Last night Emilie and I went to Zdenek and Martina's place just a little bit outside of the city limits. They are a Czech couple from the church plant I have been attending with Emilie in the Suchdol area of Prague. It was a really marvelous night, one that you wish you could live more often. We had really good conversation with them both, and heard about their lives abroad in London and America. God has brought them through so much!

Where to begin. Their lives are much too full to share in a blog post, but to highlight some of the amazing things that they shared . . . Here were two people, living behind the wall in Communist Czechoslovakia--an area closed to the outside world--who then were brought to London so that Zdenek could study on a Fulbright. With their stipened, the only way they could afford to stay was through the generosity of a couple in London who transcended societal norms and allowed Zdenek and Martina to live with them for the whole year. They came back to the CZR, but then soon after went to America where they were scraping by on a Fulbright again. Martina looked for a job in despair because for a whole year she could not find suitable employment, and she was about to succumb to bagging groceries. After a night of tears and prayers a company looking for a computer programmer calls her. She accepted the job and was met with one difficult feat after another, but God's provision, along wither her talent and work ethic, led her into jobs with major companies and allowed Zdenek to keep studying. (We're talking access to the company card, and a branch of the firm being located in the World Trade Center.*) The Fulbright requires its recipients to return to their home country for a few years after they finish their studies, so after Zdenek finished studying they headed back to the CZR with the expectation that they would come back to America. God had other plans for them, so here they are in the CZR with the intention of staying. Needless to say, I am so grateful that they are here!

It was so good to have fellowship with them last night and hear about God's provision in their lives through so many trials and experiences. It has made me reflect on the moments when life becomes a clear reality, not a hazy movie I am watching without truly participating in; a genuine reality where I am aware of God's presence and my status as His beloved, and am reminded of my mission in this world to live out His Ideal. I think this only happens under a few circumstances: when you decide to will one thing--to love God and your neighbor--and the community you find yourself with is in agreement. This has happened perfectly for an extended period only a few times in my life--the summer I was 17 and the summer I was 21**. The moments in which I am reminded of His Ideal are sweet and precious drops of gold, which serve to push me forward in the great seeking out of the Kingdom. Praise God for such mercies as these in the midst of evil days.


 *Martina herself went there once a year for a company conference. She remembers distinctively asking her boss, "Aren't you afraid something might happen?" in April 2001. He said, "No, of course not. It's locked-down safe." Fortunately, only a few people she knew who worked for the company died because of their work hours being later in the day.
I must add that when she told me these stories of rags to riches and the experience of 9/11, I felt like her and Zdenek were more American than I.
**It has happened at other points as well, but these stand out as the highest--the perfect examples. Compass & YHM part II.

Tonight was fantastic.

I'd been beating around the bush in regard to taking a Czech class outside of the CISP community. The reason for the switch was because I needed to have the class twice a week, and I really needed to talk  from off the top of my head more. My grammar skills are fine, but my speaking skills need to catch-up. (Ah, theory before praxis--Czech is just one microcosmic example of how this plays out in my life story). So I visited this class just a few tram stops away from my house. It's cheap, it's low-key, and the people in it are interesting. I'm the single American in the bunch--Finnish, Israeli, Scottish, German, Japanese (and maybe a French guy?) make up the rest of the class.

You don't need to experience it to know it, but English is language of the empire. We went out after Czech class to a place nearby, and it was so interesting to hear all of them speak English. If we didn't have English as a common base, no Czech learning would get done. Nor any other discussion. In a situation like that, it is weird to have the privilege of being a native English speaker. For most of the group, English is their second language. Yet, that is the language you must have to function in a foreign setting in a good portion of the world. So as a native, I'm set, even when I travel to distant lands. But in many cases, I think it's a real pity that there is so little emphasis given to learning another language in English speaking countries. It feeds the egocentric mindset that most Americans are already so prone to. And, missionaries don't have such a good wrap when it comes to going abroad, because they can sometimes take with them an imperialistic mindset. So those are two strikes I see myself potentially coming up against.

Tonight I caught my peers off guard when I told them I was American. They thought that I must be German or French from looking at me. When I shared that I worked at a Christian International school, they didn't get weird. They thought it was interesting that I taught Bible. And the Finnish guy asked me to "speak Bible" to him. I didn't really get what he was asking. So I threw in some favorite Evangelical lingo -- "Accept Jesus into your heart!" But apparently that wasn't what he was looking for, so I quoted some scripture -- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." I guess that wasn't quite what he was looking for either, but I think the Israeli was cool with it.

