tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6567752108872483702024-03-14T08:00:00.383+00:00raising ebenezersRachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.comBlogger374125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-58867042058941500702024-02-21T08:55:00.000+00:002024-02-21T08:55:42.088+00:00Reintroductions<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Two years ago, the day after I returned from home assignment and being gone for two months, there was a knock at my flat door. My downstairs neighbour brought me a Tupperware of potato salad his wife had made to welcome me home again.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6u2DNc6wVxQue7EstHdXSFraSJKZVEcvtvMSWd_Ly0jJcWOUvwTYw8k2HyGlNbbU6G00ORWBI5ialGmFyfoLvrnBdZCPqONK3fv7wUoSHvSKl1wiFWjC5ZwGsunqkhi2Yn_kPsIM4GLWS2Pmn2Go0iK1Is87oopIgJqbzCn9kmgoMarkOt5M3GFw-Ay3-/s4032/IMG_0453.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6u2DNc6wVxQue7EstHdXSFraSJKZVEcvtvMSWd_Ly0jJcWOUvwTYw8k2HyGlNbbU6G00ORWBI5ialGmFyfoLvrnBdZCPqONK3fv7wUoSHvSKl1wiFWjC5ZwGsunqkhi2Yn_kPsIM4GLWS2Pmn2Go0iK1Is87oopIgJqbzCn9kmgoMarkOt5M3GFw-Ay3-/w300-h400/IMG_0453.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Czech potato salad is a very good thing! And it was so sweet to be welcomed back in this way. It is entirely possible that I simply popped the lid open and dug in with a fork to enjoy it in all its creamy goodness. </div><div><br /></div><div>And that's what I'm thinking about as I reintroduce myself to this little space. I have missed it here!</div><div><br /></div><div>It's funny to look at the last few posts. And it's weird to think about all that the last four years have held - </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8apkplbrXCIP6c5CnpsPTuyUUKFMquXQxPrZgEbvOLBRDe6daAM6dddqy5rCx0XQqI_r6QlInLhmZF1VhuhJRCvggdA4GtmRvfzVS3by4uEeVu-0VKYL3y_u9lIv8yNrbGBuL9a5AJ1hCTvBM42_NFe2iO_HlYygp3nx2s-33Xk-4XZXrp2E149TjaGm/s2320/3357AEA7-29D6-4FA9-9B47-DA69E790DB84.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="2320" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8apkplbrXCIP6c5CnpsPTuyUUKFMquXQxPrZgEbvOLBRDe6daAM6dddqy5rCx0XQqI_r6QlInLhmZF1VhuhJRCvggdA4GtmRvfzVS3by4uEeVu-0VKYL3y_u9lIv8yNrbGBuL9a5AJ1hCTvBM42_NFe2iO_HlYygp3nx2s-33Xk-4XZXrp2E149TjaGm/w400-h400/3357AEA7-29D6-4FA9-9B47-DA69E790DB84.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div><br /></div><div>Years of a pandemic that when I last posted felt like it had been going on forever, and yet we were barely just beginning. The rules became looser, and tightened so strictly that I moved in with friends here and we all ended up getting COVID together. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLwlVEsUgZLuQioDXpYXXdPwtWyWebQrIhTgNMb7m1sNXtSqrUuPq4Uq2IjORRaCLASrrsTPxU9prIBRRK_cVR2cs5NrU7bNFtPh8vX6S7h9rUTno6ea1SP8fsx01uiiZsNJmUcN-GogfdeVkjdCSV4eJnbzGO9X3N2JYTTfPceBi47UiohO3l8z2ebEn/s1440/A75BAD5B-0BFA-4F32-9C04-A90EA52B5A3B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLwlVEsUgZLuQioDXpYXXdPwtWyWebQrIhTgNMb7m1sNXtSqrUuPq4Uq2IjORRaCLASrrsTPxU9prIBRRK_cVR2cs5NrU7bNFtPh8vX6S7h9rUTno6ea1SP8fsx01uiiZsNJmUcN-GogfdeVkjdCSV4eJnbzGO9X3N2JYTTfPceBi47UiohO3l8z2ebEn/w400-h400/A75BAD5B-0BFA-4F32-9C04-A90EA52B5A3B.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Somewhere in the middle of all that, I spent a year reading, researching, and writing my dissertation on the importance of self-care for single, second-culture missionary leaders. I got to graduate with distinction in my Master's Degree in late 2021.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeGxPoAcZcVQ3u7KhQzJSqDdQdvyku9-MLIq_5c6DqnrhpufWjSKZ7vTzmdaGqdvcIewfTmFWiuf5Ew_3J0amUZOQiBh8XxYFAs92-IQ6qlvWAqx47zov9kM06CfbF6cZZjiGjSTl2xxVKCkyZbCNPvD9hKLNbOBUuSF5TttWp-fhPaXt4HNMBlX8qIVs/s1440/F2EE3FB1-EA6D-4DE2-B7A9-428CFC9E1E98.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeGxPoAcZcVQ3u7KhQzJSqDdQdvyku9-MLIq_5c6DqnrhpufWjSKZ7vTzmdaGqdvcIewfTmFWiuf5Ew_3J0amUZOQiBh8XxYFAs92-IQ6qlvWAqx47zov9kM06CfbF6cZZjiGjSTl2xxVKCkyZbCNPvD9hKLNbOBUuSF5TttWp-fhPaXt4HNMBlX8qIVs/w400-h400/F2EE3FB1-EA6D-4DE2-B7A9-428CFC9E1E98.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>It feels like the pandemic ended on February 24th 2022, the day I awoke to the news that Russia had began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and texts to say our dear teammates were on their way. Thus began months of hosting teammates as they co-ordinated buses of refugees out of and buses of aid into Ukraine from my little town four hours from the Ukraine border.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfo3Pc49aN4OgLpkDRD7SukSYd3qXJe32SxsLn4hevfIlxUSKy-WxIWKL2twfGMNrtKjlDyGW0_tSKHswKrz_wTKAdO3eGCavq8Jjxn42chvkQKFuBwbV7RF5h9ThaZplhfmbERP-L9kmzWD6FqcDpLr63QQuQKOZMfDUPyHy_nSVn0eB-6VR4jrWll0eC/s4032/CFD62DD8-3494-461C-A315-6D74A34A28E3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfo3Pc49aN4OgLpkDRD7SukSYd3qXJe32SxsLn4hevfIlxUSKy-WxIWKL2twfGMNrtKjlDyGW0_tSKHswKrz_wTKAdO3eGCavq8Jjxn42chvkQKFuBwbV7RF5h9ThaZplhfmbERP-L9kmzWD6FqcDpLr63QQuQKOZMfDUPyHy_nSVn0eB-6VR4jrWll0eC/w400-h300/CFD62DD8-3494-461C-A315-6D74A34A28E3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>In 2022, I got a new role and became the leader of the team I've served on since I moved to Czech. I still get to lead the summer ministry team too. And it's been a learning and growing season as I continue to try to steward well the gifts and calling God has entrusted to me, while hopefully helping others to flourish in their own callings.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1fT6bcVPhp4AYxVOAYtUJs5QftadpU7nul6sqYRI4BY6b_qogm0wJ7wSTBwLkcvWtxZHQ85ObqRdTb6eJ9JovAFpPrK0mwxPp6FprgAFgl9O3RxXOHjOPThcDWkguqbwzvcKLqauWpFeL2QM4AwwxkQlyd4XsU0G-Cz_rn5ZOvijjysItl-YG6BcabOo/s1440/19E3A978-44A7-4AE9-8676-9E47CDFC7A59.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1fT6bcVPhp4AYxVOAYtUJs5QftadpU7nul6sqYRI4BY6b_qogm0wJ7wSTBwLkcvWtxZHQ85ObqRdTb6eJ9JovAFpPrK0mwxPp6FprgAFgl9O3RxXOHjOPThcDWkguqbwzvcKLqauWpFeL2QM4AwwxkQlyd4XsU0G-Cz_rn5ZOvijjysItl-YG6BcabOo/w400-h400/19E3A978-44A7-4AE9-8676-9E47CDFC7A59.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>2023 held an operation that was the start of a long process to heal a twenty-four-year-old injury and the resulting trauma. So many, many appointments and four-hour trains to and from Prague where my operation happened. </div><div><br /></div><div>And those are just the bigger things, the larger landmarks of these last few years. There have also been so many dear people, and so many laughs. Many mountains have been climbed, literally and metaphorically. I've read many, many books - for recreation and for learning. I've hosted lots of dinners and gathered around countless tables. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm now firmly in my mid-thirties and am probably starting to have a face that shows that. There have been prayers miraculously answered, and some in ways other than what I've wanted or that I'm still repeating. There have been hard-won lessons learnt, and questions with which I continue to wrestle.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've written prayer update emails, and posts on social media, but I've missed this longer form and writing out my thoughts for this little space. So I'm returning. And I wish I could welcome us all back with potato salad. But, for now, I'll just leave these words and say thank you for stopping by. It's good to welcome you back. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-64358434701200516722020-07-10T13:51:00.001+01:002020-07-10T13:51:10.704+01:00On finding new paths<div><span style="font-family: arial;">I am a creature of habit. Which is a little funny when you consider how much I (normally) travel and am out of environments which can sustain my little habits. I have the same smoothie every morning for breakfast. I like to sit on my balcony and read. And, for my first six and three-quarter years of living here, I had a favourite walk in my town.</span></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">I'd walk down to the river, and then through the park that runs alongside the river until I got to the "pink bridge". At that point I'd cross over the river, and turn right to walk a loop through the woods on the Polish side of the river.</font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">That route is my favourite. I can't even tell you how many times I've walked it or ran it. I love the peace of finding a little bit of countryside in the middle of my town. </font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">And then lockdown happened and my favourite route became off-limits. Because maybe you noticed above, or you already knew, but my favourite route includes crossing an international border. This wonderful little town I call home straddles the border, with the river being the border. </font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><font face="arial">So, while many people didn't notice the international borders closing much in their daily life, I had some pretty big reminders. Normally the only way to know if you've crossed the border is to pay attention - there's never any border guards or barrier of any kind. And yet overnight this was the scene:</font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UEi0nCNyFgM/Xv8Z6svei3I/AAAAAAAAaXk/-zd4RVDCrdktE9hN_Pk7kRpeIhO9bovwwCK4BGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_6149.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UEi0nCNyFgM/Xv8Z6svei3I/AAAAAAAAaXk/-zd4RVDCrdktE9hN_Pk7kRpeIhO9bovwwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_6149.JPG" /></font></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial">Medical tents on the Polish side.</font></div><font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ip3ytdjdoI/Xv8Z7aBDIhI/AAAAAAAAaXo/f33yMreJSTQSQd-9bBYdrhQ6Cna4bSu4ACK4BGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_6159%2B2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ip3ytdjdoI/Xv8Z7aBDIhI/AAAAAAAAaXo/f33yMreJSTQSQd-9bBYdrhQ6Cna4bSu4ACK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_6159%2B2.JPG" /></font></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial">My beloved "pink bridge", totally cordoned and fenced off, with "no entry" tape.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WwZgtiSg9iE/Xv8Z8L8Ih0I/AAAAAAAAaXs/1KgcP2jkn7o3TD1ML1RHvYpAEnVTYsx3wCK4BGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_6185.