of iDevices, personal computers, palms, laptop computers, PC tablets, Macs, desktop computers, Blackberrys, pagers, beepers, bloopers, and microwave ovens.

Please refrain from Skyping, Twittering, re-Twittering, blogging, MySpacing, Googling, Yahooing, hacking, searching, posting, uploading, downloading, free loading, or chatting in any way (including but not limited to using ICQ, MSN Chat, AOL, facebook chat, or other third party vendors of communication software).

During our time together, please do not surf, search, browse, check email, look at, or in another other way interact with YouTube, MyTube, facebook, MySpace, Google Earth, Google Moon, MyGameSpace, Yahoo games, MSN, CNN, BBC, NBC, iTunes, RealPlayer, Unreal Player, or Average Player.

Please also refrain from using web-cams, video cameras, digital cameras, phone cameras, spy cameras, satellite cameras, GPS systems, infra-red goggles, motorcycle goggles, or swimming goggles.

If you are caught using any of the aforementioned devices, activities, or websites, you will be immediately escorted off the premises, pay a $500 fee, be arrested, AND forfeit your facebook account for one week. Thank you for your cooperation."

Vacation in Italy 2-God and Italian Drivers

2009-04-16T09:43:00.000+02:00

If the experience of driving in the Czech Republic is a symphony, it is forte (loud), presto (very fast), and intense. It is punctuated with staccato notes. All in all, it unsettles you and leaves you wondering why the random intensity.

If the experience of driving in Italy is a symphony, it is mezzo-forte (medium loud), andante (moderately paced), and rubatto (free flowing). It leaves you with a calming wholeness and completeness. Don't get me wrong...Italian drivers drive fast and there is a lot of traffic but they tend to FLOW. Turn signals are optional. Lanes are only guidelines. In the cities, cars, motorcycles, and bicycles weave in and out of the traffic pattern with grace and poise. I rarely heard a horn, even in all this "choreographed chaos". No one seemed to get angry. People were simply prepared to "go with the flow".

At the risk of being accused of favoritism or even slight heresy...I think God directs the events of our lives and our world like an Italian driver. There is a sense, overall, that he is directing the events of our lives and our world. Sometimes we must look beyond the visible, tangible world of our daily lives to see the deeper patterns of God's handiwork. He is orchestrating a beautiful symphony with joys and trials, the known and the unknown, and is weaving his plan into our daily experience.

For those who accept that God, the creator of all things, is orchestrating this symphony, life becomes meaningful, purposeful, redeemed, and full of the aroma of Jesus Christ. Life becomes a drive in the country, with rest and relaxation coming from the one who created rest and worry-free living. Even unexpected traffic jams, accidents, and detours become part of the symphony of life. With Jesus Christ, life becomes a free flowing symphony that is masterfully written and directed by the author of life.

Vacation in Italy 1-Vines and Tragedy

2009-04-14T14:10:00.000+02:00

We had a short family vacation in Italy. It was good to leave life and ministry behind for a time and relax. A daily dose of relaxation and rejuvenation was just what the doctor ordered. During our "Holy Week" vacation, we set aside times to reflect on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This, along with wandering through vineyards in Tuscany, visiting famous cathedrals in Verona, Pisa, and Florence AND being relatively close to the major earthquake in L'Aquila has triggered some reflection.

VINES AND TRAGEDY
What do you do when tragedy strikes? This question occupied my mind on 2 levels...one on a national level, and one on a personal level. The earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy that killed 287 people and caused $7 billion in damage struck 189 miles from where we were vacationing. We passed convoys of rescue trucks bearing generators, drinking water, food, and blankets for the survivors. We watched worried Italians following the news of the rescue efforts. It is hard to be so close to a tragedy of this magnitude and not wonder "what if it had happened to us?". It could happen. Tragedy happens in this world. Besides the earthquake, we recently experienced a family crisis that left us disoriented and seeking answers from God. LIFE IS NOT EASY. Where does one turn in the face of tragedy and hardship?

We must look to the vine for answers.

The Tuscany area of Italy is famous for its' wines and vineyards. Everywhere you look, there are fields of grape vines, sometimes in the most unlikely places. It seems that if there is a square yard of mountainside available, there will be a few vines. Grape vines look like small trees. The "vine" stands straight out of the ground a yard and looks like a tree trunk. Smaller branches just out of the top of this "trunk" and even smaller branches grow off of these. The contrast between the size of the vine and the size of the branches is quite remarkable. The vine looks like a tree trunk with "twigs" sticking out of it.

In John 15:5, Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Jesus points to himself as the vine...the root...the stable force into which we are attached. He points to himself as the strength in our lives. He goes so far as to say that anything of value that flows from our lives will come from our personal connection with him. These are powerful words and if they are true (they are!), then we should heed them. We should search for what it means to "remain" in Christ and have him remain in me.

Where does one turn for strength, support, encouragement, direction, and fulfillment? To the person of Jesus Christ who lives and interacts with us daily.

Why do I use facebook and Twitter?