And that was it. The conversation flowed naturally on, through politics, economics, language, living in foreign places, asking questions about the many different lands represented at the table.

So now we have a basis to continue to have discussion and conversation from, Lord willing. Who knows what He will do with you when you make yourself available to something as simple as a Czech class outside your usual bubble.

Long Overdue

Friends, Family, Followers of Christ --

Time goes by much faster than I would like it to. Before you can blink, you've experienced the excitement of classes, learning Czechholidays, Czech traditions, a new year, stress, struggle, growth, resolutions, new ideas, old thought patterns, sin, the Gospel, students, relapse, snow, buying groceries, visitors, fellowship, irony, monotony, loneliness, weird missionaries, kind Czechs, the frustration of a lack of discipline, broken resolutions, back rubs, being too hard on yourself, attempting to read Kierkegaard, relationships (or lack thereof), church, disillusionment, works righteousness, Christian bubbles, coffee dates, conversion rate drop, (avoiding) Ikea, loans, impatience, bad humor, black humor, czech films, another project, another class lesson, playing saxophone in pit band for the musical "Bye-Bye Birdie", crafts, chapel, roommates, paying rent, paying internet, sledding in Riegrovy Sady.

Being part of a beautiful, messed-up world.

At the school, we kicked-off a new semester a few weeks ago. For me, a new semester hasn't meant too many changes all at once, but definitely a few coming up. Right now, I'm teaching wisdom literature to my 6th graders, Luke to my 7th graders, and romanticism poetry to my sophomore English class. So I've been learning quite a bit about many different things, reconnecting with my love for literature, and finding an appreciation for poetry that I didn't know I had. I may pick up the responsibilities of teaching another English class, tutoring after school, a Czech class twice a week, and assistant school chaplain. But I'm praying about all these things at the moment.

Love for the finer things in life requires some discipline.

I admit that I have and still do struggle with perfectionism.  I am too hard on myself for not getting things done. Paradoxically, I can be lazy and give myself too much lenience when I don't do certain things. Those of you who understand can empathize. Those of you who do not experience the world this way, you can call me crazy.

I do love teaching. It really is wonderful to be learning to teach at a Christian school. I recently talked with a friend here about teaching at an international school for missionary kids, and she reminded me of the importance of the work that is done here. Discipleship is important. So important. It is a day-in-and-day-out witness of being a Christian to kids who live on the most atheistic continent on the planet. Right now the school is working on its accreditation with the Czech Republic.  Please pray for the CZ government to recognize this school as a legitimate learning center. My heart and the heart of so many of the teachers here is to reach the Czech people as well, and until the school is recognized, this won't happen. Right now the application and the curriculum is in the hands of the ministry of education, and they are looking it over and making decisions. Until they make a "yes" decision for the school, it severely limits Czech attendance. The school has only been around for 8 years, so it takes time for anything new to grow and develop. But the quicker it's accredited, the more people we'll be able to reach with the gospel.

The school has a revamped website --- www.cisprague.org. Czech it out!

One thing I could use your prayers for is my loan situation. I am currently in the process of applying for a scholarship from my alma mater that would pay off my loan debt. The trade off is that I will be on the mission field for four years (I'm not sure if this year will count). Please pray in regards to this. I'm not intimidated by four years on the field, and I think it would help to offer the school more stability (as well as myself. I'm not thrilled with the idea of bouncing between occupations every two years) and make it a more legitimate, well-rounded experience, as well as afford me the ability to invest more fully in the people around me. Of course, this is important to consider with you, prayer and financial supporters, because you are the means by which God makes this happen. The deadline for this application is March 1st.

Finally, a verse which was inspirational to me this week, and oh-so-important for remembering the Gospel message:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes . . . For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed--a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

The Gospel, that offers salvation to everyone, despite our flaws and failures; a salvation that is not dependent on our works. A God that is not dependent on what we do or don't do. A God who only asks -- will you believe that I love you this much? Will you believe that I love you this much? Will you believe that I love you this much? And the only real sin is not believing in that love. Not believing that you are good enough for that love. Believing you are too good for that love. Who knowingly rejects love? Only those who don't know that this is the core of God's message.

Blessings
Becca