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WwZgtiSg9iE/Xv8Z8L8Ih0I/AAAAAAAAaXs/1KgcP2jkn7o3TD1ML1RHvYpAEnVTYsx3wCK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_6185.JPG" /></font></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial">The Czech police guarding the border.</font></div><font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0n1hycndZ9o/Xv8Z8_uTVpI/AAAAAAAAaXw/C75nKs6TY0M6BmD7NdLm4CtWrmcZZxI_ACK4BGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_6187.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0n1hycndZ9o/Xv8Z8_uTVpI/AAAAAAAAaXw/C75nKs6TY0M6BmD7NdLm4CtWrmcZZxI_ACK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_6187.JPG" /></font></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial">More tents and structures, as we settled in for the long haul.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">And, I'm not going to lie, in those early days of lockdown I was a little cranky at the loss of my favourite walking path. Especially as I needed the space and fresh air to process and decompress even more.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">So I went on a hunt and explored some other options and I found a new route. It's a little longer but I head in the opposite direction now, pass my church, and walk along a wooded path by a lake, slowly looping back home. </font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sk3FkzwaY64/Xv8Z9ozetOI/AAAAAAAAaX0/6J8dHT2BuMoHkvhIEJUEasMQD0W5xLOYACK4BGAsYHg/s320/IMG_6426.JPG" /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">It's a beautiful route, and I have loved running along it and walking and praying my way around it these past few months. In the midst of all the crazy and the many losses of this pandemic, it was sweet to find this new path and some other new rhythms and habits that really brought life and joy to this harder season.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Last week the border opened again and so I can go back to my normal route. More and more, life is opening up here and in many countries.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">But as we re-enter the world post-lockdown, I am finding it helpful to first reflect on what it is I want to return to, and what new paths and habits I've found during this lockdown have been really fruitful and I want to continue to walk in and practice. </font></div></div><div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div></div><div><font face="arial">Have you enjoyed any new paths, activities or routines during this season? </font></div><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-40460107954883155762020-07-03T12:22:00.000+01:002020-07-03T12:22:33.924+01:00Seven years on the mission field<font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xvmv4e-ixOc/Xv8Qy05JGBI/AAAAAAAAaWo/rTZfvJWHuLkItVgVEIAqRzX7kdf-LpthwCK4BGAsYHg/s1080/seven%2Byears.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xvmv4e-ixOc/Xv8Qy05JGBI/AAAAAAAAaWo/rTZfvJWHuLkItVgVEIAqRzX7kdf-LpthwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/seven%2Byears.png" /></font></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">This week marks seven years since I stepped off a one-way flight to the Czech Republic. Like so many things in life, it feels both like forever and a blink.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">I remember when I'd been here only a couple of years and we had a guest in town from the UK. They shared that research with missionaries has suggested that it takes seven years for second-culture missionaries to be and to feel fully effective in their new contexts. </font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">When I heard that I felt both reassured and overwhelmed. Reassured because those first couple of years are always hard, as you learn language and culture, along with a new role. But I definitely felt overwhelmed, as I wondered if I'd make it to year three, nevermind year seven.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">And, yet, here it is: seven years into this wild, cross-cultural ministry and life.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">On my seven-year anniversary I was doing some reading for my upcoming thesis and I came across this sentence:</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><font face="arial"></font></span></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><font face="arial">“[A pastor] discovered that God's plan had as much to do with <i>who</i> he was becoming as it did about <i>what</i> he was accomplishing” (from the book Resilient Ministry)</font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">These words echo words that were spoken to me by Paul Bowman at my commissioning service before I left Northern Ireland that "The most important thing you can do for your students is to love Jesus more."</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">It's all so true and if I've learnt anything in the last seven years it's that I can buckle down and grit my teeth and get things done, but if it's not flowing out of a deep, abiding relationship with Christ, it's all futile.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">And it's all his fruit anyway - we abide in the vine and he produces his fruit in us and through us. We may water or plant, but it's God that gives the growth. He is so faithful and able to do what he has promised. </font><span style="font-family: arial;">We also see it in the ministry of Jesus, who calls his disciples first to himself and then out in mission. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm so grateful that that is how our God is with us - inviting us first into relationship with him, and then out, with him, into his great, wide mission in the world. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">I am so grateful for his sustaining grace in my life in how he has called me to himself and into his mission. And I'm so grateful for the many people who also follow his call by partnering with this ministry prayerfully and financially.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Let's see what year eight holds! </font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-84372009735551678482020-06-19T12:03:00.000+01:002020-06-19T12:03:57.660+01:00Where my words are (Part 2)<font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="arial" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="arial" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2FrldzwC0hw/XuyXpxpfG5I/AAAAAAAAaVc/OF1kvWQ2AxojiZROMTE_A4do1-ccnWFbgCK4BGAsYHg/s602/Screenshot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B12.46.34.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="596" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2FrldzwC0hw/XuyXpxpfG5I/AAAAAAAAaVc/OF1kvWQ2AxojiZROMTE_A4do1-ccnWFbgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/Screenshot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B12.46.34.png" /></a></font></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? I did not intend to leave this little space on the internet for two years but two years have indeed flown by.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">And the above photo captures a lot of why I haven't had words, or time, for writing here. Since I last wrote a blog post I have submitted over 30,000 words across ten essays for the master's programme I'm pursuing. </font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">I first wrote 6,000 words interpreting and applying Ephesians 3:1-13, and 1,500 words on my own learning about how I read the Bible.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Next up was 6,000 words on what the gospel is and 1,500 words of reflection on my learning on the topic of evangelicalism.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">My third class was not one week of teaching, but five Saturdays of classes on leadership. And I'd a few more essays for this class - three 1,500 word essays and one of 3,000 words about various aspects of leadership, and my leadership.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Finally, in February I submitted 6,000 words on how mission organisations should provide pastoral care for interns and 1,500 words reflecting on my own practice of pastoral care.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">So, four classes taken. And four classes passed! What's next?</font></div><font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4W4BK7xiIk/XuyXpe-XxFI/AAAAAAAAaVY/89v8lCa_fPk893apKy_GhGC-VJuqdVT-gCK4BGAsYHg/s596/Screenshot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B12.45.54.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="596" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4W4BK7xiIk/XuyXpe-XxFI/AAAAAAAAaVY/89v8lCa_fPk893apKy_GhGC-VJuqdVT-gCK4BGAsYHg/s320/Screenshot%2B2020-06-19%2Bat%2B12.45.54.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, in January I decided that after my February essays were submitted I'd take a break and start my thesis in September. I had no idea what the spring would hold, but even before the words "pandemic" and "lockdown" had been mentioned I knew I needed a bit of a break, and that summer is not a good time for me to be writing. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Looking back, I am so very glad God led me to that decision! The last few months have been crazy and full enough, without also trying to work on my thesis in the midst of it all. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">I am starting to get excited for my thesis, which will be 16,000 words long. It has to be related to leadership, as that is what my master's will be in, and my leadership and pastoral care classes have provided a topic I want to spend a year working on. So, it looks like my topic will be something related to the role of self-care in helping single missionary leaders thrive in ministry long-term.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">You can spot some of the books I hope to start diving into in the photo of my bookcase above, and I hope to share some of what I'm learning in this space.</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">I also have other ideas for things to write about and I'm excited to publish posts more regularly here!</font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font face="arial">What have you been up to in the last two years? </font></div>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-34470982572563235752018-03-25T12:52:00.002+01:002018-03-25T12:52:35.732+01:00Where my words are<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been a quiet little space these past few months, hasn’t it?