2009-04-02T14:45:00.000+02:00

The simple answer is, "to keep in touch with you." Here's how.

Fellow facebook users can access my profile and:

1) Look at pictures that I post (in PROFILE-PHOTOS)
2) Read my blog entries (in PROFILE-left hand side-scroll down)
3) Keep up with what I am doing through the day (in "What's on your mind")

You can be notified any time something is added to one of these sections.

Twitter adds two features to my communications and is valuable in networking. When I update "What are you doing?", it automatically:

1) Updates my facebook "status"
2) Posts my last 5 updates on this blog (on the left hand side).

Both of these tools allow me to connect with old friends, as well as connect with people who find that I am interested in the same things as they are. This has been valuable networking in ministry on a couple of occasions.

Pretty nifty, huh? If you are a facebook user, search for me and maybe we can be "friends". If you are up for trying something new, go to www.facebook.com or http://twitter.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: I am not being paid by either company for advertising. I am just trying to keep connected with you :-)

The New Language of Church Planting

2009-03-30T16:57:00.000+02:00

Hip-Hop. Breakdance. Street Dance. This is a new church planting vocabulary for me. Hope Praha (Hope Prague) is a church plant that reaches teens and young adults through breakdance training, English Camps, and discussion groups. Pastor Ondřej works full time as a doctor because the Hope Europe churches believe in tent making.

Club Rachel is partnering with Hope Praha to reach out to Roma teens and young adults in Benešov county. Our plan is to work with Hope Praha to provide Hip-Hop lessons for youth in Vlašim. Seven teens (including our Amy and the Beránek's Dan) will be a core group who will improve in the Hip-Hop skills and present shows in the area in order to contact young people for Christ.

The whole project will either be funded by a grant from NOKIA or by existing Club Rachel funds. Please pray for this beginning Hip hop ministry.

The Flu: A Blessing in Disguise?

2009-03-19T10:47:00.000+01:00

I REALLY hate being sick! Besides the pain and discomfort, this flu is stopping me from doing what I want and it is isolating me from people. I am (often way too) proud that I rarely get sick. Well, I am on round 2 in one month with an ugly stomach flu that keeps me home and in bed. I have already canceled a few meetings. But I hate doing that. I usually fight the label of "sick" and refuse to slow down until I am so sick that I can't continue.

Why do I do that? As I have been forced into reflection on this, I have come to a couple of conclusions. My sense of importance often comes from my ability to work and interact with people. I also don't want to disappoint others. Neither of these are bad in themselves but is it possible that I have put too much emphasis on this? Minor illness has a way of humbling you and showing that the world goes on even without your contribution for a few days. It can correct your perspective on how "important" you are.

Surprisingly, God is working His plan in spite of my bed rest. My family seems to be doing alright. Each of the ministry teams with which I work also seem to do alright without me for a few days. Yes, some things have to be put off...but nothing so important that I should lose any sleep over it.

Minor illness is a part of life and sometimes comes without any reason. But sometimes illness can be an indicator that you are not making healthy lifestyle choices or that you are not slowing down when you need to. Often being sick gives you a chance to reflect on things in a way that you wouldn't normally do. Maybe there is a blessing in having to slow down and reflect on your life in a different way during a minor illness. I'll have to think about that some more. But right now it is time for a nap.

Refugees-Part 4: The Church: Hope for refugees

2009-03-03T11:28:00.000+01:00

Guest author Sam Tabiendo has submitted this story of hope. Sam, a fellow ReachGlobal missionary working in Spain, and I are both ReachGlobal contacts for the Refugee Highway Partnership in Europe. This is a story he wrote for his personal prayer letter. (NOTE: This photo is not of Sam or Patrick.)

MINISTRY TO REFUGEES

Can you imagine teaching the Word and getting thrown in jail? You're told that the bribe from your spouse just got you released and you better flee the country while you have life. A short time later, you are in a new country, foreign language, loved ones far away, you are homeless and penniless. I was in London at a conference regarding refugees in Europe. My first night there, I dined next to Patrick from Africa. This was his story five years ago. Patrick received asylum, has adapted, and has been living as a boarding home advisor with British juvenile delinquents, helping them make transitions back to the world. At the end of their term, these tough white guys are weeping as they say farewell to Patrick, who to them was closer than a father or brother. Yet it has been 5+ years apart from his family while I was whining about being 4 days away from mine. Patrick is one among over 1,500,000 refugees in Europe, not all for the cause of Christ, but the Lord has sovereignly brought them here. Whether they came legally or illegally, they all need Jesus. What are we, the Church who are also "strangers in a strange land" to do? This refugee conference offered hopeful answers to this issue. the church has an opportunity to fulfill what the Lord has taught (Mt 25:35) and yes, this is a controversial topic amongst Christians. ReachGlobal has begun a ministry with Refugee Highway Partnership to help reach the aliens.

Towards the end of our dinner, Patrick beamed about nearly saving up the money in hopes of bringing his family here within the next year. They are refugees themselves, "safely" in hiding in another African country. (....and I was whining to myself about being away from my family at this conference for five days.)

