Decisions...

Well, it's official...we'll be in one of the fifty states for an indefinate period starting this July. We love it here. We love our students. We are excited that God is doing some radical things in this country. But, we have a peace in knowing that our place next year is not here as teachers. It's going to be extremely hard to leave and our prayers will be here in Prague long after we've left.

So, you might ask, "What's next?" We don't know yet. We're thinking, praying and weighing options. We definately have the "overseas bug" and could very well be back on this side of the ocean in the not-too-distant future. However, next year will probably entail some form of training for and development of the gifts and passions that we've been given. We still don't know what that will look like, but we're not in any hurry. Please pray that we can stay focused on the remaining four months of ministry that we still have before us.

And please continue to pray for this country. We're blessed to be on the front lines of something very exciting. God's working here, and it's a beautiful thing to see.

Prayer and Worship

This last weekend our organization held their annual "Spiritual Renewal Retreat." It's around this time of year that most, if not all, of the teachers are feeling the heaviest effects of the 'winter blahs.' It's also right at the six-month mark of our overseas tenure, so it's usually a much-needed time of fellowship and worshipping with brothers and sisters, which is often a rare opportunity in these parts. Since Kate and I are on the leadership team, we were involved in deciding on a topic and choosing a speaker for the event. We decided on a pastor's wife, Kelsie, from Prague Christian Fellowship and asked her to speak on prayer and spiritual warfare. We chose these topics because a) most of us have experienced more spiritual warfare here than in the states and b) it never hurts to learn more about prayer, eh?

Now, I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical on both the topic and the speaker. I had been to Prague Christian Fellowship before and it was more charismatic than I was accustomed to. I also get irritated when people look for Satan under every rock and blame things on "spiritual attacks" in such a way that absolves themselves of accountability (ex. "God, I want to pray against this spirit of disobedience within me"). That said, I was expecting biased words from the speaker on the overwhelming power of Satan and "special" prayers that would somehow make us more spiritual than other Christians. However, as soon as the retreat was underway, I felt ashamed for having come to the table with such presuppositions.

Kelsie was, quite simply, a woman of the truth. She did talk about intercessory prayer, but it wasn't a talk wrapped in hyper-spirituality. Instead, it was a conversation grounded in the Word. She walked us through scripture after scripture about praying on behalf of others, the nations, ministries, etc. There were no lessons on speaking in tongues, performing miracles, etc. It was all pretty simple stuff: praying that God would accomplish His will on this earth through His people. Furthermore, the brief tangent we took into "spiritual warfare" was simply to say that we need not fear it. She made the point that there are those Christians who blame everything on Satan and those who won't even acknowledge that he exists. She simply said that Satan is someone to be acknowledged and dealt with, but never feared.

We ended with "intercessory worship", which Katie and I both led. I was also pretty apprehensive about this as well, but I actually really enjoyed it due to its interactive nature. We simply played songs and gave people the opportunity to pray or read scripture. I didn't see it as much different than the "pray as you feel led" type of scenario that I grew up with. All in all, it wasn't so much a weekend of expanding horizons as it was a realization that, most denominations do pretty much the same thing but call it by a different word.

p.s. I know many of you have been asking about our decision regarding next year. The decision has been made, but we're going to email our families before posting it on a public forum. Thanks for your prayers.

Praha News

This past month here in Prague, there has been a massive 'Jesus Film' campaign. I know most of us, when we think about mission groups showing the Jesus Film, we think of Aboriginies (spelled right?) sitting on dirt benches and noticing more the TV in front of them than the film. Or at least I did.

Since February 12th, the Jesus Film has been played at major cinemas all over Prague for free at least twice a day. Local churches and mission organizations sponser a showing so that the audience can watch it for free. There have been approximately 150 showings since that time. It will end the 27th. Can you imagine it? Going to get some popcorn, reclining in a big theater and watching the story of Jesus unfold. I am sure you can, especially with the Passion out in the States right now.

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about the Jesus Film being showed here in Prague. The 20 year old movie without high-tech advances and a really post-modern Prague- I thought it was going to flop. But I am humbled to say that, according to the numbers as of Sunday, 10,000 people have seen the film. The cinemas have been jam-packed, people sitting in aisles, and the comment cards have been both surprising and honest.

Something is happening around the world with the entertainment industry. People are searching for truth in it. A Czech lady at our church was talking about how she could not believe it when she saw movie posters for the Jesus Film on the subways and trams. Big ones, small ones, they are everywhere. She was talking about how she remembers a time, even 15 years ago (which is not that long), when Jesus was a taboo topic. Now, He is even available on the Metro. The point is, it is neat to be a part of it. He is here, and He is on movie-posters. People are being confronted with Him and cannot run anymore.

So pray for this city. Pray for those who see the film, that the truth will set them free.
Love Kate

McD's Does Techno

I forgot my lunch at home today and was forced to leave school during my off period to find sustenance elsewhere. Since I had a limited amount of time, I went to McDonald's for it's convenient location and quick service. Now, in the states, I wouldn't be caught dead under the golden arches. However, the quality of the food on this side of the pond is, for some reason, quite superior to what is offered stateside and it is one of the few places where you can get a non-sitdown and "quick" meal.