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And it hasn’t been intentional. Every month I take time to think about and plan my goals, and for January, February, and March the goal has been to blog at least twice a month, if not weekly.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there have been things to blog about! Since the start of the year, and I last blogged, I have:
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.45;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">been at a staff training conference with my organisation,</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.45;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">had a visit from my sister, and other dear friends, </span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.45;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gone on holiday to Narnia (that may need more explanation)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.45;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">had a personal retreat</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.45;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">had an executive team planning retreat and my S-Team planning retreat</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.45;">been on our international team women</span>’<span style="line-height: 1.45;">s one night retreat</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.45;">gone on my church</span>’<span style="line-height: 1.45;">s 20+ weekend retreat</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These have all been incredibly good things, and each deserves it’s own blog post. But perhaps they also explain why it has been quiet here - it’s not due to the absence of things to write about, but perhaps due to their abundance. And once I get out of the habit it’s hard to feel like I can come back here without pressuring myself to catch up on all the other pieces.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the other factors in my quietness is that since I last blogged I also started what may turn out to be a masters degree in transformational leadership. I had my first teaching week in January, a module on biblical interpretation by Craig Blomberg. It was an incredible week, to get to learn from someone who knows and loves Scripture that much (if you search for his name on Amazon you may start to get a sense of the breadth of his knowledge).
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But that also means that there is now another place for my words to go - right now, I’m mostly reading in preparation to write two essays due in July. One essay is 1500 words examining two factors that influence how I interpret Scripture. And then I’m writing 6000 words of interpretation and application of Ephesians 3:1-13 and stumbling across beautiful quotes such as this one:
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The building up of God’s kingdom, taking God’s light to darkness and standing fast, is organically connected to one’s status as a child of God. The missional aspect of salvation is not optional.” Cohick, in Ephesians
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This masters simultaneously feels like it has the most perfect timing ever and the worst timing ever. I am so aware of all I need to learn and that I, God willing, have another forty plus years of serving the Lord ahead of me, whatever that may look like. This feels like an updraft helping me become more equipped for the good works God has prepared for me. But it has been challenging to learn how to effectively juggle this and my role.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that explains where some of my words have been, are, and will be going.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this little space and the people who frequent it. I’m thankful for the record of God’s faithfulness that it is. So I want to continue to faithfully record His faithfulness. I’m hoping to sit down and write for 15 minutes a week here, publishing what I get written in that time and hopefully catching this space up on what God has been doing.
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-14353532262453195442017-12-30T12:20:00.001+00:002017-12-30T12:39:01.370+00:00What I'm expecting in 2018<div style="-en-clipboard: true;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have a confession to make: I rather enjoy watching cheesy movies. The answer to “favourite movie” will remain The Shawshank Redemption, and Wonder Woman and Dunkirk were both fantastic films this year. However, there’s just something comfortable and cozy about the predictability of Independence Day or White House Down and the triumph of good over evil. Or, if I’m feeling more in a chick-flick mood, the happy endings of Leap Year or Return to Me.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also really like reading crime books and being sucked into thrillers and wanting to know who did it, or how is this mess going to be resolved. And the confession that goes along with that is that I have definitely read plot synopses when I need to sleep at 1am but also need to know how it all ends.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2018 begins in a couple of days and I’ve found myself looking at the year ahead through fingers covering my eyes because, in so many ways, I have no idea where this story is going to go and what plot twists lie ahead. I am excited to see what is going to happen, what God is going to do, but I also find myself being a little nervous. Some of that is the sense that January is going to be just a little bit crazy with the normal re-entry after home assignment, a new project that God has clearly led me to, and a training conference I’m attending. I like predictability and 2018 is already shaping up to be anything but.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I think back to the year that was, I cannot help but laugh at all that God did. Things that weren’t thoughts in my head 1st January 2017 became incredible realities during the year, God-given dreams that felt years away from fruition came to life. It wasn’t at all predictable, except that His faithfulness was awesome in the truest sense of that word, even in the bumps and the hard times.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So as I look at 2018 I know that I have no business predicting what the year is going to look like. As I dream and pray and think about my goals for the year ahead I’m asking God to give me His dreams and plans, because I know His plans are bigger than me simply surviving crazy months and being a little older and wiser twelve months from now. And I know that predictability holds no real comfort, that God has always been the deepest source of comfort.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, even as I feel a little nervous entering this year, it is with an almost giddiness. With an excitement and expectancy about what God is going to do. And here is what I’m expecting: I’m expecting Him to show up and be faithful. I’m expecting Him to be big and tender. I’m expecting Him to do the impossible and more than I could ever ask or imagine. I’m expecting to need to hear Him say “Fear not, I am with you” over and over. I’m expecting Him to show His strength in hard times. There’s a whole lot I cannot predict, but He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and I’m excited about what He has planned for 2018!