Refugees-Part 3: Their Stories

2009-03-03T09:29:00.000+01:00

"There is no greater sorrow on earth, than the loss of one's native land." Euripedes, 431 B.C.

There are over 42 million forcefully displaced people worldwide. 16 million are refugees or asylum seekers. Many of them live near you. Their stories are similar. They have left people behind. The have left behind family members (some dead) in war torn countries, starving relatives in famine, desperate friends in economic despair, and loved ones who are persecuted for their race or their religion. They have risked their lives and traveled through many hardships to escape. They have often been turned back at the border without any inquiry into their situation. Many have spent years in "detention centers" only to be sent back home.

Here are some of their stories as published at: http://www.ecre.org/refugeestories/

Barry fled political persecution in the Democratic Republic of Congo and claimed asylum in Belgium. When his application was refused he was detained with his wife and small baby.

Mahdi was tortured by Iran's secret police and fled to the Netherlands in 2000. His asylum application was rejected and in fear of being sent back to Iran, he fled to Denmark. He has since been returned to the Netherlands and is now living without status.

Cleo has lived in Scotland for seven years. she applied for asylum in 2000, but her final appeal was turned down and she is now without status. While she and her family wait for a resolution to their situation, she does her best to remain positive and to contribute to community life in Glasgow.

Hadish fled Eritrea after being imprisoned for campaigning for a democratic constitution. He crossed the Mediterranean sea when he failed to find protection in neighbouring African countries and was detained on arrival in Malta.

Zoja and her children
On the 13th September 2007 the Polish border guards found the bodies of three Chechen girls-aged 6,10 and 13 - who had died in the mountains at the Ukrainian border. The border guards had previously come across Zoja, their exhausted mother, who was clutching a fourth child - a 2-year-old son- and asked them for help. The bodies were found 1,100 m up the mountains along the Polish-Ukrainian frontier, which is now the European Union's eastern border. Zoja went on to explain that they all had spent four days in the cold and the wet. Commenting on the case, a representative of the Polish Helsinki Committee said that the family was probably crossing the border at this particular point in order to apply for asylum in Austria. Yoja subsequently applied for refugee status in Poland. (Source: ECRE East European team, news reports)

*Photo used according to creative commons copyright: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Refugees-Part 1: Refugee Highway Partnership

2009-02-26T18:09:00.000+01:00

The "Refugee Highway" describes the well traveled paths where refugees flee from their homes and try to make it to a safe place in another country. Refugees flee from war, economic despair, and persecution and try to get to a country where they can apply for asylum. The journey is dangerous and they are often disappointed when arriving at their destination. They risk it all because to turn back often means certain death.

I have agreed to work 10% as a co-contact person (along with a RG colleague) for ReachGlobal Europe in the Refugee Highway Partnership (Click here to see website). I don't know exactly what this means yet but I will be keeping informed about ministry among refugees in Europe, communicating with ReachGlobal missionaries about possibilities to work with refugees, and promoting ministry among refugees.

The Refugee Highway Partnership consists of Christian organizations and churches in Europe that work with refugees. These people work at various points along the "refugee highway". They are a passionate, dedicated group of people who have many creative ministries in varying countries around the world.

I had the opportunity to meet with leaders of these ministries in Europe at a conference in London. I learned a lot about the plight of the refugee, the hope that the Church is giving refugees in Europe, and I did some networking. Please pray as I make next steps in refugee ministry in Europe.

Quick facts about the conference:

Number of countries that were represented: about 15

One of many projects that excited me: The New Neighbour Programme: Christian churches and organizations working together to find housing, education, legal help, etc etc for a refugee family. They meet the family as they get off the plane and drive them to their new home where they meet those who will be helping them get settled.

Number of books I brought back from the conference: 6 (and a map of the refugee highway)

Number of stories of hopelessness: a lot

Number of stories of hope being given: even more

Refugees-Part 2: It's time for "Show and Tell"

2009-02-26T16:52:00.000+01:00

Throughout human history, God has been working out His plan of redemption through his people. In the Old Testament, He called out a people to Himself in order to make his name known among the nations. In the New Testament age, Christ's death and resurrection made the way for Gentiles to be "grafted into" God's people. Now the Church (followers of Christ) has the primary responsibility to bring redemption to "show and tell". The evangelical church has historically been quite good at "tell" but sometimes I am not sure we have been the greatest at "show".

Isaiah 58:5-7 not only shows God's heart for the poor and oppressed but shows that religion by itself does not please God. A true redemptive faith in Jesus Christ will evidence itself in action. Matthew 25:31-46 and James 2:14-46 show that our faith will be evidenced by works (acts of love) that affect others. These verses all use examples of helping those who have less than us or those who are suffering and helpless.

The Old Testament especially talks about a particular "trio" of people who need special care from the people of God. Deuteronomy 10:17-19 is one of many sections that specifically points out the needs of the special trio of the orphan, the widow, and the alien.

Why did God give such emphasis on these three groups of people?

