OOPS Accidents Happen

Unfortunately on the way back from dropping off the team from Westminster at the Prague airport, Ken got in an accident.  However, God protected Ken from injury, he is fine.  Cannot say the same about our car.  But we just learned that it is repairable and it is insured.

VISITOR'S CZECHING US OUT IN FEBRUARY 2013

Withing hours of taking Pastor Steve and Janice Archer to the Prague airport, Ken picked up three men from Westminster, California who came to scout out the possibility to send a team to minister in this summer's English Camp.  The Liberec youth group and their friends held a 3 day mini-camp from Friday evening through Sunday morning.  Up to 40 youths attended with a majority sleeping overnight at the Liberec Konopna ministry center including two of the Americans, Tim Hill (mission's directer of Westminster Foursquare Church) and Luke Roina.  Not only did they sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag, but before bedtime the youth took "an evening walk."  In Tim's words "a two hour climb up a snow covered mountain." We promise that the week long summer English Camp will have real beds!

Weekend of sleeping, eating and playing together inside and out.

It was a long night on a hard floor for 2 guys still fighting jetlag.

Our dining area.

Everyone helped where needed including the guys on kp duty.  40 kids plus leaders takes a lot of potatoes,

There were indoor and outdoor activities even if it was freezing outside.

During the week Tim, Luke and Leonard also attended our English conversation groups.  One of the things we did in class was to share national foods.  Tim brought Mexican candy that was a mixture of sweet, sour and salty.  Everyone enjoyed trying it but few liked it.  In return the Americans had to drink Kofola (kind of like Dr. Pepper but worse), eat tlacinka (headcheese) with onions and vinegar, eat sadlo with svarky (pork fat with chittlins) spread on bread, and eat kolac (a yummy Czech pastry).  We were proud of our American missionaries who ate everything with a smile. ;)  We were also pleased at how well our southern California guys adapted to our winter weather.  Looking forward to this summer when you will feel more at home.

Youth in Hradek try Mexican candy.  Their faces tell it all.

  It was a fun and crazy time with the Americans.

Three southern California guys were in three countries within thirteen minutes:  Czech, Poland and Germany

Tim, Luke and Leonard were invited to Pastor Petr's apartment before we went to our English conversation group held at his church in Turnov.  He shared his vision to start a Christian kindergarten and his desire to have a native English speaking missionary who could also help with youth and/or music programs in his town and in the two new church plants in the nearby villages.

Pastor Petr explaining his vision to Luke.  Leonard and Ken.  Pastor Petr, his wife Klara and their 2 daughters Viki and Chloe.  The wall of faces of the teens who have visited the church's youth club.

Pastors Steve and Janice Archer with Pastors Simon and Ctibor in Chrastava

Looking to the future, across the yard to the building which will be the future Christian High School

On February 10-14 our good friends, Pastor Steve and Janice Archer, visited us on their way home from Israel.  Their church, Faith Community, has been a long-standing, faithful supporter of our ministry.  While with us they were able to visit 3 of our 4 English conversation outreach groups in 3 smaller towns and got a real taste for what we do here.  They also got to experience our winter.  The day we visited Prague we could barely see anything through the snowstorm.  Sorry it was so cold and slippery.  It made for quite an adventure.  Although in Prague they did not see Prague.  Oh well, I guess Steve and Janice will just have to come again!

Steve and Janice Archer in front of Liberec Town Hall

and in front of Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge

While here they also visited with Pastor Simon and the ministry center in Chrastava who shared his vision of starting a Christian High School in his town.  Liberec has a Christian school that goes from K-9th grade.  Chrastava is only 15 minutes from Liberec with excellent transportation connections by bus and train.  Currently there is no high school in Chrastava.  The Mayor and town council support the church's vision and have offered a building for their use.  This high school would specialize in training teachers and social workers which would help tremendously in preparing workers for the many Mother's clubs, Family Centers and NGOs that work with youth and seniors which many churches have started or plan to start. Please pray for the success of this vision, especially for permission from the regional school board.