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What are you expecting and anticipating as you look to this next year? </span></div>
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-9508647952046293662017-11-24T10:14:00.000+00:002017-11-24T10:14:26.230+00:00The best decision I made in 2016<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I was in <a href="http://theadventuresofanirishgirl.blogspot.cz/search/label/Israel">Israel last year</a> I learnt a lot and even eighteen months later, I find myself thinking about that trip. I've lifted my orange Israel notebook off my bookshelf multiple times to refresh my memory of key points. And I continue to unpack and process some of the things I heard there as I seek to live differently because of what God showed me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But it was also in Israel that I made one of the best decisions of 2016. I'm not entirely sure what day it happened or where I was but it was in that country that I decided to join a gym when I returned to Czech. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, there are many good reasons to join a gym. Working out a few times a week is a great thing for your body, the endorphins feel amazing, it helps your body deal with stress. I've had chronic back pain for over ten years now and working out regularly definitely helps me manage the pain and even reduce it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In my little hometown it's also a good idea to join a gym because the air gets so bad in winter with the low temperatures and pollution. A few times every winter a smog situation is declared and the young, elderly, and sick are advised to simply stay inside. There are times I'll walk from my car to my flat and my scarf will smell like I've become a smoker because of the pollution in the air. So it is actually not a good idea to exercise outside in the winter; I'm rather convinced it would negatively impact your health.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All the reasons so far are good motivation to join the gym. But none of them were my main reason. I wanted to join a gym to get to know more people in my community because it's easy to spend my days at the office and my weekends fill up with church and youth group. I wanted to get to know and build relationships with more non-Christians.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I picked the gym in town that's for women only and checked it out for the free week. I've been going ever since - over eighteen months. And while I'm sure there are gyms with better philosophy behind them I am so grateful for this place and the women there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the things that attracted me to this gym is that you can pause your membership for a tiny fee. This works perfectly with my travel schedule and I'm still on my first twelve months of actual membership because of all the breaks when I head to other countries. And when I return after a week or a month I'm warmly welcomed and asked where I've been and what I've been up to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each October we have a group hike day, so I just attended my second one. It is such a fun day - we hike to the top of the mountain I can see from my living room window, and have some soup at the top, before hiking down for our main lunch at a restaurant at the bottom. Along the way women stop to pick berries or mushrooms, and we all wait for those who are a little behind as we labour up the hill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And there are many conversations that happen along the way. This year it was wonderful to get to chat to women who I've seen multiple times but never had the chance to talk to. None of the women speak English, and they are abundantly patient with my Czech ability. We chat about the weather, our families, the gym, and all those wonderful things that make up our daily lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's never long before someone asks "Wait, you're a Northern Irish girl who lives in <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Český Těšín? Why would you live here?" and I get to explain why I live here, what I do, and how much I love calling this little border town home. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm so very thankful that God led me to this decision last year, and that I can now be part of this community. I'm praying for continued opportunities to build relationships with these women and that I'll be faithful in always being ready to give a reason for the hope that I have.</span></div>
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-46711953036951516902017-11-16T21:07:00.000+00:002017-11-23T21:13:42.360+00:00Fall Conference 2017: Transform<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the last week of September 380 youth leaders from over fifteen nations gathered in a little town in the Czech Republic for Fall Conference. The theme this year was Transform, learning to teach like Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We believe that we have the greatest story ever told - so it's worth the work to learn how to teach it well, to teach it so that it truly transforms lives. And it should always start by transforming us as we learn and prepare. The truth is, at best we are the teaching assistants and it's every disciple maker's, every teacher's, role to step into the shadow of Jesus as He teaches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the beautiful things about the conference was the fact we sang in all the languages represented there during the week. You can see three languages on the powerpoint screen above. I can sing in Czech, Slovak, and Polish but even the ones I couldn't sing in were beautiful, and a little foretaste of heaven where people from every tongue and nation will worship God. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another favourite thing about the conference was the teaching - from the main sessions each evening, to the three different tracks that everyone was placed in based on how they normally teach, to the workshops. I loved being in the workshop all about asking questions as a teaching method, taught by DU from Romania.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a team that works to plan conference throughout the year and their leadership, diligence and care was on display in so many of the details. I am so thankful that I got to sit under such excellent teaching for the week! And </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am crazy thankful to serve in an organisation so passionate about equipping us well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then there are the people who come to this conference! With 380 of us it's impossible to talk to everyone, but there are many beautiful conversations that happen over meals, or coffee, or late at night during the week. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This photo shows three of my favourite people of the week - I got to meet these three ladies during four years of doing camps with Dejvice church in Prague. Now they are all loving Jesus and living for Him - as a student, a teacher, and a full time missionary. They radiate Him and it is the greatest privilege to know them, be friends, and get to spend time together! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again, I left this place, this conference centre, this hill, changed - closer to Jesus and more equipped to serve Him. </span></div>
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-60538842717422722722017-11-01T20:40:00.000+00:002017-11-23T20:40:44.956+00:00Fall Camp Meeting<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">On a Saturday in September thirty of my favourite people gathered and we're pictured above. These are the people who lead our camp ministry in each of their countries and it was such a joy to be together for a couple of days! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">As I was praying and thinking about this meeting over the summer I felt God gave me three words for our time together - celebration, collaboration, and clarity. So that's how we spent our time - celebrating all that God did through camps this summer, collaborating for the year ahead, and bringing some clarity to some areas. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica;">And there was much to celebrate - there is a lot of fruit that comes from our summer ministries, and some of that fruit is over five hundred young people who professed faith in Jesus! We went out for dinner together on Sunday night, after playing a game of ping pong assassin in the local shopping centre (we are youth ministry people, afterall!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But when we weren't sneaking around a shopping centre, trying to successfully hit the person whose name we had on our ping pong, we were sitting around these tables. We spent a lot of time talking about the local churches we get to partner with as we do over one hundred and twenty camps - how can we best train them, and equip them to do camp well. We also talked about what worked last year and what we can do better next year, with camps and interns and short term teams. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are the people I work closest with and it was wonderful to spend a few blessed days together. I'm so grateful for this team and all that we were able to talk and dream about. I love that I get to serve alongside these people as we seek to partner with and equip local churches across central and eastern Europe to fulfil Christ's commission. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's exciting to think about the fruit that God will bring from the discussions and plans we started in this place!</span></div>
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-42470333687984590212017-10-20T13:11:00.001+01:002017-10-20T13:19:14.302+01:00Today and Tomorrow in Czech<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today and tomorrow people across Czech are voting for who will represent them in the lower house of the Czech parliament. This means today people are picking the two hundred people who will be in government for the next four years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been interesting to see the advertisements, posters, and flyers, that have appeared everywhere - along roads and in my letterbox. The last time there were elections I didn't understand any of the words but now I understand more. Although I still have a lot to learn about the government here and the thirty-one parties that run in the elections, and the ten main parties.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We know that it is ultimately God who is sovereign over all - from the President and Prime Minister, to the people who serve in the government offices in my little border town (where the voting lists, above, are printed in both Czech and Polish). And I'm thankful to live in a country where people can choose who is in power, especially as that has not always been true here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Would you please join me in praying for these elections and their results? That God would powerfully use whoever ends up in power, not for their glory but for His? Czech normally scores higher in corruption scales compared with other European countries, so please pray that all those in government would be people of integrity who will serve the country well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"<span class="text 1Tim-2-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-2-2" id="en-ESVUK-29702" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESVUK-29702B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESVUK-29702B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>dignified in every way.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-2-3" id="en-ESVUK-29703" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">This is good, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESVUK-29703C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESVUK-29703C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>it is pleasing in the sight of <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESVUK-29703D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESVUK-29703D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>God our Saviour,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-2-4" id="en-ESVUK-29704" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">who desires <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESVUK-29704E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESVUK-29704E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>all people to be saved and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESVUK-29704F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESVUK-29704F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>to come to <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESVUK-29704G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESVUK-29704G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>the knowledge of the truth.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> " 1 Timothy 2 v 1-4</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">If you're interested the New York Times have an article about the Czech elections that you can read <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/world/europe/czech-republic-andrej-babis.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">here</a>.</span></span></div>
Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-43584921363430152752017-10-07T14:21:00.002+01:002017-10-07T14:45:11.358+01:00An autumn day in Czech<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s autumn here - the leaves are falling, “buy new winter tyres” is on my to-do list, and my desire to have heating is growing bigger than my lack of desire to learn how to use my new thermostat. <span style="line-height: 1.45;">This is my fifth autumn here and that feels strange because time seems to go by so quickly and so slowly at the same time. I’m currently also gearing up for my second home assignment, and being in Northern Ireland for November and December. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On Thursday someone asked me where I call home - as I plan on heading back to NI am I saying I’m going home? The truth is that yes - Northern Ireland is where I grew up, and where my family live. I have twenty-four years of memories living there and, although my accent doesn’t always betray it, it’s home.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the other truth is here is also home. I fly home whether I’m on an Easyjet flight heading east or west. Czech is home in both deeper and shallower ways than Northern Ireland is home. Northern Ireland is home because that’s where I was born and grew up. Northern Ireland has shaped me in deep ways, ways I can’t even communicate and sometimes don’t even know. Czech is home because I chose and choose to obey God and His deep and beautiful call on my life that has me here. Czech is my home not because I understand everything that happens but even though I decidedly don’t understand everything.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday I ran some errands around town. I bumped into someone from church. And the lady who works at the car insurance place greeted me when she saw me through the window. I was able to accomplish all my errands - and even some not on today’s list - all in a second language, and even solving problems met along the way.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I bought a beautiful bunch of flowers and I carried them home upside down. I didn’t even have to think about it - here flowers are carried by gripping the stem and carrying them upside down. I’d never done it that way before I moved here but now it makes sense.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">None of this is remarkable or weird or scary any more. Sure, the post office still drives me a little crazy but that’s only because there is no observable, obvious, queuing system. But going to the post office no longer an errand that freaks me out or I need to psych myself up for.
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, I’m excited for this month of soaking up autumn in Czech, at home with lots of my normal rhythms and routines. And I’m excited to head home at the end of the month to catch up with dear people and share the stories of what God is doing in this place.