These were "severely at risk" groups. Each one of them had lost their provider, their advocate, and their protection. They had no voice and no way to provide for themselves. This made them especially alone and at risk for being taken advantaged of. So who are the "at risk" groups around you who have a need for the church to speak up and take care of them?

There are so many groups but in my next few entries, I will highlight the group of 42 million people around the world who have been forcibly displaced from their homes. The refugee is the modern equivalent of the person who has lost their protection, their provision, and their advocate.

Lessons from the Anglican Church-Part 2

2009-02-19T14:18:00.001+01:00

I did not know what to expect when I arrived at the house of the Reverend Graham Whiting, Vicar of All Saints Anglican Church. I hadn't realized until this trip how much the media has tainted my picture of an Anglican Vicar. British comedians such as Benny Hill, Mr. Bean, and Monty Python have been merciless in their parodies of the Church of England. Who can forget Mr. Bean's attempts to stay awake in church as an impersonal, unintelligible voice drones on. And in the American film, "The Princess Bride", a clueless vicar oversees Princess Buttercup's "almost" wedding with the famous words, "Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today."

Any false picture that I had was destroyed in a moment when a very intelligent, personable man pulled up in front of the Worthing train station and introduced himself as Graham. As we drove to their house, Graham showed me the town, the shops, and where his parish boundaries were. Quickly after meeting Graham and his family, I knew that we would be good friends. I found myself wishing that my family was here with me to meet them. The conversations that we had about life and ministry were very encouraging to me. Their dedication to service in a small church was inspiring and we were able to talk about the frustrations of ministry together.

The Whitings agreed that we need to do everything possible to get our 16 year old Amy and their 16 year old Alison together sometime. At the end of three days together, I felt I had a new family. (See below for how I am actually related.) From watching TV and eating meals together, helping set up the church for services, walking the family dog, and hearing the laughing and talking of the girls' sleepover (or NOT sleep over), I got to know the family quite well in a short time.

Here are some highlights:

A Favorite Trip: Arundel is a town near the sea with a castle, a cathedral, boats, and a quaint shops along winding roads. Coffee at the Tudor Rose was especially good.

A Favorite Conversation: Talking with 16 year old Ali about the JUMP service for kids and their grownups and seeing how she is an integral part of the ministry at All Saints (along with sister Lisa: choir, JUMP, etc.)

Moment of Most Laughter: Watching "Top Gear" on television with Charie and 13 year old Lisa, who said, "it is a very British television show" and that I must watch it. It is crazy funny.

How I am related to the Whiting family: After Dora's father passed away, my mother in-law re-married. Her new husband had 4 children. One was a Charie, who married a British Vicar. so Graham is my step brother in-law (I think...anyone have a more precise designation?)

Favorite white, fur shedding, food scrounging, well-loved family dog: Cari

The answer to the question, "Tom, did you eat fish and chips and drink ale at a British pub off Trafalgar Square while you were in London?": Yes

Lessons from the Anglican Church-Part 1

2009-02-19T13:51:00.000+01:00

If you ever find yourself near Worthing in West Sussex, England on a Sunday morning, drop in at the All Saints Church on Cissbury Drive. Located in a quiet, peaceful neighborhood in Findon Valley, All Saints has a wonderful mix of high church Anglican charm and "fresh expressions" of outreach and worship.

I had the privilege of attending two services, each characterized by very different elements. the high church Anglican service was Eucharistic (main focus of worship on Holy Communion). The liturgical reading of prayers and singing of hymns focused us on an organized, awesome God worthy of worship. Holy Communion and a message from John 1 on the Word becoming flesh and living among us and Holy Communion focused us on a God who came "down" from heaven to live among us. I don't get to attend many high church services so it was a treat for me. This was a beautiful, God-honoring service that fed me.

As a church planter, my ears perked up as I heard about the "fresh expression" of worship called JUMP. The Bishop of the Chichester diocese, Lindsay Urwin (the "cool bishop" according to 16 year old Ali Whiting), has stated that the Church of England will require fresh expressions of worship and outreach in order to reach out to the unchurches. Therefore, the Vicar and his family run the JUMP 4 JOY service for "kids and their grownups". JUMP stands for Joyful Unrestrained Magnificent Praise.

JUMP is a service for children. However, each child is required to "bring their grownups along". The reasons are twofold: outreach and legal considerations due to not having enough "official" adult caretakers. It works out well because on Sunday there were as many adults as children in the group of about 30. There were obvious teacher influences in the program with rapid movement from one activity to another and controlled people moving. An opening prayer, a song, a Valentine's craft (5 minutes only!), another song with kids' instruments, a participatory drama about the Good Samaritan, more songs, and a reciting of the Lord's Prayer gave the real impression of a child's church service.

I must admit that my church planter radar was on high alert as I noticed 3 things:

1) Every kid did, indeed, have at least one parent or grandparent with them.
2) ALL the parents/grandparents were interacting with their children, as well as with other children, through song (and dance!)
3) The parents all seemed to know each other and interact with each other.

