Brokenhearted

Johann called me from Bulgaria this morning to tell me of the death of our friend and colleague, Teri, from a heart attack. I have been crying on and off all day for her husband and 4 children. We got to know this family pretty well during our training last year. Teri and her family came as "missionaries in residence". They were there to encourage us and answer any question we might have about serving on the field.

Teri and her family went into Russia right after communism fell and they were allowed in. She raised her 4 children in 800 square feet. She came up with ways to feed her family when they could not buy meat. She was an incredible woman who truly touched my life. She has 2 children in college and twin 17 year old girls. I believe that Teri would most want to be remembered for what she did as a wife and mother. She encouraged all the missionary wives to always remember that our greatest mission field is our children and our greatest task is to be the wife and mother God had made us.

She told me that about the hardest thing she ever had to do was leave 2 of her children in college in the States and return to Russia. But, she knew it was what God wanted so she did. She taught us by example.

Some deaths are more shocking than others. This is one of those. Some people make a permanent mark on our hearts even though they probably never knew it. I have recalled several bits of wisdom from Teri since we arrived here. She helped me tremendously and I don't think she ever knew how much. She touched so many with her gentleness. She praised the Lord with a very, very beautiful singing voice. She showed alot of women what it is to be a Godly wife and mother.

Her family is left to wonder why. Why her? Why a woman who devoted her life to Lord? Who followed His call to live in another country? Who was a constant witness? Why? They will surely ask these questions. But in the midst of that, they will know that at this very moment her joy is complete and she is singing praises with that sweet voice of hers right to her Savior's face.

Please pray for the family of Teri. And please pray for the Russian people she loved so much.

Plowing Concrete

"Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house and received all who came to him, preaching he kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ."

Johann is in Bulgaria this week. He can write about what he did there when he comes back, but he is there on business. Since Johann is gone, my friend Agi from Hungary came to stay with me a few days. Last night we were discussing how difficult it is to evangelize Czech people.

Evangelism in Eastern Europe is often referred to as "plowing concrete" because it is incredibly time consuming and incredibly difficult. We here of masses of people coming to Christ in South America or Africa -- that has never happened anywhere here. The people here are different and so the work is different. Evangelism does work here -- just at a slower pace and with a smaller number of people. Many people cite many reasons for this. The more educated a person, the harder it is to evangelize them usually. The same goes for wealth. When I was young and knew I was called to missions I always said that the rich need saving just as much as the poor. Well, God has sent me to the rich and they are a difficult bunch. So many times missions has a face of dealing with poverty stricken people. The people we work with are far from poverty stricken, but they are very much poor in spirit and dying to eternal separation from Christ.

Last night, Agi and I concluded our discussion with the fact that evangelism here is a long, slow process. It takes the average Hungarian 1 to 2 years to accept Christ after first hearing the gospel. Agi said at least Hungarians have an idea of God whereas so many Czech people do not. So, we are realistically looking at several years of witnessing before seeing someone come to Christ. Of course, God can do anything he wants, but the slow way seems to be his pattern for Eastern Europe.

So, most of the missionaries in this area of the world are trying to do what the greatest missionary ever did. We dwell here. We open our homes and we open our mouths and preach the gospel. We pray and we pray and we pray and we wait and we wait and we wait. We know that God did not call us to do great things here, He called us to open our mouths. The great things are up to Him and we know He is faithful.

High Castle

Johann was on a business trip all last week so on Friday he took the afternoon off and we had a family day at a place that is translated High Castle. Yesterday was a beautiful day and it is supposed to rain here the next five days and we really wanted to get Jack outside for awhile. We had a blast! Below are some pics of our day. The whole area is a big, beautiful park area inside the old castle walls.



This thing had springs on the bottom so when he moved -- so did his floor! He loved it!



Climbing!


He loved this tunnel.



Climbing is Jack's new favorite hobby.





Jack will grow up playing in parks with giant statues.


My two guys and the beautiful view. You can see why it is called High Castle.

Homesick

Isn't it strange that I would be homesick while my mother and grandmother are here visiting? I have felt this way for the past couple of weeks and thought their visit would cure it. But, it has not. Maybe it hasn't because what I have been really homesick for is our church and our church family.

We loved our church. We still love it and we miss it. We joined after we were first married and I told Johann that I really didn't want to get too involved. I didn't want to make new friends that I would have to say goodbye to in a couple of years. It would be hard enough to say goodbye to the friends I already had, much less a whole bunch of new ones. So, I told myself I wasn't going to get emotionally attached. I stuck to it for a little while. I didn't let myself get too involved at first, I probably seemed a little stand offish. But, our wonderful class wore me down and I gave in. I remember telling Johann that I had officially thrown my great idea out the window and was going to just get to know these sweet people even better.

Johann and I talk about and pray for our friends from FBCE. We read their blogs. We rejoice over here when new lives are brought into the world over there. And, lately, I really, really wish I was there -- raising my son side by side with my friends. Swimming with Holly and Mel and their kids. I wish Jack and Ian and Austin could have their picture made together. I wish my son could grow up surrounded by these sweet friends with wonderful Christian parents.

So, that is what I'm homesick for. Something I never had, but am still homesick for. I will look forward to when we come home for stateside and live with our friends side by side for a few months. I will look forward to afternoon swim dates with them in a few years. I will pray that God will bring Jack at least one Christian friend his age to grow up with here in Prague. He will have plenty of lost ones, and I want him to have at least one good Christian friend here. And I will look forward to Jack getting to know some Christian friends from FBCE.

To all my FBCE ladies -- I miss you, I pray for you, I read your blogs and I wish I had jumped in sooner. I send you my love and my gratitude for the friends you are. I read about your fabulous send off for Matt and Sarah and I remember our fabulous send off and am just so thankful for the blessing you are in our lives and that we will be able to come home to such wonderful people in a few years.