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-31708246842752046572017-08-28T07:37:00.000+01:002017-08-28T07:37:05.416+01:00Camps happening this week - 28th August<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>These posts are happening each Monday this summer to invite you to pray with us for the camps happening this week! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This week the camps that are happening are:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Bulgaria</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to get a feel for our camps check out this video:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/167242521" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://vimeo.com/167242521">Josiah Venture - Camps Ministry</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/josiahventure">Josiah Venture</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer we will have a total of one hundred and twenty two camps across our thirteen countries! We have one hundred and five interns serving with us for three months, and over one thousand people serving on short term teams. For each camp, we'll be partnering with a local church to put on an English, sports, European, or music camp. And young people from the town, city, or area will be invited to come along, to learn English or grow in their football skills, or perform in a rock-pop choir, and they'll hear the Gospel and be invited to respond. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The theme for our camps this year is SEEN and we'll spend the week looking at how <span style="background-color: white;">people are </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">seen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> by Jesus. Each night we will look at a different encounter Jesus has with someone in the Bible and what that tells us about him, and about us. We're praying boldly that eight hundred and fifty young people will put their faith in Jesus this year. And we're praying that they, and the others at camp, will get plugged into the local church where they'll be discipled to be disciples who make disciples who make disciples. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Please pray with us for the camps that are happening this week - </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the local church: that they will build relationships with young people from their community and share the Gospel, and that they'll be able to follow up with these students well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the interns and short term teams: that God will use them powerfully as they serve the local churches here, and that God would call some of them to this ministry full time!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for students: that God would powerfully draw many to themselves, and that when they go home they would be excited about growing in Christ.</span></li>
</ul>
Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-71486504491675890482017-08-23T10:12:00.000+01:002017-08-23T10:12:03.665+01:00The craziest and sweetest gift in Bulgaria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdM_AwWzqcg/WYrM6yqz5oI/AAAAAAAAZ6Q/1Pamhwf7oX4S4AO2usOwNiGD1mYmrE2fQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdM_AwWzqcg/WYrM6yqz5oI/AAAAAAAAZ6Q/1Pamhwf7oX4S4AO2usOwNiGD1mYmrE2fQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1569.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Part of my role is supporting our newer countries as they begin to do camps, and this was the first short term team Bulgaria had had, even though they've been doing camps for years using interns and staff. So I wanted to go to Bulgaria and cheer them on as they did their first short term team training. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was quite a coincidence that their first team happened to be from Northern Ireland! I started to joke that the reason I was heading to Bulgaria was to translate between Northern Irish English and American English... which actually turned out to be part of my role there. It was so good for my soul to soak in and speak Northern Irish for a week - it definitely is its own little language and I forget how many words are unique to the little country I'm from. As I heard about the team beforehand I hadn't heard of the ministry they were coming with, and none of their names sounded familiar so I assumed I didn't know any of them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, after a bit of a rush at the airport and safely making our bus to Velingrad I was sitting beside the team leader and we started to do that Northern Irish thing where you figure out all your mutual connections - especially as he lives five miles from where I'm from, and we are part of the same denomination. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There were many little connections and mutual friends and then Ray said that he had spoken at a youth rally in my church when James was the pastor. James was the pastor from when I was around ten years old until I was twenty-two so it felt likely that I'd have heard of the event so I asked what the name of it was. He said it was called Star Wars. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And there, on that little bus, on a little mountain road in Bulgaria, I told Ray that that was the event where I accepted Christ fourteen years ago. I had grown up in the church, and heard all the stories, but there was something about the combination of hearing testimonies of my school friends and a clear gospel presentation that made it all click that night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I didn't know the name of the speaker that night, but once we'd made the connection I realised why Ray had seemed familiar. It was so strange and so sweet to be sitting together all these years later telling the story of what God did then and just pieces of what he has done since. It felt like a little foreshadow of heaven, when I imagine we'll praise God by telling in full the stories that we only see glimpses of here on earth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I left Bulgaria later that week, and as camp season finishes up here for another year, I left so encouraged by this little interaction. The gospel has been powerfully proclaimed this summer, and many have responded in faith. My prayer is that we'll see these young people get plugged into local churches where they will grow in their faith and change their nations for Christ. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And who knows what stories we'll be telling fourteen years from now?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-60980948577797891702017-08-21T11:56:00.000+01:002017-08-21T11:56:01.476+01:00How to pray for camps this week - 21st August<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cwgwTgAO9cQ/WYrTMrt7UFI/AAAAAAAAZ7I/K1m8Y1fV2S8bgAdQchn8wj4ZjaR0O4upwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cwgwTgAO9cQ/WYrTMrt7UFI/AAAAAAAAZ7I/K1m8Y1fV2S8bgAdQchn8wj4ZjaR0O4upwCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_1447.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is just one more camp for this summer! So you'll see that post appear next Monday. Thank you for faithfully praying your way through these last couple of months by following these posts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please continue to pray for the follow up as local churches continue to do all the work that comes after camp. Please pray that especially as school starts in just a couple of weeks that young people would continue to go to youth group, Bible studies, and church. We read in the Parable of the Sower about those who hear the word of God and receive it with joy but then without a root they fall away when testing comes. There are also those who respond to the gospel but are "choked by the cares, and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature." We see both these responses happen as "real life" begins again after summer, and school schedules are demanding, and peers and parents aren't sure about this new church thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please join us in praying that those who responded in faith this summer would be like the seed that falls on good soil - they hear the word, hold fast to "in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience." May these nations be changed as young people mature in Christ and bear fruit that yields thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-53360669688058547092017-08-16T12:20:00.000+01:002017-08-16T12:20:07.923+01:00Seeing Dunkirk in Český Těšín <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BeSeOaAM_p0/WYrq17l8nXI/AAAAAAAAZ7U/o10SsHH8SMQw5Hhv0Q_m6_iFtG14Vt9XgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BeSeOaAM_p0/WYrq17l8nXI/AAAAAAAAZ7U/o10SsHH8SMQw5Hhv0Q_m6_iFtG14Vt9XgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1802.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not sure if I've told you about the little cinema in my town, but it may be one of my favourite places here. You see, it's run by an older couple and has these old wooden chairs. I've been to showings that have had just two other people there before and I think the biggest audience I've ever been a part of there was around twenty, and there were at least ten of us as we went to see the new hero movie that had somehow been shown in Český Těšín before anywhere else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that is the strange dichotomy of this little cinema - sometimes they'll have the latest movies, although only for a day or two, and other times they'll show movies that came out twenty years ago. There's no arranged seating, which is unusual for Czech, and there's no concession stand either. So you should absolutely bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy. And I love that I live just a couple of minutes' walk away, rather than needing to drive thirty minutes or so (in Czech or across to Poland) to see a movie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But my favourite thing about the cinema is definitely the couple that run it. You see, you also get their opinion about your movie choice when you go. I went to see the children's movie Brave there with Kristin and her boys, and afterwards the man wanted to know if we'd understood any of the Czech movie (children's movies are often dubbed, whereas other movies usually have the English with Czech subtitles).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I went to see Dunkirk I went alone, because I'm an introvert who was enjoying a quiet evening when a lot of people were out of town. And the lady wasn't sure this was a movie I should see on my own, warning me that "It's a war movie, you know? A big war movie." I reassured her that I knew that, and thirty seconds later, her husband asked me a similar question as he checked and perforated my ticket and collected the stub, even though I was less than three metres from where he saw me purchase it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We chatted as he escorted me to the only screen, and he told me I wouldn't like this movie but that I could sit wherever I wanted - especially as I was the third member of the audience that evening. In our conversation my accent definitely came through and he asked where I was from - when I told him he exclaimed "Aha! Držím palce." That literally means, "I hold my thumbs" but more accurately translates as "I'll keep my fingers crossed" in English. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the movie was over, and the audience of five people filtered out, he wanted to know what I thought, and why I lived in this little border town. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dunkirk itself? It was incredible - how the story involves without much dialogue, but so much of the feeling is conveyed so beautifully by the music. I also really enjoyed some of the actors involved - especially Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Kenneth Branagh. But more than all of those elements it was incredible because of the story it told. When they couldn't get home, home came to rescue them. And in that good story we hear beautiful echoes of the greatest story ever told. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-78029007966133651332017-08-14T07:36:00.000+01:002017-08-14T07:36:05.128+01:00Camps happening this week - 14th August<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>These posts are happening each Monday this summer to invite you to pray with us for the camps happening this week! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This week the camps that are happening are:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Germany</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Romania</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to get a feel for our camps check out this video:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/167242521" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://vimeo.com/167242521">Josiah Venture - Camps Ministry</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/josiahventure">Josiah Venture</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer we will have a total of one hundred and twenty two camps across our thirteen countries! We have one hundred and five interns serving with us for three months, and over one thousand people serving on short term teams. For each camp, we'll be partnering with a local church to put on an English, sports, European, or music camp. And young people from the town, city, or area will be invited to come along, to learn English or grow in their football skills, or perform in a rock-pop choir, and they'll hear the Gospel and be invited to respond. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The theme for our camps this year is SEEN and we'll spend the week looking at how <span style="background-color: white;">people are </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">seen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> by Jesus. Each night we will look at a different encounter Jesus has with someone in the Bible and what that tells us about him, and about us. We're praying boldly that eight hundred and fifty young people will put their faith in Jesus this year. And we're praying that they, and the others at camp, will get plugged into the local church where they'll be discipled to be disciples who make disciples who make disciples. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Please pray with us for the camps that are happening this week - </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the local church: that they will build relationships with young people from their community and share the Gospel, and that they'll be able to follow up with these students well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the interns and short term teams: that God will use them powerfully as they serve the local churches here, and that God would call some of them to this ministry full time!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for students: that God would powerfully draw many to themselves, and that when they go home they would be excited about growing in Christ.</span></li>