Naturally, I had a few questions. Do some of the parents ever go to the adult (liturgical) service? Is it realistic to expect that those parents who come to the JUMP service will ever go to the liturgical service? These questions led to a mutually encouraging discussion with the Vicar and his wife about the different styles of worship and how important it is for the adults to move from being fed milk to being fed meat. Could the parents be taken out of the kids' service for a 5-10 minute devotional in the room next door? Could they build on their picnics and Christmas programs by starting a small group that addresses themes of parenting or marriage? The answers will come as the discussion continues among the workers at All Saints. Please pray that the Lord of the harvest would call out workers in this church.

I was encouraged and refreshed that Sunday morning at All Saints. It seems that God is doing something new in the beautiful parish of Findon Valley and I am looking forward to my next visit. Would anyone like to join me?

A Day in the Life-Travel Day

2009-02-18T14:49:00.000+01:00

I have been out of town 16 of the last 24 days. This is my explanation for why my blog has not been up to date. But don't worry...I have taken good notes and am ready to catch up. I am going to do it somewhat randomly, though. So beginning with the end, here is what a typical air travel day looks like for me. The travel day in question was my return trip from London to Prague via Frankfurt.

6:00 Wake up/dress/load car
6:30 Dropped off at Worthing train station/farewell to my host family
6:53 Train ride to London-Victoria Station
8:15 Arrive at station/eat egg and bacon roll and orange juice
8:45 Purchase Underground ticket (Almost $15, yikes!)/take Circle line towards Richmond
9:05 (or so) Exit train and cross platform in Hammersmith: take Piccadilly line towards Heathrow
10:00 Arrive Heathrow-terminal 2/get stopped heading out of Underground: discovered my ticket didn't cover enough zones...oops...and thank you to the kind gentleman who let me out anyway.
10:10 Check in for flight: talk with Czech woman who lives in London and was thrilled to be speaking Czech with an American who lived in the Czech Republic.
10:20 Purchase coffee, sit in "meeting point" and reconstruct morning for blog readers.
10:45 Security: very quick/Wander through shops unsuccessfully looking for Moleskine London notebook
11:05 Sit and wait to board/Write blog entry on Anglican Church
11:35 Boarding: first row! Easy on and easy off--thank you to Mrs. Czech speaker!
12:10 Takeoff: 25 minutes late
15:05 Arrive at Gate A21 in Frankfurt, Germany/change watch to one hour ahead
15:10 Boredom sets in: watch football/read Newsweek magazine
16:20 On plane: Read Newsweek/Write a couple of letters
17:20 Land/Collect baggage/See my favorite family in airport!
19:30 Arrive home after 12 hours of travel

Church Based Training Symposium-Hungary

2009-02-09T14:00:00.000+01:00

ReachGlobal invited church leaders from Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Italy, and the Czech Republic to meet and discuss the question of how we raise servant-leaders in our local churches. Small group interaction, case studies, and a set of principles that applied in any culture made the Symposium extremely practical.

The Vlašim church elders, their spouses, and an intern were able to process the principles and case studies together. This gave us great confidence and motivation to do this in our church. Since three of us are Club Rachel leaders, we also thought about these principles in the context of ministry with the Roma. We also connected with leaders who are working among the Roma in Slovakia and Hungary.

Quick Numbers from the Symposium

Number of attendees from the Vlašim church plant: 8

Number of Club Rachel leaders there: 3

Number of people interested in Roma ministry there: 7

Number of words I translated from English to Czech during the conference: 1 billion (at least it felt that way)

Number of Hungarian forints one dollar will buy: 221

Number of streets in Budapest named Bartok Bela street: 8 (according to a GPS computer)

Number of these streets we saw while trying to find the ministry center: only 2

Number of cheers Todd Hiltibran deserves for organizing this event: many!

Have you seen my $57.62?

2009-01-30T23:00:00.000+01:00

Honesty causes some strange reactions in the Czech Republic. On Thursday, the bank teller gave me an additional $57.62 in Czech crowns during my transaction. I was exchanging over $1,000 from 5 currencies into Czech crowns and Mrs. C mistakenly checked off a 5 Euro note in the 50 Euro column. Neither of us noticed the mistake until later that night. While Mrs. C was reconciling her accounts for the day, she noticed the difference She quickly found the mistake, found my number, and called me.

On Friday, a very relieved Mrs. C welcomed me and apologized for the inconvenience. More than the apology, I was struck with her constant gratitude for my coming back. I have no doubt that she has experience with many people who would not have given the money back.

This small act of honesty led to a 10 minute conversation, a gift of candy for my children, and an offer of a favor at the bank if I ever needed it. These kinds of encounters always make me wonder what God is doing. I have learned that these encounters are often a sign that God is working in someone's heart. So I will add Mrs. C to my prayer list, intentionally visit her when I can, and see how the Lord leads. Would you add Mrs. C to your prayer list, as well?