I got the Big Mac meal which was reasonably priced at 89 crowns(although you have to pay extra for ketchup). While I was enjoying this hearty, healthy meal, I realized that I was somehow feeling compelled to eat at a rapid pace. Yes, I was trying to budget time, but I had a good half-hour to waste, so that wasn't the reason that I was stuffing at least two fries down my throat with every other heartbeat. And then I realized...it's the music. European McDonald's pump techno through their quite impressive sound systems, and at a much higher volume than you would ever find at a fast food joint in the America. I surveyed the surrounding patrons to confirm my theory: persistent beats quickens food consumption. Everywhere I looked, people were eating at nearly twice the average speed. Small children were eating chicken nuggets like they were m&m's. Old grandmothers were slurping pie paste through their toothless grins faster than I was drinking my coke. And then I contrasted this with the pub fare I had the other week at a place downtown that was playing old Nirvana rarities (which, in itself, is undeniably cool). It took me a good hour to enjoy an appetizer and a beer, while I choked down an entire McDonald's value meal in mere minutes. I wonder where techno figures into McDonald's plan for world domination.

roses are red, violets are blue....

hi all. So I've been confined to our flat for the past week, and again for the next three days. Honest to goodness, legally I cannot leave the flat except between the hours of 10-12am and 2-4pm. It's written on a legal paper that the doctor gave me for my school. All I know about this system is that is has something to do with the healthcare system from under Communism 15 years ago, and has to do with me being paid as a teacher by the government. (since it is a free country i don't think that legally they can do anything if someone is abusing the system, but it's just in the history i guess) So I must return to the doctor for the third time this Wednesday to see if she will let me teach yet.
Something about the protective layer over my eyes has been ripped off from the conjunctivitis being so bad and she is worred that if I am out too much it won't have a chance to grow back. It's been 6 days and my eyes look a million times better but just feel like they need Visine every hour or something. (Family, don't worry, i am perfectly fine and will be when you come!)

Anyway, off the grossness...
It was Valentines yesterday as most of you know. Friday Michael and I decided to go out and eat a nice dinner and see a movie (of course after my regulated hours were way over). We went and had dinner at Friday's. I know this might strike some of you as funny that 1)there is a Friday's in Prague and 2)we want to go there. When you have had plenty of meals with foreign ingrediants, it's nice to have a greasy hamburger or nachos that your stomach doesn't really remember, but your tastebuds do. So, we splurged and put it on the credit card. (it's bascially the same prices as the States, but compared to this country, we paid a lot for dinner)
We saw the movie Mona Lisa Smile which just came out here. Not bad, a little to 'chick-flick' for our tastes but still it was nice to be out.

Anyway, nothing new. the Stevenson's are coming to Prague next Friday! (not all of them of course, but a good majority) It will be nice to see some faces!
Hope all is well.
katie

We're dyin' here...

What is it with us?! First me, now Kate. On Tuesday morning, Katie woke up but could barely open her eyes. After using a hot cloth for about ten minutes, her lids slid open and I saw the reddest two eyes I've ever seen (at least from a non-drug user). So this time Kate wound up at the doctor's and was quickly grounded to the flat for the rest of the week. She's got a pretty bad case of pink eye in lefty and righty...and contagious at that. She's probably at home asleep right now. She was prescribed some drops and, get this, eye ointment. It's actually a soft gel that you spread across your eyes before going to sleep. I almost passed out at the mere thought or such a thing. So please continue to pray for our health. Neither of us have really been sick in quite some time (well, at least not since our honeymoon:) and it sucks to be broken down simultaneously.

Decisions, decisions

Well, it's quickly approaching that time of the year folks. On February 23rd, we'll have to give ESI the official "yes" or "no" regarding our return to the Czech Republic for another year. We've been wrestling with this for several months via prayer, reading, asking advice, etc. I think that Katie's heart and mine are being pulled in the same direction, which is always reassuring that we're following the Lord's will. Nonetheless, it's going to be very difficult either way. I had two students and my headmaster ask me today, "Will you be here next year?" It's such a hard question to answer, because whatever you say, you feel that you need to qualify it with some hard and substantial reasons. The problem is, we have hard and substantial reasons for staying and for leaving. This isn't going to be one those "choose between right and wrong" scenarios. That's not discernment, that's obedience. The decision we're facing is choosing between what's "right" and what's "best." We would appreciate your continued prayers for the next several weeks (and months, for that matter).

The winter is leaving

The snow is melting, the temperature is rising and the sun is coming out for more than ten minutes a day. It sounds too good to be true and I'm told it will all return to sub-zero slush soon. I guess we'll see...

My hubby is sick....

Tueday morning Michael woke up and felt like, well a big load of crap. He decided to stay home while I ran down the hallway of my campus and in broken English tried to tell them to contact the other campus that he is sick. It worked and he fell back asleep.

The following morning, he felt a little better, probably working at 50% and decided to go to school. Upon arrival he noticed that his classes had been cancelled or subbed for another day. And not to mention, the look on our wonderful English teachers faces was "more like a scary mother when her child gets out of bed" he said later. They then took him to the doctor with a translater and then to the lekarna (eckerds) where he got antibiotics, headache medication, and nose drops for his sinus infection. He quotes later to me that he was freaking out when they were placing all this medicine in front of him and wondering how much he was going to have to pay for it. And then freaked again when it was 20kc. (28kc= 1USD) Healthcare here is quite remarkable.

So my baby is at home. They told him to not come to class on Thursday, today, or on Friday. We had a discussion the other night how in America we are bred to work until we are at about 2% and then stay home for a day and get back to work. Here if you are less than 70%- you fail. And taking 4-5 days off for getting well is better than working yourself sick. I think both Michael and I can learn great things from taking care of ourselves like this, than always keep working.

love katie