</ul>
Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-89741023045960569172017-08-09T11:48:00.002+01:002017-08-09T11:48:42.434+01:00Camp in Bulgaria!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer I got to visit Bulgaria to see and cheer on our team down there! I sometimes feel like I have more culture shock visiting some of our southern countries, than I had when I moved to Czech. The culture is just different - a little louder, a little warmer, than I've become used to in Czech. This was true of Bulgaria too - and it was fun to get to know the culture a little better, and to see a little of the beautiful country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I travelled down on Thursday, a few days before the short term team arrived to help prepare for their arrival. This was our first short term team headed to Bulgaria so it was great to be there to support our staff. It was a little strange to be a country with the Cyrillic alphabet. So many of our countries speak Slavic languages so, even if I don't speak that specific language, there are usually words I recognise. This was not the case in Bulgaria due to the alphabet - although, sometimes when people were talking I caught words or phrases I recognised.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was great to have a few days of preparation and to be able to get a feel for the town of Velingrad where some of our missionaries are based. I went along with our country leader there, Gabe, as he had a meeting with the town officials who allowed us to use the town stadium for free for camp, and as he stopped by the children's home to say hi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The team from Northern Ireland, America, and Canada, arrived in on Saturday and we were very thankful that we made the bus for the two hour journey to Velingrad. Some of the team were able to go in our van but with not enough seats I took most of the Northern Irish team on the bus - thankfully I had help getting them on the correct bus as three days is not quite long enough to learn a new alphabet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With their arrival training began - we spent time over the next couple of days talking about the mission and vision of Josiah Venture and the Bulgaria team, culture, how to build relationships well, how to share the gospel, and all the practical things we needed to cover for a sports' camp! We were also able to go to the local church on Sunday morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On Monday afternoon camp began! There were forty-seven students there who were connected to the local church or our missionaries in Velingrad, or connected to other local churches across Bulgaria through various outreach ministries. There were also seven students from the children's home we'd stopped by on Friday. This was a big camp! And it was so fun to see the short term team members, and interns and staff, serving all these students. Our interns in Bulgaria probably get the prize for doing the most camps in the summer - I think this was the sixth camp for most of them!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our mornings started with the camp dance and some stretching altogether, followed by a short testimony from a team member. Then students were in three groups (girls, older boys, and younger boys) which each went through skill time in three sports. The sports during the week were football, volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, basketball, and fitness! After each skill time there were more short testimonies from team members.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the afternoons there was movie or pool time, followed by the main talk for the day. After the talk time there were discussion groups to help students process what they'd been hearing about Jesus and how he sees them. After discussion groups ended, usually around six, there was more sport time - this time we were in our six discussion group teams and we played three games (usually football and Frisbee, plus another from that day). And then there was "shower hour" for everyone to get clean after a full day of lots of sports, followed by some chill time of playing board games or ping pong before bedtime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is Cvete, who I got to know during camp! I'm so thankful for how relationships can be built across languages and cultures, and for the time I got to spend with this lovely lady, and others, during camp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The town's stadium was a great place to host camp - and it's incredible that not only were we able to use it, but that we were able to use it for free. With Bulgaria's strong Orthodox tradition, evangelical Christianity is definitely seen as a cult. Like many of our countries, this is a big challenge especially when young people go home from camp or other outreach events, talking about this Jesus they've just heard about, who may have changed their lives. Unfortunately, this often leads to parents banning their children from attending church and youth group.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I left midway through camp to head home to Czech. It was definitely hard to leave camp and the people I had gotten to know there. But it was such a joy to hear that seven young people gave their lives to Christ that week! Bulgaria doesn't have a lot of youth ministry happening, and churches are small and cannot afford to have youth workers full time. So if anything is happening for young people, it is often led by young students who are often busy or not always around. Also, there aren't always a lot of opportunities for work in Bulgaria so people move away, or work in another European country much of the year. There are definitely a lot of challenges to raising up a new generation of committed disciples in this country, but God is most definitely at work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I flew out of Bulgaria early on Thursday morning my heart was full - from connecting with our incredible staff and interns in that country, from getting to speak Northern Irish and meeting the short term team, from getting to know students, and from seeing little glimpses of what God is doing in that country. I'm praying that we'll see Him move in even mightier ways in this place in the years to come.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-41142634683331663572017-08-07T09:48:00.000+01:002017-08-09T09:48:19.251+01:00How to pray for camps this week - 7th August <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week there are not any camps happening! We're not quite done with camps for the summer though. And, actually, as camp ends in many ways the real work begins so this week would you please join me in praying for all the local churches who have done camp this year? Please pray for them as they follow up with students and start to disciple them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the end of this week most of our interns will have also left. We're praising God for all these wonderful people who joined his work here this summer. Please be praying for them also as they head home - in America or Europe - that they will remember how God changed their lives and lives around them this year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been incredible to see little glimpses of what God has been up to this summer - and I know that they are only little glimpses. </span>Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-74347238015581773362017-07-31T07:31:00.000+01:002017-07-31T07:31:00.247+01:00Camps happening this week - 31st July<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>These posts are happening each Monday this summer to invite you to pray with us for the camps happening this week! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This week the camps that are happening are:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">two in Estonia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ten in Czech</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">two in Slovakia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">four in Ukraine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Hungary</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Romania</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to get a feel for our camps check out this video:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/167242521" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/167242521">Josiah Venture - Camps Ministry</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/josiahventure">Josiah Venture</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer we will have a total of one hundred and twenty two camps across our thirteen countries! We have one hundred and five interns serving with us for three months, and over one thousand people serving on short term teams. For each camp, we'll be partnering with a local church to put on an English, sports, European, or music camp. And young people from the town, city, or area will be invited to come along, to learn English or grow in their football skills, or perform in a rock-pop choir, and they'll hear the Gospel and be invited to respond. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The theme for our camps this year is SEEN and we'll spend the week looking at how <span style="background-color: white;">people are </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">seen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> by Jesus. Each night we will look at a different encounter Jesus has with someone in the Bible and what that tells us about him, and about us. We're praying boldly that eight hundred and fifty young people will put their faith in Jesus this year. And we're praying that they, and the others at camp, will get plugged into the local church where they'll be discipled to be disciples who make disciples who make disciples. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Please pray with us for the camps that are happening this week - </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the local church: that they will build relationships with young people from their community and share the Gospel, and that they'll be able to follow up with these students well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the interns and short term teams: that God will use them powerfully as they serve the local churches here, and that God would call some of them to this ministry full time!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for students: that God would powerfully draw many to themselves, and that when they go home they would be excited about growing in Christ.</span></li>
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-20271876588617259642017-07-24T07:29:00.000+01:002017-07-24T07:29:19.990+01:00Camps happening this week - 24th July<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>These posts are happening each Monday this summer to invite you to pray with us for the camps happening this week! </i></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">three in Latvia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">five in Poland</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Bulgaria</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to get a feel for our camps check out this video:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/167242521" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/167242521">Josiah Venture - Camps Ministry</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/josiahventure">Josiah Venture</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer we will have a total of one hundred and twenty two camps across our thirteen countries! We have one hundred and five interns serving with us for three months, and over one thousand people serving on short term teams. For each camp, we'll be partnering with a local church to put on an English, sports, European, or music camp. And young people from the town, city, or area will be invited to come along, to learn English or grow in their football skills, or perform in a rock-pop choir, and they'll hear the Gospel and be invited to respond. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The theme for our camps this year is SEEN and we'll spend the week looking at how <span style="background-color: white;">people are </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">seen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> by Jesus. Each night we will look at a different encounter Jesus has with someone in the Bible and what that tells us about him, and about us. We're praying boldly that eight hundred and fifty young people will put their faith in Jesus this year. And we're praying that they, and the others at camp, will get plugged into the local church where they'll be discipled to be disciples who make disciples who make disciples. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Please pray with us for the camps that are happening this week - </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the local church: that they will build relationships with young people from their community and share the Gospel, and that they'll be able to follow up with these students well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the interns and short term teams: that God will use them powerfully as they serve the local churches here, and that God would call some of them to this ministry full time!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for students: that God would powerfully draw many to themselves, and that when they go home they would be excited about growing in Christ.</span></li>