Pastors Conference

2009-01-27T20:44:00.000+01:00

The first chapter of "Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer led to lively discussions about the role of a pastor in the life of the church. With an emphasis on how we grow together in Christ, the Brethren Evangelical Free church conference gave opportunity to discuss expectations that the congregation and the elders have of a pastor. There was much interaction on how these expectations can lead to disappointment and frustration and what to do about it. This year's conference was the best I have been to. Worship, prayer, small group interaction, panel discussion, testimonies, and practical teaching made the conference noteworthy. I also enjoyed interaction with individuals.

Quick facts about the conference:

Funniest Moment: A pastor's "most embarrassing moment" story. Pastor S took a train ride with his daughter and ended up talking with a passenger about God. Another passenger was listening closely. Upon his departure, the "listening" passenger left his newspaper. As Pastor S picked up the paper, he found pornographic material in it (not the funny part ;-)). He asked "What would Jesus do?" and decided to flush the magazine down the toilet. (Editorial note: not sure I would have done that!) To his horror, when he returned to his seat, the passenger had returned and had been filled in on the situation! Pastor S's daughter was leaning over with her red face in her hands as the passenger demanded his newspaper back!

Most Serious Moment: Talking late into the night with soon to be ordained Pastor H about his past Roma ministry and his struggle to know God's will for the present. If this pastor would decide to focus on the Roma, he would be a key person for Roma and Holistic ministry in the Czech Republic. He would also make a great pastor in a "Czech" church. Please pray that the Lord would lead him clearly.

Favorite thought: Pastors are under great pressure to wear a "mask" because of various expectations that the congregation and the elders have of them. However, these "masks" hinder personal spiritual growth and ministry.

Most encouraging "convergence": Networking with head of the new CB mission board, a CB pastor who leads short term mission trips to Roma villages in Ukraine, and the pastor of the international church in Prague. Could this all come together for the expansion of God's kingdom? Representatives from each of these "groups" will be at the CB missions conference on Saturday. Please pray that the Lord leads.

Two Short Videos on Poverty

2009-01-23T07:24:00.000+01:00

Click here if you have 30 seconds to reflect on poverty.

Click here if you have 3 minutes 30 seconds.

A Day in the Life-the Reality

2009-01-21T16:30:00.000+01:00

On the way to the community center, guess who I met?...the friend I mentioned yesterday who thinks I sit around and do nothing!
I felt good about my balance of reflection time and planning time
I didn't get as far as I would have liked in planning. I spent more time trying to get my projects contained in Microsoft OneNote than actually reviewing them.
"What needs to happen in order for me to be filled with the Holy Spirit?" occupied much of my thoughts and led me to meditate on Ephesians 5:18-21.

A Day in the Life

2009-01-20T10:34:00.000+01:00

Do you wish you could have more space in your life for God?
Space for God is the name of a book on prayer and spirituality by Don Postema that God has used in my life for many years. It is also the name of my monthly and annual retreat/planning days. ReachGlobal staff are encouraged to schedule this monthly "day away with God" (DAWG) into their routine. Therefore, once per month, I take a full work day and carve out "Space for God". Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will spend a quiet day in the Club Rachel room at the Community Center. I usually spend half the time in reflective activities and half the time in planning.

My routine varies but tomorrow will look like this:

Walk to Community Center (praying for Vlasim)
Settle in: Arrange table, chair, books, notebooks, (listening to Casting Crowns CD)
Lectio Divina: Read Scripture and meditate on it
Journal: Confession and things on my mind
Listening: Short walk in park
Review annual goals and objectives
Update "Key Result Areas" and objectives/Make new action steps
Fill in Monthly Ministry Report
Pray for ministry partners
Pray for family
Walk home
Share reflections and plans with Dora and my children

Quick facts about monthly Space for God:

Greatest Joy: Releasing guilt and worry to experience "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension".

Greatest Challenge: Balancing quiet, reflective activities with planning activities. At different times in my life, I tend to lean towards one or the other.

Favorite Place: In the woods (when it is warm enough). There I do all reflective activities until moving inside to plan at a desk with a computer.

Favorite Reaction after telling a friend about my monthly Space for God: "I wish I could take a day off of work and sit around." (This is the same friend who has never done email, skype, nor studied past 8th grade and is sometimes not quite sure what I "do" for work ;-)

Please pray that I would use my time wisely and that the Lord would lead me.

Responses? Questions? Constructive Criticism? Post a comment or email me!

A Christian's Response to Poverty and Suffering

2009-01-16T09:17:00.000+01:00

Did you know that if you 1) own a refrigerator, 2) sleep in a bed, 3) hang your clothes in a closet, and 4) have a roof over your head, you are richer than 75% of the people in the world? Did you also know that over half of the people in the world today struggle to survive on 2$ per day? Does this surprise you? If so, you're not alone. It also surprised the students at the Christian International School of Prague. And it will surprise those in church who hear Sunday's sermon on "A Christian's response to poverty and suffering".

Why do these figures surprise us?

Because poverty and oppression do not affect our daily lives. We don't see it. When we get a glimpse of it on television, we want to care deeply but we have no practical way to respond. This is why we can see horrific images of starving children in Ethiopia or refugees pouring out of war torn countries like Somalia and simply tune it out. We can't possibly feel sorrow for each of these people. It would break our hearts immediately. We cannot intellectually grasp the staggering numbers of those bound in poverty, starvation, forced prostitution, refugee camps, social marginalization, and a hundred other "bonds of wickedness" (Isaiah 58:6).

So we don't.

That is why I advocate 4 small, practical steps that anyone can take towards affecting the poor and suffering with the gospel and bettering their lives.

Step 1: Thank God: Develop an attitude of gratitude.

Realize how much you have compared to the VAST MAJORITY of the world.
Proactively replace complaining with statements of gratitude.
Thank God every day for what He has given you materially and spiritually.

Step 2: Pray: Choose someone to pray for.

Choose a poor family in town or a homeless person you see.
Choose refugees from a certain country (ie Somalia).
Choose a despised minority (ie Roma in Eastern Europe).
Choose an organization that works with the poor and oppressed (ie TouchGlobal (EFCA), or Compassion International).
Research the group or organization so you can pray informed prayers.
Set aside one day per week when you (and your family) pray for your chosen group.

Step 3: Give: As the Lord leads, give of your abundance to your chosen group.

Give to a Christian organization that works with the poor, the hungry, or the homeless in your town.
Give to a Christian organization that works with refugees, widows, or orphans.
Give to a Christian Mission organization that is planting churches using holistic ministries.
If you have the experience and wisdom, give directly to a poor individual or family.

Step 4: Serve: Go serve those who have been benefited by your prayers!

Why not take a huge step of faith and go serve those for whom you have given and prayed!

Serve in a local homeless shelter, food pantry, or soup kitchen.
Go visit a missionary who is working with the group you are interested in.
Take part in your church's next service project, whether near, far, or even further!

If you need ideas for service or further study, or would like to discuss any of these steps, please contact me!

My sermon text Sunday will be Isaiah 58:5-7 and Matthew 25:31-40. Please take a minute to read about God's heart for the poor and the suffering and ask Him what your part might be in sharing the gospel in word and deed with them. And please pray for me as I preach.

Announcement: Czech Summit 2009!

2009-01-13T10:42:00.000+01:00

This year's Czech Summit will be held on June 21 and 22 at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Lakeville, Minnesota! This two day event will introduce you to the Czech Republic and the ministries of ReachGlobal there. You will be able to meet the missionaries who are serving in the Czech Republic, hear about the ministries they are involved in, and find out how you or your church can be involved. If you have a desire to connect with strategic ministry in the Czech Republic or find out more about Roma ministry, please join us in Minnesota. Contact me for more information.

"Chance" meeting with an old friend

2009-01-10T13:30:00.000+01:00

I ran into an old friend in Prague the other day. After speaking at the Christian International School's chapel service, I had an hour before my bus would take me home. So I stopped to warm up with a cappuccino from McDonald's. (It was 8 degrees Fahrenheit outside) As I walked towards a table, there sitting by the window was Martina Ř!

Martina was the second of a group of friends who successively gave their lives to Christ while Jan Lukl and I worked with the youth group in Kutná Hora. Martina became one of our most active helpers in English Camps, youth group events, and evangelistic activities and has grown quickly in her faith.

After greetings and catching up, we started talking about the "good old days" in the youth group and the great English camps we organized together. Of the group of 6 who came to Christ through the youth group and became regulars, 4 are growing in their faith and 2 have rejected their faith. We talked about how Filip T could seem so strong in his faith and yet later deny that there is a god. We talked about the mystery of unanswered prayer for unbelieving family members. I could sense that Martina was looking for answers but at the same time recognizing that God is teaching her about himself and showing himself faithful even when she doesn't have all the answers. The time passed too quickly and she had to get to her class while I literally sprinted from the subway to catch my bus.

This unexpected "chance" (read God ordained) meeting was the most spiritual encouragement that I have had in a long time. I was encouraged to be able to follow spiritual growth in someone who I had known since she came to the faith. I was also encouraged by her evangelistic zeal and her concern for those around her who do not share her faith. Looking back on this meeting, I am sure that I helped her understand a little more about where she is on her spiritual journey and the mystery of unanswered prayer...but she helped to re-ignite the flame of evangelistic fervor in me. She can't accept that God would ignore a prayer for someone to come to faith. So, I am encouraged to keep praying for and sharing the good news with those around me. Even if I don't have all the answers.

Ministry Partner Profile: Jan and Marie Lukl

2009-01-07T19:35:00.000+01:00

The year was 1997. The setting was a Hussite church in the Czech Republic where the Brethren Church had just finished Sunday services. The excitement level was high for a young family who had just arrived in the Czech Republic in hopes of learning a seemingly impossible language and finding ministry partners with whom they could work. Enter a recent seminary graduate, just back from his honeymoon and beginning an internship in this church. As Jan (John) Lukl introduced his new wife to Dora and I, we immediately hit it off. We started talking about evangelism and within minutes were talking about Outreach English Camps.