</ul>
Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-71787134317701156102017-07-21T14:43:00.000+01:002017-07-21T14:43:13.937+01:00Short Term Team Training in Slovakia!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpTT8Y2iO3w/WXIA1D1q5yI/AAAAAAAAZ58/hk1M2KA1CSQnpIU1T2rsGNtEtRZiICB7QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpTT8Y2iO3w/WXIA1D1q5yI/AAAAAAAAZ58/hk1M2KA1CSQnpIU1T2rsGNtEtRZiICB7QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1013.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Friday I went to <span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">Žilina in Slovakia to see their training for short term teams. This year Slovakia will do thirteen camps across the country, partnering with local churches, interns, and short term teams. This was one of the shortest journeys I've ever had for ministry - it was just fifty minutes on the train from my town to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87);">Žilina. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Eea5uJXHBg/WXIAvadLj1I/AAAAAAAAZ5k/4tSduAk4TRsHeokxUH15JG4k9OtsQ4wXQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1057.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5KI0PX7q4zs/WXIAylCfLNI/AAAAAAAAZ5s/f8S0sbWY2eUM2jBThDJeDOgTAAE_p5TmQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5KI0PX7q4zs/WXIAylCfLNI/AAAAAAAAZ5s/f8S0sbWY2eUM2jBThDJeDOgTAAE_p5TmQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1027.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was so good to be there for the day of training, and to reconnect with our team and interns there. I got to hear how the summer had been going so far before the teams arrived. Like all short term team trainings, they covered who we are as an organisation and why we're here doing what we're doing. There were sessions on culture, teaching English, and the roles of the short term team. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Eea5uJXHBg/WXIAvadLj1I/AAAAAAAAZ5k/4tSduAk4TRsHeokxUH15JG4k9OtsQ4wXQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1057.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OOaDSwVFvU0/WXIA0MavVHI/AAAAAAAAZ50/jegikRprx2k-1G7t9AEUkDazC9AhkB7swCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1021.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OOaDSwVFvU0/WXIA0MavVHI/AAAAAAAAZ50/jegikRprx2k-1G7t9AEUkDazC9AhkB7swCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1021.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But my favourite part was hearing this guy's story. He was there to lead worship on Saturday morning and he was asked to share his testimony. At an English camp he saw the short term team and how they loved one another and the students, and he saw that they were different. He started to seek after the truth and after camp he accepted Christ. And not only was his life changed but now his mum and sister are also believers! </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Eea5uJXHBg/WXIAvadLj1I/AAAAAAAAZ5k/4tSduAk4TRsHeokxUH15JG4k9OtsQ4wXQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Eea5uJXHBg/WXIAvadLj1I/AAAAAAAAZ5k/4tSduAk4TRsHeokxUH15JG4k9OtsQ4wXQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1057.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I waited for the train home I stood on the platform and realised that some things just don't get old - even after <a href="http://theadventuresofanirishgirl.blogspot.bg/2017/07/ten-years.html">ten years</a>. I can remember waiting for trains that first year and still, somehow, trains feel like a fun way to travel (most of the time, anyway). And hearing how God is changing lives and eternities through camps? It's still amazing in a deep, gives-me-goosebumps, way. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm so grateful for the glimpses God gives us of how He's working!</span><br />
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<br />Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-46055008250383179432017-07-17T07:28:00.000+01:002017-07-17T07:28:04.159+01:00Camps happening this week - 17th July<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>These posts are happening each Monday this summer to invite you to pray with us for the camps happening this week! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This week the camps that are happening are:</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AvKtbIhdtSg/WWOc_fpqk6I/AAAAAAAAZ2U/5RooUEnjS1891uQKVWNHluqpp2Ywy5BJwCLcBGAs/s1600/17th%2BJuly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AvKtbIhdtSg/WWOc_fpqk6I/AAAAAAAAZ2U/5RooUEnjS1891uQKVWNHluqpp2Ywy5BJwCLcBGAs/s400/17th%2BJuly.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">three in Estonia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Germany</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">twelve in Czech</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">five in Slovakia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">three in Ukraine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">two in Romania</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">one in Bulgaria</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">two in Serbia</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to get a feel for our camps check out this video:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/167242521" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/167242521">Josiah Venture - Camps Ministry</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/josiahventure">Josiah Venture</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer we will have a total of one hundred and twenty two camps across our thirteen countries! We have one hundred and five interns serving with us for three months, and over one thousand people serving on short term teams. For each camp, we'll be partnering with a local church to put on an English, sports, European, or music camp. And young people from the town, city, or area will be invited to come along, to learn English or grow in their football skills, or perform in a rock-pop choir, and they'll hear the Gospel and be invited to respond. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The theme for our camps this year is SEEN and we'll spend the week looking at how <span style="background-color: white;">people are </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">seen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> by Jesus. Each night we will look at a different encounter Jesus has with someone in the Bible and what that tells us about him, and about us. We're praying boldly that eight hundred and fifty young people will put their faith in Jesus this year. And we're praying that they, and the others at camp, will get plugged into the local church where they'll be discipled to be disciples who make disciples who make disciples. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Please pray with us for the camps that are happening this week - </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the local church: that they will build relationships with young people from their community and share the Gospel, and that they'll be able to follow up with these students well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the interns and short term teams: that God will use them powerfully as they serve the local churches here, and that God would call some of them to this ministry full time!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for students: that God would powerfully draw many to themselves, and that when they go home they would be excited about growing in Christ.</span></li>
</ul>
Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-88529856255288220742017-07-12T14:12:00.000+01:002017-07-12T14:12:13.439+01:00Intern Training 2017<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BDBS4QODahA/WWSteWUdmYI/AAAAAAAAZ5A/QVLNkRV5XFcPlQ-095goPuirzIjJaV1XQCLcBGAs/s1600/W83A2248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BDBS4QODahA/WWSteWUdmYI/AAAAAAAAZ5A/QVLNkRV5XFcPlQ-095goPuirzIjJaV1XQCLcBGAs/s400/W83A2248.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the joys and challenges of the Amazing Race we begin four full days of Intern Training at Malenovice. This is the group of people who were there - one hundred and five interns plus staff. </span><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FA4wYI2UDIg/WWShiFtHyUI/AAAAAAAAZ4w/WFcc46-Px1wv5qlULrysC0tylmMhZxvJQCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image--113897349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FA4wYI2UDIg/WWShiFtHyUI/AAAAAAAAZ4w/WFcc46-Px1wv5qlULrysC0tylmMhZxvJQCHMYCw/s1600/blogger-image--113897349.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our conference centre at Malenovice is bursting at capacity - a very good problem to have! That means that during the day we met in our big marquee/tent for our sessions, and at night we squeezed into the meeting room inside the hotel.</span><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NSNPMpr-4b0/WWShWbGyINI/AAAAAAAAZ4g/pZKP8PxpJzIV-bV-VgRkGr4159sprlofwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-424980802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NSNPMpr-4b0/WWShWbGyINI/AAAAAAAAZ4g/pZKP8PxpJzIV-bV-VgRkGr4159sprlofwCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-424980802.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of our biggest goals for Intern Training was that interns would understand the five challenges Christ gives on the disciplemaking pathway (to come and see, repent and believe, follow me, follow me and fish for men, and I am sending you). As a ministry we want all we do to be based on the life and ministry of Christ and so we follow His model. And knowing this pathway well enables us to see where we are and how we can grow, and where others are and what they need in those spots to move to the next chair. So here is Aleisha interviewing Katka who is sharing what the process was like in her life.</span><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A9MSGmy9Lug/WWShbpyZaVI/AAAAAAAAZ4o/cHLWWE_958c5mVxAc6gxb9ahID1qZf4wgCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-472687465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A9MSGmy9Lug/WWShbpyZaVI/AAAAAAAAZ4o/cHLWWE_958c5mVxAc6gxb9ahID1qZf4wgCHMYCw/s640/blogger-image-472687465.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As well as a lot of training on disciplemaking, personal growth, and team, we also train interns in all the practical parts of their internship - everything from teaching English, to working with translation, to the camp dance. I'm really thankful for the incredible people who taught and shared - in all we had over forty people involved in the conference! And some of those people were nationals sharing about their country in their second language! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each night the evening talks were on idols. Aleisha spoke on the first night, and then our president Dave spoke on the other three nights. Idols might seem like a funny topic to dive into but Aleisha shared the following quote from Chris Wright:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Idolatry.. is the biggest obstacle to world mission"</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God is King and should be Lord over all my life - but sometimes we get caught up in worshipping other things. And we'd never say that we're worshipping other things but the truth is anything we're looking to for comfort, or security, or identity, that isn't Jesus is an idol. So some of the things that can become idols might be very good things! But we make them ultimate things, and that's where the problem is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So each night we looked at Jeremiah 17 and the symptoms of idols, and then we looked at idols were learn about the bible and asked the Holy Spirit to reveal anything in our lives we were worshipping that were not Him. Our hope was that in seeking freedom from all these idols we all would be freed up to serve Christ fully and bear much fruit for Him this summer.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2qswa1y7IFo/WWSteL-uheI/AAAAAAAAZ48/ypBTwAHNNB44GgBPMo5rbmmgZyjqssvPQCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC01643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2qswa1y7IFo/WWSteL-uheI/AAAAAAAAZ48/ypBTwAHNNB44GgBPMo5rbmmgZyjqssvPQCLcBGAs/s400/DSC01643.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a great privilege for me to speak a couple of times during Intern Training also. I facilitated a session on the gospel in Europe where everybody heard quick little talks, mostly from nationals, about different JV countries, what it looks like to follow Christ there, and what challenges there are to the gospel in that place. During that session I got to reveal our camp theme for the year, talk about the camp talks, and explain why they were written - to meet the exact needs and challenges people had just been sharing about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also got to lead a session on culture - with one hundred and five people, from eleven different countries, serving in thirteen countries for the summer, we had a lot different cultures in the room! And when we serve God with our culture, and cross-culturally, it can be a really beautiful picture of the gospel. But we need to learn to do those things well. So we did a fun, interactive task and then debriefed it and I gave some tips for serving well across cultures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking at and helping to lead this event was definitely challenging at times - and there were moments where we definitely experienced spiritual warfare. We went to deep and hard places, knowing that Christ wants us to be completely free. It was a battle but so rewarding to stand in faith with these interns for all that God has for them - both personally and as they serve Him in these nations this summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the last night we commissioned each group of interns to their country by praying over them, and then they had communion in their teams. The next morning many got up early to head to their mission fields for the summer and it was a joy to send them out! And that's why we dug our heels in and stood in faith - because sending out one hundred and five interns (plus staff) to serve for three months in complete freedom in Christ? That could really change these nations as they reach out to, disciple, and equip this next generation.</span></div>