Shortly after our meeting Jan and Marie Lukl, we found out that they had been leading their youth group to pray that an American missionary would come and work with them! Dora and I, on the other side of the ocean, had been asking others to join us in praying that God would lead us to a Czech pastor with whom we could work. Thus started a "match made in heaven"!

We have been friends and co-workers with the Lukls for 11 years now and lived in 3 different cities together. They taught us to speak Czech, helped us learn Czech culture, encouraged us as we learned to do ministry here, and joined us in our first church plant. We have had plenty of ups and downs and even times that we thought would destroy our friendship and our ministry partnership. But through it all, we have been able to communicate with them and talk through any problems.

Jan is a pioneer church planter who desires to plant a church and then move on. He is, above all, an evangelist who is not ashamed to preach the gospel. He is an action oriented, charismatic leader who brings new people into the church and then sets out to look for more. He is also a member of the New Churches' Trust Fund "action group" that promotes church planting in the Czech Republic. That he enjoys soccer, hockey, scuba diving, boating, and rock climbing should tell you a little something about his personality. Sitting still is not something Jan enjoys!

His wife, Marie, balances him out with her level head and systematic planning. She takes good care of their three young children and has a heart for children's ministries and young women. She is often heard to say to her husband at meetings, "That's important. Write it down." It has been fun to watch how they have learned to work together as a team and how they have raised their family.

The Lukls have given up a lot in order to plant a church in Vlašim. They have also sacrificed a lot for our family. They have always been there for us and we appreciate how God has brought our two families together as friends and co-workers. As you think of them, please pray for their family.

The Power of Prayer (x2)

2009-01-03T14:03:00.000+01:00

When the doorbell rang at 2 o'clock in the morning, I was sure I was going to jail. I quickly threw on some pants and ran to the kids' room, and looked out the window. It was too foggy to see who was waiting for me. In complete panic, I walked out the door to the gate and...No one was there! Were the police from the foreigners' police office just trying to intimidate me?

Only eight hours ago, the panic had started. My phone rang and our best friends who had signed our "proof of housing" papers for the foreigners' police told me that the police were looking for me and had threatened to press (trumped up) charges against them, as well.

Although I was never arrested, this is the kind of intimidation that Mr. V, the head of the foreigner police in our county, used against us. From yelling at us, to "losing" our paperwork, to adding impossible requirements to our visa renewal, Mr. V did everything he could to make our lives difficult. I dreaded going to the foreigners police every year to renew my work visa.

"Kids, it's time to pray", Dora and I said. "The Bible teaches us to pray for our enemies and bless those who curse you." We also needed prayer for our visa renewal process each year.

So we started praying for two things:
1) that Mr. V would leave that office
2) that Mr. V would be blessed and come to know Christ

In Spring of 2008, we took our dreaded annual family trek into the foreigners' police office to submit our paperwork. Immediately, we saw three big changes:

1) The (new) officers were friendly
2) No smoke, beer bottles, or pictures of naked women in the office
3) NO MR. V!

We found out that he had been caught accepting bribes and was removed from his position! Prayer number 1 answered...

Fast forward to New Year's Eve 2008. Pastor Jan Lukl asks me if I remember the name of the head of the foreigners' police. When it is confirmed that we both know this man, he relates to me how he had been befriending one of his son's hockey coaches...our "old friend" Martin V. They have been riding together to hockey games and have spoken of God and religion. Martin was surprised to find out that Jan is a pastor but seems to desire this friendship. As I write this, they are riding together and spending the weekend together at an away hockey tournament.

Could it be that God has put together a man for whom we have been praying for years and the greatest evangelist in our small town for a reason? I believe so. Please pray for Martin V and expect God to work!

Happy New Year-Czech style!

2008-12-29T09:38:00.000+01:00

At 12:00 AM GMT+1 the skies above the Czech Republic brightly lit up and resounded with a cacophony of explosions. Our Czech friends across the nation welcomed the new year with roman candles, bottle rockets, firecrackers, and other implements of mass celebration. A few enthusiasts even added their own shotgun blasts to the excitement! For us, this was the culmination of an evening spent singing, talking, and eating a lot of food with friends from church and then watching a movie as a family.

Czechs, like Americans, also make New Years' resolutions or "předsevzetí". I recently spent a weekend alone with God in order to evaluate my spiritual life and my yearly goals. One of my major goals for 2009 is to "create and maintain a comprehensive communications strategy" for our ministry. Thus the new newsletter and blog (and more to be announced!). Our target audience is you who pray for our ministry, give towards it, and serve in other ways. My goal is to allow our family, friends, and ministry partners to "experience ministry on the field and to take part in our lives".

I have taken a lot of time to think about how to accomplish this goal...but I need to hear your feedback. If you feel so inclined, I ask you to consider signing up for emails of this blog AND KEEPING ME ON TASK! Give me feedback about what you want to hear from me and what you want to see. Tell me how often you want to hear from me and in what media (blog, newsletter, pictures, video, etc.). In other words, please interact with me and join the ministry in Eastern Europe!

Tom