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-32636701513294291862017-07-11T13:42:00.001+01:002017-07-11T13:42:11.853+01:00Amazing Race 2017!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each year our summer internship kicks off with a three day Amazing Race, based on the TV show by the same name. Teams are put in teams, generally the teams they'll be serving in all summer, and are given clues that take them all over the place to complete challenges. The race is a lot of work to organise (there are people who work on it all year, alongside other responsibilities) and run but it is so rewarding. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And it's rewarding because it accomplishes what we need and want it to - we bring together people who are usually total strangers and we need them to bond and come together as teams really quickly. The Amazing Race gives them the opportunity to do that as they create shared memories and learn how to celebrate each others' strengths and protect weaknesses. People learn how to push themselves and each other - through hard tasks, and conflict. And they learn to celebrate one another as they conquer tasks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We debrief the Amazing Race at Intern Training, after it's all finished and people have showered and slept. Teams get to talk through what they learnt about themselves and each other and what they want to be true of their summers in light of that. The Amazing Race is just the start of a summer spent serving local churches throughout central and eastern Europe, so it's wonderful to see teams loving one another well and bonded because of the race.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year we had one hundred and five interns running, plus staff who led a lot of the teams. You can see all the photos below of most of the tasks to get a sense of the race - we landed and finished in Prague, with a little day trip on the second day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The teams reading their first clue - it told them to go to a statue of a famous reformer, Jan Hus!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pretty much that entire line is our interns (one per team) queuing to get transport tickets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The statue they were looking for - on Old Town Square.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The task here was a scavenger hunt - teams were given a lot of photos of details on buildings which they had to find, plus some tasks to complete and record.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next clue told them to go to the statue of the dead horse - easier said than done (I struggled to find it even thought I knew where it was) and there they had to memorise a bible verse in Czech and find a stranger to translate it for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the next spot they had to locate the bible verse that had just been translated for them - "I have come that they may have life and life to the full". Some teams knew it right away, and others had to search a little.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the tasks during the scavenger hunt was to find someone to tell you one of three Czech fairytales. The last task of the night was to reenact the fairytale you were told, as a musical with costumes. It was pretty funny! And sadly some strangers hadn't given enough information for teams to tell the full story, so they had to find another person to give them more details.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a beautiful spot to watch a lot of teams perform musicals!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next morning teams had to recite the JV core values, with each core value earning them one puzzle piece to a photo not unlike the one below. Teams had to figure out where the castle, Karlštejn, was and head there. On the train teams were given a mini devotion and an outline for praying for one another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was quite the hike to the castle! But absolutely beautiful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a task at the castle (to find our "Wally/Waldo" in the village - yes, we had a helper dressed up in a red and white striped shirt) teams entered the forest where most of the rest of the tasks for the day were. The theme for the day was that they were in the resistance during the Second World War - a secondary aim of the Race was to expose teams to some religious, cultural and historical elements of Czech, as that would help them understand central and eastern Europe more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First they had to create some team war paint and then one member had to run along a path with two paintball-gun-wielding helpers standing guard to retrieve a clue. For every hit they received, teams had to wait five minutes before continuing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After hiking through more of the forest teams had to construct a tent, although only one of team members could see and talk. The rest were blindfolded and were obeying the speaker's instructions. An excellent task in learning communication! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After more hiking through the forest there was a physical challenge as teams had to carry a teammate around a big circular area, one time for the number of teammates they had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sudoku held the clue for the village they were heading for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A beautiful location to do a sudoku in!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And a beautiful walk to the village (as you can see - I walked/ran the entire route the interns did that day - I think I did more than 22,000 steps! And I had the benefit that I knew where I was going, and could speak Czech to ask for help if I needed to.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the village interns caught a bus to Prague where there was just one more station - and the most dreaded of them all. Teams got to spin the wheel of doom and that revealed what delight they had to eat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Team Bulgaria enjoying their choice.. with some bags in case they threw up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the last day teams had a lot of challenges around Prague Castle - here they are memorising facts about a different JV missionary from each of our thirteen countries. Later they would have to match missionaries to their country and say one fact per person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teams also had to paint a communist poster that focused on teamwork. Also that day they had to complete a physical challenge involving a lot of squats, burpees and pushups, and creating a team pyramid. Teams also had another time of prayer overlooking the city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the last day I was mostly sitting at the finish line at the top of Wenceslas Square. Teams arrived at the bottom and had to carry an egg on a spoon to me at the top and that was them finished! The winners were the International Edge Sports team - they won each day (which has never happened before) and are the first all guy team to win! It was a lot of fun to watch them tackle each challenge with determination before running to the next one!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second place went to the Czech Edge Sports team! Another team that ran a lot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And third place was Czech BenBarr. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was so fun to celebrate each team as they crossed the finish line! Then I just had the small task of co-ordinating getting over one hundred and fifty people on the correct train, when the platform wasn't even called ten minutes before the departure time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thankfully we made it! The conductor was lovely, and thought the sight of one hundred and fifty very tired people getting on a train was hilarious. It was good to get everyone on the train and begin our four hour journey to Ostrava, and then our conference centre at Malenovice to shower and sleep (and we definitely needed both of those things - you could smell us on the train!) before Intern Training began the next day.</span></div>
Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-656775210887248370.post-74440707113384090052017-07-10T16:27:00.001+01:002017-07-10T16:27:30.398+01:00Camps happening this week - 10th July<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>These posts are happening each Monday this summer to invite you to pray with us for the camps happening this week! </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This week the camps that are happening are:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">four in Latvia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one in Ukraine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">six in Poland</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one in Slovakia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one in Hungary </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one in Slovenia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one in Romania</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one in Croatia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">two in Bulgaria</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you'd like to get a feel for our camps check out this video:</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/167242521" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/167242521">Josiah Venture - Camps Ministry</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/josiahventure">Josiah Venture</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This summer we will have a total of one hundred and twenty two camps across our thirteen countries! We have one hundred and five interns serving with us for three months, and over one thousand people serving on short term teams. For each camp, we'll be partnering with a local church to put on an English, sports, European, or music camp. And young people from the town, city, or area will be invited to come along, to learn English or grow in their football skills, or perform in a rock-pop choir, and they'll hear the Gospel and be invited to respond. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The theme for our camps this year is SEEN and we'll spend the week looking at how <span style="background-color: white;">people are </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white;">seen</span><span style="background-color: white;"> by Jesus. Each night we will look at a different encounter Jesus has with someone in the Bible and what that tells us about him, and about us. We're praying boldly that eight hundred and fifty young people will put their faith in Jesus this year. And we're praying that they, and the others at camp, will get plugged into the local church where they'll be discipled to be disciples who make disciples who make disciples. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Please pray with us for the camps that are happening this week - </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the local church: that they will build relationships with young people from their community and share the Gospel, and that they'll be able to follow up with these students well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the interns and short term teams: that God will use them powerfully as they serve the local churches here, and that God would call some of them to this ministry full time!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for students: that God would powerfully draw many to themselves, and that when they go home they would be excited about growing in Christ.</span></li>
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Rachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02482687493950331137noreply@blogger.com0